Rogers Walk of Fame

Pioneer heart surgeon Dr. Ralph Berg graduated from Rogers in 1938.After a college education at Washington State College and Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, Berg opened a practice in Spokane in 1952.In 1957 he performed the first open-heart surgery in the Spokane area.Highly regarded in his field, Dr. Berg has lectured worldwide since 1970.

Perhaps best know for his 35 year career in the Spokane media, U. Sherman Blake has also been a leader in community service. He has acted as president, director an telethon chairman for the March of Dimes and is an active member of several fraternal organizations. Blake also served as a Spokane Valley Fire Commissioner for 23 years. A 1938 Rogers Graduate, Blake began his extensive media career as a news editor of the now defunct Inland Empire News. He then worked as chief photographer and reporter for the Spokane Daily Chronicle for 14 years. Blake produced Spokane’s first TV news show in 1952 and worked as News director at KREM TV until his retirement in 1975.

Bob Briley

Bob Briley became a broadcaster in 1947 while attending Gonzaga University. Forty-one years later, In 1988, he retired for KHQ-TV where he served for 35 years as a reporter, news anchor, baseball announcer, and public affairs director. He continues to work on a part-time basis for KHQ. Volunteering in youth activities and other community interests occupied his spare time throughout his career. A few of those organizations include the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey and Lilac City Figure Skating Clubs, the United States Figure Skating Association, Youth Employment Service, Lilac Blind Foundation, Red Cross, Community Colleges of Spokane, and the District81 ‘Partners’ Program. In 1992 Bob was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ‘Silver Circle’ for his significant contributions to both the industry and the community throughout his career.

Warren H. Cook

Warren H. Cook’s career in education has spanned 33 years. Recently retired after 11 years as a Spokane School District Area Director, the 1956 Rogers graduate has also worked as a teacher, counselor and principal in the district. Cook is currently a self-employed financial planner and is active in the Downtown Optimistic Club.

John Dixon

A 1955 graduate, while at John R. Rogers w Associated Student Body President, Boy’s League Vice President, Delegate to Boys State and All-City in Football and Track. A scholarship athlete at University of Montana, he received his BS degree, started three years in Football and was chosen a member of the Silent Sentinel; a service honor society that selects 12 male members of the Junior class. The University of Montana also honored him by choosing him a Distinguished Alumni. He worked in Sales and Marketing for Proctor and Gamble, Shell Oil Company, Sonesta and Sheraton Hotels and General Manager of Hotels for Hyatt in San Francisco, Chicago and Cambridge, Massachusetts and for Marriott in Washington DC. He received a MBA from Boston University and a Juris Doctor from New English School of Law. He then assumed the Chairmanship of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He has been elected to the DC Chamber of Commerce, and is Chairman of the Washington Committee and the Leadership Washington Class of 1992. He has now returned to Spokane and is a Consultant, Executive Coach and volunteers with the Rogers Foundation and Alumni Committees.

Warren Durham

A 1992 entry in Who’s Who in America Entertainment, Warren Durham’s experience in that industry began in 1942 when, as a Rogers High School student, he worked as an announce on various radio programs after school and on weekends. He continued radio work while in college at Willamette University and, after several years of Naval duty during World War II, he completed a degree in radio speech at Washington State University. During the 1950s, Durham was involved in many facets of radio and television broadcast, including copy, production, sales. He later owned and managed stations throughout eastern Washington. After selling all his stations in 1967, Durham acted as a consultant to TV and radio stations and started a multi-media advertising agency who's clients included Cox Cable, Christian Broadcasters and Ronald Reagan’s syndication team. Since 1981, Durham has developed and produced over 75 national television features and is currently developer and producer of the nationally televised “Big Band Days.”

Dr. Donald Ellingsen

A Rogers Co-Valedictorian in 1955, Dr. Donald Ellingsen continued his scholastic achievement as the top male graduate at Washington State University in 1959 and as a National Foundation Scholar at eh University of Washington Medical School. Don also excelled in both high school and college sports, earning ten varsity letters in four sports at Rogers before heading off with the WSU football team as an all-coast all American selection. Don the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame. Now an Ophthalmologist and partner in the Spokane Eye Clinic, Don has served on several school district committees and maintains close ties to W.S.U., where he was named Dad of the Year in 1991. Dr. Ellingsen is married to fellow Walk of Fame honoree, Leilani Wickline Ellingsen.

