Winter Bridge Class Notes

1970s
Dwain and Kate Burkholder ’71, Ocala, Florida, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 4.

Alan Cook ’72 hosted members of the S.O.B. (Sigma Omega Beta) fraternity at Pin Oak Country Club on September 15.

Members of E.Y.E. and Galena women gathered in support of their friend Marcia Andrews, who was honored as the 2021 Service to University Alumni Award recipient. The ladies also wore matching shirts to honor the memory of their friend and E.Y.E. sister Diane (Kinkead) Harms ’73. Among the members attending were (front, l-r) Edie (Gibson) Hines ‘73, Becky (Harms) Read ‘74, Spring Klaus ‘70, Chris (Lamy) DeLong ’73; (back) Debbie (Hand) Hess ‘73, Donna (Stark) Abraham ’74, Marcia Andrews ‘79, Kari (Daily) Gunderson ’74 and Mary Anne (Hedstrom) Macier ’73.

Bill Neal ’72, has been selected as the high school track starter for the 2020 Drake Relays. The former Williamsburg track coach was selected as the National Federation High School Starter of the Year for girls track in the State of Iowa. He has served as a starter at eight consecutive Iowa state high school track meets and five NCAA National Cross Country and Track and Field championships.

A special fundraiser golf challenge was held during Homecoming weekend with members of the SOB and the Foxes at Big Rock Country Club in Fayette. Money raised for the event totaled $7,500 and was donated to the Peacock Athletic Fund. Those who attended to reminisce with friends while catching up on their golf swings included (front, l-r) Rick Gerber ’74, Bill Roths ’74, Tony Schultz ’71, Keith Scholle ’74, Brent Metcalf, John Finley ’72, Bob Maher ’71, Dave Kolbe ’76, Bob Sorensen ’72 and Jim Fetzer ’73; (back) Rick Knipper ’73, Ken McKenna ’71, Tom Sauser ’71, Loras Rausch, Dick Buenneke ’72, Jim (Sodie) Alderson ’74, Paul Becker ’70, Doug Clayton ’78, Greg Steffens ’73, Paul Brown ’74, Jim Bushkofsky ’74, Tom (Doc) Bruess ’74, Tom Vega, Kim Pleggenkuhle and Greg Eschweiler ’76. Not pictured are Steve Harms ’73 and Jim Parsons ’73 . Additional supporters included Paul Becker, Monty Dunscombe, Jack Frey ’74, Bob McKenna ’70, Mike Tessmer ’73 and Tom Vischer ’70. The group is planning another adventure for next year and invites more to participate. If you are interested, contact Jim (Sodie) Alderson, 319-217-0112; Rick Knipper, 319-530-2343; or Bill Roths, 319-240-9411.

Following his retirement from GE, Paul Hart ’77 (left) of Bristol, New Hampshire, volunteered as a certified pole vault coach for 20 years at various high schools in Massachusetts and Virginia.

 

1990s
Daiva Rita Caplenas ’93, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was selected as the first-place winner by MSNBC Nightly News for written commentary online for its September 11, 20th anniversary remembrances.

2000s
Pete Caspers ’02, Peosta, Iowa, grew Iowa’s second largest pumpkin ever at 1,707.5 pounds and had two more at 1,470 and 1,477 pounds for an all-best three- pumpkin total of 4,654.5 pounds.

Wayne Slack ’03, Dike, Iowa, accepted the position of Union Middle School principal in La Porte City, Iowa. Slack previously served as the Union High School activities director.

Thomas Hampton ’05, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, retired from Novares (formerly MPC) in Prairie du Chien in February 2021 after 31 years of employment.

Lindsey (Doeden) Rothweiler ’07, Cedar Falls, Iowa, began teaching third grade at North Cedar Elementary School in the Cedar Falls Community School District.

Darlyne Keller ’08, Clinton, Wisconsin, president and CEO of Rock Valley Credit Union in Rockford, Illinois, was recently named one of the 2021 People You Should Know by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. She was one of the 20 men and women who were recognized during a special reception on June 24 at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in Rockford.

Carlyn (Wacker) Lechtenberg ’09, Waukon, Iowa, accepted a teaching position as a K-12 art teacher at Central Community Schools in Elkader, Iowa.

