Spring 2010 Gustavus Quarterly

6
NEWS FROM CAMPUS
CHESTER JOHNSON
continued from previous page
the College’s life, coordinating the annual
Scandinavian Yule Tide and May breakfasts
and regularly attending fine arts events and
other functions.
Johnson influenced many Gustavus students
during his 61 years of service to the
College and the Church, including Walter
Youngquist ’42, who established two endowments
at the College in honor of Johnson.
The Chester O. Johnson Geology Scholarship
and the Chester O. Johnson and Walter L.
Youngquist Geology Student Research/Field
Studies Fund were created in 2001.
“Professor Johnson was an outstanding
teacher who gave me the basis for a long
and highly satisfying academic and industry
Tradition of St. Lucia
Festival continues
Jennifer Fox (third from left in back), a
sophomore from Hastings, Minn., reigned
as the 2009 St. Lucia during Gustavus
Adolphus College’s 69th annual Festival of
St. Lucia on Dec. 10. The Festival of St.
Lucia begins the Christmas season in
Swedish custom.
Every year five or six sophomore women
are named to the College’s St. Lucia Court
based on their academic achievement, spiritual
leadership, service to the College,
charity, and kindness. This year’s court included,
from left, Anna Swenson, Eagan,
Minn.; Rebecca Hohag, Colorado Springs,
Colo.; Fox; Mary Dierkes, Eagan, Minn.;
Colleen Peterson, Forest Lake, Minn.; and
Whitney O’Connell, Excelsior, Minn. The
Lucia queen is chosen from the court
through a campus community vote.
Children of Gustavus employees participate
as star children in the St. Lucia service
in Christ Chapel. Pictured in the front row
are this year’s star children—from left,
Paige Meyer, daughter of Heidi Pettis
Meyer ’98, assistant professor of nursing
and Sorensen Hall head resident, and her
husband, Mitch; Elizabeth Orth, daughter of Sara Gostomczik Orth
’97, director of student accounts, and her husband, Jeff; Eleanor
Winterfeldt, daughter of Chad Winterfeldt, visiting instructor of music
and assistant organist, and his wife, Beth Winterfeldt, adjunct instructor
of music and Piano Lab School director; Zechariah Muomaalme
THE GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY
career in geology,” Youngquist was quoted in
a 2002 Gustavus Quarterly article. During his
professional career Youngquist rose to the
position of chief geoscientist of the world’s
largest oil company. “It all goes back to
Chester,” Youngquist maintained. “The ultimate
influence of a professor can never be
fully estimated.”
Johnson was born in Moline, Ill., on Feb. 1,
1913. He attended Augustana College in Rock
Island, Ill., where he earned an undergraduate
degree in English in 1935. He went on to earn
his master of science degree in geology from
the University of Chicago. He married Marian
“Pinky” Swanson in 1944; they had two children,
a daughter, Christine (Feldman ’71), and
a son, Martin ’76. Marian died on Jan. 1, 2010,
outliving Chester by 24 days.
During his time at Gustavus Johnson was
active in the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, the Geological
Society of America, the American
Association of Petroleum Geologists, the
American Quaternary Association, the
Minnesota Academy of Science, the National
Association of Geology Teachers, and the
Society of Economic Paleontologists and
Mineralogists.
In 2002, Chester and Marian Johnson were
awarded the Greater Gustavus Award—the
highest award given by the Gustavus Alumni
Association, for those “who by deed, have
notably advanced and aided Gustavus
Adolphus College.” Johnson was also recognized
by the Gustavus Adolphus College
Association of Congregations with its
Covenant Award in 2002. The Covenant
Award is given annually to an individual who
has made outstanding contributions in building
and maintaining the relationship of
Gustavus with the Lutheran Church. ■
Kyoore, son of Paschal Kyoore, associate professor of French, and his
wife, Martha; Jullian Meier, son of Alan Meier ’87, senior associate director
of admission, and his wife, Kelli; and Logan Moe, son of Scott
Moe ’95, head men’s and women’s golf coach, and his wife, Sarah
Garrison Moe ’02.