Leilani Wickline Ellingsen

Former Rogers High School cheerleader, Girls State representative and Miss Spokane,Leilani Wickline Ellingsen attended Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University. She has been a counselor at Camp Reed, head chaperone for Spokane Lilac Royalty and has chaired the parent advisory board at Lewis and Clark High School. Twice she competed in team tennis at the United States Tennis Association National Championships. After raising four children, she now gives her time to the Ronald McDonald House as well as helping to organize and support the Renaissance Program at Rogers where she also organized he 10-year class reunion.

Larry Erickson

Spokane County SheriffLarry Erickson, a 1957 graduate, attended Gonzaga University 1957 to 1961, graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1970, and attended Whitworth College, where he received his BA in Sociology. Starting with the Sheriff’s department in 1962, Larry was promoted to Lieutenant in 1972, appointed under sheriff in 1977, elected Sheriff in 1978 and is continuing to serve his 4^th term as Spokane County Sheriff. Larry’s community service highlights include United Way Chairman in 1985, Chairman of the Washington State Corrections and Standards Board, past board member of Leadership Spokane, current member of Wishing Star Foundation and current president of the Spokane Humane Society. Larry was voted Boss of the Year bye the American Businesswomen’s Association in 1988.

With extensive experience as an educator and coach,Jack Fanning is Director of Student Programs for Spokane Falls Community College. While dedicating nearly 30 years to education, fanning enjoyed a distinguished military career, receiving the Meritorious Service Metal and the Legion of Merit. At Washington State University, where he graduated with honors in 1960, Fanning was a Distinguished Military Student member of the Varsity Football and Track Teams, and President of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. As a Rogers student, this 1955 graduate was a member of football, basketball, and track teams and All-State football and track teams-setting the state pole vault record in 1955, and was active in student government. Fanning is a member of several educational professional organizations and is a W.S.U booster.

Janice Foland has been a teacher in District 81 since 1968. Except for one year assignment at her alma mater, she has taught exclusively at her current location, Shaw Middle School. Foland has been recognized for her community for and school leadership with the PTA golden Acorn award and the Eastern Washington University Teacher of the month awards. At and senior prom queen.She graduated in 1964 as a member of the National Honor Society and went on to earn a degree in education at Eastern Washington University and a masters degree from Whitworth.

Retired Spokane dentist, Dr. Thomas Glover graduated in 1942 from Rogers, where he was active in many extracurricular pursuits. He began his dentistry practice after serving as a combat bombardier in World War II.The Korean War, in which he piloted 52 missions, interrupted a career which spanned 32 years. Glover was the first instructor and designed curriculum for the Dental Assisting School at Spokane Community Collage. He has bred, trained and showed national quality Arabian horses for over 30 years and now resides in Colbert with his wife Dr. Elaine K. Glover.

Robert Howard

Robert Howard graduated in 1946, received his education degree from Eastern Washington State Collage in 1952, and his Masters in Education in 1961. Bob served as a counselor for 10 years at Shaw Jr. High before continuing his career as a Vice-Principal at Rogers for 9 years and for 2 years at North Central High School.Retired from the public schools in 1984, Bob continued to server for Rogers High School with his leadership on the original organizingfor the Rogers Alumni Association in 1981. Bob was president of the Spokane County Counselors Organization, and the President of Phi Delta Kappa in Spokane.Bob is currently the test coordinator for the US Government, responsible for all of the Civil Service testing in the Spokane area.

Hobart Jenkins

Hobart Jenkins devoted 33 years to the field of education before retiring in 1981. With a doctorate in education to his credit, Jenkins has taught both high school and collage.He is a former Dean of Instruction and Campus President of Spokane Community College and was a private consultant in higher education management for 11 years. Prior to his career in education, Jenkins server as a b-24 pilot in the way and war highly decorated after flying 35 combat missions. He continues his military career with 28 years in the Washington Air National Guard.Jenkins has been active in community service including leadership roles in several education associations.He has received numerous service awards and certificates of appreciation from civic and educational organizations.

