Three families honored at Homecoming
CHADRON – Three families – Bunch-Lingelbach, Epp and Neubauer families – were honored for attending Chadron State College during Homecoming. Each family includes three generations of graduates. At least two of the family members in each family have records of outstanding service to the college, the alumni association, their communities and professions.
Dewey Bunch, the patriarch of the Bunch-Lingelbach Family, attended Chadron State College in the 1920s, setting in motion a family tradition that would eventually result in four generations of alumni. Bunch lived on the family homestead southwest of Chadron on Deadhorse Road and became a carpenter who worked in several foreign countries before returning home in 1955. Dewey worked on at least four CSC buildings when they were constructed in the 1960s and early 1970s. His brother, Clarence, also deceased, earned a teaching degree from the college.
Dewey and his ex-wife, Frances, had two daughters: Nancy Bunch Lingelbach and the late Nadine Stoppenbrink.
Nancy, now a retired homemaker, studied art at CSC in the mid-1980s. Her children are Frances McCarty, Carrie Martinson, David Lingelbach, Audrey Hanson and John Lingelbach.
Frances McCarty worked for the U.S. Postal Service from 1975 to 1978 and studied vocal music and theory at CSC in the 1980s. She is retired from McCarty’s Magic Carpet Cleaning, a business she operated from 1981 to 1993. Her children are Casey Cortney, Samantha Howe, Kristi Edwards, Doug McCarty and Tabitha Smith.
Casey participated in the Rural Health Opportunity Program and graduated with a biology degree in 1992. She earned a master’s in Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1995 and a doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2016. She was a member of the Health Professions Club, played intramural basketball and was a homecoming queen nominee. She is a physical therapist and owner of the Sidney Rehabilitation and Wellness Clinic. Previously, she was a physical therapist at the Memorial Health Center in Sidney. Cortney’s husband, Robert, attended CSC and was involved in intramural basketball. He owns and operates Triple C Cleaning and is involved in construction. The couple have two children, Braydon and Jesse.
Samantha earned her bachelor's in Elementary Education in 1992. She lives in Casper, Wyoming, with her husband, Cody. Their children are: Rebekah Kauffman and Clayton, Ian, Elisabeth, Lydia, Ben, Timothy and Gideon Howe.
Kristi studied nursing at CSC from 1990 to 1992 and earned her bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1995. She is a Mary Kay Sales Director and a surgical RN at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska, where she lives with her husband, Dana, and their children Taylor and Nick. Dana, who graduated from CSC in 1995 with an education degree, has been a math and engineering teacher at Soldotna High School for 20 years.
Doug studied criminal justice at CSC from 1991 to 1992. He has worked for the North Platte Police Department and is a Crime Scene Investigator with the Kearney Police Department. He and his wife, Crystle, have two children, Cora and Daniel, and live in Kearney, Nebraska.
Tabitha attended CSC in 1992 and from 2000 to 2002. She earned a nursing degree from Lakota School of Nursing in 2005 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2010. She lives in Bar Nunn, Wyoming, and she is a nurse at the Wyoming Behavioral Institute. Her children are Chadrick Cogdill, Evan Cogdill and Jadyn White.
Carrie Martinson studied pre-occupational therapy at CSC from 1985 to 1986. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Creighton University and is now a retired Occupational Therapist. She and her husband, Harold, live in Bridgeport, Nebraska, and have three daughters, Cali Letchworth Bahati, Katie Knaub, and Kinsi Tracy. Cali attended CSC.
Cali attended CSC and went on to become a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2003. She is a nurse with Nebraska Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Previously, she worked with the Douglas County Health Center. She and her husband, Greg, live in Papillion with their seven children.
Although David Lingelbach did not attend CSC, he and his wife Linda, have a daughter, Lacey Hauf, who graduated in 2008 with a degree in elementary education. She is a teacher and coach in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Lacey and her husband, Michael, have two children, Kyler and Kellen.
Audrey Hanson graduated from CSC in 1979 with a double major in biology and earth science. She was involved in Chi Alpha, Alpha X, Delta Sorority and the Earth Science Club. She was also a cheerleader and homecoming queen. Audrey returned in 1984 to earn a teaching endorsement and teaches 7th and 8th grade science. She and her husband, Allan, live in Alliance, Nebraska, have three children, Erin Hanson Rodell, Garrett Hanson and Jordan Hanson.
Erin Rodell is married to Josh and they live in Lincoln. Erin graduated in 2010 with a degree in museum studies. She enjoyed extracurricular activities in music, theatre and art. She is a Central Issue Facility Manager for the Nebraska Army National Guard. She served with the Wyoming Air National Guard from 2005 to 2009. Josh studied criminal justice at CSC. He is an Officer for Federal Protective Service for Homeland Security. Previously, he was an officer with the Alliance Police Department and served in the Navy and Naval Reserve.
John Lingelbach graduated from CSC in 1990 with a degree in criminal justice and earned his law degree from Creighton School of Law in 1994. He is an attorney in Papillion, Nebraska. He and his wife, Mary Beth, have two children, Abby and Emily. Mary Beth earned a biology degree in 1990 and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Creighton University in 1991. She is the Nurse Care Coordinator at Bellevue Nebraska Medicine. She has been a Telemetry and Surgical ICU Nurse at the Omaha VA Medical Center, and worked in outpatient surgery, and the Urology Center. She has also volunteered in a nursing capacity.
