Weddings & Celebrations

2010

Jessica Van Doren and Lukas Ulrich Van Doren, in Boise, Idaho.

2014

Amanda “Gracie” Rennecker and Tyson Sessions, July 8, 2016, in Larkspur, Colorado.

Births & Adoptions

2000

Tressa Pearson-Franks Braam and Asa Braam, a girl, Gemma Elsbeth, on April 22 in Issaquah, Washington.

2005

David “Chief” Ramirez and Angelina Ramirez, a boy, Roman Levi, on Jan. 22 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Obituaries

1939

Dorothy McKeown Macrum, March 24, in Englewood, Colorado, at age 98. At CC, Dorothy was a member of Delta Gamma and met Richard “Dick” Eliot Macrum ’40, whom she married in 1941. They lived in Colorado until 1968, relocated to San Diego for their retirement years, then moved back to Denver in 2007. Dick preceded Dorothy in death. She is survived by her children, Dick Macrum Jr., and Margie (Mark) Johnson, and by three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

1940

Helen Elizabeth “Betty” Bailey McLaughlin, Feb. 23, in Coal Valley, Illinois. She was 96. Betty started her career as an air hostess. She married United Airlines pilot Burl W. “Mac” McLaughlin in 1947, and from then until 1971, they lived a life of service in the U.S. Air Force. She was a leader in the Officers Wives Club, Girl and Boy Scouts, and the American Red Cross, and developed a CHAMPUS program for dependents with disabilities. In 1971, Betty and Mac returned to the airline industry, and in ensuing years Betty wrote two books on aviation. She also worked as a substitute teacher and taught Sunday school. Mac preceded her in death. Betty is survived by daughters Becky Beryl (David) Hobart, Kathleen Jean McLaughlin, and Patricia Nanette McLaughlin, Ph.D. (Trish Hepner), and by a son, William Bailey McLaughlin (Bill Short). Her descendants extend to a great-great-granddaughter.

John William Mihelich, March 10, at age 95. A Colorado Springs, Colorado, native, John graduated from CC with a physics degree. He served as a first lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific from November 1942 until December 1945. After the war, he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, with a specialization in nuclear physics. There he met Jeanette “Jan” Van Osdol, a fellow graduate student. After their December 1946 marriage, they moved to Stony Brook, New York, where John completed post-graduate work at Brookhaven National Lab. In 1954 they moved to South Bend, Indiana, where John would serve as a physics professor at the University of Notre Dame for 30 years. They had three children — John William Jr., Kathryn Mihelich-Helms, and Peggy Mihelich — and in 2012 moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, to be closer to their daughters. Jan preceded John in death, in May 2016. They had eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Geraldine “Gerry” Bielefeldt Monroe, Feb. 7, in Livonia, Michigan. She was 96. Gerry was accepted to a program in entomology at the University of Kansas, which she attended until her marriage to Myrlo (Mike) Monroe in December 1942. After the war, Mike became a Michigan state park manager, and the couple lived at or near various state parks and recreation areas through the years. Gerry spent 20 years helping to teach children of all ages as a substitute teacher and teacher’s aide in the Huron Valley School District. They celebrated 43 years of marriage before Mike died in 1986. Survivors include her daughter, Kathleen; sons Craig (Chris), Brian, and Alden (Mary Lois); four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

1944

Albert Perry Christensen, Feb. 16, in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was 93. Perry was a Navy veteran and an operator of one of the larger sheep and cattle ranches in Colorado and Utah. He made important contributions to the sheep and wool industry, serving as president of the Colorado Woolgrowers Association and being selected as Stockman of the Year. His wife, Helen, and a son, John Michael, preceded Perry in death. He is survived by four other children — Kristin Christensen Steiner ’74, David, Kerri, and Jan — as well as by 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

