Board of Directors

Kris Brunkhorst, Vice-Chair

Kris Brunkhorst is a three term member of Waverly's Historic Preservation Commission; designed Heritage Days Walking Tours of historic homes and the Waverly Rail Trail bike trail history; is a former co-chair of Heritage Days Committee; a volunteer for the Bremer County Historical Society Museum; worked on the Hazardous Mitigation Commission with the AmeriCorps flood salvage efforts in Waverly in 2008; was a founder of the Rail Trail Committee, and Historian for the Waverly Garden Club. She is the wife of former Mayor and State Rep./Sen. Bob Brunkhorst. She is a retired college instructor.

Elizabeth Hartman

Elizabeth Hartman is a former city councilwoman and zoning commissioner; a co-founder of the Historic Preservation Commission, Save the Oak, and Trees Forever; a former member of the Development Design Committee and the Board of Adjustment; and a co-founder of the “Big Six” Preservation Committee, for which she is still a board member and city liaison.

Teri Heimann, Treasurer

Teri Heimann has been a treasurer for multiple organizations, a leader of Boy and Girl Scouts of America, and, as a direct descendant of Ira Sturdevant, is a Sturdevant family genealogist.

Barbara Lovejoy-Hess

Barbara Lovejoy-Hess was a co-founder of the Historic Preservation Commission, an officer of the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, a member of Save the Oak and Trees Forever, and, as a direct descendant of Ira Sturdevant, also brings to the project her expertise in interior design and furniture restoration as well as serving as the on-site board representative.

Gary Emkes

Terry Lindell, Ph.D.

Terry Lindell, as a long-time Wartburg history professor, has been active in local and cemetery history, serving ten years on the Historic Preservation Commission, as well as a member (and current vice president) of the Bremer County Historical Society, and a member of multiple sesquicentennial committees (Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, and now the Civil War for the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Paul Cheville

Works as the public grounds manager for the city of Waverly. He's involved in various community group, such as Trees Forever, and the Waverly Pokémon League at the Waverly Public Library. He was introduced to family history at a young age by his historian mother, Mary, spending summers conducting research in various cemeteries, courthouses, and libraries. His favorite part of history is finding stories with context that provides a deeper understanding of events and the people involved. When he's not working, he enjoys listening to music, loves exceptionally old and large trees, exploring and spending time with his Family.Works as the public grounds manager for the city of Waverly. He is involved in various community group such as trees, forever, and the Waverly Pokémon league at the Waverly Public Library. He is introduced to family history in a young age. Spending summers conducting research and very cemeteries courthouse is in libraries. His favorite part of history is finding stories with context that provides a deeper understanding of events and the people involved when he's not working, he enjoys listening to music, especially old and large trees, exploring, and spending time with his family.

Hector and Tamara Mares

Hector Mares was born in Brooklyn, New York; he is a retired US Army Combat Veteran and a US Department of Defense retiree. He and his family lived in Germany for six years. He recently moved to Waverly, Iowa from northern Virginia, He volunteers at the Ira Sturdevant House Restoration Project, has joined the American Veterans Association/AMVETS, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars/VFW, attends weekly meetings, and volunteers at the Waverly Area Veterans Post/WAVP for social functions and serving meals. Hector is a student of history and enjoys traveling to new locations to explore the sites, meet people, and share experiences. He is a member of his church Men’s Group.

Katherine Scott Sturdevant, Chair

Katherine Scott Sturdevant is a (retired) Colorado history professor emerita and preservationist (formerly a Historical Editor for the State Historical Society of Iowa) who initiated the campaign to save the Ira Sturdevant House, protect it from demolition, and achieve a State Historical Society grant and eligibility for the National Trust, as well as listing on the Waverly Historic Preservation register, a partnership with Preservation Iowa, and application for its own non-profit status.

Rick Sturdevant, Ph.D., Board Historian

Rick Sturdevant is the Deputy Director of the Air Force Space Command History Office, at Peterson AFB, in Colorado Springs (a job that requires archival, research, writing, preservation expertise), and grew up in Waverly, as a direct descendant of Ira Sturdevant, to be a family historian who retains the archive of his grandfather Frank Sturdevant (recognized as Waverly’s great unofficial historian, genealogist, and town-and-cemetery preservationist).

Michael Jahnke

Honorary Board Member

In memory of Duane Liddle

Visionary of ISH's future and promoter of 1st St. SW History