Representing the Class of 1960, from left to right, were: front row – Judy Middleton, Carolyn Riley, and Martha Graham Schmitz; and back row – Mike Minter, Gary Burns, Judy Burke, Ginny Vernon, and Paul Tiemeyer.

Representing the Class of 1961, from left to right, were Carroll Vogel, Myrna Schnegelberger Whigham, Don Meyer, and Dick Zach.

Representing the Class of 1970, from left to right, were: front row – Nancy Harmon Smith, Marcha Armstrong, Barbara Fritz, Diana Smith, David Mifflin, and Max Kirk; middle row – Tom Graves, Roy Jacobs, Rick Herron, Larry Lorenz, Chris Lewis, Kathy Spittler, Steve Davis, and John Cox; and back row – Jim Polson, Wayne Shandy, Deana Gilbert, Peggy Guyer, Marion Derrossett, Steve Shineman, and John Webster.

Representing the Class of 1971, from left to right, were: front row – Lynn Bailey Hunter, Linda Thomas Erickson, and Barbara Coit Schooler; and back row – Larry Chapple and Cathy Alloway Herron.

Representing the Class of 1981 were Susan Freeman Brown, left, Sue Anne Schoonover Daugherty, center, and Bernadine Ingram Mendenhall, right.

Representing the Class of 1990, from left to right, were: front row – Shannon Fischer Tharp, Kim Lane Brake, and Heather Culjat Weddle; and back row – Kelley Herron and Ronnie Wedel.

Representing the Class of 2010, from left to right, were: front row – Katie Burke, Dixie Garst Wennihan, Kari Sierks Murphy and Bianca Gutierrez Jones; and back row – Damond Wennihan, Drew Ellison, Jeff Jones, Jacob Shields, and Chase Chamberlain.

Members of the Class of 2020 attending the 2021 Rock Port Alumni Banquet, from left to right, were: front row – Darius Skillen, Ashleigh King, and Fisher Tharp; and back row – Cody Davis and Scarlett Kish.

Representing the Class of 2021, from left to right, were: front row – Tori Jordan, Lauren Kelly, Alexa VanSickle, RyAnne Herron, Harlee Pritt, Joey Herron, and Raegan Sticken; middle row – Mackenzie Lager, Cayden Criger, Rachel Vogler, Alivia Baucom, Makenna Farmer, and Kadyn Dowdy; and back row – Corbin Hale, Jack Raison, Gabe Abbott, Jagger Freemyer, and Johnny Davis.

The Rock Port Alumni Association held its annual banquet Friday, May 14, 2021, in the high school gymnasium, with approximately 200 in attendance.

The 2021 Alumni Committee honored the following individuals: Oldest alumni in attendance: Keith Ottmann, Class of 1959; and Ruth (Moore) Fox, Class of 1947.

Barbara Fritz, Class of 1970, was recognized for traveling the farthest.

Darius Skillen and Fischer Tharp received 2020 Merle and Vera Walter Scholarships, and Gabe Abbott received the 2021 Merle and Vera Walter Scholarship.

The 2020 Alumni Banquet was cancelled due to COVID-19, so honored classes from last year and this year were recognized: 1960, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2011, and the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021.

Three Alumni Achievement Awards were presented.

Ron Hunter received a 2020 Alumni Achievement Award. The presentation was made by his wife, Lynn.

RON HUNTER

Ron Hunter was an Alumni Achievement Award Recipient for 2020. Ron is a 1964 graduate of Rock Port High School. During high school he participated in football, basketball, track, and FFA activities. He served as Student Body President his senior year.

During the summer months prior to graduation, he worked at Rock Port Oil to earn extra money for college expenses. He worked under the supervision of “Uncle” Bob Coit, so those of you who remember this character can only imagine what he taught this young pup!! There were many jobs to do at the station, but a favorite was washing vehicles and making them look brand new again. Many of you can probably remember exactly what they looked like when he was finished. He was, and still is very particular about his vehicles! His 1969 GTO and his dad’s restored 1979 Bonanza pickup are at the top of the list when it comes to shiny and sparkling! He is one tough cookie when it comes to perfection. Working at Rock Port Oil was probably one of the most enjoyable jobs he had in his early adult years.

After graduation he attended Tarkio College for one year, then transferred to Northwest Missouri State at Maryville and continued his studies in Agriculture graduating in 1972. He began working at Atchison-Holt Electric in 1973. Beginning from the ground up working on the brush crew, he then advanced to lineman, and was promoted to the manager position. While he was manager he served on several boards of the electric co-op, making many important decisions that affected the customers of Atchison-Holt. He retired from Atchison-Holt in 2007 after 34 years of service to the rural electric communities. He didn’t let retirement stop him from jumping into another adventure.

He immediately began working at the Rock Port Golf and Country Club mowing the fairways and rough. He volunteered and worked many long hours making the course look beautiful for those who enjoyed the sport. There was pride in his work, and the course always looked top-notch.

Other community organizations and boards include: long-time member of the Rock Port Optimist Club where he has served as secretary for many years, Northwest Electric Board in Cameron, Missouri, Atchison County Development Corporation, Fair Oaks Housing Board, and the Rock Port Board of Adjustment. He is a member and Deacon of the Rock Port Baptist Church, and serves on numerous committees.

