Join our Mailing List!
Please click the link below to sign up for your community paper mailing list. Stay up to date with all the events going on in your community as well as the latest news.Sign Up Today!
Hall of Fame Class readies for busy weekend
Five Raytown High School, two Raytown South High School graduates to be inducted
By: Glen Reese
A big weekend is planned for the 2007 Raytown School District Hall of Fame Class.
This year's inductees are Mara Brock Akil, John Burton Conway, Thomas R. Davis, Lucille Elizabeth (Beth) Leonard, Michael W. Quearry, Michael S. Sundermeyer and John E. Titus.
Leonard said the induction was a huge honor for the former students.
“I was overwhelmed,” Leonard said. “So many wonderful things have happened to me in my life and career, but it's best when your hometown celebrates your accomplishments. That's as big as it can get. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure I'll be a little nervous.”
On Friday, Oct. 19, the inductees will visit both high schools and give talks to about 75 students. They will then pick an area grade school or middle school to visit. Then they will head to eat lunch with the Rotary Club and mingle with the public.
The group will be grand marshals for the Historic Trail Run For Excellence Saturday, Oct. 20, which starts at 8:30 a.m. at Raytown High School. At 2 p.m., they will attend the Raytown-Raytown South football game. A tent will be set up on the south end of the track where they will meet the public.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, at Hillcrest Country Club.
Mara Brock Akil
Akil is a 1988 graduate of Raytown South High School. She is creator of the award-winning television comedy “Girlfriends,” writer and producer of “Moesha” and co-founder of endowed Four Sisters Scholarship for screen writing.
John Burton Conway
Conway is a 1959 graduate of Raytown High School. He has served in Japan in the U.S. Army and was a sergeant first class, He has been vice president of operations for Phoenix Cement Co. and a safety expert who supervised more than 9,300 accident-free days at the company plants.
Thomas R. Davis
Davis is a 1964 graduate of Raytown South. He was chief executive officer of Meyer Companies, is retired from Missouri State Board of Education as president and in 1992 won University of Missouri's Distinguished Alumni Award.
Lucille Elizabeth (Beth) Leonard
Leonard is a 1968 graduate of Raytown. She's currently chair of the theater program at Stephens College in Columbia. She was artistic director for the Okoboji Summer Theatre in Okaboji, Iowa, and is University of Central Missouri's 2006 Edward See Distinguished Theatre Alumni Award winner.
Michael W. Quearry
Quearry is a 1969 graduate of Raytown. He has been an exploration geologist with Chevron, a development board member of the Department of Geology at University of Missouri-Columbia and a deacon at West Central Church in Houston.
Michael S. Sundermeyer
Sundermeyer is a 1969 graduate of Raytown. He's been partner with Williams and Connolly, a former law clerk for Associate Justice Harry Blackman of the U.S. Supreme Court and was named one of Washington's Top Lawyers by “Washington Magazine” in 2004.
John E. Titus
Titus is a 1949 graduate of Raytown. He's a retired coach and athletic director for Brentwood Schools, a member of the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame and represented Missouri in the first NAIA National Championships in 1952.
Cathy Allie, the school district's community relations coordinator, said hosting the inductees was one of the most exciting parts of her job.
“It's a great learning experience for our current students to see what these former students have accomplished,” Allie said. “It's great motivation for them.”
Staff writer Glen Reese can be reached at 358-6307 or greese@npgco.com.
printable version
e-mail this story
This year's inductees are Mara Brock Akil, John Burton Conway, Thomas R. Davis, Lucille Elizabeth (Beth) Leonard, Michael W. Quearry, Michael S. Sundermeyer and John E. Titus.
Leonard said the induction was a huge honor for the former students.
“I was overwhelmed,” Leonard said. “So many wonderful things have happened to me in my life and career, but it's best when your hometown celebrates your accomplishments. That's as big as it can get. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure I'll be a little nervous.”
On Friday, Oct. 19, the inductees will visit both high schools and give talks to about 75 students. They will then pick an area grade school or middle school to visit. Then they will head to eat lunch with the Rotary Club and mingle with the public.
The group will be grand marshals for the Historic Trail Run For Excellence Saturday, Oct. 20, which starts at 8:30 a.m. at Raytown High School. At 2 p.m., they will attend the Raytown-Raytown South football game. A tent will be set up on the south end of the track where they will meet the public.
The induction ceremony is scheduled for at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, at Hillcrest Country Club.
Mara Brock Akil
Akil is a 1988 graduate of Raytown South High School. She is creator of the award-winning television comedy “Girlfriends,” writer and producer of “Moesha” and co-founder of endowed Four Sisters Scholarship for screen writing.
John Burton Conway
Conway is a 1959 graduate of Raytown High School. He has served in Japan in the U.S. Army and was a sergeant first class, He has been vice president of operations for Phoenix Cement Co. and a safety expert who supervised more than 9,300 accident-free days at the company plants.
Thomas R. Davis
Davis is a 1964 graduate of Raytown South. He was chief executive officer of Meyer Companies, is retired from Missouri State Board of Education as president and in 1992 won University of Missouri's Distinguished Alumni Award.
Lucille Elizabeth (Beth) Leonard
Leonard is a 1968 graduate of Raytown. She's currently chair of the theater program at Stephens College in Columbia. She was artistic director for the Okoboji Summer Theatre in Okaboji, Iowa, and is University of Central Missouri's 2006 Edward See Distinguished Theatre Alumni Award winner.
Michael W. Quearry
Quearry is a 1969 graduate of Raytown. He has been an exploration geologist with Chevron, a development board member of the Department of Geology at University of Missouri-Columbia and a deacon at West Central Church in Houston.
Michael S. Sundermeyer
Sundermeyer is a 1969 graduate of Raytown. He's been partner with Williams and Connolly, a former law clerk for Associate Justice Harry Blackman of the U.S. Supreme Court and was named one of Washington's Top Lawyers by “Washington Magazine” in 2004.
John E. Titus
Titus is a 1949 graduate of Raytown. He's a retired coach and athletic director for Brentwood Schools, a member of the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame and represented Missouri in the first NAIA National Championships in 1952.
Cathy Allie, the school district's community relations coordinator, said hosting the inductees was one of the most exciting parts of her job.
“It's a great learning experience for our current students to see what these former students have accomplished,” Allie said. “It's great motivation for them.”
Staff writer Glen Reese can be reached at 358-6307 or greese@npgco.com.