Class of 1954, UHS Bloomington IN

"He was a 1954 graduate of University High School. He played all sports at University School, but there is no question his sport was football. He played four years for Coach Walter W. Gray. His senior year he was co-captain and honorable mention all-state, the highest scorer and an outstanding backfield player. At Coach Gray's induction to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, Coach Gray said he coached many good players, but Tom was the toughest and hardest hitter he ever had in his coaching at University School..... ... Survivors include two brothers: Eugene and Ernie; five sisters: Delores, Betty, Martha, Mary and Joyce. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Melissa.

	'54 Contact Janet Martin Donham
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01 Apr 2024	With the help of the recently released 1950 Census data, we find that the following members of the Class of 1954 have died: Caryl Sue Butterbaugh Toth, of Hurricane, West Virginia, February 18, 2021; 7th grade only. Esther Lois Kietzman Johnson Fewell, of Manassas, Virginia, July 6, 1976; 12th grade only. William Edward "Bill" Kingsbury, of Boulder, Colorado, November 1, 2020; 7th through 9th grades. Kay Pauline Lester Haworth Irwin, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, November 24, 2021;12th grade only. John Theodore Tangeman, of New York City, October 2, 2021; 10th grade only.
16 Mar 2024	Reba Kay Weddle died in Bloomington, December 10, 2022; in the '45-'49 Jordannuses, she was with the Class of '53 in some years and the Class of '54 in others.
22 Oct 2023	Mildred Joan Cain Thompson died in Bloomington on October 16, 2023. Several photos and an obituary are on her Find-A-Grave page.
08 Oct 2023	Ruby Joyce Jacobs Dyer, of Bloomington, died October 5, 2023. A Find-A-Grave page has been created, but most information will not be visible for 3 months.
21 May 2022	Dick Anderson has informed us that the following Class members have recently died: Thomas Franklin M "Tom" Barton, Jr, November 7, 2021, in New York, New York. A photo and obituary are on his Find-A-Grave page. Marjorie Faye "Margie" Rash Miller, December 20, 2021, in Vincennes, Indiana. She has a page on Find-A-Grave, but there is currently no obituary or photo.
10 Oct 2021	Elpha Ernestine "Teena" Patton Richardson died September 14, 2021. A photo and obituary are on her Find-A-Grave page.
25 Aug 2021	Patricia Ann "Pat" Shields Kent of Bloomington, died in Nashville, Indiana, on August 22, 2021. A photo and obituary are on her Find-A-Grave page.
09 Jun 2021	Adams Peter "Pete" McClennen, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died November 11, 2020. A photo and obituary are on his Find-A-Grave page.
08 Mar 2021	Betty Lou Johnson Duke died in Bloomington on October 4, 2020. A photo and obituary are on her Find-A-Grave page.
13 Jul 2020	Ellen Sue "Sue" Helms died in Bloomington on July 9, 2020. A photo and obituary are on her Find-A-Grave page.
11 Dec 2019	Wandelohr Robison "W R" Dunn died November 23, 2019, in Bloomington. A photo and obituary are on his Find-A-Grave page.
17 Jun 2019	From examination of Jordannuses from '46 through '54, 50 people who attended UHS during that time have been added to the database. Most of these are listed below as "misssing." We have been informed that James Everett Chambers is deceased. More information is needed.
10 Apr 2019	Veralyn A Turner Kinzer died April 5, 2019 in Bloomington. An obituary is on her Find-A-Grave page.
30 Mar 2019	From the Find-A-Grave page of Martha Lou Deckard Bruner '49, we find that her brother Mitchell M Deckard '54 died in Bloomington on December 8, 1985.
09 Feb 2019	Scans of the Senior Class and underclass photo pages are now available, from the Jordannus in the Monroe County Library.
20 Jul 2018	Kenneth Alan Robinson, of Bedford, Indiana, died July 19. An obituary is on his Find-A-Grave page.
30 Apr 2018	Wilma June Reeves Cain died in Bloomington April 26, 2018. An obituary is on her Find-A-Grave page.
19 mar 2018	James M "Jim" Gobert died in Bloomington on March 12, 2018. An obituary is on his Find-A-Grave page.
16 Sept 2017	Hazel F Corman McCutchen died September 12, 2017. An obituary is on her Find-A-Grave page.
25 Apr 2017	Veralyn Turner Kinzer writes "My husband Thomas E. Kinzer, who graduated from Bloomington High, died April 17 this year of pancreatic cancer. He taught high school for 40 years and was on the Ivy Tech Bloomington faculty the past eight, retiring in May 2016. I spent my career in journalism (30 years at the H-T in Bloomington and 15 years in news and public relations at Indiana University.) We have 5 children, 16 grandchildren and 16 greats with two more due this year."
