Board of Directors

We honor our past Board members

Dr. Richard “Dick” Tondra

Dr. Richard John Tondra “Dick” passed away on Thursday, Nov 12, 2020 after a lengthy illness. A devout Catholic, he loved God, his family, serving his community and the great outdoors.

Mass of Christian Burial was held December 4, 2020 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Ames. Private interment will be at a later date in Ely, Minnesota. We ask that you light a candle for Dick at 2:00 PM on December 4 and/or join us for a large outdoor celebration of life in the Summer of 2021. 

Dick was born Jan 23, 1943 to John and Agnes (Sedlock) Tondra, he grew up surrounded by Slovak American culture and family. He attended Central Catholic High School in Canton, Ohio where he met his lifelong sweetheart Rosemary Krantz. Dick obtained a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame in 1965, and PhD in mathematics from Michigan State in 1968. 

Dick married his high school sweetheart, Rosemary, in 1966. His beloved children, Mark and Kristin, arrived in 1967 and 1969 respectively. 

He taught mathematics at Iowa State University from 1968 to 2004. Dick prided himself in being able to coach students through difficult math concepts, career planning and life situations. He never met someone in whom he couldn’t see potential and approached nearly every situation as a potential for service. He took special interest in helping to provide affordable housing for people down on their luck. 

As an ordained permanent deacon, Dick took his lifetime habit of service into the church at St. Cecilia Parish in Ames, Iowa. His sermons, during masses, accurately encapsulated the kindness and wisdom with which he raised his own family, teaching them to navigate this world with truth and grace. 

Dick’s love of God couldn’t help but spill over into a love for God’s creation. His passion for the outdoors led to cabin time – in Northern Iowa, the Brainerd, Minnesota region, and Ely, Minnesota – where, in 1979, he eventually purchased 2.5 acres of peat bog with a sliver of usable land. Thus “Onaroc,” the family cabin was born. 

Summers of building the cabin from scratch with the “helpful” labor of pre-teens and canoe trips into the BWCA bonded the family to each other and to a lifelong love of the wilderness. 

After retirement from Iowa State, Dick continued to volunteer helping people with their taxes and enjoyed the great outdoors as much as his health would allow. When his health deteriorated to the point nursing home care was required, he also handled that with grace – as he had handled everything that life threw at him. He is a testament to God’s Grace and Blessings through a life well lived, showing tremendous courage in all things. He will be missed. 

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, John and Agnes Tondra; his granddaughter, Lily Tondra; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; son, Mark (Katharine); daughter, Kristin (Mike True); and grandsons, Daniel and Tommy. 

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Adams Funeral Home and online condolences may be left to Dick’s family at www.adamssoderstrum.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations should be sent to: The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Story County Community Housing Corporation (SCCHC) or The Bridge Home (successor to the Emergency Residence Project) 

You may also contact the family at tondraely@gmail.com for further details about any of these organizations or submit donations via PayPal at tondraely@gmail.com with a note as to where you would like the funds to go.

Earl Hammond

Earl Hammond, died at age 90, on May 10, 2018, at Northcrest Health Care after a long, productive and rewarding life.

Earl was born in Terrell, Texas on November 21, 1926, to Joseph Carroll Hammond and Kate Gullette Hammond. He attended and graduated from Terrell schools, then went on to the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his BS and MS degrees in chemistry. He continued his studies at the University of Minnesota where he received a PhD in biochemistry in 1953. With an offer from Iowa State College, he moved to Ames where he taught cheesemaking and food chemistry, and did research on fats, oils and lipids for the next 50 years. He officially retired in January 2003, but continued to do research and work with students until 2014.

While a student at the University of Texas he got called into the army in 1946. He served for one year in New York and Washington. He returned to Austin, and was working on his M.S. degree when he met Johnie Wright at the University Baptist Church. Following a long courtship, they were married at University Baptist Church in Minneapolis on September 17, 1951. After completion of their degrees they moved to Ames where they have spent the rest of their lives.

Earl was an active member and frequent teacher at First Baptist Church. He was a founding member of Story County Housing and Ames Ecumenical Housing and contributed his time to providing affordable housing for low-income families. He also loved to play recorder and played in small groups for many years. Earl and Johnie enjoyed international travel and frequently took along one of their grandchildren when they visited other countries.

Earl’s research on lipids was awarded honors on several occasions by the American Oil Chemists Society as well as international honors including an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Olzytin, Poland. His work has resulted in over 30 patents and is used in several commercial products. What he loved the most was the opportunity to work with and guide the research of graduate students from all over the world. His love of science and chemistry was reflected in the microscopes and chemistry sets his children received for Christmas.