1945

Mary Kay Simpson Adams, Feb. 13, at age 93. After studying at Colorado College, Kay transferred to Mills College in Oakland, California, where she graduated with a degree in economics in 1945. She returned to Colorado Springs to marry James “Jim” D. Adams, whom she had met while he was stationed at Peterson Field. Together they built J.D. Adams Company, a truss plate and steel culvert manufacturing firm, and raised a family. Kay was a member and president of the Broadmoor Garden Club, a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church, and a member of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club. She was a member of  Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Junior League. Jim preceded her in death, but she is survived by their five children: Thomas (Tina) Adams ’73, Sarah “Sally” (Dan) Howard ’77, Elizabeth (Larry) Zeidler, Frederick (Nancy) Adams, and Lindsay (Richard) Van Keuren. Kay is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives who are part of the CC community.

1946

Betty Elaine Slifer Long, Feb. 28, in Buffalo, Wyoming. She was 92. She attended CC and the University of Arizona from 1942 to 1945, then returned to college in 1979 and graduated from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, with a gerontology degree. With her husband, Robert F. Long, Betty lived in California and traveled to Okinawa, Libya, and Turkey before ending up in Austin in 1962, where she worked for the IRS for 12 years. They relocated to Buffalo in 1988. She was an active volunteer in organizations including the Red Cross (Gray Ladies), the American Legion Auxiliary, Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, the PTA, booster clubs, and many others. Betty is survived by sons Jeffry (Kathryn), Derek (Nancy), and Troy, plus six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband.

Betty Jo Laird Twist, March 19, in Meade, Kansas. She was 92. Betty Jo attended CC and the University of Texas in Austin. She married Roy Twist Jr., in 1949, and they stayed married for more than 68 years. She was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and a member of the PEO. Roy survives her, as do sons Roy III, Kevin, and Jeff, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

1947

Robert “Bob” H. Rawlings, March 24, in Pueblo, Colorado, at age 92. Bob was well known in Colorado as chairman and editor of The Pueblo Chieftain, Sunday Chieftain, and Pueblo Star-Journal, and as a champion of Southern Colorado. His time at CC was interrupted by Navy service in World War II’s South Pacific theater. After earning his economics degree, he worked as a reporter for Pueblo’s Chieftain and Star-Journal. In 1951, he became an advertising salesman for the two newspapers; in 1962, he was named general manager; in 1980, publisher and editor; and in 1984, chairman and editor of The Star-Journal Publishing Corp. Among other journalistic honors, Bob led the Colorado Press Association. He also belonged to the advisory board of Colorado National Bank-Pueblo (now US Bank) and the boards of the Air Force Academy Foundation and the University of Southern Colorado Foundation. Bob chaired the Medal of Honor Memorial Committee and guided The Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation and the Southern Colorado Community Foundation. He and his wife, Mary “Sandy” Graham Rawlings ’47, who preceded him in death, are survived by four children: Jane Louise Rawlings ’70, John Graham, Carolyn Temple, and Robert Hoag Rawlings Jr.

1948

Gerald “Jerry” Webb Bennett Jr., Jan. 29, in Palm Desert, California. He was 89. A Colorado Springs, Colorado native, Jerry served in the waning days of World War II, then attended CC on the GI Bill, playing on the hockey and tennis teams. He graduated from Yale University in 1949, then the University of Colorado Law School in 1953. Jerry practiced law in Colorado Springs for 56 years, first with the firm Murray, Baker & Wendleken until 1978, and then in private practice, specializing in plaintiffs’ cases until his retirement in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Edwina Fawsett Bennett; children Kate Bennett, Jeb Bennett, Molly Mohseni, Fred Bennett, Jodie Bennett, and Gena Bennett; stepchildren Susan Biggs, David Shapard, and Elizabeth Feil; 10 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by a son, Tom Bennett.

