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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Lois Reyelts Trachte ‘66
Lois Dorothy (Reyelts) Trachte, 80, of Waverly, Iowa, died on January 30, 2025, at the Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community. Lois was born on February 4, 1944, to Claus and Mildred (Griesse) Reyelts in Rock Rapids, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids. She became a poster child for her…
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Mary Krohlow ‘66
Mary Kathryn Krohlow, 80, of Burlington, died Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at her home. Born May 1, 1944, in Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Edgar A. and Ruth E. Zuelke Krohlow. She attended Seymour High School, where she graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1962. She continued her education and graduated from Wartburg…
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John Hearn ‘68
John E. Hearn, 78, passed away at his residence on Sunday, January 26, 2025. He was born in Racine on September 9, 1946, the son of the late Earl and Ella (nee Andersen) Hearn. He graduated from Washington Park High School and Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, where he excelled in baseball and was inducted…
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Rev. Loren Van Oort ‘59
The Rev. Loren J. Van Oort, 87, of South Bend, Indiana, a devoted husband, father,grandfather, great-grandfather, and servant of God, passed away peacefully on January23, 2025, with his loving wife Lorraine and family by his side.Loren was born on September 28, 1937, to the late John and Lillian Van Oort inSheldon, Iowa. He is survived…
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Rev. Donald Schmidt ‘49
Rev. Donald Armin Schmidt was an ELCA Lutheran pastor. He peacefully passed away at age 97 in his home, surrounded by his family, on January 23, 2025. Don was born in Ixonia, Wisconsin on May 29, 1927 to Bernard & Anna Wilhemina [née Frederick] Schmidt. He married Donna Jeanne Brallier on June 1, 1951 and…
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Rev. Alton Schwandt ‘50
Alton Schwandt October 30, 1927 – January 17, 2025 Alton William Schwandt was born on October 30, 1927 on a dairy farm near Ripon, Wisconsin. He was the son of William and Dora Ruth Schwandt. He graduated from Ripon High School and attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He graduated with a BA in music…
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Elaine Reinking Ehlers ‘52
Elaine May Ehlers April 12, 1931 – January 16, 2025 Elaine May Ehlers was born April 12, 1931, in Kingsley, Iowa. She was the daughter of Emil J. Reinking and Elsie (Puttmann) Reinking. She attended Salem Lutheran Church in Correctionville, Iowa, where she was baptized on May 24, 1931, and confirmed April 14, 1946. She attended rural…
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Eleanor Jungck Flathman ‘52
Eleanor Anne Jungck Hansen Flathman, aged 95, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at her home in Pine City, Minnesota. She was born July 8th, 1929, to Virla (Bare) and Louis C. Jungck in rural Rushville, Nebraska, where she spent her childhood on the family farm. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.…
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Lynn Olson
Lynn Jay Olson was born on July 15, 1946 and smiles and kindness were added to the equation. Smiles started at an early age as he grew up with his parents, Leslie and Shirley, sister, Marcia, and cousin, Ellerd. One story passed down from his mother Shirley has Lynn, at age 6, dangling from his…
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Marilyn Azbell Reid ‘65
Marilyn Irene Reid, 81, of Waterloo formerly of Greene, died Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at Friendship Village in Waterloo. She was born October 9, 1943 in Kankakee, Ill., the daughter of William and Irene (Meyers) Azbell. She married John “Jack” Reid on December 10, 1983 at the United Methodist Church in Marble Rock. He preceded…
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Jack Mueller ‘73
Jack R. Mueller,77, passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday morning, January 7, 2025, in Mason City, Iowa. Jack was born May 6, 1947, in New Hampton, Iowa, the only son of Willis and Doris (Liebenstein) Mueller. He grew up in Fredericksburg, attending Fredericksburg High School and graduating in 1965. He went on to…
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Judith Rieniets Schwake ‘58
Judith K. Schwake, 86, of Sumner, died Monday, January 6, 2025, at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner. Judith Kay (Rieniets) Schwake was born May 19, 1938, to Frederick and Kathryn (Gerdes) Rieniets in Monticello, Iowa. She was baptized into the Christian faith at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Monticello, where she received her Christian instruction and…
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Douglas Brown ‘83
Douglas Dean Brown September 3, 1960 – January 5, 2025 Douglas Dean Brown, 64, of North Liberty, passed away at his home surrounded by family. Doug was born on September 3, 1960 in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Kenneth and Minerva (Nuss) Brown. He was raised in Dysart, Iowa, graduating in 1979 from Dysart-Geneseo High School. His…
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Marilyn Rosdail-Moller ‘75
Marilyn Carol Rosdail-Moller, 72, passed away on December 31, 2024. She was born on April 19, 1952, to Milton and Marvel (Barr) Rosdail in Storm Lake, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Marilyn was the eldest child and helped her mother care for 7 lively brothers &…
