Classmate Profiles
Instructions: Hello, Classmate! Our once-in-a-lifetime GOLDEN class reunion is coming soon, and your classmates hope to see you in August! Even if you aren't able to join us, please share below about your after-high school life (~350 words), favorite high school memory/ies, and include a current photo of just you, with your face and hair - or lack thereof. And although your contact information won't be visible on this website, your classmates can contact you via email by clicking on "send [name] a message" link at the bottom of each classmate's profile. Enjoy reading the profiles!
One classmate per profile. To change your profile click Log in. Username = your email.
Lisa Ladd
| Marital status: | Married |
|---|---|
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Retired Nurse |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I feel like I'm writing an obituary. I wasn't tech savvy the past two reunions, so I didn't get anything written. I'm healthy and still alive after 50 years from graduation. I've lived mainly in Ames since then. I've been married for 20 years to David Michael, DVM, from Elkhart, IA. He recently retired from the former named swine research unit at the National Animal Disease Center. We both came from small families. We met doing Scottish country dancing. Yes, David has a kilt that he wears. Our group was performing at the Iowa Scottish Heritage Society banquet. He proposed by kneeling on one knee as he was singing Robert Burns poem "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose." I have a B.S. degree from I.S.U. in Family Services major, Family Environment department (is no more) which was in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. I also graduated from nursing school. My calling is nursing. I'm semi-retired from the Ames branch of ChildServe now, due to low census since COVID. I have worked in a hospital, long term care, at a camp, home health care, and hospice. I also cared for my parents; George and Marlys Ladd. I won the employee of the month award. The play "Farmer's Song the Musical" was written by Iowan Joe Hynek. It was about the highs and lows of farming during the 1980's farm crisis. It was selected for the N.Y.C. Fringe Festival. Our off-off-Broadway site was at the N.Y. School of Drama in Greenwich Village. David played the retiring farmer whose daughter married a farmer. I ran the top of the line $50,000 Cadillac lightboard. It malfunctioned twice. We also took a group tour to Italy and Sicily following some of the steps of St. Paul. We enjoy traveling. I'm involved with Boone Community Theatre as a board member, as well as on and off stage. I enjoy singing and have been in Ames Choral Society for 20+ years. I enjoy needlework, estate and rummage sales, the theatre, and arts, reading, as well as being involved with Collegiate UMC and the Democratic party. |
| Share a high school memory: | At lunch period I remember rushing to my locker in the far north hallway. I dropped off my books from the morning and grabbed my afternoon ones. I hurried to wash my hands and then headed to the cafeteria. I went through the food line, found a seat, quickly ate my food, and then rushed to class. Sometimes after doing this, I felt like I had a lump in my stomach. Maybe that is why I now eat slowly. |
Dan Lambert
| State / Province: | AZ |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | Attended ISU in Hotel and Restaurant Mgt. Left in 1978 with a quarter to go after we were told we would not be guaranteed any jobs. I was already managing 300 apartments.in town and married so I left. Hired as a Mgr trainee for Hardee's and promoted to Mgr in 3 months. Ran both the South duff and Campustown location. Heard Ratliff Potato Donuts was for sale. It was doing 50 dozen donuts a day and in 6 weeks we were doing 1000 dozen.donuts a day. In 83 a customer dropped his card on the counter and told.me "I was heading to an early grave, walk away, take 6 months off and call him". Being newly dlvorced I did just that. Became Food and Beverage director of the Beumont Civic center in Beumont, Texas. At.that time I oversaw 17 buildings and had 750 employees. Soon I was coming to Cyclone Stadium for all the games and Rock shows then all.over the country covering 26000 miles in 6 weeks. Took the garbage out one day to throw it in.the dumpster. Discovered 2 of my employees sleeping. After a discussion discovered they were in school and hadn't seen their parents in months. Became their guardian at 25. One of them got a Basketball scholoarship.to Okie State and played in the NBA the other is still working as distribution Mgr for Coca Cola in Beumont. Decide to go home and Change.my major to.Pre K Kindergarten Special Ed. Married Shelly in 1986. She had 2 kids. Started back to school in 92. Cancer in 93. Remission in 93. Robbie born in 95. Graduated in 97. Housefìre in 98. Ran a day care and preschool in Stratford. Sold Insurance for 5 years, delivered bread for Wonder Hostess until they went belly up. Was named Scouting Ministry and Youth se erving coordinator the for the Iowa United Methodist conference and laison to Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, Campfire, Big Brothers and Big sisters and 4H and laison to 850 Methodist churches in Iowa.Tore up my shoulder 2010 and had a heart attack 2012. Moved to AZ in 2015 and started teaching. Strep put me into ICU for 5 days. Blood clot went through the lung a couple years . Later.We foster dogs and have had 720 dogs get adopted since 2015. Had a ladder buckle under me in 2021 fractured 4 ribs fractured scapula, punctured lung and 9 vertebrae.Back to work in 3 weeks wearing a back brace for 3 months. We sit on the board of directors of a couple organizations in town a are planning a 15000 gallon Koi pond to go with the 2000 gallon Turtle an aquaponic garden. I am sure I have missed some things. People tell us we need to write a book that we have done enough living for 9 couples. Play in a local band made up of educators. But that is it for now. |
