2007 alumni award recipients
Church Worker Alumnus of the Year Award Gordon Bredow of St. Peters, Mo., has spent more than 40 years serving students in Lutheran schools across the country. A 1964 graduate of Concordia, Bredow has been a teacher, athletic director and a coach for basketball, football, baseball and track at Lutheran high schools in Minnesota, Colorado, Texas and three schools in California. He currently teaches, coaches and directs the athletic program at Lutheran High School of St. Charles County, St. Peters, Mo.
Young Alumnus of the Year Award
Timothy Huntington of Lincoln, Neb., has progressed quickly in the field of forensic entomology, using his skills in biology and research to aid the police and federal government in their investigations. After graduating from Concordia in 2002, Huntington earned a master of science in entomology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is currently pursuing his doctorate. Earlier this year, Huntington passed a board certification examination, becoming the youngest member of the American Board of Forensic Entomology. He has received numerous awards and fellowships during his studies, and has published an article in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.
Church Leadership in Outreach Award
Duane and Rosemary Miller of Milwaukee, Wis., have invested themselves in the lives of children in their communities for more than 35 years. Living in Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin, their methods of outreach have included expanding church youth programs, starting a neighborhood preschool, offering supplementary catechism classes, establishing teacher training programs and overseeing building programs. Currently serving at St. Martini Lutheran School in downtown Milwaukee, Duane was the author of a grant application that has brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop the reading program at the chiefly Hispanic school. The Millers are 1970 graduates of Concordia.
Lay Worker Alumnus of the Year
Paul Kleine of Norman, Okla., has been a leader in education, psychology and educational research since graduating from Concordia in 1958. Beginning his career at a small school in Missouri, Kleine went on to teach and chair the division of education at the University of Wisconsin as well as teach and direct the Bureau of Educational Research Services at the University of Oklahoma. Among his many awards was a Fulbright lectureship in Portugal. He established a Habitat for Humanity chapter at the Univ. of Oklahoma while a faculty member and led construction trips for 16 years. He currently leads service-oriented construction trips to Tanzania and the Gulf region of the U.S.
Friend of Concordia
Marguerite Christman’s heartfelt friendship with Concordia is evident in all that she has done for the university and furthered through her support. Her gifts of her time and hospitality include everything from directing golf tournaments to housing traveling students from her alma mater. A 1967 graduate of Concordia, Christman spent just over 10 years teaching, substituting, coaching and working with educational media at schools in Arkansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Now living in Midwest City, Okla., she is deeply involved in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, including service on the national executive committee.
Lifetime Service Award
Dorothea and Raymond Huebschman of Seward, Neb., both graduates from Concordia in the early 60s, have more than 70 years of ministering to students between them, including Dottie’s 14 years at St. John Lutheran School in Seward and Ray’s many, many years at Concordia. The Huebschmans did not give up teaching after retirement, traveling to Indonesia with Lutheran World Mission to help in the devastated Banda Aceh region. They recently spent six months teaching both students and Indonesian teachers.
Honorary Alumni of the Year
Raymond Becker of Lincoln, Neb., was employed with First National Bank in Lincoln for 41 years, eventually becoming a vice president. He has also served as treasurer of the Wyuka Cemetary and treasurer of the Cedars Home for Children for more than 40 years. His contributions to Concordia extend beyond his energetic attendance at events to significant support of scholarships and capital projects on campus. Upon the occasion of his 100th birthday, he was given the Sower Award, Concordia’s highest honor for financial supporters.
Hugh Sieck Jr. of Lincoln, Neb., is the owner of H & S Plumbing in Lincoln and supporter of Concordia scholarships. A quick learner, he watched others in the industry when he was just starting out and gained the knowledge to run a successful business. Sieck has supported scholarships for Concordia students and he has contributed an entire lifetime of knowledge and superior workmanship on dozens of Concordia’s capital projects and has shared from his extensive knowledge during planning stages of university building and property development.