Husker Love Story: Harry and Linda Argue

Monday, February 22, 2021 - 3:00pm

Harry and Linda (McClure) Argue started dating in 1967 when their roommates — who happened to be dating — suggested that Harry ask Linda out on a date. He looked Linda up in the “buzz book,” a directory where you could find all the sorority pledges information, and they went to a hangout at the Nebraska Union called “The Crib” for a coke.

Harry was two years ahead of Linda at UNL, so they didn’t have any classes together, but they did get to go on a CoJMC sponsored field trip together. While in school, Linda had several part-time jobs, one she remembers particularly well was working in the Society Department of the Lincoln Star. During the summer, she worked in her hometown as a reporter at the Hastings Daily Tribune.

Harry graduated from CoJMC in the summer of 1968. His first job was with the Sioux City Journal. While at UNL, he was in the ROTC and was on active duty for two years, stationed in the U.S. as the assistant public affairs officer at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Linda graduated in the summer of 1970 and worked at the Hastings Daily Tribune before marrying Harry that fall and moving to Kansas City. Harry and Linda dated for three and half years before getting married and moving forward with their careers in the Kansas City area.

In Kansas City, Linda was an associate editor for the VFW Auxiliary magazine before working in community relations at St. Mary’s Medical Center. Harry worked in communications at the Bendix Corporation, which has since changed owners three times.

Harry’s career has taken the family all over the Midwest. After four and a half years in Kansas City, the couple moved back to Nebraska when the dean at CoJMC — Neale Copple — told Harry about a communications director position that was open at the Nebraska Bankers Association. The opportunity set him on the path for a long time career in banking association management.

The couple welcomed a son Brad in 1976, and Linda found herself spending a lot of time volunteering for various organizations. After three years in Nebraska, Harry became the CEO of the North Dakota Bankers Association where he stayed for 12 years.

He then served as CEO at the Wisconsin Bankers Association from 1990 to 2004. Harry spent the next four years in what he calls “semi-retirement” as he was the CEO for the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin during that time.

These days, Linda continues her volunteer work with the Attic Angel Association, which operates a senior living community in Madison. She served on the organization’s board for five years and as chairman in 2002 to 2003.

Harry is enjoying retirement in between a few consulting opportunities and service on two bank boards. Harry is also on CoJMC’s external review committee for the strategic planning task force.

The Argues’ advice for couples who both work in communication is to stay open minded and try not to be demanding of your own way all of the time. It’s OK to not always agree on things, but seeing another person’s perspective always helps.

Harry and Linda married in First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, NE, November 7, 1970.
Vacationing in the Tuscany region of Italy, August 2018.