Michael Kondo 

Spokane Dentist Michael Kondo did his undergraduate and degree work at the University of Washington, where he continued his wrestling career.He has been a Board Member of the Japanese American Citizen’s League, volunteers his dentistry skill to low-income clinics, works as a dental educator in grade schools, and teaches Dental Hygiene at EWU. Dr. Kondo has been a volunteer wrestling instructor at Rogers for the past decade. His drive for excellence is appreciated by the Rogers athletes, coaches and administration.

Currently an Adjunct Professor at Gonzaga University and a student teacher supervisor at Whitworth Collage, Lanney Martin has attended twelve collages and universities, and received his Masters of Arts in Educational Psychology.He has won many teaching awards, including District 81 Distinguished Teacher of the Year at Rogers High School, and was a finalist in Gonzaga University’s outstanding teacher Program. He was the first educator involved in the Economic Education/Business Experience Program sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Whitworth Collage at Gonzaga University and recently taught a class on television sponsored by ESD 101.

Dr. Richard Matheny is widely known in higher education circles throughout the United States and Canada.From 1981 to 1985, he served as Vice President for Development and Public Relations at Whitworth Collage.After leaving Whitworth, Matheny was an Associate Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Irvine for three years.Currently Vice Chancellor for University Relations at the University of California, Davis, Matheny has served as a consultant in fund raising, management and communication strategies with more then 100 collages and universities.He has authored numerous publications on management and communication, including Creating Charitable Trusts in Real Estate, which has become a standard reference book in the planned giving field.After graduating from Rogers in 1958, Matheny earned degrees in public administration from Washington State University and University of South California. He received a doctorate in leadership in education from Gonzaga University in 1985. Matheny’s numerous civic pursuits have included serving on the boards of Spokane’s Holy Family Hospital, United Way of Sacramento and Inland Empire Development Council (1980- 82)

Patricia McRae

After more then 10 years at seven televisions stations, Patricia McRae returned to Spokane earlier this year to direct the news team at HHQ. Her professional credits include an Emmy for “best newscaster” from National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. An honor student in high school and collage, McRea graduated from Rogers in 1978 and earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications at Washington State University in 1982.

Patricia Mummey, a 1955 graduate of Rogers High School became the first female Spokane County Commissioner in 1986. Now in her second term of office, Mummey worked as a registered nurse and was active in the League of Woman Voters, including local president and state board member, prior to her election. Mummey was a founding member of the Spokane Citizen Solid Waste Advisory Committee and currently sits on numerous local and state advisory committees. She received a YWCA Leadership Award for Government in 1989.

Rich Naccarato

Rich Naccarato,owner-president of Cedar Builders, Inc. was a 12-year veteran teacher and coach when he left education for a new career in property development in 1975. A 1961 Rogers graduate, Naccarato was nationally acclaimed high school linemen and also excelled in wrestling and track.While at the University of Idaho on a four year scholarship, Naccarato was a key player on the 1964 football team that defeated Washington State University for the first time in 40 years.Naccarato graduated with honors from the University of Idaho in 1965 and obtained his Masters in Education at Whitworth Collage.

John Nugenthas enjoyed a successful 30 years in real estate, overlapping a 29 year teaching career in Spokane.After graduating from Rogers in 1958, Nugent earned his teaching degree at Eastern Washington Universityand completed a masters of education at Whitworth in 1965.At Rogers, Nugent participated in several sports and was a Boy’s State Representative.He maintains close ties with the Alumni Scholarship Fund. Nugent received a Community Service Award 1992 and has been a member of the Real estate Million Dollar Club.

Linda Clothier Sharman

Linda Clothier Sharman, a consultant in communications, public relations, and marketing, is the former director of public relations at Whitworth Collage.She has written segments for a historical public television series, is author of“A Measure of Leaven” , the history of the Dominican Sisters of Spokane, and co-author of “Government in Spokane County.”She was instrumental incitizen support for EXPO ’74 and served as its community relations director. She was a vice president of United Way, is a trustee of the Spokane County Library district and volunteers for numerous local activities such as the citizens League of Greater Spokane, Momentum, and Leadership Spokane.