Earl is preceded in death by his parents as well as his brothers Frank Hammond and Joe Hammond. He is survived by his wife Johnie Hammond of Ames, Iowa, his son Bruce and wife Darla Hammond of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, his daughter Linda and husband Bruce Hanson of Ames, Iowa, his daughter Pam and husband David Fuchs of St. Louis, Missouri, and son Christopher and wife Sandy Hammond of Richardson, Texas, as well as eleven grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, that contributions be made to the Story County Community Housing Corporation, 130 S. Sheldon. 

Private burial is in Iowa State University Cemetery.

Jean C. Hempstead (1904-2008)
HEMPSTEAD, WALTON

From the THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa

Jean Hempstead, longtime Ames community member, died April 25, 2008 at Northcrest Retirement Community. He was born Aug. 6, 1904.  A funeral service was held at the United Church of Christ – Congregational, Sixth and Kellogg, in Ames. 

Jean was born Aug. 6, 1904, in Woden, the eldest son of the Rev. Carl W. and Mertie L. Hempstead. He was educated in Iowa schools, graduating from Elkader High School in 1921, and earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Iowa State College in 1926. He started his teaching career as an instructor of mathematics at Drexel Institute in Philadelphia, Pa., and during that time received a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to ISU as an instructor of general engineering in 1930. 

In 1942, he was called to military service and served as an administrative officer, Bombardment Department, AAF School Applied Tactics, in Orlando, Fla. He returned to ISU in February 1946 as associate professor of industrial engineering and continued in reserve military activities, eventually becoming personnel officer of an Air Force reserve wing headquartered in Omaha, Neb. This unit was called to active duty in the spring of 1951 and was promptly broken up. He was assigned to the Office of the Comptroller, HQ 15th Air Force, March AFB, Calif., doing statistical studies and inspections of maintenance activities at the 15th Air Force bases. After a year, he was assigned as an instructor of marine engineering at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., teaching fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. 

In February 1955, he was assigned to the newly formed teaching staff of United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He remained there until his retirement in August 1964, having served as associate professor of mathematics and faculty executive officer. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two oak leaf clusters. 

He was a life member of the American Legion, the Military Order of World Wars, the Reserve Officers Association and a member of the Retired Officers Association. 

After his military retirement he returned to ISU for nine more years of teaching and advising and retired in 1973. As an undergraduate student he was made a member of Scabbard and Blade and Tau Beta Pi; as a graduate student, Pi Mu Epsilon and Phi Kappa Phi; and as a faculty member, Cardinal Key and he received the Faculty Citation in 1971. Jean was a member of Theta Xi social fraternity. He was a Registered Professional Engineer, a life member of the Iowa Engineering Society and the American Association for Engineering Education and a past member of the National Society of Professional Engineers. 

He was an active member of the United Church of Christ / Congregational of Ames, and Kiwanis International. He served as lieutenant governor of Kiwanis in 1974-75 and was named “Distinguished Lieutenant Governor” the following year. He served as secretary of the Ames Kiwanis Club from 1969 to 1974. 

He married Edna L. Walton, of Belle Plaine, Sept. 8, 1928. They shared 59 years together before her death Feb. 27, 1988. He was also preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and two brothers. 

He is survived by several nieces and nephews and many friends. 

Memorials may be directed to United Church of Christ- Congregational, Ames, Youth and Shelter Services, and Pilgrim Heights Retreat Center. 

Joyce Hertz

Joyce Elizabeth Hertz, 68, passed away on August 28, 2013, at her home in Ames, Iowa from ovarian cancer.

Joyce, daughter of Keith and Miriam Dickson, was born May 5, 1945, in Des Moines, Iowa, while her father served in the WWII theatre in France. 

She is survived by her husband, Thomas Arthur Hertz, whom she met in an Asian history class at Iowa State University. They were married on June 9, 1968, at the UCC-Congregational Church in Ames with no air conditioning on a 100° day. They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary in June of this year.

Joyce graduated from Ames High School, attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1967 with a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a major in Government, and then received a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1972.

After graduating from Iowa State, she worked for the Iowa Department of Transportation in Ames and for The Rouse Company in Washington, DC while Tom was serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In 1969, they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to attend graduate school at the University of Michigan. She taught political science as a graduate assistant while completing her graduate studies. She was active in the protests during this turbulent and changing time.

