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.
Vickie Lela Sims (Sims)
| State / Province: | 25 |
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| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Retired Anglican priest |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | Moving to Milan in 1980. Making new friends and colleagues first as an English teacher. Studying theology at Oxford and being ordained in 2002. Living in UK for 14 years. Returning to Italy that I love. Working with refugees in an interfaith project during the big influx from the war in Syria. Mentoring some young refugees from Pakistan. Beginning my retirement this year and figuring out the next chapter… |
| Share a high school memory: | Marching band. Eating hot chili peppers before having to do the half time show. Remembering how cold it was for some of the games. |
Sandy Skrei Hise (Skrei)
| State / Province: | TX |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Retired- Conservation/Zoo Education |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I am so thrilled to be invited to the reunion! Truth be told, I am more suited to a Meeker Class of 1967/ Central Class of ‘68 reunion, as that is when my parents started on a series of moves that put me in different states for 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grades! We just didn’t do ‘easy’ moves, but went from Ames to NewJersey for 7th grade (Dad rode a bus into Times Square), Stone Mountain Georgia, 8th grade, the year they desegrated for the first time and did it so poorly that the KKK national headquarters were later given to the NAACP in a settlement, to Danville CA in 9th grade, where my friends teased me about being so ‘straight’ (at 14 I hadn’t been involved in drugs, sex, alcohol, imagine that!), and finally settling in the suburbs of Columbus Oh in 10th grade. Although most of y’all reading this won’t remember me, I definitely think of my roots being very much in Ames, IA. I guess I was lucky in that one of my Meeker pals was ’She who Remembers Everyone and Every Silly Thing Everyone Did’ Tracey Stoll, so I have managed to stay somewhat connected over the years! I am grateful for the solid elementary years with a little University diversity in the student population thrown into the mix. I love telling my friends in Texas, where I have lived since 1978, about how different we all thought Ann Self and her family were then (the joke of course being how different I was than everyone around me!)! I am truly curious to know who and what y’all grew up to be. I ended going to college at Mankato State where I reunited with the best friend anyone could ask for, JoAnn Shaughnessy, Ames High Class of ‘73 and a fellow Clark Ave kid, until she left for another school. I student taught in the Minnesota Migrant Education program and then taught on the Texas-Mexico border for 2 years before getting my Master’s in Wildlife Biology with an eye on being a Zoo Educator. I really think Ames formed who I am today. I do appreciate having Ames roots and friends throughout the years. Having moved around so much ( and cutting my own bangs for the 6th grade picture!) I don’t have a picture from then, but I have a picture Jennifer took when I came to Ames our senior year. |
| Share a high school memory: | I only visited Ames High once, during our Senior year, because having started High School in Georgia (8th grade), I had enough credits to graduate High School in December, so I did a nostalgia trip! I was also lucky evough to visit around 2012 when Julie Housman and her Mom Ellen Landon were both still with us (and a friend of mine in Austin married a guy who worked with her in Norway!, Ames is everywhere! My memories are rooted in Meeker, some of my favorites being our Campfire Girls trips, being asked out on a date in 4th grade to a picnic (Mom wouldn’t let me!), and later telling this same guy (I am protecting the innocent by not naming names!) and his friend who both wanted to be ‘my boyfriend’ that I would choose the first one who wore a dress to school for that (dubious) honor! I didn’t figure Halloween into the occasion, nor do I remember knowing what being a girlfriend meant, and especially I have no idea why I would even conceive of such a test!!! I was lucky enough to live next door to the super talented and creative Jennifer Roberts, so I managed to make it into Mr. Punke’s talent show in 4th and 5th grade! Anyone else remember being part of the chorus that sang ‘This Land is Your Land’ including doing the last verse backwards? I am grateful for the solid elementary years with a little University diversity in the student population thrown into the mix. I love telling my friends in Texas, where I have lived since 1978, about how different Ann Self and her family were! I am truly curious to know who and how y’all grew up to be! Having moved around so much ( and cutting my own bangs for the 6th grade picture!) I don’t have a picture from then, but I have a picture Jennifer took when I came to Ames our senior year. I am hoping I will be there at the reunion to see everyone I remember so vividly and giving some ‘snapshot memories’ I have of you from K-6th grade to anyone who might remember me! Anyone else remember Mr. Gray breaking the yardstick on a desk?!?!? |
Marlene Smith (Woodley)
| State / Province: | IA |
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| Marital status: | Widowed |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Retired Farming |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I moved to Collins, a small farm town, when I met my husband, Randy Smith, through a co-worker. We were together for 45 years total, 32 of which married. I lost him to cancer in 2020. Together we have two wonderful sons, Cody (Kelsie) and Ryan (Stephanie). Both are married to great women and have blessed us with a grandson (Bearrett) and a granddaughter on the way. Cody and Ryan helped my husband farm their whole lives and took over after he passed. I live on the farm with our family dog, Ruby. We keep each other company and my family is always visiting. |
