The following Class Notes were received recently in the UW Oshkosh Alumni Office:
’31 Harriet (Krueger) Kussman (EHS) celebrated her 102nd birthday in May. She enjoys her great-grandchildren, grandchildren, music and researching her family history.
’73 William “Bill” Larson (LS), a retired sheriff’s lieutenant, is running for sheriff in Door County.
’74 Michael Dempsey (LS) and ’77 (MBA) is executive vice president and chief operating officer for Bank First National.
’74 Donald “Don” Potter (EHS) and ’80 (MSE) retired after 36 years of teaching primarily middle school students in Suring, Kewaskum and Port Washington. He looks forward to reading, traveling and volunteering as a tutor in Milwaukee schools.
’75 Joseph “Joe” Harris (EHS), a commissioner in the U.S. Air force, retired in 2009, after 35 years as a juvenile probation care provider in Solano County, Calif., and youth and adult sports coach. He played on the 1972 championship UWO Titan football team.
’77 Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Kremer (EHS) retired from teaching social studies and psychology at Beloit Memorial High School, where she had worked since 1978. She also is a proud grandma.
’78 Charles “Chuck” Maloney (B) has accepted the position of senior vice president of sales with Continental Western Group, a property and casualty insurance company.
’78 Kenneth ‘Ken’ Shibilski (MBA), a financial adviser, was named the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus for the Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools, an award given to graduates who demonstrate their Christian lifestyle with character and leadership in their professional,volunteer, public and private lives. He is a 1959 graduate of Pacelli High School.
’79 Richard ‘Dick’ Pigeon (MBA) is senior vice president, commercial relationship manager for Johnson Bank in Green Bay.
’84 Melissa Langbehn-Klein (LS), anchor for Newsline 9’s Live at Five and co-anchor for Newsline 9 at 6, recently spoke at the Daughters in Christ brunch at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer. The assistant news director has been with Channel 9 in Wausau since 1991.
’85 Mary Ann Krems (MSE), a retired school counselor, received a 2010 National Community Service Award from the National Retired Teachers’ Association for her outstanding contributions to the Stevens Point community. She was nominated by the Stevens Point Area Retired Teachers Association.
’85 Corrine Wocelka (MA) retired after 33 years as Lawrence University’s associate professor and director of technical services in the Seeley G. Mudd Library. She was granted professor emeritus status and was recognized with an honorary master of arts degree, during the university’s June commencement ceremony.
’86 Wayne Bernhardt (LS) retired after 24 years in engineering positions at Mercury Marine and Kimberly Clark. He is pursuing professional and personal interests at his retirement home in Wautoma.
’89 Kelly (Brooks) Krause (LS) returned to her high school after 25 years to speak at the Berlin Alumni Association banquet. She is the community relations director for Community Health Network in Berlin.
’92 Erica(Jensen) Stoeger (N) earned her master’s in nursing from Marian University and national certification through the American Nurse Credentialing Center. She works at ThedaCare Physicians in New London as an advance practice nurse practitioner specializing in family medicine.
’93 Kathy (Sommer) Beyer (LS) performs as Baby Cakes the clown with her husband Peter Beyer (Sparkee), at various events across Wisconsin, including the Sole Burner run/walk held in Appleton and UW Oshkosh Homecoming. She also is a substitute teacher.
’94 Dean Vesperman (LS) is studying for a doctorate in education in curriculum studies at Indiana University.
’95 Jarrod Washburn, a World Series champion baseball player, was inducted into the UW Oshkosh Hall of Fame in May 2010.
’97 Emily Kalwaitis (LS) wrote the book Sleight, which debuted in November 2009 at the Chestertown Book Festival, Chesterton, Md. The book features three of her paintings.
’99 Teri (Kemppainen) McKean (LS), a licensed clinical social worker, is a supervisor and sexual abuse therapist at ABC Counseling and Family Services in Champaign, Ill.
’01 Daniel Swanson (LS) graduated from the Madison Police Department’s Accelerated Academy in June and then joined the department Previously, he served five years with the UW-Madison police and was a police officer in Janesville.
’02 Corey Baumgartner (EHS) and ’05 (MS), associate principal of co-curricular activities at Kaukauna High School, welcomed twin daughters, Lilly Belle and Summer Grace, on May 25, 2010.
’04 Brad Jensen (B) and Stephanie (Watry) Jensen ’08 (LS) were married on June 11, 2010, at the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh.
’05 David Cords (LS) transferred from Nashville to Indianapolis with his job for FedEx, and welcomed his first child in April 2010.
’07 Zachary Rueth (EHS), of Jefferson, left for Thailand in January to begin preservice training as an education Peace Corps volunteer. He now teaches in a Thai school in the province of Surin.
’08 Kathryn ‘Katie’ Brown (EHS) works on her family farm near Belleville. The farm was the site of the Dane County Breakfast on the Farm in June.
’08 Vanessa Virbitsky (LS) earned a master’s degree in public relations, sports relations from Ball State University and accepted a full-time position with the U.S. Olympic Committee as communications administrative specialist.
’10 Tricia Sieg (MPA) is employed as the chief of staff for Wisconsin State Senator Mary Lazich at the state capitol in Madison.
’10 Abby Simon (EHS) served as Mayville School District’s 2010 art show judge.
ABBREVIATION KEY
COLLEGES
• AAS — Associate of Arts and Science Degree
• B — Business
• EHS — Education and Human Services
• LS — Letters and Science
• N — Nursing
GRADUATE DEGREES
• GMBA — Global Master of Business Administration
• MA — Master of Arts
• MBA— Master of Business Administration
• MPA — Master of Public Administration
• MS — Master of Science
• MSE — Master of Science in Education
• MSN — Master of Science in Nursing
• MST — Master of Science in Teaching
• MSW — Master of Social Work
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