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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Beverly Hinkel Shalkhauser ‘65
Beverly left us on September 16, 2024 to dance and sing in heaven. She was born Beverly Kay Hinkel on July 19, 1943 in Waterloo, Iowa to Russell and Maxine (Foster) Hinkel. Her father was killed in WWII and later Maxine married Carl Reisner. Bev graduated from Cedar Falls High School and met her husband…
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Dennis Bigelow ‘65
Dennis Clair Bigelow, 81, of Cedar Falls, passed away at the University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics on Thursday, September 12, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Sumner on December 1, 1942, son of Clair and Maye (Morf) Bigelow. Denny graduated from West Central Maynard High School with the Class of…
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Arlys Orvella Soeder ‘68
Arlys Lorraine Soeder December 2, 1931 – September 11, 2024 Lorraine Soeder, age 92, of Waverly, Iowa and formerly of Denver, Iowa, died Wednesday, September 11, at Whispering Willows Care Center in Fredericksburg, Iowa. Arlys was born December 2, 1931, in Decorah, Iowa, the daughter of Helmer and Cora (Stoen) Orvella. She graduated from Decorah High School…
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Julie Whitney Florence ‘85
Julie Irene (Whitney) Florence passed away at Boone Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, from complications of necrotizing fasciitis. Julie was born on September 29, 1962, in Albany, Georgia, to James and Katherine Whitney. She grew up in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, and graduated from Southeast Polk (SEP) High School and Wartburg College.…
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Erin Brown ‘94
Erin Scott Brown passed away at his home on September 3, 2024. He was born in Mason City, Iowa on January 25, 1972. He graduated from St. Ansgar High School and then attended Wartburg College, receiving a degree in social work. Erin currently worked at Becker Public Schools as a social worker. Previous employment includes…
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Dr. James Bastian ‘62
Dr. James “Jim” Louis BastianAugust 16, 1940 – September 2, 2024 Jim, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and dedicated chiropractor, passed away at age 84. Born to Louis “Doc” Allen Bastian D.C., and Bernice Eleanora Bastian, Jim lived a life full of purpose and dedication to service, work, and providing for his family. Jim had…
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Kevin Perrinjaquet ‘73
Kevin James Perrinjaquet, 73, of Edgewood, Iowa, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Kevin was born on July 17, 1951, the son of Gerald and Marjorie (Knickerbocker) Perrinjaquet. After graduating from Edgewood-Colesburg High School in 1969, Kevin attended Wartburg College, where he earned a business degree in 1973. Upon graduation,…
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Thomas Havemann ‘67
Thomas H. “Tom” Havemann, 79, passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, IA. Tom was born on May 25, 1945, in Muscatine, Iowa, the son of William C. Havemann and Bertha A. (Swanson) Havemann. He married Judith M. (Judy) Vorwerk on September 23, 1967, at First…
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Rosella Dirksen Beninga ‘48
Rosella (Rosie) M. Beninga, 97, of Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away August 27, 2024, at Arlington Place in Grundy Center. Rosie was born on September 19, 1926, in Bancroft, South Dakota, the daughter of Harm and Catherine (Peterson) Dirksen. She graduated from Bancroft High School in 1944. After graduating from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa,…
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Carol Wessels Bye Koeneman ‘66
Carol Ann Wessels Bye Koeneman, age 80, passed away peacefully August 27, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. She was born January 7, 1944 in Independence, Iowa to Verna (Peck) and William Wessels. She was raised in Independence surrounded by her brothers and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Growing up, Carol enjoyed playing the piano, singing, swimming,…
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Rev. Jan Horne ‘63
Pastor Jan Horne, 88, of Robins, IA passed on into the presence of our Savior Monday August 26, 2024. One of three children, Jan was born in Oslo, Norway on February 5th 1936, to parents, Arthur and Solveig Horne. As a child, Jan survived the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War 2. Because of…
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Alberta Brandt Pieper ‘56
Alberta “Boots” Pieper, age 89, of Clara City, Minnesota passed away Monday, August 26, 2024 at Clara City Care Center. Alberta Leona Pieper was born February 1, 1935 to Albert and Minnie (Hesse) Brandt in Denver, Iowa. She grew up in Denver and was baptized on March 3, 1935 and confirmed on April 13, 1949…
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Leona Mortensen Reyelts ‘54
Leona Lena Reyelts March 1, 1932 – August 26, 2024 On the evening of August 26th, God sent a strong wind to raise up the soul of one of His true and faithful servants. Rainbows and lightening decorated the skies as Leona Reyelts, aged 92, died peacefully of natural causes to join her husband, Rev.…