Ozzie Soto
| State / Province: | FL |
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| Marital status: | Single again |
| Children: | 5 |
| Occupation: | Major Account Executive; Konica Minolta |
Pam Spear
| State / Province: | FL |
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| Marital status: | Committed Relationship |
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Accounting/Admin |
Jan Springer (Tuttle)
| State / Province: | CA |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Currently working part-time for a large Home Health provider in acquisitions |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I'm old. Lots to report. The happiest highlight and my biggest accomplishment was raising our 2 boys. I enjoyed being a Mom and so proud of them both. Connor is 25 and Spencer 33. ( Do the math, we had Connor at 42yr old) They both live in Chicago and we really dig that town, so it's a pleasure to see them and where they live. Spencer has given us our first grandchild, a 20month old baby girl with her brother due in Aug. She is the apple of our eyes and love every minute of her. Here we go... Graduated in 1978 from University of N Colorado with a BS in Nursing. Nursing served me well through out my career and I'm so thankful for that. After college, started in Vail, then Jackson Hole WY, then back to Vail and finally Denver for 10 yrs. Worked in nursing positions during those times from ER to neuro ICU to Home Health to Administration. Continued nursing after I moved to Laguna Beach to live with my sister Mary Ann. She was my best friend and we had fun whooping it up in Laguna. Moved to LA and lived there for 5+ years, then to Rancho Palos Verdes where we put down our roots for 25+ years. Great place to raise children. Started a home based company while I stayed home raising Connor and sold that. Started a Home Health Agency at the ripe old age of 55 in Las Vegas and operated for 10yr. Didn't love Vegas, but the agency was successful. Had to commute back and forth to Calif so that was stressful. (Note to self. don't start a company away from your home.) I sold it in 2020 right before COVID. Someone was looking out for me. Another big highlight for me was being honored as the Los Angeles County Volunteer of the Year for my participation in developing the mentoring program for Foster Children. Huge honor in a big community and continue to mentor foster children to this day. We bought a second home in Denver, 5+ yrs ago, where I'm still besties with my old sorority sisters. Talk about thinking you're still 20! Denver holds a big social life for me plus all of the outdoor activities. Hiking, e-biking, cross country skiing, traveling and seeing new sites. I continue to work part-time to keep my band width active and to keep myself in the game. Life is good. I'm happily married. We're healthy and happy and can do what we want when we want to do it and that provides a lot of freedom and options. The biggest take-away for me in reading everyone's bios is how accomplished all my peers are in their own certain way. So proud to be a part of the graduating class of 1974! Jan |
| Share a high school memory: | Gosh, that was a long time ago and my memory ain't what it use to be. Here goes. Loved being on the cheer squad. The girls were a blast, the sporting events were exciting especially when we won, traveling to the different cities and missing classes. On the junior UN Washington DC/NY trip, got caught drinking beer ( would have preferred a Gin & Tonic, but whatever)in the hotel room with my partner in crime, Jolynn Defrancisco. Mr. Tramp busted us and we ended up in Principal Farrar's office Monday am with my Mom! We got suspended for 3 days. No lesson learned, we went shopping one of those days. High school was a real growth period for me and not all growth is pleasant lol. |
Jon Stalheim
| State / Province: | SD |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Retired |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | Well, 70 words per decade. Graduated from University of South Dakota. Got married, and had 2 children. Got divorced. Got a job as national sales manager of a building products company. Then started a career in real estate.. Remarried in 2004 to the love of my life Annie. Retired but keeping active.Children are now back in Sioux Falls. Annie and I spend our time between Sioux Falls and our lake place at Lake Madison. Hobbies include carpentry, traveling the country in our RV, golf,and cooking! Enjoy driving around my farm on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. All-in-all, life is pretty sweet in South Dakota! Look forward to seeing you all. Just hope there are name badges |
Mary Stevens (Stevens)
| State / Province: | MN |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Committed Relationship |
| Children: | 3 |
| Occupation: | Retired Registered Nurse |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I've had various careers the last 50 years, from support work at a flower shop, a pharmaceutical technician, working at NAPA Auto Parts, secretary at a church, choir director, teaching high school special needs students life skills, then back to school at age 49 to become a registered nurse. As a nurse I worked in pediatrics, public health and then retired from a private boarding school in California as the lead nurse over 8 other nurses. In the time before heading to nursing school, I was married to a dairy farmer and we had 3 children, all grown now and living in Iowa and Minnesota, all married with children. I have 7 wonderful and fun grandchildren. Living in Minnesota allows me to visit them (or them visit me) and sharing a lovely log home on a small lake with Tim Moody. With Tim every day is an adventure as he likes to be spontaneous and we'll travel, camp, hike, bike and go canoeing./kayaking. |
