East Alton-Wood River announces 2017 Alumni Hall of Fame 2017 induction class

WOOD RIVER - East Alton-Wood River High School announced its 2017 Oiler Alumni Hall of Fame class that will be formally inducted at a banquet held in their honor at 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14, in the East Building Courtyard.

The new members join the induction classes of 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 as outstanding alumni who have contributed to their communities and their professions.

Pearson observed, "The Oiler Alumni Hall of Fame has been a board initiative to demonstrate to our current students that many wonderful role models, including accomplished professionals; successful business and community leaders; and pillars of our society can and do arise all the time from Wood River High School. And, the board also realizes the value in promoting the accomplishments of our great alumni to strengthen our bonds with all of our Oilers - both past and present. The Alumni Hall of Fame - coupled with our EAWR Foundation - helps to "Keep that Oiler Spirit Alive."

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After several hours of discussion and straw-poll balloting, the Hall of Fame Selection Panel selected the following alumni for its 2017 Oiler Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Class. Members of the Selection Panel are: Jean Bruce, Jesse Daniels, Norris Dorsey, Frank Akers, Bob Kasten, Ray Mercer, and Leigh Robinson - all alumni of EAWR High School.

This is the list of East Alton-Wood River High School 2017 Hall of Fame nominees:

Frank Akers (Class of 1970) has had success as a broadcaster, government official and community leader. Frank’s legacy, however, will be as a mentor, coach and trainer of younger people. He served as mayor of Wood River (2015-2017), city councilman (2010-2015), and co-chairperson of the committee that developed the Wood River Aquatic Center (1982-1984). Frank led successful tax referenda campaigns for Wood River-Hartford School District 15 (1989) and Wood River Public Library (1999). WSIE radio was the bookend for Frank’s radio career from student announcer (1970-1972) to general manager (1996-2010). Frank was a news anchor for two popular St. Louis stations, KEZK and WRTH (1972-1986) with sports assignments from NBC radio. While an administrator and adjunct lecturer at SIUE (1986-2011), Frank co-founded the Student Leadership Development Program and WebRadio. He received the Students First Award and the Mass Communications Department’s Alumni Achievement Award. The president of Operation Blessing, Frank is active in Wood River Rotary. He is a former council chairperson at First United Methodist Church of East Alton. A United Methodist lay servant, he annually speaks in more than 20 worship services. A baseball coach for over 30 years, Frank was a volunteer coach at EAWR and Wood River American Legion Post 204.

Dr. Rodger Elble (Class of 1966) is a person of signature academic accomplishment. His academic interests ranged from an aeronautical engineering degree at Purdue; to a Ph.D. in Physiology at Indiana University; and to an M.D., also from Indiana University. His long and distinguished career as a physician, medical school professor, and researcher has included the fields of neurology, psychiatry, and conducting research involving movement disorders (such as Parkinson’s Disease) as well as the study of Alzheimer’s. Dr. Elble has served as a Professor of Medicine at the Southern Illinois School of Medicine in Springfield, and has also served as the Medical Director in the Stroke Center and St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. He is also a prolific researcher in the field of neurology, human movement, and tremors, authoring or co-authoring over 60 articles in peer-reviewed professional journals. He has also reviewed others’ journal submissions for numerous professional and academic journals and publishers. He also performs services as a grant reviewer for neurological research foundations; assisting those organizations direct their funds to quality research towards the cure of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. At EAWR, Rodger was Captain of the Football Team; competed on the Track team; and was a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council.

Dr. Jeff Ettling (Class of 1982) is the Executive Director of the Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita, Kansas). Prior to that he was the Curator of Herpetology at the St. Louis Zoo for 21 years. Dr. Ettling serves as an active professional fellow and has served on several committees and advisory groups with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Currently, he serves on the AZA Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee and as an AZA Accreditation Inspector. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in St. Louis, with a research emphasis in conservation biology, spatial ecology, and population genetics. He has been heavily involved in his career in conservation projects. Examples are: the Armenian Viper Conservation program; the Ozark “Hellbender” Conservation program; and the study of the natural history of the Timber Rattlesnake. Dr. Ettling has also led several international tours centered on herpetology study and research. At EAWR, Dr. Ettling participated in track, cross-country, the Lettermen’s Club, and was a two-year member of the National Honor Society.

