Norma Myers Runge ’42, Jan. 3, 2021, San Diego. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Runge ’42.
Leland J. “Bud” Hawley ’45, April 23, 2021, Laurens, Iowa. After Grinnell, Bud joined the U.S. Army, assigned to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he met and married Beverly Buckwalter. In 1945, he returned to Laurens to become the third generation in the family business, Hawley Insurance Agency. During their 28-year marriage, Bud and Bev raised four children. In 1987, he married Jeanette (Oleson) Johnson, and they enjoyed 34 years of marriage until she died in March 2021. Bud was an active, lifelong member of Laurens United Methodist Church and a past master of Masonic Grace Lodge #519, a master mason and 32nd degree Scottish rite mason, and a Shriner with Abu Bekr Temple. He enjoyed travel and visited all 50 states, much of Canada, and parts of Europe and Australia. A loyal Democrat and proud descendant of Iowa Pioneers, Bud was honored for his stewardship of the Hawley Home Place, an Iowa century farm since 1981. Survivors include a daughter, son, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Mary Watt Collinge ’48, March 11, 2021, Webster, New York. Mary trained and practiced as a home economist before “retiring” to raise a family. Later, she had numerous volunteer roles, including serving on the boards of the Rochester Presbyterian Home and the Penfield Public Library. She also volunteered for Webster Presbyterian Church, the Camp Fire Girls, Literacy Volunteers, and the Penfield Trail Committee. She was a proud member of PEO Sisterhood and enjoyed walking with the Wednesday Hikers and traveling. Survivors include a son, two daughters, and a grandson.
Julia “Tigger” Stimson Appel ’49, Sept. 27, 2021, Antigo, Wisconsin. Julia graduated from Grinnell with a major in biology, then earned a nursing degree as a private duty nurse. Julia and her husband, David, loved the outdoors. They enjoyed hiking, camping, and rock climbing as well as sailing and skiing. Julia also became interested in writing. She joined the Romance Writers of America Appleton chapter in 1989. She completed a novel and wrote articles for travel magazines. Survivors include her three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Isadore Berman ’49, Oct. 6, 2021, Grinnell, Iowa. Isadore received his MBA from Columbia University in New York in 1951. He was a U.S. Army World War ll veteran who served in Europe. In 1956, he married Ida Roseman, and the couple made their home in Grinnell, where they raised two children. Isadore worked with his father for many years and then as a partner with his brother until around 1986, continuing to run Sam Berman and Sons along with his son into an ever more successful scrap iron and metal business in Grinnell. He was a 75-plus-year member of the Grinnell American Legion, VFW, Grinnell Masonic Lodge, Grinnell Elks Lodge, and the Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Des Moines. He was an avid reader, held a keen interest in investing, and loved to travel. He served as a New Student Orientation volunteer for the College in 2009. Survivors include his daughter and son, and three grandchildren.
Katherine Mueller Smith ’49, Sept. 19, 2021, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Eleanor Kennedy Walters ’49, Oct. 5, 2021, Marion, Iowa. Eleanor attended Grinnell for two years, then graduated from the University of Iowa. She married William Walters in 1953. Eleanor taught high school for 15 years, including 11 years in Wyoming, Iowa. She was very active in the Onslow and Wyoming Presbyterian Churches and served as an elder, a youth fellowship adviser, Sunday school teacher, and circle chairwoman. She was a member of the PEO Sisterhood of Anamosa, the Wyoming Library board, and numerous other community and social organizations. Eleanor was exceptionally well read, loved history, had a keen sense of humor, and enjoyed playing cards and games and spending time with her family. Survivors include her husband, two sons, five grandchildren, and six great- grandchildren.
Jerald A. Anderson ’50, Sept. 8, 2021, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jerry graduated from Grinnell as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1962, he married Wanda Sorenson. After serving in the U.S. Army, Jerry worked at the United Fire and Casualty Co. in the underwriting department until retiring as an assistant vice president in 1990. Jerry is best known for his humble, hospitable manner and quick wit. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, and singing in the church choir. In retirement, he served on the boards of the Linn County Chaplaincy and the Linn Community Food Bank. Jerry was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years. He is survived by a daughter, son, and two grandsons.
