Our Teachers

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03fc8c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id188.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cars We Drove"><B><IMG SRC="0410b120.png" border=0 width="11" height="18" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>   </B><A HREF="news_items_from_our_high_sch.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News Items From Our High School Years"><B><IMG SRC="0420b120.png" border=0 width="11" height="18" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>     </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="18" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="18"><B>  </B><A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="High School Years"><B><IMG SRC="04312120.png" border=0 width="18" height="18" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="77" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 30 WIDTH="71"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="30" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="71" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>If you have information on any other teachers, please contact the </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><B>webmaster.</B></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id183_m.htm#norris_burke" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Our Teachers"><B>Norris Burke</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id183_m.htm#walter_butler___ottawa__music_man_" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Our Teachers"><B>Walter Butler - Ottawa 'Music Man'</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id183_m.htm#bill_barker" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Our Teachers"><B>Bill Barker Obituary</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id183_m.htm#genevieve_gillette_biology_teacher" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Our Teachers"><B>Genevieve Gillette </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id183_m.htm#genevieve_gillette_" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Our Teachers"><B>Genevieve Gillette Obituary</B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=94 BGCOLOR="#FF3300" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0403c5e1dvmwlb.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Ottawa High School Class of '57</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ottawa High School Class of 57"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id193.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ottawa High School">Ottawa High School</A>   |   <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Freshman Year: 195354">Freshman Year: 1953-54</A>   |   <A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sophomore Year: 195455">Sophomore Year: 1954-55</A>   |   <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Junior Year: 195556">Junior Year: 1955-56</A>   |   <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Senior Year: 195657">Senior Year: 1956-57</A>   |   <A HREF="id252.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ottawa Record">Ottawa Record</A>   |   <A HREF="id208.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scouts Over The Years">Boy Scouts Over The Years</A>   |   <A HREF="id188.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cars We Drove">Cars We Drove</A>   |   <B>Our Teachers</B>   |   <A HREF="news_items_from_our_high_sch.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News Items From Our High School Years">News Items From Our High School Years</A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=386 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Our Teachers</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="norris_burke"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Norris Frank Burke, OHS Vice Principal & Principal</B></div> <div> <B> Died Sunday, March 15, 2009</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Retired school teacher, principal and guidance counselor</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Vice-principal Ottawa High School 1953-1956, Principal in 1956-1957 </B></div> <bR> <div> NORRIS FRANK BURKE, 93, of Wichita, retired school teacher, principal and guidance counselor, died Sunday, March 15, 2009. Visitation with the family was at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, with the service following at 11 a.m. both at Downing & Lahey Mortuary East.</div> <bR> <div> Interment was at 3 p.m. Wednesday, at the Janesville Township Cemetery, Hamilton, Kan. He was preceded in death by first wife, Mary Louise (Redding) Burke.</div> <bR> <div> Survivors include: wife, Ethel (Ackerman) Burke; son, Gary N. Burke (Jane) of St. James City, Fla.; daughter, Sharon Nichols (Dan) of Auburn, Ala.; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.</div> <bR> <div> Memorials have been established with Kechi United Methodist Church, 4533 E. 61st N. St., Kechi KS 67067, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market St., Wichita KS 67202 and Alzheimer's at Larksfield Place, Sunflower Lane, 2828 N. Governeour St., Wichita KS 67226. Online condolences can be made at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.dlwichita.com</U></FONT>. </div> <div> LINK: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://www.downingandlahey.com/online_services/</U></FONT> </div> <div> LINK: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://www.ottawaherald.com/80pxDisplay/031709burke</U></FONT> </div> <bR> <div> <B>OHS CLASS OF '57 FOOTNOTE:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Norris Burke is listed in the Ottawa High School 1954, 1955 and 1956 annuals as Vice-principal. He was promoted to Principal starting with the 1956-1957 school year. He filled the position vacated by Dr. Leroy Hood, who accepted a position in Garden City, Kansas, as superintendent of schools. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> To take the office of Vice-principal, the Board of Education hired Lowell Gish, who had been superintendent of schools at Wilmore, Kansas. Henry A. Parker was Superintendent of the Ottawa School System the six years of our junior and senior high school years. Parker completed his ninth year at Ottawa in the spring of 1957. </div> <div> <I><B>Ottawa Herald article submitted by Ron Jeffries & Morgan Williams</B></I></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="walter_butler___ottawa__music_man_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Ottawa's Longtime 'Music Man' Dies At 92</B></div> <div> <I>Webmaster Note:  While not a teacher at OHS, Walter Butler was instrumental in the music program at OHS, and his son Bill was a member of the OHS Class of '57.</I></div> <bR> <div> By Jenalea Myers, Herald Staff Writer, The Ottawa Herald </div> <div> Ottawa, Kansas, Wednesday, September 3, 2008</div> <bR> <div> OTTAWA - Walter Butler, known to many as Ottawa's Music Man, died Tuesday at the age of 92. "He did a lot for Ottawa," friend Bob Hill said. "He was a good citizen for Ottawa to have." Hill said he and Butler knew each other for decades. "I've been in the banking business, and he was in the music business for a long time," he said. "He was always upbeat about everything he was doing."</div> <bR> <div> Butler conducted the Richmond City Band in the 1940s. When he took over the band there were 12 members, but by the time he stepped down in 1946, the band had 50 members. Recently, Butler donated the hat, baton, white gloves and dark wool band uniform he wore as Richmond's band director to the Richmond Community Museum.</div> <bR> <div> As a young man, Butler started work in 1934 for the Saunders Music Store, 322 S. Main St., in downtown Ottawa. It was the start of a 62-year association with the music store. He purchased the store in 1956, and it carried his name until his retirement in 1996. After retiring, he continued to play in the Ottawa City Band.</div> <bR> <div> As the owner of the music store, Butler offered customers his "philosophy" - if they'd wanted an instrument, he'd rent it to them for three months and give them a free music lesson once a month. If at the end of three months, they couldn't play it, he'd take the instrument back. If they kept it, he'd apply the rental to the purchase price.</div> <bR> <div> In addition to running the store, he had been a band director in Richmond, Michigan Valley and Waverly. He also taught at the University of Kansas and Washburn and Baker universities. Funeral arrangements for Butler are incomplete and will be announced later by Dengel & Son Mortuary.</div> <bR> <div> LINK: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://www.ottawaherald.com/story/090308musicman</U></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Obituary: Walter Leon Butler</B></div> <bR> <div> The Ottawa Herald, Ottawa, Kansas, Thursday, September 4, 2008</div> <bR> <div> Walter Leon Butler, 92, who passed away, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008, at his home, was born March 9, 1916, at Chanute, Kan., to John and Elizabeth (Sekman) Butler.</div> <bR> <div> Most of his schooling was in Chanute. However, in 1934, he moved to Ottawa rejoining his family which had moved here earlier. He attended Ottawa High School his senior year. It was at that time that he met his future wife, Jessie Tucker.</div> <bR> <div> His first job here was at a dairy, but he soon quit that job and went to work for W. G. Saunders at his music store, volunteering to work for nothing. Soon he was being paid $10 a week. Walter and Jessie married on June 26, 1938, in Ottawa. Mr. Saunders said $10 a week was not enough for a married man so he increased Walter's wages to $15.</div> <bR> <div> Their first child, Bill, [Member of the OHS Class of 1957] was born the following March in 1939. Rex was born in 1941, Bob in 1943, and Beth in 1948.</div> <bR> <div> As Mr. Saunders grew frail with age, Walter took over the music store. He managed the store from 1951 until 1956 when he purchased the store from Mr. Saunders's widow.</div> <bR> <div> For the next 40 years, he was Ottawa's Music Man, providing music instruments, repair and good advice in Ottawa and the surrounding area. Many hundreds of people probably still have a piano bought from him.</div> <bR> <div> The walls of the store were covered with musical instruments from all over the world, many of which were gifts from students he had befriended. He came from a musical family, and played the trombone all his life, until ill health prevented him from continuing.</div> <bR> <div> He was a member of the Ottawa summer band for many years. He was band director at Richmond and Michigan Valley in the late 1930s and early 1940s.</div> <bR> <div> On June 10, 1996, 62 years to the day he started work for Mr. Saunders; Walt closed the music store and retired at age 80. He spent his last years at home tending to his beloved yard and trees.</div> <bR> <div> Walter was an active member of Ottawa's downtown community and a past exalted ruler of Ottawa Lodge No. 803, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.</div> <bR> <div> He is survived by his one daughter, Beth Scalet, of Kansas City, Mo.; two sons, Bill Butler of Ottawa, Kan., and Bob Butler, of Austin, Texas; two brothers, Oscar Butler, of Las Cruces, N.M., and Robert "Bob" Butler, of St Petersburg, Pa.; one sister, Joanne Butler Imming, of Coronado, Calif.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jessie, and a son, Rex. We shall not see his like again.</div> <bR> <div> The family will be receiving visitors at the home of Keith and Retta Pence, 104 Elm St., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The family plans to have a memorial concert celebrating "Ottawa's Music Man" in the spring. In accordance with Walter's wishes no formal funeral services are planned.