Meet the SPLS Foundation Board
John Denney - President
I have been a Leavenworth resident all of my life. I graduated from Leavenworth High School and the University of Kansas before serving a tour with the US Army and working over 40 years at J. F. Denney
Plumbing before retiring. Connie and I have been married since 1969 and have three children and seven grandchildren. All three of our children and two of our grandchildren attended SPL School. To this day, we can see the difference SPL School has made in their lives. I saw an opportunity to help other families be able to send their children to our school, so I helped to start this foundation.
Cheryl Orlowski - Secretary
My involvement with St. Paul Lutheran School covers 40 years. I have served the church in many aspects of ministry, but the school has a special place in my heart. My father-in-law was a Lutheran teacher for 40 years. My husband, Tom, and our son, Todd, both graduated from St. Paul. Tom and I were both public school teachers so we know how important education is – in particular a Christian education. I know how important a Christian education is because our family lived it. It is important for others to have the same opportunity, so this is why I volunteered to help with this foundation.
Judy Ronk - Treasurer
I have been a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School for over 50 years. I’ve served in various positions, but my favorite was being a parent of two children who attended SPL School from kindergarten through the eighth grade. After our daughter’s 6th-grade year, she begged us to allow her to attend public junior high. My husband, Jeff, and I resisted and told her “NO”. During high school, she admitted that she was grateful that she did graduate from St. Paul before going on to public high school. That is one reason why I volunteered to help this foundation: to help other children attend this school.
Velma Bass - Corresponding Secretary
I am the widowed mother of two SPL School grads. Barb lives in Madison, OH, and is active in Trinity Lutheran Church. Brenda lives in St. Joe, MO, and is active at First Lutheran Church. Both credit their success to what was put into place by the school during their early years. I am a past president of the Kansas Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. During my tenure, I helped to establish the foundation named God’s Gracious Gift Fund, which worked with donations provided for mission projects. I see the
value SPL School was for our daughters, and I want to help your family receive similar results.
Helen Genter - Liaison Officer
I graduated from Lutheran elementary and high school in Detroit and from Concordia Teachers’ College in River Forrest, IL. I am a third-generation Lutheran teacher and retired after over 29 years at SPL School in Leavenworth. Lynn and I have three daughters who graduated from SPL School and went on to do very well in high school and college. Lutheran education Is the foundation of my life. I saw the values it instilled in hundreds of students while teaching. It is my desire to help the foundation and the school provide that Christian education experience for many students in the future.