Shirley Miller McFarland ’50, July 14, 2021, Des Moines, Iowa. Shirley met Robert A. “Bob” McFarland ’49 at Grinnell and married him in 1948. She later received her bachelor’s in English literature from the University of Iowa. Her husband’s career in education had their family living in several communities in Iowa, where she not only raised her family but was very involved in community activities. While living in Marshalltown, she volunteered as a tutor for minority students in the schools. She continued tutoring when she and Bob moved to Estes Park, Colorado, in their retirement. She was active in church as a deacon and in the choir, active in the senior center, and was a P.E.O. sister. She was preceded in death by her husband. Survivors include three children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
Katherine “Casey” Cosandey Snook ’50, Aug. 10, 2021, Alpine, Texas. Katherine lived much of her young life in Minneapolis. At Grinnell she met her husband, Donald Snook ’49, while singing in the choir. Don’s work with the state department and later, Esso Middle East, took the couple to Syria and then to Libya for a total of 18 years. During that time, their daughters were born. In addition to starting and singing with various music groups, the couple enjoyed picnicking in the countryside, visiting picturesque villages, exploring the coast and the Sahara Desert and Greek and Roman antiquities, and roaming through historic Mediterranean cities. In 1969, the family returned to the United States. A member of the Unitarian Church, Katherine served on its board of trustees and as president of the Saugatuck Valley Audubon Society and volunteered at the Westport Historical Society and the Westport Arts Center. In addition to enjoying walks and picnics in the countryside and on the shore, she and Don sang with several local church and community chorales and the Westport Madrigal Singers. In 2016, Katherine and Don moved to Alpine, Texas. Surviving family members include her husband; three daughters, Laura Snook ’74, Ann, and Helen; and four grandchildren.
Dorothy Wagner Boettcher ’51, Oct. 12, 2021, East Lansing, Michigan. A naturally gifted musician from a very early age, Dorothy continued her professional training at Grinnell, majoring in music. She excelled in piano, flute, and voice — exhibiting those skills through musical tours and local performances. In 1951, she married Alvin Boettcher and moved to Michigan, where Dorothy began to teach music in the Lansing school system as well as piano lessons in the home. She received her master’s in education from Michigan State University while raising three children. She taught fifth grade in the East Lansing school system for 20 years. Retirement was filled with continued participation in The Peoples Church choir and chorale groups, to whom she lent her powerful soprano voice. Frequent European vacations with Alvin, who died in 2019, were also a favorite pastime. She is survived by a daughter, two sons, a grandchild, and six great-grandchildren.
M. Mercedes Bolger Biedermann ’52, Oct. 3, 2021, Norristown, Pennsylvania. Mercedes married John Stewart Biedermann in 1957 and moved to Philadelphia, where John co-owned a wholesale plywood business. She joined the Junior Saturday Club, where she made friends, enjoyed social events, and engaged in community outreach. Her ultimate passion was bridge, which she learned to play in college. She was still playing at the retirement community where she last lived. Survivors include two children and five grandchildren.
John H. Sitton ’52, Oct. 12, 2021, Ruston, Louisiana. John was born in Denver and graduated from Denver schools and Grinnell. While working in California, he met and married Linda Roberts. He worked in restaurant and retail management up and down the West Coast. He enthusiastically served his church while finding time for merchant groups, Rotary, Judicial Justice Commission, California grand jury, and other civic and volunteer causes. Survivors include his wife, Linda; a son and daughter; and eight grandchildren.