Doug Sutherland 

Active student government as a Rogers High School student, Doug Sutherland has devoted much of his professional career to public service as well.The 1955 Rogers graduate is currently in the first year of four year term as Pierce County’s Chief Executive Officer. Previous government positions include three years as City Manager of City of SeaTac and eight years the Mayor of Tacoma. A father of six, Sutherland sits on board of directors of Hilltop Day Care Center, Tacoma Youth Symphony, Family Counseling Service and the American Heart Association.Sutherland has also been a business owner for 23 years in a family owned canvas sign business which employs 25 people.

Vern Ziegler

Vern Ziegler is the founder and owner of Ziegler Lumber company, which operates seven retail building supply centers in the Northwest plus a wholesale distribution center in Spokane, Big Bear Lumber Company.Vern spent twelve years in the construction business building well over 200 homes before founding Ziegler Lumber Company in 1965. Vern is an enthusiastic supporter of many Rogers High School projects, one being the John R. Rogers/Ziegler Family Scholarship Trust. He is also active in the community, serving organizations including the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, which began in 1951. The Big Horn Show, created by the Northwest Wildlife Council , was started in 1960 and Vern has been involved with this project.Vern has received numerous awards from the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council. Ziegler, a 1953 Rogers graduate, was a member of the Washington State Game commission for six years and is a life member of the National Wildlife Federation

Gary Garberg is currently the Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing at EHS Health Care, the largest health care provider in Chicago. The 1980 Rogers graduate entered the health care industry after three years in banking in London and New York. Garberg, who holds a Masters degree in Marketing and Finance, received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Columbia University in 1984. A three-year letterer, team captain and national competitor in cross country and track while at Rogers, Garberg also earned varsity letters in track and cross country at Columbia, where he set a school record at 3,000 meters. Garberg also excelled academically in high school, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, and at Columbia, where he placed on the Dean’s list every semester. Garberg, who has worked with inner-city sixth graders in a positive role modeling program, offers the following advice to current Rogers students:

1963 Rogers’ graduate, J. Arvid Anderson, is currently a partner in the Gig Harbor law firm of Anderson, Burns and Hostnik. Recognized as one of the top 1% of attorneys in the United States by the 1987 Harvard Graduate Survey, Anderson has also served as President of the Pierce County American Cancer Society and Chairman of the Pierce CountyBoundary Review Board

In the more than 30 years since Bell graduated in 1962, he has been an integral part of the Roger’s family. Bell’s two children also attended Rogers and he and his wife, Nancy, a 1964 Rogers’ graduate, still live in the Rogers neighborhood. However, Bell’s connection to Rogers actually goes back to when his father hauled the bricks with which the building was constructed.

Over the past 18 years, as a contractor and the owner of Northern Construction, Bell has strengthened the Rogers’ family bond by often hiring and teaching construction skills to Rogers’ student.

In high school Bell managed both the baseball and football teams, participated in drama, and maintained four year of perfect attendance. Since then, he has served as vice president and president and worked tirelessly at fund-raisers for the Booster Club. Bell was also instrumental in the creation of the Tracy Walters Scholarship.

Randal Cloke is a renowned Spokane teacher, coach and community volunteer. With degrees from Eastern Washington University in special education and reading. Cloke began his teaching career at Sacajawea Jr. High in 1984. While there, he created the first Development Impaired Program at the middle school level. Since 1985, he has been at North Central High School, where he serves as Special Education Coordinator and teacher, as well as head wrestling coach.During the 1991 school year, Cloke was named Renaissance Program “Teacher of the Month” and Greater Spokane League wrestling coach of the year.

In 1992, he acted as the head coach for the Washington State Cultural Exchange Program.Cloke’s involvement in wrestling began at Rogers High School.The 1979 graduate not only lettered in the sport, but was voted “most inspirational” and served as team captain.In addition, he lettered in cross-country and track, participated in student government, and was a KJRB radio “student of the month.”

Cloke is also active in the Spokane community He serves as a youth group coordinator at his church and as the start/finish and results director of the Bloomsday wheelchair division.

