Class reunion
No way it’s been 50 years!
Class of 1975 50 year reunion
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
at Homecoming
| 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Lunch and time of sharing Marbeck Center/lower level Kreider Room $15 |
| 1:30 p.m. | Football game vs. Manchester Admission is $10 adults/$5 for children/senior citizens |
Class gift
Beavers traditionally combine resources towards a 50-year Class Reunion Gift. This
summer Berky Hall was torn down. It was built in 1915 and named for Bluffton’s first
science professor, H.W. Berky. In its place will be a cul-de-sac drive providing emergency
access to Centennial Hall, Knowlton Science Center, Shoker Science and Founders Hall.
The Class of 1975’s 50th Reunion Gift will fund a gazebo and landscaping near this cul-de-sac. The estimated cost of the project is $15,000. We hope that you will join us in making a charitable gift to “Bluffton University – Class of 1975 Gift.”
Renewing connections
| Name | Town | Spouse | Attending the Reunion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duane (Tuffy) Kurtz | Wooster, Ohio | Debbie Kurtz | Yes |
| Current Activities | Retired, Volunteer at Oak Grove Mennonite Church, watching grandchildren sport and
school activities. |
||
| Bluffton’s impact | Made many friends and memories. | ||
| Constance (Krehbiel) Nunemaker | Shelvin, Minn. | William '75 | No |
| Current Activities | Retired Science/Art teacher, now member of local Garden Club, member of Bemidji Symphony
as a 1st violin, help with a healthy cooking class, enjoy reading, sewing, crafts
of all sorts |
||
| Bluffton’s impact | Enjoyed meeting so many people, and discovering interesting and challenging classes, especially the Humanities modules to Vienna, Austria and Mountaineering in Colorado. | ||
| Michael L. Fry | Wapakoneta, Ohio | Karen '75 | No |
| Current Activities | Retired from Honda of America after 32 years. Worked at the Engine Plant in Anna, Ohio. Career involved Purchasing Senior Manager, Plant Quality Senior Manager and overall plant product quality. Leader for American Honda North America regional quality. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | Degree created a path for future opportunity and employment. | ||
| Lucinda Quellos Kliewer | Powell, Wyo. | Jan Michael Kliewer '75 | Yes |
| Current Activities | Retired from teaching 3rd grade 7 years ago. I volunteer for Hospice, Vice President of Friends of the library, President of PEO chapter BF, take pottery classes, dabble in quilting and paper crafts, and read many books a month. All when I am not traveling to be with grandkids in Colorado and Virginia. Also have been traveling to a new country each year with my husband. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | I went into MVS in Chicago after graduation. Met my husband there and married into a Mennonite family. Buffton surrounded me with good friends, caring teachers and a peaceful environment. I attended my freshman year and could not afford to come back my sophomore year. I then took out loans to be able to come back for Junior and senior years. So glad I did. | ||
| Kenneth Wentzel | Delaware, Ohio | Nancy Wentzel | No |
| Current activities | Retired | ||
| Kathy Sauder | Grabill, Ind. | Jerry Sauder ’75 | Yes |
| Current activities | I am still working full time at the family business, Sauder Feeds, Inc. I oversee all accounting and financial reviews. Jerry and I have worked as a team for 50 years to sustain and grow the business. In the past 10 years I have developed an interest in dahlias and spend many hours growing and tending them during the summer and fall. I am church secretary and Jerry and I have a Small Group that meets in our home. We recently took a mission trip to Zimbabwe, Africa. I enjoy hiking and Jerry and I take many trips to places that we can hike and see God through the beauty of nature. We have 9 grandchildren that bring us much joy as we get to be part of their lives and experience their world which is different than our world was at their age. We also enjoy taking rides in our ’65 red mustang in which we had our first date! Jerry was able to track it down and restore it. We are thankful to God for His goodness to us. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | I met my best friend, Jerry Sauder, whom I have been married to for 50 years as of this year. I also met many dear Christian friends at Bluffton with whom I have stayed in touch. | ||
| Rosie Grady Chapman | Washington, Mich. | No | |