R. James Bagnall ’53, Sept. 25, 2021, Marshalltown, Iowa. During high school, Jim worked part-time at Arbie Feeds in Marshalltown. After attending Grinnell, he graduated from Marshalltown Community College and went to work full time at Arbie as assistant manager. He married Elizabeth “Bette” Watson in 1951. In 1969, he was promoted to president and general manager, semi-retiring in 1995. Jim was active in community and church activities and volunteered with seven organizations: Jaycees, Noon Lions, United Way, Marshalltown Area Community Hospital, and the Industrial Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce. He held many offices in the First Baptist Church (Journey Church) and taught Sunday School for several years. He loved traveling, fishing, woodworking, watching sports, and reading. He enjoyed vacationing with his family and holiday gatherings. He was a man of integrity and generosity and left a great spiritual legacy. Jim is survived by his wife, Bette; three children; nine grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Joan Furhman Jones ’54, Oct. 14, 2021, Springfield, Missouri. At Grinnell, Joan majored in art. Later, during an 18-year professional public relations career with the YWCA in Iowa, Texas, Virginia, and California and with the American Red Cross in Los Angeles, she further honed her graphic skills. She married Earl “Dick” Jones in 1972. Their relationship lasted 49 years. In 1973, Joan began a 45-year career doing what she loved most — painting, specializing in watercolors and pastels. Her favorite subjects were figures, mostly models, and townscapes from locations in Mexico, Norway, and the central coast of California. During this period, Joan created hundreds of paintings and her work was shown in numerous juried shows and galleries, and she received dozens of honors and awards. In recent years, she took up jewelry design and produced many online video programs. Joan was a long- time member of P.E.O., Chapter DP, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, subsequently of Bethany Lutheran Church, and more recently of Trinity Church of the Nazarene, all in Lompoc, California. She is survived by her husband.
Barbara Scott Couve ’55, Oct. 3, 2021, Deer Park, Illinois. In high school, Barbara was a multisport athlete, a member of the National Honor Society, and a member of the Student Council. At Grinnell, she was on the Homecoming court and was Mardi Gras queen as well as a Langan sweetheart. After graduation, she worked as a photo typesetter for BC Lettering and was a teacher’s aide at Central Road School in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. She was happiest when traveling with her spouse of 62 years, Carl Forrest Couve ’54, or cheering on her children and grandchildren at their activities. She was a member of the Grinnell Reunion Committee from 2004 to 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl, and is survived by three daughters, five grandchildren, and one great- grandson.
Frank W. Hays ’55, Sept. 26, 2021, Bonita Springs, Florida.
Edwin O. Jantz ’57, Sept. 1, 2021, Southbury, Connecticut. Ed majored in economics at Grinnell, then joined the Air Force and was able to leverage his early military experience in a progression of sales roles. He later went on to earn a master’s from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Ed married Nancy Gail Holzer in 1960. They continued to move as Ed was promoted in various sales roles in Colorado until he made a career change into city management with a move to Los Alamos, New Mexico. The family later moved to Texas, where Ed focused on municipal purchasing and held roles as director for purchasing for the city of Dallas, county of Dallas, and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. After retirement, Ed and Gail moved to Connecticut. Ed was well known for his optimism, his sense of humor, and kindness to all. He lived an active and engaged life and loved hiking, fishing, gardening, and reading nonfiction and financial publications. He is survived by his wife, Gail; three daughters, five grandchildren, and one great- granddaughter; and his brother, Gary L. Jantz ’62.
James C. McKinnell ’57, May 15, 2021, Red Lion, Pennsylvania. After he completed his undergraduate studies at Grinnell, Jim spent a year at Eden Seminary in St. Louis, then completed his ministry education with Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, in 1961. At Bethany Seminary, he met Letha Miller, who he married in 1959. Jim’s pastoral ministry included student pastorates at Grinnell and in St. Louis; he and Letha did seminary internship pastorates with Brethren congregations in Maryland. Jim and Letha went on to serve several Brethren congregations. Jim also completed doctor of ministry studies at Bethany Seminary. Bible interpretation was his major interest. Jim enjoyed gardening, playing guitar, singing, family genealogy, and making entries in his diary for over 60 years. Jim was preceded in death by Letha in 2018. He is survived by two sons, five grandchildren, and two great- grandsons.
Doris Koerner Willoughby ’57, Sept. 8, 2021, Lakewood, Colorado. Doris graduated from Boulder (Colorado) High School as class valedictorian in 1953 and majored in education at Grinnell. She taught second grade in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for 11 years. She married D. Curtis Willoughby in 1967. From the time they met, Doris became a driver and reader assistant for Curtis, one of the first blind electrical engineers in the country. Doris received her certification in the teaching of blind children in 1969 after studying during the summers and evenings. In 1972, the Willoughbys moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where Doris taught blind children. They moved to the Denver area in 1993, and Doris received a master’s from the University of Northern Colorado soon after. Doris taught blind children in the Adams 12 School District near Denver. She later taught blind adults at the Colorado Training Center for the Blind, where she helped students prepare for citizenship and the GED test, among other things. She was a pioneer and leader in the education of blind children for at least four decades and wrote or co-authored four books on that subject. At its 50th anniversary convention, the National Federation of the Blind honored Doris with its highest award in education: the Distinguished Teacher of Blind Children Award. Doris was an active member of the United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband.
