ARCOLA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Amazing ARCOLA, ILLINOIS

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

2023 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Five Arcola High School graduates were honored as Distinguished Alumni during the association’s banquet at the Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, October 14, 2023.

The honored Arcola High School alumni and their year of graduation are:

William Robert "Bob" Fortney, deceased (AHS 1944)
Virginia L. Fortney (AHS 1952)
John V. "Jack" Fishel, deceased (AHS 1956)
John G. "Corky" Clark (AHS 1962)
Dennis R. "Denny" Thompson (AHS 1968)

Highlights from the Banquet

2018 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

The sixth annual Distinguished Alumni banquet was held Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the Kaskaskia Country Club. The honored Arcola High School alumni and their year of graduation are:

Lt. Col. Edmund P. Smart, deceased (AHS 1952)
John Douglas “Doug” Mullikin (AHS 1958)
Charles “Skip” Lee (AHS 1968)
Steven Earl Bumpus, deceased (AHS 1978)
John VanGundy “Van” King (AHS 1979)

Highlights from the Banquet

2017 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Five Arcola High School graduates received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the association’s alumni banquet at Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, October 21, 2017.

The 2017 honored Arcola High School alumni and year of graduation are:

Capt. John D. Kibler, deceased (AHS 1932)
Raymond Arthur “Art” Beazley, deceased (AHS 1959)
John Andrew “Andy” Walton, Jr. (AHS 1962)
Cheryl S. Holaday Hilgenberg (AHS 1966)
Gail Chaney Kalinich (AHS 1980)

Highlights from the Banquet

2016 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Six Arcola High School graduates received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the association’s alumni banquet at Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, October 29, 2016.

The 2016 honored Arcola High School alumni and year of graduation are:

Dr. Robert E. Smith (AHS 1955)
Thomas F. (Tim) Monahan (AHS 1957)
Dr. Charles Edward (Ed) Harshbarger, Jr., deceased (AHS 1958)
Capt. Benjamin J. (Jim) Binford (AHS 1959)
Dr. David J. Ellison, deceased (AHS 1959)
Dr. Nancy K. VanCleave (AHS 1971)

Highlights from the Banquet

2015 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Eight Arcola High School graduates, spanning six decades, received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the association’s alumni banquet at Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, October 17, 2015.

Edward M. Finfgeld, deceased (AHS 1920)
Thomas F. Monahan, deceased (AHS 1927)
Bob Curry (AHS 1957)
Roger Shields (AHS 1961)
Larry B. Rollings, deceased (AHS 1963)
Karen Conlin Faler (AHS 1966)
Don Paul Portugal (AHS 1969)
Michael A. Clark (AHS 1972)

Highlights from the Banquet

2014 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Eight Arcola High School graduates, spanning five decades, received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the association's alumni banquet at the Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, October 11, 2014 . To view a brief biography on each Distinguished Alumnus, click on his/her name. The 2014 honored Arcola High School alumni and their year of graduation are:

Dr. E.S. Allen, deceased (AHS 1927)
Bobby Gene Ghere, deceased (AHS 1943)
Russell S. Ghere, deceased (AHS 1943)
James Edward "Ed" Fidler (AHS 1951)
Larry Bushu (AHS 1955)
Dean Sanders (AHS 1956)
Patrick Monahan (AHS 1958)
Terry Miller (AHS 1964)

Highlights from the Banquet

2013 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

Eleven Arcola High School graduates, spanning seven decades, received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the association's alumni banquet at the Kaskaskia Country Club on Saturday, April 13, 2013 . To view a brief biography on each Distinguished Alumnus, click on his/her name. The 2013 charter class of Arcola High School Distinguished Alumni and their year of graduation are:

Robert N. Arrol, M.D. (AHS 1957)
Thomas Blagg, deceased (AHS 1938)
Byron Bradford (AHS 1956)
Robert C. Coombe, deceased (AHS 1933)
DeLane “Dee” Lindenmeyer, deceased (AHS 1956)
Nancie King Mertz (AHS 1970)
Carol Pullen (AHS 1949)
Robert “Popeye” Pullen, deceased (AHS 1938)
Modesta Scott, deceased (AHS 1919)
Eunice Collins Sourla, deceased (AHS 1927)
John Philip “Phil” Wesch, deceased (AHS 1947)

Highlights from the Banquet

Questions/Comments to arcolaalumni@yahoo.com
Last Revision October 25, 2023