1980s

Trish Cryer Loeblein ’81 and Walt Loeblein ’83 retired as high school teachers. They had also been supporting students and staff with technology. They noted that the “terrific teachers in the chemistry department inspired us to be teachers.” The couple resides in Colorado.

Dirck Clark ’85, formerly chief strategy officer for Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri, was named president of MPact Health, a multi-state collaborative network between Mercy,  University of Missouri Health Care and Mosaic Life Care. Clark serves as board chair of the Missouri Western Board of Governors and as board chair of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.

Cathy (Malone) Echterling ’87 was named 2014 REALTOR Salesperson of the Year by the St. Joseph Regional Association of REALTORS. She is an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Stein & Summers Real Estate.

Steve Ridpath ’87, a certified public accountant, self-published a book of 47 poems, “A Walk Through Life: Poems of Virtue.” The book contains photos taken by Ridpath, as well.

1990s

Brian ’93 Mills has been a certified hand therapist at the University of Kansas Hospital Sports Medicine for the past 15 years. This season, he is working with the Kansas City Chiefs, focusing on wrist injuries, so he attended the Chiefs Summer Training Camp on campus.

2000s

Jennifer (Sandvoss) Wessler ’00 is senior graphic designer-public affairs at Washington University in St. Louis.

Nic Sikora ’03 and his wife, Andrea, announce the birth of a daughter, Rosalin Louise, born Jan. 14, 2015. She joins three older brothers, Alvin, Griffin and Franklin.

Jason ’01 and Brooke (Atha)’05 Bell announce the birth of a daughter, Atley Rose, born Jan. 19, 2015. She joins a sister, Jasey Lené. Jason is a police officer at Missouri Western.

Stephanie (Watkins) Paasch ’01 is assistant vice president, business development officer for the St. Louis market of Providence Bank.

Drew Phillips ’02 was honored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Heartland in St. Louis. Phillips is associate campus minister at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina and former chaplain at the Christian Activity Center in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Melody Grier-Shaw ’04 and her husband, Sydney, announce the birth of a daughter, Melana Emeline Shaw, born March 22, 2015.

Shanna (Carl) Heard ’05 is a senior office support assistant for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Amelia (Urich) ’07 and Frank ’07 Schachtsiek announce the birth of a son, Evan Frank, born May 4, 2015.

Barbara (Meyer) Spencer ’08 and her husband, Clint, announce the birth of their daughter, Audrey Sue, born April 7, 2015. She joined a brother, C.J., and sister, Frankie. PHOTO

Sarah Watkins ’09 married Matthew Henderson in 2010. In November 2012, a son was born, and in February 2014, they welcomed a daughter.

Chaz Hoskins ’09 self-published a young adult book, “Shadows of a Mystical Frontier: Trials of Lightning and Fire.” It’s the first volume in a series. A link to the Facebook page is facebook.com/MysticalFrontier?fref=ts.

Jenna (Hudson) Stevens ’09 and her husband, Brent, announce the birth of a daughter, Madelyn Grace, born Feb. 15, 2015. PHOTO

 2010s

Emily (Boller) ’10 and Lee ’10 Murdock announce the birth of a son, Finnegan Lee, born May 11, 2014.

Brian Turner ’10 is director, Patient Administration Division at the Lyster Army Health Clinic, Ft. Rucker, Alabama. He earned an MBA from Oklahoma State University in 2014.

Amanda (Johnson) ’12 and Travis ’13 Hart work for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Amanda is an immigration services officer and Travis is a management and program analyst.

Alumni win Addy Awards

 Four graphic design alumni were recognized at the 2015 Kansas City American Advertising Federation Addy Awards.

Brandon Todd ’06 and his team at Bic Media won a Gold Addy for “Gotta Get a Cool Jingle” animation. He was responsible for the art direction, design and animation. Todd was also part of the creative team (animator) for Trepoint Agency who won two Gold Addys.

Katie (Roebling) Pearson ’11 won three Addys. She and her creative team won two Gold Addys for their integrated campaign and website of “Potassium Replenish Campaign.” Roebling Pearson, who is a junior art director at Salva O’Renick, was responsible for the logo and graphics. The team also won a Silver Addy for “Yorbit: NASA Space Apps Challenge,” and Roebling Pearson was in charge of art direction.

Dana Rudolph ’11 and her creative team at Hallmark won a Gold KC Addy Award for Publication Design with their work, “5 Point Zine.” Rudolph is an adjunct art instructor at Missouri Western and a senior graduate student at the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Jeremy Todd ’13, under the creative direction of Ingred Sidie, Michelle Sondregger and Nathanial Cooper at Design Ranch, won a Gold Addy and Best in Show in the Illustration category for the “Unicorn Theater 2014 Poster Series.”

In Memory

We honor those who have passed away. If you want to include someone in this listing, please call (816) 271-5651, mail the information to Diane Holtz, Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email holtz@missouriwestern.edu.

Mary K. Dale, St. Joseph, Missouri, March 6, 2015. Dale was retired from Missouri Western.

Geraldine G. Lazarus ’40, Coral Gables, Florida, April 11, 2015.

Gregory Scott Lewis ’81, Aurora, Missouri, March 20, 2015.

Jack Kenneth Shaw II ’78, Haddonfield, New Jersey, May 4, 2015.

James M. Taylor ’76, Maysville, Missouri, Feb. 23, 2015.

George A. Thompson Jr. ’37, Overland Park, Kansas, April 10, 2015.