Summer 2024 Issue

The ’50s

Donald Bruggink ’51 and the late Eugene Heideman ’51 published “The Canons of Dort: God’s Freedom, Justice, and Persistence.” Written by Heideman and edited by Bruggink, the publication can be purchased from Amazon and several other stores.

Wes Harmelink ’56 celebrated his 90th birthday in January at his home with wife Nancy, their four children (including Bill Harmelink ’86 and Bob Harmelink ’92) and spouses, six of their grandchildren and five of their great-grandchildren. Harmelink resides in Redlands, California.

The ’70s

Bob Parrott ’70 (pictured far right) is a member of the 2023 USTA National Men’s 65 & Over Doubles Championship team from Woodlands, Texas. Several fellow BKE members showed up to support and cheer for Parrott in the USTA League National Championships. Parrott resides in Montgomery, Texas.

Nancy Smith Boswell ’75 is part of the Missouri Humanities Speakers Bureau and has presented as Laura Ingalls Wilder all over the state. Boswell’s second character is Aunt Mildred, who tells the story of Sedalia resident George Whiteman, the namesake of Whiteman Air Force Base where the B-2 stealth bomber lives.

Randy Caldwell ’77 co-authored a new treatise for lawyers entitled, “Iowa Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration with Forms.” Caldwell resides in Newton, Iowa.

The ’80s

Denise Bartlett Garth ’80 chief strategy officer at Majesco, is a distinguished figure and a prominent influencer recognized in the lnsurTech Top 50 and International Business Weekly’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Business: The Titans of Industry. Garth drives Majesco’s strategy, marketing and innovation initiatives.

Chris Hopkins ’82 started the rock-and-roll band Labyrinth as a student at Central. The band will be inducted into the Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in fall 2024. Fellow band members included: John Smalley ’78, Ralph Johnson ’80, Craig Jones ’80, Matthew Bell ’81, Doug McCaulley ’83 and Jeff Knight ’84.

Lori Wiser-Dyas ’84 is a youth sports site supervisor at the YMCA of Greater Omaha. Wiser-Dyas lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Mark Coffey ’85 retired from Hormel Foods after nearly 40 years of service.

Pat Dale ’85 is regional manager at Climbing Kites.

Stacie Runyan Gibler ’85 and friends from the 1983 Wales program gathered at Rathbun Lake in Moravia, Iowa, in September 2023 — exactly 40 years from their arrival at Trinity University in Carmarthen, Wales.

Left to right: Bradford Schulze ’84, Mike Gibler, Stacie Runyan Gibler ’85, Steve Manning, Carolyn Shover Benda ’86, Brad Benda, Tammy Lazenby, Tim Lazenby ’86, Nancy Cisar Nelson ’84, Kelly Crone Hearn ’85, Gib Hearn, Don Kemna and Shellie Page Kemna ’85. Not pictured: Greg Vines ’86, Matt Olson and Lori Brand Olson ’85. For more pictures and to help us locate other alumni, please check out our page on Facebook called 1983 Wales Reunion.

Jan Damsteegt ’86 came out of retirement due to the educator shortage in Michigan and is a preschool through eighth grade resource teacher for the Vista Charter Academy in Wyoming, Michigan.

Cheryl Hastings Dewey ’87 was promoted to senior vice president, product operation at Continuum Clinical. Dewey resides in Wilmette, Illinois.

Tom ’87 and Janet Weers De Young ’14 married Nov. 18, 2023.

Michael Merry ’89 is an accounting manager for Compass Group. Merry lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The ’90s

Lori Schaefer Rempe ’90 is a senior director of treasury and global credit finance at Vermeer Corporation.

Beth Aldrich Van Zee ’90 is a realtor at Legacy Realty of Iowa.

Chris Vlahakis ’90 is a research scientist at Corteva Agriscience.

Tom Robbins ’91 is executive director of The Legacy Theater in Carthage, Illinois. He has many past experiences in theatre and production, including cast and crew participation in the movie “Field of Dreams” and shows like “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “The Pirates of Penzance” and other community performing arts productions.

Lorena Sernett ’92 is director of corporate partnerships – global markets at Society of Human Resources Management in Alexandria, Virginia.

The ’00s

Amanda Hansen Fletcher ’00 is the development director at Healthy Birth Day, Inc. She and husband Justin Fletcher ’02 reside in Norwalk, Iowa.

Joe and Camilla Recker Fogg ’01 married Oct. 2, 2021.

Melissa Vink Gentry ’01 was honored as the 2023 physician assistant of the year by the Iowa Physician Assistant Society.

