Class Notes: Winter 2021


12/01/2021

Scene Magazine | Winter 2021

The Sixties

Terry Eihl '65 was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Greater Travelers Rest Chamber of Commerce for his work tutoring grade school children and coordinating program volunteers for 14 years. Eihl is the co-chairman of the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

Hussar Quill Press published James Martin '69 duology on Empress Theodora: Fortune's Child and Too Soon the Night. Fortune's Child won the Overall Grand Prize for Best Book awarded by the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

The Seventies

David Balducchi '70 retired from the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington DC and now works as a policy consultant. Balducchi's article "Harry Truman's Tour of Duty as Missouri Reemployment Director'' was published in the April 2021 edition of the Missouri Historical Review, Vol. 115, No. 3.

James Fitzpatrick '75 is a professor of Educational Leadership Studies at National Louis University in Chicago. His book, Beyond Theories and Degrees: The Alley Smarts of Educational Leadership, was published by Rowman and Littlefield in August 2020.

The Eighties

Mark McLaughlin '82 published three novels in 2020: Human Doll, The Hell Next Door, and Injectables. McLaughlin is a public relations specialist at TAG Communications in Davenport.

Charlie Minnick '84, '99 MBA is a member of the board at Clinton/Jackson County Early Childhood Iowa, an organization that coordinates efforts to create and support early care, health, and education systems under the Iowa Department of Education.

David Baker '88 and the staff of KALA-FM radio served as Grand Marshals at the 2021 LULAC Mexican Independence Day Parade and Fiesta in East Moline.

Jeff Lisa Simpson '89, '06 MBA graduated with distinction from Chicago Theological Seminary on May 14, 2021. Simpson received a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in LGBTQ+ Religious Studies.

The Nineties

Geoffrey Ndungu '93 is the engineering manager at Crown Laboratories in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Tricia (Wienola) Loftis '94, '95 has been promoted to creative director at Asurion, a multi-national insurance company based in Nashville, Tennessee.

The St. Ambrose Sports Information Office team of Brian Thiessen '96 and Haley Fox '20 MBA has been named "Sports Information Department of the Year" for 2020-21 by the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Heidi Wheatley '96 is the director of marketing and broker-dealer relations at Keystone National Properties, LLC in Syosset, New York.

Stephanie (Zoller) Mueller '98 is the communications manager and public information officer for the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. She also received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Lindbergh High School Alumni Association in Crestwood, Missouri, for a journalism career that included stints in the Quad Cities, Florida, and St. Louis.

The Zeroes

Annette Ernst '02 is the city administrator for Peosta, Iowa.

Sara (Jones) Loquist '05 is an architect at Bradley-Blewster & Associates in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Katie (Kerr) Sabino '06 is the senior display marketing manager at PersonalizationMall.com, based in Burr Ridge, Illinois.

Nicholas Bitting '07 joined the SAU Admissions and Welcome Center support staff.

Michael Spartz '07 is an area partner director at Fuze, a global cloud communications and collaboration software company.

Chrissy (Dingbaum) Block '08, '09 is one of 15 art educators across the nation to receive a 2021 Art Education Leadership Award from Artsonia.

Chad Driscoll '08 joined the America's Service Commissions team as the training and technical assistant manager in Washington, DC.

Heather Wright '08 is the associate dean of student affairs for Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois in Urbana.

David Cahill III '09 earned his Education Doctoral Degree in Leadership at St. Mary's University of Minnesota.

Johnna (Klossing) Kerres '09 has been promoted to associate director for marketing and communications with the Eastern Iowa Community College District.

Stephanie DeLacy '09 is serving as the drama director for the 2021-22 academic year at Assumption High School in Davenport.

Sean Whitten '09 is the director of marketing and communications at John Paul II High School in Plano, Texas.

Katie (Vogt) Purcell '09, '10 DPT, wrote Molly's Big Score, a children's book about a girl with Cerebral Palsy. Purcell's book was published on October 12, 2021.

