Alumni/HOF
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Hall of Fame
One of Saint Xavier/Ottawa Catholic/Marquette High School/Marquette Academy’s most treasured honors is to be rewarded as an individual who has been recognized for outstanding professional or personal achievement or for contributions to furthering the mission of this institution. Each year, the selection committee will choose alumni or friends who achieve distinction through career achievement, community or school involvement or unique contributions to society.
The Marquette Hall of Fame preserves the significant legacies of these individuals in an exhibit which provides a brief biographical profile of the individual. It shares the past in order to inspire and inform the future.
Nominations are now being accepted for 2026. Please send your nomination with a short testimonial/bio to Brooke Rick, Principal at : 1000 Paul Street, Ottawa, IL 61350, E-Mail: brick@marquetteacademy.net, or call 815-433-0125 ext. 1018. Nominations are due by February 27, 2025.
Selection Criteria:
Candidates for induction into The Marquette Hall of Fame are selected from nominations submitted by people within the Marquette community. The committee screens nominations and inductees are announced in the spring of each year.
Individuals elected to The Marquette Hall of Fame represent accomplishments in a wide variety of endeavors. They have distinguished themselves in the media, the military, elected public office, entertainment, medicine, scientific research, entrepreneurship, business and many other professions. They have shown themselves to be outstanding contributors to society and their respective communities, as well as being representative of the efforts of the mission of Marquette.
Each year, before the induction ceremony, inductees are presented to Marquette students at a school function. Our intention here is to demonstrate to current students that a Marquette education or affiliation combined with appropriate individual effort can produce success in life. The Marquette Hall of Fame inductees continue to make many contributions to our school long after the induction process is over. Hopefully, by example, they will inspire future Marquette alumni and friends to distinguish themselves.
This year’s Marquette Hall of Fame inductees are listed below and will be honored at the Marquette Academy High School Graduation Ceremony held on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Jeff Newbury (’79) – Lifetime Marquette Supporter and Educator
Mary Meinz Fanning (’65) – Influential Local Artist
Debra (DeThorne) Moritz (’81) – Woman of Influence Honoree
Alumni HOF Bio
Mary Meinz Fanning, Marquette High School ’65,
Seneca St. Patrick’s Grade School ’61,
Marquette Hall of Fame Inductee 2026 - Influential Local Artist
Over the last few years, I have learned much about local artist Mary Meinz Fanning’s life, work, and legacy through working with her sister Kathryn Fanning Gibbs.
Mary’s parents, John & Evelyn Fanning believed in a faith-filled Catholic education and community environment for their five children. Mary’s children, Kurt and Evelyn Meinz attended St. Columba and Marquette High School. Mary passed away in 1995.
Kathryn’s immaculate preservation of her sister’s works and the history of them, in particular Mary’s sculptures in Allen Park, has allowed me to become more acquainted with a woman whose creative vision brought a community together.
Mary Fanning was a true artist her whole life, creating beautiful works in many forms including painting, photography, sculpting, and metal work. Perhaps the greatest expression of her artistic talents came in 1983 with the completion of her two towering sculptures, “Bending” and “Reclining” which still reside in Allen Park today. Built from pieces of the old Hilliard Bridge that had recently been demolished to make way for the new Veteran’s Bridge, the sculptures were a product solely from the ingenuity and determination of Mary. She selected bridge pieces, calculated the measurements, planned the location, raised the funds needed, welded the sculptures, and painted them with the bold red and yellow colors that are just as eye-catching today as they were all those years ago.
What an exemplary model Mary is to younger people as a woman who was able to excel in so many areas such as engineering, mathematics, art, and history. Another admirable quality of Mary is her motive behind building these great works of art. Her goal was to create something that the whole community could enjoy for years to come. She wanted her art to draw people together to acknowledge a piece of their town’s past and enjoy in the sense of community that existed at the park close to where the Fox River joins the Illinois River. The building of these sculptures is a product of many people, businesses, volunteers, and organizations bonding together by donating their time and resources to make these works of art possible, all under the guidance of Mary.
Mary’s two art sculptures in Allen Park were dedicated in 2011 by the City of Ottawa. Each sculpture is registered with the Smithsonian Institute of Art in Washington, D C.
To this day, Mary’s art gathers people together and inspires feelings of unity and pride in their community. I, along with many others, regard Mary as a person of great intelligence, artistry, and heart who left behind works of art that will continue to inspire generations to come.
Thank you.
