Three Family Tree Awards presented

The first Family Tree Awards were presented in 1996. This year’s group brings the total number of recipients to 59.

The three families were given special recognition by CSC President Janie Park and the CSC Alumni Office during a luncheon at the college Saturday. They also were announced prior to CSC’s football game against Western State.

The first of 12 members of this family to attend Chadron State were three siblings, Bernard “Budge” Cripps, Dorine (Cripps) Daniels, and Sharon (Cripps) Mizner, and two of their spouses, Neil Daniels and Vern Mizner.

Budge, who taught school from 1966-1974 and works as a self-employed carpenter at Whitney, earned a bachelor’s degree from CSC in 1966. Dorine studied at CSC from 1958-1961 before earning a medical technology degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Now retired in Chadron, she worked as a medical technologist for 23 years and owned an embroidery shop. Her husband, the late Neil Daniels, earned a degree from CSC in 1968. Sharon, who lives near Whitney with husband Vern, obtained an associate’s degree in education in 1959 and is a retired fabric shop owner. Vern, now a self-employed rancher, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1961 and is a retired U.S. Navy pilot and commander.

Vern and Sharon’s three daughters have a relationship with the institution. Cindi attended 1980-1982 and works in CSC’s accounts payable office. Jennifer, who teaches music at Sidney Elementary School, holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from CSC and is currently studying toward a graduate degree. Karma is a custodian at the college.

Cindi’s husband, Raymond Walgren, works in financial services and has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from CSC. Jennifer’s husband, Dave Mead, also is a CSC graduate and works as a high school choir director. Two of Raymond and Cindi’s children, Daniel of Fort Collins and Lillian of Chadron, graduated from CSC. Jennifer and Dave’s son, Michael, is studying music at the institution.

Ernest and Twila Griffiths, who first studied at Chadron State in the 1960s, were the first of 10 family members to attend the institution.

Ernest, a native of Bridgeport who has completed three degrees from CSC, worked in student services at Western Nebraska Community College 1985-2000. His career also included teaching and Bridgeport and being superintendent of Hay Springs Schools. Following a bachelor’s degree in 1966, Ernest earned a master’s degree in 1985 and a specialist in education degree in 1986.

Twila is a native of Swea City, Iowa, who earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1966. She taught at Banner County schools from 1986-2000 and six years prior to that in the Redington rural school district.

Each of the Griffiths’ four children attended CSC. Daughter Elizabeth, a science teacher at Columbus, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1988. Son David obtained a bachelor’s degree in 1990. He became a certified public accountant and works as vice president at Regional West Medical Center at Scottsbluff. Daughter Julie studied in the Rural Health Opportunities Program at CSC before completing a master’s degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and works at the Veterans Affairs Clinic in Holdrege. Son Tim earned a bachelor’s degree from CSC in 2004 and now works as a director of ministry development at Rexford, Kan.

Elizabeth’s husband Christopher, a corporate pilot, David’s wife Renae (Jimenez), finance director for the City of Scottsbluff, and Tim’s wife Gwendolyn, also attended CSC. David and Renae’s daughter Marianne is a current student who plans to graduate in December.

While the Wahlstrom family has the fewest family members among this year’s group of award recipients, its involvement with Chadron State has been considerable through the years.

Lee and Virginia Wahlstrom, natives of eastern Nebraska who earned bachelor’s degrees from the University of Nebraska in the 1940s, participated in Dr. Allen Shepherd’s “Nebraska Semester Abroad” courses in 1992.

Lee, who now operates a cow-calf operation, is the retired owner of Wahlstrom Ford in Chadron. He served many years on the Chadron State Foundation’s board of directors and has audited a number courses at CSC.

Catherine, Lee and Virginia’s daughter who works as a special education teacher in Rapid City, S.D., earned a bachelor’s degree from CSC in 1974.

The Wahlstrom’s son, Robert, who now has ownership of the family business, earned a Master of Education degree from CSC in 1982. Robert’s wife Jane, a registered nurse, has completed three graduate courses from CSC. Robert and Jane’s two sons also are CSC alumni. Cory, a software engineer who lives in Firth, attended from 1995-1997 before transferring, and Michael, an insurance consultant who resides in Marietta, Ga., earned a bachelor’s degree in 2003 and master’s degree in 2004.