Dr. Phil Kladar (Class of 1984). Dr. Kladar is a highly regarded vascular surgeon and physician, having served in that capacity for more than 15 years at the Kootenai Health Clinic in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Idaho and American Medical Associations, and the Southwestern Surgical Congress. In 2014, he founded the Kootenai Vascular Clinic. Dr. Kladar graduated from the Southern Illinois University Medical School, and completed his Internship and residency at the University of Utah Medical Center. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois in 1988 with a major in biology. After completing his surgery training in 1997 from the University of Utah, he was first employed in Belleville at Southern Illinois Surgical Consultants and in 2002, relocated to Coeur d'Alene. While at EAWR, Phil played varsity baseball, football (where he was co-captain), and basketball. He was also a member of NHS, Science Club, Student Council, a Coronation Escort, a Junior Rotarian, and was voted by his class as the “Most Likely to Succeed.”

Doug Laycock (Class of 1966) had a distinguished career as professor of law at the University of Chicago, the University of Texas, the University of Michigan, and the University of Virginia. He is widely recognized as the leading scholar of his generation on the law of religious liberty and also on the law of judicial remedies. He has published several books and more than 120 scholarly articles; his many writings on religious liberty are collected in five thick volumes. Doug has won four cases in the United States Supreme Court, lost two, and filed friend-of-the-court briefs in more than two dozen others, urging the Court to protect individual liberty for both sides in America’s culture wars. He played a key role in developing state and federal religious liberty legislation. Prof. Laycock is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which honors only about 200 living lawyers, and Vice President of the American Law Institute, the nation’s leading nonpartisan law-reform organization. At EAWR, he was a successful debater, and a state finalist in extemporaneous speaking, at a time when Wood River High was a state power in debate. And he was President of his senior class.

Bill Magurany (Class of 1934 - Posthumous). Mr. “Wild Bill” Magurany led a life of widely varied, exciting, and downright dangerous experiences after his graduation from EAWR. First of all, during World War II, Lt. Magurany was a decorated veteran in the European Theater. Serving as a tank battalion commander in the U.S. Seventh Army, he won two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts. Second, he was a champion motorcycle racer - both before the war and through the 1950’s, riding his Harley in many regional and national races. Thirdly, he served the City of Wood River as mayor (1973-1981) and as a City Councilman (1967-1973). During his service as mayor and the City Council, he helped lead the City through alleviation of some flooding problems; working closely with state and federal officials in building the Phoebe Goldberg Overpass; led the building of Belk Park Golf Course; supported and worked for the annexation of the Glendale Gardens subdivision into the City of Wood River; pushed for the proposal to re-route Route 143 along Madison; and advocated for the expansion of 6th St. Park.

Ron Milligan (Class of 1962 - Posthumous) After graduating with an accounting degree from SIUE, he valiantly served in the U.S. Air Force reserves for six years. He was an member of Whitelaw Avenue Baptist Church in Wood River, where he was a Deacon, Finance Chairman, and Sunday School Teacher. Ron's later life passion was golf. Countless hours were spent on the links with Joyce and good friends. Ron retired from Christian Health Services (now BJC HealthCare) after 23 years of dedicated service. He served in many roles during his tenure with Christian Health Services where he worked his way up to Chief Financial Officer and played an instrumental role in the formation of the BJC HealthCare. He served on numerous boards including; Christian Hospital, Christian Health Services, Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation, Alton Memorial Hospital, SIUE School of Business, and River Bend Family Ministries. He also served as President and Board Member on the Missouri Hospital Financial Association and Sunset Hills Country Club, Edwardsville. He was best known to his former boss for his belief in God first, family second, and job third.

Dr. Laura (Pulaski) Hill (Class of 1994). Dr. Laura Hill has been in pediatric practice in Alton, Illinois since 2006. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School in 2002 and completed a pediatric residency at St. Louis Children's Hospital and Washington University in 2005. She was board certified in pediatrics 2005. While at EAWR, Laura was heavily involved in activities, including: Chorus and Swing Choir (including the District Honors Choir), Oilerettes, Student Council, Thespians, Science Club and Future Nurses; and was a Junior Rotarian. Her classmates voted her “Most Likely to Succeed.”

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