Class Notes

’40s

Clara Lemm Brogan, C’45, Concord, N.H., celebrated her 96th birthday on Dec. 31. She is still storytelling to second graders at her local school.

Patricia Denk Biasotti, C’49, Citrus Heights, Calif., enjoyed a magnificent 14-day cruise to Alaska in August. She recently spent a week at her daughter’s guest house in Kona, Hawaii. Patricia met her husband of 47 years in Yosemite Valley, so she has been privileged to see some of God’s most beautiful creations.

’50s

Sr. Ann Barton, C’54, Leavenworth, Kan., has retired from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Her favorite assignment was providing the liturgical environment for the Ann Ross Chapel on the main floor of the Mother House.

Virginia Barton Gravatt, C’56, Gardiner, N.Y., enjoys getting together with her family, including her many grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Elizabeth Little Call, C’58, Wichita, Kan., celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary in December.

’60s

Sr. Elaine Abels, C’65, Saint Louis, Mo., finished a two-year Living School program with the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Mary Alice Bramming, C’65, Denver, Colo., was re-elected as president of Project Salvador, a nonprofit that aids the people of El Salvador in implementing their vision of justice. She also serves as vice president of the Franciscan Sisters Charitable Fund. Mary Alice also serves on the Saint Mary Board of Trustees as trustee emerita.

Rena Fogarty Russell, C’66, Leavenworth, Kan., is proud of the achievements of her seven grandchildren.

Mary Kathryn Stillwell, C’66, Lincoln, Neb., has published her fourth collection of poems, “Reasonable Doubts.” It is available for purchase at finishinglinepress.com. She was a student of Michael Novak and Sr. Mary Ernestine Whitmore.

Mary Sue Harkins Plague, C’67, York, Pa., is retired and recently celebrated her 53rd wedding anniversary.

Kathleen Goodman Rowe, C’67, Lexington, Mass., has lived in the Boston area for the past several years and participates in multiple climate change initiatives. She has written a book that highlights the Charles River, a well-known waterway that defines the city of Boston and neighboring communities. The book, “Exploring the Charles River,” is related to her blog ExploretheCharles.com.

Judy Francis Bellome, C’68, Lawrence, Kan., completed her first year as president of AARP Kansas. The volunteer appointment allows her to work with AARP volunteers across the state on legislative advocacy, fighting fraud, providing tax aide services, and national strategies to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals.

Karin Kramer Franson, C’68, Mission, Kan., has volunteered at AdventHealth, formerly Shawnee Mission Hospital, for 22 years. She graduated from the Mission Police Department Citizens Academy and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy.

Christine Peschka Milyard, C’68, had a great visit in August with Sarah Brown Wyrick, C’68, Linda Spano Jenkins, C’68, and Sr. Mary Pat Johnson, C’70, in New Mexico.

Sr. Clara Scherr, C’68, Billings, Mont., retired in 2011. She serves as a visiting volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul once a week and a Eucharistic Minister at Saint Vincent’s Hospital a few times a week.

’70s

Candace Grotzinger Arrington, C’70, Tucson, Ariz., volunteers with United Way in Tucson to help low-income individuals prepare and submit their tax returns.

Margaret Stewart Hladik, C’70, Omaha, Neb., retired from teaching in June 2017. She taught almost all subjects during her 16 years in middle and junior high schools in the Omaha Archdiocese. She earned her Master in Secondary Education degree with an emphasis in library media. Margaret spent the last 23 years of her career as a library media specialist at Roncalli Catholic High School in Omaha. She now spends her time traveling to see her five grandchildren.

Kathy Kerr, C’70, Leawood, Kan., married John Matzeder on Nov. 27 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

JoEllen Stimac Estenson, C’71, Rollins, Mont., retired from education after more than 50 years. Her son, Erik, is a captain in the United States Navy, and she is the proud grandparent of three grandkids.

Judy Hulsing Stredicke, C’72, Puyallup, Wash., retired in 2012 after teaching for 32 years at All Saints Catholic School in Puyallup. She and her husband are enjoying retirement and doing lots of traveling. They will celebrate 49 years of marriage this year. They have three grown children and six grandchildren.

Jo Ann Taylor Beegles, C’74, Durango, Colo., has been living in southwestern Colorado for 40 years. She retired as an administrative assistant at Fort Lewis College and is now a part-time piano teacher.

James Dickerson, C’74, Kansas City, Kan., works for Homeland Security as a contractor.