5/20/11	Jay Robert Ellis, lifetime resident of Bloomington, IN, passed away May 19, 2011. He was born January 13, 1936, in Chicago, IL. His family moved to Bloomington, Indiana, and Jay graduated from University High School in 1954. He then attended Indiana University where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. Jay Ellis owned both Ellis Floral and Ellis Tent and Events. He served his community for years as a member of the Bloomington Board of Parks and Recreation, and Lake Monroe Committee. He also served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Girl Scout Board of Directors, as a little league football coach and President of the Indiana State Florist Association. He was a member and past president of the Bloomington Rotary Club. He is preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers, Paul A. Ellis and Charles Robert Ellis. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Judi two daughters and their husbands; one son; and six grandchildren. Extracted from an obituary in the Bloomington Herald-Times.
6/11/10	Larry Ruddick of Bloomington, died June 8, 2010. Born in Columbus, Indiana, he was a 1954 graduate of University High School and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958. He liked to draw and get his exercise by walking. He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, one son, one sister, and brother-in-law, Martha (UHS '48) and Dewey Boswell, of Sarasota, Florida; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.
8/5/09	From the July 14 Bloomington Herald-Times online: "John Krentler of Bloomington, died Sunday, July 12, 2009. He served in the National Guard and retired from the City of Bloomington Police Department. He also worked for the Indiana University Physical Plant and as a Bloomington Hospital Security Officer. Survivors include his wife, Linda (Bolton) Krentler; three daughters and their husbands; six grandchildren; one sister, (Judith Ann Andrews UHS '52); four nieces and nephews and their families.
10/01/05	Come to Jay and Judy Ellis' on October 28 for a 52-53-54 gathering. Come even if you can't attend the All School Reunion dinner the next night. More here.
3/20/05	Frank Edmondson reports that Jeanine Campbell informed classmates of John's death. The following is extracted from the Springfield, MO "News-Leader" Mar 15, 2005 obituary which can be seen for now at: http://cityguide.ozarksgateway.com/fe/Obituaries/Profile.asp?businessid=66408 "Mr. John Keith Campbell, 69, Springfield, died at 5:30 a.m. Sunday, March 13, 2005, in his home. John was born in Bloomington, Ind., on December 13, 1935. His home was near the Indiana University campus, where he attended the University School. His boyhood was filled with hunting, fishing, and camping in the nearby forests and lakes. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 to 1962, serving in Korea. After leaving the Corps, he worked for the Department of Defense on Navy Bases in the San Diego area. Following his retirement, he moved to the Springfield area, where he worked in law enforcement and security. He is survived by his wife, Jeanine Campbell, two children, three step-children, four grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and two sisters."
10/29/04	Successful reunion attended by 29 classmates plus spouses and friends (and others from '52 and '53 and '56) took place this past weekend. Group Photo is here. Other reunion photos will be along soon.
3/30/04	Tommy M. McCammon, 67, of Bloomington, died February 28, 2004. His obituary which appeared in the Herald-Times said in part: "He was a 1954 graduate of University High School. He played all sports at University School, but there is no question his sport was football. He played four years for Coach Walter W. Gray. His senior year he was co-captain and honorable mention all-state, the highest scorer and an outstanding backfield player. At Coach Gray's induction to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, Coach Gray said he coached many good players, but Tom was the toughest and hardest hitter he ever had in his coaching at University School..... ... Survivors include two brothers: Eugene and Ernie; five sisters: Delores, Betty, Martha, Mary and Joyce. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Melissa.
1/30/04	.... updated the all school list for '54. Please contact Janet Donham with corrections
6/3/	Veralyn Turner Kinzer writes: "Great idea. I loved the photos from our class's 45th reunion which, unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. I'm hoping for the 50th!"
4/30/	Photos from the 45th Reunion in 1999. More Photos - same place

October 2005 All School Reunion '52, '53, '54 meeting together Friday, Oct 28 at the home of Jay ('54) & Judi Ellis 6025 E Kerr Creek Road 4:30pm - dinner at 6:30pm	Reservations Received as of 11/01/2005 for: '54 - Dick Anderson & Martha, James Carter, Carolyn Donelson Franzmann & Bill, Frank Edmondson, Jay Ellis & Judi, Irma Gray Denney, Janet Martin Donham & Don, Pete McClennan & Jackie, David Mirza, Mary Poolitsan Mandell, Jeannine Stapley McDonel, Jerry VanDyke & Candi
2004 - Fiftieth October 22-24, 2004	Oct 22, Friday: 7:00pm mixer at Irma Denney's Oct 23, Saturday: Dinner at Chapman's Restaurant 6pm Cash Bar; 6:45 Class Picture; 7:00 Dinner Oct 24, Sunday: Brunch 9:00-12:30 at Janet Donham's Contact your committee, Janet Donham, Carolyn Franzmann, or Irma Denney, for more information.