WhatWeDoNow58

Send a paragraph (or more) giving an update on your life to Karen Olson.
Tell about your family, hobbies, interests, travel, etc., etc.

Your classmates want to know all about you!

Myron Amundson	Paul Arneson	Judith Baker	James Brown	Sharon Budd	Rosella Bunce
RamonaChristopherson	Robert Colburn	Alois Ducklow	Vernon Farrell	Marjorie Fuhrman	Richard Geving
Charles Gjovig	Helen Gjovig	Thomas Gunderson	Roger Halverson .	Dawn Hanson	Marlys Hanson
Robert Harshman	Darlene Jorgenson	James Jorgenson	Beverly Klecker	Roger Langer	Sandra Lehmann
Darlene Moldenhauer	Betty Oebser	Carol Olson	Robert Olson	Diana Plan	Vernon Raehsler
David Richardson	James Schultz	Robert Sebion	Marlys Slocum	Ronald Thompson	Jerry Timm
James Traynor	Rita Traynor	Judy Truesdill	Charles Wells	Dana Wilhelm	Jerry Wilkens
The following completed their high school education elsewhere.
Marlene Bulmer	Sandra Mondor	Wayne Pals	Fred Spence		.

Helen (Gjovig) Cockerham
Still works part-time at a senior center. Would like to be in St. Paul this summer during the Republican convention because her son, who is a cameraman for FOX News, will be covering it. Enjoys small town living.

Carol (Olson) Mishler
Enjoys driving out to the secluded lake or pond and watching for wildlife and listening to the birds sing. Also enjoys reading (as best she can with the eye problems) especially sci-fi and mysteries. She lives a few miles from her daughter and her family which allows them to enjoy doing things together. Numerous health problems have hampered activities for her.

Robert Harshman
    My wife (Linda) and I make our home about 12 miles south of Roundup, Montana.
    We have a small ranchette (20 acres) where we enjoy gardening, ATV trips to the mountains, including camping and fishing.
    My vocation consisted of working for Greyhound Lines for 28 years where as I retired in 1994. Up until 2000, I drove semi for a U.S. postal contractor, part-time.
    Linda is employed by the U.S. Postal Service. She plans on retiring in three years.
    I have four children Larry, the oldest, lives and works in Iraq as a civilian contractor. Robbie is an independent trucker. Patra Marie lives in Tacoma and Clint lives in Pittsburgh where he works for H. J. Heinz. Also, we have six wonderful grandchildren.
    We have both been blessed with good health; life is good!

Sandra (Lehmann) Schmidt
Shortly after graduation, I moved to River Falls with my mom and worked at the Health Care Center in town. A few years later I moved to St. Paul where I met my husband, Phil. We were blessed with two daughters and now have six grandchildren. Phil passed away 30 years ago so these last few years I have been living with my oldest daughter. For most of my working years I was a nurses aide in various Health Care facilities in St. Paul. I am now retired.

Beverly (Klecker) Lynne
    Seems like yesterday, we were graduating from SVH! 50 years! Following graduation, I attended Northwestern Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis. After a year in the “big city” I met my husband, Ron, on a blind date and was married a year later – July 23, 1960. We were blessed with three children, Terri, Steve and Tammy. They are all married and we have four fantastic grandchildren – Sean (15), Hunter (5), Connor (12) and Katie (6). We love being grandparents!
    After graduating as a Registered Nurse, I worked in Obstetrics at Northwestern, Fairview Southdale and Mayo Clinic (Methodist Hospital) in Rochester, Minnesota. I loved nursing as a career and retired after 26 years with Mayo in 2001.
    For the past 24 years I have also enjoyed working with Mary Kay Cosmetics – feels wonderful to make others look and feel great.
    Ron and I have traveled – California, Hawaii, Michigan, and Texas to Florida – each time returning to Minnesota! We have great memories of visiting Germany and taking a Caribbean Cruise. For my 65th birthday, Ron and the kids gave me a trip to Italy!
    Since retirement, we have spent our summers working at a Bible Camp north of Duluth – great fun being with the other staff and kids that come up each week. With the summer over, we come home to spoil the grandkids, see all the projects kids have going on and head to Florida to enjoy our home there, some good theatre, warm weather and the beach.
    This past January, we were saddened to get the news that the big white barn on my dad’s farm had burned to the ground – no more barn dances there!
    I have fond memories of riding the “bus” eight miles into Spring Valley with kind, patient Forrest Alton driving. Also all the friends and having a great time at football and basketball games. Oh, and let’s not forget Miss Maxwell’s class!
    Sorry we cannot be with you at the reunion, but the black bears and about 175 – 200 kids are holding us hostage – they want FOOD – three meals a day!
Love to all - Bev

Diana (Plan) Medema

Earl and I will be married 49 years this coming September. We have three children: Todd, Wade, Kurt, and also eight grandchildren.

Earl retired in 1998 and I retired in 2000. We sold our home in Inver Grove Heights in 2000 and moved to our northern home. We are located about 10 miles East of Milelacs Lakes in our Log House in the woods.

We enjoy bird, deer, fox, wolf and any other critter watching. We have a large garden that we very much enjoy. Our children and grandchildren visit often which we love. Of course, Earl, the boys, and three grandchildren hunt deer in November.

We have built some 20 miles of trails on our 580 acres which we enjoy riding our 4-wheelers and snowmobiles. We harvest logs, selective cutting, about every three years. We have a logger come in to do the job. Our son, Todd, burns wood so he has lots of tops to cut and haul home.

After retiring we have taken trips to Florida, Texas, and two to Alaska. We went to Alaska just for the Halibut. Our son, Wade, caught a 160.4# Halibut, grandson caught a 40# one, and I caught a 40# one. This year the six of us brought home 450# of Halibut, plus 10# of Flounder. In 2006 six of us had 700# of Halibut. We had a very good time and will probably go to Homer again.

We regret not being able to come to the reunion due to a family reunion.

Robert and Dana (Wilhelm) Colburn
    Butch went in the Army three days after graduation. He was in Colorado, Texas and then went to Germany, getting out in May 1960. He came home in May and we were married in July 1960. We celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary July 10th, 2008.
    We have four GREAT children and seven WONDERFUL grandchildren, who all live in River Falls, which allows us to have many family gatherings.
    We live on twenty acres outside of River Falls. For the last 45 years we have been in business for ourselves. Starting with a Gasoline and Oil Bulk Business and then building an Amoco Gas Station and Lube Center in River Falls, and also purchased an Amoco Gas Station and Liquor Store in Prescott, Wisconsin. In our spare time we showed Registered Quarter Horses, which we raised.
In 1982 we purchased a commercial building in River Falls on Main Street with five retail stores and eight apartments. Butch retired in March of this year and we sold all the businesses except the commercial building. Maybe now we can do a little traveling and also show a collector car that Butch, our sons and son-in-law restored two years ago.
    We have belonged to Ezekiel Lutheran Church for 40 years and our children were baptized, confirmed and married there.
    We are looking forward to the reunion and seeing everyone.

Vernon Raehsler
    Fifty years have gone by quickly! I moved to Cass Lake, Minnesota three years ago and am doing carpentry work in the area.
    I have two children, Ernest, who lives in the Twin Cities and Karen, who lives in Iowa. They have given me six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. My one granddaughter, who is in the Army, was deployed to Iraq a month ago.
    In 2007 I was honored by receiving the Lion of the Year Award.
    I have dealt with some major health issues. Ten years ago I endured a brain aneurysm and two years ago I had quadruple bypass surgery. A couple of months ago I was hospitalized due to a heart attack. So, God willing, I plan and look forward to seeing everyone at the class reunion on August 2nd!

David Richardson
I have been self-employed for over forty years. For the last 35 years I have called my company Affective Awareness, Inc. I provide services to companies with 50 to 500 employees. Until the last few years I traveled all over the U.S. Now I work primarily in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. My services focus on the impact of feelings and emotions on performance. I work primarily in industries. At present, I work in the insurance and Health Care industries.
I am single, have three children in their forties and four grandchildren.

Darlene (Jorgenson) Schmaltz
    My years at SVHS were not easy. I was painfully shy. I was lucky to make some good friends. My first friend, Rita, was taken from me when my older brother started dating her. Rita, I am sorry that this happened. Then came Betty in our second year. We became very close friends. She helped me to make other friends. We had a lot of fun.
    I did the usual things after high school. I went to nursing school, worked for a few years. I met my husband, Tim, and we were married in 1963. I continued to work full and part-time until after our third child was born. Then I didn’t work for a while.
    We have three children: Michelle, Theresa and Mark. They grew up and went to college. Teri and Mark married and they gave us three grandchildren, Bryant, almost 15, Sara, 13 3⁄4 and then there is Creole, who is 11. Creole lives in Madison, Wisconsin with our son Mark. Mickie has never married. Sara and Bryant belong to Teri and Lee Hill. They live in Spring Valley, Minnesota. My son-in-law thinks this is a good joke on me.
    Tim and I love to travel. We have been to most of the US states, Mexico, Hawaii and a trip to Europe. We would love to go back to Italy and Austria and spend a few weeks exploring.
    Gardening has become a passion for us. I love flowers. I have over 125 roses. Tim and I are members of the Twin Cities Rose Club. We are both Consulting Rosarians. We have many other flowers. Tim has his vegetable garden, berry patches, and fruit trees. We work together on a lot of the plants.
    I still love to sew. I have a machine that also embroiders. I now have software to create my own patterns. I guess all this keeps me too busy to do much housework.
    My mother is 94 years young. She is in a nursing home in Anoka, Minnesota. That is about two miles from me. I see her at least three times every week. She has no short term memory left. She functions fairly well. My family is worried; I am so like her. I say I will be worse…..I drive!

Ronald J. Thompson

    What am I doing now? The same thing I was doing almost 50 years ago. On October 1, 1958, I started my first job as a milk tester for St. Croix County DHIA going to a farm night and morning with my dipper, pail, scale, paper and pencil. How things have changed in 50 years. I now go to each barn with my laptop computer and printer. I'm not real proficient, but I have figured out how to get in and read our e-mail. I spent a few years as manager at St. Croix DHIA, but when we merged with Menomonie in 1985, I went back to the field full time. After I get my full 50 years in, I plan on cutting back to part-time as long as I feel good. Since I had knee replacement surgery in January of this year, I found the days can be pretty long and boring. Bowling once a week just doesn't cut it and living in the south is not high on my priority list. Summers I could spend with my flowers, garden and lawn.
    Sue & I were married in March 1976 and I became an instant stepfather to her four children. They all live close and so we get to enjoy the six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, with another due in September. The youngest, Kevin, is not married and last November moved to Tennessee for work, so that will probably be our next trip. We were fortunate to be able to spend a week on the Big Island in Hawaii with Sue's brother. If I ever win the lottery, I want to buy that house and retire there. We also took a couple of great trips with classmate Tom Gunderson and another friend; one to Branson, Missouri and another to the Black Hills. Ask Tom how far you can go on an empty gas tank! I was in the National Guards and was called up for the Berlin Crisis. We spent a year at Fort Lewis, Washington training, but never got deployed. We got to explore part of Alaska when visiting friends in Anchorage. Salmon and halibut fishing on the Kenai Peninsula are definitely not for me.
    I'm still involved with 4-H (open class dairy superintendent) and love sports, especially the Packers and Brewers. Sue & I did the concession stand for the SV Hawks baseball games for about 10 years. We try to get to Madison for a Badger football game at least once a year. The Spring Valley Lions club also helps me keep busy.
    We look forward to seeing you at the reunion.

Charles Wells
Since high school days, I graduated from MSOE in Milwaukee with a degree in Engineering and Computer Science. I lived and worked in Chicago for the Atomic Energy Commission before I got married in 1963 and moved to Ames, Iowa. In Ames I continued to work for the Atomic Energy Commission and Ames Laboratory at Iowa State University’s Nuclear Reactor. Here I attended and graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Statistics. I was then hired by Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York where I worked for the next 23 years. I then retired from Kodak and followed by wife Joan to Phoenix, Arizona where she accepted a job as Senior Vice President in the Tradeshow industry. We then moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where we are retired and our two daughter’s families followed (with our six grandchildren) and now live just two miles away from us. “Life is Good”.
Hobbies: grandchildren, golf, ski, canoe, hike, travel, photography

Judy (Truesdill) Garner
    I retired from Fleet Farm and cleaning homes for seniors and my friends last May 2007. Since I retired, my hubby is “my hobby”. He’s still working ten-hour days. Now he comes home to a squeaky clean home and gourmet meals – he’s my best friend. Trout fishing and kayaking are my hobbies and working out at the gym three times per week – Pilates/yoga/swimming. I’m very busy with our church, bible study, volunteer kitchen, etc.
    All summer, Tom and I are gone to county fairs, tractor thrashing shows - many, many of them. We will be at one all weekend August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Also, Duluth is our favorite spot to see “tall ships”. We saw three clipper ships, a once in a lifetime experience. Tom loves huge harbor ships from all over the world and also lighthouses.
    Our kids and his granddaughter Abigail “little Abby” 15 months old are our life!

Jerry Timm
My wife and I were blessed with two daughters. The oldest has two boys ages six and three. The other one has triplet boys age four. It is quite a houseful when they all come. I’m retired but my wife still works. I enjoy doing woodworking projects. I also like going to auctions and garage sales. I buy and then sell on E-Bay and Craig’s List. We have a travel trailer up in Siren, Wisconsin where we go nearly every weekend during the summer.

Robert Olson
    WOW! Fifty years went by really fast. Time sure flies when your having so much fun doing the things you enjoy. I will try to recap some of our life’s highlights since graduating from Spring Valley High School.
    I spent the first four years attending college at River Falls and graduating in 1962 with a double major in Chemistry and Mathematics. During those four years I worked at the Summit Cheese Factory, mostly driving truck and working in the whey driers. In 1962 I started working for the Dow Chemical Company as a chemist in the Analytical Laboratory. Sharon and I were married in August of 1962. We have one son (Brian) born in 1970. Brian and his wife Julie were married in 1997 and have given us two granddaughters (Abigail/Abby, age 6 and Arianne, age 3). Brian is a Chemical Engineer, graduating from Michigan State University in 1993.
    In 1967, we had our current home built and have lived here for 41+ years. We also bought a cottage on beautiful Lake Charlevoix in 1976 and spend at least half the summers between May 1 and October 30 enjoying water activities. These activities include swimming, water skiing, fishing for anything that bites (salmon), paddle boating, sailing and entertaining family and friends at the lake.
    I have been a bowler and a golfer since moving to Michigan in 1962. I enjoy the friendships with the people participating in these sports. I have attended ten national bowling tournaments and probably the last 40 years of Michigan State bowling tournaments.
    In 1995, I retired from the Dow Chemical Company after 33+ years. I did continue working after retirement as a contractor for eight years but only working in the winter months. Sharon retired from Dow Corning Corporation in 2000 with 26 years of service.
    My parents passed away seven months apart, Dad in 1996 and Mother in 1997. We have not been back to the Spring Valley area since 1997.
    We are both in good health and lead very active lives. Hope all my classmates from Spring Valley High School are healthy, wealthy and wise. God bless you all. Sorry we will not be joining you at the class reunion. Have fun.

Tom Gunderson
    I retired from the River Falls public schools in 1997 after 35 years of teaching 6th grade for eight years and 3rd grade for 27 years.
I now work part-time (at times it seems full time) for the University of Wisconsin River Falls as a supervisor consultant for student teachers and interns. I usually work with ten students each semester.
    My main interest/hobby is doing/practicing watercolor painting. I take classes occasionally and attend workshops each year in Hudson, Bloomington and Danbury, Wisconsin. I paint every Wednesday with a group at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, Wisconsin. I’m a Master Gardener (took the 36 hours of classes/training) and with a group of Master Gardeners from Spring Valley maintain various community gardens in the Spring Valley community. Also, I’m in charge of watering the 26 hanging baskets on McKay Avenue/Main Street in Spring Valley, helping to keep Spring Valley beautiful. I’m also a member of the Spring Valley Community Choir - a group of 50+ people from Spring Valley and other communities around Spring Valley. The choir usually performs in three concerts a year. One at Christmas, a spring concert (both at the Spring Valley Stagehands Theatre) and one at the restored Elmwood auditorium. From within the choir we’ve formed a men’s quartet of which I’m the lead singer in the four-part harmony. The name of our quartet is “The Senior Moments” – we’re all celebrating our 50th class reunion this year. Our quartet performs with the choir at each of the concerts and sing, when invited, at churches, care centers and other special occasions in the surrounding communities.
    I recently traveled to Denmark, Norway and Sweden for ten days with three nieces. In Norway we visited my paternal grandfather’s birthplace/farm and met several second cousins which was a very fun and interesting experience and a surprise to learn about having relatives there.

Dawn (Hanson) Stein
Due to circumstances not planned for in life, I am still working as a Health Unit Coordinator on a dementia unit, in a nursing home, where I used to work as a nurse. Yes, I am still working there; I’m not a resident with delusions, although that might not be so far off. My husband is still working also, as a document verifier at the airport. These are our retirement jobs. We live in south Minneapolis. Our son, his wife, and their teenage daughter live in Seattle and they are coming to visit us this week. Our daughter and her family live in suburban St. Paul areas. Their two boys are grown and on their own. The youngest is a 23-year-old Iraqi Air Force veteran adjusting to civilian life again. If we had time and money, our hobby would be traveling and we have managed to do some of that in our lifetime.

Ramona (Christopherson) Sanders

After graduation in 1958, I went to St. Paul and worked at Northwest Airlines until 1961. In June of 1961 I got married and I have four beautiful children: Todd Sorenson (married to Susan); Tim Sorenson (married to Julie) and they have one daughter Celinda; Kari Hallowell (married to Jim) and they have one son Erik; Scott Sorenson (married to Bonny) and they have David, Tristan and Kyla.

Todd and Susan are in Minneapolis so we see them often. Tim, Julie and Celinda live in Lakeville, also see them frequently. Celinda graduated last Friday from Lakeville South High School. I am so proud of her. She plans on attending college through their church, Bethlehem Baptist in downtown Minneapolis. Kari, Jim and Erik live in San Clemente, California. It is a great place to vacation in winter! Scott, Bonny, Davin, Tristan and Kyla live in Marysville, Washington. All of my children and grandchildren were here in Minnesota last summer. It was great. Erik was baptized while they were here. All the kids have a great time when we get together.

When my youngest started nursery school, I attended Lakewood (now Century College) graduating in 1976. In February of 1977 I started working at 3M and retired from there in 2001. In 1980 I was divorced and moved to Oakdale, living there for five years.

In 1991 Denny and I married and we now live in Mahtomedi. Denny is employed at General Pattern in Blaine and has worked there about 26 years. He sings in our church choir and also in a men's group. He has a BMW motorcycle which he rides to work even some days when it rains!

In October of 2001, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and so I spent the next 10 months being treated - a biopsy, two surgeries, two rounds of chemos and 33 radiation treatments. I am fine now, feeling good and I can testify to the fact that there is life after cancer!

In December 2007 I finally graduated from Metropolitan State University with a BA in Women's Studies and a minor in Psychology. This was a goal of mine for several years and it was so awesome to finally graduate. I attended classes at Metro from 1999. I'm not sure if it is dedication or not wanting to give up!

I volunteer at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater one morning a week. I really enjoy being there since some of the nurses were the angels who treated me for my cancer. I also am coordinator and a participant in our Prayer Shawl Ministry group at church. We knit shawls for special occasions, for illness, for anything people need for comfort. This is a very rewarding activity for me.

This past April I worked a temporary job for a company in Woodbury. This was a very enjoyable activity and I have been called to work again for them in July for two weeks.

My mom passed away October of 2007. She had a massive stroke and after 12 days at the Menomonie Hospital she passed away. She had been living at the SV Healthcare Center. She enjoyed it there because she knew everyone. The staff there is so wonderful, I really appreciate the care she received. I was thankful she chose to live there when she was no longer able to be at home. My dad died in 1977, so she was a widow a long time.

Denny and I are going on an Alaskan cruise in August this summer. It is a combination Christmas and graduation present. We will travel on land and see sights for one week and the second week we will cruise on one of Holland America's ships. We will return through Seattle and spend a few days with Scott and Bonny.

Well, that about does it. Take care everyone. Sincerely, Ramona Sanders

Sandra (Mondor) Mrosek
As we get older, our life gets slower. The children live mostly by the cities – have 24 grandchildren. Tony and Bernice – 2 children – 4 grand; Tracie and Sonny – 3 children – 3 grand; Tim – 3 children – 3 grand; Tom – 3 children – 2 grand; Brenda and Steve – 3 children; Scott and Sherri – 4 children – 1 grand. So that is enough to keep me busy. Hilery is still playing music. We go to Arizona in November and return in April. Fish on our lake; do not take too many trips as Hilery is still in carpentering for Mrozek Construction and I’m just being retired.

Marjorie (Fuhrman) Hammond
We have two daughters, three grown grandsons, and one grown granddaughter. Our granddaughter has given us two great grandsons, ages five years and the other is six months.
I just finished my fifteenth year of school bus driving and my husband (Gerald) sixteen years. Our first years were dairy farmers. We have made a few trips to Indiana and now Colorado to see my sister.
I enjoy doing needlework of different kinds, which keeps me busy in between. As you all know, the younger we get, the longer it takes to do something. Hope all of you are well!

James Jorgenson
My family consists of seven children, a son and daughter from my first marriage and my wife Judith’s four daughters and one son. To this they have added 18 grandchildren.
My hobbies now are fishing, enjoying catching anything from the smaller pan fish to 50 lb. and catfish on the Mississippi River. Also some target shooting. Judith’s main hobby is horses.
When we’re not busy doing this, we can be found on a dance floor somewhere. Also polka fests at Rochester, MN, McGregor, MN, Ellsworth, WI and Medina, MN where the Big Joe Polka Show is taped for the RFD TV channel. About once a month we dance at the care centers in New Richmond and Hammond where last fall I had the privilege of dancing with the birthday girl who was a young 102 that day.

Jim Schultz
Nancy and I have three children, Loretta, James, Jr. and Adam. No grandchildren yet. I enjoy woodworking and horses. We raise Missouri Foxtrotters. We both enjoy spending time in a second family home in Montana and also travel to the Philippines. We visit New York whenever we can, connecting with Nancy’s family. We have enjoyed our retirement, but still haven’t found a lot of extra time. We visit my family in Wilson and Eau Claire often. Nice to still have the family farm.

Charles Gjovig
    Marilyn and I were married June 11th, 1960. We have two children, Teresa and Mark. We moved to California in 1969. I worked as a Service Advisor for a Mercedes Benz dealer and Marilyn taught kindergarten and 1st grade. Thirty-one years went by very fast. Both Teri and Mark grew up in California but both married back here. Teri married a nice guy from Minnesota and Mark a lovely girl from Wisconsin. None of them wanted to move back to California so when we retired in 2000 we moved to Minnesota to be back here with our families. We now have six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. These were our best reasons for us to move from California to Minnesota. It sure is not the weather. Ha Ha!
    I love to golf, work on cars, and I have built a garage and a deck here since I retired. We like to go camping with family and friends. We have a 5th wheel camper and go to Nevada for three months (January to March) and also spend three weeks in our timeshares in California catching up with friends we had to leave behind when we left there.
    We spent a week in Hawaii, January 2001, which was my retirement gift from the dealership. We traveled to Europe on a tour of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and northern Italy. We went to Disney World and the South East with our kids and grandkids. We are also taking a trip to the East Coast including Niagara Falls, Maine, Boston, New York City, Washington D. C. and points in between this June which will be including our family again.

Rita (Traynor) Lynum
    After leaving high school I worked at an insurance company in St. Paul for awhile. Wayne and I were married 49 years ago and we lived in St. Paul for a few years. Forty-three years ago we built a house in Afton and have been there ever since. We have four children (two sons and two daughters) that are all married. We also have nine grandchildren making us a family of nineteen. We love to get together with our children and grandchildren they are growing up way to fast.
    In 1979 I went to work for a law firm in Stillwater and was there until 1981 when I began a job at 3M Company. I worked as a secretary there for 15 years until the sector I was in was spun off into a new company. In 1997 I began a job at the Department of Corrections and worked in their training department for nine years before retiring in 2006.
    While our children were growing up we traveled to many of the continental U.S. states.
Since I have been retired Wayne and I have spent some time in Arizona during the past two winters. We love to travel and over the years we have been to Hawaii, Germany, Austria, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ireland, and just recently to China.
    I have started to do some quilting these days. My goal is to give each of my grandchildren a quilt as they graduate from High School like my Mother did for her grandchildren. I’m also an active member of the Church we attend and belong to a prayer shawl ministry there. We knit or crochet shawls for people who are ill with cancer or other diseases. Also a shawl is given to the babies when they are baptized.

Roger Langer

After high school I some spent time in college at UW-River Falls, in the Navy, worked a few jobs, met Martha in St. Paul and we married in 1963. We lived in River Falls until 1966 when we moved to our current home site located in rural Hudson (it is now next to Hudson’s city sprawl). I started my 36 year career at 3M Company in 1964 as a lab technician and returned to UWRF part time until graduating in 1970. I became a chemist in new product research in the Ceramic Materials and Automotive Divisions and had opportunities to travel mostly throughout the Eastern US, Japan, and Germany. I retired from 3M in May 2000. Martha worked part time as a nurse at the RF hospital until retiring in 1998.

We have three boys that are married and live near us, we have seven grandchildren. Our youngest son, Mike (Cassie), lives just north of SV has kept my Langer tradition going by having four boys (but they were blessed with a baby girl last year).

Since retiring we traveled to many areas west of the Mississippi and Western Canada, Alaska, and Mexico. Much of this traveling was with our 5th wheel trailer and some with an RV Club that we joined at Roadhaven RV Resort in Apache Junction, AZ where we have now wintered the last four years. Interestingly, there are four SVHS alumni snowbirds in our park; we reminisce about good old SV occasionally. Our summertime at home lets us catch up with family gatherings and continue our 20 year adventure on the St Croix River. Last year we replaced our cruiser boat with a houseboat, "Croixzy Times II". We use it more like a river cabin than a boat (good timing with the skyrocketing price of gas). We like to spend a great deal of time with the boat people in the Hudson Marina and enjoy time with our kids and my brothers, walking, biking, and golf occasionally. We are looking forward to this 50th reunion.

Robert Sebion

After graduation, I hauled peas for my uncle. I went to the cities and worked in the tool and die business. For forty-nine years I have owned and operated SOS Machine which is a tool and die and metal stampings business. I have twelve employees which include my three children, Jim, Dave and Jane. We have five grandkids and one will start working at SOS after vocation training. My wife, Dorothy, and I love having our kids in our daily life.

I also farm two hundred acres and raise cattle. My hobbies are Model A’s and Cushman Scooters.

Paul Arneson

I have two sons who live in Wisconsin and I spend most of my weekends with them. My hobbies are golfing, kayaking, reading, hiking and walking my dog. For the past few years I have lived on Lake Winnebago near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. I am employed by Metavaate Corp from Brown Deer, Wisconsin in banking software sales. I also continue to farm the land in Gilman where I grew up. I am very much looking forward to seeing everyone at our 50th class reunion.

Myron Amundson

After graduating I worked for a brief period on a farm in Lake City, Minnesota before entering the service when I turned eighteen. I spent two years in the Army as a Communication Specialist at Ft. Lewis, Washington. Boy, did those two years open the eyes of this little old farm boy from western Wisconsin! In the fall of 1961, I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and graduated with a Business Degree in 1965. I worked at 3M for two years as an internal auditor before enrolling in graduate school at the University of Minnesota. I graduated with a Masters in Human Resources and joined Honeywell in 1969. I worked there for over 31+ years in a series of professional, managerial and executive positions. My last position was head of Human Resources for their corporate offices staff functions in Minneapolis and worldwide as well as managing the centralized Human Resources functions for the business units located in Minneapolis. When Honeywell merged with Allied Signal in 2000, I decided rather than moving to the new Honeywell corporate office in New Jersey that I would retire.

Since retirement in 2000, I now spend my winters in Florida and my summers in Minnesota. My time is spent with friends and I’m involved in lots of softball, tennis, biking, gardening, walking, dancing, dining out (much too often), movies, exercising, plays/theatre, board/card games, Viking football. I like to be very active but it is wearing this old body out!!

Darlene (Moldenhauer) Wilk

I still have the same roommate, Harold, after 49 years. We have grown to a family of 15, including our four children, their spouses, grandkids, great grandkids, plus an ex-daughter-in-law and an ex-son-in-law.

I enjoy taking care of my flower gardens in the summer, making greeting cards from my own dried flowers. I dabble in catering food for small groups. Last year for Christmas I made and sold 109 dozen cookies.

Jerry Wilkens

I’m still working 5 1⁄2 days at repair shop in River Falls, 46 years. Donna works at our son David’s truck shop in Roberts, Wisconsin on I-94. We have three grandchildren, ages 19, 17, and 5. During the summer I drive go-carts for the Shriner Club to raise money for St. Paul, Minnesota Shrine Children’s Hospital. About 19-21 parades and have a ball!!

My memories are all good!

Marlys (Slocum) Wheeler
    Married in July of 1958. We have three children, two grandchildren, and one great grandson, 13 months old. What a joy. Both grandkids are married. Nicole had Parker after five years and Christopher has been married going on four years. No children yet, but we're working on them.
    I worked at Sailer's Meat Market for a few years, and also for a few years at a little grocery store in Elmwood. Got a job in Red Wing at a cabinet factory and worked there for 27 years, before having a stroke at home on October 13, 2003. Could not sit up or walk. I ended up in a Nursing Home for a few months. I came home on January 24, 2004. Had to depend on my mother, my three kids, husband Roger, and the rest of my family. A therapist came to the house for a while to get me walking better. I walk with a walker and get around pretty well. If not for the help of my family over the last 4 1/2 years I would not be doing as well as I am today.
    Lots of wonderful memories going to the dances in Ellsworth with Roger, Sandy, Sis, & I. Loved every minute of it.
    We did some traveling for our 25th wedding anniversary. We went to Alabama, Tennesse, and Georgia. Took in a lot of the shows and scenery. Very beautiful country. We also went to Branson with cousins of mine, had a great time . Went to music shows and enjoyed them.
    Now to keep busy I visit my mother in the Health Care Center in Spring Valley. I also put puzzles together, and help with some of the housework by dusting and swiffering the floors. I have a Rascal that I ride outside on nice days. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the Reunion. See you all soon!

Jim Traynor

As is probably known, I was a dairy farmer since high school. But, in 2000, we sold the dairy cows and I took a part time job working for Hines Auction service, helping set up the sales areas pre sales. It is the first time I have actually had a "boss" - very different from being a self-employed farmer. We also do have beef cattle and sheep, so are not entirely out of farming. We have, since we got rid of dairy cattle, done some short trip traveling. Hope to do more.

Betty (Oebser) Falardeaux

At our last class reunion, we had no grandchildren: now we have four! Our daughter and her husband who live near New Ulm have two boys, four and three. Our son and his wife who live in New Richmond have a three year old boy and a six month old daughter. Don and I have our son’s children at our house weekdays. This keeps us busy and active. It’s a real treat for me to have the kids here, especially since I worked when Jon and Jennie were growing up. Since our last reunion, I also lost my mom to breast cancer that she fought for so many years.

When I’m not babysitting I like to read, quilt, garden, walk, cook and bake. I’m active in our church’s Jesus Cares Ministry that provides worship services for mentally challenged people. It’s a really rewarding activity. I’m also a member of WINGS (Women In God’s Service) that involves catering for church events, special missions, food shelf duties, etc.

I did quite a lot of traveling during my employment at 3M (retired from Pharmaceuticals in 2002) conducting clinical studies with ophthalmologists around the US when 3M still had Vision Care. Other than work, Don and I took a few trips east to the DC area, Williamsburg, and Tennessee. We have a small camper and visited the Black Hills and state parks in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Since the grandkids came, we’re mostly at home. We take the entire family for fishing trips annually and plan to go to Detroit Lakes in June this year. The grandkids must learn to fish, you know. I like to get away with my sisters in the spring to visit garden centers and the Farmer’s Market in Madison.

Ihave no special stories about SVHS that I want to share. My favorite part of high school was the fun we had on bus rides, sharing laughs and singing along with the radio. SVHS is also where I met my best pal for so many years: Darlene.

Sharon (Budd) Alton

FIFTY YEARS!

It’s fifty years since we were classmates,

Graduation --- leaving Spring Valley behind;

Making new lives, careers, starting families.

We pray life for you has been kind.

Two sons and a daughter, born to Dick and me.

They now have families all of their own.

Those families also are growing up too,

Where have the past 50 years flown?

We both have retired and we’re in good health.

For that, we thank the dear Lord.

Sometimes we wonder how we found time to work,

Since we’re busy and seldom are bored.

Our lives have been filled with music and song,

And a love of the great outdoors;

Time spent with our loved ones, both family and friends;

Our lake place with trees, hills, and steep shores.

It has not been all roses, we’ve had ups and downs; yet

Our Golden Anniversary is coming next year.

We’re looking forward to seeing you, our dear old friends,

At the class reunion which soon will be here.

Marlys (Hanson) Anderson

It is hard to believe that 50 years have gone by since I graduated from high school! Immediately after graduation I got a job at Northwest Airlines in Human Resources and moved to St. Paul. In 1960 I met my husband, Larry, on a blind date; we got married May 20, 1961. We lived in St. Paul for a short time and then moved to Minneapolis. In 1968, we built our home in Cottage Grove which is the same house we live in today - 40 years later!! We were blessed with three daughters, Lori, born on Mother’s Day, May 13th, 1962 and is married to Dan O‘Donovan, Julie, born December 12, 1964 and is married to Mike Rist and Tracy, born April 17, 1969 and is married to Brian Klinga. We have seven grandchildren, Megan (19), Molly (15), Brian (14), Cassie (9), Janie (8), Maria (6) and Greta (5).

Besides being employed by Northwest Airlines, I worked for a short time at Northwestern Refinery (part-time) and was also a part-time church secretary for four years. In 1978, I got a full time job at 3M (mostly working in Human Resources) retiring in 2002. Larry also retired in 2002 after 36 years of service at Northwest Airlines.

Larry and I love to travel. Over the years we have taken advantage of the NWA travel employee benefit. Our biggest trip was going to Paris with our daughter, Tracy, in 1992. In 2002, we took a three week road trip out west with some close friends. We saw lots of beautiful scenery but the highlight was seeing and hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In 2004 we purchased a mobile home in Fort Myers, Florida so now we try to spend as much time as we can during the winter months down there. We were fortunate to go to Maui, Hawaii in March, 2006. These same friends had rented a condo for a month and they asked us to join them for eight days! This year we made a trip to Southern California and went to the Rose Bowl Parade.

We are enjoying our retirement years. We are blessed to have our grandchildren live near us so we see them often. We go to most of their church and school programs, ball games etc. Larry and I enjoy music. We are members of our church choir and I also play hand bells. I’m on a bowling league in Cottage Grove with some friends from 3M. I figure it’s good exercise, especially when I don’t have a good night of bowling!

