Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Mitchell Hamline Alumni

In Memoriam

Judy K. Branham ’07

Posted: June 27, 2025
Judy K. Branham ’07, passed away on June 8, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer. Judy passed peacefully and comfortably with family close to her and the love of her friends all around her. Judy served as counsel with Redgrave LLP, focusing her practice on the development and implementation of international privacy and cybersecurity …

Judy K. Branham ’07

Jim Welna ’81

Posted: June 27, 2025
James “Jim” Welna ’81 died at the age of  71 on May 26, 2025. Jim, beloved by many, is survived by his wife Sue, daughters Jenn (Garrett Ferderber) and Becca and grandkiddos Wren and Rowan Welderber, brother Mark (Cathy) and sister Ginny (Joe Magner). Class of 1981

Jim Welna ’81

John “Jack” DeWalt ’02

Posted: May 6, 2025
John “Jack” DeWalt ’02 passed away on March 16, 2025. He was 51. In 2014, Jack partnered with two friends and colleagues, Melissa Chawla ’02 and Marian Saksena, to form DeWalt, Chawla + Saksena, LLC. One of Jack’s dreams was to open his own firm, and he took great pride in celebrating its 10-year anniversary. …

John “Jack” DeWalt ’02

Scott Hoke ’83

Posted: February 20, 2025
Scott Hoke ’83 passed away on January 26, 2025. He was 66. He began his law practice at a small firm in Minneapolis, MN. He later opened his own practice in Anoka, MN, then moved his practice to Champlin, MN, in 1997. Class of 1983

Scott Hoke ’83

Kathleen Murphy ’99

Posted: October 18, 2024
Kathleen Murphy ’99 passed away on August 12, 2024. She was 72. Inspired by her time as a public health nurse in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Kathleen received her Masters of Public Health Nursing and was instrumental in launching Minnesota Care, a pioneering health care program for low income families. Later in life, she earned a …

Kathleen Murphy ’99

Charles Oliver, III ’95

Posted: August 23, 2024
Charles H. Oliver, III, passed away on February 27, 2024.  He was 67. Charles resided in South Florida and had his own law firm.  In addition, he was a Hearing Officer for the Better Business Bureau, as well as Broward County Teen Court and Broward County Traffic Court.   Class of 1995

Charles Oliver, III ’95

Velma “Viki” Kimsal ’93

Posted: December 7, 2023
Velma “Viki” (Roth) Kimsal passed away peacefully on October 27, 2023, from multiple myeloma. Viki was born on March 10, 1943, in Dryden, Ontario. Her family lived in several Minnesota communities where her father served as a Lutheran pastor. Viki graduated from Gibbon (MN) high school in 1960 and went on to Valparaiso University majoring …

Velma “Viki” Kimsal ’93

Jessie Ware Joncas ’90

Posted: October 26, 2022
Jessie Ware, age 62, died August 19, 2022 while hiking in Oregon. Raised in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Jessie graduated from Oberlin College and William Mitchell College of Law, and clerked for MN Supreme Court Justice, Rosalie Wahl. While raising three boys, Jessie began a distinguished 20-year career as a mediator and parenting consultant. She could …

Jessie Ware Joncas ’90

John W. Gibson ’92

Posted: May 19, 2022
John W. Gibson was born on December 20, 1940, in Mobile, Alabama to  parents of Attorney John W. Gibson and Myrtice Lang Gibson. Always the adventurer, John joined the U. S. Army at the age of 16; with his parent’s consent. John spent over nine years in military service; including five years in the U. …

John W. Gibson ’92

Lee J. Keller ’86

Posted: May 19, 2022
On May 29, 2021, Lee J. Keller passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. He is survived by his wife, Sue Abderholden, and daughters Ona and Eva; siblings Jim (Patricia), Jeanne (Mike), Robbie, Mimi, and Joel (Betty) and his brothers-in-law Ed, Frank (Sue), Jim (Linda), Guy (Juliann) and sister-in-law Anne Marie; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews. He …

Lee J. Keller ’86