Delta Gamma page 3
ALUMNAE NEWS
What words come to mind when you think about Delta Gamma?
"Friends, belonging, Christian."
–Thelma Iden Rilling '51
"New friends, social manners,
enjoyable memories."
–Barbara Anderson Dodson '58
"Role models, friendship,
personal growth."
–Alahna Weller '59
"Fun, memories,
doorway to many things."
–Judy Fitts Lochmann '60
"Beautiful building, great friends,
wonderful food."
–Deborah Pfautsch '66
"Loyalty, friendship, belonging."
–Connie Glancy Wickland '68
"Community, leadership
opportunities, campus connections."
–Lynn Espeland '73
"Lifelong friends, laughter, love."
–Jan Troupe Michel '74
"Sisterhood, mansion,
accountability."
–Diana Frey Bird '75
"Sisters, bunk beds, dining hall."
–DeeAnn "DeDe" Richards
Behrens '80
"Anchor, sisters, Jayhawk."
–Laura Meyer Lisec '83
"Comfortable, amusing, busy."
–Janie Sanders Baker '88
"Do Good, integrity, proud."
–Alaina Nesmith Cunningham '98
"Friendship, memories, fun."
–Christa Michelle Haynes '98
"Welcoming, fun, caring."
–Elizabeth Tenenbaum '01
"Sisterhood, friendship, love."
–Carly Gutierrez Beckett '10
Pat Harris Merrill '50 lives at Silvercrest
Independent Living in Overland Park, Kan. She
has two grown children, four grandchildren,
and two great-grandchildren. Her husband,
Max, passed away in December 2021. Email:
mgm31@aol.com
Ann Woodruff Johnson '53 recently moved
but still lives in Naples, Fla. She communicates
with some Beta Kappa sisters. Email:
ajcjhome@fastmail.com
Ann Poirier Bloxdorf '55 loves and enjoys
activities and new friends at Storypoint facility
in Chesterton, Ind. "There are more activities
and outings than I can find time to do. The
hardest part of leaving your home is making the
decision to do so."
Judy Godfrey Seborg '62 is a retired
kindergarten teacher and Montessori preschool
owner. She enjoys traveling with her husband,
who is a retired chemical engineering professor
at UCSB. Judy lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., and
is a docent at her local zoo and art museum. She
likes to read and play bridge. She loves being
"Grammy" to the four children of her husband's
two adult daughters, who welcome Judy into
their lives. Email: seborgj@gmail.com
Linda Manley Nocita '66 resides in Overland
Park, Kan., and enjoys being a volunteer docent
at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas
City, which she has been doing since 2009.
Email: lindanocita@gmail.com
Leslie McElfresh Schweitzer '67 runs a
501(c)(3) to support coed higher education
in Afghanistan. Currently, the university,
American University of Afghanistan, operates
remotely. It has 600 students, 58% of whom
are women. Leslie also provides STEM boot
camps for high school girls in Afghanistan. She
has been traveling there for 16-plus years. She
resides in Alexandria, Va.
Lynn Espeland '73 serves as senior vice
president and general counsel of WoodmenLife,
which was founded in 1890 and does business
in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Lynn lives
in Omaha, Neb., where one of her children also
resides. Another lives in Philadelphia and the
third is working in France and is currently in
Bordeaux. Lynn welcomed her first grandchild
on July 11, 2023. "Lillian—maybe a future
DG?" Email: lynnespeland@gmail.com
Jan Troupe Michel '74 lives in Topeka, Kan.,
and is busy with six grandchildren under 6 in
two states. Email: mmichel@cox.net
Diane Schroeder Mendenhall '78 resides
in Omaha, Neb., and is president of the new
Nebraska Pro Volleyball Franchise, "Omaha
Supernovas," which is part of the Pro
Volleyball Federation. "Kansas City will
have a team for the 2025 season." Email:
dianemendenhall9@gmail.com
DeeAnn "DeDe" Richards Behrens '80 is
in her 36th year of private dental practice
and practices four to five days a week. She is
beginning agility training with her border collie,
Ava, which is something she's always wanted
to do. She lives in Kansas City, Kan. Email:
drdededds@gmail.com
Beth Vivian Walker '82 is writing a new book,
Conquering the College Conundrums: The
Smart Person's Guide to Finding and Funding
College. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Email: beth@centerforcollegesolutions.com
Julie Adrian '89 started Alverium Health,
a contract biotech organization that helps
accelerate life science, innovation to market.
She resides in Cobham, England. Email:
julieadriansmith@gmail.com
Alaina Nesmith Cunningham '98 was
appointed as a city commissioner in January
2023. Since then, she ran a campaign to "Do
Good" for her community and was re elected
for a four-year term. "Delta Gamma helped to
instill this motto, and it is now a value I hold
to heart." Alaina lives in Hays, Kan. Email:
adcunningham@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Tenenbaum '01 lives in Lacy,
Wash., with her husband, Adam, and daughter,
Ada. She has been teaching yoga for seven
years and currently teaches at Olympia County
Club, LAFitness, and the YMCA. "Namaste!"
Email: etenenbaum217@gmail.com
Kimberly Gustafson '05 lives in Mountain
Iron, Minn., with her husband, Brad, and their
two children, Leena and Finn. Kimberly works
full-time in healthcare administration and
volunteers teaching Zumba. Email:
kimberly.gustafson18@gmail.com
Shelby Kunz '08 is married with two toddler
boys and a baby on the way. She has been
working as a senior applications analyst within
the ER at Nebraska Medicine after leaving the
ER bedside as a nurse. She resides in Lincoln,
Neb. Email: sknobel8@gmail.com
Carly Gutierrez Beckett '10 and her husband
welcomed their first baby boy in 2023 and have
loved being parents. Carly remains in close
contact with her Delta Gamma sisters. "I'm so
thankful for them and love entering motherhood
with many of them!" She lives in Overland
Park, Kan. Email: carlyannebeckett@gmail.com
Abby Hale Heidebrecht '15 is a full-time
graduate student at Southern Methodist
University. She lives in Overland Park,
Kan., and recently got married. Email:
abbyhale1010@yahoo.com
