In Memoriam

LELAND BEIER ’53 died August 24, 2007. He was 95. A graduate of SPC and Multnomah School of the Bible, Leland was the pastor of several churches in Alaska and Washington, and served with both Moody Bible Institute and World Vision. His wonderful sense of humor will long be remembered. He is survived by two sons, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

KATHRYN CROZIER BLOMBERG ’72 died February 15, 2007, after a long illness. For 29 years, she and her husband, David, served with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in the African nations of Lesotho and Zaire, as well as at MAF headquarters in Redlands, California. She is survived by David; one daughter; four sons, including PHILIP BLOMBERG ’05; one sister, NANCY CROZIER BOWERMAN ’74; and one brother.

CHRISTINE MOSES HALL, M.F.T., ’90, died August 3, 2007, of skin cancer. She was a committed supporter of the Side-by-Side ministry for children with cancer and their families at Seattle’s University Presbyterian Church. She also volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and her daughters’ school, Villa Academy. Christine is survived by her husband, Thomas; and two daughters.

BERNITA GOODROW HEMENOVER ’44 died October 10, 2007, at age 86. Born in South Dakota, she had four sisters and five brothers. She graduated from Sedro-Woolley (Washington) High School and attended SPC to become a nurse. Her career included a stint in the U.S. Army Corps of Nurses during World War II and several years working at Sedro-Woolley Memorial Hospital. She married Frank Hemenover, a patternmaker, and together the couple worked a small farm. After Frank died in 1980, Bernita became active in the Baptist Church and the senior center in Sedro-Woolley. She also traveled extensively. She was buried with military honors and is survived by two daughters, one son, six grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

RENA STEPHENS HUNT ’48 died July 12, 2007, at age 86. She was the ninth of 11 siblings and spent her early years on the family farm along the Snohomish River north of Seattle. At the onset of World War II, she placed her studies at SPC on hold to run a lathe at Seattle’s Washington Gear Works, where she made parts for the famed B-52 bomber. When the war ended, she resumed her studies, graduated, and taught high school in rural Kahlotus, Washington. There she met and married local farmer John Hunt, and together they spent three decades tilling the soil. Rena’s other passion was the United Methodist Church, where she became a lay lecturer and a scholar of religion. She received a master’s degree in religion from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, and another in values from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was in full support of United Methodist Women and during her retirement on Whidbey Island was active in Coupeville (Washington) United Methodist Church. Rena is survived by one son.

andrew “andy” montana ’51, died November 22, 2007, at the age
of 77. His death came after a long battle with prostate cancer. Andy earned his B.S. in chemistry at SPC and six years later his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Washington (UW). He held teaching positions at SPC, UW, University of Hawaii-Hilo, and California State University-Fullerton (CSUF). In 1963, he was one of the founders of the Chemistry Department at CSUF and chaired the department twice. A
charismatic, demanding, and beloved teacher with a winning sense of humor, Andy was internationally recognized for pioneering work in the use of computer graphics to teach basic chemistry. He was active in the American Chemical Society at both the national and the local levels. Also a dedicated sports fan, he served nine years as the NCAA faculty athletic representative for CSUF and for one year as president of the Big West Conference. After retiring in the Seattle area, he and his wife, Kay, became active Falcon supporters. With a warm spot for Christian higher education, Andy contributed money, time, and expertise to SPU. His special legacy is the Montana Family Endowment Fund, to be used to foster undergraduate research in the sciences at SPU. The outdoorsman and gourmet cook is survived by Kay; one son; two grandchildren; and two sisters, including DOLORES MONTANA MEYER ’52.

ROBERT “BOB” MOORE ’82 died June 23, 2007, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 48 years old. Born at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, he followed his father’s civil service assignments around the United States and abroad, including an eight-year stint at the Sagami Depot military base in Japan. The family finally settled in Edmonds, Washington, and the teenage Bob became active in outdoor pursuits. For the next 34 years, his activities included ski instructing at Stevens Pass, water-skiing the Columbia River, and participating in Seattle-to-Portland bike runs. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he continued to live life to the fullest through travel, skiing, and being with family and friends. When he could no longer ski, he drove his Porsche at Seattle Pacific Raceway. When he could no longer drive, he took to fishing, enjoying his last cast three days before his death. When treatments made it no longer possible to pursue his job in pharmaceutical sales, he did special projects that included renovation of a rental home, painting three homes, and managing numerous stock portfolios for family members. Bob is survived by his wife, Ruth; and one son.

