Terrible Accident

Beloved Retired Biology Teacher and Cross-country Coach

John Bjorkquist

Building accident at home in Williamston

3 hour surgery, Saturday, Sept. 29, to re-attach one of two severed fingers

<Click here to leave him a message>

OHS 2018 Homecoming Week September 22-29

Homecoming is an exciting time of the school year as it promotes a sense of school spirit among students, alumni, and the community. As a result, there will be a variety of planned activities and events scheduled throughout the week.  The Homecoming Parade starts at 5:30pm on Friday, September 28th. The parade staging area will be in the Church parking lot (on Bennett Road just east of the Bennett/Hulett traffic circle). From the parking lot, the parade will proceed west on Bennett, around the Bennett/Hulett traffic circle, south on Hulett, and end at the OHS stadium parking lot.  

The Class of 1964 is planning to march in the Homecoming parade in 2019 as part of its 55th year reunion activities.  Do any other classes want to participate in the parade this year (2018)?

Class of 1958  *  60th Anniversary

Kay Bratzler (Riedel) will coordinate the Class of 1958 web page to publicize their class reunion plans.  Please contact Kay if you have any questions about reunion plans and/or if you want to help with the events.

Class of 1968 * 50th Reunion * August 24-26, 2018

OHS '68 had a great time at our 50th reunion!   <Click this for the recap>

Alumni and Teachers, Authors

Their Books on display

by OHS Librarian Sandy Fields

Several Alumni Authors visited the High School 2017-2018.  Their books are on display outside of the OHS Library.

Teachers are Authors and Editors

The Okemos High School Librarian is Mrs. Sandy Fields

Donate your books to the OHS Library!

New Page on this Site : The Alumni Library <click here>

Download free ebooks and order paperbacks

Class of 1959

Classmates:

At our 55th reunion we talked about scheduling a 60th.   2019 will soon be upon us. 

I remember someone nominating me to organize it. I am able bodied but will be 78 years old, as will the rest of you, so I would like some help.

First, anyone interested?

Second: Suggest a date range..Summer months?  Early Fall? 

We can move on this after we get some input.

Judy Hulkonen Reese   (click my name to send me email)

Lansing State Journal, May 18, 1929

The 1929 annual "The Tomahawk" went on sale May 20, 1929.

The Alumni Association is trying to put together a collection of all Tomahawk's.  So far, we have a complete collection from 1951 to 2016.   Please be on the lookout for all pre 1951 Okemos High school yearbooks.

Send Rod Ellis a message if you find or hear of these earlier yearbooks.

Submit Your Nominations 

for the

Alumni Hall of Fame

The Alumni Association wants to hear from you...

Who should be highlighted in our Hall of Fame?

Do you know of a classmate that...

  Had or is having a Distinguished Career?

Science/Medicine/Technology/Business/Achedemics/Government/Humanitian

Athletics/High School,College,Amature,Professional,Lifetime Achievement

Submit your nominee on the AHOF Nominations page <Or click here>

<Click Pictures,Underlined or Blue>

The most recent nominations to the

Alumni Hall of Fame

Class of 1963

          Dr. Kerry Byrnes --Autobiography         Distinguished Alumni 2018

“Working behind the scenes and often in obscurity, Kerry is an Okemos gift to the world.  From Eagle Scout to VISTA Volunteer to relief of poverty on a global scale..."

Career Foreign Service Officer with USAID (United States Agency for International Development Agriculture Development)

Author of numerous books and publications...

 --several about Okemos

--Travels and Encounters with World Figures

--Film music writing (Scoring) Author, Expert, Collector and Donor

Class of 1925   Eugene Williams

The First Celebrated Athlete of Okemos Consolidated School

Triple silver medal winner at the 3rd Annual Field Day Meet of the Rural Agricultural Consolidated League at Michigan State College

Valedictorian of his graduating Class at age 16                                                                           

  Compiled and Written by Sherrie Paty

Class of 1954  

Lester Kyle Aldrich, II          "Les or LK"

Nuclear Engineer

Army Rifle Team and Marksman

Coached a seven time National Collegete Champion Rifle Team

A Certified Heath Physicist, chaired the Panel of Examiners of the American Board of Health Physics, the Continuing Education Committee of the American Academy of Health Physics, and the Health Physics Society Standards Committee Working Group on Radiation Protection Terminology.

A 'Fellow' of the Health Physics Society and the International Standards Organization's United States Representative for radiation terminology. 

A member of Mensa, the high IQ society.

