Class Year: 1980

Linda Leslie ’82

Linda Leslie ’82 of Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrated her 10-year anniversary at University of Cincinnati, where she is a database team manager as part of the IT@UC software development team. Continue Reading →

Linda Hardin ’86

Linda Hardin ’86 and Otto Turrentine were married in July in Blaine, Washington. Linda is teaching her 30th year in special education and they live in East Lansing, Michigan. Continue Reading →

Eric Tooley ’87 and Anne Hathaway ’88 Tooley

Eric Tooley ’87 and Anne Hathaway ’88 Tooley of Ada, Michigan, were on opposite sides of the Black River during the Pull as students, but as parents they’ve enjoyed sharing the tradition together with daughter Allison ’18, who participated in the 120-year Hope tug-of-war during each of her four years at the college, two as… Continue Reading →

Scott Buhrmaster ’88

Scott Buhrmaster ’88 of Chicago, Illinois, has been named chief operating officer at the Force Science Institute, an internationally recognized, research-based organization focused on studying the intricate human dynamics involved in high-stress, rapidly unfolding force encounters involving law enforcement professionals. The institute provides specialized training for a wide variety of federal, state and local law… Continue Reading →

Paul Hospers ’80

Paul Hospers ’80 of Rochester, Minnesota, died on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. He was 59. Paul was born in Sodus, NY, on December 8, 1957.  He graduated from Grand Haven High School, in Grand Haven, MI, and received a Bachelors of Business Administration degree, specializing in computer science, from Hope College in Holland, MI. Paul worked for IBM… Continue Reading →

Leslie Piaget ’89

Leslie Piaget ’89 of Holland, Michigan, died on Sunday, July 9, 2017. She was 50. She is preceded in death by her father, Thomas Piaget. She is survived by her mother, Barb; siblings, Tom Piaget, Susan and Mark Faga, Chris and Jim Trujillo and 12 beloved nieces and nephews. A memorial service is planned for 2 p. m.… Continue Reading →

Kathleen VandeZande ’80 Fairbanks

Kathleen VandeZande ’80 Fairbanks of Burke, South Dakota, was selected from parent nominations for the 2017 South Dakota Special Education Staff of the Year award. She has taught for 36 years, with 25 years as a special education teacher. Continue Reading →

Steve Maas ’81

Amy Henrickson ’78, Clark Matthews ’61 and Steve Maas ’81 have come together to create the Grandville Community Choir. The choir of more than 50 area singers performs at various community events in addition to holding two special concerts each year, in December and April. Keep up with the choir on its Facebook page (search… Continue Reading →

Mike Zomermaand ’81

Randy Zomermaand ’72 (Tampa, Florida), Conley Zomermaand ’77 (Xenia, Ohio) and Mike Zomermaand ’81 (Canton, Michigan) met in Mt. Dora, Florida, and proudly represented Hope College at the Mt. Dora Bicycle Festival Oct. 5-8. The brothers, originally from Holland, Michigan, rode routes of 25, 56, 62 and a hilly 37 miles over the course of… Continue Reading →

Johnathan Lein ’83

Johnathan Lein ’83 of Altamonte Springs, Florida, delivered the keynote address “Why Psychology?” in April at the fourth annual University of Central Florida Psychology Conference. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern California and the University of Central Florida graduate schools of social work. Continue Reading →

Kevin Rebhan ’84

Kevin Rebhan ’84 of Holland, Michigan, has been inducted into the American College of Dentists in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACD is the oldest major honorary organization for dentists, and its mission is to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism and leadership in dentistry. Induction is a distinct honor as only 3.5 percent of dentists in the United… Continue Reading →

Sally Budd ’85

Sally Budd ’85 of Alexandria, Virginia, retired in April 2017 after 32 years of service in the federal government. She spent 10 years on Capitol Hill working for Congressman William D. Ford (D-MI), followed by 22 years at the United States Department of Education. Continue Reading →

Diane Boughton ’85 Walker

Diane Boughton ’85 Walker of Manning, South Carolina, is teaching physical education in pre-K through sixth grade and coaching high school cross country and track with Clarendon County Schools District One. She recently became a certified track and field official with USATF. She has completed the USATF Certification 1 class to improve her coaching skills. Continue Reading →

Julie Van Heest ’86 Gortsema

Julie Van Heest ’86 Gortsema is founder and president of a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization, All Our Kids Inc., which is committed to Christ’s call to care for orphans in distress. They serve in Tijuana, Mexico, where due to extreme crime and poverty, children are often abandoned at birth, forced into human trafficking or sold… Continue Reading →

Alan Supp ’86

Alan Supp ’86 of Rockford, Michigan, recently ended his role as a board member at Blandford Nature Center due to term limits. While there, he served as treasurer, vice-chair, chair of the Donor Development Committee, co-chair of the Investment Committee and a member of the Capital and Endowment Campaign which recently concluded by raising more… Continue Reading →

Amy Affleck ’88 Meyer

Amy Affleck ’88 Meyer reports that after 1 5 years of tending the home fires and freelance editing and teaching, she has returned to full-time work at Elfinwild Presbyterian Church in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as director of children’s and family ministries. She states that she loves the new adventure and is grateful… Continue Reading →

Sara Renkes ’84 Neevel

Sara Neevel, 55, of Zeeland, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, after a six-month battle with cancer. Born in Morrison, Ill., to Phil and Alice (Maisie) Renkes, Sara graduated from Hope College, where she met her husband, Ken. She worked at Haworth for 20 years, and later for MacMillan Publishing, primarily on psychology textbooks with… Continue Reading →

Sharon Walburg ’87 Fales

Sharon D Fales, age 52, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 10, 2017 at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. Sharon was born in Grand Rapids to Jack and Mary (Burmania) Walburg and was the oldest of three children. She had a fond love for gardening and going on motorcycle rides with her husband. After graduating high… Continue Reading →

Brion Brooks ’80

Brion Brooks ’80 became the executive director of the Village of Progress, a nonprofit agency in rural northwest Illinois, serving individuals with developmental disabilities, in 2014. In the spring of 2017 the agency opened The Village Bakery, a retail bakery and café in Oregon, Illinois. The Village Bakery provides competitive wages to men and women… Continue Reading →