Golden Grads Memory Lane
“Seager Wheeler Hall was brand new in 1970 and I was fortunate to be one of the first residents. The apartment had six bedrooms, so instantly I had five new friends as roommates. It was a welcoming situation for a small-town girl from Nokomis, SK. The first year I was on the 3rd floor, for the second year my roommates and I moved to the 13th floor where we had a beautiful view of the city. It was a fun time! One of these roommates introduced me to my future husband, we are now celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary.”
Shirley (nee Shields) Emmons (BA’73)
“I completed my B.Ed at the same time as my daughter, Diana Joan (Werhun) Bulych. I completed Normal School and began my career as a teacher. My first teaching posting was at Winthorpe School and then at Hazel School. I met my husband while teaching at Hazel School. I continued my teaching career in the Foam Lake School District. I took summer school classes and classes by correspondence to complete my degree. I finished my degree in time to graduate at the same time as my daughter. The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker presented our degrees to us. It was very exciting.”
Netty Bulych (BEd’73)
“My Mother, Netty Darlene Bulych and I graduated at the same convocation. I started my degree classes in 1970 however my mother started her degree classes after she graduated from Normal School. We timed the completion of our graduation so that we could walk across the stage and receive our degrees one after the other. The Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker shook our hands and presented our degrees to us. It was a moment never to forget!”
Diana Bulych (BEd’73)
“Met my wife in computer science classes. Was later surprised to learn that she didn’t know my name (after two years of taking classes together) when I sat down to get to know her. She had to look for me in the student phone directory. I fondly remember our trips to Poor Richards for 29 cent burgers or 59 cent “deluxe” burgers. Was introduced to a new food item, pizza, at Venice House on 8th Street. Getting to know students from all over the province made the hard work of university enjoyable. This year we celebrate our Golden Anniversary!”
Brian Schwab (BSc’73)
“I took my first-year university through Luther College, from there I went to teach in Moose Jaw and I taught for 10 years. Then I went to the Regina campus of the University of Saskatchewan and took the rest of my classes to obtain my B Ed. When I started teaching in 1954-55, you didn't do the Bachelor of Education. I had to work very hard. I enjoyed my time there. When I went to the Regina campus, I stayed at Luther college residence. I met some wonderful people. It was a very enjoyable experience.”
Laura Glennie (BEd’73)
“I very much remember the cold walk and bus ride to my classes. I was new to Saskatchewan. Another thing I remember is eating Coffee Crisp chocolate bars and smoking in the classroom. Those are the gone-by days. In the 1970s, I used to take my kids to the Education swimming pool. My kids loved it. We used to go there on Sunday evenings. My husband was Ukrainian. I was short on cash and his uncle paid for a couple of my university classes. So, I was indebted to him. Without his help I might not have been able to attend as fairly as I did. To pay him back, when he moved back to his home in Ukrainian, I kept sending him things that he needed from Canada.”
Elizabeth Uhran (BEd’73, BA’78)
“I stayed in Athabasca Hall for the first year of my university and it was great to be in the centre of all activities. I had three labs chemistry, biol and physics and then we got together at the Bessborough - have a drink after the experiment failed in our labs. University was great. It was such a wonderful experience learning that balance between work and play. I didn't have that with my parents. When I moved to Saskatoon, I had to figure that out and still have good grades and have a balance between studies and extra-curriculars.”
Ruth-Anne Austin (BSc’73, BEd’81)
“I attended classes at the Regina Campus of the U of S from 1968 to 1972, when I was working there as the coordinator of publicity and information. It was an exciting time, with many meetings of the administrative officers of both campuses taking place in Davidson. I was one of the few "adult students," being over 35 at the time. It was a good experience for me, and I went on to earn my master’s degree from the U of R, as well as an Honorary Doctor of Laws.”
Lyn Goldman (BA’72, ARTS’73)
“I made excellent use of my Bachelor of Education degree that allowed me to work with children from grades one to 12. I absolutely loved the profession and every special student during my 43 years as teacher, principal and vice principal. Activities with students at the schools where I taught and the many trips and excursions with the students were joyful and memorable experiences. I began my delightful career in a country school where I met the love of my life, a musician ‘Lonesome Steve’ with whom I was married 61 years. Thanks to the U of S, my life was the best ever. When I retired, due to my experience during teaching, I signed up and volunteered 12 years as a worker with victim services. Now, I still work as a volunteer with our local church and church district as a secretary and treasurer. I am grateful to the U of S for my abilities.”
