FRANCES (DUDERSTADT) HARTMANN celebrated her 90th birthday March 11 with a reception, “Fully Rely on God,” at the St. Paul Lutheran Fellowship Hall. Many friends and family members were present, including her children KURT HARTMANN JR.’68, RUTH (HARTMANN) BRADY ’63, EMILY (HARTMANN) HARBORTH ’73 and CAROLYN (HARTMANN) PETERSEN ’62.
Back to top HAROLD BOGISCH of Seguin received the Distinguished Benefactor of the Year award from the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest in Austin.
Back to top JOANN (BURRIS) LEMMON of New Braunfels reports the sudden death of her husband, Joe, on Oct. 23, 2006, a week before the 50th anniversary celebration that was reported in the last issue of the Torch. They did have the opportunity to celebrate the event with their children and grandchildren the previous summer in Williamsburg, Va.
Back to top The REV. BILL DERRICK was named “Man of the Year” for 2006 by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce/ Economic Development Foundation.
Back to top DEBBIE EHLER was one of the recipients of the 2007 Alice Hamilton Award for Occupational Safety and Health. The international award recognizes the scientific excellence of technical and instructional materials by NIOSH scientists and engineers. Ehler’s team won in the engineering and physical science category. She has retired from the chemistry division of Los Alamos National Laboratory where she garnered distinguished performance awards and two patents with her team in the area of toxic metal research. She and her husband, Jim Brainard, now live in Golden, Colo.
Back to top JON GREGORY has had poetry published in a national publication, The American Dissident, for the fourth time. His writing can be viewed at
www.exitonlypoems.blogspot.com. Jon has been a longtime senior copy editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
LYNETTE (MANN) PARKHURST, music director of St. John’s San Juan Lutheran Church in Austin, was invited by the Episcopal Latino Cancionero Committee to participate in the creation and development of a new songbook that will be published in 2008, and Walnut Hill Lutheran in Dallas has asked her to teach the Lutheran Spanish hymnal. She was also the musician for the Tri-Synod Latino Youth Retreat at Camp Chrysalis in the spring.
DR. STEVEN R. WESTBROOK, a principal scientist in the Fuels and Lubricants Research Division at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, has been selected for the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International 2007 Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow, the highest society recognition for individual contributions to standards activities granted to members for distinguished service and outstanding participation in ASTM committee activities. Westbrook is the current chair of the ASTM International Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants and participates actively in the work of other D02 groups. He has made major contributions to a number of standards and ASTM publications. He is also the current chair of the International Association for Stability, Handling and Use of Liquid Fuels. He began work at Southwest Research after graduating from TLU and assumed his current position in 2005.
Back to top RUTH KALKWARF-SCHUETZ passed the national and Texas guardianship exams to become a registered guardian certified in the state of Texas as a professional guardian.
Back to top MARK CRESWELL recently founded the International Discovery Sourcing Consultants, LLC (IDSC), an innovative pharmaceutical outsourcing and project management consulting firm. IDSC, based in Chelsea, Mich., offers outsourcing consulting, project management, and medicinal chemistry design services to its clients in the pharmaceutical industry.
James, son of SHARON FISK, is currently serving in Iraq with the 1st Cavalry Division US Army.
Back to top LISA (LABBERTON) GARDNER lives in League City with her husband, James, and two daughters: Elizabeth, 11, and Emily, 7. James is a project coordinator for Coastal Chemical in Houston, and Lisa is celebrating 10 years as a Creative Memories Consultant.
MARY ANN (McDONALD) SCHIRMER was awarded the “Key Woman Educator” by the Kappa Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International on May 5 in San Antonio. She is the lead kindergarten and ESL teacher at Leming Elementary School in the Pleasanton ISD.
Back to top On April 3, Matt and KRISTIN (KNETEN) CLINE adopted Rachel Karen Cline in Nanning, China. Rachel was born on May 19, 2006. Merrill Grace Cline, 6, also traveled to China to meet her new sister.