Harlan Douglass, a 1956 Rogers High School graduate, has built over 1000 homes in the Spokane area.Although he never finished college, Douglass is a 1993 entry in “Who’s Who in Spokane,” and is recognized as a leader in the building industry and in the community.He was honored as “Builder of the Year” in 1963, 1964 and 1965 and has served as president of Spokane Home Builders and as a commissioner on the Washington State Housing Board.

Douglass now owns over 296 pieces of property in Spokane County alone.With 53, he is the largest private owner of post offices in the nation.He also has built and owns over 30 apartment buildings.In addition, Douglass is a co-founder of Eagle Hardware and Garden and owns five Eagle stores.

Douglass was instrumental in the founding of several Spokane businesses, including Bank of Spokane, Inland Northwest Bank and First American Title.He also serves as a director on several notable corporate boards in the western United States. 1995-96 Walk of Fame.

In the 12 years since graduation from Rogers, Jamie Dupree has earned two degrees and worked as a law clerk to a judge and as a attorney. The 1983 Rogers High School graduate is currently an associate at Marron, Reid and Sheehy, a San Francisco law firm with offices in Northern California. Prior to joining her present firm, she was an associate at Morrison and Foerster, a San Francisco law firm with offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Brussels and several U.S. cities. She has also been active in community organizations such as Battered Women’s Project, Juvenile Justice Program and Unemployment Law Center. Dupree completed an undergraduate degree at Stanford University in 1987 and then attended New York University, receiving a cum laude law degree in 1990. Prior to joining Morrison and Foerster in 1991, Dupree served as clerk for a New Jersey U.S. District Court judge who was also the Acting Chief Judge for the district of the Virgin islands.

Etta Ferguson has spent a lifetime helping kids. With her late husband, Cecil, the 77-year old has raised four of her own and cared for nearly 500 foster children. For their efforts, the Fergusons were named “Foster Parents of the Month” in October, 1984, and received a plaque for 10 years of service in the Foster Parenting Program.

In addition to her work with the Department of Health and Social Services, Ferguson teaches children at her church, where she was declared “Super Volunteer” in 1992. Currently living in Cheney, she volunteers her time at the D.A.R.E. Teen Center and at the Cheney Nursing Home. She has been a school cook and a day care provider for and for the past 15 years a 4-H leader.

Jim Frye, who participated in student government and lettered in baseball, graduated form Rogers in 1952. After a three-year stint in theU.S. Marine Corps, Frye attended Eastern Washington University where he earned undergraduate and masters degrees in education. After nine years as principal at Whitman Elementary, Frye retired in 1993. Prior to his position at Whitman, he was a teacher for seven years at Bemis and principle for another seven years each at Madison and Mullan Road schools.

Virginia Havelick has maintained a close relationship with Rogers High School, as a parent and booster, since her graduation in 1944. Havelick’s three children, Gregory D. Shannon, Jeffrey L. Shannon and Priscilla G. Shannon Stout graduated from Rogers in 1966, 1968 and 1971, respectively. In addition, Havelick has been active in Rogers’ Alumni Association, serving as secretary of her class’s 50-year-reunion committee and co-chair of Decade of the Forties. She is currently secretary of the association.

Havelick also holds two offices in the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs. She is President of the Spokane group and First Vice-President of the northwest district at the state level.

In the past Havelick assumed a leadership role in city and state PTA councils and was made an Honorary Life Member at the state level. She has also been a Cub Scout and Camp Fire leader and participated in the campaign to restore kindergarten classes to Spokane schools. Havelick worked as a receptionist/bookkeeper in local medical offices for 20 years and was principle owner of a Sandpoint, Idaho, wholesale company for 12 years before retiring in 1984.

Retired Sheridan Elementary principal, Vern Hogberg, has been a Spokane School District employee since 1966. After his 1952 graduation from Rogers High School, where he was involved in sports and student government, Hogberg earned a degree in Business Administration from Eastern Washington University. He also holds a Masters in School Administration from Whitworth College. Hogberg has taught at Arlington, Garfield, and Franklin elementary schools and prior to assuming his position at Sheridan in 1989 served as principal at both Logan and Regal. Before entering the education field, Hogberg worked for Northern Pacific Railroad and Phillips Petroleum.

