Posts Tagged ‘Iowa State University’

Iowa State 27 — Utah 68

October 10, 2010

Last night (10-9-10) Bill and I attended the Iowa State vs Utah football game. End result: Iowa State 27 – Utah 68. Man, those Utah players run amazingly fast. Even though they were on the opposing team, it really was kind of beautiful watching them weave, with great timing on their hesitations, through the ISU defense on the way to another Utah touchdown.

Game time was 6:00 PM CST. I imagine game time temps were in the 70s and 60s. With such comfortable weather and a looking-like filled stadium, and Utah being ranked #10, you can imagine the ISU fans’ excitement as ISU scored the first touchdown of the game. That was before Utah’s beautiful weaving/running started.

The following film is of that first touchdown and extra-point kick. The footage is lousy in that it is herky-jerky. My video camera is unreliable, I misjudged my speed of panning, and I didn’t want to hold the camera so as to block people’s views. However, if you’ve not been to a game at Iowa State’s Jack Trice Stadium for a long time (or ever), or even if you have, at least the clip gives you a little sense of being there last night when ISU was ahead.

We were sitting on the west side of the stadium; the large score board/video board is at the south end of the stadium.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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From a Better Seat

September 10, 2010

True to form, I’m deviating from my blogging train of thought by interrupting my own blog post series. (I.e., about the “Ooooh La La“ painting and also about Sharon Wickre Rickard; I’ll finish those next week.)

This photo is in honor of tomorrow's ISU vs Iowa game. What, where and when: Iowa State koozie and Taco House nachos at West Lake Okoboji this past Wednesday.

With the Iowa State/Iowa game tomorrow, I would be remiss if I didn’t post something acknowledging my allegiance to ISU. Being a 1976 Iowa State graduate, I do have that allegiance; I also have an allegiance to Drake University where Abby and Katie received degrees. They were also intently involved with Drake’s athletic program. Katie pitched and hit exceptionally well for Drake University where she was a Division I First Team Academic All-American. Abby was a manager for Drake’s women’s basketball team during four of her six years of pharmacy school.

When Iowa State plays Drake, I root for Drake; otherwise, I favor Iowa State. When neither is playing, I hope any team from the state of Iowa pulls out a W.

On September 2nd when I attended Iowa State’s first home football game, I had a lump in my throat and misty eyes for much of the first quarter. I told my sister, Marti, that it was tough being at an ISU game for the first time without Daddy. She replied with (and, I love her perspective), “Maybe he was watching from a better seat.”

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(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog home page.)

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Splooshing and Rejoicing

August 2, 2010

Today I was home alone after having a tear-filled and fun-filled weekend with family and friends. We buried my dad’s (Deane Gunderson) ashes at a family service on Friday. On Saturday morning we had a community memorial service followed by unwinding with family and friends at Roger and Dan Allen’s Bud Barn* in Rolfe, Iowa. (Roger and Dan are such salt-of-the-earth very, very special friends of my dad; they were instrumental in helping make it possible for my dad to live on the farm until his first fall in May.)

In-between the two services, on Friday was the unveiling of a 3′ x 3′ granite plaque honoring my dad. (Roger and Dan had the idea of the plaque several months ago. The original plan, before my dad passed away, was that Rog and Dan and my family would surprise my dad with the plaque earlier this month.)**

Also, on Friday evening we had a “tour” of Gunderland (the farmstead where my dad lived) with Bill periodically being tapped as a tour guide. Later that night a bunch of us played the won’t-let-you-be-inhibited-game of Quelf.

So, today being at home by myself was the first opportunity for reality to start setting in. My emotions splooshed all over the place with me missing my dad yet knowing that I’ve always been so fortunate, including, well…just getting to comfortably be with him so much and learn from him. I know the bottom line is…..”This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Here is my dad's 11 1/2-foot-tall statue of Cy located in Rolfe, Iowa. In the foreground are my dad's seven grandchildren. To the left is the 3' x 3' granite plaque that was unveiled this past Friday. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

On my t-shirt is an image of my dad's Cy statue...the same as the statue on the plaque. (Click on photo to enlarge plaque text.)

I’ll get on the ball and post the remainder of my conversation with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard. Over time I’ll certainly have more photos and information about my dad’s and mom’s lives, as well. (Obviously, I’ll post much more about my mom’s watercolors.) For now, here are a couple of photos from Friday’s plaque unveiling. (Oh, and…if you want a fun game, for sure, Quelf is it!)

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In case you missed my dad’s obituary, including links to various articles about him, click here.

*At the Bud Barn site’s home page you’ll hear song lyrics written in 1984 explaining a little about the Bud Barn. The Bud Barn was originally at the farmstead where my dad was born in 1918. The barn was moved into Rolfe in 1982.

