NORTHERN TODAY 23 FALL 2015 ALUMNI NEWS Couple who met at Northern State University donate to help students afford college Adrienne and John Deblon wanted to help young people who couldn’t afford to attend college. Now, their gift to Northern State University will help make college a possibility for many students. ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT Rollie Watson, Huron, on June 29, 2015. Norma Zabel, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., on July 26, 2015. 1970 Doris (Gergen) Deslauriers, Doland, on July 11, 2015. Anita (Holmes) Johnson, Platte, on Aug. 29, 2015. Thomas Leinen, Redfield, on Aug. 2, 2015. 1971 Fernetta Bieber, Bowdle, on Sept. 2, 2015. 1972 LaNette (Hettich) Schlepp, Tucson, Ariz., on April 17, 2015. 1973 Dr. Evonne Charbeneau, Washington, D.C., on Aug. 4, 2015. Kathy (Hare) Housel, Houston, Texas, on May 20, 2015. 1975 R. Lee Ginsbach, Aberdeen, on May 30, 2015. 1981 Michael Kolterman, Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 2, 2015. 1984 Anne Marie Morman, Rapid City, on June 7, 2015. 1986 Dr. Bryce Iwerks, Aberdeen, on Aug. 4, 2015. Delores (Hoeger) Fischer, Eureka, on May 9, 2015. 1987 Kari (Aman) Breske, Aberdeen, on Oct. 13, 2015. 1990 Michael D. Nielson, Aberdeen, on Oct. 17, 2015. 1992 Catherine (Motis) Vander Vorst, Gettysburg, on May 22, 2015. 1995 Vicky Hanson, Sioux Falls, on July 30, 2015. 1997 Nicole (Fish) Westerhuis, Platte, S.D., on Sept.17, 2015. Scott Westerhuis, Platte, on Sept. 17, 2015. Shirley Petersen-WilliamsRaethz, Aberdeen, on Aug. 15, 2015. THE DEBLONS, of Bloomington, Minn., donated more than $513,000 to the NSU Foundation. The money will be used for needbased scholarships, athletic scholarships and program enhancements for the men’s basketball program. John Deblon is a Watertown native and former Wolves basketball player who graduated from Northern in 1964. Adrienne Deblon is a Leola native who attended Northern for two years starting in fall 1961. The couple met on campus and have been married 45 years. After graduation, John entered the Navy for five years, then bought into a long-established Minnesota business, Yale Mechanical, eventually taking ownership. Adrienne worked as a legal secretary and then trained as a flight attendant, working for American Airlines. The Deblons have one daughter, Jennifer Martindale, who works as chief financial officer at Yale Mechanical. They also have three grandsons: Nathan, Nicholas and Andrew. Adrienne said growing up, she always knew her future plans would be to enroll at Northern after high school. John said he decided to attend after a visit from one of the basketball coaches. Adrienne’s best memories of attending Northern are all the friends she met and all the camaraderie. She liked all aspects of college life, from campus events to academics. “I just loved all the activity,” she said. John agreed, adding jokingly, “except for the academics.” When they were college students, they didn’t have a lot of money, and they said students who attend Northern now come from similar backgrounds. “We just want to help people who want to go but don’t have the resources,” John said. The Deblons encourage others with similar means to consider donating to Northern as they have. “It would be the right thing to do,” Adrienne said, “and they’ll feel good about it.” “We just want to help people who want to go but don’t have the resources.”
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