luther story fall 2010 / winter 2011

INSIDE

Shawn FraserJohn & Monica Kurtz

Don WattMac Hird

And more…

Legacies Issue

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R E G I N A C A N A D A

Save the date…Luther College will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Thanksgiving Weekend of 2013. Please save the date and watch future issues of The Luther Story for more information.

Save your Luther stories…In the new year, Luther College will put out a call to alumni and friends for stories from their time at Luther. Alumni and friends are invited to safely store their Luther memories and stay tuned for further details in the next issue of The Luther Story.

Visit our website…Did you know that you can watch the 2010 Luther Lecture on the Luther College website?Did you know that Luther’s university campus seasonally publishes a webzine called Impetus that features articles, photographs and videos created by university campus students, staff, faculty and alumni?Visit www.luthercollege.edu/impetus and www.luthercollege.edu/lutherlecture to read more.

Luther Academy in Melville, Saskatchewan circa 1920.

Legacy (n) 2. something handed down by a predecessor

All one needs to do is take an amble through the hallways of Luther College’s high school and university campuses to see the many types of legacy that live at Luther. From the display cases full of newspaper clippings announcing the successes of students past and present at Luther College High School

to the donated artwork and graduation photos covering the walls at Luther College at the University of Regina, there exist many proud visual markers at both campuses of the memories, examples, and good works of students and friends of the College.

While legacies are often understood to be gifts or bequests physical or monetary in nature, they can take many other forms. Legacies can also be built out of the ideas, creative works, acts of social justice, beliefs and values of individual people. In this issue of The Luther Story, we take a broad view of the term “legacy,” telling the stories of alumni and friends who have given of their time, treasure, creativity and passions at Luther and in their broader communities.

As alumni and friends of Luther College, we all share in an institutional legacy that stretches back nearly 100 years. The College is a place known for its academic excellence, liberal arts focus, and attention to individual students, each of these being rooted in Luther’s Christian heritage. Luther’s legacy, then, lies not only in its values and history, but also (and most importantly) in its people. This fall, we celebrate some of those people and their part in Luther’s continuing legacy.

Jennifer Arends, editor of The Luther Story

To read “bits & bites,” as well as our web exclusive, visit www.luthercollege.edu/lutherstory.

From the editor’s desk

03 From the editor’s desk

04 From the pulpit

05 From the president’s desk

06 Shawn Fraser: Investing in the community

09 Painting a legacy

12 Leaving a mark: Don Watt’s legendary designs

16 Class notes

18 Mac Hird on giving back - WEB EXCLUSIVE

19 Contributors

Contents

The Luther Story is the magazine of the alumni and friends of Luther College. If you have a question or story idea to share, please contact us at:

The Luther Storyc/o Luther College at the University of Regina 3737 Wascana Parkway

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

S4S 0A2

Editor: Jennifer Arends (U’02)

[email protected]

Assistant editor: Faye Wickenheiser

Designer: Bradbury Branding & Design

[email protected]

The Luther Story is distributed by Canada Post under

publication mail agreement number 40065736.

R E G I N A , C A N A D A

On the cover

Shawn Fraser (U’07) stands in front of Carmichael Outreach in Regina.

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Photo courtesy of the Photography Department, U of R.

4

How often I hear from our students some variation of, “I’m spiritual, but not religious.” The sentiment reflects what studies and reports bear out – people are still interested in spiritual or religious questions, if not the institutions of organised religion.

Our present day suspicion of big institutions, including the church, is well documented. As a person having grown up, been educated, and worked in church institutions, I have experienced the negative and positive sides of the institution. However, I love the church, or perhaps more specifically, I love the people that are part of my life because of the institutional church. So many mentors, teachers, colleagues, and friends are the real legacy of the institutional church for me.

The theme of this issue is legacy. One might be suspicious that the theme will be used simply to promote Luther College as an institution, that these pages will be full of stories of those who support and build the institution, encouraging the same from their readers.

I suggest however that we read this issue reminded of the people within our individual Luther College experience that have blessed our lives. As I begin my 24th year at Luther, this is the true legacy of the College for my life.