James David Schenken ’58, April 2021, Alpharetta, Georgia.
Thomas J. Soper ’60, April 17, 2021, Sturgis, Michigan. Tom, a longtime distance runner, is survived by his wife, Lucy Ann Zimmerman; a son, daughter, stepson, and stepdaughter; and four grandsons.
Charles “Chuck” M. Palmer ’61, Nov. 7, 2021, Des Moines, Iowa. Chuck spent his life dedicated to the mental health and well-being of children and families. After graduating from Grinnell and the University of Chicago, he began a six-decade career in human services. He spent time at the Child Guidance Center and United Way before joining and eventually leading the Iowa Department of Human Services. He was named the director of DHS twice, first in 1989 until 1999, and again in 2011 until 2017. His professional career also included roles at the Institute for Social and Economic Development and the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative, among others. He served as an adjunct professor at Drake University and University of Iowa. Chuck was also active in local and national volunteer and community organizations, including the American Red Cross and National Association of Social Workers. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen Heise Palmer ’61; and two children and two grandchildren.
Gary A. Hanson ’63, Sept. 6, 2021, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Gary majored in history at Grinnell. He spent the summer of 1962 with a family near Bilbao, Spain, as part of the Experiment in International Living. He earned a master’s and doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He spent 1967–68 in the Soviet Union with the IREX U.S. government exchange doing research in Moscow and St. Petersburg and traveling to Central Asia and Caucasia. He taught Russian and European history at the University of Saskatchewan from 1969 to 2000. Favorite courses were the Russian history survey, nationalism and the nationalities of the Soviet Union, Stalin and Stalinism, and especially a history of Siberia, his research interest. Activities included Amnesty International, the Canadian International Council, and the Saskatoon Stamp Club, and he belonged to Zion Lutheran Church. He especially enjoyed trips to Yugoslavia, the Republic of South Africa, Portugal, and Argentina.
Raymond B. Cooper ’64, July 24, 2021, Sylacauga, Alabama. Ray was employed by Kimberly Clark Corp. as a director of finance for 42 years with his last position in Waco, Texas. While there, Ray participated in Camp Fire USA and served as president of the local chapter. Ray officially retired from Kimberly Clark in 2007. He enjoyed golfing, woodworking, lawn care, watching television, living on the lake and, most of all, spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife, JoAnne; two daughters; and five grandchildren.
William S. Johnson ’64, Sept. 4, 2021, North Liberty, Iowa. Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell and then attended the University of Chicago on a Fulbright scholarship. He later moved to Iowa City and earned a second degree in music from the University of Iowa. Bill loved classical music and was an accomplished pianist who taught piano and gave concerts. He was fluent in German, Italian, Russian, and French and enjoyed reading classic books in their original languages. He especially enjoyed a meal with wine and conversing with friends who enjoyed his dry sense of humor. In his view, he was a “tough cookie” who valiantly dealt with health issues throughout his life.
Donald Reimer ’64, Sept. 1, 2021, Broomfield, Colorado. Don majored in political science at Grinnell, then joined the Air Force to become a B-52 navigator. He served for five years, then earned a teaching certificate and taught in California for a few years. For several years, Don was general manager with Modern Farm Systems. He married Beverly (Bev) Mischke Reimer in 1975. After Modern Farms Systems was sold, Don and Bev bought Colorado Health Food Store in Boulder, which they owned and operated until 1999. He served on the Flatirons Habitat for Humanity board of directors for several years and was a financial supporter of many national and local charitable organizations. Don is survived by his wife, Bev; three daughters, including Sarah Reimer Dawson ’99; six grandchildren; and a great- granddaughter.
Jean Terry West ’64, May 17, 2021, Covington, Kentucky. Terry was always active and entrepreneurial: teaching natural childbirth, starting a restaurant, and then working at restaurants and catering businesses all over the country, including Dallas, New Mexico, Connecticut, and Little Rock, Arkansas. In later years, she still ran a catering business from her house and cooked every week as a volunteer at the local shelter. She was a Grinnell regional volunteer from 2015 to 2017.