**The plaque is there for all to see…up close and “personal.” If you have a chance, I hope you’ll stop by to see it. Even if you are a Hawk fan I think you’ll appreciate my dad’s art of design and welding.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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Deane C. Gunderson (Obituary, 1964 Fort Dodge Messenger Article, and Links to Additional Articles)

July 21, 2010

Daddy at the age of 88 in 2007. He looked just like this (including the sparkle in his eyes) until within days before he passed away on July 1st, 2010. The only difference from this photo and seeing him in “real life” was he typically had his shirt collar buttoned and was a true blue Iowa Stater wearing his self-handcrafted ISU bolo tie! (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Deane C. Gunderson, age 91, died on Thursday, July 1, 2010, at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames.

Deane Charles Gunderson, son of John Christian Gunderson and DeElda (Lighter) Gunderson, was born on September 16, 1918, in Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa.  He graduated from Rolfe High School in 1935 and received B.S. degrees in Agricultural Engineering (1939) and Mechanical Engineering (1940) from Iowa State College.

On July 23, 1941, Deane Gunderson and Marion Abbott were married in Ogden, Utah.  They resided in Waterloo, Iowa, for nearly four years while Deane worked as an engineer for the John Deere Tractor Company.  In 1945 Marion and Deane moved with their three young children to the farm southwest of Rolfe where they continued to live for six decades.

Deane was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, president his senior year and president of the House Corporation for 24 years.  He was active in the Republican Party, Community Chest and Lions Club, and a Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League.

Deane was a member of the Shared Ministry of Rolfe.  He served on the Board of Directors of the Rolfe State Bank.  He was involved in public education for 25 years, having served on the Rolfe Community School District Board of Directors from 1966 to 1981, and as a Director and Treasurer of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 1971-1991.  He also served on the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation.

In 1980, Iowa State University awarded Alumni Recognition Medals to Deane and Marion.  He was an avid Cyclone fan and in 1975 created an 11½-foot, welded sculpture of Cy that stood at the north end of the ISU football stadium for many years.  In 1981 Iowa State named Deane as Cy’s Favorite Alum.

During 1975-1977, Deane wrote a weekly column, “Bubbles in the Wine,” for The Rolfe Arrow.

His interests included farming, education, mathematics, welding, land surveying and farm drainage systems.  He specialized in creating larger combinations of farm machinery* for increased production per farm worker.  He seemed to have friends wherever he went and enjoyed engaging them with his stories.  He was proud of his children and delighted in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was a generous person, encouraged others in their endeavors and was noted for pointing out life’s wonders, including Sputnik, the Pythagorean theorem, bean seeds germinating, a fox den in a creek bank, and the West Bend Grotto.

Deane was preceded in death by his wife, Marion, his parents, and one son, Christian Gunderson.  He is survived by his son Charles Gunderson and wife Gloria; daughters Clara Hoover and husband Harold, Helen Gunderson, Martha Carlson and husband Michael, Margaret Moore and husband Jeffrey, and Louise Shimon and husband William; seven grandchildren: Christina Gunderson, Timothy Gunderson, Kevin Carlson, Joshua Moore, Jonathan Moore, Abigail Shimon and Kathryn (Shimon) Moon; three great-grandchildren: Michael Williams, Addison Valletta and Jackson Johnstone; and several cousins.

A memorial service will be held at the Shared Ministry of Rolfe at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 31.

In lieu of flowers, Deane requested contributions be made to the Rolfe Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, Iowa 50581).

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*If you have time, I hope you will click TWICE on this photo to read this 1964 Fort Dodge Messenger article about one aspect of my dad’s engineering. (With clicking on the photo just once, the text will likely be too small to read. This is posted with permission granted by The Messenger.)

Daddy’s obituary will be in today’s (July 21st) edition of the Pocahontas Record-Democrat. It will also be in this Sunday’s (July 25th) edition of the Fort Dodge Messenger, the Ames Tribune and the Des Moines Register. Sometime later I’ll post a bunch of photos of Daddy; in the same post as his obituary somehow just didn’t seem to work for me.

If you are able to attend Daddy’s service and luncheon afterward, please be sure to let me know you are there. (I felt so bad that I missed some people who were at Mother’s service.) Also, if you can’t attend the service but think you will be in Rolfe later in the day on the 31st or sometime that weekend, it would be nice if you’d email (mariongundersonart@gmail.com) or call me to let me know; maybe we could work out a way to have our paths cross.

(Cy’s Favorite Alum)

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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What do you use for a title on the day that your father passes away?

July 1, 2010

My dad, Deane Gunderson, passed away today.

He was (still is, in my mind…you know…the present tense) 91 years old — almost 92. He fell a second time on this year’s Father’s Day, after an initial fall two months ago. He had been hospitalized since June 20th until yesterday when he was transferred to a hospice house.

Wow, what a G-R-E-A-T guy. Always a loving (even when strict) “teacher,” always looking for the best in people and always trying to make the most of life (his own and others’).

I feel so incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to spend so much time with him these past several years (my whole life, actually), especially recently. He exemplified the “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade” philosophy.

