Memorial Day Honor to Graduates of Dundee High School

Memorial Day Honor to Graduates of Dundee High School


Another Memorial Day is here and I would like to honor some of the Dundee High School Veterans I am aware that have either gone to that big Study Hall in the sky or may still be around so we can honor them while they can still benefit from free food.

Tom Hagen: Class of 65.Tom is still alive. He was an airborne guy in Viet Nam. He got wounded in combat but lives on as a legend in the Computer Training Industry. He owned a great computer training school called Mind Works for several years.

Ron Egan: Class of 65. Egan is alive and well living in the Dundee area. He is a decorated war hero in Viet Nam and was wounded pretty bad while there. He does a lot of great work for the VFW in East Dundee.

Scott Alloway Class of 65.Scott contacted me just about a year ago. He spent 4 years as an AP in the US Air Force, stationed in Tripoli when we still had bases over there. He lives right on some lake in Upper Peninsula Michigan.

Ed Powers: I almost joined the Navy with Ed but punked out at the last minute. Ed spent 3 years in the US Navy and did two tours in Nam. I waited until I was drafted in the Army. I think he still lives around Elgin or South Elgin

Russell Scott Jenkins: Class of 65. Russ was a great friend and an Eagle Scout. He was the last American man actually Drafted by the US Marines. Yes the Marines had a small Draft during Viet Nam and Russ ended up there. He was a helicopter mechanic stationed over in Viet Nam.


Glenn Haseman: Class of 65: Glenn, Paul Mills and myself were all drafted on August 22,1966 and spent Basic Training in the same unit at Fort Campbell, KY.

Jim Hawkins: Class of 65: Jim spent time in Korea and Germany, I believe. I was his 3rd assistant usher at his Wedding with Jane Schumacher, from the class of 66. I believe Jim lives in Florida.

Paul Mills: Class of 65. The last time I saw Paul was at graduation from Basic Training. I hope he is still around.

Gary Shaver: Class of 64. I believe he was wounded in the big fire on the Aircraft Carrier, Forrestal. He spend time on a local police force and as s detective and I understand he died not too long ago.

Ralph Bodenner: Class of 65 Ralph was known as an inventor. I believe it was Ralph who invented those sports goggles you wear with prescription lenses. In any event, during the years Ralph ran cross country at Dundee High School, who could forget the speed and endurance of Ralph Bodenner. On top of being the Worlds Fastest Long Distance Endurance Runner at the time, Ralph was a superb student, and genuine nice guy and I think he won some Good Citizenship Award as he was appreciated by students, teachers and administrators. I heard he was a life long military man and I believe that because he was such a good citizen.

John Olsen: Class of 64

Even though John was not a veteran, during the Summer of Love 1969, he supported all the Veterans coming home at a time when it was fashionable to demean Viet Nam Veterans. If it wasn’t for the fact that John had cancer as a teenager he would have been in the thick of the Viet Nam conflict. He died on July 1, 1975.


Jacob “Butch Lisching: Almost Class of 65. He dropped out of school early and joined the Marines. Butch did two tours in Viet Nam but died an untimely death around 1969, shortly after getting married, in a freak, car accident. In grade school at Eastview School in Algonquin, Butch used to like to sing the Marines Hymn. A few strains from the last verse were his favorite, "If the Army and the Navy, ever look on Heaven's Scenes." "They will find the streets are guarded, by United States Marines."




Paul (Wahoo) Shepanek: Class of 64: Still with the living in spite of many tours to Viet Nam as a Green Beret and working in Iraq as a contractor for the last three years. He like Russ Jenkins were also Eagle Scouts from Lake-In-The-Hills




Larry Shoop: Class of 65. Did his duty with the United States Marines. Died shortly after coming back from overseas from a home accident.


Ron Wolter: Class of 65: Ron was a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam at a time when helicopter pilots had a very short life expectancy. There is a picture of Ron in the Class of 65 photos, running hurdles as a junior for Dundee High School.


Joe Chuffo Class of 66: Still alive living in LITH, Joe was stationed in Thailand in the Army and spent many years with the Dundee post office. He still works with youth groups and even teaches a physical fitness course for senior citizens.


Bob Bohaty: Class of 66 Did his duty with the military in Viet Nam. He is still alive, still married to his college sweetheart and works for the Federal Reserve System. He is in charge of giving out free samples of money. (Don’t you wish)


I know I probably forgot many people who deserve to be remembered. Let’s remember and appreciate those who put up with us in spite of ourselves during those trying times as students of Dundee High School.


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