| Share a high school memory: | Senior Talent show with the Jive Five. |
Roger Landers
| State / Province: | OR |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Physician (Hospital Pathologist) |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | After high school, I attended Iowa State for two years prior to taking a break from college and wandering through Europe with a backpack and Eurail pass in the company of Andy Haviland. I transferred to the university of Iowa upon my return and remained there through medical school (same class as Lenny Griffen). I met my wife, Karen, there. We did our residencies at the university of Utah and then moved to Helena, Montana for my first "real" job. After five years there, it was Karen's turn to take the career lead, so we moved to Salem, Oregon where she served as the Marion County health officer for twenty-seven years. I worked at a number of hospital laboratories in central and western Oregon. We retired in 2018 and now spend our time on seven acres of woodland which we actively garden and landscape. Think rhododendrons. |
| Share a high school memory: | I had the privilege to be a good friend of Jeff Brown. I spent hours with him riding shot gun through the country roads and cornfields of central Iowa giving me the opportunity to observe Jeff in action firsthand. Jeff was the editor of our senior yearbook and there could not have been a better choice. He had an amazing ability to relate to just about anybody no matter which clique you might have been in. Whether you were a gearhead, Jesus freak, jock or thespian, Jeff could engage you in a friendly exchange that left everyone a little happier. I like to think that Jeff socialized me with his example. I was devastated by the news of his premature death. This reunion will be bittersweet for me because, while we will rollick in the memories of the good times, we will also mourn the loss of our classmates like Jeff who never reached their potential and can no longer celebrate with us. |
Diane Lang (Bruin)
| State / Province: | IA |
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| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Teacher/retired |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | After graduating in ‘74, I went to Iowa State where I roomed with Robin Warren in the dorm our freshman year. We had a lot of fun. I graduated in 1978. Chris Lang (who moved to Ames our senior year from Cedar Falls) and I dated through college and got married in 1983. We moved to Des Moines and have been in several different homes,but have remained here for the duration. I taught kindergarten at a catholic elementary school here in Des Moines for more years than I care to count, but collected many friends and memories along the way. I retired about ten years ago and now enjoy my own free time to exercise, go to coffee and/or lunch with friends, Bunko etc. Chris joined me in retirement several years ago and we truly enjoy spending more unstructured time together. We have two daughters. Katy, who graduated from Creighton University and the University of Iowa Law School. And Jaime, who also graduated from Creighton and also went to grad school at the U of I, earning her doctorate in Physical Therapy. Katy and her husband Greg blessed us with three grand-daughters, Mabel (7), Greta (4), and Vivian (21/2). Jaime and her husband Scott, blessed us with two grand-sons, Jack (2) and Charlie (4 mo). They all live in the Des Moines metro and so a large majority of our free time is occupied spending time with their families and our beautiful five grands. I will say that growing older is challenging in many ways, but being a Grammy and a Papa tops the charts for being retirees. Some of you know that I lost my twin sister Karin, in 2020. She had suffered a stroke in prior years and was unable to work with her declining mobility and health. We tried to support her as much as possible with frequent visits to Tulsa, OK where she lived. Karin was a hard-working, adventurous and creative woman. She loved cats and dogs and cared for many that were lucky enough to cross her path. I miss Karin in so many small and large ways. She could remember details from our childhood and high school years that I truthfully had long forgotten. If you were a friend of hers (and she treasured friends) please take a moment and think of her during this fifty year reunion. Thank you to the reunion committee, your commitment to our class of ‘74 is so appreciated. |
| Share a high school memory: | There are too many to share just one. Winning the state b-ball tourney our junior year, the UN/New York City trip our junior year (that bus ride!), a small group of us taking a charter trip through ISU to London England our senior year with Dave and Beth Fleming as our chaperones, being a Bat Girl for the baseball team the summer of ‘78. I still have friends that laugh when I say I was a “Bat Girl” but it sure was fun following that team around that summer after graduating. But most importantly, the circle of friends that I grew up with and grew to love from fifth grade at Fellows until graduating in ‘74. |
Chris Lang
| State / Province: | IA |
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| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Grandpa/retired Sales |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I went to Grand View College for 2 years and played baseball and studied a little, then off to ISU, played pickup basketball at the state gym and studied (again when time allowed). I worked at the DM YMCA for 8 years, then for Dale Carnegie Training for 7 years and capped off my career with 23+ years in sales with Zirous, Inc. an IT Consulting firm. I married my best friend and former bat girl, Diane Bruin in 1983. We’ve lived in the Des Moines area since. We raised 2 fantastic daughters who married good men and gave us 3 granddaughters and 2 grandsons. Both families live within 10 minutes of us, and we get to see them, babysit the kids, pick some of the kids up from school and since they’re ages 4 mo., 2 yrs., 2.5 years, 4.5 years and 7 years, they still like us and enjoy spending time with us. As they say, “If we would have known how much fun grandkids were, we would have had them first!” I work part time at a funeral home, still do some training with Dale Carnegie Training and volunteer at St. Pius Catholic Church. I enjoy watching the Cyclones, Creighton BlueJays, Cubs and this year the 49ers, though Diane is the most dedicated fan in our family. Every day is a new beginning. |
