ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Ken Strickland 1985 East/Central
White House Producer for NBC
Oversees the coverage of the President for NBC
Prestigious Peabody Award recipient.

Dr. Margaret Leinen 1964 / Central
Assistant Director for Geosciences
National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA

James Stukel 1955 / Central
President of the University of Illinois

Lynne Thigpen / Tony-award winning actress 1966 / Central
TV Credits: "All My Children" in a reoccurring role as Aunt Grace
"The District" / plays Ella Farmer
Movies: "Toostie", "Bicentennial Man",
"Random Hearts", etc.
Theater: "An American Daughter" on Broadway
for which she won a Tony award.

Sonya Gavankar 1995 / West
Miss District of Colombia in the 1997
Miss America Pageant
Free Lance journalist for CNN in Washington, D.C.
Public Relations Coordinator for the Freedom Foundation
Arlington, VA

Bob Cary 1939 / Central (JJC)
Author and illustrator of six books
Senior Editor of the Ely, Minn. Newspaper the " Ely Echo"
Freelance writer for several outdoor and conservation publications.
Former outdoor writer/reporter for the Herald News, the Chicago Daily News and WJOL. Currently operates a wilderness canoe guiding and outfitting business in Minnesota. Bob is a competitive cross country ski racer in the winter and spends summer months on the canoe trails.

Judge William Penn 1945 / Central
Noted Will County Judge /lawyer/musician

Senator Larry Walsh 1966 / East (JJC)
State Senator of Illinois

John Vitanovec 1975 / East
Vice President & General Manager / WGN-TV

John Barrowman 1985 / West
Performing artist
Television: recent series "Titans" NBC
Latest Broadway musical" "Putting It Together" with
Carol Burnett
Extensive musical theater roles on the London stage
Recording artist: Current CD "Reflections"

Kay Gottlieb (Stage name: Kathryn Hayes) 1952 / Central
30 years in the role of Kim Hughes on "As
the World Turns"
Nominated for her performances on Star Trek
and High Chaparral. She has had guest starring appearances
in more than 50 television series. She has also appeared in
leading roles in several movies. Her theater credits include
musicals with the Los Angeles Civic Opera and the Pittsburgh Light Opera. At one time, she was married to actor Glenn Ford.

Mike McLaren 1968 / West
West basketball standout. Presently, a lawyer in Memphis, Tenn. Former actor appearing in movies with Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock, Woody Harrelson and Samuel Jackson.

Andrew Barber* 1927 / Central
Founder of Union National Bank (First Midwest Bank)
Noted philanthropist and community benefactor.

Andy Dick 1984 / West
Former star of popular NBC sitcom NewsRadio.
Movie Credits: "Cable Guy," "And God Said," "In the Army Now." Presently, Andy is starring in his own new MTV show.

Trina Shoemaker 1983 / Central
Grammy-award winning songwriter
For her work on Sheryl Crow CD

DeBorah Sharpe 1970 / East
Toured with the Supremes
Toured with Harry Belafonte
Broadway musical: "The Wiz"
Guest roles: Bill Cosby Show / Beverly Hills 90210

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 1951 / Central
Author / her 100th Book, was "Walker's Crossing"
And her most recent book is, "Jade Green: A Ghost Story"
She's won the Newberry award.
Her "Shiloh" trilogy series is ranked No. 7 in the
National Education Association's Children's Top 100 book list.

Anthony Rapp 1989 / West
Star of the Broadway musical "Rent"
Movies: "Dazed and Confused," "Six Degrees of
Separation," "School Ties, "Adventures in Babysitting"

Davenia (Deide) McFadden 1978 / West
Movie roles: "Random Hearts," "Eddie,"
"Double Jeopardy" / latest movie "The Stranger
Inside"

Andrew Sorensen 1955 / Central
President, The University of Alabama

Judie Bell 1984 / West
Country Recording artist / songwriter
Latest CD: "Do it Naturally"
Former West homecoming queen

Lionel Ritchie 1982 / East
Recording artist

Skip Griparis 1967 / West
Musician/singer/songwriter/comedian/playwright
Movie credits include Major League I and II, playing opposite Bob Uecker. Skip toured with Olivia Newton-John as guitarist and vocalist. He now appears in comedy clubs throughout the country and has had featured TV appearances on the Showtime Comedy Network and TNN's Nashville Now. A Chicago Tribune poll recognized him as one of the top five comics in the country.