Mary Puto (BEd’73)
“I made many lasting friendships through my years in Athabasca Hall residence on campus, Seager Wheeler Hall just down Cumberland Ave. and through the College of Home Economics. Being a smaller college made it a closer community that provided opportunities to create memories within its fold. Living on campus was a "golden" opportunity to enjoy the beauty of its classic architecture and landscaped grounds year round - as well as being very convenient for getting to those 8:30 Saturday morning classes! (I am sure no one has to experience that anymore!). I have nothing but fond memories to enjoy!”
Helen Abrey (BSHEC’73, BEd’74)
“I played intramural football as an offensive end with the education team. I loved football but had never played tackle. For my first game other players helped me put my equipment on. I played for four years and loved it. In my third year, I met Lorna Smith from Drinkwater, SK. On August 18, 2023, we have been married 50 years. The best part of my studies was when I returned to the U of S many years later and took my master’s degree in human resources.”
Dave Spencer (BEd’73, BA’94, PGD’97, MEd’98)
“Newly arrived in Saskatchewan, from a childhood spent in Swaziland (now eSwatini), and starting, in 1969, in USRC's first Physical Education (now Human Movement Studies) B.Ed. program, I was fortunate to make life-long friendships with other students in that program (including, amongst others, Betty (nee Wotherspoon) O'Byrne, Laura (nee Medland) Redhead, and Linda (nee Vail) Dodd), even though I left Canada almost immediately after my graduation. I remained in Canada just long enough to co-captain the Saskatchewan women's field hockey team in the August 1973 Second Canada Summer Games.”
Ann Davidson (BEd’73)
“One of many memories forever etched deeply in my soul is that of sitting around the "Bowl" and being very cognizant of the distinctive, fresh smell and feel of autumn during those first days of each new university year. The elegant beauty of the greystone buildings and their tall, casement windows along with the immaculate landscaping and abundant greenery also dwell among those memories. I consider myself fortunate, privileged and honored to have obtained my BScN at the U of S.”
Karen Wallin (BSN’73)
“Being born and raised in Saskatoon, the campus itself - and particularly the Bowl - was always an inspiration. I especially remember going to concerts in the old Admin Building, hearing amazing performers and attending lectures by Professor Murray Adaskin. My wife and I still enjoy walking in the Bowl, especially in the autumn. When I was president of the U of S Alumni Association, and, as a member of the senate, I really enjoyed the opportunities to interact with students. Convocation ceremonies made me proud to be an alumnus of our university and what it means to our city, our province, and the world.”
Ray Penner (BA’73, BEd’75, CHORT’16)
“Hello class of 1973. Time passes so quickly. In 1973 it was an honor to be president of the Engineering Student's Society, and a member of the University Students Union. Along with that involvement there came many activities, both social and sports. The lessons which I painfully learned in social and community work meant as much to me as the actual degree. I have kind thoughts for all the professors and staff who did so much for all of us, Dr. Nikiforuk, Prof Hertz, Dr. Male, Prof Mann, Dr. Danyluk, Dr. Besant, among many. They were very competent and caring teachers. I wish I could turn the clock back. After graduation I pursued international work in engineering and management, spending most of my time overseas. I now live in the Chicago area, but my favorite color is always green, Moose Jaw is forever home, and the Roughriders are my team. Best wishes to the class of 1973. I hope everyone has good health, good fortune, and a close family.”
Alan Stall (BE’73)
“I was an older student and even though I found the studies very hard, I enjoyed the atmosphere at the university. I found it very stimulating. I did a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I already had my diploma as a registered nurse, later on there was a push for us to get our degree so I went back to school. I wanted to get into public health nursing and you had to have the specialized training. The university has grown so much since I was there. When I see it now, it's mind-blowing. There were a lot more open spaces when I was there. You get to meet lots of people who otherwise you would never get to meet.”
Patricia Miller (BSN’73)
“I enjoyed U of S, both main campus and Avenue A campus. I received my B.Ed. and began teaching in Carrot River and Rosthern before moving to Calgary. I enjoyed supporting the Huskies and played intramural football, volleyball, and a little basketball. I took curling in phys. ed at U of S in 1965 and continue to curl twice a week. As a teacher I coached volleyball, basketball, soccer, badminton, and track. I enjoyed my career and value the roots planted in U of S. Great memories including being a student's council member in the summer of '69 and several U of S trips to Rider games by bus and train.”
Jack Mortson (BEd’73)
“I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program in Computer Science, starting in September 1969. Computer Science was such a new program that our first-year computer courses were actually in the second year of the program which would have been the fall of 1970 for me. My professor in my first Computer Science class was Murray Pask and he brought a lot of enthusiasm and kept things interesting. There were no computer terminals at that time. You used a key-punch machine to type up your program, read the deck into the card reader and went to pick up the printed results. I can remember hanging out in the area where all the key punch machines were as we worked on our projects. Our social life was hanging out with friends and getting together without spending much, as we were all on a tight budget. I do remember going to the Ag Bag Drag each year.”
