Sunday, August 22nd “60 Minutes” will re-run an episode on Dave and his connection with the Morton High School Lady Potters basketball team. An audience of 5-6 million viewers is expected.
Dave Kindred ’63
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Author Archives: Brenda Milcik
Bob Ward ’60
Bob Ward ’60 was showcased as one of three local artists who who seized the opportunity to reach within themselves and use their talents to create artwork. His work was featured in the Union Museum of Art and History exhibit, titled Art in the Time of Coronavirus. It showed the work of artists who created these pieces exclusively during the 2020 Pandemic. See more here.
Elizabeth Holmes ’62
Elizabeth Holmes ’62 of Austin, Texas, died March 28, 2021. She was 81. Elizabeth earned bachelor’s degrees in English and speech at Illinois Wesleyan, where she graduated as salutatorian and was active in many campus groups and organizations. After her time at IWU, she pursued graduate studies at the University of Chicago and University of Texas before ultimately earning a master’s degree in library and information services from the University of Rhode Island. She was a high school English teacher in Illinois, taught graduate level courses in New Hampshire, owned a bookstore in Texas, and worked as a librarian for over four decades. She enjoyed writing and published a book of haikus. She employed her storytelling ability to bring children and literature together. She loved people, books, conversation and her family. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren, a brother, the father of her children, Warren Townsend ’63, and many cousins, including Anne Foster Nott ’65.
Family invite friends to share memories of Ms. Holmes on a tribute wall set up through https://austinnaturalfunerals.
Dianne (Smith) Williamson ’62
Dianne (Smith) Williamson ’62 of Bloomington, Illinois, died Oct. 16, 2020. She was 80. Dianne majored in theatre at Illinois Wesleyan. She worked as publisher and editor of Bloomington-Normal Magazine, was a copywriter for WJBC and WBNQ radio stations, and retired from Illinois State University as events coordinator. Dianne was honored as the League of Women Voters of McLean County’s “Leaguer of the Year,” was named McLean County United Way “Volunteer of the Year” and was a McLean County YWCA Women of Distinction nominee. She was active in all three organizations for many years. Dianne and her husband had a passion for travel that began when they lived in Ireland for a year. Dianne was many things to many people, but a friend to all. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. You will find her full obituary here.
Judith (Gilmore) Kirby ’62
Judith (Gilmore) Kirby ’62 of Frankfort, Illinois, died Aug. 7, 2020. She was 80. Judy earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at Illinois Wesleyan, where she was also active in Sigma Kappa, Delta Omicron and other musical groups. She went on to a 35-year career as a music teacher at Western Avenue Elementary School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she led musicals, Christmas concerts and variety shows. She also directed choir at Flossmoor Community Church. In her final days at a care facility, her former students sang for her — mostly through virtual means, over cell phones and laptop computers — from outside her window. Judy’s former students’ tribute to their elementary school teacher was featured in a segment on Chicago’s WGN Evening News.
Gayle Bruch Rein ’62
Gayle Bruch Rein, BA IWU 1962 and MA in Expository Writing from U. Iowa. After retiring from teaching composition and literature for 30 years at Geneseo High School and Black Hawk College, she began a new career researching, writing, and giving Power Point programs about local history. In 2004 she wrote a chapter in the history book Grand Excursions on the Upper Mississippi River (U of Iowa Press) about 19th century logging in Wisconsin and the rafting of logs to Upper Mississippi River sawmills.
In 2020, she (age 80) published Artist Edwin Willard Deming, A Biography (1860–1942 : From Childhood a Passion to Paint Native American Traditions. Growing up on a Geneseo, IL prairie farm, he became acquainted with Winnebago children, whose families in the winter came down from Wisconsin to hunt and fish near the Deming farm. This experience influenced him to dedicate his life to capturing in his art Native American Indian traditions. In addition to the Sioux, Crow, and Blackfeet, his friends included artist Fredrick Remington and President Theodore Roosevelt.
Wayne Grove ’62
Wayne Grove ’62 of Morris, Illinois, died Aug. 8, 2019. He was 79. Wayne was a member of Phi Gamma Delta at Illinois Wesleyan, where he also played football and baseball. Wayne taught in Cleveland and Le Roy, Illinois, prior to a banking career. He was an elder at the Presbyterian Church in Princeton, Illinois, and later a deacon at First Presbyterian Church of Morris. He served in the Army National Guard of Illinois, from 1966-68, and the U.S. Army Reserve, from 1968-72. He was a 50-year member of the AF & AM Lodge 534, Valley of Bloomington Scottish Rite and Mohammed Shrine of Peoria, Illinois. He was an avid supporter of his grandchildren’s athletic endeavors and took pleasure in hunting and fishing. He is survived by his wife Linda (Wilson) Grove ’65, two daughters, including Jennifer (Grove) Heinsius ’89, three grandsons and four siblings.
(Peter) Bryan Olofson ’66
A memorial service for (Peter) Bryan Olofson ’66 will be held Sunday, June 30th at Wesley United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. in Bloomington, IL.
Quita Verban Shier ’60 at IWU
Quita Verban Shier ’60 will present on selected individuals from the 140 Native Americans she researched for her book Warriors in Mr. Lincoln’s Army: Native American Soldiers Who Fought in the Civil War on Monday, Feb. 11 at The Ames Library’s Beckman Auditorium from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m.
1960-1967 Golden Titans Reunion Invitation
Join Golden Titan Club members for dinner and cocktails.
Cocktail hour starts at 6:00 pm, and dinner begins at 6:30 pm.
New Venue:
Redbird A and C, Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 201 Broadway Ave., Normal
$35 registration fee for non-IWU alumni guests
You may register here or you may call 888-498-2586.
All alumni from the classes from the 1930’s – 1967 are welcome.