The Tens

Anthony Carter, husband of Audrey (Stanek) '11, won a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for baseball with Team USA.

Charley (Gregoire) Ohnemus '11 is the curriculum librarian at St. Ambrose University in Davenport.

Jessica (Jacks) Krol '13 is the business support manager at RIA Federal Credit Union.

Jacquelyn (Daters) Woollard '13, '16 MEd is the dean of students at Freedom Crossing Academy in St. John's, Florida.

Meghan (Dillie) Gerritsen '14 is the program manager for early talent at Ingredion in Westchester, Illinois.

Molly Conrad Giacchi '14 released a new album, Light of the Dark, in October, 2021.

Allyson Smith '14 is a licensed clinical professional counselor at Rockford Psychiatric Medical Services in Rockford, Illinois. Smith published a research study "Pregnancy Loss: Implications for Counselors" in the Family Journal.

Lauren (Metts) Duncan '15 is the accounting manager for McKesson in Irving, Texas.

Maddie Carr '16 is an account executive at WarnerMedia in Chicago.

Craig DeVrieze '16 MOL wrote Magic Happened: Celebrating 50 Years of the John Deere Classic. The book was distributed at the July PGA Tour event and on the tournament website.

Kathleen Gay '16 is an academic advisor at Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford, Illinois.

Doug Platt '16 is an information security engineer at Deere & Company in Moline, Illinois.

Madison Rolling '16 is an occupational therapist at Blue Stone Therapy in Cresco, Iowa.

Danielle (Baresel) Hollembaek '16 is the chief marketing officer at Money Ripples in Draper, Utah.

Abby Paulson '17 is the training and communications coordinator for Hirschbach Motor Lines in Dubuque, Iowa.

Stephanie (Tirado-Valiente) Willenbring '17 is an associate in wealth management at Dubuque Bank and Trust in Dubuque, Iowa.

Diamond Merboth '18 is the lead teacher at Tri-County Opportunity Council Head Start in Rock Falls, Illinois.

Allissa (Carr) Hawk '18, '19 MCJ is a crime analyst for the Davenport Police Department.

Quetzal Morin '18 is a media coordinator at HDMZ, a marketing and advertising firm in Chicago.

Abbey (Nimrick) Pocklington '19 is the communications coordinator at Vibrant Credit Union, Moline.

MacKenzie Taylor '19 is the strategic communications manager for the Peoria (Illinois) Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Emily Tyler '19 is a residential caseworker for Family Resources in Davenport.

The Twenties

Allison Hutson '20 is the assistant director of admissions communications at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois.

Terrence Shubert '20 is a third grade teacher at Westfield Elementary School in Robins, Iowa.

Joshua Voelkers '20, '21 MSJC is a water patrol officer for the Iowa Department of Natural Resource in Muscatine, Iowa.

Andrew Burnett '21 is a cyber administrator at HCL, an information technology company in Frisco, Texas.

Brad Burton '21 is a photojournalist at KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Claire Johnson '21 is a registered nurse at UnityPoint Health Trinity in Rock Island, Illinois.

Jennifer Lorenz '21 is a therapist and licensed social worker at Clarity Clinic NWI in Munster, Indiana.

Carly Miller '21 is the social media communication coordinator at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport.

news

News


Marriages

Shirley Edwards Hampton '85 and Christopher Konsbruck, Davenport

Teresa Schudrowitz '95 and David Racz, Madison, Wisconsin

Daren Schumaker ‘03, '05 MCJ and Mallory Irish, Amana, Iowa

Erin Coughlin '04 and Jamie Larkin, Charlotte, North Carolina

Jessica Scott '09 and Brandon Benning, La Porte, Texas

Justin Heaton '10 and Kaitlyn Pitzen, Iowa City, Iowa

Dustin Renwick '10 and Helen Hare, Washington DC

Brian Moore '11 and Meredith Moore, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Chelsey Blake '15, '16 MOT and Jordan Ashcraft, Long Grove, Iowa

Heather Sturtz '14, '18 MEA and David Budd, West Branch, Iowa

Meghan Dillie '14 and Jake Gerritsen, Yorkville, Illinois

Katelyn McDonald '15 and Kipp Caputo, Ottawa, Illinois

Maddi Carr '16 and Matt Gossett '14, St. Louis.

