The Torch Award was established to acknowledge and honor alumni and non-alumni parents. The Torch Award is given to an alumni family of at least two generations; or to non-alumni parents, all of whose children have attended William Penn University.
Don Camenisch attended William Penn (College) and earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1961. While attending college, Don played football for the William Penn Rangers. His athleticism earned him membership in the WPU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
Camenisch taught math at Algona High School for 30 years, where he also coached freshman football and was an assistant wrestling coach during those years. Don and his former wife, Pat had five children; Lisa, Mark, Steve, Barry and Jill, three who became teachers. Lisa, the #1 child, is a 1982 grad and has been teaching Family & Consumer Science at Eddyville/Blakesburg High School for 11 years. While at William Penn she was a cheerleader for football and basketball. It was there that she met Kendell Strausser, who played football at William Penn. They were together for 40 years and married for 36 years.
Kendell was a 1985 graduate of William Penn, serving in the Army National Guard. His specialty was logistics. Spending one year in Iraq. For six months, he trained Iraqi soldiers how to move supplies throughout the country. When not on active duty, he worked at Clow Valve, handling logistics for over 20 years. He also coached his children in all their many athletic endeavors. Sadly, Kendell passed in October 2021.
Together he and Lisa had four children; Preston, Noah, Levi, and Gabrielle. This begins the third generation for the Camenisch family. Noah graduated in 2022 with a degree in Sport Management and is currently employed at Vermeer in Pella. His brother, Levi, graduated from William Penn in 2023 with a degree in Sociology-Criminal Justice and currently is employed at PURIS Foods in Oskaloosa.
With a three generational commitment, William Penn University is honored to present the Torch Award for 2024 to the Don Camenisch Family.