He is the father of two sons, Reid and Jay. His daughter-in-law, Halley, is an added bonus to his family, along with two spunky grandsons, Rylan and Ethan.

Mike Minter left, received a 2020 Alumni Achievement Award, presented by Marlene Demott, right.

MIKE MINTER

Mike was born in Maryville, Missouri, and has lived and worked in the Rock Port community his entire life. He participated in football, basketball, and track. During his sophomore year, Mike was chosen to attend Missouri Boys State where he vied for and was elected to office as Speaker of the House. He graduated in 1960. Following his graduation, Mike attended Northwest Missouri State University and Tarkio College. He also attended Dallas Institute Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science, Dallas Texas, receiving his degree and graduating with honors in 1965.

For a brief time, Mike was employed by Mount Moriah Mortuary, Kansas City, Missouri, before returning to Rock Port in March of 1965. He owned and operated Minter Funeral Chapel and purchased Davis Funeral Home, Tarkio, in 1985. Mike was appointed by the Governor as Coroner of Atchison County in 1967 and was elected to that office in 1968. He served Atchison County for 41 years and if needed, Mike still serves as Deputy Coroner. After retiring in 2009, he sold the business to his son, Shawn, and wife, Jodee. Although Mike is retired, he remains available when help is needed.

Mike married Fran Kelly from Tarkio. They have three sons, all Rock Port High School graduates. Shawn Minter and wife, Jodee, Rock Port, have four sons, Mitchell, Corbin, Braden, and Gabriel, all graduates of Rock Port; Mike “Bink” Minter and wife, Julie, Huntington Beach, California, have one son, Jake; and Tim Minter and wife, Rachel (Kingery), Platte City, Missouri, have two sons, Andrew and Alex, and a daughter, Olivia. Rachel was also a Rock Port graduate.

As a young boy, Mike spent much time with his grandparents on their farm north of Rock Port, where he began an early appreciation for farming. In the late 1960s, Mike began his own farming operation, including raising cattle and hogs. For several years, he was employed as an inspector for USDA. Although he has retired, he still remains active in the planning of his farming operation.

As a young businessman, Mike served as a member and president of both the Rock Port Chamber of Commerce and Rock Port Rotary. Mike is a lifelong member of Rock Port United Methodist Church where he has served on many committees, including the planning committee for the construction of both the educational wing and the new sanctuary. In 1967, he was elected to the board of Fair Oaks Senior Citizen Housing and still remains a member, serving as president for the past three years. Mike is a 50-plus year member of Rock Port North Star Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite, St. Joseph, Missouri. He is also a member of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association and served on the Advisory Council for the duration of Tarkio Academy. Mike is the president of both Linden Cemetery and Home Cemetery Association Boards. Mike has served as a board member of Citizens Bank & Trust since 1988 and is part owner.

Keith Ottmann, left, received a 2021 Alumni Achievement Award from Marlene Demott, right.

KEITH OTTMANN

Keith Ottmann graduated from Rock Port High School in 1959, choosing to stay in Rock Port to farm and to raise his three children as Rock Port Blue Jays. Today, three of his seven grandchildren are little Blue Jays.

The halls of Rock Port hold many special memories for Keith.

Among those memories, tumbling down the third-floor stairs on crutches and a full-leg cast with a broken leg from football, as a part of one of Rock Port’s most outstanding teams. He has many lifelong friends he made as a Rock Port Blue Jay.

Keith has always taken great pride in the community of Rock Port and has actively served in many capacities to facilitate progress and economic development for the community.

Keith attended Tarkio College for a year and a half.

He served in the Army Reserves, which enabled him to serve his country while maintaining the family farm.

Having been a member of 4-H as a youth, Keith valued the importance of 4-H for his children and served on the 4-H Livestock Committee.

Keith served for many years as president of the Atchison County Drainage District, operating two large pumps in the southern part of the county to help control flooding from the Missouri River.

For many years, he served on the Atchison County Soil Conservation Service board.

In 1988 Keith was part of a group of local residents to purchase Citizens Bank & Trust, insuring the bank would remain locally owned and operated, and served on the Board of Directors.

Keith was raised as a member of First Lutheran Church and served terms as an active councilman.

Of all the boards he was a part of, Rock Port Telephone Company has been his pride and joy. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 1981. Keith realized the importance of rural telecommunications being progressive, innovative and competitive while remaining locally owned and providing employment for our community.

He was an instrumental part of creating NorthwestCell and Midwest Data Center. In addition to serving on the local Board of Directors, Keith was elected to national telecommunications committees, enabling him to represent rural telecommunications in Washington, D.C. It was through these connections, Keith became acquainted with Boyd Spiker and Raymond Henagan, both highly qualified and managing large telecom companies. The relationship and trust cultivated by Rock Port Telephone Company Directors brought these outstanding managers to Rock Port Telephone Company, making it the successful progressive company it is today. The number of employees of Rock Port Telephone Company, which includes Midwest Data Center, has grown from six in 1981 to 63 today.

Seeing his efforts in this community continue to thrive has been his greatest reward.