Classmates Then and Now - M Through Z
(For our Classmates - A Through L see this page.)
While this page is still being filled, we hope to eventually have all the Class of 1961 members with pictures from around 1961 and more recently. Also, we would like you to let us know what has happened in the last 50 years.
To add your comments, which we will move to this page, click on any of the names. This will take you to a webpage for your comments.
Gary Martin
Leonard Matthias
I served in the Marine Corps,National Guard and Army. I was honorably discharged from all three.
I have been happily married for 23 yrs. We have been retired since January 2000.I was an industrial repair mechanic for John Deere Des Moines works. We love hunting, fishing,and the great outdoors.
Wayne Messer
LaVerne Murphy (September 16, 1941-August 14, 2006)*
George Myers
Larry Olson (November 7, 1942-June 16, 1979)*
Richard Peshek
After high school I started my college experience at Upper Iowa University, and I eventually received a BS Business Administration degree. I retired from the John Deere Davenport Works as an Ergonomics Coordinator. I presently serve on two advisory boards at the University of Iowa: the U of I School of Medicine Occupational Health Board and NIOSH Heartland Center U of I. Playing my trumpet and baritone in local bands, with Sheryl, has been an enjoyable experience. Sheryl and I like to travel, camp, and we enjoy going on day trips. We are in the process of moving to Grafton, WI, to enjoy our three grandchildren.
Susan Culbertson (Punke)
Erna Wickwire (Radtke) (February 18, 1942-June 13, 2003)*
Judy Gauger (Rathjen)
After graduation I attended the University of Iowa and received my degree in Elementary Education and Physical Education. I was the first person graduating from Iowa Valley to be employed as a teacher there. I taught fifth grade for 33 years and coached junior high girls basketball a few years. I have been substituting in the junior high and high school since retiring.
I have continued my involvement in the horse industry - showing and raising American Saddlebred and Morgan horses, helping run a training stable, and judging 4-H and open horse shows. This past year I received my 51st. consecutive high point state championship award in the Iowa Horse Show Association .(Many late nights and a lot of miles!!!!) In 1994, my husband, Milt and I were inducted into the Iowa Horsemen’s Hall of Fame.
I have continued my involvement in the horse industry - showing and raising American Saddlebred and Morgan horses, helping run a training stable, and judging 4-H and open horse shows. This past year I received my 51st. consecutive high point state championship award in the Iowa Horse Show Association .(Many late nights and a lot of miles!!!!) In 1994, my husband, Milt and I were inducted into the Iowa Horsemen’s Hall of Fame.
David Schafbuch
My 50 Years Since Graduating From I. V.
After several months of soul searching, talking to various professional scholars and prayerful consideration, it was evident that I should remain on the family farm to carry on Schafbuch family farm tradition.
So, after marrying my lovely bride, Linda on Sept. 29, 1962, we were all set.
Wow, Feb. 26, 1964 we got a gift of a baby boy, Craig Alan.
Farming seemed to be the greatest life anyone could ask for. Hard work, very little return on that work but we were happy.
Then on May 10, 1966 we got another bundle of joy. Jon Eric.
Farming seemed to be rather mundane on its own, but having those two boys around seemed to keep it rather exciting.
Preschool graduation, first day of real school and all at once, they were in Jr. High. (OMG) Then high school. Cars, girls, grades, no help with chores, more cars, more girls, Athletics and a lot less help with chores. Life was really going so fast that I wished I had my old ’57 Ford to keep up.
Both boys graduated from I.V. high school. Craig in 1982 and Jon in 1984. One headed to college the other went into the work force.
It was really great to see our boys get married and begin their own families. By the way, both sons each have 2 daughters and one son. Funny how life is sometimes.
Linda and I continued farming until it became very clear to us that we just couldn’t afford the luxury of farming anymore. We had a farm sale of our farm equipment on Feb. 28 1992. (I really wanted it on the 29th that leap year so I would only have to think about it every 4 years, but someone beat me to that date.) We did keep our farm land though.
Worked for S&S Plumbing & Heating for 1 year.
I went to work for Conroy Farmers Coop in 1994. My job consisted of mixing chemicals for the Ag industry in the spring. After the spraying season I would work in the feed mill, mixing and blending livestock protein and complete feeds.
Two years later, I was given the opportunity to sell Pioneer Corn and Soybean Seed for the Coop. That is when life became a great and fun challenge. Life as a salesman is a great and is a challenging profession. (it could be better if you didn’t have to deal with people). I retired from that life in 2002. I love my job now and wished I could have found it many years ago J I guess I did when I farmed but didn’t see it.
Like I said, in so many words, Life is Good. And it is just what we make it.
But it really SUCKS when you have granddaughters graduating from college and noowwww---
GETTING MARRIED!!!
Talk about a WOW??
Earlene McCaw (Schafbuch)
Lived most of my life since high school in Iowa County, leaving in 1996 to Lake Ozark, MO, currently living in Lake Havasu City, AZ, but spend summer months in Show Low, AZ. Have worked as an IBM keypunch operator, office assistant and for the local newspaper in Marengo. Have four sons, four wonderful daughter-in-laws, seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Love riding our 4-wheelers on mountain and desert trails here in the southwest and getting together with all the other old farts. Life Is Good!!!!!Carl Schumacher
Cherisi Marshall (Schumacher)
Pam Kircher (Simmons)
Darold Slaymaker
LeRoy Slaymaker
Kathleen Pustarfi (Smith)
Robert Smith (August 8, 1942-June 7, 2010)*
Stanley Smith
Joan Wright (Stoddard)
De Storck
Lowell Vogt (October 24, 1942-April 1, 2002)*
Mary D. Miller (Vogt)
Cindy Olson (Walton)
Rancy Watkins
Sharon Stiegelmeyer (Wilkinson)
Sherry Dell Franzen (Wilson)
I graduated from the University of Iowa in 1965 with a B.A. in social work and from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1991 with a Masters in social work. I have been married to Ken for 45 years, and we have 3 children and 7 grandchildren (seen in the picture from last Christmas). After raising our children, I worked in foster care at a private agency outside of Chicago. We have lived in the Quad-Cities, Barrington, IL (Chicago), Madison, WI, and Brevard, NC. We retired to Brevard, NC (in the mountains a hour south of Asheville, NC) in 2003.. We love the mountains and small town living. I enjoy Bible study, swimming, hiking, reading, traveling, and volunteering at church and at a crisis center. I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.
Thank you for your help.
