Staff Profiles: 

Don Houdeshell 715-384-2484 pastor.don@verizon.net Hometown:  Arcanum, Ohio Family:  Julie and I have been married sixteen years in June, 2009.  Between us we have five children and five grandchildren living in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas. Education:  Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA. What is your responsibility at First Presbyterian Church, Marshfield, WI?  I am the full time intentional Interim Minister.  I have special training in family systems, strategic planning, and negotiation skills that help a church address issues in the transition between installed pastors.  Questions we answer during the interim time are “Who are we?”, “Where are we going?”, and “How do we get there?” What do you enjoy most about First Presbyterian Church?  First, without a doubt, I have to say the people.  The congregation is talented, warm and caring.  Second, the congregation is intergenerational and has strong programs for children, youth and adults.  Third, I like the progressive thinking of the people here.  Fourth, I appreciate and value the cultural, ethnic and lifestyle diversity represented in the church.  Finally, the congregation made the bold decision to move from downtown Marshfield to a nine acre site on the corner of Adler and Lincoln.  The people erected a stunningly beautiful building complex on one level using green technology and materials. What do you do for recreation?  I am an avid fly fisherman.  I am concerned about the environment and am a member of the local chapters of Trout Unlimited and The Sierra Club.  As a fly fisherman, I am in heaven in Wisconsin with its many blue ribbon trout streams.

 

Administrative Secretary: Harriet Brandt  Email

Harriet Brandt, Administrative Secretary at FPC, has been serving in that position since July 1999. She also held this position at Morrison Academy in Taiwan and at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wausau, WI. She is here to serve and help you in any way that she can.        Harriet and her husband, Bob (recently deceased), have four children and five grandchildren. Harriet enjoys spending as much time with her family as she can, as well as gardening and walking.

Business Manager: Ellen Leick  Email

Ellen Leick lives in Stratford with her husband, Pete, who is a dairy farmer.  They have 3 children: Katie, is attending Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and plans on going into advertising when she graduates in May, Jackie, is doing Physician Assistant studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Travis, their youngest, will graduate from high school in 2008.  Ellen started working at First Presbyterian Church in January of 2006.  She also works part time for Marshfield Area Habitat for Humanity.

Custodian Coordinator: Dennis Nagel Email

Dennis Nagel is completing his first year as our Maintenance Custodian Coordinator through DASHER Management Service out of Baraboo. He was born and raised on a farm in Auburndale. He completed two years of automotive technician training at Mid-StateTechnical School. He enjoys hunting, fishing and camping with his wife, Patty and son Jeremy, who is in first grade. Other hobbies include gardening, model railroad building, woodworking and small engine repair.

Children's Ministry Team

Sr. High Youth Group Coordinator: Becky Volenec  Email	Becky is currently the High School Youth Group Coordinator at FPC.  In addition, she enjoys being on the Christian Education Committee, a member of the Session, and playing bells with the handbell choir.  Outside of church, Becky is a full-time Title I teacher in Granton, Wisconsin.  In her spare time, she coaches gymnastics and enjoys the company of her friends and family.  Becky graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2005, and she and her husband, Matt Volenec, were married in May of 2008 at First Presbyterian Church.
Youth Ministries Coordinator: Cheryl Hall  Email
Confirmation Coordinator: Deb Murrell Email	Deb Murrell is enjoying her involvement with the high school youth as the Confirmation Coordinator for First Presbyterian Church.  Confirmation involves our ninth and tenth graders in class time, worship, service projects, and with adult mentors.   Deb, a former full-time teacher, also enjoys organ and bells at FPC, cooking, reading, and some substitute teaching.  She and her husband, Mike, a dentist, have two children:  Sarah, a dental student at the University of Iowa, and Luke, a graduating senior who is heading to St. Olaf College the fall of 2007.   The whole Murrell family enjoys traveling, the outdoors, and life at their little lake cabin up north.

Music Ministry

Choir Director:  Greg Reierson Email:

Greg lives in Marshfield with his wife Theresa and son Sam. His daughter Kirsten and her husband Jason live in Peoria, IL. Greg grew up in Iola, WI. His brothers’ families continue to reside in Wisconsin, one in Clintonville, and one in Hortonville. Greg received his undergraduate degree from the UW Eau Claire and his Master’s in Vocal Music Education from the UW Steven’s  Point. His vocal work in the Athens school district for three years was followed by 17 years teaching vocal music to grades 7 – 12 in the Colby school district, six years in Marshfield at the elementary level and the past six years at Marshfield Senior High. Greg has greatly enhanced the musical milieu of our community not only through his teaching of students but also through his Campus Community performances since 1983 and as director of the Central Chamber Choral for the past 13 years. In his spare time Greg loves to spend time with his family and work on renovating old houses. Greg is a member of our congregation, enhancing our worship and ministry through the sharing of his talent and, oh yes, his humor.

Handbell Choir Director: Kathy Phillips Email

Kathy Phillips took over the role of handbell director in the spring of 1998. She had previously directed the handbell and adult choirs at her former church in Fort Dodge, IA. In addition to her church activities, her teaching position as a band director at the Marshfield Middle School keeps her life full and busy. She and her husband Phil enjoy golfing, gardening and volunteering at FPC in their free time.

Parish Nurses

Parish Nurse: Carolyn Opitz Email	Carolyn Opitz: Graduated from Immanuel School of Nursing in 1962 in Omaha, Nebraska. Jim graduated from medical school that same year.  During internship for him and his time in the Air Force she did Special duty nursing (they did not have intensive care units at that time).  They moved to Marshfield in August, 1969 and she worked @ St. Joseph's Hospital in critical care and outpatient care.  Carolyn worked for 25 years, retired from the hospital, and then took the Parish Nurse Course in 1998.
Parish Nurse: Marge Huntwork Email	Marge Huntwork was born and raised in Ann Arbor MI, moved to Columbus OH for high school and early married life, then to California for 30 years where she raised her only son, Zak, before returning to the Midwest. She joined her mother, Ethel Huntwork, in Iron River MI in the Upper Peninsula in 2001 and commuted to Marshfield as a traveling nurse for her first three years of work at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Two things helped Marge and her mother decide to move to Marshfield permanently – first, St. Joseph’s cut back on their use of traveling nurses and second, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Marshfield Clinic both offer excellent care. Marge took a permanent position in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in July 2004 and with Ethel and sister, Dot Shields, bought a home here on Seventh Street.   Marge received her Associate Degree in Nursing from College of Marin, in Kentfield CA and worked throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for the 30 years she lived there. Her hospital career has always been in Neonatal Intensive Care with a smattering of Labor and Delivery, Well Baby Nursery and Pediatrics. In Iron River MI she also had a very small amount of Geriatric experience. (There’s a funny story about that – ask her sometime.) While in California, Marge trained and was certified as a Parish Nurse and worked at First Presbyterian Church, San Anselmo, in that capacity for several years.  Marge loves to read, do crossword puzzles and quilt though never seems to have enough time for these pastimes. Now living in Marshfield, Marge looks forward to bringing her experience to this Parish Nurse group at First Presbyterian Church, Marshfield