From the pulpit

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By Pastor Larry Fry, Luther College High School chaplain

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By Dr Bryan Hillis (U’78)

From the president’s desk

It’s my great honour to pen this column for The Luther Story as Luther College’s new president. Like so many of you, I have been profoundly influenced by Luther College. When I began post-secondary studies at the newly minted University of Regina in 1974, I was thrilled to be a part of the smaller college atmosphere that was Luther, where I received attention as a person with my own doubts, insecurities, questions and relationship issues. I will never forget the mind-blowing discussions in class with Dr Paul Antrobus about psychology, the time Dr Art Krentz spent with me discussing questions relating to faith and science, or the chapel times sitting on cushions in the Upper Room with Pastor Don King. Then there were the Hallowe’en dances in the cafeteria with professors gaudily dressed up, putting us undergraduates, all too cool to masquerade even for one evening, to shame. Neither will I forget the friendships I made, many of which have lapsed, but others that remain active and treasured.

When I was fortunate enough to be able to return here in 1989 as a professor, it was a dream come true, not just because I had an academic job at a time when such jobs were so rare, but because here I could explore exactly the kinds of issues that were so meaningful to me. Many academics do scholarship that helps them understand a particular part of the world a little better; as important as that is, there are not too many places where the intersection of faith and reason, truth and reconciliation, and understanding and wisdom are just as much a part of the academic enterprise in research, and in interactions with students.

When my wife Joanne and I were blessed with four healthy daughters who were considering their high school options, I hoped I could convince them that Luther was the right place for them. Thankfully, Luther did its own convincing: after our eldest—in grade eight at the time—attended a Luther musical, she came home stating matter-of-factly, “I have to go there, Dad. It’s obvious everything is just better there.” After that, the domino effect of her experience at Luther convinced our other daughters that they too wanted to become Luther grads. And all of them have had a richer high school experience than I ever dreamed of, both in terms of receiving academic training and developing strong friendships.

So I’m thrilled that the theme of this issue is “legacies” because Luther has left me a legacy in so many ways, and the legacy continues to grow for me, as I hope it does for you. Best wishes to all of you as we begin this new academic year and continue to celebrate and build Luther legacies both old and new.



By Benjamin Salloum (U’07)

Shawn Fraser:

INVESTING in the community



Shawn Fraser sorts through clothing donations at Regina’s

Carmichael Outreach.

The concept of “legacy” identifies a process of transference from one thing to another. For Shawn Fraser (U’07), executive director of Carmichael Outreach in Regina, the transmission of a legacy of service from past generations to his own has been a major theme of his life. Still in his twenties, Fraser has wed the lessons of his community-oriented education with his prairie pioneering heritage and positioned himself as a leader on the frontier of a newly committed form of local service informed by a global consciousness.

Originally from Carnduff, Saskatchewan, Fraser spent his first year after graduating from high school with Katimavik, the Government of Canada’s youth volunteer-service program. In 2001, he moved to Regina and enrolled at Luther College, where he stayed in the campus residence. After completing his first year of studies towards a political science degree, Fraser once again bolstered his formal education by volunteering with Canada World Youth, an organisation that seeks to create global citizens through an international volunteer-exchange program.

Back at Luther in 2003, he began to take on a greater leadership role in the university community. He worked as a residence assistant, spent a semester in the Leadership and Dialogue program at the University of Regina, and in 2005 joined the Students’ Union as vice-president of student affairs. Carrying over a focus on society and environment from the Leadership and Dialogue program, Fraser concentrated his efforts during his time on council towards implementing green initiatives on campus, such as a recycling program, and establishing a team of student volunteers to integrate both themselves and others into the broader University community.

Upon graduating, Fraser began immediately to put the skills and values he developed throughout his education to work. After a stint working for Katimavik Regina, where he organised and coordinated the region’s volunteer activity, he was put in charge of Carmichael Outreach. Formerly a weekly clothing giveaway operated out of a church basement, Carmichael has grown into a diverse, volunteer-driven, non-profit organisation that, with support from the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and various local businesses and community organisations, provides a breadth of services to people suffering from hunger, poverty, addiction, health issues, and other forms of distress.