Linell Wenzel Grundman, C’74, Washington, D.C., is retired and volunteers with many organizations, including Saint Mary, Moms Demand Action, her church, and incarceration ministry. She is contemplating her next professional chapter and retirement.

Christine Engemann Harris, C’74, Washington, Mo., has been traveling to see friends and relatives since her husband passed away in May 2018. Her travel stops include Florida, Colorado, Tennessee, and Illinois. These places hold good memories of when she traveled with her husband to places they lived. When she is home, Christine volunteers with the local Parkinson’s group and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. She attends a grief support group sponsored by New Haven Hospice Care, where her husband, Wayne, was cared for before his death.

Mary Ann Presseller, C’74, Mesa, Ariz., retired in March 2019.

Patricia Regan, C’74, Palm Harbor, Fla., was re-elected for a second four-year term to lead the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate, a community of lay missionaries founded in Brooklyn, N.Y. The group was established in 1909 by Vincentian Priest Father Thomas Augustine Judge. The MCA has about 600 associates across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Their vocation is to be missionaries “in the providence of our everyday lives.” Patricia’s been involved with the MCA since 1984 and truly believes it is a natural extension of the Vincentian spirit she experienced at Saint Mary.

Margaret Farrell Shelton, C’74, Caruthersville, Mo., retired from the Family Support Division of the Child Support Division for the State of Missouri after 23 years. Before that, she worked for the Department of Defense at Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville, Ark. until the base closed in 1992. She has two children, Jason and Jessica, and three grandchildren. She enjoys retirement and doing a lot of reading and house renovations.

Joan Brown, C’75, Albuquerque, N.M., works on climate change issues with interfaith communities and individuals through education, rituals, installation of solar-powered devices in places of worship, and public policy advocacy. Her state has the Permian Basin oil and gas boom region, and she is doing a lot of organizing around this and other environmental justice concerns.

Therese Riedel Cooney, C’75, Phoenix, Ariz., has three grand-daughters from her eldest, and her first grandson was born in January 2019. Her four sons and wives live with their families in Phoenix. Her daughter lives in Queens, N.Y.

Lucy Struckhoff Tobben, C’75, Washington, Mo., retired from teaching vocal music in the classroom. She serves as the parish music coordinator and accompanist at St. Francis Borgia Parish. Her husband, Dave, retired as an associate circuit judge in Franklin County at the end of 2018. Their six children and nine grandchildren are spread around the world, living in California, Kansas, Missouri, and Germany.

Kimberley Cartwright Hess, C’77, Pittsboro, N.C., retired and moved to North Carolina with her husband and Dalmatians.

Vicki Fredrickson Gorman,C’78, Kansas City, Kan., has five grandchildren and one grand-dog. She hopes to retire in a couple of years after teaching in Catholic schools for 40 years.

Linda Triller Schindelar, C’78, Yorkville, Ill., is a grandmother to twin grandsons. Linda and her oldest daughter followed their dreams and opened a specialty gift shop that features handmade items. She lost her husband in September 2017.

’80s

Sharon Schwenk Kirby, C’81, Leavenworth, Kan., recently sold her restaurant, The Towne Pub, and retired. She enjoys relaxing with her grandson.

Mary Annan Collins, C’84, Kansas City, Kan., serves as president of the board for Dotte Local Grocer, Inc., a nonprofit that visits 15 locations in Wyandotte County. The organization offers fresh and healthy foods to neighborhoods that do not have realistic local access to grocery stores.

Melissa Kowalewski Mitchell-Wilson, C’84, Leavenworth, Kan., retired in September after 34 years as a medical technologist. She spent most of her career at Saint Luke’s Cushing Hospital in Leavenworth. During retirement, she hopes to spend more time reading, cross-stitching, and volunteering.

Janet Starkey Vaught, C’84, Kokomo, Ind., is retired.

Robin Thurston Ross, C’85, Dimondale, Mich., works for Capital Area United Way in Lansing, Mich., and loves her job. She is a community investment associate. She enjoys seeing how donations impact her community and strengthen the lives of others. Robin recently celebrated her 35th wedding anniversary with her husband, Kevin. They have two children that are doing well and live in the Lansing area.

Grace Spezia Bruce, C’86, Plattsburg, Mo., has practiced law in Missouri for 30 years – the last nine as a solo practitioner in her small town. She is in the process of transitioning to retirement. Because she cannot see herself spending all her time reading and doing needlework, Grace looks forward to using her skills on a pro-bono basis.

