Lancaster City Schools inducts five into its Hall of Fame

LANCASTER -- Five Lancaster High School alumni were recently given the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame during an event that included spending time with students and faculty and receiving applause while standing on the 50-yard line of a home football game.

"At Lancaster City Schools, we refer often to the Portrait of a Graduate model that echoes the values and goals we hope to see in every graduate," said Superintendent Nathan Hale. "Having the honor of welcoming back people who represent those ideals is a privilege."

On Sept. 9, five LHS graduates received accolades and were officially welcomed into the Hall of Fame. Those graduates included Carol (Morley) Israel, Class of 1954; Patricia (Lahrmer) Ross, Class of 1957; Steve Ehrler, Class of 1972; Kathy (Wright) Priest, Class of 1970; and the late Stephen G. Jones, Class of 1966.

Carol Israel received her B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University. She served as a fierce advocate for people with disabilities throughout her career. She chaired the White House Conference for Handicapped in Arizona and was appointed by Arizona Governor Raul Castro as chair for the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council. Carol wrote the legislation that became law for Arizona special education and established Raising Special Kids as a grass-roots effort of families, professionals, and community leaders determined to provide support, information, training, and hope for parents of children with disabilities.

Patricia Ross was a pioneer for women in broadcast journalism. She was the first female voice on the first 24-hours-a-day all-news station, WINS, in New York City in 1966. Patricia paved the way for and mentored many women who would create careers in radio and television in the 1970s. Her daily reports on consumer awareness were at the forefront of a revived nationwide movement in consumer protection in the 1970s. From the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, Pat broadcasted news reports from London, England and Brussels, Belgium, for ABC Radio News (American Broadcasting Co.).

Kathy Priest began her love of horsemanship as a 4-H participant. Professionally, she has developed and trained many horses to the top level in dressage, winning national championships and competing in Europe. Kathy now coaches at the National and International Championships, including two Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016 and Tokyo, Japan, in 2020. In addition, she participated in the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada; Lima, Peru; and the 2023 Central American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. When not traveling and coaching, Kathy operates her family’s 400-acre Woodspring Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Steve Ehrler served the country with an understated yet impactful demeanor. In 1976, he was commissioned as a U.S. Naval officer and served aboard a nuclear fast submarine. He then spent 25 years as an executive with the Department of the Navy, managing and overseeing large research and production projects, including communications satellites and cryptologic systems. Through his own initiative and leadership, Steve saved the Department over $100M through radical cost-reduction measures and rescued a $750M program from eminent failure. Steve served as Technical Director for the $6.9B Navy-Marine Corp Intranet – the largest internal computer network in the world - for which he was personally recognized by the Secretary of the Navy with a Special Act Award in 2000.

Stephen Jones was a Professor Emeritus of Music at Western Michigan University, where he taught for 42 years and served as a member of the Western Brass Quintet. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from The Ohio State University, a Master of Music degree from Wichita State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. In 2006 the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) awarded Jones its Award of Merit. Jones held positions in the Wichita Brass Quintet, the Wichita Symphony and the Kalamazoo Symphony. He performed all over the world as a soloist and his book, Hymn Descants for Trumpet, was published by Augsburg Fortress in 2016.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Five Lancaster High School graduates inducted into Hall of Fame