Yorktown High School Hall of Fame
Inducted Spring 2004
(click on the Inductee's name to see their plaque)
David Brown
1956-2003
Space Shuttle Astronaut Killed in the Line of Duty
YHS Class of 1974
A medical doctor and pilot dedicated to exploring space; trained as a Navy flight surgeon in Pensacola, Fl., later became Navy Flight Surgeon of the Year; graduated top in his class in Navy jet training in 1988 and received rank of captain; served in Adak, Alaska, and Miramar, Calif., on the Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier, Whidbey Island, Naval Strike Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada, and in Patuxent, Md.; received doctorate in medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School 1982; B.S. in biology from William and Mary 1978; a gymnast in high school and college; among seven astronauts killed on Feb. 1, 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on reentry to Earth’s atmosphere. A YHS flag was aboard.
David Charlebois
1962-2001
First Officer, American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001
YHS Class of 1980
An accomplished pilot who gave his life on an historic day; flew as a commercial airline pilot for 10 years with American Airlines, previously for US Airways and as a corporate pilot; born in Morocco, grew up in Paris and Arlington; attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.; died at the hands of terrorists during attack on plane that crashed into the Pentagon.
Emily Couric
1947-2001
State Senator, Journalist, Author
YHS Class of 1965
A rising state leader cut short in her prime; in 1995 elected to Virginia State Senate, re-elected in 1999; legislative focus on heath care and education won honors from advocacy organizations; in 2000 became general chair of Virginia Democratic Party; reported on legal profession for specialized publications; wrote three books and edited another on lawyers; served on Charlottesville, Va., school board; two years as high school science teacher; in 1969 graduated magna cum laude from Smith College, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa; died of pancreatic cancer in her Charlottesville home Oct.18, 2001.
Katie Couric
1957-
“Today Show” Anchor
YHS Class of 1975
Respected as one of the country’s top television news personalities; joined “The Today Show” in 1991; winner of six Emmy Awards; in 2001 honored with George Foster Peabody award for series “Confronting Colon Cancer,” which persuaded thousands of Americans to obtain colonoscopies; in 1999 helped found National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance; previously worked as news reporter for WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., ABC News, CNN, and WTVJ in Miami, Fla; in 1979 graduated with honors from University of Virginia.
Tom Dolan
1975 -
Olympic Gold Medalist
YHS Class of 1993
World-famous competitive swimmer who overcame asthma; in 2000, won a gold and a silver medal at Olympic Games; in 1996 won gold medal at Olympic Games; never lost a race at the U.S. Olympic Trials; won gold medals at the World Championships in 1998 and 1994; won 14 United States National Titles; world record-holder in 400 meter individual medley; spent three years at University of Michigan (Class of '98), where he won numerous NCAA championships and was named an All-American; professional swimmer and motivational speaker.
Fourteen Friends
Authors
Eldercare Advocates
YHS Class of 1962
Group of women from Yorktown's first class wrote "Fourteen Friends' Guide to Eldercaring," widely praised 1999 book giving educational aid to families of elderly patients; Pfizer Pharmaceuticals provided book to physicians nationwide; authors featured nationally on television, radio and newspapers; all married, had children and pursued careers as teachers, artists, counselors, a doctor, accountant, psychiatric nurse, travel agent, and authority on Faberge eggs; meet annually at Rehoboth Beach; their success testifies to friendships made at Yorktown and to importance of love within families of parents who need help near life's end.
Joan Hunter Cooper
Judy Fulton Guerin
Linda Staley Veatch Holt
Joan Berkey Loftis
Alice Beckley MacDonald
Judy Sherwood McLeod
Beth Sanders Milner
Lee Lambie Pope
Anne Smith Roadman
Linda Gilbertson Rogers
Karen Wulfsberg Strother
Ken Kelley Thalinger, MD
Brenda Jones Vieregg
Carol Cummings Warner
Beverly Johnson
1947-1994
World-Class Rock Climber
YHS Class of 1965
Adventurer, most celebrated female rock climber; undertook climbing, skiing expeditions all over the world; in 1978 became first woman to solo climb notorious El Capitan's vertical face, which took ten days; in 1980's filmed the Russian-Afghan war with her husband; first woman crew-boss firefighter in Yosemite; first person to solo the Straits of Magellan in open kayak; first person to pilot a gyro-craft in the Antarctic; skied across Greenland, windsurfed across Bering Straits, led all-woman team to parachute into highlands of New Guinea; attended Kent State University and University of Southern California; gymnast in college and high school; died April 3, 1994, in helicopter crash during ski trip to Ruby Mountains of Nevada.
Joe Kruzel
1945-1995
Top Diplomat, Military Adviser
YHS Class of 1963
A distinguished public servant who gave his life working overseas; in 1993 named deputy assistant Defense secretary for European and NATO policy; awarded Presidential Citizens Medal and Defense Department Distinguished Service Medal; taught international security at Duke University and Ohio State; military adviser to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy; delegate to SALT I arms control talks; master's in public administration and doctorate from Harvard University; intelligence officer in Vietnam; graduated Air Force Academy 1967; as Defense Department's special envoy to Bosnia, died Aug.19, 1995, in armored vehicle crash on mountain near Sarajevo; buried at Arlington Cemetery; Pentagon corridor named for him.
Charles Monroe
1956-2003
County Leader
YHS Class of 1975
Ground-breaking chairman of the Arlington County Board cut down in his prime; in 1999 became the second African-American elected to the board, and in 2003 became first to be its chairman; a native Arlingtonian, he was an attorney and civic activist; graduated Duke University in 1979 and Washington & Lee School of Law in 1984; collapsed and died during board meeting Jan. 11, 2003.
George Varoutsos
1949-
Judge, Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
YHS Class of 1966
Highly regarded local jurist and civic activist; in March 1998 elected judge by the Virginia General Assembly; previously was substitute judge appointed by Arlington Circuit Court to sit on juvenile and domestic relations cases in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Prince William counties; private practice with Arlington law firms specializing in civil and criminal litigation; directed Virginia Department of Transportation juvenile driver’s licensing ceremony; graduated University of Richmond, 1970; University of Richmond Law School, 1973.
Paul Wellstone
1944-2002
U.S. Senator from Minnesota
YHS Class of 1962
Unconventional lawmaker; legislative accomplishments included expansion of health care coverage for mental illness, added funding for education; protecting rights of women and girls, and protecting veterans' benefits; in 1990 ran underdog campaign and traveled throughout Minnesota on trademark green bus; taught political science for 21 years at Carleton College; in 1969, earned Ph.D. at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill; in 1965, graduated from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was champion wrestler (as in high school); in 1963 married former Sheila Ison (also YHS '62); while campaigning for third Senate term both were killed in airplane crash Oct. 25, 2002.
Henry Wilhelm
1943-
Photography Preservation Expert and Inventor
YHS Class of 1962
Inducted 2004 Nationally known authority among image archivists and printers; co-founder and president of Grinnell, Iowa-based Wilhelm Imaging Research, which forecasts photo durability and develops new techniques for improving stability and preservation of traditional and digital color photographs and motion pictures; co-author of 1993 book “The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs,” patented photo print washing equipment; freelance national news photographer; Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia; photographer for local newspapers during and just after high school; attended Grinnell College.