Jacquelyn Lee '17 and Joseph Wells, Peoria, Illinois

Griffin Rasche '18 and Gregory Wagner, Clinton, Iowa

Births

Steven R. Pyszka, Jr. '02, '04 MBA and wife, Ericka, are proud parents of daughter Amy, born Dec. 4, 2020.

Erin (Coughlin) Larkin '04 and husband, Jamie, are happy to announce the birth of daughter Nora, born April 22, 2021.

Elizabeth (Fischer) Newman '05 and husband, Stephen, are proud parents of son Connor, born Feb. 10, 2021. Connor was welcomed home by sister Madison.

Michael Spartz '07 and his wife, Ariela, announce the birth of their son Benjamin Robert, born Sept. 16, 2021.

Alex Flores '08 and wife, Ashley, are excited to announce the birth of daughter Ayla, born June 3, 2021. Ayla was welcomed home by siblings Avril and Alexander.

Tracy (Muskat) '08, '11 MSLP and Thomas Bowman '11 MSLP welcomed twin sons David and Henry, born June 17, 2021. David and Henry were welcomed home by sisters Grace and Claire.

Matt Mercer '08 and wife, Meredith, are proud parents of son John, born Aug. 24, 2021.

Heather Wright '08 and husband, Derek Sonnenberg, are excited to announce the birth of daughter Piper, born May 13, 2021.

Johnna (Klossing) Kerres '09 and husband, Adam, are happy to announce the birth of their son Levi, born Aug. 17, 2021.

Meredith (Carr) Burd '10, '11 MOT and husband, Zach, are proud parents of son Theo, born March 12, 2021. Theo was welcomed home by older siblings Jimmy and Charlie.

Kelsey (Rentfro)-Cline '11 and husband, Daniel, are happy to announce the birth of daughter Meredith, born June 15, 2021. Meredith was welcomed home by brother Henry.

Melissa (Ford) Winters '11 and husband, Kevin, are proud parents of daughter Bridget, born March 30, 2021. Bridget was welcomed home by brother Patrick.

Charley (Gregoire) Ohnemus '11 and husband, Tyler, are happy to announce the birth of son Lawson, born Jan 4, 2021. Lawson was welcomed home by siblings Makenna, Tenley, and Gable.

Anne (Paskus) '12 and Nathan Brinkoetter '12, '13 MAC are excited to announce the birth of son Nolan, born April 9, 2021. Nolan was welcomed home by brother Nathan.

Sean Jankowski '12 and wife, Micah, are excited to announce the birth of their son Dale, born March, 25, 2021.

Kristen Jett '13 and husband, Heath, are proud parents of daughter Robin, born May 2, 2021. Robin was welcomed home by sibling Lois.

Katherine (Daniel) Losasso '13 and husband, James, are happy to announce the birth of their daughter Louise, born Feb. 24, 2020.

Jena (Keimig) '13 and Sam Peterlin '13 are excited to announce the birth of their daughter Emerson, born Aug. 9, 2021.

Elise (Beck) Goodman '13, '14 DPT and her husband, Gregg, are happy to announce the birth of son Grant, born Dec. 31, 2020.

Rachel (Robinson) '14 and Shawn Dorman '14 are proud parents of son Hudson, born March 16, 2021. Hudson was welcomed home by siblings Tinley and Easton.

Mikayla (Laetare) '15 and Madisson Miller '16 MOT are excited to announce the birth of their son Edison, born Feb. 14, 2021.

Kassidy (Jahn) Reed '15 and husband, Riley, are proud parents of sons Hudson and Jaxson, born April 17, 2021. Hudson and Jaxson were welcomed home by sibling Paisley.

