Tag Archives: Hall of Fame

Lee High School teachers, athletes, leaders inducted into Hall of Fame during Feb. 18 ceremony 

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, WKTV Projects, ,
A WKTV produced video of the Lee High School 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony.

By WKTV Staff

The Wyoming Lee High School athletic department added four distinguished staff and alumni students to the school’s Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between basketball games against Byron Center Zion Christian.

The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel, now Legends, athletics as well as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and GLPS superintendent, led at the event.

Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. Landstra was not able to attend in-person.

Two other distinguished Godfrey Lee persons were inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Michigan Site University in the 1950s.

Thomas Wier, teacher, 1980-2020

Thomas Wier served Godfrey-Lee Schools students from 1980-2020 and started at Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980. Here he addresses the crowd at the Lee High School’s 2022 Hall of Fame ceremony. (New district superintendent Dr. Mike Burde is shown behind.) (WKTV)

Having come to Godfrey Elementary as a teacher in 1980, he was a constant force in the lives of his students and a recognized master teacher for 40 years, according to his introduction. He was a regular volunteer in sports programs for more than two decades, was instrumental in developing the science curriculum as he assisted in several county- wide projects to improve elementary science instruction.

In 1992, he was recognized by the Wyoming Jaycees as Teacher of the Year after the selection committee was flooded by letters from parents of former and current fourth grade students — his selection for the prestigious honor was the first time in 12 years the Jaycees had chosen an elementary teacher.

Wier earned his bachelor degree at Grand Valley State University and his masters degree from Michigan State University. 

Bernard Raterink served Lee high and other area students as a teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. (Supplied Historic Photo)

Bernard Raterink, teacher and so much more

Raterink served Lee high and other area students in so many ways: teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and, finally, principal. And he clearly loved the game of football.

Having earned all-state honors as a football running back in high school, he went on to Michigan State University, playing for the Spartans as a member of their 1952 national championship team. He transferred to Central Michigan University where he won additional honors setting the single-season record for touchdowns and selected to the All-America team.

After graduation in 1956, he served as a teacher and coach in Whitehall and Charlotte, then guidance counselor for Grand Rapids Central high before coming to Lee High School in 1967. At Lee, he served as assistant principal and athletic director from 1977-80 before serving as Lee Middle & High School principal until he retired in 1986.

Larry Landstra, Class of 1956

An active student leader at Lee high, he served as a Junior Rotarian, Varsity Club President, and captain of his football team, where he was selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. He was also involved in the school’s Hi-Y Club and on the track and basketball teams.

Larry Landstra (Lee high Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team. (Historic photo)

Having received a scholarship to Ferris Institute, he graduated with a degree in the field of pharmacy, and returned to the Godfrey-Lee community, working for and then purchasing the Greenwold Drug Store, and after five years taking over Pfeffer’s Pharmacy and operating it for the next 15 years.

A humble and compassionate individual, according to his introduction, he lived up to the caption next to his senior picture in the Echo yearbook: “Athlete and wit combined, a nicer guy is hard to find.”

Miss Agnes Noel, teacher, 1892-1932

Having earned her teaching credentials at Western Normal College, she began a long teaching career in several other schools before coming to the Godfrey-Lee district, where she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892.

When teacher Agnes Noel came to the Godfrey-Lee district she first taught in the original one-room Green School in 1892. (Historic Photo)

Growth in students led to the opening of the two-room Godfrey Avenue school in 1894, where she taught the lower grades — “though the school grew to twelve classrooms, she was the one constant during that time impacting the lives of three generations of area children,” according to her introduction.

Remaining at Godfrey-Lee until 1932, she retired following a 40-year career. Upon her retirement, a community-wide celebration was held and because she was such a popular teacher, reservations and complimentary tickets were required to attend. In 1939, she was memorialized in the Lee High School yearbook and returned to Godfrey as the honored guest speaker at the opening of the new school in 1952.

Lee Legends to induct four into Hall of Fame between basketball games Feb. 18

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff

Wyoming Lee High School athletic department will add four distinguished alumni to its school’s athletic department Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between a 5:30 p.m. girls basketball game and a 7 p.m. boys basketball game, both against Byron Center Zion Christian.