Siblings Rodney, Jane, Virginia, and Linda Epp are the founding members of the Epp Family Tree.
Rodney graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and was a member of the Canterbury Club. He is now retired and lives in Grand Island, Nebraska, with his wife, LaVerna. They have three children, Tamie Trvdik, Anna Fraser, and Jana Watt. LaVerna earned a two-year degree at CSC and was also a member of the Canterbury Club. She taught elementary school for 20 years in Hastings.
Tamie Trvdik attended CSC from 1976 to 1978 and lives in Dixon, California with her husband, Jaime, who attended from 1974 to 1979.
Anna Fraser’s son, Scott Fraser, earned a biology degree in 2015 with a minor in chemistry. He is currently in medical school in Chicago, Illinois.
Jana Watt attended from 1979 to 1981, earned a bachelor’s in elementary education in 1996 and a master’s in curriculum and instruction in 2012. She is married to Don Watt, who is a Professor in Health, Physical education and Recreation and the head athletic trainer at CSC. Don earned his secondary physical education degree in 1980 and was the only student athletic trainer on campus at that time. He earned a master’s degree a year later from Central Missouri State University. Jana and Don have two children, Danielle Dorshorst and Jeffrey Watt.
Danielle Dorshorst attended CSC from 2001 to 2002 and was a student trainer. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from UNMC in Scottsbluff. She is a triage nurse for the Women’s Center and a labor and delivery nurse at regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Her husband, Nate, attended CSC from 2001 to 2002. He is a service technician with Horizon West, Inc. The couple have three children, Maci, Kyli, and Halli.
Jeffrey attended CSC in 2002. He is owner and operator of Watt Steel, LLC. His wife, Tina, attended from 2003 to 2005 in pre-pharmacy and earned her pharmacy degree from Creighton University. She was active in the Health Professions Club and Campus Activities Board. She is the head pharmacist at Wal-Mart in Chadron. The couple have four children: Delaney, Braegan, Ryker, and Truett.
Jane Kreycik’s daughter, Marcee Kreycik Diller, lives in Casper, Wyoming. Her son, Scott, graduated in 1984 with a degree in chemistry and biology. He was involved in basketball, Blue Key and Beta Beta Beta. He has served on the Chadron State Foundation Board, served as a Chadron State Foundation Trustee and on the Foundation’s National Leadership Campaign Committee.
Virginia Brown attended CSC in 1959 and completed a two-year degree. She is married to Willis.
Linda’s grandson, Trace Fulk, attended from 2016 to 2018. He lives near Mitchell, Nebraska.
The Neubauer Family includes many educators who earned their degrees at Chadron State College.
The late Gwynne Neubauer, son of Louis and Dora Neubauer, and half-sisters Adah and Doris Neubauer, daughters of Louis and Delight Neubauer, all earned teaching degrees.
Gwynne Neubauer earned his teaching degree from the Nebraska State Normal School in 1922. Gwynne and his wife, Gertrude, had five children, Dora, Renna, Meda, Marcia and Wilda. All five daughters followed their father’s path and studied education at Chadron State Teacher’s College.
Gwynne’s half-sisters, Adah Neubauer and Doris Warren, earned degrees in 1944.
Dora Johnson attended in the 1940s. She and her husband, Norman Johnson, had four children, Gwendolyn Stoll, Benita Hahn, Glenn Johnson, and Lori Shipferling.
Renna Ritchie earned a teaching degree in the late 1940s. She and her husband, Wallace Ritchie, had three daughters, Kathryn Walz, Trudy Stewart, and Pamela Vermillion.
Meda Simons earned a teaching degree in the late 1940s. She and her husband, John “Jack,” had four children, Linda Mowrey, Patrice Knott, Karen Hendrickson, and Marilyn Martensen.
Marcia Elliott earned an education degree in the early 1950s. She and her husband, LaVerne, had five children, Monte, Perry, Sherry, Randy and Rick.
Monte Elliott’s son, Nicholas, attended CSC in 2011. He lives in Evansville, Wyoming.
Wilda Jackson graduated with an education degree in the 1950s. She and her husband, Dale Jackson, had two children who are CSC alumni, Warren and Ronda.
Warren Jackson earned a degree in math education and driver education and was active in Phi Sigma Epsilon. He retired after 33 years in education. Highlights of his career include coaching in the high school division C1 football finals in 2006 and receiving a 25-year award from the Nebraska Coaches Association. Warren and his wife, Deb, have four children, Michaela, Savannah, Katelynn, and Brennann.
Savannah Jackson is a CSC senior pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. She is involved in Cardinal Key, Xi Delta Zeta, The NEST, Sigma Delta Nu, SEAN and ASCD Club.
Ronda Jackson earned a secretarial certificate from CSC in 1981 after graduating from Rock County High School in Bassett, Nebraska.
Category: Campus News, Chadron State Alumni & Foundation