Shelby (Steger) '15 and her husband, Jacob Alexander, are excited to announce the birth of Kona Jane on Sept. 21, 2021.

Danielle (Baresel) '16 and Eryk Hollembaek '16, '19 MBA are happy to announce the birth of their son Richard, born April 20, 2021. Richard was welcomed home by brother James.

Stephanie (Tirado-Valiente) Willenbring '17 and husband, Alexander, are proud parents of son Henry, born March 5, 2021.

Deaths

Sr. Marilyn Thomas '38, Dubuque, Iowa, June 5, 2019

Richard "Dick" McManus '49, La Jolla, California, Aug. 23, 2021

Robert "Bob" Kratt '50, Davenport, Feb. 14, 2021

James "Jim" Steel '50, Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 29, 2019

Walter Zmuda '50, Moline, Illinois, April 17, 2021

Alvin "Whitey" Amschler '51, Chicago, July 20, 2021

Russell Costello '51, Rockford, Illinois, July 7, 2021

Louis Kellen '51, Naperville, Illinois, Feb. 23, 2021

Joseph Lauber '51, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, April 30, 2021

Arthur "Art" Michalik '51, Wildomar, California, Feb. 20, 2021

Donald "Don" Stiemann '51, Indianapolis, Feb. 7, 2021

Robert "Bob" Flanagan '52, Peoria, Illinois, June 21, 2021

Wayne Loui '52, Saint Louis, Jan. 29, 2021

Stanley Roberts Jr. '53, Davenport, Dec. 7, 2020

William Schumacher '53, Chicago, Aug. 8, 2021

Frank Welch '53, Los Alamos, New Mexico, May 1, 2021

Alexander Krauska, Jr. '54, Milwaukee, May 19, 2019

William "Bill" Grogan Jr. '55, Davenport, Feb. 25, 2021

Carolwyn "Bud" Melton '55, Washington, Illinois, Jan. 30, 2021

William Moylan '55, Rock Island, Illinois, March 12, 2021

Thomas Novak '56, Stoughton, Wisconsin, June 13, 2021

John Anichini '57, Chicago, April 4, 2020

Donald "Don" Goethals '57, Bloomington, Minnesota, Jan. 20, 2021

William Jolly, Jr. '57, Clinton, Tennessee, April 8, 2021

John Zelkovich '57, Bull Valley, Illinois, Jan. 13, 2019

Gerald DeJaeger '58, Geneseo, Illinois, May 13, 2021

Murray Carney '59, Spartanburg, South Carolina, June 5, 2021

Wendell Smith '59, Barrington, Illinois, May 28, 2021

Oscar Carlson, Jr. '60, Silvis, Illinois, May 26, 2021

George Martin '60, Laurens, South Carolina, Feb. 13, 2021

Charles Paysen '60, Cecelia, Kentucky, April 29, 2011

Kenneth Putney '61, Iowa City, Iowa, April 5, 2021

Mary (Busch) Hughes '61, '62, Geneseo, Illinois, July 7, 2021

Margaret Carlin '62, Davenport, Jan. 14, 2021

Gerald Kipp '62, Corpus Christi, Texas, May 5, 2021

Rev. Vitolds Valainis '62, Iowa City, Iowa, March 22, 2021

Mack Laughrin '63, Boise, Idaho, March 18, 2021

Frank Kluts, Jr. '64, Burr Ridge, Illinois, August 17, 2020

Edward Combs '65, Clayton, California, June 1, 2021

Stephan Ginie '65, Olathe, Kansas, June 27, 2021

Paul Barry '67, St. Joseph, Minnesota, July 14, 2021

James Brownson '67, Eldridge, Iowa, Feb. 21, 2021

Sr. Therese Frelo '67, Dubuque, Iowa, Aug. 17, 2018

Joel Grossi, Sr. '67, Chicago Heights, Illinois, Feb. 19, 2021

Michael Swanson '67, Rock Island, Illinois, Feb. 18, 2021

Robert "Bob" Hammill '68, San Francisco, Dec. 9, 2020

Thomas "Tom" Lawler '68, Waverly, Iowa, Feb. 13, 2021

Thomas "Tom" Showalter '68, Rock Island, Illinois, July 6, 2021

Rev. Gerald Verdun '68, Pontiac, Illinois, Aug. 19, 2021

Patrick Thompson '69, Omaha, Nebraska, March 4, 2021

Richard Weir '69, Newport, North Carolina, June 28, 2021

Randolph "Randy" Griffith '70, Davenport, June 15, 2021

Michael Lagesse '70, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, June 9, 2020

