The Northwestern Lutheran Academy Class of 1958

concludes its fi ftieth anniversary reunion with a Hawaiian

theme picnic on Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Heier home in

Akaska. From left, back row, are Gary Leidle, Warren Sulzle,

Donald Geisinger, Donna Geisinger Reddel, Owen Dorn,

Janice Gorne Dyer, Norman Mischke, Deanna Kolb Kensrud

and David Farstad; front, Evelyn Schlomer Taus, Marlene

Huber Wheeler,

NLA class congregates to remember

Northwestern Lutheran Academy

students of the Class of 1958

came back for a 50th reunion

Aug. 1 to 3, and to recall the days

when their school was noted for

its fine quality language, music,

drama and sports departments.

Even some of Mobridge’s public

school students took courses at

the academy in addition to their

regular classes at Mobridge High

School.

The academy was such an as-set to the city that local people

envisioned it developing into

a school of college rank with

students from all parts of the

Northwest. Unfortunately that

did not happen. Economics forced

its closing.

The academy began back in

1928 when the old frame building

that had served the public

school students was bought and

became the first building of NLA.

An administrative building and

gymnasium were added, followed

by a dormitory building and a

dining hall building, which now

has become the Pizza Ranch.

Sixteen students were in the

first class to graduate. The last

graduation ceremony at NLA was

held in 1979.

Twenty of the 25 in the Class

of 1958 were present for the reunion.

Three were unable to attend

and two are deceased. Those

in attendance and spouses were

Owen and Bonnie Dorn of Cottonwood,

Ariz., Dennis and Cora

Duin of Louisville, Neb., Dave

and Lanita Farstad of Waverly,

Minn., Sharon and Tom Stuart

of Dallas, Texas, Don and Donna

Reddel of Omaha, Neb., Larry

and Jan Dyer of Grand Island,

Neb., Aldon and Elaine Almos of

Gary and Akaska, Bob and Terri

Holzworth of Idaho Falls, Idaho,

Gary and Marlene Wheeler of

Machesney Park, Ill., Rod and

Deanna Kensrud of Fargo, N.D.,

the Rev. Reinhart and Delaine

Kom of Big Bend, Wis., Gene and

Patti Long of Rosemount, Minn.,

Gary and Mary Leidle of Mo-

bridge, Sherry Van Orman of Hot

Springs, Norman and Earlene

Mischke of Plymouth, Minn.,

Arlo and Dorine Nohrenberg of

Pingree, N.D., Evelyn Taus of

Wauwatosa, Wis., Bernice Watson

of Lewistown, Mont., Warren

and Cathy Sulzle of Colorado

City, Colo., and Conrad Sterkel

of Bond, Colo.

The reunion began Friday

evening, Aug. 1, renewing friendships

and meeting classmates’

spouses at the home of Gary

and Mary Leidle in Mobridge.

The Leidles served a luncheon

featuring walleye nuggets and

the group relaxed as they reminisced.

Saturday evening they gathered

for a banquet at the Fireside.

Each classmate gave a

brief summary of their lives

since 1958, and an interesting

class memory DVD, prepared by

Donna (Geisinger) Reddel’s son,

was viewed.

A Sunday noon picnic was held

at the Aldon and Elaine (Heier)

Almos home in Akaska. Classmate

Dave Farstad entertained

with his guitar and jokes. Finally,

classmates said their “Auf

Wiedersehens” and agreed to

meet again in fi ve years.

- Jo Hall, Elaine Almos