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.
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All Class Years
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Sharon Rasmussen ’88
Sharon Joy Rasmussen, age 59, of Oregon (formerly of Eau Claire) died on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from complications of Glioblastoma. Nadine, her loving caretaker, took care of her at home during the final months of her life. Sharon was born on March 25, 1966, in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin to Rev. Dale and Jean…
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Dorothy Boeckenheuer Keith ’53
Dorothy Ann [Boeckenheuer] Keith, lifelong educator, passed away on November 1, 2025, at Creekside in Grundy Center. Dorothy was born January 16, 1934 in Hawkeye, Iowa to Carl and Clara [Braun] Boeckenheuer. She graduated from Hawkeye High in 1951, and attended Wartburg College, obtaining her teaching certificate in 1953. She began her teaching career in…
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Arlene Schnaidt Orth ’61
Arlene Orth, 89, of Clarksville died on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at UnityPoint Health – Allen Memorial in Waterloo. Arlene Karoline Orth was born on December 14, 1935, the daughter of Rudolph and Anna (Heth) Schnaidt in Beulah, ND. She graduated from Beulah High School in 1953. She later attended Wartburg College for two years…
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Roderick Evans ’92
Roderick (Rod) Lynn Evans 55 of Des Moines, Iowa passed away October 27, 2025, at UnityPoint Des Moines Hospital. He was born on February 12th, 1970, to Donald Evans and Susan (Moore) Lewiston at Mercy Hospital Des Moines, IA. Rod graduated from Norwalk High School, Class of 1988. Following graduation, he continued his education at…
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Kyle Elliott Fidler ’83
Kyle Elliott Fidler April 27, 1960 — October 25, 2025 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Kyle Rae Elliott Fidler, who departed this life peacefully at home on October 25, 2025, surrounded by her loving family, after a courageous year-long battle with cancer. Kyle was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and…
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Dorothy Obermeyer Dykman ’49
After a blessedly long and beautiful life, Dorothy Berniece Obermeyer Dykman met the God she had long worshiped, and was welcomed into eternal life on October 25, 2025. Dorothy was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on the 25th of May, 1929, to Emma and Reverend George Obermeyer. She was raised in a close-knit German Lutheran family,…
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Olinda Deines Patzer ’58
Olinda Louise Patzer (Deines) July 12, 1936 — October 24, 2025 Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Olinda Louise Patzer (Deines), passed away peacefully at home in Cedaredge, Colorado on October 24, 2025. She was 89 years old. Olinda was the heart of our home and family. She was married for 57 years to her…
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Norma Boyd Alfrejd ’62
Norma Jean Alfrejd (nee Boyd), 84, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2025 with family at her side. Norma was born in Nevada, Missouri to Maybelle Boyd Rabon (nee Warner) and William Emmett Boyd. Her father passed when she was very young. Her mother would re-marry, Estel Rabon. She was the eldest of three…
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Zoe Worple ’25
Zoe Worple ’25, New Hampton, is a brain injury specialist at Community NeuroRehab, Des Moines.
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Dr. Robert Farner ’52
Robert L. “Doc” Farner, MD passed away on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at Luther Oaks in Bloomington, IL. He was 95. Robert Lewis Farner was born to Fred (Fritz) and Marie Vallazza Farner on February 4, 1930. He grew up on a farm near Toluca, IL. He started his educational journey by attending Center School,…
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Herbert Hildebrandt ’52
Obituary for Herbert William Hildebrandt As usual…I arrived as a baby, a boy in January 1931, and ultimately the door closed in October 2025. I deeply tasted the world, anchored my life on a sea of love with Dee (nee Delores Bartels of Waseca, Minnesota), my wife of 65+ years who died in August 2018.…
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Sara Webb ’24
Sara Webb ’24, Tipton, is a graduate student in veterinary medicine at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames.
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Jordan Swiatkowski ’24
Jordan Swiatkowski ’24, Stewartville, Minn., is a mental health practitioner at Fernbrook Family Center, Rochester
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Anna Ohman ’24
Anna Ohman ’24, Winterset, is a graduate student in applied economics and economic systems at the University of Belgrade/Freie Universität Berlin.