Currently a Walla Walla resident, Julie Selbo graduated from Rogers High School in 1972. As a student, Selbo participated in many extra-curricular activities and served on several school committees. She was also a member of the National Honor Society.

A social worker for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Selbo has specialized in the area of Aging and Adult Services for the past 11 years. Prior to this, she worked with troubled teens in Spokane, including three years each at the Salvation Army’s Booth Care Center and DSHS.

Selbo is a member of the HIV/AIDS Resource Network of Walla Walla and represents that group on the Blue Mountain HIV Positive Care Consortium. Blue Mountain applies for grants to provide services to clients who are HIV positive or have AIDS. Selbo, who holds degrees in Sociology and in Counseling and Guidance from Whitworth College, is also a member of the American Counseling Association and has held various offices in the member of the American Counseling Association and has held various offices in the Washington Federation of State Employees. She has won seven “Brainstorm” awards for making suggestions which improved services and which saved the State of Washington over $15,000.

When the principle discovered that Bertha Slagg did’t live in the Rogers district, her family moved to Hillyard so she could continue to attend. Slagg, whose father’s carpentry helped in the construction of Rogers, graduated in 1935. She was the first cheerleader at Rogers on the first cheerleading team in Spokane. Slagg remembers her first costume as a long sleeved yellow blouse, red, below-the-knee skirt, black bolero jacket and cumberbund, and brass curtain ring earrings. It was two years before the other high schools formed their own teams.

Slagg also participated in drama at Rogers and, after graduation, was involved in numerous local, amateur productions.

When her six children were young, Slagg was active in both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and was a volunteer nursing aide for Spokane School District 81. She has held elected positions in several political and religious organizations, including president of the Jane Jefferson Democratic Woman’s Club. Slagg also has worked as a precinct committee woman and was a volunteer for Congressman Tom Foley for 30 years.

As a student as John R. Rogers High School, Donna was very active—varsity song and cheerleader, editor of the yearbook, business manager of the Rogers Record, and many other activities before graduating in 1953.

While raising her three children, she became involved with PTA, holding various offices, serving on committees and was cheerleading coach at Longfellow Grade School. She also received the PTA Golden Acorn Award in recognition of her service to youth.

An original member of both the John R. Rogers Booster Club and the Alumni Association, Donna has held several offices and chaired numerous committees. She currently chairs the Booster Club Scholarship Committee, serves as treasure of the 50’s Decade of the Alumni, and maintains the data bank of names and addresses of 25,000 John R. Rogersgraduates. She also serves on the board of the John R. Rogers Alumni Family and Friends Foundation.

Donna is active in the community, serving as secretary of the Miss Spokane Scholarship Program. She has been a Spokane Lilac Festival Director for eight years and has acted as liaison to Rogers during the princess selection process. Her service has been recognized with several “Beyond the Call” awards.

As a former board member of the Eastern Washington Epilepsy Foundation, Donna chaired dance marathons, which raised over #30,000 for the foundation. She also co-chaired fund raising efforts, which provided $10,000 to the widow of, murdered Spokesman-Review carrier, David Richey.

She was Assistant Office Manager for Silver Loaf Baking Company for many years and for the past fifteen years has been employed as Payroll Administrator at Snyder’s Bakery.

Albert Akin graduated from Rogers in 1939. He was a multi-sport athlete who lettered in football and basketball four times and also in golf, track, and tennis during his college career. He became the first person to ever win three major sports letters at both Washington State College (now known as Washington State University) and the University of Washington. This happened because he was in the officer-training program for the United States Marine Corp and his group of young men was transferred to the Seattle school.

During World War II, Albert, a 2^nd lieutenant in the 2^nd marine Division, fought the Japanese on the Island of Saipan. After the end of the war he served in the occupation forces in Nagasaki, Japan.

Bill Diedrick graduated from Rogers High School in 1936. A three-sport letterman, he played on the fist city championship team that Rogers ever had. He was “R” club president, Boys’ Fed president, and sports editor of the school newspaper.