1949

Henry Thomas Lowe Jr., March 1, at age 91. In coming to CC, Henry followed the path of his father, Henry C. Lowe, who attended an associated prep school called Cutler Academy. The younger Lowe went from CC to Harvard Law School, then earned an LL.D. from Columbia University. After working as an attorney in Portland, Oregon, he went to the University of Missouri Law School in 1959, where he would spend three-plus decades as a teacher and mentor. He also served as the MU faculty representative to the Big 8 Conference and was on the board of the Aspen Music Festival. After retirement, he remained an active practitioner in the area of estate planning and helped to form a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of Colorado’s Snowmass Creek. His wife of 63 years, Nancy, survives him, as do his son, Henry I. Lowe; his daughter, Edith Auner ’80 (and spouse Joseph ’81); and six grandchildren.

Janis Marie Burke Petersen, May 25, 2016, at age 88 in her longtime city of residence, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Janis was predeceased by her husband, Charles Frank Petersen. She is survived by her sons, Kelvin and Kip, as well as 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

1950

Richard Grimes “Mac” McCleery, March 29, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Mac attained his medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1954, and then served as a U.S. Air Force major. He completed his medical residency and internship at Denver General in 1956 and moved to Cheyenne to practice medicine until retirement. He was a founding member of Clinical Laboratories in Cheyenne, served as Wyoming State Medical Society president, and became an emeritus fellow of the College of American Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. Mac is survived by his wife of 51 years, Patricia Foreman McCleery ’50, and seven children that he raised: Mark (Cathy), Michael (Linda), Scott, and Andrew (Michelle) McCleery; Scott and Randall (Kathy) Tullis ’79; and Karen Beth (Declan) Hughes. He also leaves eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

James “Jim” Arvine Peck, Feb. 11, 2016, at age 88. Jim got a B.A. degree in chemistry from CC and a master’s degree at Golden Gate Seminary in theology. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a chemistry teacher for officers. Survivors include his wife, Sheila Peck.

Richard Earl Pfeiffer, April 10, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 90. Richard was a physician and obstetrician/gynecologist in practice for over 30 years in the Colorado Springs area. He earned his medical degree from St. Louis University. He went to Denver to complete his medical training at Rose Medical Center, before moving to Colorado Springs. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Buffmire Pfeiffer; two sons, Phillip and Richard J. Pfeiffer ’84; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Charles “Chuck” Addison Stoddard, Dec. 28, at age 91. Chuck came to CC from the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and was editor of The Tiger newspaper for two years. After graduation he returned to his hometown of Craig, Colorado, to join his father in the weekly newspaper business. In 1951, he married Joann Timpte ’51. In Craig, Chuck was a community leader, serving on the City Council and as mayor. He also was appointed to a 10-year term on the Colorado Highway Commission; served as president of the Colorado Press Association; and was elected a CC alumni trustee. He is survived by Joann; his children, Karen Shaffer and Douglas Stoddard; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Patricia Ann Sullivan, Feb. 1, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She was 87. Patricia enjoyed spending time in the Northwoods of Wisconsin as well as with her beloved bridge club. Patricia is survived by one of her brothers, James (Karen) Sullivan, and many nieces, nephews, and great-grandnieces and -nephews. Among those predeceasing her are two brothers, John Frederick Sullivan ’49 and Philip Matthew Sullivan ’52.

1952

Elsie Walden Cook, March 16, in Aurora, Colorado. She was 86. Elsie was the first woman at CC to earn a bachelor’s degree in medical technology, and worked as a medical technologist after graduation. She and her husband, Donald E. Cook ’52, lived in Aurora and then Greeley, Colorado, where they raised a family. Elsie belonged to the Greeley Philharmonic Guild, PEO, and Kappa Alpha Theta, and she and Donald founded Greeley’s swim club. She also worked at Northern Colorado Medical Center. Donald preceded her in death; she is survived by her daughter, Cathy (Thomas) Kilgore; her sons, Brian Donald Cook ’82, Chris (Anna), and Jeff; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Robert “Bob” Marsh Starks, March 1, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 86. Bob was a career trust officer at the First National Bank of Colorado Springs and for many years served as the head of the trust department. He is survived by his wife Helen, with whom he celebrated 50 years of marriage in May 2016, and by his son, Marsh, and his daughter, Amy.