Fraser inherited his role at Carmichael Outreach from founder and longstanding director George Palmer, who retired last year. In his first year of command, Fraser’s focus has been on re-emphasising the values and re-energising the efforts that have shaped Carmichael from its beginning. “George was excellent at building trusting, respectful relationships with service-users,” Fraser explains. “He was quite people-oriented; he ensured Carmichael’s attention remained on delivering its services at the micro-level.”

Part of Fraser’s challenge as the new executive director, then, has been maintaining this trust between Carmichael staff and its service users during a period of great change and growth. Fraser’s appointment is part of a larger transition that includes a near-total overhaul of board members, a doubling of the staff, and the ending of Carmichael’s formal affiliation with the United Church.

Put simply, Fraser’s task is to build a bridge between what Carmichael has been and what he sees it can be. “If there is one deficiency of the micro-approach, it is that Carmichael does not have much of a presence in the broader community of Regina,” Fraser admits. “People don’t know about the work we do, and that is a problem for an organisation that depends on volunteers and donors.” For this reason, Fraser has spent a lot of time in his first year working on media exposure and fundraising: “The first job has been getting people involved, getting Carmichael’s name out into the community. We are part of a network of roughly sixty-five

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service providers in Regina, so people need to know how we’re unique, what niche we occupy.” Regarding this niche, Fraser points to the flexibility of Carmichael’s programming: “We are a small, nimble organisation; we are so connected to the communities we serve that we can try different things; we’ve gained our users’ trust, and can respond to their needs as they change.”

Taking advantage of this flexibility, Fraser has launched a number of new programs, including school presentations to raise awareness of poverty and other social issues, a periodic haircut service performed by students of Marvel Beauty School, a summer camp for kids at Lumsden Beach Camp, and, with a grant from the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, a new art course. In the future, Fraser would like to see Carmichael offer programming every day, with possibilities including a parenting course, sewing club, and a men’s group. “We are trying to grow without changing what makes us successful,” he explains, “to do what we do but to do it better, more efficiently.”

Entering his second year as executive director, Fraser’s vision for the future of Carmichael Outreach is one that is transparently informed by his time at Luther, his involvement at the University of Regina, and his background as a young Saskatchewan citizen. “Luther’s is a culture of inclusion—residence is an immediate, diverse community, the staff and instructors are so personable, and through courses like interdisciplinary studies there is a strong encouragement of broadmindedness. These are qualities that, while institutionalised at Luther, are also part of Saskatchewan’s identity. Our university’s motto emphasises service, our heritage is one of co-ops and credit unions. These speak to the enduring presence of different values, different responsibilities from other places.”

To hear Fraser put it, his task as a young person of the province of Saskatchewan is to reconnect people with these values and responsibilities, to connect those that follow him with those who have come before. “My goal with Carmichael is to leave it better than I found it. I want to share the burden of ownership here—a sense of responsibility for the community and a willingness to get involved in directing it has to be shared by many or things fall apart.”

For more information on Carmichael Outreach, visitnonprofits.accesscomm.ca/carmichael.outreach.


Painting a LegacyBy Mathew Block (U’10)

Some would define “legacy” as the impact you leave on your community after your passing. But for John and Monica Kurtz, co-founders of the Assiniboia Gallery, legacy is about making a difference in the present – a conviction born out of their love for God and neighbour.



“Faith is not just about what you say,” John explains, “it’s about what you do.” As Christ came “not to be served but to serve,” so too his followers must help others. As a result of this conviction, John and Monica have been active members in the Christian community for many years. Whether discussing John’s involvement with the Luther League in his younger days or his and Monica’s current membership at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, John and Monica demonstrate how their faith has had an obvious impact on their lives.

That faith has led the Kurtzes to support organisations in the wider community as well. They have been generous with both time and money in support of a variety of local educational, cultural and service organisations.

But while the Kurtzes have had a very visible impact on their community, they are quick to state that anyone, whatever their means, can leave a legacy. “It’s not just about money,” Monica explains. John similarly says that legacy is about serving as you are able – “doing what you can with what you have,” as he writes in his 2003 book Simplex Veritas: The Simple Truth. While not everyone has the same gifts and abilities, everyone can do something.