| Share a high school memory: | Our family moved to Ames from Cedar Falls prior to our Senior year and fortunately I quickly met some great people. Some memories-Getting interviewed for the Web with my brother Terry by Tracey Stoll; Basketball with Peto, Ev, Dave, Howie, Ted (RIP), Tom, Drew, the Juniors and Chuck; Getting introduced to woodsies and other parties; Baseball with Sam, Jack, Kevin, Jon, Ted, the Juniors, road trips (legal drinking age of 18?! Crazy!!). Maybe I'll go to 2-50 year high school reunions this Summer! |
Jeffrey Larson Keller (Keller)
| State / Province: | MN |
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| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
SAMUEL LEWIS III
| State / Province: | FL |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 1 |
| Occupation: | Retired Certified Public Accountant |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | After graduation, I enrolled at Northwestern State University in Louisiana attempting to play baseball and study accounting. The baseball thing didn't work out but the accounting thing did. Finished my education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL. In December 1979, I moved to Dallas Texas to start my accounting career and remained there until 1985 when I moved back to Orlando where I currently reside with my wife of 29 years this July 29 and my 22-year-old son who's attending an automotive trade school. Over the years, I have moved around from mostly living in Texas and Florida. I have owned and operated to two different accounting/consulting organizations and I recently retired in 2023. Overall life has been good and I'm grateful for my blessings. |
| Share a high school memory: | Playing catch with Jack Peterson in the Iowa State Armory getting ready for our junior year baseball season and the good times with Chris Lang, Ted Riggs and other fellow players. |
Julie Lindstrom (Hensley)
| State / Province: | MN |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | After a 44 year career in education, I am retiring March 1, 2024. Fortunately, I have had opportunities to teach a variety of grade levels, content areas, and specialities, ending my career at the University of Wyoming. We raised our son and daughter in Wyoming and have enjoyed all that the Rocky Mountain West has to offer. After a duration of 40 years, we are ready to return to the mid-west to be near our daughter and her family as well many extended family members. We are relocating to Minnesota, and look forward to traveling much more, now that our time is our own. I know there are many AHS classmates in MN, so reach out if you are ever in the Annandale area. |
Ken Litchfield
| State / Province: | OR |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | Main highlights are grandkids, granddogs and early retirement. Along with a hard working wife, Sharon, keeping me in the manner I’m accustomed to:). Enjoying living in small town Oregon. Sorry that I can’t make it to the reunion. |
Steven Little
| State / Province: | GA |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | CPA, Finance Director |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I met my amazing wife Connie Stapleton at work while at ISU, and we've been married since 1983. After graduating from ISU, I earned my CPA license while working at Hy Vee headquarters in Chariton, where we had our son and then moved to Sioux City where we had identical twin daughters. Connie decided to further her education which took us to College Station, Texas, while the kids were in middle school, where she received her PhD in Psychology, which then took us to Georgia where we have been since 1997. She is a speaker and author and is currently working from home focusing on helping patients considering weight loss surgery. I am the Finance Director for Augusta Utilities (yes, that Augusta for you golf fans) until September of 2025 when I will retire. Currently I commute weekly to an apartment there from our home north of Atlanta where we live less than an hour from all our kids and grandkids. We have 7 grandkids ranging in age from 6-12 and love to spend most of our time with our family and going to softball/baseball tournaments, boating and most of all traveling. We went with a church mission group to the Holyland just last year and thankfully left a week before the war broke out. We built our retirement home outside of Atlanta, with our family in mind, with a swimming pool and a bunk room that will hold all the grandkids for sleepovers, and spend time with them swimming, playing board games, basketball, whiffle ball, pickle ball and ping pong. My bandmates from Rebel and I, all from AHS, decided to get together for the first time in almost 50 years to jam, so we started what has since become an annual event in 2022 where we get together for a weekend and play some old and new songs just for fun. This year we're doing it the Saturday afternoon of the reunion, so I hope to have the Committee let you all know where we are so you can stop by for some special 1972-74 songs we plan to play, so we can reminisce a little. |
| Share a high school memory: | Football Friday nights and basketball games, particularly the 1973 State Championship team. Kind of learning to play Bridge in the lunchroom, but most of my time was spent with my bandmates in Rebel, our rock band that played that one fateful aftergame dance in the gym where our PA system blew out early in the gig. |