Have you recently celebrated a wedding, baby, new job, promotion, or honor? Been published, moved into a new home, or welcomed a grandchild? Share your news with the CSU alumni family by submitting a class note. Approved class notes will be published here and in CSU Magazine.
1950s
Joe Motheral (B.S., ’58) has retired from engineering after practicing for almost 40 years including 28 years overseas in Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. He has worked as a freelance writer for small-town newspapers and local magazines and wrote a children’s book entitled Curly the Llama as well as Northern Virginia Luminaries to be released April, 2023. Motheral met his wife at CSU and they’ve been married for 64 years. They live together in Leesburg, Virginia, where they are heavily involved in family life. Motheral has had the privilege of attending CSU alumni functions and baseball reunions in Fort Collins. He played baseball as a pitcher for three years and has many fond memories of CSU.
1960s
Quentin “Dell” Isham (M.A., ’69) spent a life of public service in Oregon and South Carolina. Dell served as state senator and mayor on the Oregon coast; chaired the State Transportation Committee and was senate majority leader; became the first manager of the Devils Lake Water Improvement District; was the chief petitioner to establish the Oregon Lottery; and was the executive director of both the Oregon Dental Hygienists’ Association and the South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club. In South Vietnam he was awarded the Bronze Star as a local government advisor. After returning from Vietnam he taught history and government at the high school level and coached championship wrestling teams before being elected to the state senate. Dell Isham is the author of seven books of history and historical fiction.
1970s
Kent Deitemeyer (B.S., ’70) is co-owner and joint managing partner of Pacificvet Limited, his animal health and veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Christchurch, New Zealand. They are currently celebrating 30 years of service to the livestock industry in the South Pacific region. He has spent 46 years in the international animal health industry having lived in Asia, Europe, and Australia before settling down in New Zealand in 1992. Kent is actively involved with the New Zealand government’s endangered native avian species recovery programme, where he donates vaccine and technical advice. He holds an MBA from Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and a master’s in Applied Science in Immunology (distinction) from Lincoln University (NZ).
Barbara Burgess (M.S., ’73) recently published a children’s book called My Horse With A Pink Bow. The story is about an energetic Grandma named Nana B, who can no longer play with the kids as before, due to a one-year journey through breast cancer treatments. Through a child’s eyes, the grandkids wondered if her hair would ever grow back. The book stimulates discussion about cancer treatments, side effects of medicine, and gives hope that things can return to normal and be fun again. The book is illustrated by her son, Joel Burgess.
Rudy Carey (B.A., ’74) recently became Colorado’s all-time leader in career wins, notching his 877th win coaching his high school alma mater, Denver East, to a 93-60 win over Palmer High School (Colorado Springs). Coach Carey has coached for more than 40 years inspiring both the young people and the community.
Margaret Mizushima (M.S., ’75), an award-winning novelist, will celebrate the release of Standing Dead, the latest installment of the critically-acclaimed Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series, in March. Mizushima previously served as president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected 2019 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Active in the writing community, she also belongs to Sisters in Crime, Women Writing the West, and Northern Colorado Writers. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado to a home in the Pacific Northwest.
Ailene McManus (B.S., ’76) returned to Colorado after nearly 40 years in Southern California taking up residence in nearby Windsor. They are looking forward to campus events.
1980s
Michael Hannigan (B.S., ’86) and Becca Hannigan recently moved from Bellingham, Washington to Galway, Ireland. Michael started at ÉireComposites in the role of senior aerospace engineer.
Steve Moos (B.S., ’87) began a new position as Executive Director for the Breckenridge Film Festival in August, 2022 after spending six years as the high school programming director for the festival. He retired in June, 2022 after 30 years as an educator in Colorado. He spent 23 years as a business and video production teacher, varsity basketball coach, and FBLA sponsor in Steamboat Springs and Hayden. He spent the last seven years as the career and technical education director for the Thompson school district in Loveland.
1990s
David Ridpath (B.A., ’90) was promoted to full professor with tenure in September as a professor of sports administration in the college of business at Ohio University. Ridpath has been at Ohio University since 2006 and tries to catch the Rams athletic teams any time they are east of the Mississippi.
2000s
Jennifer Jelinek (B.S., ’00) has been elected to the board of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) as the president of the Colorado chapter following two exceptional decades of interior design working with homeowners on luxury interior projects. As president of ASID Colorado and owner of JJ Interiors, Jelinek looks to lead the next group of design professionals in making a difference and enhancing the human experience within the built environment.
Rachael Coffren (B.A., ’06) went on to pursue a master’s degree in art therapy from Naropa University and now has a private practice located in her Old Town art studio, where she continues to support students from afar. She appreciates Gary Voss for encouraging her throughout her journey and loves CSU for providing the foundation for all that she has accomplished. She still maintains the friendships she formed at CSU, and those close friends have been her true companions as she has navigated many life chapters.
2010s
Melisa Panagakos (B.A., ’10) of nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. has been elevated to principal. Melisa is an attorney in the firm’s Denver office and represents public and private employers in labor and employment law matters.
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In Memoriam
1940s
Doreen Warfield (B.S., ’46)
1950s
David Roberts (B.S. ’55)
Neola Lewis (B.S., ’56)
Marlene Norberg (B.M., ’57)
Bill Ward III (B.S., ’57) Read more
Bill Webster (B.S., ’57, ’14)
1960s
John Mari (B.S., ’60)
Gerald Olson (M.Ed., ’63)
Dr. Jeff Sherrill (B.S., ’63)
William Jackson (B.S., ’65)
James Roper (B.S., ’65)
Richard Seaman (B.S., ’68; Ph.D., ’75)
Floyd Kerr (B.A., ’69; M.Ed., ’76) Read more
1970s
Della Laura (M.S., ’70; Ph.D., ’74)
John Palmer (B.S., ’71)
Alexander Sena (M.A.T., ’71)
Michael Berg (B.A., ’72)
Barbara Hyde Boardman (B.S., ’72; M.S., ’77) Read more
Michael O’Malley (B.S., ’72)
Jean Sutherland, Ph.D. (M.A., ’72)
James Bolding (B.S., ’73)
Jerry Rose (Ph.D., ’73)
Robin Williams (B.M., ’75)
Bruce Imfeld (B.S., ’77)
Bill Beck (Ph.D., ’78)
Kenneth Blonski (M.S., ’78)
Scott Jackson (B.S., ’78)
1980s
Berton Borgmann (B.A., ’81; M.Ed., ’83)
David Mayhoffer (B.S., ’82)
Lisa Rowland (B.S., ’82)
Katherine Knez (B.S., ’83)
Chris Elder (B.S., ’85)
JJ Johnson (M.B.A., ’86; Ph.D., ’95)
Daryl Peitz (M.Ed., ’89)
1990s
Rob Bennetts (M.S., ’91)
William Baird III (M.S., ’93)
Douglas Bullock (B.S., ’93)
2000s
Christina Paguyo (B.A., ’01; M.Ed., ’07)
Ryan Donovan (M.S., ’07)
2010s
Colin Heffern (B.S., ’10)
Emily Kincaid (B.S., ’11)
2020s
Samuel J. Fisher (B.S., ’21)
Mitchell Russell (M.N.R.S., ’22)
Friends
John Borman Jr.
Marise Brink
Colleen Cassell
Jan Crews
Ed Fiscus
Linda Neal
Rosamary Weinmeister
Attended
Christopher Flores
Patricia Hein