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Paul Anderson ‘66
Paul Gene AndersonAugust 12, 1943 – December 28, 2024It is with profound sadness that the family of Paul Gene Anderson announces his passing after a prolonged illness, on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at his home in Houston, Texas. He was 81 years old.Early Life and EducationPaul was born on August 12, 1943, in Ironwood, Michigan, the…
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Jeff Sandlin ‘06
Jeffrey Nels Sandlin passed away on December 26, 2024. His heart could not overcome a recent illness after enduring many years of medical challenges. Jeff was born December 30, 1983, in Belleville, Illinois, the only son of Rev. Kenneth and Marcia (Haupt) Sandlin. He spent his early childhood in Cahokia, where he loved to watch…
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Lois Rueber Cordes ‘58
Lois Elaine (Rueber) Cordes May 16, 1939 ~ December 25, 2024 (age 85) Lois Elaine Cordes, 85, of Strawberry Point, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, at MercyOne Medical Center in Waterloo. She was born on May 16, 1939, on her grandparents’ farm near Oelwein, the daughter of Arnold and Wilma (Brickman) Rueber. Lois attended Putnam…
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John Goeman ‘61
John Goeman, age 86, of Madison, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 25, 2024 at Bethel Lutheran Home. John A. Goeman was born September 8, 1938 northeast of Madison to John “Jack” and Adelia (Fischer) Goeman. He grew up on the family farm and attended grade school and high school at General Beadle School and…
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Rev. Frederick Henkelmann ‘70
Reverend Frederick W. Henkelmann, 76, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Pigeon, died on December 25, 2024. Fred was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on June 25, 1948, to Reverend Ernst and Evelyn (Westphal) Henkelmann. At age 2, his family moved to Pigeon, Michigan where he attended Cross Lutheran School and Laker High School, graduating…
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Frieda Schmitz ‘64
Frieda Fay Schmitz, 82, of Manchester, Iowa, passed away on Christmas Eve Day, Tuesday, December 24, 2024, at Meth-Wick Woodlands in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was born on January 17, 1942, in Manchester, the daughter of Dr. Orville and Harriet (Holverson) Schmitz. Frieda lived in Manchester with her parents and two sisters, Sharell Ann and…
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Norman Holzrichter ‘70
Norman Holzrichter February 26, 1946 — March 7, 2022 Norman Holzrichter, 76, of Grayslake, IL, died peacefully at his home surrounded with love by his family. He was born on February 26, 1946, in Chicago, IL, to Hugo and Elsie (Bonk) Holzrichter. He met Susan Brown at Wartburg College and on December 30, 1967, Norman…
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James Mann ’71
James George Mann, resident of Homer Glen, IL, died suddenly and unexpectedly on February 21, 2022 at the age of 73. James is survived by his mother Arlene Mann, his wife Delores Onate, his sons Paul (Meriel), and David (Sherry), the mother of his children Elizabeth Mann, stepson, David Karaffa and four grandchildren, Evan, Sean,…
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Betty Bakken Meyer Bodine ‘59
Betty Ann Bodine September 7, 1937 — December 16, 2021 Betty Ann Bakken was born on September 7, 1937, to Walter and Rosella (Rude) Bakken in Decorah, IA. At the age of three, Betty was placed at The Children’s Home in Waverly, Iowa, along with her five siblings, due to her mom’s tuberculosis. At the…
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Merlin Nomann ‘51
Merlin (Mel) NomannJune 9, 1928 – October 21, 2021Modesto, California – Merlin (Mel) John Nomann died at home on October 21, 2021, at the age of 93.Mel was born on June 9, 1928, in Palmer Iowa. Mel grew up in Pocahontas Iowa after completing high school in 1947.After high school he obtain a variety of…
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Lorraine Lynes Chester ‘47
Lorraine Chester, 94, of Plainfield, Iowa, died on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at Good Neighbor Society Nursing Home in Manchester, Iowa, of heart failure. Lorraine was born on June 11, 1927, at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Waverly, Iowa, the daughter of James Kendal and Lenora (Kuethe) Lynes. She was baptized in 1927 and confirmed…
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Dorothy Prottengeier Meier ‘48
Dorothy M. Meier, 96, of Wapakoneta, died 3:30 a.m., Mon. June 28, 2021, at the Wapakoneta Manor.She was born July 27, 1924, in Buffalo, NY, the daughter of John Louis and Mary Ann (Erdman) Braun. On Feb. 6, 1943, she married Frederick Eugene Meier, who preceded her in death on May 8, 1986.Dorothy lived a long…
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Bonita Karmie ‘75
Bonita (Bonnie) Joy Karmie, 67, passed away peacefully in her sleep after a protracted illness on April 9, 2021, Gulf Breeze, FL. Bonnie was born on November 14, 1953 in Chicago, IL, to Alvin and Geraldine Karmie. She was Baptized on September 13, 1964, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Oaklawn, IL. Bonnie graduated with honors…
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Rev. George Krumrey ‘51
George Edward Krumrey, 95, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Edith (Mueller) Krumrey and his wife, Phyllis Christine Krumrey. George is lovingly remembered by his son, David Allen Krumrey (Julie); daughter, Carol Elizabeth Rouse (Garret); and grandchildren: Lauren, Garrett, Gracie, Dylan, and Emma.…