Class Notes: Summer 2021

1950s

'50 Audrey (Guenther) Ercolini, BA, North Sioux City, SD, is enjoying her new apartment complex with a pool, teaching bridge for the last five years at a senior center, 
reading and watching old movies.

'56 Joann Beardmore Scott, 2 yr Cert., BA '62, Huxley, retired in 1998 after 42 years of teaching and is excited to have a granddaughter attending UNI.

'59 Gus Pappas, BA, Farmington, NM, retired from teaching in 1991 and has been married to Mary Frances (Brackin) Pappas, BA '58, for 61 years.

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1960s

'69 Chuck Gantenbein, BA, MA '73, Mooresville, NC, retired after 44 years as a school psychologist in Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina.

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1970s

'70 Barbara (Norris) Corson, MA, Splst '78, Waterloo, was named one of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier's 8 Over 80 for 2020.

'70 Lyle Luckow, BA, Grimes, is enjoying retirement after more than 32 years as a claims adjuster and litigation specialist and more than nine years as a legal administrator 
and investigator. Working out, traveling, reading and memories of days at UNI fill his days.

'70 Mary (Gehring) Rees, BA, Houston, Texas, earned a PhD in psychology and interdisciplinary inquiry from Saybrook University in San Francisco, Calif., in 2019.

'73 Linda (Wulf) Peeters, BA, Eldridge, retired in May 2012 after teaching special education for 39 years in the Davenport Community Schools.

'77 Charlene (Western) Montgomery, MA, Waterloo, was named one of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier's 8 Over 80 for 2020.

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1980s

'82 Julie (Moeller) Jensen, BA, Marion, retired from educational administration with Grant Wood Area Education Agency in 2019. Her career also included time with Linn Mar schools and the Iowa Department of Education.

'83 Kirk Anderson, BA, MA '85, Mission Viejo, CA, was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2020 by the Orange County Register. He is program administrator for Juvenile Hall School and created the first distance learning model for incarcerated youth in OC during the pandemic.

'89 Lora (Moore) Kester, BA, Marshalltown, is principal and district curriculum coordinator at Mease Elementary in the Humboldt (Iowa) Community School District.

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1990s

'90 Lexy (Kness) Davies, BA, Clarinda, is the county youth coordinator for ISU Extension & Outreach in Page County.

'91 Rodney Zehr, BA, MA '02, Mason City, was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award in Mathematics Education for Arts and Science at North Iowa Area Community College.

'92 Korina (Dolen) Carlson, BA, MA '99, La Porte City, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a 10-12th grade Spanish teacher at Union High School.

'93 Aimee (Weld) Hospodarsky, BA, Monticello, was named the 2021 School Counselor of the Year by the Iowa School Counselor Association. She represented the state at a nationwide virtual gala.

'93 Tony Reed, BA, Marshalltown, has been executive director of the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center for 25 years.

'96 Amy (Slickers) McGovern, BA, Waterloo, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a talented and gifted teacher at Lou Henry and Lowell Elementary Schools.

'97 Jason Knittel, BA, MA '04, ASC '14, EdD '19, Dysart, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. He is a 9-10th grade history teacher at East High School, Waterloo.

'98 Allison (Heland) Behne, BA, Jefferson, earned an MS degree from Walden University in 2005 and co-authored a book titled "The CAFE Book, Expanded Second Edition."

'98 Fred Lowery, MA, Grand Island, Neb., is in his 10th year teaching special education at Grand Island Senior High School. He is part of the Engineering and Technology Academy and teaches transition-related classes.

'99 Megan (Donahue) Youngkent, BA, Cedar Falls, received the 2021 Golden Plaque Award for Distinguished Coaching Golf from the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union.

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2000s

'01 Sammy Spann, MA, Toledo, Ohio, received the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Judith Herb College of Education at the University of Toledo. He is the associate vice president and dean of students at the University of Toledo.

'03 Jane (Kelly) Cline, BA, Waverly, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a second grade teacher at North Cedar Elementary, Cedar Falls.

