By CSC COLLEGE RELATIONS
CHADRON, Neb. – The Marshall and Owens families each received the Family Tree Awards on Friday and were honored during halftime of the football game on Saturday. According to the requirements listed online, each recipient family must include a minimum of three generations of graduates. At least two of the family members must have a record of outstanding service to the college, the alumni association, their community, or their profession.
The Marshall Family
Con Marshall earned his bachelor’s degree in 1963. He was a class officer, student senate president, Eagle newspaper sports editor and news editor, and active in Blue Key, Sigma Tau Gamma, and listed in Who’s Who. He was a reporter for the Chadron Record from 1964-66, a feature writer for the Star-Herald from 1966-69, and became Director of Information at CSC in 1969. He semi-retired in 2009 but continues to write and take photos. He wrote both the CSC 75th and 100th anniversary books. He and his wife, Peggy, of Crawford, have three children: Tyler, Sara, and Perry. The couple has been married for 60 years. Peggy (Galbreath) graduated in 1966 with her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s in education in 1971. She was a member of the Student Education Association and Sigma Delta Nu. She taught at the Bridgeport Public Schools from 1964-65, at the Gering Public Schools from 1968- 69, and at CSC from 1986 to 2010.
Tyler graduated with a bachelor’s in 1994 and was active in Blue Key. He lives in Scottsbluff, works for FedEx, and has one child, Jaedon.
Sara Behrends graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education with a K-12 music endorsement in 1995. She was active in Cardinal Key, Sigma Delta Nu, the Eagleaires, and other music groups. She taught K-12 music in Crawford from 1996- 97, Elementary music at Wauneta-Palisade from 1997 to 2021, and has taught K-5 music at Alliance since 2021.
She and her husband, Aaron, of Worland, Wyoming, have four children: Paul, Miranda, Olivia, and Sonya. Aaron graduated with a bachelor’s in education with a K-12 music endorsement and a physics subject endorsement in 1997. He was involved with various CSC music groups. He led the Wauneta-Palisade middle and high school band and choir from 1997 to 2021 and has been a science teacher in Alliance since 2021.
Olivia is married to Angel Veladez, was active in various music groups, and this semester she is student teaching in Bridgeport, Nebraska. She will graduate this December with a bachelor’s in Education with a K-12 music endorsement.
Sonya currently attends CSC pursuing degrees in molecular biology and chemistry, and she participates in instrumental music performances.
The Owens Family
Kristy Heppner Owens, is the daughter of Russel and Shirley Heppner. Following the death of her husband, the late Shirley Heppner married Chuck Royal Johnson of Rapid City. Johnson, 96, graduated in 1956 with an education degree and in 1984 with a computer science degree. He retired from teaching with the Converse County Wyoming School District.
Kristy graduated in 1975 with a degree in K-12 Art Education, and she taught in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Later, she operated a home day care center for 10 years in Everett, Washington, where he husband was stationed with the Burlington Northern railroad, and 10 years in Alliance, Nebraska, after they transferred back to the region.
She and her late husband, Dick, have three children: Milisa Palmer, Kassidy Owens, and Heath Owens.
Heath earned his bachelor’s degree in commercial graphic design in 2001. He is a private independent contractor who has been building and renovating homes for 10 years. Previously, he was in medical sales, and a newspaper publisher with Lee Enterprises managing the Rapid City Journal and other newspapers in the northern hills.
Heath’s wife, Brooke (Shimp), earned her bachelor’s in criminal justice in 2004. She was active in the Student Education Association and the Criminal Justice Club. She has been the Human Resource Manager at the Powder River Division of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad since 2007. They have three children: Riley, Alison, and Hunter. Alison Owens graduated from Crawford High School and attended CSC in 2024-25.
Dick’s sister, JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, of Lincoln, graduated from Newcastle High School in Wyoming and earned her bachelor’s degree from CSC in health and physical education in 1970. She went on to earn a master’s in physical education in 1976 and an Ed.D. in 1992 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is a nationally recognized advocate for physical activity and health literacy, and she has had various educational and corporate roles, including 19 years as the Nebraska State Director for Health and Physical Education. Her contributions to the field have earned her induction into multiple halls of fame and numerous prestigious awards. She serves on the Nebraska Sports Council Board and chairs the Chadron State Foundation.
JoAnne’s aunt, Lena Owens, was the Dietitian and Director of Food Service from 1960 to 1975. Lena’s daughters, Beverly and Barbara, attended CSC. Beverly married Jeffrey Schmidt in 1968 and they had four children: LoraLee Jean, Paeter Deitrich, Shalisa Jean, and Starla Jo. JoAnne’s sister Milinda “Mindy” Owens Wineteer of Chadron is the mother of Jamie Hileman who attended CSC.