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Recent Obituaries

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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 in 2009.  She married Matt Morrill in July 2013 and they later divorced.  Abbey married Wesley Doxey in Nashville, Tennessee on October 22, 2022.  She worked as a Graphic Designer for Woolverton Printing. Abbey was preceded in death by her grandparents: Peter and Darlene Saathoff,…


  • 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 her sister Annetta (Wolken) Freese. She is survived by her sister, Marie Buhr of Rantoul, IL and her children Sheila Bartlett of Parker, CO, Brian Capps of Gatlinburg, TN, Traci Link of Centennial, CO, and Matthew Schurr of Centennial, CO as well as her 10…


  • 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. He was born in Brooklyn to Christian, Norwegian parents. He grew up playing football, baseball and basketball with his three brothers. He met his wife at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. They got married in 1970. Pete worked for Cargill for 15 years, with job…


  • Ronald Fischer ‘68

    Ronald (Ron) Alwin Fischer was born on August 7, 1946 to Edith and Marvin Fischer in Mendota, Illinois. He died in his Tonganoxie, Kansas home on April 15, 2024. After graduating from Mendota High School in 1964, Ron earned his college degree at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. He then began pursuing an advanced degree at Iowa State when he was drafted into the Navy in the early seventies. He served as a corpsman all 4 years at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. He married the love of his life, Joyce Elayne Engle, in 1966. They were married for 41 years,…


  • Zoey Clark Bronsink ‘20

    Zoey Marie Clark Bronsink, December 24, 1997 — April 15, 2024. Zoey was born December 24, 1997 in Des Moines Iowa. She was the oldest daughter of Brad and Sue Clark. Zoey graduated from Waukee High School where she was active in sports and marching band. Later, she attended Wartburg College. Zoey returned home where she met the love of her life, Joel Bronsink. They married on August 19th, 2023. Together they made a beautiful home with their cats, Gwen and Perry. Zoey loved reading, gardening, hiking, camping, traveling, sustainability, game nights and puzzles. She was passionate about the environment…


  • Dolores Pipho Boehm ‘46

    Dolores M. Boehm, 97, of rural Wadena, Iowa, died Saturday evening, April 13, 2024, at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette, Iowa. Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. Friday, April 19, 2024, at St. John Lutheran Church in Arlington, Iowa, with Rev. Margaret Yackel-Juleen officiating. Visitation: 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Arlington and for one hour before the service on Friday at the church. Interment: Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, Iowa. Memorials may be directed in her name to the Bremwood Children’s Home, EWALU or LSI. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com Dolores Marie Pipho was born March…


  • Erma Baumgartner Clausing ’49

    Erma Hilda Clausing, 95, of Cedar Falls, Iowa and formerly from Waverly, passed away early Thursday morning, April 11, 2024, at Nation Cottage in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Erma Hilda (Baumgartner) Clausing was born on September 21, 1928, to Emil and Elizabeth (Beyerlein) Baumgartner in Clayton County, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Sebald Lutheran Church, Strawberry Point, Iowa, on October 14, 1928, and confirmed there on April 5, 1942. She attended a rural school near her home through 8th grade and graduated from Strawberry Point High School in 1945, and attended Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, graduating in 1946. She then…


  • Arnold Fritz ‘53

    Arnold William “Bill” Fritz, age 92 of Carlyle, passed away at his home on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Mr. Fritz was born in Wesley, Iowa on January 1, 1932, a son of the late William A. and Wilma (nee Gerdes) Fritz. Bill married Norma Jeane Ahrens in Grinnell, Iowa on June 21, 1953, and she preceded in death on March 2, 2015. Mr. Fritz is survived by his children – Dawn M. Stedelin and husband John of Huey, Illinois, Dale William Fritz of Birmingham, Alabama, and Jelene R. Rickhoff and husband Kenneth of Bartelso, Illinois; 5 grandchildren – Jarrod Ashby…


  • Fred Holzrichter ‘66

    Fred W. Holzrichter – passed away peacefully, at home with family present, on Thursday April 11, 2024. He was 80 years old. Fred was born in Chicago to Hugo and Elsa Holzrichter. He was raised in Chicago and graduated from Harper H.S. He began his studies at Wartburg College, Waverly, IA., but during a “financial break” in 1967, was drafted into the Army. Trained as a Chaplain’s Asst., he was sent to Korea and served on the DMZ. Upon his return home, he completed his B.A. degree in Wartburg. Fred worked in Advertising, Alumni and Development fields. One of his…


  • Mary “Sue” Hitchins Kern ’70

    Mary “Sue” Kern, 93, of Waverly, Iowa died on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the Waverly Health Center in Waverly. Mary Adorine Kern was born on February 8, 1931, the daughter of James and Margaret (Reburn) Hitchins in South Bend, Indiana. She attended primary school in the New Albin area, then Iowa Teacher College (UNI) for two years where she received her teaching degree followed by Mt Mercy College in Cedar Rapids. She later went to Wartburg College, where she received her master’s degree. On June 1, 1957, she was united in marriage to Edward G. Kern at St. Joseph…