DIANA NICKILA NEWELL ’71 died February 19, 2007. She was 58 years old. Born in Vancouver, Washington, Diana grew up in Salem, Oregon, then enrolled at SPC to study education. With teaching certificate in hand, she taught kindergarten and first grade at Central Howell Elementary School in Salem. Diana married Bill Newell in 1976, after which the couple moved to Plain, Washington, and raised three children. Active in the Plain Community Church, the Newells managed Mountain Springs Lodge. Diana was diagnosed with Picks disease in 2004 and spent her remaining years at home in the care of her family. She loved teaching Sunday school, playing the piano, hiking, singing, and visiting the Oregon coast. Diana is survived by her husband, two daughters, one son, one stepson, one stepdaughter, and five grandchildren.

JOAN STOKES NYGREN ’67 died August 2, 2007, of complications from Lou Gehrig’s disease. A native of Bremerton, Washington, she graduated with a nursing degree from SPC, then went on to earn a second nursing degree from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in maternal childcare nursing from the University of Colorado. She married her high school sweetheart, JAMES NYGREN ’67, and the couple moved to Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where Joan taught nursing at community colleges and worked as a registered nurse at several hospitals. She was a midwife in Oregon’s Lane County for seven years. Joan is survived by James and six children.

ORWALD NYLAND ’51 died on his 87th birthday: August 17, 2007. Of solid Norwegian stock, he was a lifelong resident of the Seattle area and a creative man of music, art, writing, and architecture. The son of a master craftsman, he served in the Navy as a sub-chaser in the South Pacific during World War II, then attended SPC on the G.I. Bill. With a degree in English literature, he embarked on a 26-year teaching career. It was while teaching high school that his artistic bent flourished. He studied watercolors and mosaics, painted landscapes from his many trips to Norway and Sweden, and even exhibited a dozen paintings in his last year of life. As a young man, Orwald sang gospel music for radio and was part of the national champion School Masters Quartet. In summers, he liked to paint and remodel homes, and he designed and built dwellings, including three multiple-unit residences. As a writer, he spearheaded the “Writers in the Rough” group at his church and penned dozens of Christian devotionals. Orwald was married to his first wife, Rhoda Wallstrom, for 37 years, and his second wife, Charlotte Langsea, for 22 years. Both preceded him in death. He is survived by one son; one daughter, JANET NYLAND KRONBACH ’82; four grandchildren; and
one great-granddaughter.

HORATIO OGDEN ’30 died at the age of 100 on October 16, 2007. A Portland, Oregon, native, he served as a career U.S. Army chaplain for 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Muriel; one daughter, MYRTLE OGDEN MOLLER ’54; three sons, FRANK OGDEN ’57, MILTON OGDEN ’58, and PHILIP OGDEN ’59; one stepdaughter; four stepsons; 13 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

DAVID OWENS ’04 died at the age of 49 on August 2, 2007, following a three-year battle with cancer. The native of Wapakoneta, Ohio, was
diagnosed just three months after he earned a doctorate in child psychology from SPU and was transitioning into a new career as a college professor. A popular motivational speaker for continuing education seminars who was described as a “people magnet,” David received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky and was a trainer for the Kentucky Wildcats football team. He obtained a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University and came to Seattle to be a child psychologist for the Issaquah School District. He is survived by his mother, fiancée, and sister.

SUSAN PAISLEY, M.B.A. ’00, died October 8, 2007, at the age of 52. She was born in Nottingham, England. Susan is survived by her husband, David; two sisters; and four brothers.

