Gary Lemme, Ph.D. is a distinguished leader in agricultural education, research, and extension services with over 45 years of experience in academia and administration. A native of Kiester, Minnesota, he earned a B.S. in Agricultural Education (1974) and an M.S. in Agronomy (1975) from South Dakota State University (SDSU), followed by a Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1979), where he focused on soil moisture and stratigraphy in loessial landscapes.
Lemme began his academic career as a faculty member at SDSU (1981–1990), where he taught and conducted research in soil science. During this time, he was recognized as the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences' Teacher of the Year in 1986. He also held faculty and administrative roles at Michigan State University, where he served as Associate Director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (1999–2005), and at the University of Minnesota, where he was Head of the West Central Research and Outreach Center (1992–1999). Additionally, he served as Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (1990–1992).
In 2005, Lemme was appointed Dean of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences at SDSU. During his tenure, he oversaw a budget of over $74 million, expanded research funding, and supported academic growth across 14 departments. He played a key role in forming interdisciplinary research collaborations and strengthening sustainable agriculture programs. He stepped down in 2008 but remained at SDSU as a professor and coordinator of special programs.
Lemme's leadership continued as Director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) from 2011 to 2021. He led the only joint 1862 and 1890 Land-Grant University Extension system in the U.S., overseeing more than 800 employees across Alabama A&M and Auburn University. Under his direction, ACES expanded outreach efforts, enhanced research-driven agricultural solutions, and secured funding to support rural development initiatives.
Throughout his career, Lemme has contributed significantly to agricultural research and education, publishing numerous peer-reviewed articles, and securing over $2 million in grants and contracts. He has completed international assignments in 16 countries, focusing on agricultural sustainability and education. His contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the USDA Group Honor Award for Excellence and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture National Fellow Award.
Now serving as Extension Director Emeritus at Auburn University, Lemme remains committed to advancing agricultural education, research, and outreach programs that support the economic and environmental sustainability of rural communities.
Content Notes
The Gary Lemme Papers document his extensive career in agricultural education, research, and extension services spanning over four decades. The materials reflect his academic contributions, leadership roles, and professional achievements at institutions such as South Dakota State University, Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, and Auburn University.
The collection includes a diverse range of materials, including certificates, plaques, awards, and recognition from various organizations such as the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, USDA, and professional agricultural associations. His work in soil science and agronomy is represented through publications, research reports, and conference proceedings. Correspondence and thank-you letters provide insight into his professional relationships and collaborations.
Significant items in the collection include memorabilia from international agricultural programs, gifts from study exchanges, and materials related to his tenure as Dean of Agriculture at SDSU and Director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Additional materials highlight his involvement in professional societies, student mentorship, and leadership in agricultural policy and conservation.
The collection also features personal items such as commemorative plaques, awards from organizations including Future Farmers of America and the Soil and Water Conservation Society, and academic records, including diplomas and commencement programs. Visual materials such as photographs, slides, and ledger art from Indigenous artists further enrich the collection, offering a comprehensive view of Lemme’s contributions to agricultural education and global outreach.
Dr. Lee earned a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Maryland in 1975, followed by an M.A. in Journalism from South Dakota State University in 1976. She later completed a Ph.D. in Sociology, with a minor in Asian Studies, at South Dakota State University in 1998.
Before beginning her academic career, Dr. Lee worked for five years as a newspaper reporter in the Washington, D.C. area, covering issues ranging from urban hunger to teen pregnancy. Over the course of 25 years at SDSU, she has held a variety of teaching and administrative positions, most recently serving as diversity coordinator for the College of Engineering. She is also the co-founder and coordinator of the SDSU–Flandreau Indian School Success Academy, an intensive college preparatory program for American Indian high school students.
Dr. Lee has engaged in international scholarship as an exchange professor and visiting scholar at Yunnan Normal University in the People’s Republic of China. She is the author of Ethnicity, Education and Empowerment: How Minority Students in Southwest China Construct Identities and Ethnicity Matters: Rethinking How Black, Hispanic and Indian Students Prepare for and Succeed in College.
Harold E. Lee (1919–2012) was a lifelong resident of Moody County, South Dakota. Born on October 26, 1919, in Flandreau, he was raised in the nearby communities of Colman and Egan. He graduated from Flandreau High School in 1938 and enlisted in the Flandreau National Guard shortly thereafter. Lee maintained strong ties to his community throughout his life, participating in local organizations and preserving personal and family history. He was married to Mary Lee, and the couple were active in civic and social life in South Dakota
David J. Law grew up in Gary, South Dakota, and graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings in 1966. He began his studies as a geography major, later became a high school basketball coach, and eventually switched to a speech major, which evolved into a focus on journalism and broadcasting. Law later served as news director at KWAT in Watertown, South Dakota.
Ronald “Ron” Larsen (May 15, 1946 – January 1, 2019) was a South Dakota resident and political candidate.
Larsen was born in 1946 and attended high school in Webster, South Dakota. He later attended South Dakota State University on a football scholarship and graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In the mid-1970s, he served briefly as a defensive line coach at South Dakota State University.
In 2004, Larsen was the Democratic nominee for the South Dakota State Senate in District 6. He was defeated in the general election.
Ron Larsen died on January 1, 2019, at the age of 72.
Frank Charles William Kuehn was born on September 4, 1884, in LeMars, Iowa. His family moved to Dakota Territory when he was just seven months old, settling on a claim in Jackson Township, Sanborn County, on March 1, 1885. The family lived in a sod shanty, surrounded by Kuehn's extended family, including his grandfather and the siblings of his parents, Elizabeth and Frank Theodore Kuehn. In March 1903, the family relocated to Huron, South Dakota, where Kuehn would live for the next 67 years. On June 3, 1914, Kuehn married Amelia Johanna Wagner, and together they had three daughters: Jeannette, Lois, and Margaret. Amelia passed away in October 1950 due to a heart attack, and Kuehn remarried Florence Dokken Hanson on August 15, 1954.