Barry M. Anderson ’65, Nov. 4, 2021, Carthage, Illinois. Barry received his law degree in 1968 from the University of Iowa Law School and master’s in law enforcement and justice administration from Western Illinois University. He practiced law in Keokuk, Iowa, for over 30 years. He was elected Lee County attorney and served as a magistrate judge in Lee County. He chaired the Iowa Criminal Law Section of the Iowa Bar Association and was an active member of the Indigent Defense Task Force in Iowa. He later became an assistant professor in the LEJA School at WIU.
Bruce “Trick” M. Beckord ’65 M.D., Aug. 29, 2021, Boulder, Colorado. Bruce attended Grinnell and the University of Iowa Medical School. He married and reared four kids in Estes Park, where he helped found the first hospital, and in Boulder, where he was head of sports medicine at CU. Bruce led a life full of adventure and traveled the world. He loved his family, the Denver Broncos, and playing pickleball. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Lou; his two sons and two daughters; and six grandchildren.
Dennis R. Homerin ’65, Aug. 27, 2021, Los Angeles. Dennis, who served on the College’s Board of Trustees from 1975 to 1994, first came to Grinnell in 1961. He served on the student government association and was a letterman on the varsity football team, which won the Midwest Conference Championship in 1962. He graduated in 1965 with a major in history. Dennis went on to earn his law degree in 1968 from the University of Minnesota, where he was a three-year Dean’s Honor Scholarship award winner and editor of the Law Review. After law school, Dennis moved to Chicago, where he joined the firm of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson and later became a partner. He was later named vice president and labor counsel for Tribune Co., where he helped negotiate player contracts for the then-owners of the Chicago Cubs. Dennis went on to become a partner at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue before retiring to start his own consulting business and spend more time with his children and grandchildren. Dennis was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, an Eagle Scout, avid reader, history buff, music lover, and founding member of the Joe Denny Band, in which he played trombone. He enjoyed traveling and spending time at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, before moving west to enjoy his retirement. Survivors include four children; four grandchildren; his sister, Mary Homerin Ashcraft ’71; and brother in-law, Mark Ashcraft ’71.
Susan Taylor ’65, Sept. 27, 2021, Austin, Texas. Sue, who double- majored in journalism and American history at Grinnell, spent her professional life as a journalist. She worked for United Press International in Chicago and recalled often her experiences covering Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Chicago Campaign in 1966. After moving to Austin in the 1970s, she worked for the Austin American Statesman in various positions, including wire editor and assistant city editor, while mentoring scores of neophyte journalists. She retired in the late 1990s. After Chicago and before Austin, she traveled the country in an RV. She enjoyed other memorable trips to Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands, and Cape Cod. She was an avid reader, always with stacks of newspaper nearby and a good book to share. She adored animals, loved children, and was an ardent supporter of land and water conservation.
Roger W. Able ’68, Oct. 2, 2021, Haines City, Florida. Roger was a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At Grinnell, he majored in biology and played basketball. After attending management training at General Electric, he spent most of his career in appliance sales and sales management. He retired in 2003 and with his wife, Marie, moved to Florida. Roger was always involved in service to his communities. He was actively involved in his churches; he served as CEO and president of Lutheran Homes of Oshkosh (1997–2000), and for years he provided formal and informal planned giving advice to his Grinnell classmates and to the College. He was a reunion committee member from 2004 to 2011 and class solicitor in 2011. It was his idea to gift Grinnell a life insurance policy on himself; its cash value was large enough four years ago for Roger and Marie to turn it into the Able Endowed Scholarship. Roger was proud of his Grinnell legacy — his maternal grandfather Herbert Risser was class of 1908 — and the scholarship supports a legacy student. Roger’s support for Grinnell athletics is reflected on the donor plaque in the lobby of the Bear Recreation and Athletic Center. Roger is survived by his wife, two daughters, and seven grandchildren.
Joshua Sachs ’71, Nov. 7, 2020, Evanston, Illinois. Survivors include three children and three grandchildren.