Madelyn (Thompson) McCallum
Marquette Academy Class of ‘16
Pictures:
View of letterhead
Mary painting Red “Bending”
Kurt & Evelyn in newspaper at Dedication 2011
NAME / ACCOMPLISHMENT / CLASS OF
Sister June Anselme / Servant to Elderly and Poor / 1955
Sister Judith Aubry / Educator/Pastoral Minister / 1962
Ray Battistell / Volunteer/Community Activist / Friend of Marquette
Bro. Raymond Berta, FSC, Ph.D. / Professor / 1958
Joanne Bogdon (Jankowski) / Cardiac Nurse/Transplant Manager / 1974
Peg Breslin (McDonnell) / Lawyer/Legislator/Judge / 1964
Col. Phyllis Butzen / Decorated Soldier / 1972
Thomas J. Corcoran / U.S. Congressman 1977-1985 / 1957
Dr. Jerome M. Corcoran / EdDPresident-IVCC, Educator / 1970
Elizabeth Cordial / Office Manager/Benefactor / 1928
Dorothy M. Crawford / Educator / 1921
Denis M. Crowley / MHS Board President 1972-81/Benefactor/Volunteer / 1954
Jennifer (Anderson) Czech / Business Woman / Advocate / Philanthropist / 1979
Father Jeremy Dixon / Vincentian Priest/Pastor / 1992
Col. Robert L. Doherty, Esq. CPA / Soldier/Dipolmat/Scholar / 1955
Eugene Donohue/Agricultural Engineer/1950
Glen 'Joe' Dougherty / Civil Servant/Volunteer / 1952
Dr. Michael Driscoll Ph.D. / Chemical Engineer/Lay Minister/Deacon / Friend
Norbert Dudek / Entrepreneur/Benefactor/Lifeline Pilot / 1950
Robert Durdan / Electrician/Volunteer / 1963
Barack Echols/Attorney/Author/Political Scientist/1985
Charlene Eike (Wisniewski) / Educator / 1957
Anne Ewers / Patron of the Performing Arts / Kimmel Center, PA - CEO / 1970
William E. Farrell. /. Lt. Colonel-USAF Intelligence Soldier / Class of 1977
Tom Flanagan Ph.D. / Author/Educator/Historian / 1961
Cal Flavel / MHS Teacher 1964-1999/Volunteer / Friend
Thomas J. Ganiere / Lawyer / Civil Servant / Appraiser / 1979
Candace Gaudet (Crowley) / Volunteer for Depressed and Underpriviledged / 1964
Bob Guyette / Physician/Surgeon/Author / 1971
Robert A. Hagglund / Mathematical Engineer/MRI Scanner Design / 1950
Jerry L. Halterman / Photographer / 1964
Joseph P. Hettel / State's Attorney/Judge / 1985
Sister Angele Hinkey (Judy) D.C. Educator / 1955
Michael J. Hughes ChFC, CLU / Financial Advisor/Volunteer / 1960
David W. Johnston / Aerospace Engineer-Saturn, Apollo, Skylab, Spacelab, Space Station / 1957
Brian Krostenko / Educator/Poff of Classics-Univ. of Notre Dame / 1982
Linda R. Malley / Friend / Teacher, Librarian, Counselor / 40 Years at Marquette
Mary Beth Maziarz (Gelbuda) / Songwriter/Performer / 1989
Sister Maureen T. McDonnell O.P. / Director of Campus Minestry / 1961
Gerald E. McGinnis / Inventor/Manufacturer / 1952
James E. McGinnis / Electrical Trades/Volunteer / 1954
Margaret 'Peg' McGrath / Volunteer, School Activist / Friend of Marquette
Robert E. McGrath / Performer-Sesame Street, Mitch Miller/Singer/Songwriter / 1950
Lawrence McGrogan / Businessman/Volunteer / 1956
James G. Messaglia / Principal/Educator / 1957
Chris Miller (Kuhn) / Child Advocate/Volunteer / 1972
Father Walter Miller S.V.D. / Divine World Missionary/Pastor / 1958
Jane Moran / Actress/Lawyer/Lobbyist/Teachher / 1953
Philip A. Ortiz / Optometrist/Founder-I Care International / 1954
Julie Pearson (Donahue) / Nurse Corps Captain, U.S. Navy/Professor / 1975
Kenneth Lee Peddicord Ph.D. P.E. / Nuclear Engineer/Educator/Researcher / 1961
Sister Marie Pillion RSM / Educator / 1933
Sister Nancy Ponzi RSM / Minister/Educator / 1958
Daniel R.Reynolds / Businessman/Volunteer / 1964
James R. Schaibley / Catholic Education Advocate/Volunteer / 1975
F.M. (Mike) Scherer / Industrial Economist/Author / 1950
Fr. Carl J. Schmidt, S.J. / Priest/Missionary / 1956
Sister Martina Schomas, RSM / Educator / 1918
Emmett J.Slingsby Ph.D. / Ass't. Superintendant/Ill. Board of Education / 1956
Heinz Dietrich Suppan/Teacher/Author/Historian/Friend
Andrew Varney M.D. / SIU Program Director/Medical Dept. Director / 1979
Linda Thomas Wallace / Educator, Children's Advocate Entrepreneur / Class of 1973
William J. Walsh / Businessman / 1957
Sister M. Claire Whalen O.S.F. / Speech Language Therapist / 1941
Colleen Wyse (Ruder) / Magazine Publisher/Teacher/Artist / 1971