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Robert Khoury ’24
Robert Khoury ’24, Waverly, is a researcher at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
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Quentin Kelso ’24
Quentin Kelso ’24, Keokuk, is an electrical engineer at Vermeer, Pella.
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Laura Hovenga ’24
Laura Hovenga ’24, Grinnell, is a graduate student in microbiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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Lauryn Henderson ’24
Lauryn Henderson ’24, Independence, is a graduate student in communication and media at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, and a bookkeeping and marketing specialist at Roberts & Eddy P.C.
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Kaitlyn Hall ’24
Kaitlyn Hall ’24, Kenosha, Wis., is an autism therapy behavior technician at Sonnenberg Consultants.
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Olivia Donlea ’24
Olivia Donlea ’24, Winthrop, is a graduate student in occupational therapy at the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minn.
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Dale Hinrichs ‘69
Darrel Walter Hinrichs December 2, 1946 – June 13, 2024 Darrel Walter Hinrichs, 77, of Blair WI, and formerly of Waverly, IA died Thursday, June 13 at his home. Darrel was born December 2, 1946 in Waverly, Iowa, the son of Walter and Margaret (Wedemeier) Hinrichs. He grew up on the family farm and attended high school…
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Brian Stewart ‘54
Brian MacDonald Stewart joined the angels on June 7, 2024. He passed due to natural causes. Brian was born in Charles City, July 26,1932 to Pauline Artz Stewart and Earl Stewart. Brian is survived by his sister, Diane Stewart Ryan of Rochester, Minnesota; his nephew Chris (Gerry) Casper of Minneapolis, Minnesota; his daughter Kari (Cliff)…
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John Seegers ‘71
John E. Seegers, 75, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City. John was born December 22, 1948, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Mervin John and Eldora Rose (Lobeck) Seegers. He graduated from Linn-Mar High School and obtained a business…
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Kent Cuvelier ‘69
Kent Alton Cuvelier, 80, of New Hartford, Iowa, passed away Friday night, May 31, 2024, at home with his family lovingly at his side. Kent was born July 17, 1943, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the son of Jean Elaine (Elliott) and Iven Earl Cuvelier. Following his graduation from New Hartford High School in 1961, Kent…
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Nona Beemer Stella ‘67
NONA M. STELLA (nee Beemer) age 79, beloved wife for 56 years of Phil; loving mother of Peter (wife Rossana) and Andrew (wife Laura); devoted grandmother of Gabriella, Luciano, Zola and Frances; cherished daughter of the late Robert “Duck” and Helen (nee Randa) Beemer; sister-in-law of Michael and Mary Jane Stella. Preceded in death by…
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Janice Goeman Larsen ‘55
Janice Larsen (nee Goeman), passed away peacefully on May 24, 2024 in St. Louis, MO. She was born in Madison, South Dakota to (Adelia and John). Janice was a devoted wife, mother, and Oma. She was preceded in death by Wally, her husband of 66 years. She is survived by her son Scott (Heidi) Larsen…
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Judith Weiss Miller ‘67
Judith Ann Miller, age 79, of Woodville, Ohio, passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Perrysburg, Ohio. She was born on Feb. 17, 1945, in Michigan City, Indiana, to Robert and Hilda (Fischer) Weiss. Judith would later graduate from Isaac C. Elston High School in 1963 and the Wartburg College in 1967. On…
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Elaine Hillmann Wilcke ‘51
We mourn the passing of Elaine Marie Wilcke, 94, at Accura Healthcare of Spirit Lake, on Thursday, May 23, 2024. Elaine was born at Grinnell, Iowa on September 28, 1929, daughter of Elmer and Tena Pals Hillmann. On August 15, 1951, she married Ernest W. Wilcke, son of Detlef and Lulu Clausen Wilcke. To this…
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James VanDriel ‘63
James L. VanDriel, age 82, of Eden Prairie, passed from this Earthly life to begin his life in heaven, on May 19, 2024. Family was with him. He passed peacefully while dreaming. Preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Ester VanDriel; brother, Gene VanDriel; and wife, Barbara VanDriel. He will be forever loved and…
