1960s

Four Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sisters traveled from Budapest to Nuremburg on a Danube Cruise from June 1-8. Left: Marguerite Doyle Conway ’61, Missoula; Karla Chandler Bailey ’64, Napa, Calif.; Gwen Calvin Letson ’64, Hayden, Idaho; and Marilou Lewis ’94 (seated), Missoula. All four women pledged KAT in fall 1960.

Susan Hinman ’63, Dana Point, Calif., taught junior high in Billings and San Capistrano, Calif., and high school in Anaheim and Garden Grove, Calif. She worked for 12 years as an aide to an Orange County supervisor, as well as a staff analyst in the Orange County Social Services Agency. From 1990 to 2000, she served on the board of directors of the South Coast Water District and from 2000 to 2016 worked as president of both agencies on the Municipal Water District. She holds an M.P.A. from California State University, Long Beach, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi. Now retired, she has been married 53 years to Paul, a Bobcat.

Wayne Harrington ’66, Bellingham, Wash., bicycled up the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in mid-May.

Albert Brewer ’68, M.M. ’71, Hamilton, is now retired after a long career in music. He worked with the Washington, D.C., Opera from 1972 to 1974, taught in Libby from 1974 to 1995, attended Catholic University from 1995 to 1999, earning a Doctorate of Musical Arts, and then owned and operated Oceanside Academy in Oceanside, Calif., from 2001 to 2007. He taught at UM Western in Dillon from 2009 to 2014.

Ruth Silvius Dobson ’68, Beaverton, Ore., taught voice, opera workshop, vocal pedagogy and song literature at Portland State University for more than 25 years. As an adjunct faculty member at the University of Oregon, she taught voice lessons for six years and worked as an interim faculty member at Oregon State University for two years. She served on the board of directors of the National Opera Association for 15 years, with the last two as vice president for conventions. She continues to teach voice privately in the Portland area and remains active in the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the National Opera Association. She won a Governor’s Arts Award in 2007 from the state of Oregon.

June Ehinger ’68, Lewisville, Texas, retired as deputy executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association. She also worked with the United States Agency for International Development in Macedonia and the Republic of Georgia to establish school boards. She holds a master’s degree from Tennessee Tech University and a doctorate from the University of Tulsa and now lives in Texas with her husband.

Billie Herrin ’68, M.Ed. ’87, Ed.D.’91, Missoula, taught high school classes in both Columbus and Helena, as well as worked as a part owner/manager of a bath shop in Billings. She returned to UM for advanced education degrees. As a teaching assistant and then faculty member in UM’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, she taught business education courses from fall 1985 to spring 2000. She and her husband, Ned, now live in both Missoula and Phoenix, enjoying traveling, golfing, reading meeting with friends and attending events.

Susan Hove-Pabst ’68, Port Angeles, Wash., worked as a music specialist in elementary schools and then at the university level, retiring as a professor emerita in music. She also performed, taught guitar and owned a restaurant. Now retired, she enjoys the Pacific Northwest with friends and family, with a “bit of Montana always present.”

Donald Gatzke M.A. ’68, Cherokee Village, Ark., has worked as a government administrator; psychologist; president at four colleges and universities; mediator; clinical professional counselor; CEO of a construction company, trucking company and well-drilling company; a subdivision developer; and school counselor in the Arctic. He holds a doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a post-doctoral degree from the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

Richard Orestad ’68, Scottsdale, Ariz., worked for the Nielson Corp. of Chicago and then for Dial Corp., moving from San Francisco to Phoenix. He led Dial’s Sales and Business Development department for 20 years until he retired in 2008. He still lives in the Phoenix area, enjoying life and golf. 

George Peck ’68, Aurora, Colo., retired in 2015 after nearly 50 years in the workforce, including 15 years as vice president of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. As well as enjoying his grandchildren, he remains actively involved in the community on several boards, commissions, Rotary and more. He received a Community Hero of Buckley award in 2013 for his support of Buckley Air Force Base. He and his wife, Barb, just celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.

Phillip Van Ness ’68, Urbana, Ill., is a private law practitioner with Webber & Theis, PC, in Urbana, Illinois. He focuses on environmental and real estate law and has published several chapters in environmental law publications, as well as presented at numerous professional seminars. He has served as a board member of a local school district, an officer in church and civic organizations, a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and chair of the Environmental Law Section and Real Estate Law Section councils. He previously worked for three Illinois state agencies for nearly 20 years and served as chief hearing officer for the Pollution Control Board.