'03 Jesse Henderson, BA, MA '06, Waterloo, is nearing completion of a double masters degree in public policy.

'03 Guy Sims, EdD, Blacksburg, VA, was appointed chief diversity and inclusion officer of The Free Library of Philadelphia in December 2020. 

'03 Kelli Snyder, BA, EdD '12, Dunkerton, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. She is an associate professor of health, recreation and community services at UNI.

'04 Griff Jurgens, BA, Honolulu, Hawaii, was named one of the Pacific Business News 40 under 40 for 2020. He is the education director of the Blue Planet Foundation, which is dedicated to clean energy initiatives.

'04 Ashley (Atherton) Thompson, BA, Ames, was featured as the cover story in the May 2020 issue of Business Record Iowa as part of its Rural Health and Healthcare Issue. She is the system director of government and external affairs for UnityPoint Health.

'05 Tara Raymond, BA, Cedar Falls, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. She is a physical education teacher at Orange Elementary School.

'06 Brian Downing, MA, ASC '06, Milford, was named Iowa Bandmaster's Administrator of the Year for 2020.

'07 Pam (Davey) Bellows, BA, Parkersburg, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a fourth grade teacher at Aldrich Elementary, Cedar Falls.

'07 Kyle Reeve, BA, Vinton, is principal at Tilford Elementary School in the Vinton Shellsburg Community School District.

'09 La Toshia Burrell, MA, Waverly, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. She is the director of employee engagement at The Accel Group.

'09 Kimberly (Fleming) Mayer, BA, Saint Ansgar, earned a masters in teaching from Morningside College and is in her eleventh year of teaching.

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2010s

'10 Creighton Jenness, BA, ASC '19, Humboldt, is assistant principal at the middle school of Humboldt Community School District.

'10 Shaun Juan, MA, San Diego, Calif., won awards at the 2019 and 2020 Indica in High Times Cannabis Cup Oregon with Deschutes Growery.

'10 Amy (Costliow) McKinney, BA, MA '12, Taga Cay, S.C., is the program development manager with Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation.

'12 Alex Davey, BA, MA '16, Byron, Ga., is an environmental health specialist III with the Houston County Health Department.

'12 Megan (Kammarmeyer) McKenzie, BA, Manchester, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. She is executive director of the R.J. McElroy Trust.

'13 Jesus Lizarraga Estrada, BA, MA '17, Cedar Falls, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. He is the associate director for freshmen recruitment and access at UNI.

'14 Sheila Hollingsworth, MA, Waterloo, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a first grade teacher at Irving Elementary.

'14 Joyce Levingston, BA, MA '17, Cedar Falls, was named one of the Cedar Valley's 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2020. She is a community leader and director of One City's momentum program.

'14 Tyler Perry, BA, Alleman, is the family services coordinator for Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

'15 Alyssa Turcsak, BA, Lansing, Mich., is the fundraising coordinator at Constellation Cat Cafe.

'16 Sarah (Hanson) Green, BA, West Des Moines, is vice president of philanthropy for Lutheran Services in Iowa.

'18 Renae Drey, BA, Cedar Falls, received the 2021 Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teaching. She is a first-second grade teacher at St. Patrick's Catholic School.

'18 Veronica (Greene) Schiltz, BA, Overland Park, Kan., is a student at Cleveland Chiropractic College.

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In Memoriam 

'51 DeWaine Silker, BA, died 11/4/2020 in LaCrosse, Wis.
'52 Harold Burshtan, BA, died 10/13/2020 in Wheaton, Ill.
'62 Bonnie (Debower) McKean, BA, died 1/20/2021 in Bonita Springs, Fla.
'71 Diana (Wicks) Johnson, BA, died 9/26/2020 in Zearing.
'79 Karen (Stoever) Hansen, BA, died 8/27/2020 in Buckeye, Ariz.
'63 Sharron (Hanson) McElmeel, BA, died 7/26/21 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa