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From State Magazine Winter 2026 - View Full Issue >

Births

• Adam ’09 and Allison Blake, a girl, Adeline, born July 22, 2025. They reside in Cottonwood, Minnesota.
• Alecia (Hansen) ’20 and Andrew Petersen, a boy, Weston, born May 21, 2025. They reside in Prinsburg, Minnesota.
• Alex ’17 and Brooke (Wuebben) ’19 Powell, a girl, Lily, born Aug. 7, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Amanda Muller-Pfeffer ’20 and Andrew Pfeffer, a boy, Declan, born Oct. 17, 2025. They reside in Grimes, Iowa.
• Anders ’16 and Kelli (Naatz) ’16 Jacobson, a girl, Brindle, born May 29, 2025. They reside in Hartland, Minnesota.
• Ashley (Bernardy) Coens ’20/Pharm.D. ’22, a girl, Lucy, born Aug. 13, 2025. They reside in Marshall, Minnesota.
• Brandon ’21 and Anna (Lux) ’21/M.S. ’22 Berg, a girl, Ruth, born July 9, 2025. They reside in Hartley, Iowa.
• Briana (Reck) ’14/Pharm.D. ’16 and Corey Van Gorp, a boy, Dawson, born Oct. 22, 2025. They reside in Rock Valley, Iowa.
• Brock ’22 and Kalli (Mueller) ’22 Brown, a boy, Arthur, born Aug. 18, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Bryce ’12/M.Ed. ’19 and Brittney Roth, a girl, Charlotte, born Oct. 27, 2025. They reside in Delmont.
• Carter ’13 and Janet (Malcolm) Haase ’14, a girl, Jane, born June 21, 2025. They reside in Valentine, Nebraska.
• Christina (Fehrman) ’14/Ph.D. ’20 and Joe Bakker, a girl, Violet, born April 14, 2025. They reside in Tyler, Minnesota.
• Christopher ’11 and Ashley (Elsom) Hey, a girl, Evelyn, born May 29, 2025. They reside in Rhome, Texas.
• Christopher ’13 and Jamie (Symens) Opdahl, a boy, Oliver, born Feb. 22, 2025. They reside in Avoca, Minnesota.
• Christopher ’14 and Marissa (Meyer) Soukup, a girl, Kendall, born Sept. 21, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Christopher Schneider ’17/Pharm.D. ’19, a girl, Sophia, born Sept. 19, 2024. They reside in Rogers, Minnesota.
• Cody ’18 and Connor (Weihe) ’19 Woessner, a boy, Callan, born June 3, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Cody ’19 and Haley (Anderson) ’19 Roth, a boy, Bo, born April 20, 2025. They reside in Freeman.
• Connor ’16 and Mercedes Branick, a boy, Zeke, born Jan. 22, 2025. They reside in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Danielle (Dunn) ’15 and Reece Scheffelmaer, a girl, Madelynn, born Aug. 29, 2025. They reside in Harlem, Montana.
• Dennisen ’18 and Star (Schipper) ’19 Nelson, a boy, Tucker, born July 12, 2025. They reside in Truman, Minnesota.
• Drew ’12 and Amy Burggraff, a boy, Brooks, born May 2, 2025. They reside in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Drew ’15 and Haley (Wetzler) ’16 Dickhaut, a girl, Vera, born July 23, 2024. They reside in Redfield.
• Easton ’17 and Kelsi (Torseth) ’17 Kalmes, a girl, Eloise, born June 26, 2024. They reside in Champlin, Minnesota.
• Emily (Berzonsky) ’19 and Nick Scarcello, a girl, Sadie, born Oct. 14, 2025. They reside in Gretna, Nebraska.
• Gavin ’17 and Kimberly (Trulock) Van Moer, a boy, Joseph, born Sept. 9, 2025. They reside in Tracy, Minnesota.
• Grant ’10 and Katie (Kraayenbrink) ’13/Pharm.D. ’15 Howe, a boy, Briston, born April 5, 2025. They reside in Hinton, Iowa.
• Isaac ’19 and Kailey (Wendland) ’19 Fest, a girl, Reagan, born July 24, 2025. They reside in Worthington, Minnesota.
• Jack DeMoss ’19, a girl, Addie, born Oct. 3, 2024. They reside in Sioux City, Iowa.
• Jacob ’20 and Kathryn (Rogers) ’19 Christopher, a boy, Reid, born April 22, 2025. They reside in Jackson, Minnesota.
• Jalen ’17 and Allison (Prew) Baldwin, a girl, Chiara, born March 2, 2025. They reside in Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Jason ’13 and Meagan (Hardee) Norgaard, a girl, Amara, born March 24, 2025. They reside in Watertown.
• Jean (Skoglund) ’17 and Zachary Bies, a girl, Sylvie, born Aug. 30, 2025. They reside in Canova.
• Jennifer (Lien) ’13 and Gavin Overweg, a girl, Ellison, born Aug. 19, 2024. They reside in Kimball.
• Jeremy ’12 and Desiree (Giedt) ’10 Werner, a boy, Cade, born Feb. 10, 2025. They reside in Naperville, Illinois.
• Justin ’15 and Sydney (DeSchepper) ’16 Syrovatka, a girl, Colette, born Oct. 15, 2025. They reside in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
• Kae (Januschka) ’16 and Ian Collins, a girl, Adrian, born Feb. 21, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Kasey Aasby ’16 and Conner Whitley, a girl, Bryer, born Sept. 23, 2025. They reside in Mitchell.
• Kelcey (Citrowske) ’14 and Christopher Nemitz, a boy, Cade, born May 28, 2025. They reside in Canby, Minnesota.
• Kendall (Kramer) ’11/M.S. ’19 and Matthew Nelson, a girl, JoAnna, born July 29, 2025. They reside in Brookings.
• Kevin ’09 and Mary Witkop, a boy, George, born Aug. 22, 2025. They reside in Albion, New York.
• Kirby Fuerst ’17, a girl, Lucy, born May 19, 2025. They reside in Mitchell.
• Kyle ’19 and Joslyn (Hurlbert) ’20 Reeves, a girl, Hazel, born April 11, 2025. They reside in Clark.
• Laura (Engelmann) ’13 and David Rice, a boy, Nathanael, born April 4, 2025. They reside in Volga.
• Laura (Wermers) ’18 and Rhett Larsen, a girl, Edyn, born Aug. 18, 2025. They reside in Brookings.
• Lucas ’18 and Ashlee (Rininger) ’17 Strong, a girl, Posie, born July 22, 2025. They reside in Aberdeen.
• Lydia Schmidt ’07 and Derek Hoffman, a boy, Hanley, born April 1, 2025. They reside in Cologne, Minnesota.
• Mackenzie (Schildhauer) ’17 and Alex Smith, a boy, Henry, born July 20, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Marie (Robbins) ’22 and Dalton Howe ’22, a boy, Andrew, born Sept. 20, 2025. They reside in Redfield.
• Mark ’21 and Nicole (Evers) Laleman, a girl, Kaylee, born June 26, 2025. They reside in Brandon.
• Michael ’14 and Whitney (Cox) ’21 Pittmann, a girl, Taytum, born Dec. 19, 2024. They reside in Bethel, Minnesota.
• Noah ’21 and Audrey (Schaffer) Taylor, a girl, Margaret, born March 31, 2025. They reside in Mitchell.
• Patrick ’04 and Rebecca Jerzak, a boy, Royce, born Jan. 8, 2025. They reside in Ivanhoe, Minnesota.
• Riley ’21 and Emily (Rogers) ’21 Namminga, a boy, Rhett, born May 20, 2025. They reside in Springfield.
• Samantha (Hoppe) ’19/Pharm.D. ’21 and Christopher Smith, a girl, Kendall, born Dec. 4, 2024. They reside in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Samuel ’15 and Emma Jacobsen, a boy, August, born Jan. 27, 2025. They reside in Sioux Falls.
• Samuel ’18 and Koree (Holme) Reski, a boy, Franklin, born June 15, 2025. They reside in Hugo, Minnesota.
• Tanner ’24 and Theresa Ellefson, a girl, Loretta, born Nov. 8, 2024. They reside in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
• Tina (Martin) ’08 and Ross Hartwick, a boy, Owen, born Oct. 22, 2025. They reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• Todd ’14 and CeCelia (Gorder) ’17/M.Ed. ’22 Louwagie, a boy, Miles, born May 19, 2025. They reside in Estelline.
• Trent ’22 and Miah (Schallenkamp) ’21 Francom, a girl, Evelyn, born March 5, 2025. They reside in Huron.
• Tyler ’21 and McKenzie Fawcett, a boy, Tucker, born Oct. 1, 2025. They reside in Ree Heights.
• Victoria (Pagel) ’20 and Hunter Petersen, a boy, Ole, born Aug. 24, 2025. They reside in Murdock, Minnesota.
• Wyatt ’21 and McKenzie (Schroeder) ’21 Jorgensen, a boy, Alexander, born Sept. 24, 2025. They reside in Yankton.
• Yuriko (Beltran Alvarez) ’19 and Christian Sanchez, a boy, Teddy, born March 7, 2025. They reside in Tea.
• Zachary ’22 and Carah (Wickey) ’22 Schwartz, a boy, Taylor, born June 24, 2025. They reside in Chamberlain.
• Zechariah Bergjord ’23, a girl, Sage, born July 1, 2025. They reside in Brookings.

Deaths

• 1942 C. Boyd Granberg of Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 31, 2025.
• 1945 Doris E. (Schilling) Baddeley of Burnsville, Minnesota, Aug. 20, 2025.
• 1948 LaVon C. (Doner) Hall of Visalia, California, Oct. 14, 2025.
• 1951 Allen "Dean" Shepersky of Woodbury, Minnesota, June 20, 2025.
• 1951 Eunice G. (Gutormson) Johnson of Rapid City, July 23, 2025.
• 1951 Kenneth D. Wyman of Overland Park, Kansas, Feb, 6, 2025.
• 1952 (Aggie) Neal Barber of Wessington Springs, Oct. 22, 2025.
• 1952 Helen L. (Doll) Weyrich of Newcastle, Wyoming, July 25, 2025.
• 1952 LaVerne Andersh of Wagner, Oct. 7, 2025.
• 1953 Paul E. Moriarty of Brookings, July 28, 2025.
• 1954 Barbara J. (Thompt) Reyer of Minnetonka, Minnesota, Oct. 27, 2025.
• 1954 Harley Halverson of Liberty Lake, Washington, July 18, 2025.
• 1955 (Aggie) Robert Henrikson of Arlington, Sept. 26, 2025.
• 1956 Donald M. Lee of Arlington, Oct. 6, 2025.
• 1957 Stanley Rishoi of Alta, Iowa, Aug. 7, 2025.
• 1958 (M.S.) George Reilly of Roseville, Minnesota, Oct. 20, 2025.
• 1958 Charles (CE) Van Eeckhout of Northfield, Minnesota, July 5, 2025.
• 1958 David A. Breitung of North Mankato, Minnesota, Sept. 27, 2025.
• 1958 Doris J. "Jeanne" (Cloos) Foss of Aberdeen, Oct. 8, 2025.
• 1958 Harley Kukuk of Mound, Minnesota, July 22, 2025.
• 1958 Sandra L. (Somsen) Dotseth of Knapp, Wisconsin, Nov. 9, 2025.
• 1958/M.S. ’60 Kenneth J. Binkley of Roswell, Georgia, July 14, 2025.
• 1958/M.Ed. ’63 Dean Hofland of Brookings, Sept. 28, 2025.
• 1959 Eldon Wollmann of Moorhead, Minnesota, Sept. 29, 2025.
• 1959 Jack Mohror of Sheridan, Wyoming, Aug. 22, 2025.
• 1959 Larry A. Aamold of Hillsboro, Oregon, Oct. 25, 2025.
• 1959 Myron W. Grussing of Rushmore, Minnesota, Nov. 2, 2025.
• 1960 Bruce Hendrickson of Portland, Oregon, July 8, 2025.
• 1960 Clete B. Mages of Lakewood, Colorado, May 20, 2025.
• 1960 David Merry of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Aug. 18, 2025.
• 1960 Lawrence Rezek of Redfield, Sept. 25, 2025.
• 1960 Mary E. (Spanton) Muchlinski of Marshall, Minnesota, Sept. 14, 2025.
• 1960 Richard Bennett of David City, Nebraska, July 30, 2025.
• 1960 Virgil D. Anderson of Sioux Falls, Sept. 4, 2025.
• 1960/M.Ed. ’66 Roger A. Fritz of Colman, Oct. 27, 2025.
• 1961 Gerald W. McConkey of Worthington, Minnesota, Oct. 2, 2025.
• 1961 John H. Simon of Bellevue, Nebraska, Aug. 9, 2025.
• 1961 Karen (Redman) Rames of Joliet, Illinois, July 20, 2025.
• 1961 William D. Snyder of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Aug. 26, 2025.
• 1962 Robert Fish of Greenbrier, Tennesse, July 12, 2025.
• 1962 Robert Walsh of Minden, Nebraska, Oct. 25, 2025.
• 1962 Ronald Carothers of Owatonna, Minnesota, Sept. 30, 2025.
• 1962 Ronald L. Lamberty of Sioux Falls, Sept. 27, 2025.
• 1963 (M.Ed.) Dwayne Pecks of Thermopolis, Wyoming, July 18, 2025.
• 1963 Jan Darner of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Aug. 28, 2025.
• 1963 Jim Hembd of Shoal Creek, Alabama, Aug. 10, 2025.
• 1963 Larry G. Schacht of Pickstown, Aug. 28, 2025.
• 1963 Thomas "Mike" Todd of Woodbridge, Virginia, Oct. 12, 2025.
• 1963 Vaughn Neshiem of Watertown, Sept. 12, 2025.
• 1964 Andrew G. Thurston of Minot, North Dakota, Oct. 6, 2025.
• 1964 Ervin L. Berg of Bellevue, Washington, April 8, 2025.
• 1964 Karen K. (Svihel) Mickelson of Stillwater, Minnesota, Sept. 5, 2025.
• 1964 Kent Kiepke of Brookings, July 21, 2025.
• 1964 Thomas Brown of Sioux Falls, Oct. 29, 2025.
• 1965 (M.Ed.) Morris Tietjen of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Aug. 17, 2025.
• 1965 (M.S.) Lawrence Mades of Everson, Washington, July 11, 2025.
• 1965 Corinne N. (Taute) Wastell of Omaha, Nebraska, Nov. 4, 2025.
• 1965 James A. Phoenix of Rapid City, Aug. 8, 2025.
• 1965 James Sellers of Pickstown, Aug. 24, 2025.
• 1965/M.Ed. ’68 John P. Donaldson of Zebulon, North Carolina, Nov. 9, 2025.
• 1966 (M.Ed.) Rowan "Rosy" Doorn of Parker, Aug. 22, 2025.
• 1966 Arthur Osmundson of Adams, Minnesota, Aug. 1, 2025.
• 1967 (M.Ed.) Donald Gerlach of Armstrong, Iowa, Sept. 24, 2025.
• 1967 Harris Swanson of Sioux Falls, Oct. 4, 2025.
• 1967 Janice M. (Peterson) Hamak of Gary, Aug. 16, 2025.
• 1968 (M.S.) Harvey R. Levenson of Pismo Beach, California, June 8, 2025.
• 1968 Donna K. (Schultz) Miller of Dubuque, Iowa, Aug. 16, 2025.
• 1968 Gary Hyde of Milbank, July 30, 2025.
• 1968 Wendell Thompson of Brookings, Oct. 21, 2025.
• 1969 (M.Ed.) George G. "Buzz" Elliott of Barnesville, Minnesota, July 18, 2025.
• 1969 (M.S.) Lucille "Tinky" Lindskov of Isabel, Sept. 14, 2025.
• 1969 (M.S.)/Ph.D. ’71 Donald J. Martin of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 9, 2025.
• 1969 Howard M. Kirk of Gainesville, Texas, Aug. 13, 2025.
• 1969 William Cherp of Ivanhoe, Minnesota, Aug. 21, 2025.
• 1970 (M.Ed.) Richard Mentele of Montrose, July 19, 2025.
• 1970 Kelly W. Blake of Helena, Montana, Sept. 17, 2025.
• 1970 Linda L. (Harris) Potter of Seminole, Florida, Aug. 13, 2025.
• 1970 Lyle L. Goehring of Sioux Falls, Aug. 9, 2025.
• 1970 Randall J. Amerson of Spring Grove, Illinois, Sept. 15, 2025.
• 1971 (M.Ed.) Richard L. Hubble of Sioux Falls, Oct. 18, 2025.
• 1971 Eldon L. Pust of Appleton, Minnesota, July 15, 2025.
• 1972 Richard G. Vasgaard of Centerville, Aug. 27, 2025.
• 1972 Douglas M. Peterson of Platte, Oct. 27, 2025.
• 1972 Fred Bartling of Sioux Falls, Oct. 22, 2025.
• 1972 Patricia M. (Lerew) Wicks of Watertown, Sept. 18, 2025.
• 1972 Timothy Keating of Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 8, 2025.
• 1973 (M.Ed.) Bruce Koch of Brookings, Oct. 8, 2025.
• 1973 Marcia A. (Jewett) Duncan Dailey of Savage, Minnesota, July 31, 2025.
• 1973 Mary M. (Lehr) McColeman of Waterford, Michigan, Oct. 9, 2025.
• 1974 (M.S.) Denis Hofflander of Sioux Falls, Sept. 10, 2025.
• 1974 Charles Helgerson of Chandler, Arizona, March 30, 2025.
• 1974 Jeffrey G. Johnson of Gregory, Oct. 1, 2025.
• 1974 Larry D. Jones of St. Paul, Minnesota, Oct. 8, 2025.
• 1974 Laurie M. (Schneider) McNamara of Sioux Falls, Aug. 8, 2025.
• 1975 Mark Murfield of Olathe, Kansas, July 22, 2025.
• 1976 Timothy Schultz of Madison, Sept. 20, 2025.
• 1977 (M.S.) Dennis Pluimer of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, Aug. 21, 2025.
• 1977 Leanne J. Sauder of Sioux Falls, Aug. 17, 2025.
• 1977 Michael M. Carter of Glenham, Oct. 17, 2025.
• 1978 Mark Bandy Sr. of Mobridge, July 15, 2025.
• 1979 Craig N. Brandenburg of Watertown, Sept. 2, 2025.
• 1979 Sheryl L. Nelms-Pennington of Clyde, Texas, Oct. 10, 2025.
• 1980 Jeffery R. Herron of Yankton, Nov. 7, 2025.
• 1981 Curt Cutler of Sioux Falls, July 25, 2025.
• 1981 Larry E. Ketterling of St. Louis, Missouri, Oct. 5, 2025.
• 1981 Nicki A. (Johnson) Ketterling of St. Louis, Missouri, Oct. 5, 2025.
• 1982 Darrell Ahlers of Lakewood, Colorado, Oct. 4, 2025.
• 1983 Timothy K. Iversen of Madison, Aug. 8, 2025.
• 1984 D. Annette (Gentry) Shousha of Panama City Beach, Florida, Sept. 8, 2025.
• 1984 Pamela J. (Graber) Ryan of Kirksville, Missouri, Aug. 17, 2025.
• 1985 Douglas M. Wheeler of Ida Grove, Iowa, May 2, 2025.
• 1985 Kim Faber of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Aug. 11, 2025.
• 1985 Maureen (Strohfus) Klaudt of Montrose, Aug. 25, 2025.
• 1986 (M.Ed.) Doris (Kowal) Lucas of Chaska, Minnesota, Aug. 19, 2025.
• 1987 Gary D. Christie of Brookings, Sept. 3, 2025.
• 1989 Marlene (Smith) Schaffer of Huron, Sept. 14, 2025.
• 1990 Carolyn (Brink) Pauling of Indianola, Iowa, July 28, 2025.
• 1992 William J. Paulsen of Elk Point, July 16, 2025.
• 1993 Terry (Cappel) Mallary of Brookings, July 24, 2025.
• 1994 Michael G. Meland of Crooks, Oct. 16, 2025.
• 1994 Robert Sorenson of Wilmot, Oct. 7, 2025.
• 1994/M.S. ’01 Dave Fryda of Riverdale, North Dakota, Aug. 13. 2025.
• 1995 Ellen Grimlie of Sioux Falls, Sept. 22, 2025.
• 1995 Linda E. (Robertson) Eng of Flandreau, Sept. 29, 2025.
• 1997 Wayne Ellingson of Sioux Falls, Oct. 23, 2025.
• 2003 Shawn P. Adams of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Aug. 14, 2025.
• 2009 (M.S.) Henry Miller of Niobrara, Nebraska, March 13, 2025.
• 2013 Dominic Eidam- Osterloh of Lemmon, Aug. 3, 2025.
• 2014 Ariana J. (Smith) Schneider of Sioux Falls, Sept. 29, 2025.
• 2016 Matthew Haraldson of Jasper, Minnesota, Sept.10, 2025.
• 2024 Colton Stuva of Fontanelle, Iowa, Nov. 4, 2025.