The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel and now Legends athletics as well as high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools superintendent, will speak at the event.

Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. (Landstra is not expected to attend in-person.)

Two other distinguished Lee high persons will also be inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Lee and Michigan Site University in the 1950s.

South Christian Golf Coach Posthumously Elected To MIGCA Hall of Fame

Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Sports, Upcoming Events, , , , , ,

CoachVanDykeJust over fifteen months ago, South Christian girls golf coach, Rod VanDyke was killed while riding his bicycle to work as he so often did.

 

This year, even though Coach VanDyke was two years short of the usual criteria to be elected, the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association has announced that the South Christian coach will be posthumously inducted on Friday, May 20, 2016. The induction will take place at Tullymore Golf Resort as part of the MIGCA Hall of Fame and Coach of the Year banquet.

 

This year’s newly elected members will also include Jack Baumgartner from Perry, Tim Bradley from Lapeer West, and Doug McKay from De La Salle Collegiate, bringing the total membership to just one hundred.

 

“Coach Rod was truly a man of God that enjoyed what he did everyday,” said Curt Copeland, South Christian Athletic Director. “He was very dedicated to his family, the school, his students, and his teams, but at the same time was never afraid to enjoy it and laugh at himself. He never took himself too seriously.”

 

In addition to his coaching duties, VanDyke was a teacher at South Christian for twenty-two years.

 

The statistics seem to lend themselves that Coach Dyke, as he was often called by both his own players and opponents alike, was more than qualified to enter into the elite Hall of Fame. The only thing holding him back was the minimum requirement of twenty years, or thirty combined seasons, of coaching boys and girls. He coached the girls teams for eighteen years and also led the boys team for seven seasons.

South Christian girls golf team is headed to their 16th straight State Finals
South Christian’s 2014 Regional Championship Team

 

His teams combined for a match and tournament record of 672 – 119. They secured thirteen conference and fifteen MHSAA Regional Championships. He had either an individual or a team qualify for twenty-four MHSAA State Championship tournaments, including his last team that had to play their Regional tournament the day following his death.

 

“South Christian has a different basis for things than some other places might have,” explained Copeland as he looks back on 2014 and that fateful October day. “We felt we put the people in place to help handle the circumstances with that basis as the emphasis.”

 

The result of South Christian’s foundation, and the people in the program, played a part into the decision to have the girls play the following day. The team ended up winning Regionals and qualified South Christian for their sixteenth consecutive State Finals berth. Coach Dyke’s tradition of excellence has only continued as the team extended the streak to seventeen this last October under the guidance of new coach Ben Cook.

 

VanDyke’s teams finished State Runners-up five times, once with the boys and four times with the girls. The girls won two Division III State Championships in 2007 and 2009.

 

In 2007, on top of a State Championship, VanDyke also brought home honors as Michigan Coach of the Year. He repeated the feat with the boys in 2011. In 2009, Coach Dyke become one of only three coaches to be named as both the girls and boys Coach of the Year in the same year.

 

When asked how Coach Dyke would react to the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Copeland said, “I think that he would probably be a little embarrassed by it all. It wasn’t initially his goal to be in the Hall of Fame. At the same time, he would say that he was honored, but would quickly add that he was blessed with good athletes to work with and that he was fortunate not to mess them up too badly.”

Coach VanDyke coached the girl's team for 18 seasons.
Coach VanDyke coached the girl’s team for 18 seasons.

 

Each of the young men and women that were fortunate enough to play for Coach Dyke over the years have a very special memory or token that they will carry with them not only on the golf course, but through life itself.  Rod is survived by wife Julie and their three daughters Kelsey, Kenzie, and Maddie.

 

The Hall of Fame is something that only the best in that particular area are allowed to be a member of, and the rest of us can only look at, read about, and remember.  In Coach Dyke’s case, when his membership is reflected upon, and since this is for golf, say a quiet “Thank you for the job well done and congratulations Rod.”