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 JACK McKENNA (Jack Maltby) [1940]: Jack was born on August 13, 1922 and became a long time local Television and Radio personality. Jack was the weather guy on WDSM/KBJR Channel 6 for many years. Mr. McKenna also worked for WDIO-TV in the 1970's and worked for WDSM-AM Radio in 1945. Some other stations Jack worked for include: WEBC-AM Duluth, WLOL Radio Minneapolis, KOA-TV Denver, KRON-TV San Francisco, WTCN-TV Minneapolis, and KGUN Tucson. Jack was a meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Jack hosted a high rated national kids TV program called Captain Q from 1956 to 1962. In the 1960's Jack played "Professor Fantastic" on WDIO-TV's Late Night Horror Show. McKenna also hosted a childrens program called Sergent Scotty. In 1977, Jack was voted as the most popular local TV personality. Jack hosts an old-time radio show on KUWS 91.3 FM  ELI J. MILETICH [1953]: Served as chief of the Duluth Police Department from 1982 to 1992. Eli also served on the on the Duluth School Board. In 1986, Chief Miletich was issued a ticket by one of his own officers. Eli failed to yield his squad car, causing an accident which destroyed the car. In 1991 Eli ran for State Senate. He lost to the late Senator Sam Solon. Miletich went on a UN peacekeeping mission to Bosnia in 1998. Eli is the author of the book: The Matchbook and Other Cop Stories. ALAN MITCHELL [1963]: Served 28 years as the St. Louis County Attorney. In 2006, Mitchell lost his eighth run for office by only 88 votes. When Alan was 17 years old, he was arrested for felony theft of a corvette.  JOHN "Jack" W. MOON [1946]: Jack was Duluth lawyer and a real estate investor who left millions of dollars to Denfeld. After Moon passed away on May 4, 2001, the Jack Moon Scholarship Foundation was formed to give scholarships to Denfeld graduates. As of 2006, the fund was worth $4,500,000. Jack was a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  ALBERT G. MORRISON (Blacketter) [Attended]: Al made headlines after being murdered behind the YMCA in Downtown Duluth on July 15, 2009. Isaac L. Johnson and Antonio S. Lewis were charged with robbery and homicide after beating Morrison. This was the second time that Al had been severely beaten in his life. About fifteen years earlier, he was nearly killed after being beaten while on his way to his mother's home in Downtown Duluth. Al played basketball and football for Denfeld. He also attended Washington J.H. and Grant Elementary in Duluth and was childhood friends with Duluth Mayor Don Ness. Morrison was 35 years old.  MARK MUNGER [1973]: A District Court Judge, former civil trial lawyer, and former Proctor city attorney. Mark is the author several books including the novel The Legacy, Ordinary Lives, River Stories, and most recently a book called Pigs. Mark has also had a number of short stories published and writes a column for the Hermantown Star newspaper.  HENRIETTA MUSIC (Myrna Johnson) [1958]: Henrietta is an independent writer who married famous Duluth Central grad, Lorenzo Music. Lorenzo's voice can be heard in dozens of movies. Lorenzo was also the voice of Garfield the cat, Carlton the doorman on the TV show Rhoda, and Larry the crash test dummy in the famous "Buckel Up" public service ads. Henrietta co-stared with Lorenzo in a comedy act and in The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show, a national syndicated variety TV program. Henrietta and Lorenzo both wrote the theme song for The Bob Newhart Show. In August of 1966, Henrietta appeared on NBC's quiz show You Don't Say. Lorenzo died in 2001. Henrietta lives in Los Angeles, California.  MARK MYLES [1961]: Former Superintendent of Duluth Public Schools. Mr. Myles has also served as principal of several Duluth schools, as manager of The Hartley Trust, and as a member of Governor Pawlenty's School Finance Task Force. When Mark was 15 years old he had the job of driving a hearse!  DONALD D. O'BRIEN [1975]: Sadly, Donald was murdered on June 9, 2006 in Duluth's Gary neighborhood while being robbed. Witnesses said that they seen two males severely beating Mr. O'Brien and continued to kick him in the head even after he had fallen to the ground. Two young males were arrested for the murder. Seventeen year old Jordan Michael Metoxen from Duluth and Eighteen year old Sequoyah James Bosto from Cloquet were charged with homicide. O'Brien served in the U.S. Air Force and worked at as a nurse at the Chris Jensen Nursing Home.  