Roxanne Elizabeth Seydel

Honored by:Irene Swanson, Kay Craig, Beth Duede and Lynn Seydel
Brick location:PAVER:15  map

My family has a long Iowa State University tradition. My father, Frank D. Seydel, received his Ph.D. from Iowa State in Biochemistry in 1973. My mother, Lynn Swanson Seydel, graduated from ISU in 1966 with a BS in History. My grandmother, Mildred Gauley Seydel, received her BS in Home Economics in 1939. My grandfather, Edgar P. Swanson, received his Masters in Industrial Education from Iowa State College in 1944 and worked for 37 years in the Financial Aid Office in Beardshear. Even my great grandfather, Fred D. Warner, taught a short course in butter making in the Dairy Science Department back in 1919. In addition, my Aunts Kay Craig and Beth Duede, and many of my mother's cousins are ISU grads and my cousin, Suzy Craig, will be a-freshman in 1995--continuing the tradition.

As of the Spring of 1995 I am finishing my sophomore year at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. I am an honor student and am considering majoring in foreign languages in college. I am currently taking French 4 and Latin 2. I have been on the Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squad for two years, co-captain my sophomore year. I have just been selected for the Varsity Squad next fall. I have participated in the Shakespearean Troupe and the school musical. I also study dance (ballet and pointe) and have taken piano lessons for eight years, participating in the National Guild Auditions and other musical festivals each year. I am active in my church youth group and have gone with them to Jamaica, Appalachia, and California to help those less fortunate.

Going to Ames to visit my grandparents, Ed and Irene Swanson, was and is always a time to look forward to and a time to make memories. Grandpa used to take us to the ISU track to run and fly kites. He would take us for walks and put the worms on the hook for all the cousins so we could fish in Lake LaVerne. Grandpa showed us how to cut shapes out of wood and we have lots of his wooden toys as reminders of his love of wood and woodworking.

Grandma Swanson always has more things planned than we can do. We always managed to have great fun. I remember one summer we had our own cousin's version of the Iowa Games in the back yard after seeing the opening ceremonies at the football stadium. We had a Garfield party complete with a huge Garfield head donated from a Veishea float. Some of our cousin reunions have celebrated a whole year of holidays in one week—Christmas, Easter, Father's Day, Valentines, Halloween, etc.--one holiday per day completed with decorations and appropriate food, crafts, and activities. One summer Grandma provided us all with cow skirts and matching shirts--even a special red one for my brother David, the only grandson. Another time we had a bear party and we all got brown bear puppets to take home. Once, Grandma even arranged for a fun and useful etiquette lesson. She is always thinking, planning, and organizing.

I'll always remember the Memorial Union--we eat there at least once when we visit Grandma. To celebrate Grandma's 75th birthday, we rented a limo to surprise her. It picked Grandma and the grandkids up at the Union and took us all over campus. We have also had some big family celebrations at the Union. Just last summer (1994) when Grandma celebrated her birthday, the party was complete with ten-thousand-year-old iceberg chips (saved in the freezer) from the Iceberg Conference in 1977 and a video of her life. Of course, all the grandchildren were included in the video.

Ames is a wonderful place to visit, so peaceful, and family reunions make it special. We have lots of pictures of the cousins all together with various campus backgrounds--the Campanille, steps of Beardshear, Lake LaVerne--to help keep the memories alive from one yearly visit to the next.

By Roxanne Elizabeth Seydel

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Dear Roxanne,

So proud of my grandchildren--pleased to have your name here in the Plaza! You've been great to keep in touch, and I appreciate your interest in our "reunions at the Union" here in Ames. Our trips to Washington, D.C. have been terrific! I'll continue to keep looking at special T.V. presentations from the Capitol. One day I'll see some of you in attendance. Good luck!

Love,
Gma

Submitted on 7/1/96

Brick also located: H29

Paver Inscription:

Irene Warner Swanson 1913-2006
Kay Swanson Craig 1947
Suzanne Kathryn Craig 1976
Kathryn Lynn Craig 1979
Lynn Swanson Seydel 1944
Roxanne Elizabeth Seydel 1979
Beth Swanson Duede 1948
Melissa Marie Duede 1976
Laura Renee Duede 1984
Beth Carolyn Warner 1888-1960
Eunice Decker Warner 1856-1942
Estella Irene Martin 1853-1940