Nancy Ackerman Schofield ’71, Oct. 5, 2021, Menomonie, Wisconsin. Nancy majored in mathematics at Grinnell and married Ken Schofield ’71 on campus the day after graduation. Nancy and Ken moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Ken attended the University of Wisconsin Law School and Nancy worked as a computer programmer for the UW’s Institute for Research on Poverty. They moved to Menomonie, Wisconsin, in 1977 and never left. Nancy received a master’s in clothing, textiles, and related arts from UW-Stout in 1979, teaching intermittently in the home economics department from 1979 to 1998. She commenced a doctoral program at the University of Minnesota in 1994. Nancy received her doctorate from the University of Minnesota in design, housing, and apparel in 2000. By that time, she was teaching classes in UW-Stout’s College of Engineering, Technology and Management (CTEM). She taught an array of computer-aided design courses full time from 1998 to 2013. After retiring as a full professor in 2013, Nancy continued to teach part time until 2015. In addition to her teaching, she took seriously her role as a mentor to women engineering students, including being faculty adviser for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She was active in other community and civic organizations, including her children’s elementary and middle schools, League of Women Voters, Master Gardeners, City of Menomonie Urban Forestry Board, Stepping Stones garden tour, Dunn County Historical Society’s Fulton’s Workshop, and others. She also was a Grinnell reunion committee member from 2011 to 2020. Nancy is survived by her husband, two brothers, two sons, and four grandchildren.
Leonard M. Kurz ’75, Nov. 5, 2021, Piermont, New York. Leonard graduated from Grinnell with a major in history and from Stanford University with a master’s in film and television production. He was CEO, president, and creative force behind Forest Creatures Entertainment, a motion picture, television, and new media production company established in 1993. In 2007, Forest Creatures Entertainment produced Kitka and Davka in Concert: Old and New World Jewish Music, which has been broadcast extensively on the PBS network. He was producer, director, and writer of the feature-length documentary Free the Children; producer, director, and writer of the television documentary Accused of Being Communist; a co-producer of Maangamizi: The Ancient One, the first film from Tanzania to be considered for an Academy Award; and producer, director, and writer of Early Misgivings. He also was a script reader for Francis Ford Coppola. He was a founding director (U.S. board) of Free the Children, an international organization which has the unique mission of creating a global network of children helping children through education. Leonard served as a director and officer of the Kurz Family Foundation. He played a significant role in establishing two endowed professorships at Brooklyn College: the Herbert Kurz Chair in Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties and the Herbert Kurz Chair of Finance and Risk Management, as well as a program that assists black and Latino male Brooklyn College students. He was a founding member of the State University of New York’s Chancellor’s Society and received awards for his philanthropic work. Leonard served as an internship host for Grinnell students from 2010 to 2016. He was a Wilson Program speaker in 2016. Leonard established several endowed funds at Grinnell to support student career exploration and research in the areas of peace studies, sustainability, and human rights. He was also a generous supporter of the Peace and Conflict Studies program at Grinnell.
Dennis D. Ashby ’78, Sept. 7, 2021, Grinnell, Iowa. Dennis was raised on a farm west of Grinnell. After graduation, he went on to earn a degree from Drake Law School. In 1979, he married Carolyn Cline. After law school, he worked part time for the law offices at Farm Bureau while starting his own law practice in Des Moines. He had a rewarding career helping farmers during the farm crisis and working with small businesses. He taught nontraditional students for Upper Iowa University-Des Moines Center for 30 years. He also taught undergraduates at Grandview University for 15 years. For seven years in the 1990s, he served as pastoral care minister at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Des Moines. In 1998, he started Well Read Books, a used bookstore in Des Moines, selling it in 2015. He retired from all his endeavors in 2017, returning to his childhood home west of Grinnell. He was an active member of the Basilica of St. John Catholic Church in Des Moines and St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell. He was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus and, more recently, the Elks in Grinnell. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and nine grandchildren.
Nina Frankel ’79, Oct. 20, 2021, San Francisco. Nina spent two years at Grinnell before embarking on her adventurous life. She traveled, studied, and worked in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Portugal. In 1981, she graduated from University of California-Berkeley with a degree in Latin American studies. A native San Franciscan, Nina had a multidecade career as a public health advocate, campaigner for free and fair elections, and outspoken defender of international justice, refugee safety, and human and civil rights. She attended Harvard’s School of Public Health, graduating with a master’s in population sciences in 1986. She later worked around the world on AIDS prevention, abortion counseling, election monitoring, and refugee resettlement. She supported a wide range of liberal, philanthropic causes and was known for her frequent letters to the editor as well as acerbic and witty protests to organizations about unethical business practices.