For John and Monica, that “something” that they can contribute has been their love for art and involvement in the art world. As founders of the Assiniboia Gallery, the Kurtzes have often donated artwork and funds from art sales, viewing that as a “natural” way for them to serve the community. John notes that there are other ways to build a legacy, such as through volunteer work, giving money, or simply influencing those around you as best you can. “Mothers,” he muses, “leave one of the most important legacies in how they raise their children.”

That legacy was certainly visible in the Kurtzes’ own son James

(HS’74, attended the university campus until ‘76). With his parents, James helped found the Assiniboia Gallery, serving as its president until his untimely death in 1996. Together with his parents, James used the gallery as a platform for serving others. Most notably, the Kurtz family worked to increase the visibility of First Nations artists and their work – a project which culminated in the creation of the Native Heritage Foundation of Canada in 1978.

Tragically, James passed away suddenly in April 1996. Even in the midst of their grief, John and Monica found ways to serve others. They wrote a book in memory of James, Treasured Moments, working with artists whose art had been featured in the Assiniboia Gallery. All proceeds from the sale of the book and the artwork featured in it were subsequently divided between four local organisations: Luther College, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, the Regina Symphony Orchestra, and the Saskatchewan Indian Federation College (now First Nations University of Canada). John and Monica further honoured James’ memory by establishing a Luther university campus scholarship for entering fine arts students.

In 2001, the Kurtzes made another significant gift to Luther in the form of the John and Monica Kurtz Art Legacy Gift – a donation of 23 pieces of art. The works were subsequently divided between the high school and university campuses, where they still hang today. Then president of Luther College Dr Richard Hodern noted at the reception ceremony that this gift was yet another example of the Kurtzes’ desire to serve God and neighbour. “John and Monica did not make this donation to gain recognition for themselves,” he said, “but [rather] to acknowledge the Glory of God and give a lasting gift to Luther College community past, present, and future.”

Above: James Kurtz takes time during a trip to Japan in 1990 to take in a baseball game. Centre: Proud parents John and Monica attend James’ convocation at the University of Western Ontario in 1982. James received a Master of Business Administration degree. Right: John and Monica Kurtz stand in the chapel at the University Campus surrounded by pieces from their 2001 Art Legacy Gift.


While financial gifts and artwork donations have been large elements of the Kurtzes’ community involvement, their service extends even futher. John worked with Luther’s first president in the 1950s to raise funds for the institution, and further served on the College’s Board of Regents from 1967-1975, and again in the 1990s. He has similarly been involved with such groups as the Regina Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Regina, having served as the latter’s president and been an active member with the organisation since 1955.

When it comes down to it, John explains, legacy is about asking yourself two simple questions: “What can you do for your community?” and “What can you do for someone else?” He concludes, “the ones who are remembered are the ones who give something back.”

One thing is certain: based on John’s own legacy criteria, the Kurtzes are among those who will be remembered a very long time indeed.

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Above: Don Watt working on his Ontario College of Art and Design chair design project in 1955. Right: The Arizona house that Watt designed, taken in July 2010.

Leaving a mark:


By Robin Markel (U’01)

Don Watt’s legendary designs

Most Luther College alumni are likely unaware that they have encountered one prominent Luther alumnus’ design creations while driving through urban commercial landscapes, shopping at the grocery store, or reading about Canada’s history of aerospace scientific development. The man standing behind these legendary designs is renowned graphic designer and Luther alum Don Watt (HS’53), who sadly passed away suddenly in December 2009 at the age of 73.


Watt, a visionary from an early age, knew he wanted to pursue an artistic career. There were obstacles: Watt was colour blind—he saw green as grey or brown, which, according to his daughter Peggy, made for some interesting drawings—and at the time Luther did not have art classes. However, as Watt’s first wife Val

Mund (attended Luther College High School

from ’51 to ’53) remembers, everyone “knew that Don was ‘the’ artist in the school.”

Indeed, Peggy Watt notes that Luther College High School played an important role in her father’s development and early career: “My dad was proud that he went to Luther, and my mother was proud she went to Luther, and I think that was a big part of my dad’s initial success.” Mund recalls Watt telling her on their second date that he was “going places.”