General

1958/’62 Diane (Graff) Cooney published “BLAIN, Our Warrior Child,” in September 2025. It is a memoir about Blain's family's 15-month battle against leukemia. She resides in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. 

1975 Marc C. Johnson has contributed a chapter to a new book, "The Liberal Heartland: A Political History of the Post-War American Midwest," recently published by the University Press of Kansas. Johnson's chapter, "The Rise and Disappearance of Liberal South Dakota," tracks the post-war emergence and later demise of a competitive Democratic Party in South Dakota. Johnson resides in Manzanita, Oregon. 

1970 Derald Peters received the Daily Point of Life Award for his inspiring service work. He has been a volunteer patient companion at Bergan Mercy Hospital since 2013, helping patients cope with anxiety and loneliness. Even when he, himself, was a patient, he continued his volunteerism by logging over 10,000 phone calls to other patients. He resides in Omaha, Nebraska. 

1989/M.S. ’91/Ph.D. ’00 Brenda Donelan published “Roommate Revenge,” the 11th book in her University Mystery Series, in August 2025. It is a fictional series set in South Dakota. She resides in Sioux Falls. 

Wedding

Brandon Krogman ’20 and Brenna Morgan ’20, July 12, 2025. They reside in Mitchell.

In Memory

C. Boyd Granberg

C. Boyd Granberg, a 1942 graduate of the College of Pharmacy at South Dakota State University, died Aug. 31, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. 

A longtime faculty member at Drake University in Des Moines, Granberg was selected as an SDSU Distinguished Alum in 1991. 

He was born at home on May 6, 1921, in Wessington.

World War II broke out during his senior year at South Dakota State. He finished school, took his state boards and headed to graduate school at the University of Illinois, where former State Dean Earl Serles was directing pharmacy. Serles led an accelerated master’s program for pharmacy students. The students graduated in April. 

He enlisted in the Army, completed his basic training in August 1943 and two weeks later headed for the European Theater. After a brief stop in North Africa, Granberg’s Army unit landed in southern Italy. He served as a pharmacist in the 32nd field hospital in Algeria, Italy, the Philippines and Japan. 

Granberg was discharged Nov. 29, 1945, and by Jan. 1 was back at the University of Illinois to earn his doctorate. He joined the faculty of the Drake University College of Pharmacy in 1960 and served until 1984, the last seven years as dean. 

He was a member of West Des Moines Christian Church for 70 years. 

Granberg married Margaret Daly Holcom on April 8, 1955. Peg preceded him in death on Aug. 6, 2000. Their son, Brian Lee, died March 8, 2002, at the age of 51. 

He is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Ann (Ron) Niewiarowski and Siri Linn; two granddaughters, three great-grandchildren, three nieces and one nephew.