Spring 2020

Dear Members of the Class of 1970,
 
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 Carolyn and Bill's letter that they wrote to you, the Class of 1970, just weeks before we became immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic. We think you'll enjoy reading what they have to share, knowing, of course, that any events referenced may have been cancelled or postponed.
 
Especially now, gifts to the Luther Fund can make a big difference in supporting students as they navigate all that's ahead. If you can ,   I hope you will consider making a gift today.

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
Hello fellow classmates,

Here we are, just a few months from our 50-year reunion at Luther College. It is certainly hard to believe it’s been that long since we made memories at Luther. Many special events are planned during Homecoming Weekend, October 9-11, 2020.  They begin on Friday with an afternoon reception and the all Alumni Dinner in the evening. Saturday, we will gather in the morning for a class photo, then a luncheon. Of course, you won’t want to miss the Homecoming football game with our reunion check presentation! Saturday evening there will be a Creativity Showcase. We encourage you to share your artwork, books, etc. with everyone (more information regarding this in a mailing this summer). Our class dinner follows in the Dahl Centennial Union. Sunday afternoon, during the Homecoming Concert, Nordic Choir will sing a commissioned choral piece in honor of the 50 th Anniversary of the Class of 1970. You won’t want to miss that! So, we encourage all of you to come for a great weekend of celebration. Check out our 50-year reunion page on the Luther College Website at: luther.edu/giving/reunions/1970

We want to highlight some innovative steps Luther College is taking to provide a diverse and quality education to students in 2020 and beyond. Luther College and Northeast Iowa Community College are partnering in an effort to meet growing workforce needs in the social work field. They created an Associate of Arts to Bachelor of Arts Social Work Transfer Pathway which provides students the opportunity to complete an A.A. at NICC with credits that directly transfer to Luther, allowing them to obtain their B.A. in social work in only two additional years.

A new global health program will begin in the fall of 2020. It will equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the health and wellness of people worldwide. The new program is an interdisciplinary field that addresses health, health equity and socio-economic concerns of people around the world.

What an exciting time to celebrate our 50-year history. We look forward to supporting the exciting future of education at Luther College!
Bill and Carolyn Kobler
1970 Class Agents
6729 Millbrook Drive
Rockford, IL 61108-4310
815-398-1544
CLASS NOTES

Elaine Amundson of Waterloo, Iowa, is a retired secretary.
 
Karen (Strum) Bear of Marietta, Ga., retired as a program administrator.
 
Lorraine (Carter) Borowski of Decorah was inducted into the Northeast Iowa Community College Hall of Fame in Nov.
 
Paula (Spoerl) and Leroy Bradway ‘71 live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Paula is a library cataloger for the Ely Public Library. Leroy is a library cataloger for the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library.
 
Karen (Bezoier) DeBuhr of Waukon, Iowa, is a retired preschool teacher.
 
Steven Grove is a counselor at Northstar Behavioral Health in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Linda (Oleson) Haddock of Franklin, Wis., is a retired librarian.
 
Willa (Blesie) Holger of Peterson, Minn., is a retired music educator.
 
Kurt Leichtle is interim executive director of the North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting and a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
 
John May of Fond du Lac, Wis., is a retired professor.
 
Kirsten (Lauridsen) Renehan is a retired art teacher.
 
Donald Schubring of Manassas, Va., retired as director of property management at Sugar Oak Management Services.
 
David Snow is a sales associate at Macy’s in Indianapolis.
 
Sarah Strandjord of Aurora, Colo., is a retired pediatric hematologist-oncologist.
 
Louise (Spielman) and James Stromberg ’69 live in Houston, Minn. Louise is visitation pastor at Central Lutheran Church in Winona, Minn. James is owner of MC Mini Storage.
 
Kurt Svidalof Arden Hills, Minn., is retired.
 
Dennis Szymkowiak of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., is a retired reading specialist and English teacher.
 
Melva Underbakke of Decorah is executive director at The National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms in Washington, D.C.
 
Cheryl (Evansen) White works in sales at Loker’s Shoes in Holland Mich.

 
MARRIAGES

STEVEN GROVE and Randall Duvall, Oct. 19, 2019


OBITUARIES
 
George A. Indestad of Spring Hill, Tenn., died June 6, 2019, age 75.

Lin (Mathieu) Schmidt of Anoka, Minn., died Dec. 28, 2019, age 71.

Richard Ziegfeld of Beltsville, Md., died Feb. 23, 2020, age 71.