KEVIN R. ODBERG [1995]: While attending Winona State University, Kevin was selected to participate in the International Broadcasting Seminar in London and to work as an intern at CNN International, the BBC, and the Voice of America radio headquarters in Washington, DC. In 2004, Odberg was selected to take part in the national television show Natural Golf Makeover Challenge on The Golf Channel. Kevin works as a marketing representative for a law firm in Hartford, Connecticut.  DOROTHY OLSON (Stage name Dorothy Arnold) [1935]: Became a movie star with rolls in The Phantom Creeps (1939 & 1949), The Storm (1938), House of Fear (1939), Pirates of the Skies (1939), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939), Code of the Streets (1939), The Family Next Door (1939), Unexpected Father (1939), Exposed (1938), Secrets of a Nurse (1938), Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937) and Lizzie (1957). She was married to baseball legend Joe Di Maggio for a number of years. Over 20,000 people went to her wedding! Joe and Dorothy are the parents of Joe Di Maggio Jr. Later, Dorothy owned & operated the successful Charcoal Charley's supper club in Palm Springs. Dorothy died on November 13, 1984.  DICK PALMER [1948]: The son of Herb Palmer, Dick served as a Proctor City Councilor and as a Minnesota State Senator. Palmer ran for Senate as an Independent. At that time there was an even split between Democrats & Republicans, so Dick was the deciding vote on many issues. He often sided with the Republican Party which angered the Democrats. The DFL Party sued in an attempt to have Indepentent Palmer removed. This suit worked it's way up to the Minnesota Supreme Court where Palmer won. This incident made headlines in newspapers across the country. Even Time Magazine published an article with the headline: Palmer's Pumpkin. The article featured a picture of Palmer riding on a snowmobile near Pike Lake. Later, Dick served as the Publisher and Editor of the Duluth Budgeteer. In 1976, Dick was the chairman of the Denfeld All-Class Reunion that drew about 13,000 former Denfeld alumni and staff.  HERB F. PALMER [1925]: Founded the Duluth Budgeteer in 1931 and continued to write for it untill his death at age 95. Herb had a popular column in the Budgeteer called Nuggets in the News. This column was often used as a source and mentioned by Paul Harvey on his national radio program. Herb died on January 15, 2002.  PHILIP V. PALMQUIST [1932]: Philip was born on January 24, 1914 in Duluth and graduated valedictorian from Denfeld in 1932. Palmquist recieved his Chemical Engineering Degree from the University of Minnesota and went on to work at 3M for 43 years. Philip invented Scotchlite which is the reflective material used in street signs around the world. Palmquist won Academy Awards (Oscars) in 1968 and 1972 for outstanding technical achievements in motion pictures. One Oscar was for creating the Nextel simulated blood for motion pictures. Philip died on December 3, 2002.  TIM PAVLICH (Tim Michaels) [1965]: Tim Pavlich goes by the name of "Tim Michaels" while on the air. Michaels has been a well-known local radio personality for four decades. He has worked for such stations as KTCO, KXTP, KUSZ, and WAVC. In 1996, Tim filed a lawsuit against WAVC claiming that he was wrongfully let go by the station because of his age.  RICHARD B. PEARSON [1951]: Dick Pearson served as Superintendent of Duluth Public Schools from 1972 to 1986. Pearson had also served as an Assistant Superindent of Duluth Schools and as the Principal of Laura MacArthur Elementary. From 1956 to 1958, Richard served in the U.S. Army as a specialist in a counter intelligence unit. Richard died on May 12, 2006.  KAY MARIE PETERSON (Sisto) [1978]: Sadley, Kay made headlines across Minnesota after her husband Michael, murdered Kay in their home near Morgan Park in May of 2010. Michael then fatally shot himself. Kay graduated from Denfeld in 1978 and worked in the medical field for many years. The couple leaves behind three children.  WILLIAM R. PODGORSEK [1947]: Former mayor of Campbell, California. Bill served as either mayor or as a city councilor of Campbell for most of the 1970's and 1980's. Bill died on May 2, 1994.  