Horizons - Spring 2022

Mary Jean Jeanae ’65

May 10, 2022

Mary Jean (Murdock) Jeanae came to Graceland as a freshman from Goldendale, Washington, in September 1961. She majored in elementary education, graduating in the Spring of 1965. Jeanae went to Independence, Missouri, to teach before earning her master’s in Elementary...

Read More »

Class Notes

April 29, 2022

Send Us Your News Completed a degree program? Published a written work? Received that awesome promotion? Earned a prestigious honor? If so, we want to hear about it. Share your memories and milestones here. 66 Sally Hutchcroft Meams, received the Lorraine...

Read More »

James “Jim” Travis Closson ’56

April 28, 2022

In the summer of 2021, James “Jim” Travis Closson ’56, who served as a faculty member and Graceland’s first full-time registrar from 1965-1987, passed away at the age of 84. Growing up in Lamoni with his parents, Eugene and Julia,...

Read More »

Betty L. Welch ’48

April 28, 2022

Betty Welch '48, a pioneer of Graceland women's collegiate athletics, passed away on November 23, 2021. After graduating from Graceland in 1948, Welch received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Kansas and her Master of Science in physical education from the University of Colorado. When she returned to Graceland as a...

Read More »

Arthur “Les” Leslie Gardner ’52

April 28, 2022

The life of “Les” Gardner was full of service, passion, and commitment to Graceland, the RLDS Church (now Community of Christ), and the Lamoni communities. Arthur “Les” Leslie Gardner was born August 24, 1929, in Wallsend, Australia as the middle...

Read More »

Thurston Smith ’95 Recognized for a Lifetime of Service Alumni Profile

April 28, 2022

Since completing the Addiction Studies program at Graceland in the late 1990s, THURSTON S. SMITH, MPA, LAC-S, CCS, has had an eventful life and career, which was recently recognized through a series of awards and public service citations. “For me, it...

Read More »

Darrell Johnston Alumni Profile

April 28, 2022

Johnston grew up in Leon, Iowa, and originally wanted to study radio broadcasting, but when he came to Graceland, he found his new home in the theatre department. Johnston earned his MFA in acting at the University of South Carolina...

Read More »

Kelly Everett ’77 Retires

April 28, 2022

He joined the Institutional Advancement office as Don Keairnes ’53 was about to retire. “He asked me to consider applying for a job that I would love, not just like. The rest is history. Graceland has been the most rewarding job...

Read More »

Opening Pandora’s Box

April 27, 2022

As a new student 700 miles from home, some of his biggest challenges were navigating life in rural Iowa and transitioning to the college experience. Even though Strawter did not graduate from Graceland, he still remembers the connections he made...

Read More »