| Current activities | I am a retired school social worker with Utica Community Schools in Shelby Township, Mich. I am also a professional storyteller, therapist, art therapist, photographer and mixed media artist. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | Bluffton allowed me to hone my skills as an English teacher and a performing artist. My time at Bluffton gave me many opportunities to participate in theatrical productions which helped me to become a professional storyteller. As a storyteller, I have performed nationwide as well as in schools in Australia, Scotland and Germany. |
||
| Sharon (Slater) Fontaine | Hopkinton, Mass. | Rob Fontaine |
No |
| Current activities | Pianist with contemporary worship band at church. Retired choral singer, past volunteer at local arts center. Interests include reading, Biblical studies, and travel. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | The Bluffton music department prepared me well for my musical endeavors over the years. Also lifelong friends and many special memories. | ||
| Dan. L. Merkel | Findlay, Ohio | Janet K. (Inbody ’73) Merkel |
Yes |
| Current activities | Retired. Active model railroader and photographer. Father of 1 daughter, grand father of 3. Enjoy cruising and railfanning. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | I received a good education, met the love of my life and made many lifelong friends. | ||
| Anthony L. Panozzo | Plainfield, Ill. | Yes | |
| Current activities | Upon graduation, I remained in Ohio and taught high schoolers for a period of three
years in the Kenton School District. However, a career change and opportunity presented
itself. Most of my career has been centered in the elevator industry. I worked in
Illinois and Ohio. My retirement occurred in 2016 from Otis Elevator.(Cleveland). Boredom continued to confront me post-retirement. After lengthy deliberation, I applied and tested to be a licensed elevator inspector. I hold a national license and have done so in Illinois. Wisconsin, Missouri and Nevada. I have two children, Anthony and Nicole, and a handsome 12-year-old grandson. He is a handful. I enjoy golf, of course, and the NFL. I travel frequently (mostly warm venues) and the tropics have become my favorite. |
||
| Bluffton’s impact | I enjoyed my time there, and many of the personnel encounters along the way. I do regret losing touch with a few, but for the most part, life marches on. 50! (ynotpan@sbcglobal.net) Feel free to drop in and say, ‘Hello.’ | ||
| Mark Roeschley | Graymont, Ill. | Jane Thorley Roeschley ’75 | Yes |
| Current activities | Farmer and seed businessman | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | The academics and sports and music participation prepared me for life. The relationships that I formed at BC shaped my worldview and and have sustained me since. | ||
| Michelle Lehman Snyder | Wind Point, Wis. | Yes | |
| Current activities | Retired teacher, play recorders in two groups and still play oboe and reenactment of Revolutionary War military officers band. | ||
| Bluffton’s impact | Bluffton gave me a great foundation for teaching and coaching. Lifelong friends have been a plus! | ||
| Tim Byers | Bluffton, Ohio | Brenda (High) Byers '76 | Yes |
| Current activities | Completed 45 great years in education with my final 15 years as professor of education
at Beaverland. Brenda and I volunteer at the Et Cetera MCC thrift shop. We garden
and have 6 apples trees to keep us in produce. Huge Cleveland Indians fans now adjusting
to TV games now live games and spring training. We have become soccer, baseball, softball,
basketball, volleyball, archery, dance, piano, voice, violin, golf, 4H, and other
areas of new expertise. We appreciate our church family. |
||
| Bluffton's impact | Stalked, met and married my wife Brenda (75). Three of our four adult children graduated from BU. Two spouses graduated from BU, grandson will graduate this spring from BU. Ten grandkids grew up on campus and spent hours in Riley playing with crawdads and playing in the gyms. | ||
| Tom and Jane (Ripke) Link | Lakewood, Ohio | Yes | |
| Current activities | Tom golfs several times per week, weather permitting. Jane is active in church activities.
Together, we “tag team” watching our two youngest granddaughters. We are looking forward
to celebrating 50 years of marriage in January. |
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| Bluffton's impact | Our years at Bluffton gave us friendships that continue to this day. Shared experiences
allow us to pick up where we left off even if a year or so passes between visits. |