ELMER PARSONS ’42 died March 23, 2007, at the age of 87. Born in
Cloverland, Washington, he married MARJORIE CARLSON ‘44 and both went on from SPC to graduate from New York Biblical Seminary. Elmer served as academic dean and dean of men at Wessington Springs College in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, before the couple and their toddler son traveled to Shanghai, China, as Free Methodist missionaries. After two years there and five years in Japan, where Elmer helped to rebuild a bombed-out Bible school that was to become Osaka Christian College, they returned to the United States. Elmer earned a master’s degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, then served nine years as president of Central College in McPherson, Kansas. In 1958, he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois. Six years later, he became president of Osaka Christian College and Asia Area secretary for the Free Methodist Church. In 1974, he was the first missionary ever elected bishop of the Free Methodist Church of North America, a position he held for 11 years. In 1975, he was named SPC’s Alumnus of the Year. In retirement, Elmer and Marjorie moved to Centralia, Washington. He is survived by Marjorie; six children, including KARL PARSONS ’68, JAMES PARSONS ’70, JOY PARSONS BROWN ’73, and ANN PARSONS SCHELEEN ’76; 17 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren.

JAMES SAYAH ’61, M.Ed. ’66, died January 4, 2007, at 79 years of age. Born in Seattle, he served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. Following military service, he earned two undergraduate degrees and two master’s degrees, and pursued a fulfilling career in teaching before retiring from the Seattle School District in 1995. James is survived by his wife, Abla; two daughters; and one son.

Doris Schoning ’46 died December 28, 2006. She was 83 years old. Doris was raised in Bellevue, Washington. After graduating from SPC, she began her teaching career in the Tukwila (Washington) South Central School District. Doris retired in 1978 and spent the next seven years as a preschool and kindergarten assistant at Highline Covenant Church in Bellevue. She is survived by her sister.

KENT SPAULDING, M.A. ’71, died July 14, 2007, at 83 years of age.
A native of Morris, Minnesota, his family moved to Port Townsend, Washington, when he was age 19. Kent served in the Army Air Corps in World War II as a chaplain’s assistant. After the war, he returned home to Port Townsend, Washington, where he began to sing in the choir at the First Presbyterian Church. It was there that he met Herma Haderer, whom he was to marry. The couple moved to Minnesota, where Kent graduated from St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary. Following his ordination, he served churches in Seward, Alaska; Klamath Falls, Oregon; and in Pasco, Tacoma, and Seattle, Washington. After earning a master’s degree from SPC and a doctorate from the California Graduate School of Theology in La Habra, he practiced counseling in Western Washington. The author of several books, Kent’s last was A God Who Is Alive, a collection of his finest sermons. A lover of golf and classical music, he is survived by his wife, four children, 13 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Beverly SUTTON Taylor ’75 died October 11, 2006, of cancer. She was 53 years old. Born in Salem, Oregon, she received a master’s degree in home economics from SPU. After graduating, Beverly spent time teaching for the Northwest Regional Education Service District in Newberg, Oregon. In 1988, she married Jeffrey Taylor. They later moved to Hillsboro, Oregon. Beverly is survived by her husband and two daughters.

RAYMOND THOMPSON died July 17, 2007. He was 78 years old. Born in Seattle, he learned to play the violin, earned a degree in music and educational leadership at the University of Washington, and began teaching instrumental music in the Marysville (Washington) School District. After serving the U.S. Army in the Korean War, he became supervisor of instrumental music and then director of arts and sciences in the Seattle School District. After retirement in 1982, he came to SPU and helped establish and teach a master’s degree program in arts education. Ray served as a frequent guest-conductor for school orchestras, helped to start the Seattle Youth Symphony’s Junior Orchestra, and conducted the Little Symphony for 19 years. He served as president of the Washington Music Educators Association, as director of the Northwest region of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and was recognized for his national leadership in arts for the handicapped. The Washington State Alliance for Arts Education has established an annual award in his name. Ray, a champion of the arts in public school education for thousands of students, is survived by three sons; three daughters; three stepdaughters; 23 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

LORINE “RENIE” SHAW WILSON ’86 died of cancer September 4, 2007, at age 45. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she was the youngest of six children and moved to Snoqualmie, Washington, with her family. A graduate of Issaquah (Washington) High School, where she was goalie for the school soccer team, Lorine competed in the Miss Issaquah Pageant. She married MICHAEL WILSON ’77 and earned a master’s degree in education from Central Washington University in 1992. Always athletic, she coached community soccer teams for 12 years in Washington and Oregon towns where her husband pastored. In 2000, the couple settled in Wenatchee, Washington, and in 2001, Lorine became a middle school teacher. Lorine is survived by Michael and five children.