We love hearing from our alumni!
Whether you’ve reached a career milestone, started a new venture, made an impact in your community, or celebrated a personal achievement, your story inspires current and future Knights. Share your accomplishments with us so we can celebrate your success and highlight the many ways Wartburg alumni make a difference in the world.
Search Class Notes:
All Class Years
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Kelsey Padderud Baker ’05
Kelsey Padderud Baker ’05, Waverly, is principal at River Hills School, Cedar Falls.
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Angela Neptun Hudelson ’03
Angela Neptun Hudelson ’03, Peoria, Ill., earned a degree in social work from the University of Illinois and is a mental health clinician at FamilyCore.
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Elaina Meier ’01
Elaina Meier ’01, Madison, Wis., earned a doctoral degree in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Aaron Buzza ’01
Aaron Buzza ’01, Macon, Ga., was named one of the 200 Most Influential of Georgia’s Creative Industries by Georgia Entertainment’s Creative Economy Journal.
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Dan Lahey ’99
Dan Lahey ’99, Johnston, is executive vice president and chief financial and investment officer at LCS, Des Moines.
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Dr. Jamie Kling ’99
Dr. Jamie Kling ’99, Portage, Wis., received the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health’s Faculty Excellence Award. The award acknowledges initiative, enthusiasm, collaboration, and commitment.
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Dr. Richard Stapleton ’97
Dr. Richard Stapleton ’97, North Liberty, is an academic coordinator – counselor education and supervision field experience at Walden University, Minneapolis. He is chair of the National Board of Certified Counselors, serving through June 2025.
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Chad Gerbracht ’96
Chad Gerbracht ’96, Wellsburg, is an elementary school teacher in the Dike-New Hartford Schools.
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Mark Albertsen ’96
Mark Albertsen ’96, Dysart, is an elementary principal in the East Marshall Community School District.
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Tina Cox Vogelmann ’95
Tina Cox Vogelmann ’95, Lake Geneva, Wis., earned a master’s degree from Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Md., and is superintendent at Hartland Lakeside School District, Hartland.
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James Cassmann ’95
James Cassmann ’95, Mabel, Minn., is an administrative assistant at Mayo Clinic-Rochester for the General Internal Medicine International Clinic and faculty development.
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Alexis Oberdorfer ’94
Alexis Oberdorfer ’94, West Saint Paul, Minn., is senior vice president of services for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.
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Van Beach ’94
Van Beach ’94, Cumming, is global head of Life Actuarial Solutions with Aon.
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Jeff Martin ’92
Jeff Martin ’92, Kennesaw, Ga., a journalist for the Associated Press, produced Lethal Restraint. The project is a series of stories, photos, videos, and a PBS Frontline documentary examining the deaths of more than 1,000 people after encounters with police.
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David Gerleman ’91
David Gerleman ’91, Alexandria, Va., a history instructor at George Mason University, Fairfax, is a 2024-25 Fulbright Scholar Award recipient and is teaching two courses at the University of Debrecen, Hungary.
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Kathryn Buck Strong ’90
Kathryn Buck Strong ’90, Broomfield, Colo., retired from the city of Lakewood after 26 years as a teacher and education coordinator for Head Start. She now serves as an office administrator with Atonement Lutheran Church, Boulder.
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Kevin Kelling ’88
Kevin Kelling ’88, Grand Rapids, Mich., is a mortgage loan originator at Macatawa Bank.
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Stu Fritz ’88
Stu Fritz ’88, Holland, Mich., retired after 31 years as head baseball coach and associate professor of kinesiology at Hope College. He is serving part time as an athletics and philanthropy liaison.
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Jan Hazlewood Plane ’87
Jan Hazlewood Plane ’87, Brandon, Wis., earned the ACM-SIGCSE Broadening Participation in Computing Award. She was also awarded the May Bumby Severy Award for Teaching Excellence at Ripon College.
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Jamie Clemente De Geer ’84
Jamie Clemente De Geer ’84, Valley Park, Mo., celebrated 25 years as director of music ministry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Manchester. She serves in various roles from worship and youth leadership to choir director.