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Richard Larson ‘57
Richard Jeffrey Larson, age 89, died on August 25, 2024, from a fall at his home in Prestbury. He was born February 27, 1935, to Jeffrey and Malene Larson in Earlville, Illinois. He was raised in the Earlville area, attended a one room grade school for seven years, and graduated from the Earlville grade and…
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Kristine Karls Lambert ‘71
Kristine Wendy Lambert December 5, 1948 – August 24, 2024 Kristine Wendy (Karls) Lambert, age 75, of Schaumburg. Beloved wife of the late Julian Raymond Lambert. Beloved daughter of the late Alice Lillian (Erickson) Karls and Robert Matthew Karls. Loving mother of John P. Lambert and Julie A. (Kirk) Dahlen. Dearest grandmother of Emma Dahlen. Dear sister…
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Richard Tillou ‘51
Richard D. Tillou, 95, formerly of Mason City passed away on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at Cascade Creek Memory Care, Rochester, MN. Richard Tillou was born on August 30, 1928, in Richland Center, WI to parents John and Audrey (Thompson) Tillou. Richard graduated from Richland Center High School. He received his Bachelor of Science in…
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Paul Beckman ‘54
Paul Lester Beckman, 92, of West Burlington, died Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at his home. Born June 14, 1932, in Prairie Grove, he was the son of Lester and Esther (Flachman) Beckman. He attended Flint River School and was a 1950 graduate of Danville High School and a graduate of Wartburg College. He served as…
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Kathryn Fritschel Gerard ‘58
Kathryn Annette Fritschel Gerard August 3, 1936 – August 15, 2024 Kathryn (Kay) Annette Gerard, née Fritschel, 88 of Sugar Land, Texas, died peacefully at home on Thursday, August 15th surrounded by her family. Kay was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, the second child of Reverend Walter and Nina Fritschel, and grew up in Charles…
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Loretta Schmitt Blain ’56
Loretta “Lorrie” Irene Blain, age 88, passed away in her home in Costa Mesa, CA on August 14, 2024. Born on June 29, 1936, in Bismarck, North Dakota to Bertha and Jacob Schmitt, Lorrie lived a life full of love, devotion, and service. Growing up on a farm in Wishek, ND, Lorrie moved to Waverly, Iowa to…
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Roger Swanson ’52
Roger D. Swanson was born February 6, 1931, in Manchester, Iowa, to Anton V. and Elsie (Reck) Swanson. He died on August 13, 2024, at the Great River Care Center in McGregor, Iowa. Roger attended grade school at Rural Hazel Green Township in Delaware County, Iowa and graduated from Buck Creek Consolidated High School in…
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Dr. Ryan Winters ‘03
Ryan Randall Winters, 43, of Denver, Colorado, formally of Iowa Falls, passed away Tuesday January 16, 2024. Ryan was born on September 5, 1980 in Iowa Falls, Iowa to Randy and Dianna (Bahr) Winters. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School in the class of 1999. His academic and athletic accomplishments were vast in school,…
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Gary Platt ‘71
Gary S. Platt, age 74, of Wisconsin Rapids, WI passed away on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids after a 16 year battle with cancer. Gary was born on September 19, 1949 to the late Arthur and Doris (Ollerman) Platt. Professionally, he was a general manager in the food service…
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Hillary Gerber ‘92
Hillary M. Gerber, 54, a lifelong rural Stewartville, MN farmer died unexpectedly of a cardiac arrest on Monday (January 8, 2024) at the family farm. Hillary Marshall Gerber was born on September 17, 1969, in Rochester, MN to Paul and Ruth (Kaldenberg) Gerber. He grew up on the Gerber Family farm in Pleasant Grove Twp.,…
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Marianna Dirks Wolters ‘61
Marianna (Dirks) Wolters December 29, 1940 — January 5, 2024 Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Marianna Wolters, of Rantoul passed away peacefully in her loving home on Friday, January 5th. Marianna recently celebrated her 83rd birthday, and was blessed to live a life of faith, service, and love. She was born December 29th, 1940, in…
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Oswald Goettler ‘53
Obituary of Oswald William Goettler, as written by Ozzie. Oswald William Goettler (Ozzie) was born November 29, 1927 at Andrew, Iowa to Henry and Magdalena Goettler, very poor, but very religious parents, for this he was thankful for. He became a Christian at a very young age and being poor, it taught him to get…
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Wayne Imm ‘51
Wayne L. Imm, 94, of Toluca, passed away Tuesday, December 26, 2023, 5:10 am at his home in Toluca. Wayne was born February 20, 1929, in Streator, IL to Lester and Ella (Nenne) Imm. He married Dolores Ponsetto on November 28, 1953. Wayne attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. In 1951 he went into the…
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Brent Harstad ‘66
