Class Notes

Received as of July 6, 2026

1969

Larry Kuster’s book, “Fred Francis: A Prairie State Genius,” was recognized by the Illinois State Historical Society with a Best of Illinois History Award in the category of scholarly publication. A copy has been accepted as part of the permanent collection of Augustana’s Tredway Library in the section of local history.

1981    

Joy Vock de Leon is retiring after 43 years in higher education. She has worked the last 26 years at Beloit College, and has been recognized as staff emeriti.

1983    

Andrew Varney received the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from SIU Medicine.

1991    

Susie Carsell Schaechter retired from Erie High School after 30 years, where she taught English, speech and dual credit courses, and directed plays and musicals.

1998    

Dennis Rufolo was promoted to the rank of colonel in the United States Army.

2000    

Elizabeth Davenport Harris established a nonprofit called Cynthy's Kids, Inc., in honor of her late mother, Cynthia Elaine Davenport. It is meant to support young people who are navigating life's harder roads — providing scholarship opportunities and resources to students who need encouragement and a hand up. She has also written a book, titled “Following God's Breadcrumbs: Out of Darkness and Into Purpose.”

Zubair Ansari is founder and managing director of American Logic, LLC. After 25+ years of global healthcare management experience, he founded American Logic to help people achieve the American dream. Headquartered in Baltimore, Md., American Logic was a sponsor of the inaugural Augie Hackathon in 2026.

2002    

Jill Sutter Powers is the medical director for UnityPoint Clinic–Dubuque.

2003

Jeffrey Lindeman was promoted to vice president, business development and strategic relationships, at Prescient Solutions. He is also an official Field of Dreams ghost player in Dyersville, Iowa.

2015    

Grant Bell is running the length of the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana this summer to raise funds for childhood cancer research.

2018    

Avery Pearl, West End revitalization coordinator with the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Rock Island, earned an award from Youth Advocate Programs, Inc., “in heartfelt appreciation for a commitment to strengthening lives and making neighborhoods safer.”

2020    

Christian Elliott wrote "Lessons of a Landslide Detective," published in the May 15, 2026, issue of National Geographic.

Mary Scarpinato is an associate attorney at Leach King Klinger Law LLC in downtown Chicago.

Justin Verlinden earned his Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Kentucky and started a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota.

Allessandra West and her orchestra students from Community High School District 99 (Downers Grove, Ill.) toured Germany and Austria in June. They participated in an exchange program with a school in Bietigheim-Bissingen and performed two concerts while abroad.

Deaths

Received as of July 6, 2026  

Wilma Youngert '49 Bradbeer on Sept. 1, 2025.          

Patricia Foley '49 Terry on Jan. 6, 2026.   

Florence Greenleaf '49 Baldwin on May 8, 2024.  

Jeannette Pearson '51 Johnson on June 10, 2026.   

Ralph Papke '52 on Feb. 27, 2026.

Leonard Nelson '53 on Jan. 1, 2026.   

Clarence Wittenstrom '53 on March 20, 2026. 

Kenneth Bogda '55 on May 27, 2026.       

Mary Dewolfe '55 Peterson on May 14, 2026.   

Nima Copeland '55 Ward on March 2, 2026.    

Ronald Anderson '56 on Feb. 5, 2026.    

A. Diane Johnson '56 Ekstam on March 29, 2026. 

Carl Hedman '56 on Dec. 1, 2025.

Melvin Loding '56 on May 10, 2026. 

Greta Anderson '56 Nordstrom on March 13, 2024.

Frederick Strieter '56 on Jan. 5, 2026.         

Max Kirkeberg '57 on April 6, 2026.

Donald Strandlund '57 on Feb. 10, 2026.

William Bondeson '58 on March 31, 2026.    

Richard Dailing '59 on May 13, 2025.        

Lawrence Hill '59 on May 4, 2026.  

Marion Anderson '59 Peat on Dec. 20, 2025.    

Michael Plunkett '59 on June 18, 2026.    

* Elaine Hartz '60 Albright on Feb. 28, 2025. 

W. Fred Beck '60 on Nov. 19, 2025.    

Gary Linn '60 on April 13, 2026.     

* Susan Gustavson '61 Dyke O'Day on April 27, 2025.      

William Oliver '61 on March 19, 2026.  

Delores Kandler '61 Tillman on June 17, 2026.    

* Susan Arp '61 von Maur on May 11, 2023.  

Carole Benander '62 Hultgren on Dec. 31, 2025.    

Gloria Rupprecht '62 Strieter on May 7, 2026.          

Michael Schnell '63 on May 13, 2025.  

Donavon Weston '63 on May 9, 2025.           

Barrie Peterson '64 on May 16, 2026.  

John Dellos '66 on May 3, 2025. 

Joelene Baker '67 on May 11, 2026.      

Anna Pearson '67 Johnson on Dec. 26, 2025.    

Kenton Kuehnle '67 on May 13, 2025. 

James Olson '67 on Jan. 13, 2021.        

Carolyn Ash '67 Weinstein on May 28, 2025.     

Sherry Esposito '68 Kuehnle on June 20, 2026.      

James Pfeiff '68 on April 25, 2026.      

Nancy McCrudden '71 Olson on Oct. 6, 2025.      

Dan Ingram '72 on May 30, 2026. 

Marianne Barnett '75 on April 17, 2026. 

Janet Korsmeyer '75 on June 16, 2026. 

Eugene Stockton '75 on Jan. 16, 2025. 

Rozann Now '76 Maurer on May 26, 2025.    

Donald Dias '77 on May 7, 2025. 

James Meenan '77 on May 10, 2026. 

Wilburn Hester '79 on Feb. 18, 2026.    

Julie Markello '79 Negley on June 12, 2026.    

Mark Viehweg '81 on Jan. 5, 2025. 

Lisa Kaufman '82 Mizeur on April 19, 2026.    

Thomas Tallman '85 on April 19, 2026.  

Holly Herich '92 Ekornaason June 2, 2025.    

Todd Markey '95 on April 15, 2026.      

Allison Ross '10 on Dec. 17, 2023. 

* Attendee