Alumni

Harry Clem graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1964. Mr. Clem received his Bachelor’s Degree and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois. He was a practicing attorney until 1979 when he became an Associate Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Champaign County. In 1995 Mr. Clem became a Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Mr. Clem has served in a number of professional and community
organizations throughout his life.

Joe Koger graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1955. While in HS Joe participated in track, baseball, basketball and was the salutatorian of his class. Joe earned his bachelor’s degree from Millikin University and was one of the top all time athletes at Millikin later being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Joe worked or General Motors from 1959 until 1988 when he retired as an executive. He also managed many youth league organizations. Joe has and continues to serve his community by volunteering for a variety of organizations.

Elane Stock graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1982. While at WLHS Elane participated in National Honor Society, Scholastic Bowl, Junior Achievement, band, chorus, letterman’s club and was valedictorian of her class. Elane received her bachelor’s degree from University of Illinois and her MBA from Victoria University. Elane has served in a variety of executive positions and is currently President of Kimberly-Clark Professional. Elane was recognized in 2014 as a CEO who “Get’s It” by the National Safety Council.

Alfred Purcell graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1959. “Al” worked as a corporate executive, gentleman farmer, and has worked as a community advocate and board member. After graduating high school Al enlisted in the United States Navy. His training as a Sonarman from the Navy afforded him great opportunities during his transition to civilian life, when he accepted a service technician role with Xerox Corporation. Al soon became an executive and lead Xerox to receive the Malcolm Bridge National Quality Award. When Al moved to St. Joseph, Missouri he continued to thrive. Helping with Heartland Medical Center lead to yet another Malcom Bridge National Quality Award. After retiring from Xerox in 2004, he finally had the chance to work even more in the community. He is a proud husband, father , grandfather, and importantly a friend.

Richard D. Howe was a 1957 graduate of Warrensburg-Latham High School. He went to Appalachian State University in North Carolina on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. Richard studied History and Higher Education to receive his M.A. degree. Richard taught History and Geography at Brevard College and at Warren Wilson College, both in North Carolina. Richard had success as the head basketball coach before resigning to accept a full scholarship to UCLA as a Kellogg Fellow. While at UCLA, 1967-73, he was a doctoral student. Richard earned his Ph.D degree in History and Higher Education receiving honors in both his course work and his dissertation defense. In the fall of 1973, he returned to Appalachian State University as Assistant to the Chancellor. Richard served as Director of University Compliance Programs from 1979-2007. Richard went on to teach at Reich College of Education. He was involved in writing or editing over 150 books and national research studies, has published over 1500 articles and given several hundred speeches in the USA and abroad. Outside of his professional life, Richard served on the Board of Trustees of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, served as president of the Rotary Club as well as district governor. Richard was honored by his college Alma Mater in 1985 with induction into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame and in 1988 as a Distinguished Alumnus.

Linda Janvrin Putback-Bean graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1964. After graduating from Eureka College, where she was honored in 2006-07 with the Award of Merit, she worked in occupational therapy at a Peoria hospital before moving to Houston, Texas. Linda went on to create a new system of prosthetics, making U.S. history. Linda became acknowledged as the premier pediatric specialist in upper extremity prosthetics. When her boss retired, she went to work at the Lanier Prosthetics Company in Houston. There she and Mr. Lanier designed the first flexible wrist joint used on a child’s myoelectric prosthesis which doubled the usefulness of the prostheses that were fitted to small children. Linda moved on to a nationally recognized company, Hanger. She did speaking engagements at national conferences offering insight into her techniques and her unique experiences. Linda started her own company, Pediatric Prosthetics Inc where she served as President and CEO to twenty eight affiliate offices coast to coast.

Carl Johner was a 1951 graduate of Warrensburg-Latham High School. Carl went on to study and earn degrees from Millikin University and the University of Illinois. Carl then served as a General Medical Officer in the U.S. Army and later as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Corps. Dr. Carl H. Johner was trained as a skilled and competent Head and Neck Surgeon who was highly esteemed by all his professional associates. He was very involved in research of head and neck cancer and was awarded the Norval Pierce Award by the Chicago Laryngological and Otological Society. Carl gave his time and knowledge as a physician and instructor aboard the Project Hope ship offshore to Cartagena, Colombia. His expertise and contribution to the area of cancer of the head and neck was cut short by his death in March of 1974.

Steve Mason graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1993. Steve and three friends formed the Christian Music band Jars of Clay while students at Greenville College (IL) in the early 1990s. In 1994, the band submitted a demo to a talent competition and were selected as finalists. They won the contest held in Nashville, Tennessee. Soon after this, the group left  Greenville and moved to Nashville to begin recording. Jars of Clay's album, Much Afraid released in 1997, earned the band a Grammy for the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. Their third and fourth albums followed suit in 1999 and 2002 each earning a Grammy Award. The band has been nominated and has won several awards including prestigious Grammy Awards and several of the Christian music awards known as the GMA Dove awards. In June 2009, Jars of Clay was named as one of Peace by Peace.com’s first peace heroes.

Margie Wright graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1970. Margie’s experience of playing competitive team sports at Warrensburg-Latham provided Margie an opportunity to play basketball and softball at Illinois State University. After graduating from ISU in 1974, Margie began her coaching career at the high school and collegiate levels. During the summers she pitched for the St. Louis Hummers, a women's professional fastpitch softball team. Some of Margie’s career accomplishments include Outstanding College Athlete of America in 1974; Women's Professional Softball Association's Rookie of the Year (1977); inducted into Illinois State University's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979; inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2000, inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of fame in 2001; and inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. Margie was an assistant coach on the U.S. women’s softball team that won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and she was the head coach of the U.S. Women’s National team that won a gold medal at the 1998 International Softball Federation Women’s World Championship. Margie coached softball for 27 years at California State University, Fresno, where they renamed the softball stadium the Margie Wright Diamond.

Rob O’Dell graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1956. After graduating from high school, Rob joined the Army and served in President John F. Kennedy’s Honor Guard. Serving in the Honor Guard provided Rob with time to draw and enter art shows. He later studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago where he received his formal training and was introduced to watercolor. Rob had a Commercial Art career in Chicago for 5 years that included the Sears catalog layout before moving to a farm in Indiana to be surrounded by his subject matter. There he created many watercolors including scenes of weathered barns and country landscapes for which he became well known. O’Dell’s paintings remain popular because of the realistic images of nature and simplicity.

Rob O’Dell graduated from Warrensburg-Latham High School in 1956. After graduating from high school,
Rob joined the Army and served in President John F. Kennedy’s Honor Guard. Serving in the Honor Guard
provided Rob with time to draw and enter art shows. He later studied at the American Academy of Art in
Chicago where he received his formal training and was introduced to watercolor. Rob had a Commercial Art
career in Chicago for 5 years that included the Sears catalog layout before moving to a farm in Indiana to be
surrounded by his subject matter. There he created many watercolors including scenes of weathered barns and country landscapes for which he became well known. O’Dell’s paintings remain popular because of the realistic images of nature and simplicity.