Iowa Stater Plates

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Written by Kirsten Kraklio | Illustrations by Jenny Wittes

Iowa Stater readers share their favorite custom ISU-themed license plates

“Here is my story re: 4GENALM, my chosen vanity plate. My grandfather, James Gray Watson, arrived in America from Scotland in 1908 and went immediately to Ames. His uncle owned the Gray Farm, current site of the Iowa State Center, including Hilton, Jack Trice, and the Alumni Center. ‘Jimmie’ worked his way through ISC by delivering milk for the Gray family, frequently driving past Beardshear Hall in his milk wagon. He became my GEN 1 family member to graduate from Iowa State in 1913, while his uncle is remembered as the namesake of Gray Avenue, home to many of ISU's Greek houses.

My parents, Donald and Marymae Watson, both graduated from Iowa State in 1949 and 1947 respectively. Donald's education was interrupted by WW2 when he served in the US Marine Corp for five years, meeting my mother (hanging out the window of the Student Health Clinic, he often claimed) after he returned to finish his degree in Ag Journalism. I count them together as GEN2.

I am GEN3, arriving in Ames in 1969 and graduating in journalism in 1973. My wife, Tia (journalism 1977), can also be included in this generation of family graduates. Born at Mary Greeley, she is the daughter of Barney Slater who was a professor of architecture on staff for decades. Her mother, Virginia, also earned a master's degree from ISU.

We were proud to send our daughter Katie Watson to ISU in the fall of 2008. She graduated with a degree in business administration in 2013.

There you have it, four generations of proud Cyclones spanning more than a century of ISU's progress. Hoping that our grandchildren continue the tradition in the years ahead. Perhaps I should reserve 5GENALM with the DOT?”

— Jim Watson (’73)

“Ah, the memories. We had an identical ‘tag’ except missing the space: IAST8R in the 1990s. Unfortunately, our newly licensed daughter was pulled over by a young policeman because he couldn’t understand the meaning. She was terrified, and we replaced the tag immediately. Our new PA tag is much easier to understand.” — Terry and Judy Cook ’67

“As an active alumni association vol- unteer during college and, since gradu- ating, a life member, traveling cyclone, fan of all sports, it is only natural to have an ISU license plate! I live in Cocoa Beach and we have the luxury of using a golf cart throughout the city. What makes mine super cool is that it is on a cardinal and gold surf plate on a cardinal golf cart! We have a large blowup Cy that we put in the cart too.” — Angela Essing (’94)

"There are too many Ohio State transfers down here in South Carolina, so I had to show my allegiance to Iowa State. I still get called a ‘Buckeye’ because southerners don’t know the difference between Iowa and Ohio!” — Sally (Sara) Garver (’81)

“I've had the nickname ‘Shaboom’ since elementary school when I first began playing sports and none of my coaches could pronounce my last name correctly. It's been my one and only license plate since 2007. It wasn't until years later that I learned that my grandfather John Sjoblom, the Iowa State University Registrar from 1975 to 1996, was also nicknamed Shaboom for the same reason. — Kody Sjoblom (’14, ’19)

“My Mustang wears the Cyclone vanity plate ‘ICHEER4.’ It complements its red color very nicely. Several years ago for my birthday present, my son gave me the paperwork and some money to get vanity plates. I filled out the paperwork with the requested information. When it came to picking out the text, I filled in ‘ICHEER4’ as the first choice. I thought that it was very likely already issued. It was almost too obvious a choice, but if I didn't ask then there was no chance of getting it. On football Saturdays someone in the parking lot will usually call out ‘I Cheer For’ to which I reply with gusto ‘The Cyclones.’ One of the better birthday presents. — W. Worthington Treasure (’74)

“My wife, Mary Ann Rasmussen Simpson (’78), and I worked for Iowa State University from 1978 to 1995 in the Department of Residence. When I accepted the position as Associate Director of the University of Missouri Campus Dining Services, I decided to get a Mizzou vanity license plate that would communicate to the local Tigers my true loyalties.” — Steve Simpson (’85)

“As someone deeply inspired by Jack Trice’s story, its significance to ISU, and how it is woven into Cyclone Athletics, I decided to incorporate it into my life and display it with pride. I’m frequently asked about my plate’s meaning, which gives me the opportunity to share the legacy of Jack Trice wherever I go!” — Tim Ramirez (’90)

“My last name is RIED. The plate refers to the old adage ‘I before E except after C.’ Not one person over about 10 years could figure it out!” — Jodie Langenbach

“We’ve always said that we tailgate victoriously — that we’ve already won the tailgate before the football game ever kicks off. So, our tailgate trailer has Iowa State plates with TLG8WIN
(Tailgate Win) and our pickup has WINTLG8 (Win the Tailgate).” — Ryan Schon (’95)

“One of our Cyclone vanity plates (we have 3) is 4 GEN. This represents the four generations of graduates, starting with my grandfather, Adolph Hoppe (1920); my mother, Kathryn Hoppe Huffman Hinrichsen (’45); myself, Marcia Huffman, and my husband, David Stoever (’81); and our daughter, Anne Stoever Garcia (’04), and her husband, Michael Garcia (’04, ’11). We will eventually need to upgrade to 5 GEN as our grandson, Joshua Stoever, is a Cyclone freshman.” — Marcia Stoever (’75)

We are huge Iowa State fans who live in Ankeny, but I am also the publisher of Ankeny Fanatic, a sister website to Cyclone Fanatic that primarily covers high school sports but also provides some ISU coverage.” — Dan Holm (’88)

“My wife and I ‘splurged for Cy’ when getting a new vehicle near our 40th anniversary. We lived in Pammel Court along with four other high school classmates (from a high school class of 55 graduates). Great times, reasonably priced.” — Stan Ullerich (’84)

“We swapped out the ‘Si’ from our name and used ‘Cy’ instead to read ‘Cymon!’ We live in Florida now and framed our license plate from ISU. Our plates in Florida also have this vanity plate.” — Renee (’85) and Tom Simon (’85)

Iowa Stater Plates

Iowa Stater readers share their favorite custom ISU-themed license plates

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