Tim Brand ’02 penned the story of his father, Dennis Brand ’65, the last days of his life and the legacy his father left behind on this earth. A beautiful story about a life well lived, “Standing on the Shoulders: A Legacy Story of a Father, a Son, and Life’s Greatest Gifts” was released January 2024.

Joshua Steger ’03 is associate director of enterprise reporting & business intelligence for Leprino Foods. Steger works and resides in Denver, Colorado.

Jon Sexton ’04 is senior vice president of culture & leadership development at Vibrant Credit Union. Sexton launched Sexton Leadership LLC in spring 2023.

Doug Anderson ’06 is vice president – asset management for Percipio Partners and wife Mackenzie Lauman Anderson ’06 is FSOR customer value expert people lead at Cargill, Incorporated. The couple resides in Blair, Nebraska.

Nicole Brooks Dingeman ’08 is vice president of retail and residential real estate department lead for Leighton State Bank.

Reid Turner ’08 is a cornea, LASIK and cataract specialist at Wolfe Eye Clinic based in Des Moines, Iowa.

Garrett Hill ’09 works for Wells Fargo as a senior consultant/consumer operations.

Amber Smith Remick ’09 is a team member experience manager for Vermeer Canada Inc.

Matt Sigmund ’09 is a principal consultant for Latham BioPharm Group, Part of Sia Partners.

The ’10s

Jessi Steward McQuerry ’10, director of programs for Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation, was named to the Business Record’s 2024 Forty Under 40 class.

Emily Miller Mendez ’10, director of development at Proteus, is a member of the Business Record 2024 Forty Under 40 class.

Rachel Statman Mejibovsky ’11 works as a literacy specialist writing children’s decodable books for Ello. The app recently launched with over 50 books that Mejibovsky has written for kids ages four to nine. Mejibovsky resides in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Jenae Jenison Sikkink ’11, senior vice president of talent development and inclusive strategies at Greater Des Moines Partnership, was named to the Business Record’s 2024 Forty Under 40 class.

Kylene Brittain Sommers ’11 is the director of marketing for Ruffalo Noel Levitz.

Cody Kowalik ’12 left his decade-long career in corn research to begin a new path with Original Appearance Manufacturing in sales and customer service.

Jessica Baker Pappalardo ’12 works in environmental engineering at Jacobs Engineering Group. Pappalardo lives in Pensacola, Florida.

Ashley Kinkade Wenke ’12 owns and operates Pleasant Grove Homestead, located in southern Poweshiek County, with husband Zachary. Wenke earned first place in the Iowa Farm Bureau’s Grow Your Future competition at the Young Farmer Conference in February 2024.

Tyler Wentworth ’12 is director of social media at Youthforia. Wentworth resides in San Diego, California.

Dirk Lindaman ’13 works at Grinnell Mutual as a commercial lines product manager. Lindaman lives in Ankeny, Iowa.

Carly Stratbucker Rodrigues ’14 works as an associate product manager for Pella Corporation.

Jordan Roseburrough ’14 is a data-sharing coordinator at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

Megan Querry ’15 is a child protective services investigator with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Querry resides in Dallas, Texas.

Blake Rozendaal ’15 was elected to the Urbandale City Council in Urbandale, Iowa.

Joshua and Araceli Votroubek Phua ’16 married Feb. 4, 2024.

Alec ’17 and Sydney Cummings Mathews ’20 married Aug. 26, 2023.

Ben ’17 and Madi Schmiegelt Robertson ’19 married Feb. 3, 2024.

Rachelle Annen ’18 received a grant through Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by Salt River Project. Annen’s granted wish was a smart TV for her classroom.

Ben Clark ’18 is an account manager at Rion Equipment.

Monica Powers ’18 works as a marketing communications specialist at Great West Causality Company.

Seth ’18 and Baylee Kivett Signs ’20 married June 4, 2022, after Seth graduated from medical school and Baylee completed her Master of Social Work degree. Seth is a resident physician in the ER and Baylee is a clinical psychotherapist in Detroit, Michigan, where they reside.

Katie Zimmerman ’18 is a people specialist at Mulhall in Omaha, Nebraska.

Drew ’19 and Jessica DeWaard Kithcart ’19 married July 3, 2021.

Dylan Tuttle ’19 works as a commercial sales representative at Right Roofing.

Emily Van Gent ’19 is an executive assistant at Pella Corporation.

The ’20s

Aiyana Rouse ’21 is a microbiologist at Mark Anthony Brewing, Inc. Rouse executes the application of approved microbiological testing of ingredients in-process and finished products. Rouse resides in Peoria, Arizona.

Brett Staton ’21 works for Hopkins Roofing as a project manager.