Ariel Hart Anderson  Class of 1971

Honored with the 2017 Distinguished Teaching Award by Western Michigan University.  

Elizabeth Ann Atkins  Class of 1985

• Best-selling author of over 20 books and co-founder of Two Sisters Writing & Publishing
• Actress, TV host and Award-winning journalist
• Professionsl Ghost writer and co-founder of Two Sisters
• Master's in Journalism from Columbia and bachelor's in English Literature from University of Michigan
• Alumni guest speaker at Okemos High School

  Catherine Atkins-Greenspan 

• Class of 1986

• Co-founder of Atkins & Greenspan Writing and Two Sisters Writing & Publishing
• Three novels The Veronica Series
• Active with the American Association of University Women
• Master's in Writing from the University of San Francisco and bachelor's in English Literature from University of Michigan
• Alumni guest speaker at Okemos High School

Class of 1963    Dr. Walter Willett

World Renowned Nutritionist, researcher, lecturer, professor at Harvard Medical School and chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health Author of Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

Achievement & Humanitarian

Class of 1970 and Class of 1973

Cheryl Lynne Bass Frost (1952-2012) and Timothy Brian Bass (1955-2007)

Carried on the family tradition of faith based service

Class of 1966  

Dr. David Hart

World Renowned Professor of Chemistry at Ohio State University

   Class of 1935 and Class of 1938

     John Lloyd Aseltine and Doris Powell Aseltine  (D.A.R. Award)

 Humanitarian      &     Missionaries in Algeria

Behind Rev. John Aseltine and his wife Doris are the terrors of an Algerian rebellion.

Class of 1959

Dr. Carol Jean Price Walters

Okemos High School Class of 1959 Valedictorian

 Phi Beta Kappa

Ph.D. in Physiology at University of Vermont College of Medicine

       Developed the 'Quad Screen'  for the detection of serious birth defects in early pregnancy like Down Syndrom and Spina Bifida

Class of 1959          Walter Schreiner

The Autobiography of a Physics Nerd and Renaissance Man!

Ph.D. in High Energy Physics, Virginia Polytech & State University (1973) : Director / Owner of CP Solutions, LLC, solving chronic manufacturing problems world-wide : 29 year career with Philips Research; developed x-ray analytical equipment, management consultant, Master Statistical Engineer : Volunteer Builder for Safe Housing, Fuller Global Builders : Peace Corps Volunteer, Antofagasta, Chile (1965-68) : Member, Pi Mu Epsilon, National Honorary Math Society

<Click on highlights or pictures>

Class of 1965

Mike McGilliard

"The 95 pound State Champ"                                   by Jay Guertin 

Mike was Nominated to the Okemos Athletic Hall of Fame

NCAA and Four Times Big 10 Championship Team

College Professor and A lifetime of achievements

Class of 1967

Tom Yunck

NASA Space/Earth Scientist

Princeton

PhD from Yale

CEO of his own Satellite Company

High School Mile Record holder

Class of 1993

Bryan Forney

        Career Military reinvents his life after horrifing accident

    <Click on highlights or pictures>

Class of 2002

Stephen Carrasco   

Broadway Star

Remembers his roots with personal appearances

 Class of 1958

Donald Keck  

Invents Fiber Optic Cable, a technology that makes the Internet possible and connects the world!

<Click on highlights and pictures>

Class of 1964

Fred Stehman

The First State Champion wrestler at Okemos

Top Academics

Big 10 Wrestling Champ

Top Cancer Doctor in the Country

Okemos Athletic Hall of Fame 2017

Class of 1928

Ralph Guile

Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

and twice a Fulbright Scholar

 

 

 

 

 

 

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John Quiring, Coach Track and Cross-Country

 

1986 State Championship Cross-Country Team

 

 

 

           

<Click on links and pictures>

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Class of 1935

Hugh Holloway

College President

 

 

 

 

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Class of 1959 

Elizabeth Gwynne "Betsy" Fox

Betsy performed in the 1960 Olympics

 

 

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Milton Orlando "Buck" Buchanan

- Class Of 1938

 

 

Decorated WWII hero with the famed "Third Ranger" battalion

 

 

On the morning of January 30, 1944, some 1,500 Rangers attacked the village of Cistenna De Littoria.  At noon there were just 199 Rangers still alive.

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Okemos Alumni Association

Publishes a Book

The Okemos Sprint King, Dick Ewing 1953

Our First Nomination for the Okemos Athletic Hall of Fame

Okemos Athletic Director, Ira Childress receiving the Nomination for the OAHOF from Rod Ellis.  Since the book is a (very) limited edition, you can read it on-line at this website.  Click "Alumni Hall of Fame, Athletics, scroll down to Dick Ewing 1953, or click the link above.