Charlotte Edwards (BSc’73)
“I graduated with a BA at the Regina campus in 1973. Initially I had started in the Pre-Med program and followed up with the number of science courses but found psychology to better fit my interests. Subsequently I graduated in 1986 from the University of Regina with a MA majoring in psychology. University life was somewhat turbulent in the early 1970s in Regina due to student sit-ins and other demonstrations against overly authoritative decisions taken by the administration. That influenced me somewhat to be a social activist but during those years I developed a strong interest in work that supported people with disabilities. This interest led to 35+ years of work in the area. Also, I wrote a lot of poetry and had a couple poems published in the Carillon newspaper.”
Duncan Blackman (BA’73, ARTS’74)
“Attending USask College of Commerce enabled me to make long-lasting lifetime friendships that geographically span from BC to the Maritimes. I attended Huskies games to cheer them on. I enjoyed socializing in the commerce lounge hearts card games. One valuable life lesson that has stuck with me after graduating was to set and achieve your goals and adapt to life-changing challenges. One of my favourite teachers was Professor Doctor Yurka and two other teachers were the Goldstein Brothers who taught law by incorporating real cases in their lessons that have stuck in my memories. I participated in curling and remember curling against the famous "Rick Folk" team. The highlight of my university experience was graduating with a USask College of Commerce degree and receiving my diploma from Chancellor John Diefenbaker who was Prime Minister of Canada from 1957 to 1963 and witnessed by my proud parents. I have many fun and memorable experiences from my university days at USask.”
Richard Flaman (BComm’73)
“In my final year at U of S Regina campus, our Cougars Fencing Team participated in the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Fencing Championships on the Saskatoon Campus. Our team, which was not funded at that time, but the university won several of the titles. I personally won the Sabre title. I believe that for a number of years, our team was the only Cougars team to have won an Intercollegiate title and were displayed in the Phys Ed Building. The following year fencing received funding. A number of us also competed in the first Canada Winter games which were held in Saskatoon.”
Don Stefiuk (BSc’73, MD’77)
“In 1966, with the country's Centennial looming, one Grade 12 student from every high school in east-central Sask. was brought to Yorkton for a leadership training weekend. The friends I made at that gathering became my best friends throughout university and for many years later. I imagine there were other gatherings like that across the province. I can only speak about the Yorkton event but it was the most influential weekend of my life.”
Paul Gessel (BA’73)
“My coziest spot was the Murray Library. I love books and was in heaven there. I spent many hours in the cubicles facing the trees outside while studying. I would bring my lunch and stay all day. It never got old and made studying as pleasant as it could be! My English 110 course taught by Professor Ron Marken was a joy. He was so passionate. My Economics 100 class taught by Professor Kristjansen (sp? I’m sorry) and the valuable lesson on supply and demand-using his shoe size (13) as his teaching example- I’ve thought of many times actually. My Art class with Professor Thauberger where we explored mixing chemicals for glazes and artistic ways to express ourselves through the medium of pottery was fun yet challenging. My curling classes with Professor Vera Pezer who used video for my first lessons in watching myself in a sport! What a wonderful campus for me to grow up and explore life in safe confines. I followed my father. My daughters followed me-making a total of 10 degrees between us all from this campus. Thank you, U of S!”
Deborah Schwandt-Kelln (BEd’73)
“In 1972, my husband Morris and I resigned from our jobs in Prince Albert and with our two-year-old daughter, moved into Souris Hall Residence for married students. Morris began his first year of Engineering, taking classes during the day while I completed my B ED taking evening classes. Living in Souris Hall was the best experience ever. Everyone on the fourth floor opened their doors in the morning and the kids socialized going from room to room. No one could afford childcare; our family budget for the year was $2,600.00. Our daughter graduated with a law degree, 22 years later from U of S.”
Dalelene Yelland (BEd’73, BA’89)
“I played on the Huskie field hockey team. I used to go to the MUB to partake in a few hands of bridge - soon learned that didn't help me finish essays or projects. Marquis Hall was a great gathering place for lunch. Lots of great memories cheering on the football Huskies and playing intramurals. I met my husband in my first-year biology class. I remember taking swimming/lifesaving for a PE class in the education pool. Long cold walks from the old PE building to anywhere! I remember meeting Vera Pezer in my curling class. I think Lyle Sanderson was the best instructor for any of my PE classes!! 50 years later I'm still friends with my roommates - we all remember taking those crowded buses. And we all remember walking home from the King George Hotel after a few beers- across the university bridge!! It was a great four years of my life.”
