1970s
΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Rep. Pat Conway β73 was named one of 50 ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ans You Should Know by Ingramβs Magazine, Kansas Cityβs Business Magazine. Rep. Conway served as Buchanan County clerk for 28 years and was elected to the state Legislature in 2010.
George Hayward β75 was inducted into the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Sports Hall of Fame in January 2017. He was an official for the National Football League for 25 years. Over those years, he officiated 425 games, including the 2007 Super Bowl, four conference championships and four wild card games.
Walter Wilson β76 joined Affordable Gas + Electric as a member of its energy consultant team. Wilson had served in various management roles at Ameren ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ and Ameren Illinois. He is a former NFL and CFL player, signing contracts with the Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also serves as a volunteer committee member with the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
1980s
Scott Wilhoit β84 was named senior vice president, global market access and patient services for Strongbridge Biopharma, a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company.
Paul Rhoads β89 was named defensive coordinator for the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He had been serving as the Razorbackβs defensive backfield coach.
1990s
Tammy Siegrist β91, CPA, CGMA, was named a partner at MarksNelson, an accounting and consulting firm in Kansas City, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½. Siegrist joined MarksNelson in 2003. She is also co-vice president of finance for the American Business Womenβs Association.
2000s
Dr. Jasmine Briedwell β03 received the PTA Outstanding Principal Award at the St. Joseph School Districtβs PTA Founders Day in February. She is the principal at Lake Contrary Elementary School in St. Joseph.
Elijah Haahr β05 was elected to serve as Speaker Pro Tem by the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ House of Representatives Republicans. Haahr is a member of the state Legislature, representing the 134th district, which includes Springfield. The Speaker Pro Tem is second in command in the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ House.
Jon-Paul Bellamy β05 and his wife, Sarah, announce the birth of a daughter, Amelia Lee, born Sept. 1, 2016.
Michael OβNeal β06 was named the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Department of Corrections Board of Probation and Paroleβs regional employee of the month in July 2016. In addition to a normal probation caseload in Grundy County, OβNeal also supervises sex offenders, dangerous felons and domestic violence cases in Grundy, Harrison and Mercer counties.
Nicolas β06 and Amanda (Gonzalez) β07 Thyfault announce the birth of a son, Henry Robert Xavier, born Sept. 9, 2016. The couple also has daughter Catherine, 6, and son Alexander, 2.
Ashley (Vernon) β07 and Drew β09 Hanna
announce the birth of a daughter, Madison Claire, born Dec. 14, 2016.
2010s
Elena Castanada β10 was promoted to actuarial consultant at Aetna.
Kristin Parker β10 and Alexander Sics were married Nov. 12, 2016. The couple resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Nicole (Pickman) Pummel ’10and her husband, Spencer, announce the birth of a son, Maverick Edward, born Aug. 28, 2016.
Melissa (Bledsoe) Boyd β11 graduated with a Master of Science in Family Studies-Youth Development from Kansas State University in December 2016.
Molly Smith β11 participated in Miami Universityβs Earth Expeditions global field course in Namibia in the summer of 2016. She studied ongoing research projects such as radio tracking, cheetah conservation and ecosystem management, as well as the design of school and community programs in Namibia. The research was part of her masterβs degree program from Miami Universityβs Global Field Program.
Mitch β13 and Bailee (Testorff) β13 Giger announce the birth of a daughter, Jessa June, born Dec.
10, 2016.
Jacob Scott β14 is chief of staff for ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ State Sen. Bill Eigel, 23rd District. Scott had been serving as a legislative aide to State Sen. Robert Schaaf since 2014.
LaQuinta Jefferson β16 signed a professional contract to play basketball for Gernika Bizkaia, a professional womenβs basketball team in Spain. At ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western, she was the 2015-16 MIAA Player of the Year and scored over 1,000 points in her college career.
In Memory
We remember 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, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, or email holtz@missouriwestern.edu.
Marion K. Agnew, Atchison, Kansas, Dec. 18, 2016. Agnew worked as director of Educational Diagnostics for ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western from 1998-2010.
Lawrence Isaac Banks, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, July 16, 2016. Banks was a security officer for ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western 1970-1987. Cpl. Robert Bidding, a current ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western police officer, said he had worked with Banks in the 1980s, and he was very well respected by students and employees. Banks, Cpl. Bidding said, was able to quickly defuse tense situations because he was so respected.
Goldie Mae (Krumme) Casper, Maysville, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Feb. 5, 2017. She worked at ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Wester for 23 years.
Jacqueline Coulter-Byrd β87, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 18, 2016.
Jerome F. Downs β41, San Francisco, Oct. 23, 2016. Downs received the Distinguished Alumni Award from ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western in 1994.
Audrey E. Dugan β77, Kansas City, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 15, 2016.
Lois E. Fox, Chillicothe, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 28, 2016. Fox served as the Special Needs Coordinator from 1999-2004 at ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western.
Darlyne Garbe, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 27, 2016. Garbe worked in the ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Western library from 1980-1996.
Curtis A. Grimm β73, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 25, 2016.
Stephen J. Hall β75, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Feb. 3, 2017.
Velva J. (Hampton) Hinderks, Stewartsville, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Feb. 9, 2017. Hinderks worked as a secretary for 20 years for ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Westernβs Department of Social Sciences, retiring in 1990.
Loretta Hughes β05, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 1, 2016.
Jean A. (Dittemore) Joyce β91, Denton, Kansas, Feb. 12, 2017.
Paul J. Kerner, Savannah, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 19, 2016. Kerner was working in ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½ Westernβs physical plant when he passed away.
Chad Klein β08, Gower, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 1, 2016.
Roger J. Kromko β72, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Feb. 8, 2017.
Richard A. Lewin β53, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 5, 2016.
Allan H. Lowenberg β69, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 17, 2016.
Harold T. Maxwell β57, Clive, Iowa, Aug. 28, 2016.
Barbara S. Meredith β92, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Nov. 22, 2016.
Candice N. Minear β09, Kansas City, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Jan. 1, 2017.
Clarence Elmer Olson, Jr. β52, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Feb. 4, 2017.
Jimmy Lee Paden β75, Dearborn, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Sept. 20, 2016.
Marc E. Sill β01, Clarksdale, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 2, 2016.
Nina (France) Stevens β42, Kansas City, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Oct. 6, 2016.
Kristin L. Stockstill-Chitty β02, Kansas City, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Jan. 28, 2017.
John W. Sutton β81, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Dec. 10, 2016.
Darryl C. Walters β78, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Sept. 6, 2016.
Sharon K. Ziph β86, St. Joseph, ΄σΟσ΄«Γ½, Dec. 7, 2016.