2010s
Craig Lee Jackson ’11, Sacramento, California, was recognized by the KU (The University of Kansas) Black Alumni Network as an Emerging Leader. He is currently the senior director of development at the University of California College of Engineering.

Nick Mundorf ’12, Marion, Iowa, was welcomed into First Federal Credit Union as a new mortgage loan officer in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Jody Donaldson ’13, Solon, Iowa, recently earned one of the Corridor Business Journal’s Women of Influence Awards. Jody is currently the director of advancement at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Devon Gurnett ’13, Des Moines, Iowa, is now an athletic training coordinator for multiple departments at Select Physical Therapy in Des Moines. He and his wife, Liz, also welcomed their first child just a little over a year ago.

Jon Kluever ’13, Schofield, Wisconsin, began serving a new role on the board of directors for Wausau Events in Wausau, Wisconsin. Jon is also the general manager of the Wausau Holiday Inn Express & Suites.

Trevor Hook ’14, and Ashlen (Damm) Hook, Fayette, Iowa were united in marriage on August 7, 2021.

Dacia Bassett ’15, Fayette, Iowa, has been hired as a financial aid specialist for Upper Iowa University on the Fayette Campus.

Jessie Big Knife ’16, Box Elder, Montana, is currently serving as the assistant attorney general for the Chippewa Cree Tribe and as a board member on the Mahchiwminahnahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization (MCCLR). Jessie graduated cum laude in 2016 from UIU and went on to obtain his Juris Doctorate (law degree), including a certificate in Federal Indian Law from Arizona State University.

Logan Hopp ’17 (right) of Decorah, Iowa, was recently hired by the Winneshiek County Sheriff ’s Office in Decorah, Iowa. Prior, Hopp has served the community of Decorah as a police officer since August 2018. Deputy Hopp will continue to serve on the Winneshiek County Joint Special Response Team, which he has been a member for the past two years. He will also be specializing in K9 handling with the Winneshiek County K9 Unit.

Amanda Drey ’18, Mount Vernon, Iowa, is the new director of healthcare at the Villages at Marion. Amanda earned a nursing degree at Kirkwood Community College and a bachelor’s in nursing at UIU. She is married to Eddie and they have two dogs, Bentley and Kobe.

Jeanne (Raymond) Mentel ’18, Hudson, Iowa, is the new UIU center director for the Waterloo and Cedar Rapids centers.

Shannon Nix ’18, New Hampton, Iowa, was named director of student engagement and leadership at Upper Iowa University’s Fayette Campus.

Sgt. Maj. Nadejda Vorobyeva-Santiago ’18, El Paso, Texas, assumed responsibility as the 901st Contracting Battalion’s (CBN) senior enlisted leader in a ceremony officiated by battalion commander Lt. Col. Ian Vargas on August 20, 2021, at Fort Hood, Texas. Vorobyeva-Santiago enlisted in the Army in August 2002 as a financial management technician. In 2012, she was assessed into the Army Acquisition Corps as an acquisitions, logistics and technology NCO.

Anthony Koran ’19, Middleton, Wisconsin, landed a position as a customer representative specialist with HealthGrades. He also participated in the MS150 Toyota Best Dam Bike Tour charity ride on August 7, 2021.

2020s
Dzeneta Jusufovic ’20, Waterloo, Iowa, graduated with a Master of Science degree in August 2021 and soon after began working as a marketing specialist at Impact Marketing.

Bekka Pierson ’20, Shell Rock, Iowa, was named the seventh grade girls’ basketball coach for the Union Knights in La Porte City, Iowa. Pierson was a proud member of the Peacock women’s basketball team.

Autumn Weaver ’20, Garner, Iowa, joined the Cedar Falls Community School District in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as a high school science teacher.

Jessica Berk ’21, Indianola, Iowa, has accepted a first-grade teaching position at Martensdale-St. Marys School District in Martensdale, Iowa.

Jeff Hughes ’21, Oelwein, Iowa, was hired as the veterans benefit specialist at UIU Fayette Campus.

Caitlin Schauer ’21, Wauseca, Minnesota, accepted the residence area coordinator position at UIU Fayette Campus.

Welcome to the Peacock family, little ones!