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*** New Page ***

Alumni Hall of Fame      <Click on links and pictures>

Announcing a new page devoted to the life stories of great Okemos alums

Recounting past accomplishments and life stories

(It's a start, but we need your submissions!)

Okemos Alumni Association

Announced at the Okemos Education Foundation Awards Banquet Thursday 11/16 <Click here or picture to watch>

$10,000 Matching Gift Creates John Bjorkquist Alumni Science Fund

As a result of the interest and excitement created by the visit of Dr. Tom Yunck to Dave Chapman's Science Classes, an anonyous Alumni Donor has stepped forward to commemorate the event by creating a new Science Fund in Tom's honor.  All donations to this fund will be MATCHED up to $10,000. At Tom's request, the honor was passed to Okemos Biology teacher and coach Mr. Bjorkquist.  Thank you Dave Chapman for inviting Tom to your class.  Thank you Tom Yunck for giving your time to inspire the latest generation of Okemos scientists.  And Tom thanks Mr. B. for being such an inspirational teacher.

Dave Chapman, Science Teacher at OHS

John Bjorkquist, beloved and respected Biology teacher 1962 to retirememt in 1991 and Cross Country Coach at OHS from 1962 to 1973.

Rod Ellis, President of the Okemos Alumni Association who just wandered into this picture and without a doubt the worst cross country runner that Mr. B coached.

<Click here or picture to watch>

Class of 1967

Announcing   Dr. Don Stacks

The Institute for Public Relations will award

Don W. Stacks, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Strategic Communication at the University of Miami

the prestigious Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement, an award

made for lifetime contributions in the advancement of research, measurement and evaluation in public relations and corporate communication

From Dan Curtis   max@maxinspect.com
The 2017 Okemos Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony

Took place on Thursday, October 5, 2017

Okemos Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Coaches •Bob Porritt - Longtime Okemos teacher and coach of four different sports including football, track, basketball, and baseball. Coached over 1400 student-athletes and 800 athletic contests over his 30+ year career, including multiple Capital Circuit league team champions in football and track. •Jon Wozniak - Longtime Okemos teacher and track & field coach; "Coach Woz," as he was affectionately known, was a legendary throws coach who helped develop numerous conference, regional, and state champions.

Student-Athletes •Mark Abraham - Boys Basketball; All-State selection in basketball and helped his teams to the 1981 state runner-up and 1982 state championship team titles; earned a baseball scholarship to Michigan State University •Denyse Adams Ferguson - Cross Country; 1985 Class A cross country state champion and one of the nation's top cross country runners with multiple Top 20 national finishes; also won the 1986 Class A 3200m state championship title (track); went on to run cross country at Harvard •Christine Bader - Girls Tennis; 2002 state champion and state finalist in 2000 and 2003; ranked No. 25 in the Midwest Girls' 18 division in 2004 and earned two USTA sportsmanship awards; At Michigan State University, she earned multiple All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Sportsmanship awards for tennis •Kathy Barron - Girls Basketball; All-State honoree who helped lead her teams to the 1982 state championship and 1983 state runner-up titles; Honorable Mention All-American as a senior; earned collegiate Academic All-American honors at the University of Notre Dame •Tom Dudley - Swimming; 1978 state champion in 500 freestyle; earned numerous All-State honors and held Okemos High School records in several events; went on to swim for the University of Michigan from 1978-1982 where he was a multiple-time Big Ten finalist. •Robyn Flewelling Fralick - Girls Basketball; All-State selection who voted MVP of the 1999-2000 team which advanced to the MHSAA final four; was a four-year starter at Davidson College; coached the Ashland University Women's Basketball team to the 2017 NCAA DII National Championship and was named 2017 WBCA NCAA DII National Coach of Year. •Colleen McKinley Deaven - Swimming; Won four consecutive state championships in the 100 breaststroke from 1980-84 and was ranked in the Top 75 nationally; went on to Michigan State where she was a three-year letter winner and Big Ten finalist. •Mike Mertz - Boys Basketball; All-State honoree who helped his teams win two Class B basketball state championships in the 1980s; also All-State in football; continued his basketball career at Albion College and was an Academic All-American. •Taylor Moton - Football; All-State selection and Lansing State Journal Dream Team honoree; earned collegiate All-American honors at Western Michigan University; became the first and only Okemos alum to be selected in the NFL Draft (2017 NFL Draft, 2nd Round - Carolina Panthers). •Terri Peters - Track & Field; Versatile state qualifier who set OHS school records in the 100, 220, and 440yd dashes and long jump from 1975-78; went on to star in basketball at Lansing Community College and Ferris State University. •Nathan Overholser - Boys Tennis; Became the first freshman ever to win a state title at No. 1 singles when he captured the 1994 Class A state individual title; also helped lead his team to a Class A state team championship; continued his athletic and academic careers at the University of Florida; played professionally following his collegiate career. •Todd Scarlett - Football; All-State selection who helped lead his team to a runner-up state championship finish in 1976; played football at Michigan State University and was part of the 1978 Big Ten Championship-winning team. •Fred Stehman - Wrestling; Two-time state champion (145lb & 154lb) and 1964 Olympic Trials participant; All-American, Big Ten champion, and Yost Award winner while at the University of Michigan. •Astin Steward Vick - Track & Field; Won the 2003 MHSAA state championship in the discus and still holds the Division 1 lower peninsula state finals meet record; Earned multiple All-American honors and won the Big 10 discus championship while at Purdue University. •Dave Valkanoff - Boys Basketball; All-State honoree who helped his team win the 1981 Class B boys basketball state championship team title; also an All-State football player; continued his basketball career at Albion College. •Jon Wiseman - Boys Basketball; Versatile multi-sport student-athlete from 1968-72 who earned All-State honors in basketball; played basketball and baseball at Aquinas College Team •1984 Boys Soccer Team - Won OHS' first boys soccer state championship