In August of 1972, she moved to Chicago with Tom and then to London, England, in September returning to Chicago in 1976. She enjoyed her years in Europe, especially the culture, history, countryside, and theatre. She made several return visits throughout her life.

In 1978, she moved to Ames and had lived in the same house for 34 years before moving down the street in December last year. She enjoyed working for Explore, a learning and travel store, for a number of years. She loved traveling and visited her children in Indonesia and Australia in addition to other international travel to visit friends and relatives and explore different cultures.

During her life, she was an active community volunteer, social justice advocate and leader. She served on the Ames City Council, was President of the League of Women Voters twice; received the Carrie Chapman Catt Award, and chaired numerous study committees to better the community and state. She was President of Mainstream Living, elected to the Story County Extension Council, and was instrumental in a number of affordable housing projects which assisted those in need at both the local, state, and national levels. 

She was chair of the Mobile Home Purchase Program, President of Story County Housing, a founding member and President of the Story County Community Land Trust Network, and was elected as regional representative to the National Institute for Community Economics with board meetings in Springfield, Massachusetts held quarterly.

She was a long time member of the UCC-Congregational in Ames. She served in several leadership roles in the church included moderator, chair of several committees, serving as a representative at the church conference level, and on the Mayflower Homes Board of Trustees. She was also involved with A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS) which is an ecumenical community action group that helps our community in social justice issues, jobs, healthcare, and youth.

She thoroughly enjoyed the arts and was on the board of Town and Gown, supported the Ames International Orchestra Festival Association (AIOFA), and other music organizations. She loved music and attended as many concerts as feasible in central Iowa in addition to singing in the Ames Choral Society. She was also a member of Questers, Chapter HN PEO, a bridge group, gourmet group, and several book clubs. 

Joyce is described by her friends and colleagues as passionate, full of life, vivacious, courageous, having a great sense of humor, a wonderful laugh, and a commitment to social justice. She was also committed to the value of cultural diversity and the contributions of all regardless of race, creed or origin. She was a critical thinker, a prolific reader with thousands of books and had broad and engaging interests on current events and global issues of our time. In recent years she took a keen interest in sustainable agriculture and played an active role in managing her family farm in Osage, Iowa. 

She enjoyed being physically fit and spending time outdoors. She enjoyed hiking, exercise classes, yoga, and gardening. Even when she had lost her strength she took short walks in Moore Park to enjoy being outdoors.

Joyce is survived by her husband Tom. The last trip she was able to undertake was a trip to Colorado in June where they relived their honeymoon from 45 years ago. She is also survived by her two children and one grandchild who include: daughter Jana Claudine (H. Pieter Ferdinandus) of Washington, D.C.; and son Alan Thomas (Ana F.Ybarra-Rojas) and grandson Savion Yves (16 months) of Middleburg, Pennsylvania. She is also survived by her brothers Dave (Bonnie) of Ames, Iowa; Jon (Mary) of Fargo, North Dakota; and Jim (Val) of Ames, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents, Keith and Miriam Dickson of Ames, Iowa.

Memorials may be directed to the UCC-Congregational or in her memory to a charity of your choice. 

She had particular interest in supporting the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Mainstream Living, the Iowa Barn Foundation, League of Women Voters, Carrie Chapman Catt Center, Iowa Environmental Council, Story County Community Housing Corporation, and the Emergency Residence Project.

Richard (Dick) Squires

Dick Squires, 95, formerly of Ames, died August 13, 2005 in North Fort Myers, FL, due to heart failure and complications from leukemia.

Dick was born Oct. 21, 1909, in Zanesville, OH, the second of fie children of Walter and Edith Lombard Squires. he married Janet Harris Oct. 8, 1932, in Richmond, IN.

He graduated from high school in Richmond, IN, obtained a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’d degree from Yale in mechanical engineering. He was a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and was active in Friends Meetings in Radnor, PA, Ames, Stuart, FL, and Fort Myers, FL.

He first worked as a plant inspector for insurance companies and then as a plant engineer for the National Publishing Company of Philadelphia. In 1956, he took a teaching posit at the college of engineeering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he eventually was promoted to dean. Upon his return to the United States, he joined the faculty of engineering at Iowa State University, where he taught until his retirement in 1976. His career at ISU included a one-year posting to Prairie View A&M. During the summers, he sometimes did consulting work for the Northern Pacific Railroad and in Tunisia for Stanley Engineering.

Following his retirement, he taped countless books for the blind, served on the board of Story County Housing, Inc., traveled extensively in Europe, Russia, Australia, South Africa, South America and many other places.