And go places he did. Immediately following his graduation from Luther College High School in 1953, Watt entered the Ontario

College of Art (now known as the Ontario College of Art and Design). He attended until 1957, when he was hired to do design work on the Avro Arrow. When the Canadian government controversially cancelled the Arrow project in 1959, an order was also issued to destroy any information relating to the project. However, as Peggy Watt sorted through her father’s files after his death late last year, she found a number of startling documents. She took them to Paul Cabot, manager and curator at the Canadian Air and Space Museum. Cabot gasped when he saw the plans. “He said until now they hadn’t known how the engines were attached in the fusilage of the Arrow,” Peggy Watt explains. Don Watt had also done four paintings for an Avro exhibition in 1958. Only two of the paintings have resurfaced since they were lost after the Avro project was scrapped.

Fast forward to 2009, when the legendary Avro Arrow and the renowned graphic designer meet again. A Canadian playwright, Doug Warwick, came across an old aviation book while doing research for his new musical, The Flying Avro Arrow. The book, Pioneers, Fighters, Bombers, Transports, Airliners, Bush Planes, Trainers,

This painting of the Avro Arrow was one of four that Watt created for an Avro exhibition in 1958. Two of those paintings have since been recovered after being lost and then sitting in storage for 35 years. They are now in the safekeeping of the Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto.


Others, was full of aviation history, complete with hand-drawn illustrations; the artist was a young Don Watt. When Warwick contacted Watt about his involvement with the publication, Watt responded the same day, agreeing to design some promotional material for the play. Watt passed away before Warwick’s musical was accepted for its debut at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2010. The Flying Avro Arrow website is one of hundreds of sites operated by businesses, professional organisations, schools, colleges, and arts groups to reproduce Watt’s obituary, in whole or in part.

Watt’s legacy is unmistakable, and the list of his contributions to Canada’s visual landscape is long. The family is looking into the possibility that Watt submitted a design of the Canadian flag for the country’s Centennial, one that looks remarkably similar to the official flag unveiled in December of 1964. Watt was also involved with the Canadian Pavilion at Expo ’67. In the 1970s, he created the global brand for Nestle and the Loblaw brand store design. In 1976 Watt developed perhaps his best-known work: the No-Name branding initiative with its bright yellow packaging and lower-case Helvetica font. The late ‘70s also saw the creation of the Home Depot

brand and store design. The 1980s were no less busy for Watt with the WalMart brand in the United States, the Equate pharmacy brand for WalMart, as well as the first premium retail brand – President’s Choice – for Loblaw’s in Canada. Though Watt sold his design firm, DW & Associates, in 1991, he continued his design work, creating the Great Value mid-price retail brand for WalMart in the US. Earlier this year he was honoured with a memorial of his work at the Ontario College of Art and Design. The event, which showcased decades of Watt’s work, was a veritable museum of modern design.

Reminders of the man pepper the urban landscape, from Home Depot’s orange roof on one side of any major Canadian city to the unmistakable image of WalMart on the other. But Watt is not only known for his work: he is also remembered for how he worked, and how he lived. A long book of online condolences following his passing is full of adjectives such as “inspirational,” “visionary,” “genuine,” “generous,” “gentlemanly,” and, most often, “brilliant.” Watt’s passing is a profound loss for many. Some lost a loving father, husband, family member, co-worker, associate, or friend. The rest of us lost a design legend and a great Canadian.

Top left: Watt’s oatmeal package concept drawing. Bottom left: Wall’s PetSmart storefront concept drawing. Right: Watt on the lawn in front of Luther College High School in 1954.


CELEBRATIONSCharles Anderson (U’03) has released his debut collection of poetry/artwork, Plum Stuff (8th House Publishing). Plum Stuff is a nine-part whimsical discourse which has been published under the pen name “Rolli”. Watch for the upcoming book tour!

Ronan Eustace (HS’99) graduated from the University of Victoria with honours in marine biology and is graduating from veterinary medicine school in 2010. He hopes to find work in the zoo veterinary field.

Paula Meeres (HS’70) has just retired after 38 years as an administrative assistant in two different law offices, and she now spends the summer months at her cottage.