Barbara Bletsch Stoddard, May 28, at the age of 87. Barbara earned her teaching degree at Colorado College, and, while there, she met Joseph Stoddard. The couple married in 1953 and after Joe’s service as a Navy pilot, they settled in Littleton, Colorado. Joe passed away in 1989. Barbara used her passion and talents as a teacher of first- and second-graders in Moffat County Schools. After Barbara retired, she continued to impact the Craig community through serving the Interfaith Food Bank, volunteering in the schools, and by serving senior citizens in many ways. Barbara is survived by three sons, Joseph Ely Jr., Jeffery Alan ’80, and James Marshall; 10 grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by son Steven, who died in the hospital after birth.

Glen “Bud” Oran Tusler Jr., Feb. 6, in Penrose, Colorado. He was 89. After Colorado Springs High School, Bud served two years in the Army Air Corps. He earned a civil engineering degree at CC, and then worked as an engineer in the construction industry. In 1957 he was hired with the base engineers serving Ent Air Force Base and Peterson Field. He rapidly progressed to chief engineer and deputy base engineer, the top civilian position. As president of the Society of Military Engineers, he hosted the annual conference with attendees from around the world. He also served for a record 20 years on the board of directors of Ent Federal Credit Union, and was acknowledged as a director emeritus. Bud’s wife of 60 years, Charlene, preceded him in death. Survivors include son Steven (Sandy) Tusler, daughter Sandy (Randy) Royal, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

1953

Eloise “Gloria” Townsend Liggett, Jan. 28, at age 85. While at CC, Gloria earned an English degree and met Kenneth Liggett, who would become her husband. They moved to Limon, Colorado, where Gloria served as a leader in Rainbow Girls, Eastern Star, Flying Farmers, United Methodist Women, El Clavell, the PTA, and was the first woman to serve on Limon’s town council. She also gave voice lessons, co-founded the Limon-Woodlin Music Club, directed the Christmas Vespers program, and conducted the First United Methodist Church choir for over 30 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, and her son, Mike Liggett. She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly (Dave) Taussig, three grandsons, four granddaughters, and two great-grandsons.

Diane Jordan Weed, May 25, at age 85. Diane, a devout Episcopal Church member, used oil paints to communicate her artistic passions. She and her husband Richard Weed raised three sons. In retirement, the couple traveled the country, summering in Montana and heading south, often to Roswell, New Mexico, for the winter. Richard preceded her in death; she is survived by sons Scott (Kathy), Kent (Jane), and Troy (Jade), and three grandchildren.

1954

Ronald “Ron” Ralph Godar, Feb. 24, at age 84. At CC, Ron met his future wife, Dereth “Derry” Cowles Godar ’55, to whom he would stay married until her death in 2011. They lived in California, where Ron worked as a mathematics teacher for 46 years, primarily at San Marcos High School and Santa Barbara City College. He was a longtime volunteer for Planned Parenthood, Santa Barbara’s Maritime Museum, and the Santa Barbara Airport. Ron is survived by three children and five grandchildren.

1955

LaVon Gehrke Arms, Feb. 7, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She was 83. LaVon was a member of Wayne Presbyterian Church and an active member of numerous civic and social organizations in the Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, area. She was preceded in death by her husband, John R. “Jack” Arms, and is survived by her daughters, Julie (Paul) and Jill (Jacques), and two grandchildren.