</div> <bR> <div> Memorial contributions may be made out to the Americana Academy of Music in Lawrence, KS, in care of Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory St., Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be mailed to Box 654, Ottawa KS 66067 or emailed through the mortuary at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>dengelmortuary@sbcglobal.net</U></FONT>. </div> <bR> <div> LINK: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>http://www.ottawaherald.com/story/090408butler</U></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Ottawa Herald articles submitted by Morgan Williams</B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="bill_barker"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Bill Barker, OHS Band Director</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <div> <I>September 1, 2008</I></div> <bR> <div> Bill Barker, OHS band director in the 1950's died on September 1, 2008 at the age of 88,   He died in Portland, Oregon where he had lived since leaving Ottawa, Kansas. Some of our classmates had been in touch with him during the past few years.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>BARKER, William 'Bill' Marion 1920-2008 </B></div> <bR> <div> A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 6, 2008, at St. Mark's Anglican Church in NW Portland for Bill Barker, who died September 1 at the age of 88. </div> <bR> <div> Bill Barker was born May 27, 1920, in Valley Falls, Kan. He was attending Ottawa University as a music education major when his studies were interrupted to serve in the US Army, 953rd Field Artillery Battalion, to fight for our freedom during World War II. While serving in England, he met the love of his life, Audrey Poole. They were married on July 28, 1945. It was in March of 1946 that his wife arrived in New York City sailing from England on the Queen Mary with over 2,000 other G.I. brides. </div> <bR> <div> Upon returning from the war, he completed his bachelor's degree in music education in June 1946, later earning his masters in music from the University of Colorado. He taught music at Ottawa High School in Kansas, later moving his family to Portland. He taught elementary music for 24 years in the Portland Public School District at Kelly, Arleta, Jason Lee, Glenhaven, Bridlemile, Robert Gray and George Smith elementary schools. </div> <bR> <div> He shared his love and his gift of music throughout his life as choir director of his church, playing with the Providence Medical Band for 20 years, and marching for 15 years in the Rose Parade in the One More Time Around Band as a charter member. He was a lifelong member of the Lion's Club, most recently in the King City Chapter. He passionately loved his God, his country, and his family and students, and will be missed by all who were blessed to know him. </div> <bR> <div> He is survived by his wife, Audrey Barker; their daughters, Joyce Auenson and her husband, Dean Auenson (Portland), Gillian Hays and her husband, Michael Hays (Juneau, Alaska); three grandchildren, Heather Doreen Rose and her husband, Benjamin Michael Rose (Juneau, Alaska), Ian William-Barker Hays (Portland) and James Daniel Hays (Juneau, Alaska); and two great-grandsons, Ashton Michael Rose and Taylor Benjamin Rose (Juneau, Alaska). </div> <bR> <div> (Source: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.oregonlive.com</U></FONT>)</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Information contributed by Bob Kile and Lynda Igel Connell</B></I></div> <div> ==================================================================================================</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="genevieve_gillette_biology_teacher"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Genevieve Gillette, Biology Teacher</B></div> <div> <I>March 19, 2004</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="3b61cdd0.jpg" border=0 width="796" height="1501" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I><B>Advertisement in the Ottawa Herald on June 20, 2002.   Provided contributed by Jim Corcoran                                                      </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> From the Ottawa Herald</div> <div> March 19, 2004</div> <div> ========================</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B> <A NAME="genevieve_gillette_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Genevieve Gillette, Biology Teacher</B></div> <div> <B>Genevieve Gillette</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >, 102, Ottawa, died Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at the Ottawa Retirement Village. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home with the Rev. Leroy Rayson officiating.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> She was born Aug. 5, 1901, to Elmer and Alice Rebecca (Holmes) Gillette in Ottawa. She attended grade school at Rock Creek Rural School. She graduated from Ottawa University in 1924. She received a master's degree from Colorado State University, Greeley, Colo. She taught science and biology in Kansas high schools for 42 years. She taught at Cockerill, was a principal at Mulberry High School, and taught at Lyons, Cedar Point and Marion before beginning her teaching career at Ottawa in 1942. She taught biological science at Ottawa High School for 25 years, retiring in 1967.</div> <bR> <div> She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Alpha Gamma chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Ottawa Business and Professional Women, Dun Servin, Four Seasons Garden Club, Ransom Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Happy Homemakers EHU, Ottawa Retired Teachers Association, Kansas Retired Teachers Association, and the National Retired Teachers Association. She received the Teacher of Honor Award from the Ottawa High School Class of 1955.</div> <bR> <div> Survivors include many nieces and nephews. </div> <bR> <div> She is preceded in death by three brothers, Glen Gillette, Harvey Gillette and Raymond Gillette; and two sisters, Gladys Howell and Eunice Hoover.</div> <bR> <div> Burial will be at Highland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. </div> <bR> <div> Memorials may be sent to the First United Methodist Church or Ottawa University.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Ottawa Herald article contributed by Jim Corcoran </B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>             </B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>     .</B></I></FONT></div> </td> </tr></table></body>