Anna Goodpastor Cox, C’86, Weston, Mo., takes care of her mother and sister and has a loving and supportive family. Faith, family, and friends are the most important things in her life.

Melinda Lane-Walls, C’86, Belgrade, Mont., has a daughter, Shelby, who studies elementary education at the University of Montana Western. Shelby competes on the cross country and track teams.

Francine Orr, C’86, Los Angeles, Calif., was awarded the prestigious Berger Award from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for her work on “The Street Within,” a four-part series that extended over 18 months. The Los Angeles Times series focused on homeless residents as they were given housing and the obstacles they faced.

Gloria Close, C’87, Green Ridge, Mo., has taught in Catholic schools for 19 years. She loves working with the kids every day, especially when she gets to share her love for the Catholic Church and her faith.

Lillie Yvette Salinas, C’87, Kansas City, Mo., has worked at the American Public Works Association for 17 years.

Elizabeth Conroy Jones, C’88, Cedar Park, Texas, teaches family and consumer sciences at the high school level and loves it.

Linda Ozier Wade, C’88, Greenville, Ky., retired from teaching five years ago. She and her husband enjoy being with their family and traveling. Last year, they went to Normandy, France, for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Jeannine Kaiser Edmonds, C’89, Leavenworth, Kan., has been married to her husband, Rick, for 32 years. They have two grown daughters. She is a certified financial planner with nVision Wealth, an independent firm in Shawnee, Kan.

’90s

Deborah Moreno Landis, C’90, Kansas City, Kan., earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1994. She’s been married for 24 years and has two daughters. After 23 years as a child and family therapist, she’s now a clinical school social worker.

Tresa Hamilton, C’94, Independence, Mo., retired from Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools in May 2018. She now works in the Kansas City, Mo., district.

Tiffany Arrington, C’96, Kansas City, Mo., successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in school psychology at the University of Kansas in May 2019. She works as a school psychologist at Horizon Academy, a private school for students with learning disabilities in Roeland Park, Kan. She also sees children and adolescents in private practice in Overland Park.

Michael Landauer, C’97, Brighton, Colo., works as an SCL Health manager of end-user analysts at Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colo. The new job brings him full circle in the mission and values of the SCL community. He was born at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, attended USM from 1993 to 1997, and now works in IT for SCL Health. He is very proud to be a part of the community.

’00s

Dottie Harris Butterfield, C’01, Leavenworth, Kan., works at Kansas City Kansas Community College and is working on a Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in curriculum design and development.

Lane Green, C’01, Prairie Village, Kan., is the new athletic director at Liberty North High School.

Lisa Horn-Bailey, C’01, Lawrence, Kan., switched careers to nursing and graduated from the Rockhurst University accelerated BSN program in 2013. She recently accepted a position as a public health nurse specialist at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in Topeka. She continues to do freelance writing, photography, and design.

Joseph Godina, C’02, Hutchinson, Kan., is in his 18th year as an English teacher at Hutchinson High School. He’s also been a girl’s golf coach for 13 years.

Misty Heinen Prater, C’02, Amherst, Wis., and her husband, Jacob, added to their family in November 2017. Brody joined their family just before his first birthday. In December 2018, they welcomed a daughter, Eleanore.

Ryan Marx, U’05, and Catherine Worrel Marx, U’06, Leander, Texas, moved from Kansas City. Ryan works as a data center architect for Insight, a Fortune 500 company.

Walter Schley, U ’06, Kansas City, Kan., serves as Department of Missouri Commander, Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Kimberly Charles, U’07, Kansas City, Kan., has a 3-year-old granddaughter, Maealla.

Rebecca Phillips, U’07, Leavenworth, Kan., received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Kansas. She works with kids with behavioral problems and has also been an assistant softball coach at USM since 2012.

Gerald Schwinn, U’07, Augusta, Kan., started a new job, is working on a second master’s degree, and welcomed his fifth child.

Jay Arthur, U’08, Gretna, Neb., moved back to Nebraska after spending three years in Oregon. He has been busy with his first child, Graham, who will celebrate his first birthday later this year.

Amanda Cole Hoffman, U’08, Great Bend, Kan., works as the director of pharmacy at Clara Barton Hospital. She is married and has three beautiful daughters.

Andrew Hood, U’08, Leavenworth, Kan., has worked at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, for almost two years as a correctional officer.