1956

Margaret “Margie” Caroline Tucker Knight, March 26, in Lac Marois, Quebec. She was 83. Margie taught in the elementary schools of the Montreal and Lakeshore school boards and supported countless organizations, notably Lac Marois Union Church, Lac Marois Country Club, Penguin Ski Club, Twin Ski, Laurentian Lodge, Women’s Canadian Club, St. Francis of the Birds Anglican Church, and Shawbridge Golf Club. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Edgar; children David (Edna), Jamie (Betty), Peggy Hartwick (Todd), and Susan; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

1957

Carolyn Josephine McConnell Heuberger, March 6, at age 81. Using the name Carolyn Cole (her mother’s maiden name), Carolyn became an internationally acclaimed sculptor and abstract impressionistic artist. Her formal art education started at CC, and continued at the Chicago Art Institute. Additional education followed with workshops and tours of art centers in France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. Carolyn’s paintings grace the walls of galleries, private collections, and corporate offices throughout the United States and Europe. Outside of the arts, she was an accomplished equestrian and a loyal advocate for animal rights; she served on the board of directors for the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region and contributed to animal welfare causes throughout her life. Carolyn is survived by her husband, Hans Peet Heuberger; children Gunnar Heuberger (Sherri) and Heather Heuberger; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Shirley Riley Kalar, Feb. 2, at her home in Chino Hills, California. She was 82. After CC, Shirley was an Air Force wife, Sunday School teacher, and Girl Scout leader. She lived in Illinois, Indiana, Hawaii, Colorado, England, California, Alaska, Utah, Okinawa, Florida, and New Mexico before moving to California. She is survived by three daughters — Karen (Don) Myhra, Kathy (Charles) Arambula, and Karleen (Bill) Kalar — as well as seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Richard P. Molloy, Feb. 8, at age 83. Richard received his medical degree in internal medicine from Marquette University Medical School. He ran a private practice in Tampa, Florida, for decades before he retired. Richard is survived by his wife, Marilyn; three sons, Mark, Tom, and John (Sarah); and two grandchildren.

1959

Jay Charles Schrader, Jan. 31, in Mesa, Arizona, at age 81. He attended CC on a football and basketball scholarship, and while there married Nancy Ann Getz, his high school sweetheart from Del Norte, Colorado. They returned to Del Norte, helping Jay’s parents expand their business and purchasing a hardware store. In the ’60s, Jay and Nancy joined the Del Norte Jaycees and the Jayceettes, thus marking the beginning of a commitment to community service. Jay was elected to the town board, then as mayor, for two terms each; he also served on the town’s school board, cemetery association board, Rotary club, and volunteer fire department. He served on various boards of directors, was named “1987 Citizen of the Year” by the Del Norte Chamber of Commerce, and earned the Rotary’s “Paul Harris Fellow Award” in 2009. Nancy survives him, as do his sons Jeff (Tammy) and Michael (Amy); his daughter Julie (Bill) Sauvigne; and six grandchildren.

1960

Harriet Loken Gerding, March 25, at age 78. Harriet was one of the early female graduates of the University of New Mexico School of Business and was inducted into the UNM Alumni Association’s Heritage Club in 2010. An active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and the Junior League of Albuquerque, she worked for many years as a bookkeeper at the Albuquerque Family & Child Guidance Center. She also survived breast cancer and was active in several New Mexico organizations seeking cures for the disease. Harriet was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Bob Gerding, and her daughter, Laura Gerding Morris. Survivors include her sons, Patrick R. (Stephanie) Gerding and Michael W. Gerding, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

1963

William “Bill” Eugene Alt, Feb. 15, at age 80. Before and after Bill’s studies at CC, he served in the Air Force. He earned a Bronze Star and a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, among other honors, and was sent to Vietnam, Japan, Australia, and Greenland. Bill also earned an M.A. from Auburn University. He returned to his hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, after his 1991 retirement as an Air Force colonel. As a retiree, he served on the Pueblo Conservancy District, the state Mined Land Reclamation Board, the Colorado State Conservation Board, and the Pueblo County Historical Society. Bill was even the Pueblo County noxious weed manager. And he authored a book, “Black Soldiers, White Wars.” His wife, Betty Sowers Alt ’60, survives him, along with their daughter, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Eden Murrie (John), and a granddaughter.