Evelyn (Baade) Seymour (HS’70) finished her degree in fine arts (studio) at the University of Saskatchewan in 2005 and has now relocated to Powell River, BC. She married Joe Seymour last year.

Dianne Westcott (HS’71) recently retired from a career as a registered nurse. She notes that the highlight of her life is her children: daughter Erin teaches dance in Regina, and son Tyler is a pharmaceutical engineer in Seattle, WA. She notes, “I loved everything about Luther. Wouldn’t have traded those years for anything.”

UPDATESDena Allen (U’99) pursued a career in communications following graduation from Luther College at the University of Regina, and she is now stationed in Bangkok as the Asia Regional Communications Manager with Plan, an international children’s rights organisation that also conducts disaster response operations. Recently she went to Islamabad to support communications around the flood response and to organise incoming aid from other countries. An article on Allen’s work overseas appeared in the Regina Leader-Post’s “Arts and Life” section on 11 September 2010.

John Baker (HS’57) and wife Donna, and Elaine (née Schmeling)(HS’62) and husband Ewe Wasserman are all volunteer workers on the Bruce Trail, a 894-kilometre hiking trail from Queenstown Heights (where the Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario) to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. They are retired on the peninsula (which separates Lake Huron from Georgian Bay) and all are actively involved in the local Environmental Club. Elaine leads regular hikes on the trail, and the other three belong to a kayaking group. For more information, come for a visit!

Stephanie Balkwill (U’03) has won a Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, to be dispensed over the next three years, and she plans to enrol in the new doctoral-level certificate program in feminist research at McMaster University and use it to complement her previous research on early medieval Buddho-Daoist women’s medical rituals. She is travelling to Japan with Kevin Bond and a group of U of R religious studies undergraduate students this summer. Jason Cullimore (HS’90) has been working as a freelance composer in Regina. Projects have included film and television scores, a residency at the U of R New Music Festival, and a performance of his overture “Woodland Fables” by the full Regina Symphony Orchestra at a November 2009 concert. He has released an ambient/electronic album on iTunes and Amazon.com. He notes, “Life has taken me a long way away from the Queen’s University science labs that I studied in after graduating from Luther High School in 1990!” To listen to clips of Jason’s music, visit www.JasonCullimore.com.

Krista Fogel (U’10), who completed a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in psychology, is currently doing some photo work for a local women’s shelter. Her photography connects back to the honours work she completed under Dr Mary Hampton, professor of psychology at Luther.

While Krista is keeping her eyes peeled for more “stable” work, she is enjoying her photography work immensely. Visit www.fogelphotography.ca to see some of her photographic work.

Charlene Frehlick (U’10) returned to university for a second degree in 2001 after completing a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in 1988. She completed the Bachelor of Human Justice requirements almost completely as a distance student as she lives, works, and raises a family in Estevan.

Andrea Hoffman (U’10) has just returned from a one-year study abroad program in Ghana, which was arranged with Trent University. She had a marvelous experience and remains committed to her international focus and social justice work.

Steve Ioanidis (HS’82) is the principal of a public alternative Christian school and is married with five children. He is also a football and basketball coach.

D Annette (Strom) Johnson (HS‘90) returned to Regina after living overseas for 10 years, and she completed a PhD at the University of Saskatchewan (specialising in co-operative studies). She is now the lead sociology instructor at SIAST for the province of Saskatchewan.

Frank Knoch (HS’47) of Cardston, Alberta has published a new book, The Big Rescue: The Greenwood Forest Series, through PublishAmerica. Frank is a storyteller and a grandparent, which are two roles that he finds go well together. Growing up in rural Alberta gave him much inspiration, and his stories about life on the farm, the clever forest animals, and the beautiful rivers and trees hold great appeal for children of all ages. His hope is that everyone can have a taste of life near the Greenwood Forest and all the joy, lessons, and adventure that go with it.

Carla Laevens (HS’70) is presently living in Leader, SK. Husband Michael is the CEO of Sandhills Credit Union. She is presently working at a Hutterite Colony as an Educational Assistant, and she is also actively involved with figure skating in Saskatchewan, serving as the chair of skater development with Skate Canada-Saskatchewan. She is reportedly looking forward to retirement.