Keyta Criqui Nacy, U’09, Kansas City, Mo., has two children in fourth grade. They enjoy raising chickens and taking walks with their dog.

’10s

Cassandra Lund Mikeska, U’10, Temple, Texas, finished her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Concordia University in Austin, Texas, in December. She lives with her husband, Revis, and children, Jaymond and Evyn.

Jessica Simorte, U’10, Spring, Texas, had an exhibition of her acrylic paintings in the Goppert Gallery at Saint Mary from Feb. 21 to March 6.

Theo Daniels, U’11, Olathe, Kan., graduated in May 2020 from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Dentistry.

Theresa Kempf, U’11, Easton, Mo., married Casey Huff on Sept. 21.

Brittany Clelland, U’12, Meridian, Idaho, recently bought a home and got a new job working for a trucking company.

Jamie Kelsey, U’12, Kansas City, Kan., became a foster parent with her husband. On Aug. 10, 2018, they adopted their son, Odin.

Loudean Parker Marks, U’12, St. Petersburg, Fla., works for Marriott International as an opening manager. Her job allows her to travel across the country to open new hotels.

Sean Santillan, U’12, Bakersfield, Calif., is a teacher with the Wasco Unified School District in California. His wife, Christina, teaches in the Standard School District in Bakersfield. They have a son who was born in May 2019.

Jonnie Cooper Wright, U’12, Kansas City, Kan., has been co-teaching in an intensive language class, teaching basic English vocabulary to students in second through fifth grades. She has taught children from around the world and is always excited to watch them learn a new language. She loves going to work every day.

Ashley Winquist Davis, U’13, Savannah, Mo., works as a marketing manager at the Living Community of St. Joseph in the Benedictine Health System. She has a 1-year-old daughter.

Stephanie Gardner Lang, U’13, Tonganoxie, Kan., teaches third grade at Tonganoxie Elementary. She won the Saint Mary Alumni Giveaway in November.

Ashlee Faulk Allensworth, U’14, Wallace, N.C., married Timothy Allensworth in Waccamaw, N.C., on Oct. 12.

Todd Forbes, U’14, Basehor, Kan., works with Huron Consulting Group, helping hospitals around the country implement MEDITECH Expanse. He got engaged to Rachel Jackson, U’14, on June 3, 2019. They have a dog, George.

Danielle Hinson, U’15, Independence, Mo., is the director of rehabilitation at the Aquatic Physical Therapy Center in Independence. She’s working on a therapeutic pain specialist certification.

Lindsay Davis Munoz, U’15, Lawrence, Kan., was recently married.

Alexandria Bartels Supple, U’15, Atchison, Kan., married Lee Supple in June 2019.

Kayla Hackney, U’16, Justin, Texas, teaches at Northwest High School.

Joshwa Gittens Johnson, U’16, Bonner Springs, Kan., is working for Enterprise Rent-A-Car and has earned a master’s degree.

Courtney Moore, U’16, Leavenworth, Kan., began a new job last fall at Armed Forces Insurance.

Sharon Capps Ramsey, U’16, M’19, Overland Park, Kan., married Joe Ramsey on Oct. 5.

Michelle Steelesmith, U’16, Escondido, Calif., is a part-owner of a successful general contracting firm.

Tina Adornato, U’17, Franklin, Tenn., earned her MBA, which led to a career change that she’s wanted for a long time. She was able to get a job that she is happy with and that offered the kind of benefits she needed.

Ryan Bielecki, U’17, Chicago, Ill., is pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the National University of Health Sciences. He plays men’s slow pitch softball.

Shayna Minkin Cohen, U’17, Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel, runs her own photography business.

Cody Devin, U’17, Lawrence, Kan., spent the last two years as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army. He was accepted into the Interservice Physician Assistant Program and started PA school in January. He and his wife, Hannah, had their first child in February.

Daniel Esterly, U’17, Pittsburgh, Pa., took a job as the director of community relations for Hosanna Industries, Inc.

Autumn Houk, U’18, Overland Park, Kan., is working on her Master’s in Biology at the University of Missouri–Kansas City.

Alexander Barnett, U’19, Santa Ana, Calif., works in sales for GTT Communications, a top-three global internet provider.

Daphne Phillips Reynolds, M’19, Leavenworth, Kan., welcomed her first child, James Forrest Reynolds, on May 27, 2019.

Edith Arvizu Sande, U’19, Rio Rico, Ariz., was married in May 2019. She is a first-grade teacher.