Jeffrey Ray 1987 / West
Opera singer / Lyric Opera of Chicago

Jeffrey Boyle 1983 / East
Writer of commercial jingles/musician/songwriter

Audrey Totter 1936 / Central
Actress
Radio and movie star
Movies include: "Main Street After Dark," "The Postman
Always Rings Twice," "Lady in the Lake," "The Unsuspected"
TV Series: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Wagon Train, Medical Center
And many more roles in movies and television.

Katherine Dunham 1926 / Central (JJC)
Renowned entertainer/dancer/choreographer/educator and
entrepreneur/Known as "the mother of dance," she has been internationally
recognized for her many contribution to the arts.

Florine (Klott) Cain 1946 / Central (JJC)
Senior test engineer for Lockheed Missile and
Space Co. / Engineer responsible for the full-scale
mockup of a X7A3 "flying cell" test missile.

John Houbolt 1936 / Central
NASA scientist
Developer of the Lunar Landing Module

Honorable George Sangemeister 1949 / Central
United States Congressman

Merritt Giffin* 1908 / Central
Olympic Silver medalist

Edwin Way Teale 19TBD / Central
Won Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1966

Billie Butler 1933 / Central
Grandniece of Annie Oakley

Morton Kondracke 1956 / Central
Television journalist / newsman

Robert Novak 1948 / Central
Nationally-known columnist and journalist. Host of CNN's popular political debate program, "Crossfire;" a member of CNN's Capitol Gang; a contributing editor for the Reader's Digest; has written the Sun Times political column, "Inside Report," since 1966.

Lois Delander* 1931 / Central
Miss Illinois of 1926
Miss America of 1927

Beverly (Long) Feehan 1945 / Central
Miss Illinois

Warren Dorris 1972 / Central
Joliet City Councilman / Minister

Bishop Roger Kaffer 1945 / Central
Auxiliary Bishop of the Joliet Diocese
Former Principal of Providence High School

Joseph Shetina 1955 / Central (JJC)
Real estate appraiser
Joliet City Councilman

Mary Ann Grabavoy 1972 / Central
Miss Teen America / National title
TV personality / newswoman

James Agazzi 1958 / Central
TV production designer / art director
Art Director for the TV series "Hart to Hart"
and Production Designer for "Moonlighting"
Emmy-award winning Art Director

Brenton Wadsworth 1947 / Central
Founder of Wadsworth Golf Construction Co.
This company builds championship golf courses worldwide.
Mr. Wadsworth, through his significant generosity, established the Wadsworth Endowment contributing $150,000 to the JTHS Foundation.

George Munroe 1939 / Central
Noted New York lawyer
Former CEO & President of Phelps-Dodge. He was present as a lawyer at the Nuremberg Trials. In his earlier years, George was a basketball player with the professional team the "St. Louis Bombers" that later became the famed Boston Celtics.

Arthur G.* and Vera C. (Stellwagen) Smith 1922 / Central (JJC)
Vera is a retired teacher. She taught English at JTHS
and at Joliet Junior College. Vera later became the registrar at JJC. She and her late husband are very generous benefactors in the Joliet community. Vera is a grand lady who lives in Joliet and is 97 years old.

Marie (Hollendack) Mueller 1922 / Central (JJC)
One of the oldest living graduates of JTHS at 97 years old. Marie was the last teacher to teach in the one room schoolhouse know as Schmuhl School in New Lenox. She taught kindergarten for many years at Culbertson. Marie and Vera Smith were classmates.