Graduating from Eastern Washington College (now known as Easter Washington University) in 1946, Diedrick coached one year for the famed “Red” Reese of Eastern. After a short stop at Reardan High School, he moved to North Central in 1948 and taught there until 1974. Not content to sit back in his retirement years, he became equipment manager and trainer for Gonzaga University. Then he became assistant manager of the Spokane Indians baseball team. Diedrick also coached at the University of Idaho for three years.

Diedrick won the Scarlet Arrow, and inspirational award at Easter Washington College, and has been inducted into the Gonzaga Bulldog Hall of Fame. The inspirational baseball award at Rogers High School is named after Bill Diedrick.

Diedrick was one of the original Hillyard Booster Club founders. He also began a practice of having a monthly breakfast for the older fellows who played football at Rogers. That group has grown to 40.

Award winning and internationally acclaimed pianist, Stephen Drury, is a 1973 Rogers graduate. In high school, he performed and conducted in concert and wrote halftime shows for band. A 1977 Harvard graduate, Drury also holds and Artist Diploma from New England Conservatory where he now teaches.

Selected bye the United States Information Agency for its Artistic Ambassador Program, Drury performed throughout Europe in 1986 and in Pakistan, Hong Kong, and Japan in 1988. In 1989, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded Drury a Solo Recitalist Fellowship which funded residencies and recitals of American music for two years. Drury has performed in residencies with symphony orchestras in San Diego, Cedar Rapids, San Angelo, Spokane, and Stamford. In addition, he has performed with the Boston Philhamonic, the Boston Pops, the Springfield and Portland Symphony Orchestras, and the Romanian National Symphony.

Leroy is a well-known and well-respected realtor in the Spokane area.He has spent thirty-seven years in the real estate business in sales ans as the owner/broker of a real estate office.

Johnson is a 1949 graduate of John R. Rogers High School.He attended Eastern Washington University for two years.

Mr. Johnson is a very active citizen in Spokane.He has been a member of the North Spokane Rotary Club for twenty-one years. He is also the past president of the Spokane Board of Realtors and the past president of the Real Estate Traders Club.

Dick Johnson who graduated in 1983, has been a true Rogers’ Pirate since the 1930’s.He servers as president of the Boys’ Federation, the Drama Club, lettered in ice hockey and basketball, and starred in drama productions when he attended Rogers.He also put all four children and one grandchild through Rogers, one of whom is currently teaching Drama and English—Kris Freeland.Dick is proud of the fact that he has taught his grandchildren how to sing the fight songs of the respective schools.

Rod Peterson graduated from John R. Rogers High School in 1954 and went on to earn a degree in education from Eastern Washington University in 1958 .Now retired, Peterson was employed for 30 years with the Medical Lake School District, including 29 years as a assistant principal at Blair Elementary at Fairchild Air Force Base.

Peterson coached boys’ baseball for VFW #1474 for several years.He was also president of that league for our four years.

Following his 1957 graduation from Rogers, Ed Shaw attended Washington State University where he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and a tight end/linebacker for the football team.He was also a three-year lettermen.After obtaining a degree in Hotel Management in 1961,Shaw returned to work for the Shack Resturant; he became the owner in 1970.

Currently president of the John R Rogers Alumni Association, Shaw was involved in student government, drama, and athletics while, a student at the high school. Shaw lettered in track and football, the latter for which he earned all city and all state honors.

Fred Shiosaki, a June 1942 graduate of John R. Rogers High School has been a fighter for air quality in Spokane for Years. He was the Air Pollution Control Officer in Spokane County and the Manager of Environmental Affairs for Washington Water Power Company. He received the Distinguished Achievement Award in 1978 from the Air Pollution Control Association, the Executive Committee Award in 1989 from the Air Pollution Control Association , and the 1973 Clean Air Award from the Washington Clean Air Association. Mr. Shiosaki is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans and of the Inland Fisheries Policy Advisory Group, which is part of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department.

While in high school, Mr. Shiosaki was on the track team and was a letterman in track, was on the annual staff and was on the honor roll. After high school he fought in World War II and received the Purple Heart.

After the war, Mr. Shiosaki received his B.S. from Gonzaga University and then attended graduate school at the University of Washington.