| Share a high school memory: | For a very brief time I wrote "excuse" notes for students because my penmanship resembled a few of these students' mothers' handwriting. |
Tracey Stoll
| State / Province: | IA |
|---|---|
| Marital status: | Single |
| Children: | 0 |
| Occupation: | Retired, PR & marketing |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | I earned my degree in public relations journalism at U. of Wyoming (Laramie). Worked in PR & advertising in Cheyenne, then Chicago & Evanston, IL. (Including as editor of the SAE national fraternity magazine). After three winters in Chicago, moved to So. Cal. for 30 years, in Pasadena and Claremont. Worked in fundraising at two universities and 2 colleges, then 18 years as VP of marketing & community relations at a large, beautiful retirement community, Mt. San Antonio Gardens (which I would like to make my home in a few years). I left office work, cashed in on my house (almost tripled in value after 18 years), and moved back to Ames into a much less expensive house. I had a downsizing business here for seven years, helping elders and/or their families find new homes for their "excess" possessions. I love the work but happy that I found successors to take over. My 67-year-old joints aren't happy with the physical work, and I'm spending more time with my 94-year-old mother. Love community involvement, and have served on boards and raised funds for several non-profits. Have served on the boards of Claremont Sunrise Rotary Club and Ames History Museum. Raised tens of thousands $$ for the Museum's current expansion project. I've been involved in political campaigns for 50+ years, most recently canvassing for Cory Booker in the 2020 presidential race. (Still love Cory!) Now I'm enjoying volunteering for our 50-year class reunion, with Co-Chair Tom Wilson and our great committee! I love gardening – on Facebook, you can see the many flower gardens I tend and my amazing produce. (I'm proud of my farming skills, can you tell?) Love outdoor walks – or in the mall if I must. Have had a kitty, or two or three, in my various homes. My current feline housemate is Ellie, 14-1/2 years old. She is a great companion. Two of her best friends are Steve Buck (the cat whisperer) and Ed Hendrickson. Have not married, tho came close a few times. I've had really nice boyfriends; just not Mr. Right. For over nine years our classmate Eddie Hendrickson and I were a couple; we have known each other since kindergarten at Meeker. Still good friends and working together on this website and with the Reunion Committee. All good! Look forward to seeing ya'll in August!! |
| Share a high school memory: | I told Bill Ripp I thought I could make the morning announcements more dramatic/interesting than his announcements. So he let me broadcast the xylophone tones and read announcements every day, to every homeroom over the loudspeaker. UN Trip junior year: getting caught by Mr. Tramp with beer in my possession in a New York hotel. After we came back home, my parents and I had to meet with Principal Ralph Farrar. Ralphie said, "I don't ever want to see you in here again." Thank goodness, he didn't! Also the joy, growth, and friendships I experienced in high school years: in our Camp Fire Girls group, the Ki Ya Luas (Linda Deppe, Betty Thompson, Susan Chantland, Sue Overturf, Barb Mahlstede, Julie Landon, Karen Bachman, Anne Burkholder, Ann Self - am I missing anyone?), and in theater with Hank Hansen. I'll never forget the infamous cast & crew party in Orngards' barn after “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest”. Forever etched in my memory are that excellent performance and the cops busting the party. My self confidence bloomed at Ames High; thanks to all who contributed to my journey toward adulthood. |
Mark Stone
| State / Province: | KS |
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| Marital status: | Married |
| Children: | 1 |
| Occupation: | Landscape Architect, Retired |
| Highlights of your last 50 years: | Will be turning sixty-eight this year fifteen minutes before my twin brother. I get to play with my granddaughters, five and two respectively, for a couple of hours after school four days a week. Still taking pleasure in the art of design, for my own enjoyment and in my own yard, that I spent thirty-seven years practicing professionally. Parked my real estate license this January after five years of selling real estate with my wife when we both retired from our careers. Before retiring I spent twenty-seven years in private practice focused on middle and high end residential design/build landscape projects in Texas and Kansas. Moved to Houston, Texas for first job after graduating Iowa State University in 1981 with a BS in Landscape Architecture. Became a Registered and CLARB Certified Landscape Architect. Stayed with that multi-discipline design firm and became a partner. However, ten years of wearing a suit in Houston’s summers dulled my enthusiasm for the large university, municipal and medical facility projects our offices specialized in. Our beautiful daughter was born in 1985 in Katy, Texas. Six years later I left my partnership for the small design/build firm where I spent the majority of the remainder of my career. This company relocated from Houston to Lawrence, Kansas in 1996. I met Joan McKinney at university. She was studying Interior Design which predicted both of our interests in houses and design and foretold our choice of after retirement pursuits. We married in 1979 and immediately moved into married student housing, circa 1946 Quonset huts of Pammel Court. That corrugated metal sauna in summers and ice box in the winter gave us our first inkling of the trials and sweet adventures that come with 45 years of marriage. Soon after graduating Ames High School, I moved to San Diego, California spending about a year working in restaurants, off roading with a friend in his Baja bug and passing a lot of time at the beach. Returned to Ames ready for the rigors of higher education. |