OHS Wall Of Honor

Michael Shaughnessy and Morgan Williams Inducted into OHS Wall of Honor

September 23, 2010

Ottawa Herald, September 24, 2010

Photographs of the 2010 Event

Mike Shaughnessy and Lynda (Igel) Connell (OHS'57) Morgan Williams and Larry Forsythe (OHS'57)

Lynda (Igel) Connell (OHS'57) 2008 Wall of Honor Nancy (Morrisey) Henning (OHS'57)

Linda (Schwarz) Hornbuckle (OHS'57 Sue (Hagerty) Skoog OHS'55

Mike Shaughnessy Acceptance Speech Morgan Williams Acceptance Speech

Photos contributed by Meredith Williams

Wall of Honor Inductees - 2010

Ottawa Herald, September 23, 2010

Wall of Honor Inductees - 2008

[See related story on Class Member News]

Ottawa Herald, Saturday, July 26, 2008

Submitted photos

Ron Clevenger, Lynda (Igel) Connell and Jerry Thompson join a list of 36 Ottawa High School graduates previously added to the OHS Wall of Honor, the high school’s highest honor. This year’s inductees will be recognized at a banquet at 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at Ottawa High School, 1120 S. Ash St. Tickets will be available between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4 from the OHS office. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Wall of Honor inductees an eclectic group

By JODIE GARCIA, Herald Staff Writer

A photographer, an educator and a contractor are the latest Ottawa High School alumni to be added to the school’s Wall of Honor.

Ron Clevenger, Lynda (Igel) Connell and Jerry Thompson join a list of 36 OHS graduates previously added to the wall, the high school’s highest honor.

Inductees are chosen by a selection committee of OHS students, teachers and alumni. The Wall of Honor began in 1997 as a way to honor graduates who made significant contributions to their professions and communities, coordinator Susan Geiss said.

This year’s inductees will be recognized at a banquet at 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at Ottawa High School, 1120 S. Ash St. Tickets will be available between Aug. 12 and Sept. 4 from the OHS office. No tickets will be sold at the door.

A public program will follow the banquet at 7:30 p.m. in the south gym at the high school. Tickets are not required to attend the program. Honorees also will be recognized during an all-school assembly Sept. 12 at the high school. Official induction to the Wall of Honor will be during half-time of the OHS football game Sept. 12.

This year’s inductees and backgrounds include:

Ron Clevenger

A 1966 OHS graduate who attended Kansas State Teachers College, Clevenger built a career in printing and photography in Ottawa. He began his career more than 30 years ago at Ramsey Printing, where he currently is production manager. He also owns and operates Ron’s Studio in Ottawa.

Clevenger is a past president, life member, centurion fellow of the Kansas Professional Photographers Association and one of only eight photographers to be recognized as a KPPA Kansas Distinguished Fellow.

He received awards for his photography contributions in 1983 and 1995 from the Professional Photographers of America, and he has been a trustee of the Kansas Professional Photographers School since 1996.

Clevenger is a member of the Heart of America Professional Photographers Association and has served on the board of directors since 1997 and as president since 2007.

He and his wife, Linda, live in Ottawa. They have three children, Angela, Jeff and Jeremy.

Lynda (Igel) Connell

Connell graduated from Ottawa High School in 1957 and from McPherson College in 1961. She made a career in education, serving 25 years in Buhler, Salina and Wichita public schools. She also worked at Wichita Collegiate School, where she received Master Teacher and Pathfinder awards.

Connell began her volunteer career in 1996 with the Midway-Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross in Wichita. She became a part of its leadership team and has traveled to 30 U.S. states, Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands to respond to such disasters as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.

“Lynda’s dedication, abilities and commitment to step away from her personal life to serve others is truly exemplary,” Connell’s nomination letter said.

Connell received the Community Service Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as the Citizen of the Year Award from the Wichita Civitan Club. She was named Volunteer of the Year by the Midway-Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross in 2005. She’s also a member of the National Red Cross leadership team.

She is active in the United Methodist Church and has taught bible school, as well as participated in mission trips to Paraguay, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Grenada, Ireland and Ghana.

Connell and her husband, Harold, live in Wichita. They have two sons, Todd and Kipp.

Jerry Thompson

After graduating from Ottawa High School in 1958, Thompson served four years at the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center in California. There, he was involved with the stress testing of new weapons systems and re-entry vehicles for the U.S. space program. He returned to Ottawa in 1962 and started a career in construction, ultimately becoming a partner in Loyd Builders Inc.