JACK A. PUGLISI [1960]: After being a football star at Denfeld and the Superior State University, Jack signed to play with the Miami Dolphins in 1965. "Jarring Jack" is the owner of Puglisi Gun Imporium in Gary. In March 2007, Jack paid $287,500 for "the Czar's Gun" which was a 1914 shotgun made for Czar Nicholas II of Russia. Forbes Magazine reported the story of the gun purchase which is believed to be the most expensive gun ever purchased at auction. Puglisi sold the famous gun later that year.  GEORGE RAPP [19]:  DUANE A. RAPPANA [1941]: Duane was elected to the Duluth City Council in 1959 and was elected council president in 1962. Duane also was elected to three terms with the Minnesota State House of Representitives and served as chairman of the Iron Range Resources & Rehibilitation Commission. He was part owner of the Duluth Laundry Company and served as a director of both Duluth National Bank and First Bank. He was also a 32nd degree Mason Rappana was a co-pilot with Alan B. Shepard during the Korean War. Later Shepard became an astronaut and the first American to go into space. Duane passed away on December 1, 2006.  PHILIP D. ROLLE [1972]: Rolle began working for Norwest Bank in Duluth in 1977 and worked his way up to bank president. After Norwest changed into Wells Fargo, Philip became the regional vice president. Philip also serves as board president of the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. In 2001, Rolle was named as the Duluth Chamber of Commerce "Business Person of the Year". Rolle graduated from UMD in 1977.  JACK F. ROWE [1945]: Former corporate Vice President, President, and CEO of Minnesota Power and Light Company. Jack was very influential in the success that the company gained through the 1970's and 1980's. After Jack retired in 1989, Minnesota Power named it's systems control building the Jack F. Rowe Energy Control Center. Former Minnesota Governor Rudy Purpich declared May 26 to be Jack F. Rowe day in Minnesota. Jack died on April 8, 2004.  RICHARD LEE RUBIN [1996]: Rubin became Denfeld's most famous criminal. Richard made national headlines after robbing the same bank twice in the same week and then again made national headlines for making death threats to President George W. Bush. Here are the storys: USA TODAY: When Richard Lee Rubin, 18, allegedly robbed a downtown bank in Duluth, Minn., on May 8, he didn't wait too long to try to spend some of his take. After the robbery, he stopped by the offices of the Duluth-Superior Dukes of the independent Northern League. "He walked in and picked out a jersey and a hat and set them on the counter, and said 'I hope I have enough to pay for it,' " said Dukes clerk Janette Smestab. "He reached down in his backpack and handed me a $100 bill." Smestab added that she could see a wad of cash in the backpack. Minutes later, Rubin was arrested not far from the Dukes' offices. The suspect already was on supervised release for an earlier robbery of the same bank. (USA TODAY 06-06-96) BIG-SPENDER BANK ROBBER HIRES A LIMO TO BEMIDJI ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS: The fare for the limousine ride was $170, the tip was $120 and the passenger was a Duluth Denfield High School student who had just robbed a bank. At least that's what a federal indictment released Tuesday in Minneapolis says. Richard Lee Rubin, according to the indictment, walked into First Bank-Duluth on March 12, told a teller to "give me all your money" and, when she asked what that meant, he responded, "I'm robbing you". (St. Paul Pioneer Press April 3, 1996) JAIL INMATE CHARGED WITH BUSH THREATS ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS: A federal grand jury Tuesday indicted a Sherburne County jail inmate on charges of threatening President Bush after sending letters saying he would kill him. Richard Lee Rubin, 25, faces two counts of threatening the president. Rubin has been held since March 3 at the Sherburne County jail for bank robbery and probation violations, according to jail records. He remains in custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. (St. Paul Pioneer Press 4-16-03) In 1996, Rubin told the Duluth News-Tribune: "I want people in Duluth to realize I'm not a bad person...That wasn't the kind of attention I wanted...I've always wanted positive attention. I've done something wrong, but they've turned me into a movie star or something."  |