Back to top ERIK BRANDON and his wife, Andrea, announce the birth of their daughter, Claire, born in June of 2006. Claire joins her sister, Chloe, who is 4. Erik is a senior engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. He currently serves as the project manager for several advanced research efforts, focused on the development of new energy storage and power generation technologies for deep space exploration.
MARK ETHEREDGE and DR. KRISTEN (GRONBERG) ETHEREDGE ’92 announce the birth of their daughter, Miriam Elizabeth Alice, born July 27, 2006. She was welcomed by brother, Pete, 3.
STEVEN TODD has assumed a position with the Criminal Enforcement Division of the Office of the Texas Attorney General.
Back to top NEIL KATZ, SPHR (senior professional human resources), was promoted to senior human resource business consultant for Luxottica Retail. He is responsible for the entire Midwest Region of the U.S. He and his wife, MELISSA HERNANDEZ-KATZ ’95 live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Greg and KITT (LANGEHENNIG) SCHARF announce the birth of their first child, Travis Keith, on April 13. The family resides in Austin.
Back to top RICK FLORES won the 2007 Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Winners are chosen from the 20 top teachers nominated by San Antonio area school districts. He received $2,000 and was honored at a ceremony at Trinity University’s Parker Chapel on May 4.
CHRISTOPHER and ALLISON GORREBEECK ’96 announce the birth of their first child. Ava Elaine Gorrebeeck was born March 31 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Back to top PETRA (STOCKMAN) DAVIDSON is now a Registered EEG technologist. “Petey,” her husband, Keith, and their three children live in Mankato, Minn. where she works for Immanuel St. Josesph’s Mayo Health System.
KEVIN and DAWNA HAUG are pleased to announce the birth and adoption of their second daughter, Kaylee Grace, born on April 27, 2006. The family resides in Cat Spring.
Back to top MOLLIE (WETTSTEIN) CULLINANE and her husbnd, Jeff, announce the birth of their daughter, Audrey Rose, on Oct. 3, 2006. Audrey is welcomed by her older sister, Caroline, 2. The family lives in Austin.
JERRY BOEGLER lives in Washington, D.C. where he is the chief of staff for the Customer Solutions Operating Group of BAE Systems, a premier global defense and aerospace company.
Back to top DANIELLE GAITHER-WILLIAMS has been accepted to the master of science in accounting program at the University of North Texas in Denton. She is beginning her studies there in the fall of 2007.
Back to top MITZI HALLMARK and Landon Welfel were married March 10 in Seguin. She is employed as a teacher by the Seguin ISD. Jennifer and HEATH POPPE announce the birth of their first child, a son, Brooks Randal, on Sept. 28, 2006.
Back to top JENNIFER (CHRISTY) BAUERKEMPER and TIM BAUERKEMPER ’97 announce the birth of their son, Lukas Timothy, on April 24. Tim is the associate pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Seguin and is a part-time instructor in the TLU department of theology, philosophy, and classical language.
MICHELLE (CLARK) and MICHAEL HARTFIEL announce the birth of their daughter, Abigail Elaine. She was born on March 11 in San Antonio.
Greg and KELLY BALDWIN announce the birth of Grant Ross on Nov. 7, 2006. The family resides in Katy.
Back to top JOHN PETEREK and his wife, Mica Clark-Peterek, have joined the Peace Corps and departed for the Pacific Island Republic of Kiribati on Feb. 25. They are education volunteers and their work involves co-teaching and planning, as well as developing the curriculum and the English skills of their colleagues. Together, they will serve for two years in Kiribati, living in a manner similar to people in their host country.
Back to top AMANDA AUSTIN earned a master’s degree in family and child studies in May 2006 and is now working as a researcher at the Texas Senate Research Center in Austin.
MELINA ESPIRITU married Jose Azocar on March 9. She is working on her master’s degree in educational leadership at UTSA and is teaching in San Antonio.
AMY HARTMANN earned her master of liberal arts degree with an emphasis in the humanities from St. Edwards University on Dec. 16, 2006.
Back to top ELIZABETH SCHWAB-FIKE married Shawn Fike March 3 in New Braunfels at the Seekatz Opera House. Shawn’s two teenagers and Elizabeth’s 5-year-old daughter all participated in the ceremony. They reside in Round Rock.