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Jerry Bishop ‘67
Jerry Edward Bishop, 79, of Lafayette and formerly of Monticello, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at The Springs in Lafayette. He was born on October 9, 1944 in Urbana, OH to the late Marvin and Ada (Smith) Bishop. He was a graduate of Appleton High School in Wisconsin and Wartburg College in Iowa.…
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James Niemann ‘58
James “Jim” L. Niemann Obituary James L. Niemann, 87, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 6, at Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner surrounded by his family and friends. Jim was born December 26, 1936, to Paul & Emma (Klemp) Niemann. Jim graduated from Sumner High School in 1954 where he was a star athlete in…
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Kathlene Hoffman ‘67
Kathlene L. Hoffman, 80, of Rockford, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, May 4, 2024. She was born in Minnesota on September 24, 1943, the daughter of Mary and Arthur Kriesel. She married the love of her life, Robert Hoffman, in Branson, Missouri in 2010. Kathlene received a Master’s degree in Elementary Education.…
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Myrna Zirk Fauska ‘62
Myrna E. (Zirk) Fauska, 86 of Kendall passed away on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at her home. She was born on April 10, 1938, to Herbert and Grace (Sweet) Zirk in St. Paul, MN. Growing up, Myrna would spend her summers with her grandparents on the Zirk family farm. After high school, she attended Wartburg…
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Jane Broughton Thompson ‘69
Jane Arlene Thompson (nee Broughton, formerly Brinkman) died peacefully on April 29, 2024, in her “happy place” of Fort Myers, Florida, surrounded by family and friends.Jane was born in West Union, Iowa to Arlene (Boess) and Walter Broughton. Her family moved to Dubuque, and she graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1965. She then spent two years…
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Henry Friedrich ‘58
Henry Bruce Friedrich died at his home in North Liberty, Iowa, on April 24, 2024, after a brief illness, surrounded by his wife, three children, and daughter-in-law. Bruce was born on October 20, 1936, to Henry and Margaret Wilson Friedrich of Bessie, Oklahoma. He grew up in a family of Germans from Russia, including his…
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Charles “Pete” Griffin Jr. ‘73
Our father, Charles Peter Griffin, Jr or “Pete,” sadly passed away Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at Cedar Court Senior Living Center in Adams, Minn., at the age of 72. Pete was born July 4, 1951, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Martha (Gardner) and Charles Griffin, Sr (Chuck). In his youth, dad loved sports, especially baseball…
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Philip Truckenbrod ‘64
Philip Charles Truckenbrod, passed away after a sudden illness on April 22, 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri, with his daughter, Emily, by his side. He was born on the family farm in Paw Paw, Illinois to Edgar John and Evelyn Cecelia Margaret (Schmitz) Truckenbrod on August 25, 1942. During his youth, Philip was active is…
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Abby Saathoff Doxey ‘09
Abbey Lee Doxey, 36, of Waverly, passed away on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at UnityPoint Health/Allen Hospital in Waterloo. She was born June 24, 1987, in Waterloo, daughter of Robert and Laurene (Smith) Saathoff. Abbey graduated from Clarksville High School where she played Basketball and Volleyball with the Class of 2005 then from Wartburg College…
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Eileen Wolken Schurr ’56
Eileen Ruth Schurr, 88, of Castle Rock, Colorado went home to be with the Lord on April 19, 2024. Eileen was one of 7 children born to Henry and Dora (Eilers) Wolken of Urbana, Illinois. Eileen was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Robert Wolken, Dick Wolken, Martin Wolken and Walter Wolken; and…
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Peter Tundel ’69
Tundel, Peter C. Age 76 of Eden Prairie passed away April 17, 2024, after a battle with cancer. He is survived by wife, Sandi; daughter, Nikki (Tim), daughter, Laura (Aaron), and son, Mark (Jason). Pete was smart, funny, caring and determined. He was a unique mix of optimist and cynic. And he was extremely loved.…