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Gerald Menning ‘51
Gerald J. Menning, 96, of Waterloo, and formerly of Waverly, Iowa, passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024, at his daughter’s home in Kaufman, Texas. Gerald was born on May 28, 1928, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Alfred Carl and Della Agnes Geer. He was baptized in June 1928 in Milwaukee and confirmed in…
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Rev. Norman Franzen ‘58
The Reverend Norman Norris Franzen of Omaha entered his heavenly home on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, at Hillcrest Shadow Lake Nursing Facility, at the age of 88. Norman was born April 15, 1936, in Gothenburg, to Meinert and Elizabeth (Aden) Franzen. He was raised in Gothenburg and was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church. He graduated…
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Marilyn Stoltz Isakson ‘69
Marilyn Isakson, 84, of Colwell, passed away peacefully at home November 28, 2024, where she was cared for by her loving family. Marilyn Kay (Stoltz) Isakson was born in Clarion, Iowa on October 19, 1940 to Roy Elmer Stoltz and Lillian Margaret (Shediwy) Stoltz. She received her education in schools in Palo Alto County, Iowa…
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Dennis Wesenberg ‘63
Dennis Wesenberg, 82, of Dows, passed away on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at Scenic Manor in Iowa Falls. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 29, 2024 at the First Lutheran Church in Dows with a time of fellowship to follow. Visitation will be an hour before the service. The service will be…
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Darlene Wilke Schwarzkopf ‘57
Darlene Kathryn Schwarzkopf died on November 24, 2024, after a short but courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Canton, South Dakota on March 11, 1937, and grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa. Darlene graduated from Rock Rapids High School. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa and later graduated from Dana College…
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Judy Harms Spinler ‘71
Judy Spinler, 75, passed away peacefully after a short battle with pancreatic cancer on November 19, 2024, at the Oldorf Hospice House, Hiawatha, Iowa. Judy was born July 7, 1949, daughter to Paul and Leola (Ingersoll) Harms in Waterloo, Iowa. She graduated from Wartburg College and the University of Northern Iowa. She was united in…
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Vivian Rudolf Rindelaub ‘57
Vivian (Rudolf) Rindelaub, age 89 5/6 years, of Alexandria, formerly of Waseca, Marcell, and Grand Rapids, passed away on Monday, November 18, 2024, at her home. A visitation will be held from 2 p.m. until the time of the 3 p.m. service on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at First Lutheran Church, with Rev. Megan Preston…
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Sheridan Skeen ‘69
Sheridan Ray Skeen, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 11, 2024, at the age of 77. Born on March 9, 1947, he received the nickname “Peanut” by his family since he arrived prematurely and was such a small baby. Sheridan grew up on a farm near Kankakee, Illinois, where he was raised…
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Dr. Duane Koenig ‘53
Dr. Duane G Koenig, 90 years of age, of Plymouth, passed away Monday, November 4, 2024. He was born on November 5, 1933, in Beatrice to Albert and Elsa (Pfingsten) Koenig. Duane attended Hoag country school through the 8th grade, then transferred to Beatrice, graduating in 1951. He was confirmed in faith at St John’s…
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Peter Weller ‘61
Peter John Weller, age 84, of Washington, Iowa, passed away Friday, November 1, 2024, at the Halcyon House in Washington. Peter was born January 13, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Carl Wilhelm and Kathryn (Bieber) Weller. He attended school at the Lane Tech Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois, and received his Business…
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Rev. Harold Heinzig ‘56
Rev. Harold Frederick Herman Heinzig October 3, 1934 — November 1, 2024 Rev. Harold Frederick Herman Heinzig, age 90, died on Friday afternoon, November 1, 2024, at Centra Care – St. Cloud Hospital, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Trinity Lutheran…
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Joyce Wonsmos Kasper ‘63
Joyce Arline Kasper, 84, of Clear Lake, formerly of Forest City and Thornton, a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at Apple Valley Assisted Living in Clear Lake. Born on August 5, 1940, to Marius (Shorty) and Helen (Hartwig) Wonsmos in Thornton, Iowa, Joyce cherished her early years,…
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James Carver ‘64
James “Jim” Douglas Carver Obituary James “Jim” D. Carver, 82, of Waverly died on Sunday, October 27, 2024, at his residence in Waverly. James Douglas Carver was born on April 15, 1942, the son of Francis and Dorothy (Wilson) Carver in Spencer, Iowa. He earned his Eagle Scout and was active in sports…
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Rev. John Sieverts ‘74
Rev. John C. Sieverts age 72 of Minocqua, WI, formerly of Waterloo, IA, died Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Country Terrace Home in Minocqua. John C. Sieverts, born on December 10, 1951, to John J. and Anna Mae (Johnson) Sieverts. John was baptized and confirmed at Crane Creek, where he began a lifelong journey of devotion…
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Rev. Arnold Wuertz ‘44
Rev. Arnold A. Wuertz, age 102, of Overland Park, Kansas passed away on Thursday, October 17, 2024. Arnold grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota with parents Adolph and Laura (Ziemer) Wuertz. He was the second of their two children and was preceded in death by his parents and brother Edgar, who died at…
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Ralph Lohse ‘69
Mr. Ralph Lohse passed away at his home in the Town of Trenton on Tuesday evening, October 15, 2024, with his loving wife by his side. He was 77 years old. Ralph was born to Roy and Helen (nee Anderson) Lohse in Franklin Grove, Illinois on July 7, 1947. Ralph, his three brothers, and their…
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Sylvester Van Hove ‘59
Sylvester Henry Van Hove May 5, 1932 – October 12, 2024 Sylvester Henry Van Hove was born May 5, 1932, in rural Titonka, Iowa, the son of Ted and Bina (Tjaden) Van Hove. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Titonka High School in 1950. He graduated from St. Louis College of…
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Gary Nielsen ‘69
Gary R. Nielsen, 77, of Schertz, Texas passed away peacefully on Friday, October 11, 2024. Gary was born in Racine, Wisconsin on March 5, 1947, to Russell H. Nielsen and Joyce (Bax) Nielsen. Gary had a zest for life, and although faced with many serious health issues, his faith, attitude, and love for his family…
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Jeffrey Wad ‘74
Jeffrey James Wad age 74 of Nashua died Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at his home. Jeffrey James Wad, born on May 23, 1950, in New Hampton, Iowa, he was the son of Earl and Wilma (Ransom) Wad and grew up in Ionia, where he developed a passion for art and education. A proud graduate of…
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Leon Webrand ‘62
Leon Anton Webrand passed away peacefully at the age of 91 in Bermuda Dunes, California, on October 2, 2024. Born on July 11, 1933, Leon led a fulfilling life marked by devotion to his family and a distinguished career. Leon was a loving husband to his late wife, Sandra Webrand, who preceded him in death…