Brent Harstad November 5, 1943 ~ December 25, 2023 Brent Gordon Harstad left a footprint on our community. He was a father and a husband, a judge and a businessman, and most of all, a good friend. He always gave of himself and worked to make the world a better place. He would meet you…
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Clarence Coleman ’66
Clarence Edward Coleman February 16, 1940 – December 5, 2023 Clarence Edward Coleman was born in Mankato, Minnesota on February 16,1940 and raised in Fort Dodge, Iowa; the only child of Eleanor (Egli) and Walter De Nio. Clarence went by many names mostly because he never liked his first name. His nicknames were given to him at…
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Sandra Oltrogge Wiegert ‘67
Sandra K. Wiegert, 78, resident of Loveland, ColoradoSandra (nee Oltrogge) Wiegert died suddenly Monday, November 27, 2023. Sandy was born at her family’s home near rural Sumner, Iowa. Sandy grew up in Waterloo Iowa, graduated from East High School and Wartburg College, Waverly. She taught at Pierce Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In Cedar Rapids, she…
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Rev. Delbert Sailer ’66
Delbert “Dell” Sailer, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away on November 12, 2023. Born into a large and loving family as one of twelve children to George and Martha Sailer, Dell grew up on a farm in Hazen, North Dakota. Preceded in death by six brothers; Walter, Lawrence, Gerhardt, Arnold, Martin, and…
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Anne Leo Ellis ‘52
ELLIS–Anne Leo. (May 9, 1931 – October 30, 2023) was born in Osnabruck, Germany. She came to the U.S. at age eight, after her rescue from Nazi Germany through the Kindertransport program. She went to high school in Fredericksburg, TX, where her father was a pastor for a German-speaking Lutheran community. Anne earned degrees from…
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Helen Hiittenmeyer Meade ‘50
Helen Marie Meade, 92, of Jefferson City, passed away Saturday, October 28, 2023, at Jefferson City Manor. She was born Tuesday, March 17, 1931, in Russellville, Missouri, a daughter of the late Otto and Minnie (Rosbach) Hiittenmeyer. She was united in marriage to Thomas Parker Meade, who preceded her in death. Helen worked as secretary…
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Wenhsiu “Yeehan” Wu ‘03
Wenhsiu “Yeehan” Wu, of Carlisle, accomplished pianist and piano instructor, passed away at her residence on October 21, 2023 following a five-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 45. Yeehan was born in Taiwan on October 25, 1977. She began to learn the piano at the age of 4, and passed certificate level 10 at…
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Marcella Petersen Erickson ‘54
In Loving Memory of Marcella I. Erickson December 21, 1931- September 25, 2023 It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Marcella Erickson. She was 91 years old. Marcella, better known as ‘Marcie’, ‘Momsy’, ‘Grandma Marcie’, or ‘Aunt Marce’, by those who loved her, was born…
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Gina Anderson Smith ‘88
Gina M. Smith, 57, of Mound, passed away Sept 16, 2023, surrounded by husband Mark, children Inga and Gunnar. Gina lived with grace, seeing the best in people, and bringing the same optimism to her cancer treatments. She is survived by Mark, Inga, and Gunnar, mother Ted, sisters Wendy (Jim) and Stacey (Chad), nieces Taylor,…
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Dr. Richard Erbes ‘74
We regret to announce the passing of Dr. Richard Dean Erbes of Estherville, Iowa on June 9, 2023 at the age of 71. Rick passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. Rick was born to Dean and Ruth (Hanson) Erbes on December 29, 1951. After graduating from South Hamilton High School in 1970, he…
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Rev. LaVerne Beener ’54
Laverne Charles Beener February 11, 1927 – May 31, 2023 Laverne Charles Beener, age 96, of Hinsdale, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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Leila Sailer Simpson ’59
Leila Margaret Simpson (nee Sailer), passed away on April 21, 2023. She was one of twelve children born in Krem, Mercer County, North Dakota to the late George and Martha (nee Pempeit) Sailer. She is the sister of Walter Sailer, Lawrence Sailer, Gerhardt Sailer, Velma Wylie, Veona Jorgensen, Vernon Sailer, Roland Sailer, Arnold Sailer, Martin…
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Kaitlyn McColley ‘23
Kaitlyn Christine McColley, 22 of Albert Lea, MN passed away on March 18, 2023 at her home. Kaitlyn was born on June 5, 2000 in Faribault, MN to Randy and Carmen (Kelly) McColley. She attended school in Onamia, MN through second grade and graduated from Greene County High School in Jefferson, Iowa in 2018. Following…
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Richard Brandt ‘58
Brandt, Richard D. died March 9, 2023 in Lincoln, NE. Dick was born in State Center, Iowa December 3, 1936. He attended State Center high school where he played basketball and graduated in 1954. He attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and was a member of the Wartburg Choir graduating in 1959. He began his 38 year life insurance…