Meet Members from Our Communications Committee
By Carol Deering

Judy Sunderland

When I asked Judy Sunderland what was important to her about being a part of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, she mentioned the excitement of building a new church. “It can’t happen to everyone,” she said! And Judy clearly loves the excitement. She is a member of the St. Katharine Drexel Communications Committee, the Building Campaign Leadership Team, Catholic Daughters, and a bible study group. She covers the phones at the Parish Office when needed and folds bulletins and stuffs envelopes on many weekday mornings at the Parish Office. Judy says she’s retired — I’ll let you decide!

Judy and her late husband Bob owned Irongate Framing Gallery for fifteen years. Judy was teaching at Patrick Henry, and Bob was an IBM engineer, when they decided to shift gears in life and open their own business. Judy chuckles when she talks about Bob’s role in the business – everything in the shop was high-tech and computerized! They loved their fifteen years together in the gallery and were a great team. Judy recently sold the business to another member of our parish, Bruce Halma, but she continues to work at Irongate part-time as a consultant, and fills in whenever Bruce needs her. Judy also continues to work part-time as a decorator, visiting families in their homes and advising them on colors, furniture, and style.

Judy is an accomplished artist who has won many awards, and she’s already shared her talents with our parish. Next time you’re in the Parish Chapel on Wheatland Court, take a look at the picture of St. Katharine Drexel hanging on the east wall. Judy matted and framed the beautiful print.

Judy has two children living: son Brad is in Des Moines, and daughter Lisa is in Dallas.  Another son, Robert, passed away in 2006. Judy loves the flexibility of working part-time because now she can easily hop on a plane to Des Moines or Dallas and visit her six grandchildren. She also loves the hours she can work in her garden, read, and experiment with her camera. And then there’s Angel — her new Lhasa Apso puppy. Judy said she and Angel are “in training” together.

Near the end of my conversation with Judy Sunderland, she summed up the energy and enthusiasm within our church as, “the spirit of St. Katharine Drexel Parish.” In those few simple words, Judy’s artistic sense captured the beauty that is our growing faith community.

Marcia and Dale Dobberpuhl

Marcia Dobberpuhl told me that she and her family “enjoy being a part of a Catholic faith parish. This is what my parents taught me, and Dale and I want to pass this value on to our children. Starting out new in St. Katharine Drexel Parish is a very exciting way to do that.”

Marcia and Dale Dobberpuhl are South Dakota natives:  Marcia grew up in Madison, and Dale in Ferney. Marcia and Dale lived in Sioux Falls after they were married in 1982.  They moved to Sioux City in 1992, where they lived for ten years. In 2001, they returned to Sioux Falls. Marcia works as an RN at the Avera Cancer Institute doing outpatient chemotherapy. Dale is a manager at First Premier Bankcard.

The Dobberpuhls have three sons. Mitch is a sophomore at SDSU, Nick is a senior at Roosevelt, and Kenny is a sixth grader at Memorial Middle School. The entire Dobberpuhl family loves sports – all three boys play a variety of sports, and the whole family follows Twins baseball in the summer and Chiefs football in the fall. Dale and the boys also enjoy hunting and fishing, and Marcia loves quilting and crafting.

Marcia and Dale give generously of their time and talent. In addition to volunteering on the Communications Committee, Marcia serves as Sacristan and Eucharistic Minister, and she is also on the St. Katharine Drexel Parish bakers list. Dale volunteers as an usher and collection counter. Marcia also assisted with the Door-to-Door Campaign, the St. Katharine Drexel Feast Day Mass and Soup Supper, and the Share Campaign. 

Marcia told me she “wanted to be a part of the starting of a new church.” With her generous sharing of her time and talent, Marcia is a big part of our growing faith community!

Candace and Henry Evans

Candace and Henry Evans are transplants to Sioux Falls, but proud to call the city “home.” Henry grew up in Cleveland, OH and Bemidji, MN, and Candace in Billings, MT.  They met and lived in the Twin Cities, but moved to Sioux Falls in 1995 when Candace was transferred within her company. Henry is an attorney in sole practice specializing in business immigration, and Candace is a district manager for the DaimlerChryler Corporation.

Candace and Henry have two children. Luke is a second grader at St. Michael-St. Katharine Drexel Elementary, and four-year-old Maria attends the YWCA daycare, “anxiously awaiting her chance to be in school with her big brother.” Candace, Henry, Luke, and Maria love to exercise as a family. They spend lots of time in the water at the Wellness Center’s open swim night, and they also spend lots of time on frozen water – Maria is in her second year of ice skating, and Luke is in his third year of hockey. Henry coaches hockey and is “crazy,” says Candace, about martial arts. Not to be outdone, Candace is a runner. This family is an example for all of us! When they slow down, Candace enjoys arts and crafts activities with the children, and the whole Evans clan likes to read, watch movies, and just hang out as a family.

Candace volunteered for the Communications Committee because, as she writes, “communication is the key to keeping the whole church project moving forward, and an easy way to let all members know this is OUR CHURCH. I want to be a part of people feeling ownership and pride in our campaign.”

In addition to volunteering on the Communications Committee, Candace serves as a Eucharistic Minister, Nursery Volunteer, and SFCS Certificates Seller. Candace, Henry, Luke, and Maria also serve as Greeters and Gift Bearers.

For Candace, being part of a church from the ground up is “extremely exciting,” and it is “really special for my children, as well, to see the effort and sacrifice that goes into bringing to life a place where we can worship.”