Chuck MacKinnon (HS’70) works in the oilfield as a nitrogen supervisor. He remembers, “Pastor C was the highlight of the school… Luther was an amazing experience on so many levels, and the thing that stands out even after all these years is the people. Great, great things done by great folks.”

Keith Murch (U’10), a former farmer, came to university to re-train after he found that agriculture was no longer viable. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics, and he is continuing his studies at U of R this fall in the Bachelor of Education After-Degree program.

Victoria Nelson (U’10) spent her final practicum in the Faculty of Arts’ human justice program in Zambia working with local farmers on food security issues. She was profiled in a recent UR Report, and on the U of R website. Vicky now works with the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation.

Arek Nicholson (U residence ’06-‘09) came to U of R from the Cayman Islands in 2006. His music teacher, a Luther College at the University of Regina alumna, strongly recommended Luther College and the music program at U of R. He was a residence assistant in the Luther residence from 2007 to 2009. During his time at Luther, Arek was a strong student leader in the Luther community and a great ambassador for the Caribbean.

Class notes


Rebecca Rackow (U’10) came to university in the 1990s, but left to raise a family. She returned when her youngest of four children was a toddler, completing her Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree in psychology this year.

Kim Sakundiak (HS’89; U’01), former director of the UR Women’s Centre, together with Sarah Pederson, are part of the Inhlase Project, a Saskatchewan-based initiative that collaborates with community members and grassroots organisations in Swaziland to address the growing concerns of children, youth and families affected by poverty and the HIV/AIDS crisis. The word “inhlase” means “spark” in the local language, siSwati. To learn more, visit inhlaseproject.wordpress.com.

Maximilian Schmeiser (HS’00) completed a PhD in economics in 2008 at Cornell University and began working as an assistant professor in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At UW he teaches courses in the personal finance major, and he is currently conducting research into how public policies impact the health status and economic wellbeing of vulnerable populations, with an emphasis on the issues of obesity, disability, and financial literacy. In April 2010 he was engaged to Laura Wesdell, whom he met shortly after moving to Madison, WI.

William Schwarz (HS’60) has added the Luther College website as a link on his Gallery site (www.kirkwoodwagnergallery.com). Stop by and have a look!

Molly Thomas (HS’05; U’10) began an assignment as a foreign correspondent with a news organisation in Kigali, Rwanda this fall. She was the recipient of the Ron Robbins Travelling Scholarship (U of R) and a CIDA Development Scholarship.

Pam (Husak) Tompor (HS’90) lives in Arizona, enjoys the sunshine there, and looks forward to seeing everyone at the next reunion! She notes, “I have such great memories of LIT and all of the excitement around it. Ah, the days of chapel, and of sometimes missing chapel… German class – ’Heute ist pomme frites tag’.”

Corinne (Seibel) Vogel (HS’60) and her husband Roger have dedicated over 34 years to providing a safe and loving home for over 104 abused and neglected children in foster care. The Vogels also have five biological children and six adopted children whom they fostered. At the eighth annual Gloria Hobson Nordin Social Equity Award luncheon, Roger and Corinne were honored by the Section on Democracy and Social Justice of the American Society for Public Administration as outstanding Foster Parents.

Bev (Blackburn) Wallace (HS’60) trained as a docent at the Calgary Zoo after retiring from the University of Calgary, and she was later offered a part-time job working in Volunteer Resources at the Zoo. She is reported to be greatly enjoying her second career.

IN MEMORIAMRoyce Karl Reichert (HS’52-’53), beloved husband of Darlene of Calgary, passed away at the High River Hospital with his family by his side on Sunday 18 October 2009 at the age of 71. Royce was inducted into the Saskatchewan Petroleum Industry Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2007, he received an honourary lifetime membership in the Canadian Association of Oil Drilling Contractors. Royce is survived by his wife, two children, two grandchildren, two sisters and one brother.

John Wettstein (HS’35) passed away on 8 July 2009 at the age of 93 years. An active member of the Lutheran community, John became founding director of the Regina Lutheran Home in 1964, and in 1973 became the founder and managing director of Martin Luther Nursing Home Inc. He was predeceased by his wife Martha as well as his parents, two brothers, four sisters and one grandson. He will be lovingly remembered by his four children and their families.

