Duluth Central High School Class of 1961
Classmates

Searching - You can search for a classmate in a variety of ways using the search box and clicking the “Search!” button.  Upon viewing the results of your selection, click on “Search profile” next to the classmate's name to get a specific class member’s personal web page.

1. Name - Type in the first OR last name (not both) or even parts of a name if you don’t know how to spell it.  For example, if you type in “don”, you will get Donald, Gordon and even O’Donnell.

2. Deceased Only - Click this "In Memory" button for a complete listing of deceased class members.  Then just click the desired name for their obituary (not all have been found).

3. Classmate Stories - Type in a plus sign (  +  ), no parenthesis, and you will get only those classmates that have written stories about their past 50 years.

Please Send Your Pictures - If your picture was not in the yearbook (then picture) or if you haven’t sent us your current picture (now picture).  Please send it to Ken Sorensen via E-mail or snail mail.  Pictures should be head and shoulder shots so you can be easily identified.

Where are they now? - Check out the "Where are they now?" button below.  This ties us to google maps and tells you where each of us is located.  It will not give exact locations, just approximate. 

A. If you click on a name at the right of the map, it will show the approximate location of that individual.  Actual addresses and phone numbers are protected by the site.

B. If you click on a pin point it will tell you the name of the person living by that point.  In busy areas like Duluth or Minneapolis, you may want to zoom in to further separate the pin points.

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View profile »Carol Arnquist (Smith+)
Sebring, FL
Comments
Work: Retired
Spouse: Pat
4 Children (1 deceased)
13 Grandchildren
Information update: 04/17/2022

I can't believe that fifty years has passed since graduation. After graduation, I attended UMD for a while and decided to move to the big city and wor… more »
View profile »Ruth Austin (Hafner+)
Northbrook, IL
Comments
Work: Librarian
Spouse: Arthur
4 Children
9 Grandchildren
Information update: 01/15/2023

It's hard to believe that 50 years ago we were all new and excited graduates from good old Central High School. How quickly those years have flown by. For me, … more »
View profile »Joyce Backer (Johnson) (Deceased)
Comments
Retired
Spouse: Bruce
3 Children
5 Grandchildren
Info update: 05/19/2017

For always thinking of myself as a small town gal, I feel like my life has been quite interesting.
I worked for the Chamber of Commerce with our classmate Patricia Buren. Got … more »
View profile »Gail Baker (Lathrop)
Duluth, MN
Comments
Work: Health Care
Spouse: Web Lathrop
3 Children
6 Grandchildren

Information update: 04/26/2022
View profile »Mary Ellen Beck (Ganzer)
Chesapeake, OH
Comments
Spouse: Robert (Bob)
Secretary/Office Manager First United Methodist Church
2 Children
4 Grandchildren
Information update: 07/11/2016
Duluth, MN
Comments
Retired
Spouse: Cheryl
2 Children
Information update: 06/27/2022
 
View profile »Georgia Benjamin (Esko)
Cloquet, MN
Comments
Homemaker
Spouse: Unknown, previously married to Larry
1 Child, Lance
Information update: 1/4/11

Our letter came back to us verifying she lives in Cloquet now. Possibly with her son. All research points to the Cloquet address. We have sent out a l… more »
 
View profile »Mervin (Merv) Bergal
Azetc, NM
Comments
Work: Owner of Hair Salon &
Southwest Hair Products Distributors, LLC
Spouse: Doris
2 Children
2 Grandchild
Information update: 03/28/2020
 
View profile »Karen Bertrand (Olson) (Deceased)
Comments
December 22, 1943 to September 1, 2014

Retired Elementary Teacher
Spouse: Rodney
2 Children plus 3 Children (my age) of my husband's
3 Grandchildren plus 4 Grandchildren of my husband's
1 Great-grandchild plus 3 Great-granddaughters
Information upd… more »
Republic, MO
Comments
Work: Housekeeper Nursing Home
Spouse: Don
3 Children
2 Grandchildren
Information update 1/11/11

I attended Duluth Business University - took courses in office machines, typing and shorthand. I then moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area in 1962 wh… more »
View profile »Pat Bjorklund (Nelson)
Andover, MN
Comments
Retired
Spouse: Homer
4 Children
8 Grandchildren
2 Great Grandchildren
Information update: 03/01/2020

I have been married for 48 yrs with 4 married children (3 girls 1 boy) & 8 grandchildren ranging from 9 to 23. The grandchildren have kept us bu… more »
Ottertail, MN
Comments
Retired High School Principal
Spouse: Lana
3 Children
4 Grandchildren
Information update: 6/18/10
 
View profile »Sandra Blalock (Beck)
Indian Land, SC
Comments
Retired
Spouse: Widowed
1 Child
2 Grandchildren
Information update: 04/16/2022
View profile »Karen Boe (Schamberger) (Deceased)
Comments
Spouse: Robert
1 Child
2 Grandchildren
Information update: 9/25/2015

Soon after graduation, I started working at Northwestern Bell, retiring from AT&T 24 years later. Lived one year in Southern California, but came back to Duluth and have lived here… more »
View profile »Gary Bowen (Deceased)
Comments
Retired
Spouse: Barb
5 Children
8 Grandchildren
Information Update: 05/06/2018

Gary Bowen, age 75, of Sandstone, passed away on 5/2/2018. Gary John Bowen was born on January 7, 1943 in Duluth, MN, to George and Virginia (Holappa) Bowen. He graduated… more »
Duluth, MN
Comments
Retired
Single
Information update: 7/31/10

She told me she's extremely busy taking care of two elderly brothers of hers and doesn't do any Emailing. Liz Manninen (Smith)
 
View profile »Charles (Chuck) Bradburn+
Munds Park, AZ
Comments
Retired
Single
2 Children
3 Grandchildren
Information update: 04/29/2022

See Carol A. Anderson's bio!
After leaving Detroit, I sold real estate in Duluth for several years. When I moved to AZ I started my own insulation company. After our divorce, … more »
View profile »Sandra (Sandy) Bradseth (Nolden)
Racine, WI
Comments
Retired
Spouse: David
3 Children
6 Grandchildren
Information update: 01/14/2016
View profile »Yvonne Bramer (Griffin)
Glendale, AZ
Comments
Retired
Spouse name: Kenneth Griffin
3 Children
7 Grandchildren
2 Great-Grandchildren
Information update: 5/4/10
 
View profile »Virginia (Ginger) Bredeson (Russell+)
Apple Valley, MN
Comments
Homemaker
Spouse: Richard
4 Children
19 Grandchildren
Information update: 02/22/2022

"It doesn't seem like 50 years. Where has the time go. I married Dick in 1962 and we have lived in Apple Valley since 1964. I have a daughter and three sons who hav… more »