Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Class of 1976
Looking Back at 1976
We invite you to reconnect and relive the memories that shaped your journey.
Class of 1976 Reunion
September 30, 2026
This fall, we invite the Class of 1976 to reconnect, relive the memories that shaped your journey, and come visit the halls of Signe Skott Cooper Hall. Join us for a series of special reunion events as we honor your accomplishments, explore nursing education today, and toast to this remarkable milestone half a century in the making.
Celebrate Your Story!
Fifty years ago, in the vibrant year of 1976—when the nation celebrated its Bicentennial, the first class of women was admitted to West Point, and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” topped the charts—you stepped into the world as newly minted nursing graduates, ready to care, lead, and make a difference.
What are your memories from 1976? Share them with us by completing the class survey.
Celebration Events and Schedule
September 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. CT
Join us for a day of in-person events celebrating the Class of 1976, including a welcome brunch, a tour of the School of Nursing, a social hour, and more! For those who can’t attend in person, we’ll have a virtual social hour.
- Registration and check-in
- Welcome, overview of day, introductions, light breakfast
- Student Panel
- Faculty Lightning Talk #1: Dr. Megan Zuelsdorff
- Faculty Lightning Talk #2: Dr. Kitty Montgomery
- Light lunch and refreshments
- Tour of Signe Skott Cooper Hall
- Closing and thank you with Dean Zahner
- Social time wrap-up
The WFAA is also hosting a full-campus 50-year reunion from October 1-4. More information can be found here.
Hotel Information
For your convenience, a block of rooms is reserved at the Best Western Plus InnTowner (2424 University Ave, Madison, WI 53726) for September 29 and 30 for $189.99/night.
To Reserve a Room:
- Book your room online or call 608-233-8778, select option #4 and reference group #3427-1.
- You will need to book your room by 9/3/2026 to be guaranteed this rate.
- There is a complimentary shuttle that operates within a 2-mile radius of the hotel from 7am-11pm.
Class Committee Members
Bonnie Allbaugh, Jeanne Culter Appelbaum, Karen Goldman, Rita Olson, and Marlene White Roewer
Class of 1976 Photos
See more memories from your graduation year in the 1976 edition of the Wisconsin Badger yearbook.
Class of 1976 Living Graduates
- Rita Adlkofer
- Marilyn Aldrich
- Cynthia Alf
- Bonnie Allbaugh
- Susan Allen
- Denise Andrews
- Nancy Antin
- Jeanne Appelbaum
- Polly Benish
- Lynn Bernstein
- Jacqueline Bezaire
- Joan Biek Evans
- Lynn Birdsall
- Kathleen Blair
- Elise Blanchard
- Chris Bloom
- Dawn Boh
- Margaret Bowen
- Claire Box
- Marilyn Bratt
- Luann Brenno
- Anne Bruce
- Deborah Cadwell
- Mary Carskadon
- Mary Chaston
- Estella Cheung
- Rebecca Choitz
- Patricia Chritton
- Rebecca Cleveland
- Sally Cleveland
- Lou Colby
- Teresa Colella
- James Comins
- Marguerite Conlin-Marx
- Eileen Connell
- Marjorie Coons
- Mildred Crosby
- Orla Ctse
- Cheryl Dallmann
- Sharon Dent
- Marie-Louise Denys
- Barbara Doermann
- Mary Dudenhoefer
- Jan Durkin
- Mary Duval
- Roxanne Dyle
- Janis Ehleiter
- Joanne Endres
- Margaret Engstrom
- Elizabeth Fahlstrom Bruns
- Barbara Falk
- Trina Falk
- Margaret Falkenstein
- Kathleen Feld-Kersten
- Mary Foglia
- James Fox
- Ronni Freeman
- Joan Friedman
- Mary Beth Gabler
- Lisbeth Gabrielski
- Janine Gage
- Jean Gaines
- Meribeth Geiger
- David Gelbach
- Susan George
- Janet Giangregorio
- Brenda Gibbons
- Elizabeth Gilbert
- Nancy Gillespie
- Marjorie Gleeson
- Signe Gleeson
- Laurie Gommermann
- Lois Graf
- Ruth Gray
- Susan Greenberg
- Janice Greening
- Nancy Griffith
- Cheryl Griggs