Thomas McNicholas '70, Basye, Virginia, July 4, 2010

James Shannon '70, Long Grove, Iowa, May 24, 2021

Leon Green '71, Iowa City, Iowa, June 4, 2021

James Orr '71, Davenport, May 27, 2021

Kathryn (Buens) Tiechner '71, East Wenatchee, Washington, May 5, 2021

James Sigler '73, Moline, Illinois, Jan. 3, 2021

Jane (McClean) Wilson '74, Moline, Illinois, Aug. 1, 2021

Daniel Birdsley '76, Clinton, Iowa, May 1, 2021

Mary Dwyer '76, Peoria, Illinois, April 9, 2017

Daniel Molyneaux '77, Davenport, June 7, 2021

David Bush '78, Davenport, April 14, 2020

Philip Waters '80, Hilliard, Ohio,April 20, 2021

Genevieve Harris '81, Redmond, Washington, June 18, 2021

Janice (Hanrahan) Roemer '81, Davenport, April 12, 2021

Richard Guhin Jr. '82, Davenport, March 25, 2021


Carol Nielsen '82, Fairfield, Iowa, May 31, 2021

Thomas O'Toole '82, Rock Island, Illinois, July 7, 2021

Kristin Walrod '84, Wylie, Texas, March 22, 2021

Elizabeth (Leonard) Grobstein '86, Rock Island, Illinois, Feb. 22, 2021

Marcie (Menster) Coleman '87, Ankeny, Iowa, Aug. 13, 2021

Timothy Arndt '88, Bettendorf, Iowa, March 8, 2021

Paul Munden '88, San Antonio, March 17, 2021
Sara (Wycoff) Saunders '88, Davenport, June 17, 2021

Scott Van Roekel '91, Oskaloossa, Iowa, March 28, 2021

Sharen Gamble '92, Port Byron, Illinois, Nov. 2, 2021

Ronald Reiser '92, Bettendorf, Iowa, March 29, 2021

Kevin Glowacki '93, Davenport, May 8, 2021

Tim Ridder '95, Davenport, Aug. 14, 2021

Laurrece Carter-Hatchett '96 MCJ, Cincinnati, May 10, 2019

James Devereux, Jr. '98, Channahon, Illinois, May 16, 2021

Ryan Arguello '02, Davenport, Jan. 29, 2021

Scott Powell '05, LaPorte City, Iowa, Feb. 5, 2021

Yolanda Estes-Walton '06, Davenport, March 17, 2021

Brianna Cross '11, Peoria, Illinois, Aug. 23, 2021

Alexa (Vikel) Sheeder '12, '14 MOL, Ft. Rucker, Alabama, Aug. 10, 2021


Faculty/Staff

John Collis, Orange, Connecticut, Aug. 19, 2021

News
news

Addy Nelson ’23 was born with an entrepreneur’s spirit. With her parents owning the bowling alley in her hometown of Gregory, South Dakota—the same place she perfected her game to earn a scholarship to St. Ambrose University—she learned early to be innovative, customer-focused and business-minded.

Read More About Innovative App-lication...

News
Maggie (Verdun) Bohnert '15, '16 MOT
News
news

At SAU, hard work = recognition. Here is a list of full-time students who were named to the St. Ambrose University Dean's List for the Fall 2023 term. These students earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).

Read More About Fall 2023...

So, what's next?

Are you ready to take the next step? Click on the visit button below to learn more about our virtual and in-person visit options.