Charles Parker (’73) presented Fred Bridgewater (’73) with the 2025 Tarkio College Athletic Hall of Fame for Track. Charles also accepted the Tarkio College Athletic Hall of Fame Award for Basketball that was given to the late Jim “Crop” Martin, a 1974 graduate of TC who was later signed by the NBA team the Kings.
Wayne Davidson, former longtime resident of Tarkio and coach for Tarkio College, is pictured along with Skip Shear, Tarkio College basketball coach from 1973 to 1977. He was coach of the 1973-74 basketball team that was inducted into the Tarkio College Athletic Hall of Fame. (Submitted photos)
Mark Dalbey was presented with a Tarkio College Athletic Hall of Fame Award for Men’s Basketball.
Robert Giannetti received the Tarkio College Outstanding Faculty Award. He was Associate Professor of Literature and Drama at Tarkio College from 1969 to 1973.
The oldest alumnus present at Tarkio College 2025 Home-coming was 98-year-old Willie Mier (’50) from St. Joseph, Missouri.
Jim Martin and Wayne Gelston, both 1971 Tarkio College graduates, visit in the library during TC Homecoming Weekend.
Tarkio College Alumni Association (TCAA) President Joe Farley, formerly of Tarkio, and the TCAA Board of Directors welcomed a large crowd back to the campus September 19-21, 2025, for the annual Tarkio College Homecoming Celebration.
The weekend began with golf on Friday afternoon, followed by a meet and greet on Friday evening at the Tarkio Golf Club clubhouse. Mike Needleman (’73) entertained everyone in attendance with music and song. A luncheon was held on Saturday, followed by a poetry presentation by former professor Robert Giannetti. The afternoon included the meeting of the corporation. Presentations of the many awards followed, including: Outstanding Alumnus Awards – C. Thomas Carson (’75) and Raymond Baltes (’85); Outstanding Faculty – Robert Giannetti; Outstanding Arts Award – Rebecca Stevenson (’91); and Athletic Hall of Fame – 1973-74 Men’s Basketball Team and Coach Skip Shear, Fred Bridgewater (’73), and Larry Manz (’77). The evening concluded with a record crowd for dinner. The Sunday highlight was Hall of Famer and former Tarkio resident Mark Dalbey (’74) preaching at Tarkio Presbyterian Church. He was joined by the always beautiful Presbyterian choir.
The Board of Directors was especially pleased to welcome back one of its oldest alums, Willie Mier (’50), age 98. Former TC president Robert Hughes (’71) was also in attendence.