- Kathleen Gruber
- Rhonda Guenther
- Teresa Gulyas
- Richard Gustafson
- Debra Habeck
- Tamara Hagen
- Judith Hahn
- Sally Hales
- Deborah Hall
- Sarah Hankins
- Cheri Hanson
- Jeanette Hatten
- Richard Hau
- Claudia Haus
- Nancy Hayes
- Linda Heath
- Holly Henseler
- Julia Heusinger
- Patricia Higgins
- Joanne Hill
- Susan Hirsch
- Stacie Hitt
- Mary Hoffert
- Nancy Hoffman
- Jane Hoffmann
- Phyllis Holder
- Katherine Holub
- Ann Horrigan
- Jane Hovland
- Helen Huber
- Mary Irving
- Claudia Ison
- Carol Janick
- Rita Jenks
- Victoria Johnson
- Judith Jones
- Barbara Kakta
- Judith Karls
- Stephanie Karpinski
- Sandra Kawczynski Pasch
- Barbara Kelly
- Paul Ketarkus
- Diane King
- Beth Kingston
- Karen Klemp
- Valerie Knasinski
- Patrice Kosmoski
- Debra Kuehn
- Kathleen Kuhnen
- Barbara Kuzenski
- Susan Lausell
- Dorothy Le Beau
- Anita Levin
- Denise Linde
- Christel Lingenfelter
- Jane Louden
- Debra Mackey
- Anna Makovec-Fuller
- Mary Mantei
- Patricia Marick Sperry
- Sandi McConnell
- Lauren McNamara
- Cheri McNeal
- Carol McQuade
- Susan McQuillan
- Marylynne Mehl
- Phyllis Meister
- Lorraine Meyer
- Karen Meyerson
- Carol Miller
- Jacqueline Miller
- Nancy Miller
- Jill Milner
- Elizabeth Mitchell
- Rhonda Mohr
- Maureen Molony
- Jill Moretti
- Theresa Morse
- Susan Muldowney
- Betty Mulry
- Sharon Necaise
- Terry Nelson
- Jean Nerad
- Laura Nick
- Carol Noble
- Jane Nosbusch
- Barbara O’Connell
- Rita Olson
- Margaret O’Meara
- Linda Owen
- Barbara Pankratz
- Nancy Paris
- Jane Parker-Conrad
- Randie Parks
- Jane Parthum
- Roberta Pipping
- Sara Pitt
- Kathleen Poi
- Christina Poppe
- Pamela Pranke
- Inge Qandah
- Lorelle Radder
- Ann Redmer
- Mary Reed
- Teresa Reid
- Patricia Richardson
- Marilyn Rinehart
- Diane Roach
- Judith Robson
- Patricia Roder
- Marlene Roewer
- Kathleen Rogan
- Catherine Ryan
- Louise Ryan
- Judith Rybarczyk
- Gretchen Sanger
- Rachelle Saunders
- Karen Sautebin
- Catherine Schaub
- Crystal Schihl
- Kimberly Schmidt
- Clarke Schroeder
- Kathryn Schwiesow
- Karen Sedlacek
- Ann Seidl
- Mary Seitz
- Marsa Shealy
- Karen Sielaff
- Rita Simon
- Mary Smale
- Nancy Solberg
- Julie Sparks
- Deborah Spry
- Sue Starck
- Marcia Statz
- John Steines
- Susan Stockinger Andrie
- Shannon Storm
- Karen Streicher
- Bernadette Stremikis
- Ellen Stroud
- Marcia Sullivan
- Nancy Sutter
- Ann Sweeney
- Barbara Szesterniak
- Marilyn Thomas
- Roxanne Thompson
- Sina Thompson
- Marybeth Trampe
- Joan Varney
- Jennifer Vogt
- Nancy Wander
- Susan Webb-Lukomski
- Mary Weinberger-Glick
- Donna Weingarten
- Katherine Welnick
- Maribeth White
- Andrea Williams
- Doris Wilms
- Linda Wonoski
- Jean Wunder
- Roseann Zinke
- Barbara Zuhlke
- Elyria Zuniga
In Memoriam
Barbara A. Andersen
Bud Bednarski
Roberta J. Bowdish
Kathleen M. Nettesheim Engel
Joan Koenig Goetsch
Kim J. Grining
Kathy Pervisky Hansen
Marjorie Brothwell Hurie
Mary V. Janovjak
Linda K. Johnson
Cynthia J. Keys
Aletha T. Kuenstler
Jean A. Lemke
Mary Macdonnell
Ilene L. Monroe
Janet L. Morton
Mary E. O’Keefe
Marilyn J. Priebusch
Vicky J. Robinson
Paula R. Rogenes
John R. Sakole
Laurie J. Schuler
Marlene F. Schwartz
Diana M. Smith
Josephine Warren Stahnke
Susan J. Straub
Karen A. Thomas
Giving Opportunities
We are excited to support the Center for Aging Research and Education (CARE) through giving towards named School of Nursing auditorium seats and plaques. CARE promotes healthy aging and the well-being of Wisconsin caregivers, older adults, and communities.). Individual seats are available for $1,000.00 each.
If you are interested in supporting a group effort to gift a seat or two in the auditorium in honor of the Class of 1976, have any questions or need assistance with making your gift, please reach out to Jordan Langer at jlanger3@wisc.edu.