From a young age, Kuehn was determined to become an architect. He enrolled in the International Correspondence Schools in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and in 1907 began working for Huron architect George Issenhuth. He continued working for Issenhuth through 1909 while furthering his studies. On September 9, 1909, Kuehn opened his own architectural office in Huron, SD, and quickly established himself as a school architect with a design for a two-story brick school in Frankfort, SD. This building, a notable example of Prairie-School Style architecture, marked the beginning of his 41-year relationship with the South Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
In 1918, to supplement his income during a decline in building projects due to World War I, Kuehn began selling insurance. He continued this work alongside his architecture throughout his life. In the early 1920s, Kuehn designed homes and notable downtown Huron buildings, and began producing county maps for South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. In the 1930s, he founded the Huron Blueprint Co., which provided services during the Great Depression. He also worked for the Home Owners Loan Corporation, inspecting homes for financing. During the 1940s, Kuehn’s Standard Rural School Plans gained recognition beyond South Dakota.
In the 1950s, Kuehn shifted his focus almost exclusively to his expanding county map business. By the 1960s, he had broadened his maps to include highway maps for Minnesota counties and compiled books combining maps from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota, which sold well. Kuehn passed away in 1970 following an illness. Over the course of his career, he designed numerous projects, many of which are detailed in the 1984 publication F.C.W. Kuehn Prairie Architect, written by his daughters, which documents his life and architectural contributions.
John Howard Kramer was born on November 12, 1902, in Canning, South Dakota. He was raised in Pierre and graduated from Pierre High School in 1920. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in 1924, followed by a master's degree from the University of Iowa in 1930 and a doctorate from Colorado State University in 1943. On July 17, 1926, he married Lenette Dunlap in Vermillion, South Dakota. The couple had two children, John and Miriam.
Kramer dedicated over 50 years to education in South Dakota. He began his career as a debate coach and teacher at Madison High School from 1924 to 1927, later serving as superintendent of public schools in various South Dakota communities for 18 years. In 1945, he transitioned to higher education, becoming president of Southern State College in Springfield, a position he held until 1954. From 1954 to 1956, he was professor and head of the Education Department as well as Director of Summer School at South Dakota State University. He then served as president of Northern State College from 1956 to 1968 before returning to SDSU as a professor of education. He was later named president emeritus of Northern State College and professor emeritus at South Dakota State University.
Kari Rombs Kohlhoff is a graduate of South Dakota State University and has worked extensively in museum and archival settings in the Upper Midwest. She contributed to the preparation of manuscript inventories at the North Dakota State Archives during the late 1980s and later served as Curator of Collections for the Siouxland Heritage Museums in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Her work has supported the preservation, organization, and accessibility of regional historical collections, and she has been listed among professionals maintaining North American natural history collections.
Jim Koch was a highly respected figure in the wrestling community, known for his excellence as an athlete, coach, and national leader in the sport.
Koch began his wrestling career in 1963 as a junior at Milbank High School in South Dakota. As a senior, he posted a 23–1–1 record at the state meet, becoming the school’s first wrestler to earn a state medal.
Recruited to South Dakota State University for both football and wrestling, Koch received the Stephen F. Briggs Academic Scholarship. After his first year, he chose to focus exclusively on wrestling. He completed an undefeated freshman season and went on to become the varsity 160-pound wrestler, advancing to the North Central Conference championship finals in each of the next three years. Koch graduated from SDSU with honors in 1969 and later earned a Master of Science in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation from SDSU in 1974. His master’s thesis is available for viewing.
Koch began his coaching career in 1969 as a graduate assistant at SDSU. In 1970, he was appointed the first head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, a position he held for 41 seasons until his retirement in 2011. Under his leadership, UW-Parkside developed into one of the nation’s premier wrestling programs. According to a university press release, Koch’s wrestlers earned 128 All-America honors and 80 Academic All-America honors, while 14 athletes won individual national championships. His teams finished in the national Top 10 during 23 seasons, participated in 68 national tournaments, and qualified for the NCAA Division II or NAIA National Championships 31 times.
Beyond his university coaching career, Koch played a significant leadership role at the national level. He chaired the National Hall of Fame committees for both the NAIA and NCAA Division II, overseeing the induction of more than 70 and 74 members, respectively. He also served as president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association for both organizations and was instrumental in establishing academic All-American award criteria. Koch served as host coach for the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Tournament in 1982, 1990, and 2002.
Koch received numerous honors for his coaching achievements and service to wrestling. In 1971, Amateur Wrestling News named him Collegiate Rookie Coach of the Year. As an SDSU alumnus, he received the Ralph Ginn Coaching Award in 1995. He was inducted into six halls of fame, including the NAIA National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993 and the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2003, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame recognized Koch with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jim Koch passed away on March 23, 2017, at the age of 69, after being struck by a car while jogging in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was attending the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Shortly before his death, the National Wrestling Coaches Association renamed its Division II hall of fame in his honor. In November 2018, the University of Wisconsin–Parkside dedicated the Jim Koch Wrestling Center practice facility.- South Dakota State University
Professor Frank Klock was born in 1950 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Raymond and Zeta (Babe) Klock. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 1973 with a degree in photojournalism. Following graduation, Klock worked as a sports editor, writer, and photojournalist for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. He later joined the faculty at South Dakota State University as a professor of photography. During his tenure, he taught Basic Photography, Photojournalism, and Advanced Photography. He also served as advisor to the Journalism Club and acted as a photo judge for the South Dakota Newspaper Association and other organizations.