RENEWED ACQUAINTANCES - Staff members who have retired from the Ellendale-Geneva, New Richland-Hartland, and New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva schools get together twice each year--once on the first day students return to school in the fall and the other on the last student day in spring. This year more than 20 retirees took part in a gathering at The Willows on Sept. 3. They are (back, from left) Deb Bently, David Harvego-Eliason, Jill Boran, Georgia Dinneen, Crystal Maxon, Bonnie Jacobson, Pam Coyer, Kathy Anderson, (center row, from left) Darlyne Dahle, Kris Pfeffer, Diane Matthies, Julie Economy, Karen Jacobson, Ann Howe, Shelly Mangskau, Judy Thompson, (seated, from left) Tom Meyer, Tom Steidler, Marilyn Smith, Ona Meyer, Mary Ignaszewski, Beth Knudson and Kathy Meyer.
NRHEG retirees reminisce
Thu, 09/11/2025 - 1:00am
Conversation at The Willows was so energetic at lunchtime on Sept. 3 that people seated side by side had to lean in to be able to hear one another.
Gathered at two long tables were 22 people who had retired from area school districts, whether they had the name Ellendale-Geneva, New Richland-Hartland or New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva at the time.
The oldest person present was Ona Meyer, 96, who was secretary to the elementary principal at the New Richland site from 1978 to 1998. Those who had worked for the school district the longest were elementary teacher Julie Economy, 43 years; elementary teacher Kris Pfeffer, 41 years, and special education teacher Ann Howe, 37 years.
Some had filled so many roles for the district over their time of service that they needed two or more lines of text to describe them all. David Harvego-Eliason, who retired in 1999, had earned his degree in library science, and was in charge of the Ellendale library across two transitions. First, when the two districts consolidated, he collected all the high-school level books in Ellendale and sent them over to the New Richland school library. Later, when all the elementary classes were consolidated, he received the elementary-level materials from New Richland and incorporated them at Ellendale. In addition to his work at the library, over time he was also called upon to teach grades 7 to 12 English and grades 7 to 11 social sciences.
He joked one of the larger challenges of his career was “getting used to Paul Cyr,” the energetic coach and principal who served the district through the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Cyr was not present to defend his reputation, but has attended the gatherings in the past.
Cafeteria manager Judy Thompson, who worked for the district from 1978 to 2012, also served as a van driver in the later part of her career, transporting special education students and the golf team, among others.
An unofficial tally indicates the 22 people between them had provided more than 600 years of service to the district and its children.
The gatherings have been taking place since 2012. Organizer Kris Pfeffer explains that, during her time at the elementary site, the staff there was “just like family” and would get together for a number of gatherings each year.
“We’d have the greatest time,” she recalls, mentioning close friendships and friendly rivalries. When she retired in 2012, she collected the names of retirees, found contact information from them, and began inviting everyone to the annual get-togethers, which have taken place at various area restaurants.
“Most everyone says they appreciate the chance to catch up,” she summarized. “It’s a chance to remember ‘the good old days’ and what they were like.”
The first and last student days seemed like a logical choice, she said, because they were often the most demanding in terms of being prepared and “ready for anything.”
About 20 is a typical number for the gatherings, she said, mentioning that attendance fluctuates depending on whether people are available. Folks usually continue visiting for about two hours.
Present Sept. 3 were Kathy Anderson, a special education paraprofessional from 1985 to 2006; Deb Bently, a secondary English teacher from 1995 to 2023; Jill Boran, a first-grade teacher in Ellendale from 1998 to 2022; Pam Coyer, a special education paraprofessional from 1987 to 2016; Darlyne Dahle, a preschool teacher from 1993 to 2017; Georgia Dinneen, a business education teacher from 1989 to 2015; Julie Economy, who taught first and fifth grades during her employment from 1979 to 2014; David Harvego-Eliason, media specialist and English and social studies teacher at the Ellendale site from 1973 to 1999; Ann Howe, a special education teacher for students in grades kindergarten through 12 across 1987 to 2024; Mary Ignaszewski, a cook from 1982 to 2010; Bonnie Jacobson, early childhood special education teacher from 1992 to 2016; Karen Jacobson, Title One and reading recovery teacher from 1980 to 2010; Elizabeth Knudson, a school board member from 1978 to 1985, and a special education teacher from 1985 to 2005; Shelly Mangskau, a kindergarten and first-grade teacher in New Richland and Ellendale from 2001 to 2019; Diane Matthies, a special education paraprofessional from 1990 to 2006; Crystal Maxon, a special education paraprofessional from 2002 to 2016; Kathy Meyer, an elementary teacher from 1994 to 2022; Ona Meyer, secretary to the elementary principal at the New Richland site from 1978 to 1998; Tom Meyer, secondary level biology, chemistry, physics, life science, earth science, physical science, general math and computer science across 1970 to 2002; Kris Pfeffer, elementary teacher at levels Kindergarten through grade 4 and Title One from 1971 to 2012; Marilyn Smith, secretary to the superintendent from 1969 to 1999; Tom Steidler, secondary English teacher from 1963 to 1996; and Judy Thompson, cafeteria manager and part-time driver across 1978 to 2012.