I am doing some volunteering at the Spring Valley Health Care Center. I help with bingo (during the summer months) and the monthly birthday party. Since my mom passed away last year, I personally felt a real need to continue my connection with the Care Center. I enjoy visiting with the residents and hope, in some small way, that I make their day a little brighter.

Dick and Rosella (Bunce) Geving
    Wow! Fifty years have come and gone. It seems like yesterday we were trying to plan our future and looking forward to be on our own. Going to college, finding a job, marriage and trying to solve all the circumstances that would arise before us.
    Rosella and I will be celebrating 47 years of marriage on August 5th of this year. We started out our marriage with me finishing Mortuary College in Milwaukee and she working for Jack Winter Clothing there in Milwaukee. After graduating I accepted a job in Portage, Wisconsin and our daughter, Zona, was born there in 1962. We lived there until 1964 when I was offered a job, working in a furniture store and funeral home. We moved in May and our son, Rick, was born the end of June.
    When our children became school age, Rosella began working at a nursing home in St. Croix Falls; 2 1/2 years later she began working at a newly built nursing home in Osceola. She is still working for the Osceola Medical Center but is in the Physical Therapy Department. I retired from the furniture and funeral home business the end of 1983 and began working for the Osceola School District as a custodial supervisor. I retired from that position in June of 2006, after 22 years.
    Rosella and I have been blessed with two children, our daughter, Zona, who is married to Bob Davy and they have two daughters. They live in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Their oldest daughter, Rachel, is a freshman at Central College in Pella, Iowa and Hannah, their youngest, is a sophomore at Park High School in Cottage Grove. Our son, Rick, is married to Renee and they have three children. Their daughter, Elizabeth, is married to Mike Saad and they live here in Osceola. Rick and Renee have two sons, Andy who is a junior at Columbia University in New York City and Alex, living at home and working with his father in construction.
    Our grandchildren have been our joy and we have been following their accomplishments and achievements through the years. As someone once said, If we would have known how much fun grandchildren would be we would have had them first!

Roger Halverson
    Since I graduated in 1958 I haven't been back to Wisconsin for any length of time. Immediately following graduation, I enlisted in the Army. I spent three years on active duty. While on active duty at Fort Sill, Oklahoma I met my future wife, Gwendolyn Baskett. Prior to meeting Gwen I seriously considered staying in the military; however, when Gwen and I decided to get married I decided to get out of the Army at the end of my enlistment. Gwen and I have been married for 46 years. We have two sons, Robert, who is 42, unmarried and in the moving business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Our youngest son, Eric, is 38. Eric and our daughter-in-law Linda have three sons. Eric has been in the Air Force for 16 years and in January he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. Both Robert and Eric graduated from college. Robert graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Business. Eric graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Our daughter-in-law, Linda, also holds a degree in Geography from Texas A&M University.,
    After getting out of the Army I went to work as an aircraft sheet metal mechanic. After a year the company I was working for was sold and only one employee went with the deal and it wasn't me! I was lucky and got a job with Western Electric which was a part of AT&T. I worked for AT&T for 34 years and retired in 1996. When I retired I had two BIG assets, a pension and a much in demand skill, Computer Network Administration. At the time of my retirement we lived in Greensboro, North Carolina. Gwen wanted to move back to Oklahoma, so we moved to Oklahoma City in July of 1996. For the first six months we worked on the house that we had purchased. Then I had an opportunity to work part time on various computer jobs. I enjoyed working part time and continued to work as a computer tech for 1 1/2 years. Then one day one of the companies that I had done some part time work for, offered me a computer tech contract job at Tinker Air Force Base. The money was too good to turn down so I accepted the position and was there until October 2005. In September of 2005 I had my yearly physical exam and I got a nasty surprise. I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. I went in for surgery on Thanksgiving week in November, 2005. The surgery was successful. However, since I didn't know how long it would take to fully recover and the fact that I would be eligible for full Social Security within a few months, I decided to retire for good. I have been free of cancer for two years. I have always been a believer in routine yearly physical exams. It paid off!
    Gwen was an Oklahoma State Government worker and is also retired and on Social Security. We are both enjoying our retirement. We like to travel. Over the years Gwen and I have gone on 13 cruises. Our last cruise was a 14 day cruise to Hawaii this year.

Wayne Pals

Thank you for the invitation (to attend the Reunion). However, I will not be attending the reunion. I did attend the reunion a few years ago, as I had always wondered what had happened to all of my old classmates.

I attended Spring Valley School for one year, March 1, 1957 to March 1, 1958, so I never graduated from Spring Valley, but I have great memories from that year.

Fred Spence

Thank you for your consideration to include me in the class reunion of 1958 graduates of Spring Valley High.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend. Istill have many relatives in the area, but I won't be able to travel this year.

Thank you again.

What We Are Doing Now

Send a paragraph (or more) giving an update on your life to Karen Olson. Tell about your family, hobbies, interests, travel, etc., etc.

Your classmates want to know all about you!

Send a paragraph (or more) giving an update on your life to Karen Olson.
Tell about your family, hobbies, interests, travel, etc., etc.