I wanted to post maybe a couple of pictures that captured some of his unique traits. Just starting to look, I came up with 40 photos…and I knew I had even more. I want to post them ALL!

I’m pooped. So, for now I’ll post just two of my favorite “a picture tells a thousand words” images that tell about my full-of-life dad. Yes, I know…almost every dad is “great.” So, thank you for indulging me in the past, today, and in the future by letting me express my joy in relation to my dad.

From the Iowa State vs Missouri football program, Homecoming, October 17, 1981. (Click photo twice to read text.)

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Daddy (Deane Gunderson) dancing with Peggy at Katie's and Joe's wedding two years ago, July 2008. At age 89 he was the life of the party. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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Click here for another post about my dad’s statue of Cy. It includes a photo of him with Cy in 1975 and another photo of him with Cy from 2007. Cy will be in Rolfe on the Karras RAGBRAI loop on Monday, July 26th.

My dad’s memorial service will be in Rolfe, Iowa, sometime on Saturday, July 31st. By next week I’ll post more details.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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ISU Heating Plant Vantage Point, Simplified

June 11, 2010

ISU Heating Plant, Ames, Iowa, watercolor by Marion Gunderson, 1951. (Click on image to enlarge.)

(Click here to go to this blog’s home page.)

In case the first “Vantage Point” post about Mother’s (Marion Gunderson) ISU Heating Plant watercolor was just a little too detailed for you, here’s the cut-to-the-chase version. At left is the image of her watercolor (same image as in the first post).

I’m also including a photo-with-explanation indicating her most likely vantage point for the watercolor.

At the end of this post are links that provide more information about Iowa State University’s heating/power plant.

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Iowa State University Power Plant, March 2010. (Click photo to enlarge.)

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At the links below, more information is available about the history of Iowa State University’s heating/power plant, or current information.

At this link scroll down to the “Power and Heating Plant” heading.http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibits/150/campus/ISU%20Campus%20and%20Its%20Buildings%20-%20Physical%20Education-Soil%20Laboratory.pdf

ISU power plant floor plans, etc., are available here. http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/building.asp?id=106

Additional background information is available here.http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibits/150/campus/ISU%20Campus%20and%20Its%20Buildings%20-%20Utilities.pdf

This Iowa State University link (http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/) provides a map of campus. To easily see the location of the current power plant, in the upper right at this ISU web site you’ll get a pop-up menu if you click on “select building.” In that pop-up menu, select “power plant.” OR, at the left side of the same web page where it says “Layers,” put a check mark in front of “building names.” Then enlarge the map (i.e., click on the “+” sign) a little and you’ll be able to see the names of buildings on campus.

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(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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New Images/OLLI/What Santa Brought

January 4, 2010

(Click here to go to this blog’s home page.)

Within the next month, I hope to post a new image/print of another of Mother’s (Marion Gunderson) original watercolors. We are so close to having it profiled and ready for printing. However, the weather is wreaking havoc on different factors affecting the process.

In addition, I have a second original of Mother’s watercolors at Wild Faces Gallery in Rolfe (Iowa) awaiting the beginning of its profiling process. The prints of both of these originals will be the result of people seeing the originals at the November open house and asking if prints could be made of them.

(If you haven’t seen what prints of Mother’s watercolors are available so far and would like to do so, click on the “View and Order Prints” link on this blog’s home page.)

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Not the most exciting photo, but the classes are the cat's meow.

On my Christmas wish list, I included a few items related to photography. I’m a novice-of-a-novice as far as photography goes, but am enjoying learning more about it via OLLI classes at Iowa State University.

OLLI classes were formerly known as College for Seniors, with the main requirement being that participants needed to be at least 50 years old. These classes are the cat’s meow for anyone 50-and-above who wants to continue learning…perhaps after retirement…but without a huge time or monetary commitment. (We’re talking in the ballpark of a total of ten hours — sometimes fewer — and, depending upon the specific course, around $50 for most of the offerings.)

Last spring I took an OLLI digital SLR photography class. This fall I took an OLLI photography field trip class. (The field trips were on or near campus.) Several of us in the class have continued meeting on an informal basis with the instructor, Sam Wormley. Sam seems to know the answer to any photography-related question. He also answers with kindness, great patience and individualization.

Through the OLLI classes and informal meetings it seems that every time I come home, there’s a new photography “toy” that I’m excited about. Getting realistic about what I might actually use as an amateur, and what might fit in Santa’s budget, on my “wish list” I included three specific items. I was fortunate to receive all three items and am looking forward to learning how to use them. Sam is nice enough to continue helping me with my learning curve via emails, informal field trips, and another four-session photography field trip class. (That class will meet on Wednesday afternoons from April 21st through May 12th.)

Soon, I plan to include a post about one of the items I received for Christmas, thanks to learning about it via the OLLI classes. For an experienced photographer, the item won’t be any revelation. But, for me it is. (I’ll also post a link for a video about the item that is hilarious, even if you don’t care anything about photography!)

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog.)

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