Dr. Stephen Ondra ’80 is the new chief medical adviser for MITRE’s work as operator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Alliance to Modernize Healthcare federally funded research and development center. Congrats!
Peter Haas ’88, the new U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, has arrived in Dhaka, the country’s capital city. Congratulations on this new endeavor, Peter!
Richard Koenig ’89 has recently achieved the urban planning profession’s highest honor by being named to the prestigious American Institute of Certified Planners College of Fellows for his outstanding achievements in urban planning. Congratulations Richard!
Robert Donalson died Dec. 22, 2021. He was 87. Bob was a professor in Illinois Wesleyan’s School of Music for 30 years; he retired in 1994 with emeritus status. Bob felt the call to become an educator while serving in the U.S. Army in a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War. He obtained a master’s degree at San Jose State University and a doctorate at the University of Colorado Boulder. He began his teaching career at Pepperdine University before landing at IWU. Bob loved beauty in all its forms — nature, art and poetry among them — but music was his emotional home. He was active in religious life and often shared his gift of music in the church. Bob was always learning and educated himself on subjects ranging from theology and philosophy, to computer science and financial investing, to home repair and carpentry. He enjoyed traveling, sports, his cats and, most of all, his family. He is survived by his wife, five children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Bob’s Celebration of Life will be held on February 12 at 1 p.m. CST and will be live-streamed at christlutheranchurchffg.org.
Vic Wagner ’86 just shared news of his retirement as Vice President of BAE Systems (one of the world’s largest engineering firms). Congratulations, Vic!
Frank Vlastnik ’87 is co-author of a new showcase of the life and work of the renowned designer to the stars, The Art of Bob Mackie, which includes a foreword by Carol Burnett and an afterword by Cher. You can read the full write up about his book here.
Michael Mason ’80, retired FBI executive assistant director, is pitching in to combat a bus driver shortage in Chesterfield County Public Schools. He has enthusiastically started a “second career” as a school bus driver. You can read the article here.
Produced by Bill Damaschke ’85, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” dominated the pandemic-delayed Tony Awards with 10 awards, including Best Musical. View the full list of winners here.
Lynn Lupo ’81 is the lead vocalist for Heartless, a Heart tribute band, which played September shows at the Phoenix Band Shell in Delavan, Wisconsin, The Wharf in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Septemberfest in Schaumburg, Illinois. Lynn has over 30 years of experience in musical performance, including a 12-year run fronting the cover band, Phoenix. Here is the link to the Heartless website.
Timothy Ruegg ’82 of Seward, Nebraska, died Sept. 12, 2021. He was 61. Tim earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at Illinois Wesleyan and a master’s degree in church music from Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a trombonist and composer/arranger for Strategic Air Command Band and Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, and was deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. After his military career, he dedicated himself full-time to ministry and served on the staff of colleges and churches in California, Oklahoma and Washington. He had served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Seward since 2005. He also worked at Walmart in Seward for 15 years. Tim loved his community and enjoyed opportunities to play in and conduct the Seward Municipal Band and the University-Community Band. He is survived by his wife Peggy (Miller) Reugg ’82, 13 children, 19 grandchildren, mother and four siblings.