  • Linda Sturtz ‘75

    Linda K. Sturtz, 71, of St. Louis Park, MN, formerly of Vinton, passed away unexpectedly, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Mercy Hospital, St. Louis Park, MN.   Linda was born November 29, 1952, in Independence, the daughter of Malin and Arlene (Kaiser) Sturtz.  She attended school in Vinton, graduating from Washington High School in 1971.  She then attended Wartburg College, graduating in 1975, where she earned her teaching degree.  Linda’s teaching career was as a middle school science teacher.  She taught in the school districts of Myservey-Thornton and Waterloo, both in Iowa.  She was also a tennis and swimming coach…


  • Paul “Bob” Moeller ’61

    Paul Robert “Bob” Moeller died on March 25, 2024 at home at the age of 84. Bob was born in Alpena, Michigan, the son of the late Lutheran Bishop Paul and Iris (Troyer) Moeller. Bob graduated in 1957 from Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio. Bob’s family was interested in nature – his mother was a Girl Scout leader. She had a federal permit to collect bird nests that were no longer used by nesting birds. The family helped with this collection which was donated to an educational center. Bob was a Boy Scout and earned his Eagle Scout Badge. In June…


  • Rev. Dr. Robert Vogel ’56

    The Rev. Dr. Robert L. Vogel ’56 — fondly remembered by many students as “Daddy Vogs” — was Wartburg College’s 15th president, serving from 1980-1998. He died Friday, July 24, 2026, surrounded by his family, including his wife, Sally ’57, and their children, Kirk ’83 and Susan. Vogel was a Lutheran pastor and church executive — and great-grandson of Otto Kraushaar, one of the presidents at Wartburg’s former Clinton campus. His tenure is remembered for his contagious excitement, animated by his vision for what Wartburg College could be, and his passion for our students. Many still recall one of his favorite…


  • Dr. Glenn Fenneman ’62

    Glenn Fenneman, age 86, of Waverly, Iowa, died Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Unity Point Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Glenn was born June 25, 1940, in Charles City, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Edna (Kohlman) Fenneman. He was baptized and confirmed at First United Church of Christ, Pleasant Valley, rural Plainfield. Glenn attended Dayton #7 (Shady Dell) country school until the 8th grade and then Clarksville High school graduating in 1958. Glenn then attended Iowa State University in 1958 and then Wartburg College in Waverly graduating in 1962 with his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He received master’s…


  • Rev. Dr. Herman Diers ’49

    Herman Diers, a wise and compassionate man of exceptional grace and generosity, a community builder committed to peace and an end to hunger, died March 7, 2026. He was 97. Born in Hampton and raised in Lutheran parsonages across eastern Iowa, Herman earned degrees from Wartburg College (BA), Wartburg Seminary (MDiv), Northwestern (MA), and Berkeley (PhD), and honorary degrees from Dana and Wartburg Colleges. On Dec. 28, 1950, he married Dorothy Lange. They first lived in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, to found Grace Lutheran Church. In 1959, they moved to Waverly, where they both worked at Wartburg College until 1993,…


  • Arthur Frick

    Arthur C. Frick II, 101, of Waverly died on March 10, 2025, at the Waverly Health Center in Waverly. Arthur Charles Frick was born on October 15,1923, the son of Arthur Clement and Nola Ann (Mangum) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was baptized in 1923 and confirmed in 1935, both at the 1st Methodist Episcopal Church in Milwaukee. Arthur graduated from. He served with the US Army Air Corps in the Pacific theater from October 22,1942 until his discharge in January 27,1946. He furthered his studies at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee until 1948 , University of Wisconsin, Madison in…


  • 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 pant leg from the rafters in the barn. We can imagine him beaming with energy, much like his grandson Roy. At age 18, Lynn graduated from high school and left Hoffman, MN, saying goodbye to his home on the farm, and greeting the world with…


  • James Waterbury

    James Bentley Waterbury died March 2, 2026, at Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls, after a short battle with metastatic melanoma. He was 78. Jim was born August 2, 1947, the third of four children born to Charles Arthur and Mary Elizabeth Stoddard Waterbury. His mother once told him he was her favorite because her labor with him was so short. However, he may have made that up. We all make up the stories we need. Jim graduated from Waterloo West High in 1965, and Princeton University in 1969. How he made it through is a testament to his professors’…


  • Charles Birnstiel

    Esteemed Professor, bridge engineer, and author Dr. Charles Birnstiel passed away on March 11th at the age of 94. Charles was born on December 6, 1929, in Manhattan, NY, to German immigrants Karl and Margarete Birnstiel. After attending public grade schools in East Harlem, Charles studied at Brooklyn Technical High School, and then at New York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, A Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and a Doctorate Degree in Structural Engineering. Following his graduation, Charles devoted himself to teaching and structural mechanics research as a professor at both New York University…