Keith White 1973 / East
Master of Fine Arts Degree
Director of Theater / Lewis University
Professional actor/singer/dancer

Thomas Perkins 1976 / West
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the
Central District of Illinois

Judge John Cirricione 1944 / Central
Noted Will County Judge/lawyer/musician

Larry Parks* 1932 / Central
Actor/ Star of the 1946 film, "The Al Jolson
Story". Nominated for an Academy Award in 1947 as
Best Actor for the Jolson film. Al Jolson was quoted as saying,
"Larry Parks can play me better than I can play myself."
He starred in films with such actresses as Rita Hayworth,
Elizabeth Taylor, Ellen Drew. He married actress, Betty Garrett.
Parks died in 1975 at the age of 65.

Susan Pierson Sonorby 1965 / East
Lawyer / Federal Judge

Ernest "Pug" Rentner* 1929 /Central
Earned 12 letters while participating in athletics,
winning four letters each in football, basketball and
track.. While in school, he held the Big Seven records
for the shot, discus, and high jump, and was placed
on all-conference teams in football and basketball. Pug
went on to gain national fame by playing football for
Northwestern University.

Harry Leinenweber 1955 / Central
Lawyer/Federal Judge
Harry's father, Harry Leinenweber, is fondly remembered as a teacher at both JTHS and JJC from 1929-1970, a total of 41 years. He was chair of the Social Science Department. Mr. Leinenweber will celebrate his 100th birthday on October 19th this year, our centennial year. We consider Mr. Leinenweber the oldest living former faculty member.

Viola (Sprague) Vance 1918 / Central
At nearly 102 years of age, we consider Viola to be the
oldest living graduate of JTHS. She was on born June 16, 1899. She lives in her own apartment and returned to the halls of JTHS in February of this year to be interviewed by the yearbook staff. Her daughter, Marge Rice, is a 1953 graduate of JT. Marge says that her mother had not been in JTHS for over 80 years. It was quite a homecoming when she returned to meet today's students!

Jesse Barfield 1977 / Central
After graduating, Jesse was drafted by the Toronto
Blue Jays. He played eight seasons with the team,
leading the American League outfielders in assists
from 1985 to 1987. He also won two Golden Gloves
Awards (1986 and 1987.) He led the major leagues in
home runs with 40 in 1986. He was the first Blue Jay
to hit a pinch grand slam, and hit 20 home runs and 20
stolen bases in the same season. Jesse was traded to the
New York Yankees in 1989. He retired from the team
in 1992. He then played pro baseball in Japan. Presently,
Jesse ended his baseball career as batting coach for the Seattle Mariners and is now retired.

Jack Goeken 1948 / Central
Entrepreneur / Inventor / Businessman
Responsible for the breakup of the AT&T conglomerate. Founder of MCI and of AirPhone.

George Fisk 1948 / Central
While a student at JT, he was the coeditor of the school newspaper, "J Hi Journal," and wrote the column, "Profiles." He went on to become the Publisher of the Joliet Herald News. (The other coeditor of the newspaper was George's classmate, Bob Novak, now of CNN.)

To be included shortly are several alumni sports stars such as Larry Gura,
Jeff Reed, Bill Sudakis, Steve Parris, Cathy Boswell, Jim Valek, Eddie Spiezio, Roger Powell, Earl D'Amico, etc., as well as several graduates who've made a name for themselves in the performing arts such as Jimmy Chamberlain, former drummer for the Smashing Pumpkins; Charlie Adams, drummer for Yanni, and Bill Pappas who played with many big bands during the 40's swing era.

*Deceased

NOTE: We know there are many very successful area businessmen
and women as well as those from across the country who are graduates of the
Joliet Township High Schools that are not listed above. Also, there are several outstanding athletes, musicians and performers from the JTHS campuses that have gone on to professional careers that are not listed. The Alumni Spotlight is a "work in progress" through the research process and will be updated as information becomes available.

You can help! If you know someone or are aware of any person(s)
that you feel should be added to this list, please call the Centennial Celebration Coordinator, Lynne Lichtenauer, at (815) 727-6763. E-mail: llichtenauer@jths.org