Spring 2020
Dear Members of the Class of 1955,
Like colleges all over the country (and the world), Luther College is experiencing a spring semester like no other. Our students are participating in remote learning, connecting with their professors and classmates online. It certainly isn't the spring semester we imagined, but Luther is responding with resiliency and creativity.
Many of us are making adjustments, sometimes daily or even hourly, to these uncertain times but we wanted to connect with you and to send you Carlyle's letter that he wrote to you, the Class of 1955, just weeks before we became immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic. We think you'll enjoy reading what he has to share, knowing, of course, that any events referenced may have been cancelled or postponed.
We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during these times. For updated information about Luther's response to the pandemic, visit
luther.edu.
Many thanks for your steadfast love and support.
Mariah Bringer Smith ‘95
Director of Development, Current Gifts
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Dear 1955 Classmates:
Greetings from Southern Arizona where the only snow to be seen is in the surrounding mountains. Of course, the winters are more temperate here than in the Midwest and other parts of the country, but it has still been chilly many days by Arizona standards with some nights in February under 32 degrees. Wherever you spent the winter, however, I hope you stayed warm, active, and well.
This May will mark the 65
th
anniversary of our graduation. A great deal has happened to each of us since then in our individual life journeys. Because this is an anniversary year for us, we will be guests of the college at a luncheon Homecoming Saturday (October 10th) this fall. There will also be time to take in the football game, walk the campus, or gather with classmates to reminisce about college days and where life has taken us since then. More information will follow. Unfortunately, we will probably not have, as in the past, a light buffet Saturday evening. In past years we were guests of Darlene (Peterson) and Bob Jones at their home near the campus. They have both passed away. Maybe we can come up with another option.
As we all know, Luther has experienced a modest annual decline in enrollment the past few years. To offset this the college has developed some new and exciting program initiatives. In February, Luther and Northeast Iowa Community College signed an
articulation agreement
in the field of social work, enabling area community college students with an earned two-year degree to transfer to Luther and receive a four-year degree with two years of additional study. And in the fall of 2020, the
Global Health program
will commence. An interdisciplinary program, it addresses health, health equity, and socioeconomic concerns worldwide.
A few classmates communicated at Christmas time; others have sent information more recently.
Dave Borreson
and Jan keep busy in Colorado – gardening, quilting, traveling to Machu Picchu, Galapagos, Barcelona, Madrid, and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Of course, there was also elk hunting last fall.
Ron
and
Connie (Mosby) Larson
note that in July they will celebrate their
65
th
anniversary. Our congratulations. In December they attended the
Christmas at Luther
performance and pronounced it “Fantastic. Proud to be an alum.”
Frances (Trosin) Rehborg
and Gene find much to do in Sibley, Iowa, looking forward to the school concert season, the community Passion Play, the weekly Soup and Pie (aka Eat and Meet) suppers, and the time when serious gardening begins again.
Ted
and
Janet (Campbell) Tweed
remain active in the field of music. Jan continues as director of the Waunakee, Wis. Community Band which she founded 35 years ago. Three and sometimes four generations of Tweeds are involved, including Ted on trombone. Ted also plays euphonium in the tuba Christmas performance in the state capitol rotunda, an event organized by son, Steve. Also, he is active in the Lion’s Club and involved in the Bethel Lutheran Men’s Fellowship and in a brass ensemble at a Methodist church, both in Madison. Outside of music, Jan is involved in a Circle at Bethel and makes lefse, among other things.
Clarie (Renslo) Streng-Broste
and Dennis keep booking cruises. This summer they will take a Viking river cruise and visit Budapest, Kiev, and the Black Sea. Clarie says that cruises are much preferred over a care facility.
As for Mary and me, we were able to attend
Christmas at Luther
and agree with Ron and Connie. It was fantastic. Our daughter was with us once again and she declared it the best she had attended. We are both, like many others of our age, having some balance and mobility problems and occasionally forget a thing or two. So, twice a week we join a Pilates exercise program designed to address these issues. Pilates was developed during WWI by a German prisoner to keep himself and other prisoners physically and mentally fit. Since then the program has spread worldwide. It is worth a try.
Once again, I thank you for your continuing support of Luther with annual gifts. It is much appreciated. And in recognition of our 65
th
I suggest an extra gift. If you have a particular fund you like to support, that is fine. Otherwise, I suggest the Golden Anniversary Endowed Scholarship Fund which our class started as part of our 50
th
. The value now is well over $100,000 and provides much needed aid for worthy students.
As we move along toward spring and summer, my wish for each of you is that you enjoy the rebirth of nature and a warm and wonderful summer. And I trust that the Easter season was a blessing to you and yours.
Cordially,
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Carlyle Haaland
1955 Class Agent
12118 County 80,
Nevis, MN 56467
218-652-2085
carlyle.haaland@yahoo.com
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(February-April):
1105 S. Alpine Circle
Green Valley, AZ 85614
520-399-1801
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CLASS NOTES
Elliott Christen
retired after 50 years as the Decorah High School Viking Stadium public address announcer in Decorah. On Oct. 18, 2019, he took his place in the press box for the last time to announce the final home football game for the Decorah Vikings.
OBITUARIES
Alice “Sally” (Peterson) Head
of Grand Prairie, Texas, died Oct. 8, 2019, age 84.
Dale Martinson
of Radcliffe, Iowa, died Oct. 16, 2018, age 84.
Mary Ann (Robertson) Peters
of Wittenburg, Wis., died Feb. 19, 2020, age 86.
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