Gloria McPhadden (BEd’73)
“I married Joanne Romanow in 1972. Joanne also attended the U of S at the same time. We are life partners and are enjoying activities together in our golden years. I was a member of the Huskie wrestling team and found that the character-building was advantageous in my career. The intramurals provided many hours of enjoyable and long-lasting friendships. When I retired from my education career, I taught as a sessional for five years. I enjoyed attending activities at the university as the environment triggers many fond memories.”
David Babey (BEd’73, BA’79, MEd’84)
“50 years ago, I received my Ph.D. degree from the University of Saskatchewan and this had a very important life-changing and career-changing influence for me. Previously, I graduated with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy and met my wife Lynn, who also graduated from the College of Pharmacy. We spent a significant amount of time together in the Thorvaldson Building in classes and studying, and this became a special and memorable place as it also was home for me in a research laboratory during my graduate program. The support my wife, now for 55 years, provided to me in these early years was extremely important as we were both developing the basis for our careers. Of course, all my professors were favourites throughout the years, however, the late John McConnell of the Geography Department remains a favourite for his excellent presentation of the class geography of North America.”
Dennis Gorecki (BSP’69, PhD’73)
“Classes at Kirk Hall and winter walks to classes in other buildings, education, engineering tractor lab, soil science lab and the Animal Science Building. Parking tickets in the Kirk Hall crescent. Hard times dances at the Manhattan Hall east of Saskatoon and the Ag Bag Drag in the old Jubilee building at Exhibition Park. Living cheaply ($25 per month) in one of two basement suites with three other classmates at the animal science record of performance station (aka ROP station located north of the university at the then end of Preston Avenue) in exchange for helping with the feedlot chores one weekend per month. Professors Fred Fulton and Les Henry. Receiving my diploma and shaking hands with then chancellor John Diefenbaker.”
Eric Leigh Wilmot (Agric’73, LLB’84)
“I have fond memories of the U of S. I had excellent classmates in chemical engineering. We participated in many intramural sports and won the flag football championship defeating the Phys Ed team. I loved classes in the Thorvaldson Building. We even had our own student lounge. My favourite professor was Dr. Ron Verral. I was fortunate to spend so much time in the Thorvaldson building as my uncle Dr Wes MacAulay was the Dean of Pharmacy and I could seek advice from him. A great four years!”
Doug MacLellan (BE’73)
“I met my husband through my ears! I heard someone playing the snare drum in the University Concert Band under the direction of Professor Dwaine Nelson and it got my attention because it was so perfect. You could hear every stroke in the drum rolls. I wanted to know, ‘Who is that?’ I was told, ‘Why, that's GARY EVJEN from Swift Current’. Little did I know that I would meet Gary in person during summer band when he taught me how to play the crash cymbals properly. That was the start of our friendship and five years later, after I had already taught band in Lloydminster Public for 2 years, we were married! We have just celebrated our 48th anniversary.”
Karen Kowalenko-Evjen (BMusEd’73, BA’81, PGD’90)
“My first remembrance of my UofS years is always the '68 and '69 noon fall concerts on the lawn in front of Marquis Hall. The blues rock 'happening' was a fantastic transition from "rural" Sask to "the big city". This music stimulation led me to 4 happy years as a jazz host at CJUS-FM in the basement of the M.U.B. The academic transition from small school to big-U was made easier by Vera Pezer, then junior Psychology Dept and Alan Anderson of Sociology, my chosen major. Later times at UofManitoba and UofCalgary were good but nothing like the pivotal role UofS Sociology played in the 40+ countries I have lived or worked during my work life.”
Dennis Jones (BA’73, ARTS’76)
“It was so exciting to move to the big city from the farm as an 18-year-old! St Thomas More College was full of friendships, activities, daily Folk Masses, Newman Club events and the quiet library. As a student job for 4 years, I was able to work at the Murray Library Reference Department information desk. Other highlights included IVCF (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship with even a trip with them to Banff skiing at Christmas 1969) plus working and traveling through 14 different countries in the spring/summer of 1972, graduated with B.Ed. (special education) in '73, married another alumni living across Canada plus overseas and the rest is history!”
Marina Lawson (BEd’73)
“I went to university as a naive farm girl. The environment and support that I received were well beyond my expectations. As a first-year student, I was invited to meet with the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to discuss my future plans. After a very perceptive conversation, he highly advised me to apply to medical school. That is where my career began. I applied and was accepted. The scholarship support was greatly appreciated and made this career choice possible. I received an excellent education which allowed me to have a productive and fulfilling academic career. I am grateful for all the support and education I received.”
Elaine M. Kaptein (MD’73)