Alex Kaczor ’22 is a field sales manager for GRUNDFOS.

Luke Lubbers ’22 works for Enterprise Rent-A-Car as a management assistant.

Rylee Powell ’22 works as an athletic trainer at Work Fit. Powell resides in Moses Lake, Washington.

Zoe Runyon ’22 is the office manager at Hopkins Roofing.

Caleb Hamerlinck ’23 is an accounting coordinator for Century 21 Signature Real Estate.

Megan Muur ’23 works for Indigo Living at Hubbell Realty as a marketing coordinator.

Samantha Scholz ’24 works at Vermeer Corporation as a data analyst.

Advanced Degree

Renee Sedlacek Lee ’05 completed her doctorate of philosophy in education in February 2024.

Jessica Baker Pappalardo ’12 earned her Ph.D. in civil engineering-hydraulics from Colorado State University in 2021.

Julie Wunder Evans ’14 earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in December 2022 from St. Ambrose University.

Jordan Roseburrough ’14 graduated with a Master of Public Administration degree in nonprofit management from Upper Iowa University in August 2022.

Blake Rozendaal ’15 received an MBA from Iowa State University in August 2023.

Marissa Wright-Post ’19 completed a master’s degree in education from Drake University in August 2023.

New Arrivals

Taylor and Mark Sanger ’05, son Robby Keith, Jan. 29, 2024.

Jon and Aimee Schmidt Lane ’07, son Owen Christopher, Feb. 8, 2024.

Lara and Peter Fegley ’11, daughter Reagan Michelle, Feb. 2, 2024.

Travis Hook ’13 and Tess Ory ’16, son Maverick David Wayne, Feb. 8, 2024.

Phillip and Regan Jamieson Minaudo ’13, son Eli Jace, Dec. 19, 2022.

Eric and Julie Wunder Evans ’14, son Everett Jon, Dec. 21, 2023.

Tiesha and Brett Glendening ’14, daughter Maelie Kaede, Dec. 30, 2023.

Kale and Carley Stratbucker Rodrigues ’14, son Noa Kai, Dec. 15, 2023.

Jake ’15 and Kathy Connolly Temple ’18, son Jackson Roger, Sept. 13, 2023.

Andrew and Heidi Heckenberg Gossen ’16, son Kasen Daniel, Dec. 14, 2023.

Dustin and Sarah Holtz Young ’16, daughter Kallynn Jo, Feb. 7, 2024.

Sarah and Mitchell Boerm ’17, daughter Grace Elaine, Oct. 1, 2022.

Nick ’18 and Paige Wilkin Drucker ’17, daughter Ava Marie, Jan. 23, 2024.

Lindsey and Zach Martinelli ’17, daughter Emersyn Doyle, Oct. 29, 2022.

Shannon and Sam Norgaard ’17, son Parker Endre, June 14, 2021.

Casey and Valorie Taylor Dorhout ’18, daughter Harper Taylor, Jan. 18, 2024.

Patrick ’19 and Whitney Burgardt Gray ’19, son Weylin Lawrence, June 10, 2023.

In Memoriam

Trudy Vander Ploeg Goettsch ’45, St. Louis, Missouri, Feb. 19, 2024.

Henry “Hank” Vande Kieft ’53, Pella, Iowa, Dec. 11, 2023.

Barbara Yount ’54, Mason City, Iowa, Dec. 29, 2023.

Constance “Connie” Ausema Janke ’55, Naperville, Illinois, Jan. 21, 2024.

Edmond Roberts ’55, Lenexa, Kansas, Nov. 13, 2023.

Arthur De Jong ’56, Black Mountain, North Carolina, Jan. 26, 2024.

Marilyn Spoelstra Baham ’59, Franklin, Wisconsin, Feb. 20, 2024.

Delbert Jungling ’60, Grundy Center, Iowa, Feb. 9, 2024.

Judith Bandstra Van Dusseldorp ’62, Pella, Iowa, Feb. 11, 2024.

Linda K. Glendening ’63, Pella, Iowa, Nov. 28, 2023.

Andrew Borgman ’64, Springfield, Illinois, Dec. 30, 2022.

Beverly Bush Borger ’64, Loveland, Colorado, Nov. 11, 2023.

Keith Nollen ’68, Pella, Iowa, March 3, 2024.

Frederick Hollwedel ’69, Tucson, Arizona, June 27, 2023.

Rev. Paul Walther ’72, Brielle, New Jersey, Nov. 20, 2023.

Paul Iverson ’83, Scotts Valley, California, Nov. 2, 2023.

Rick Kingery ’83, Mason City, Iowa, Feb. 4, 2024.