Northwestern College | Classic magazine - Winter 2004-05 - Vol. 76 ...

Class notesNorthwestern ClassicAlumninewsAlumnicornerKaren Woudstra’79, Director ofAlumni and ParentRelationsThis fall, my husband, Earl, who teachesin Northwestern’s kinesiology departmentand coaches the women’s basketball team,spoke in chapel. He encouraged us to “presson” (which also is his team’s theme this year,from Philippians 3:14) and be faithful in thelittle things God gives us to do or calls us tobe each day.Earl talked about people God had placedin his life who encouraged him through theway they lived their lives: faithful every dayin the big and the small. Some of thoseencouragers included professors who made an impact whilehe was a student at Northwestern in the 1970s.Probably we all can think of professors who taught uswell both in and out of the classroom. Maybe it was theatreprofessor Theora England or Coach Paul Muyskens. RonJuffer is mentioned often by alumni who remember the personalinterest he took and still takes in the lives of countlessstudents, and Virg Muilenburg remains beloved for his teachingand pizza baking. There are so many more I could name.God uses people like our professors to challenge our mindsand hearts—to show by example what it means to walk thetalk.This fall one of Northwestern’s foreign language professors,Piet Koene, who won the college’s Teaching ExcellenceAward in 2003, was selected as the 2004 Iowa Professor ofthe Year. Piet is being acknowledged for his excellent, passionateteaching of Spanish language and culture—teachingthat extends beyond our campus to the Sioux CountyCourthouse and his Hispanic church and neighbors.Those who know Piet have seen his commitment to hisfaith and family. A lover of Latin America, Piet is being usedby God right here in Iowa, at Northwestern, at this time, tobe faithful to his calling. Piet is one of those people who“presses on” each day. In so doing, he is an encouragement toour students as they watch him live what he teaches aboutembracing other cultures in our increasingly multiculturalcommunity.We all have cherish people who have impacted ourlives. Who has been this kind of teacher-by-example in yourlife? Don’t forget to thank God for them and pray for them.May we, too, press on with God’s help and seek to be faithfulevery day, in every way—because we never know how Godwill use our lives to encourage and impact another.DeathsAlberta (Kooiker ’36) Vermeer, 89,died Oct. 10 at a hospice in Pella,Iowa. She graduated from HopeCollege and taught in Kent City,Mich., before marrying the Rev.Henry Vermeer ’33. They servedchurches in Falmouth, Holland andGrand Rapids, Mich.; Chicago;Sheboygan, Wis.; Denver; and Pellaand Hospers, Iowa. She was active inthe World Home Bible League, PellaWomen’s Club, Fortnightly,Crossroads Prison Ministry, RCAWomen’s Ministries and theReformed Church Board of Pensions.She is survived by her husband, twochildren and a brother.Marjorie (Hospers ’40) Weeks, 84,died Sept. 3 at her home inVermillion, S.D. After her time atNorthwestern, she studied atGrinnell College and the Universityof South Dakota. She was an artist,singer, radio host, educator, art promoterand founder of the TiyospayeNetwork for the Extended Familyof South Dakota. Survivors includeher husband, Martin, and twodaughters.Benjamin Huisken ’64, age 63, diedof cancer Sept. 27 at a Sioux Fallshospital. He taught at Rock Valley(Iowa) Christian School for 37 yearsbefore retiring in 2001. A memberof Trinity Christian ReformedChurch, where he had served as anelder, he preached in area churchesas a lay pastor and volunteered inprison ministry. He is survived byhis wife, Trudy; four children,including Jill Jacobsma ’93; hismother; five sisters; and threebrothers.Charles Brickwedel, an English professorat Northwestern from 1960to 1972, died Oct. 23 at his homein Brookings, S.D., at the age of 89.A graduate of the Bible Institute ofLos Angeles, he served as pastor forchurches in Oregon, Washington,Idaho and South Dakota beforeearning a master’s degree in Englishat South Dakota State University.After teaching at NWC, he pastoredchurches in Milford, Iowa, andTucson, Ariz. After retiring, hetaught English at Judson BaptistCollege in Oregon. His survivorsinclude three children.Dr. Roy Wilbee, chairman ofNorthwestern’s education departmentfrom 1967 to 1970 and academicdean from 1970 to 1973,died Nov. 10, 2003. He earned abachelor’s degree in science and amaster’s in Christian education fromWheaton College and a doctoratein higher education from theUniver-sity of Michigan. After leavingNorthwestern, he served asdirector of media at Bethel Collegein Minnesota until 1985. Survivorsinclude his wife, Betty, and fourchildren.Lynne (Krommendyk ’74) Te Velde,54, died Oct. 8 at Orange CityHealth System. She married AlbertTe Velde in 1985; they made theirhome in Maurice. She worked as ahome health aid and at HopeHaven RTC in Orange City. She wasa member of First ReformedChurch in Maurice. She is survivedby three daughters; two stepchildren;her parents, Lorraine (DeJong’48) and Leonard Krommendyk ’48;three brothers, including Dan ’82and Paul ’87; and a sister.The Rev. Charles Focht ’78 died ofcancer Aug. 29 at his home inCarlisle, Pa., at the age of 65. Heattended Elohim Bible Institute andTabernacle Baptist College andserved as a pastor of churches inTylersport and Meridian, Pa. In1975, while working as a tree surgeonto supplement his income, hefell and broke his back. A paraplegic,he completed his bachelor’sdegree at NWC and became a competitorin wheelchair table tennisand archery. He made numerousnational teams and competed in the1992 Paralympics in Barcelona,Spain. He served on the PennsylvaniaGovernor’s Council onPhysical Fitness and Sports, andwas chairman of the AmericanWheelchair Archers. Among his31 ▲ Winter 2004-05