-- Ira Childress Athletic Director Okemos High School (517) 706-4930, Melissa Biel, OHS Athletic Office secretary, at 517-706-4931

Follow us on Twitter @OkemosAthletics "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." --Ralph Waldo Emerson GO CHIEFS!!! 

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Homecoming  - Welcome back to Okemos

New Okemos Alumni Hangout

Henry Kwok of Okemos High School class of 2003

I am proud to call this my home to raise a family and make a business. I am also a proud sponsor of this website, which I believe is a great tool to connect with other chieftains of all years. I hope that my bar & banquet hall will be frequented by Okemos alumnus so we can share stories of our experiences when we attended OHS! For more information about Henry's Place feel free to visit http://www.okemosalumni.org/ResourcesContactsEvents.htm for details or check out Henry's Place website: pubmeridian.com

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Thank you Class of 1972 for your gift!

The gift, according to Gerard Durocher, is to be used to perpetuate

the Alumni website and the "good work being done" by the Association.

Thank you Class of '72!!

...and thank you, Jerry, for getting a haircut!

(You too can make a tax-deductible gift to the Association.  Specify gifts for Okemos school programs or the Association.  Non-specific gifts will be given to OHS)

Class of 1962 55th Get Together was held Aug 18-19

From Jill Axline Roth:

Hey OHS classmates. .....Mayfair and Spags and Gables , we would like to gather up pictures and memories.  Please sign-in on the Alumni Website and/or send pictures to Rod Ellis to post on the site.

Class of 1957 Celebrated their 60th Reunion July 15-16

The Class of 1957 celebrated it's 60th reunion, according to John Bratzler, with 30 people attending.  The Class of 1957 has the distinction of holding the school individual basketball game scoring record.  The late Max Creaser scored 55 points in the old band box gym in a game against Fowlerville. Among its other notable members is Dr. Joe Ferrar, Professor Emeritus of Mathermatics, The Ohio State University.  Joe's wife, Sara Jo ('58),is the daughter of H. Owen Reed, composer of the school alma mater, Proud Chieftains.  Please help to pull together all memorabilia and send to Rod Ellis at the Alumni Association.

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Honoring the Class of 1957
60th Anniversary of Their Graduation

The Class of '57 numbered 70 people, 28 of whom attended their 50th 10 years ago.  They started in the Okemos Consolidated School system in 1944, 19 members strong.  This gives one the notion of how fast Okemos grew post WWII.  Check out their class history as read at their 50th reunion.

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Class of 1967

50th Class Reunion  

IT'S OVER! POST YOUR PICTURES!

******** This is what we have so far -- click above ******

Coral Gables, School and Neighborhood Bus Tour, The University Club, Sunday Brunch

POST YOUR PICTURES OR EMAIL THEM TO:

Contact Mary Fox White whitmaf49@gmail.com  

OR

Ingrid Sturk Schultz

joedrumer@aol.com

The Okemos Alumni Association

A 501(c)(3) Non-profit corporation

Tax ID 82-1246695

Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.