1965

Jeanne L. Austin, Feb. 1, at age 76. Jeanne earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from CC and went on to appear at college and community theatres, earning membership in Actors’ Equity as well as SAG-AFTRA. She lived and worked in New York City, St. Louis, Miami, and New Jersey. While in New Jersey, she also worked with people with developmental disabilities and raised cashmere goats. Via “HerStory Productions,” which she formed with her husband Peter R. Nadolny, she created seven one-woman theatre shows. She presented them as a member of the Vermont Humanities, in the state where she spent her final years. She is survived by Peter and a son, Bret R. Nelson.

1972

Alvin “Al” Leslie Lyons, March 15, at age 66. Al played football at CC and earned a degree in English and theatre. He went on to co-found Aspen Stage in Aspen, Colorado, in 1983 and was a frequent patron of the arts worldwide. Along the way, Al earned his doctorate in philanthropic studies at Indiana University and was one of the first four recipients of a Ph.D. in that field. He contributed to the nonprofit sector for more than 40 years as a consultant, board member, staff leader, educator, and researcher. His wife, Susan, survives him.

1974

Vicente Eduardo Valdez, April 6, in La Jara, Colorado, at age 64. A Boettcher Scholar, Vicente graduated from CC with a degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in economics. At one time, he shipped grain on the railroad to various sites in the U.S. and Mexico. He enjoyed doing business with Mexico promoting agricultural commodities and selling farm products at farmers markets. Survivors include his wife, Lucia Pacheco Valdez, daughters Valentina and Vianey, and son Victor.

1978

Elizabeth “Libby” Farr Luken, Feb. 14, in Denver, at age 60. Libby went from CC into a career as a property and facilities manager, most recently as facilities manager at Intelligent Software Solutions. She also volunteered for many years for Silver Key in Colorado Springs. She and her former husband, Curtis “Curt” Christofferson ’79, had two children, Colin and Julia. They survive her, as do their spouses, four grandchildren, and a number of extended family members with CC ties.

1980

Eddy Karl Dietz, Dec. 3, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at age 58. A star soccer player at CC, Eddy was drafted to play professionally for the Detroit Express in the then-North American Soccer League. After three years in the pros, Eddy returned to campus to finish his bachelor’s degree. He continued playing soccer in Denver for the Colorado Comets semi-pro team, and eventually was hired to coach boys’ soccer at Liberty High School in Colorado Springs; in 1990, his boys won the 4A State Championship. From 1993 to 2002 he served as the head coach for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, where he developed a competitive program and received Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1996. He was also an assistant coach at CC in 1990 and 2006-2007; coached youth soccer; and refereed. He is survived by his daughter Karlie, and by Karlie’s mother, Paula Walker.

1995

Rachel Lee Alpern, Jan. 3, at age 43.

2012

John “Jack” Reed Fields Jr., Feb. 15, in a skiing accident at Grand Teton National Park. He was 26. Jack had developed a love for telemark skiing and rock climbing while attending High Mountain Institute in Leadville, Colorado, in his teens. At CC, he ski mountaineered and rock climbed in British Columbia on grants from the Ritt Kellogg Fund, and led a high school community service group to Alaska to rebuild indigenous people’s homes. After graduation, he returned to HMI as a Spanish-teaching apprentice, then committed to learning carpentry skills. He studied with an uncle in California, then worked for a timber framer and forge in Oregon. In between, Jack climbed and skied throughout North America, and sailed the Chilean coast of Patagonia. He had most recently been living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he had hoped to open a furniture-building business. Among many survivors are his parents, Robin and John Fields; his brothers, Samuel Fields ’14 and Charlie Fields; and his paternal grandparents.

For a regularly updated listing of alumni who have passed by class, visit www.coloradocollege.edu/inmemoriam