David and ERIN (SPESSARD) HILL announce the birth of their daughter, Karsyn Layne, on Dec. 22, 2006. The family resides in Bryan.
Back to top SHEKINAH HAMMONDS is a member of the Agape Outreach International Worship Center mission staff. They recently delivered supplies and teaching aids to the George W. Gunn International School in Tema, Ghana.
KARLYN JOHNSON and STEPHEN MEYER ’07 were married in ceremonies June 9 and 10 at the Chapel of the Abiding Presence in Seguin and in Temple Terrace, Fla., respectively. Karlyn and Stephen are in law school in Chicago.
Back to top LAURA BLUE and MIKE PATTERSON ’05 were married May 19 in Houston. The Pattersons live in Spring where Laura is teaching at a new elementary school in the Klein district.
RACHEL CONROY is a student at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
COLEEN PETERSON is teaching in South Korea for four years while working toward her master of education degree. She is planning to continue teaching abroad and travel the world.
ANTHONY PINEDA works with the baseball program at Houston Baptist University, is working on his master’s degree in sports medicine through the United States Sports Academy, and is an intern athletic trainer for the Houston Texans.
JENNIFER RISTICH married Preston Howard on March 24 in Lake Jackson. In December 2006, she graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in chemical engineering and Preston earned a degree in mechanical engineering. They now reside in Pearland.
Back to top 1920s
MARTHA BREMER FISCHER passed away May 17, 2007. She was 101. She and her husband were in ranching and the grocery business in San Antonio for many years.
1930s
HERMINE ELIZABETH BUROW ’32 passed away on Dec. 28, 2006.
JOE FLEMING ’36 died March 18, 2007 at the age of 94. He served in the U.S. Navy and was the Guadalupe County constable and county judge.
INA LORENE SWENSON JOHNSON ’36 passed away on Feb. 9, 2007 in Clifton. She loved her family, church, sewing and gardening.
ANNA SCOTT MAGNUSON ’33 died Jan. 30, 2007. She taught in the Manor ISD for many years and was a life-long member of New Sweden Lutheran Church.
CLARA E. RIEWE ’36 died Nov. 23, 2006 in Abilene. She was an active Sunday School teacher and member of Zion Lutheran Church.
VOLETA SCHULZE TROTTER ’38 died July 3, 2006. She worked in Clifton before retiring in 1970.
1940s
CLYDIE BRODT ’42 died May 15, 2007. She worked at Seguin Savings Association for 29 years, was active in the Fire Department Auxiliary, and was president of The Texas State Fireman’s and Fire Marshal’s Association.
ARMIN WILLIAM PFENNING ’40 passed away March 8, 2007 at the age of 87. He retired from Austin ISD after many years of teaching.
1950s
BILLY JOE ANZ Sr. ’53 passed away on Feb. 11, 2007 in Temple. He worked for Wilson Building Materials and Commanche Peak and was honored at the Texas Family Land Heritage Ceremony.
THE REV. HAROLD R. BILLNITZER ’51, an advocate for people with disabilities, died January 24, 2007. He learned he had Multiple Sclerosis in 1956 and retired from active ministry in 1971.
MARILYN OHLENBUSCH KENSING ‘53 passed away March 15, 2007 after a lengthy illness.
1960s
HELEN STIRL BYRNS ’65 passed away in October. She was 63 and was living in Cedar Hill.
ROGER WORTH WILKE ’63 died April 26, 2007 in Seguin. He dedicated his life to education, serving as a coach, teacher and vice-principal. He was also a former Seguin City Council member.
1970s
REV. DARYL D. KOENIG ’70 died May 31, 2007. He was 59. An adjunct professor, he was responsible for starting TLU’s youth ministry program. He most recently served the ELCA Southwestern Texas Synod as youth consultant.
1980s
STACEY MARIE MCELHINNEY ’86 passed away on Jan. 4, 2007. With her husband, she built the McElhinney Wakeboard School into a thriving business.
1990s
WYLIE ERWIN REEVES ’90 passed away Dec. 22, 2006 at the age of 39. He was a history teacher at Navarro High School.
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