Were you there when this photo was taken? Share fond menories of your time at Luther and let us know what you’re up to these days by submitting a class notes update to [email protected].

Please visit The Luther

Story online to view

a list of lost alumni.

Remember, for

submitting information

on a lost alum, we will

enter your name into

a draw for a piece of

Lutherwear!

www.luthercollege.edu/

lostalumni

During his time at Luther College High School, Mac

Hird (HS’07) was known as a gifted and involved student. Now that he is a university

student at the University of Texas at Dallas, Mac is

taking what he learned at Luther to the next level and

serving as a proud Luther ambassador wherever he

goes. Read more about Mac’s post-secondary adventures at www.luthercollege.edu/

lutherstory.

Web exclusive

Top: Hird places a poppy at the Villanova Canadian War Cemetery in Ravenna, Italy.

Bottom: Hird is hard at play in the physics lab at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Mac Hird on giving

back


By Barbara Woolsey (HS’07)

INSIDE

Shawn FraserJohn & Monica Kurtz

Don WattMac Hird

And more…

Legacies Issue

L U T H E R C O L L E G E

N E W S

F A L L 2 0 1 0 / W I N T E R 2 0 1 1

R E G I N A C A N A D A

ContributorsJennifer Arends (U’02) is editor of The Luther Story and manager of alumni relations, development and communications at Luther’s university campus. After studying English and religious studies as a Luther undergraduate, she went on to complete a Master’s degree in English at the U of R. Jennifer recently returned from a pilgrimage in Spain, where she and her partner Justin Messner (U’02) walked the 800-kilometer-long medieval route to Santiago de Compostela.

Matthew Block (U’10) graduated in the spring of 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in English with a minor in classical studies, and a second Bachelor of Arts (honours) in linguistics. In an effort to catch his breath after a whirlwind final semester at the U of R, he took the summer to spend time on the family farm, go camping, do some writing, and learn anew what it means to read for pleasure (and not just for classwork).

Lecina Hicke (U’10) is the manager of alumni relations, development and communications at Luther College High School. Having completed her degree in English earlier this year (the majority of it via independent studies), Lecina now enjoys having “spare time” …on the weekends. Lecina values many aspects of her job, but has a special appreciation for getting to know the many proud Luther College alumni at events such as the annual Homecoming and Golf Classic.

Robin Markel (U’01) completed a Master of Arts in English at the University of Regina in 2007. She has been an employee of the University of Regina since 2001 and is currently the Program Coordinator, Credit Certificate Programs at the Centre for Continuing Education. Robin has a busy two-and-a-half-year-old boy who keeps her out of trouble and on her toes.

Benjamin Salloum (U’07) holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Luther College at the University of Regina, as well as a Master’s degree in English from the U of R. Since graduating with his MA, he has taught English as a sessional at Luther’s university campus. Ben and his wife Johanna Fry (HS’03) have a passion for travelling, music, and combining those two interests whenever possible.

Faye Wickenheiser is a fourth-year Luther Arts (university campus) student whose goal is to complete her studies with a double major in English and religious studies. After a brief hiatus from school while working in the U of R’s Cooperative Education Program, Faye is overjoyed to once again be a contributor to The Luther Story.

Barbara Woolsey (HS’07) is a fourth-year Luther College at the University of Regina student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a minor in political science. She has previously worked for the Regina Leader-Post and the Carillon, and she has acted as a freelance writer for What If? and Sasquatch magazines. As this year’s recipient of the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership Fellowship, she is currently completing a three-month internship reporting at the Bangkok Post in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Luther Story onlineLuther alumni can now access more features online! Visit www.luthercollege.edu/lutherstory to view the current issue, read the bits & bites section, and access a feature article not available in the print version of the magazine!

If you prefer to read The Luther Story online and no longer wish to receive a printed version, email us at [email protected].

The Luther Story is distributed by Canada Post under publication mail agreement number 40065736

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

The Luther Story c/o Luther College high school1500 Royal Street Regina, SK S4T 5A5 email: [email protected]

luther story fall 2010 / winter 2011

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