Jean Ward Angstman ’80, Sept. 20, 2021, Lakewood, Colorado. Jean graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell with a major in French. She completed her formal education with a master’s in speech pathology and audiology from the University of Denver in 1984 and began a long career as a speech pathologist in the Jefferson County, Colorado, public schools. She married Burke Angstman in 1985. Jean had many hobbies and interests, including folk dancing, quilting, doll making, cooking, traveling, and reading romance novels. She loved the outdoors, especially hiking around her summer home in Grand Lake, Colorado. She is survived by her husband; two sons; a granddaughter; her sister, Teresa Ward ’83; brother in-law, Andrew Nelson ’82; and niece, Molly Nelson ’21.
James F. Goodfellow ’82, July 12, 2021, Oakland, California. In addition to his studies at Grinnell, James studied in Russia, was a Marshall Scholar, and received a master’s in economics at Cambridge University, England. He went on to earn his law degree from Yale Law School.
Richard A. Bohm ’86, Nov. 7, 2021, Palmetto, Florida. Rich majored in economics at Grinnell and earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He spent his career in the defense industry at McDonnell-Douglas, Boeing, American Ordnance, and General Dynamics. An avid and curious traveler, Rich visited many corners of the world and spent time working in France and Saudi Arabia. Rich rescued several dogs, to which he devoted much love and care. He is survived by his wife, Marissa Albano Bohm.
Former Faculty
James Lindberg, Sept. 23, 2021, Des Moines, Iowa. Visiting professor of chemistry at Grinnell from 2002 until 2015, he came to Grinnell after taking early retirement from Drake University in Des Moines. He taught organic chemistry to hundreds of students at Grinnell. His passion for teaching and mentoring was evident in his interactions with students and his generosity with colleagues.
Clifford Reid, Nov. 6, 2021, Waterville, Maine. Cliff, former professor of economics, was a Grinnell faculty member for 14 years. He left Grinnell in 1987 to become a professor of economics at Colby College in Waterville, where he taught until retiring in 2009. He received a bachelor’s in economics from George Washington University and a doctorate in economics in 1973 from Princeton University, where he developed a research interest in the role of discrimination in American life — in housing, employment, and wages — that he would continue to pursue throughout his academic career. He was legendary for his rigorous standards in the classroom and was a caring mentor to generations of students at Grinnell and Colby.
Emily Pfitsch
Beloved Grinnell Icon and Honorary Degree Recipient
Emily Ann Pfitsch D.H.L ’17, longtime friend of the College and recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters in 2017, died Jan. 21, 2022, at the age of 96.
Though she never held an official position at Grinnell, Emily was a beloved member of the community and a remarkable ambassador for the College for more than 70 years.
Emily arrived in Grinnell with her husband, John, in 1948. While he began his career in Grinnell’s athletics department, she studied Spanish and earned a teaching certificate, leading to a 24-year career teaching Spanish and supporting international programs in the Grinnell schools.
She and John traveled widely, living for times in Panama, Ecuador, Portugal, and Spain. She loved sharing her passion for the Spanish language and international cultures with her family, friends, and students and regularly hosted exchange students in her home.
The honorary degree Emily received from the College in 2017 recognized her influence on the College community, most notably “her boys” — several generations of Grinnell College athletes coached by John who found a steady source of support with Emily.
Emily provided a warm and welcoming presence for African American scholar-athletes attending Grinnell in the 1950s and 1960s, regularly hosting students and their families in her home overnight. She also hosted the annual picnic for alumni soccer players in her backyard for more than 30 years.
She continued to host trustees who returned to campus, and she remained a visible and engaging presence at numerous Grinnell events. She will forever be known by Grinnellians as someone who made the College feel like a second home.
Emily is survived by her children, Jack, Connie, and Bill; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and John, her husband of 64 years.
Visit Smith Funeral Home and search for “Pfitsch” for more information and tributes. The Pfitsch family has suggested that memorial contributions may be directed to the John and Emily Pfitsch Scholarship at Grinnell College. Give online or by mail, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa 50112.