Some of Thompson’s community involvements have included scouting, youth baseball, Ottawa Jaycees, Ottawa Library Board, high school vo-tech, COF Training Services, Ottawa City Commission, Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, Ottawa/Franklin County Economic Development and Kansas Association of General Contractors.

He’s also an active member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church and has served as elder. His life’s devotion to the betterment of the community and his work to improve the quality of life in his hometown has drawn the attention of many,” Thompson’s nomination letter said.

Thompson and his wife, Connie, live in Ottawa. They have two sons, Michael and Scott.

Herald staff writer Jodie Garcia can be e-mailed at jgarcia@ottawaherald.com.

Ottawa Herald Article contributed by Jim Corcoran

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Eclectic Trio Added To OHS Wall Of Honor

Ron Clevenger, Lynda (Igel) Connell and Jerry Thompson

join a list of 36 OHS graduates

By Jenalea Myers, Herald Staff Writer, The Ottawa Herald

Ottawa, Kansas, Friday, September 12, 2008

OTTAWA - Even though the 2008 Ottawa High School Wall of Honor inductees have different accomplishments, the trio has at least one quality in common: They’re all proud to call themselves Cyclones.

Ron Clevenger, Lynda (Igel) Connell and Jerry Thompson join a list of 36 OHS graduates previously added to the wall, the high school’s highest honor.

“These are some of the best of the best that have graced Ottawa’s halls and classrooms,” Derek Chappell, OHS class of 1983, said before he introduced the inductees to a crowd of more than 100 people who showed up for the 12th annual Wall of Honor banquet and program.

Connell, OHS class of 1957, made a career in education, serving 25 years in Buhler, Salina and Wichita public schools. She also worked at Wichita

Collegiate School, where she received Master Teacher and Pathfinder awards.

Connell began her career of volunteering in 1996 and has been deployed to more than 65 national disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, tornados and floods. “I’ve kind of become a disaster junkie,” she said, telling the crowd of her experience with disaster relief after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Connell’s tales of her work in New York were appropriate for Thursday — the seven-year anniversary of the attacks. American flags were situated at each banquet table, along with red, white and blue napkins.

The program was a particularly special moment for Thompson, as he was escorted by his 14-year-old granddaughter, Amanda Thompson, an OHS freshman. “In this type of small community, everyone has to step up and do their share or it doesn’t get done,” the 1958 OHS graduate said.

Thompson served four years at the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center in California. There, he was involved with the stress testing of new weapons systems and re-entry vehicles for the U.S. space program.

He returned to Ottawa in 1962 and started a career in construction, ultimately becoming a partner in Loyd Builders Inc. Thompson spent six years on the city commission, serving as mayor in 1987. “I lost some friends, and I gained some friends,” he said of his time on the commission. “On the commission you make a lot of decisions that affect people’s lifestyles or money.”

Clevenger, a 1966 OHS graduate, rounded off the inductees by sharing his memories of attending school in Ottawa. He remembered how the middle and high schools used to be one building, remembered having to go downtown or home for lunch and how gas was 25 cents a gallon.

Clevenger built a career in printing and photography in Ottawa. He began his career more than 30 years ago at Ramsey Printing, where he currently is production manager. He also owns and operates Ron’s Studio in Ottawa.

One of Clevenger’s not-so-fond memories of his school days is having baccalaureate and graduation in Memorial Auditorium. “It was so hot you were lucky if your shirt didn’t stick to the back of the seat when you went to get up,” he said. “The one thing in schools that has remained is the dedicated teachers.”

The Wall of Honor began in 1997 as a way to honor graduates who made significant contributions to their professions and communities.

Honorees also were scheduled to be recognized during an all-school assembly today at the high school. Official induction will be during halftime of the OHS football game tonight.

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Lynda (Igel) Connor, 2008 Ottawa High School Wall of Honor inductee, talks about her experience helping with disaster relief after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks Thursday evening at the Wall of Honor program. Connor, OHS class of 1957, made her career in education, serving 25 years in the Buhler, Salina and Wichita public schools. [See the complete text of Lynda's remarks by clicking here]

LINK to article and photographs: http://www.ottawaherald.com/Story/091208wallofhonor.

Ottawa Herald article contributed by Morgan Williams

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2007 Community Service Awards, September 13

Charles Gillette [OHS '50],Gary Hornbuckle [OHS '57] and Gary Mavity [OHS '65]

[See related story on Class Member News]

Ed Note: Ottawa Herald article has been modified from the original publication because of an error in the photo identification for Hornbuckle and Mavity. The above article shows the correct name with the photos.

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Wall of Honor Dinner

Ottawa High School

September 13, 2007

Honoree from the Class of 1957

Gary Hornbuckle