65 years later, a favorite son of Stillwater finally has his high school diploma

Mary Divine, Pioneer Press
·2 min read

Former Stillwater City Administrator Nile Kriesel was one credit short when it came time to graduate from Stillwater High School in 1958.

On Tuesday night, at a ceremony before the Stillwater Area School Board meeting, Kriesel finally received his high school diploma. Dressed in a red cap and gown, Kriesel, 82, of Stillwater, was informed he had met the graduation requirements of the school district based upon his life achievements.

Kriesel, Superintendent Mike Funk said, was an example “for all of our students who may fall a little short initially, but can go on and make a difference in the world.”

“You guys didn’t have an alternative high school back in 1958, did you?” Funk asked Kriesel.

“It was called the Navy,” Kriesel responded.

After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, Kriesel returned to Stillwater, got married, started a family and went to work. He got his GED, started going to college and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting with a minor in sociology from the University of Wisconsin in River Falls.

He spent five years working as an auditor for the state of Minnesota before taking the job as Stillwater’s finance officer and city administrator. He also served as Washington County commissioner.

When a friend, Lowell Thompson, told Kriesel that he wanted to nominate him for a Distinguished Alumni Award from the high school, Kriesel said he wouldn’t be eligible since he never received his high school diploma. Thompson contacted school district officials and worked to rectify that on Kriesel’s behalf.

“I know of no one who graduated from Stillwater High School or came out of this community who is more loyal, more glad that he grew up in this community,” Thompson said. “He’s a Pony forever.”

Kriesel thanked Thompson for all his help.

“As you go through life, you develop friendships, but along comes a friend like Lowell Thompson, and you can’t get any luckier,” he said. “This was his mission, and he accomplished it, and I appreciate it.”

Kriesel posed for photos with his diploma after the ceremony, but said no graduation open house was planned.

“I’m honored and embarrassed,” Kriesel said. “But I’m glad to finally get it.”

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