MCRTA's Founding

The McHenry County Retired Teachers Association was established at 2:30 P.M. on April 26, 1960, at Clarence Olson School, Woodstock. In addition to two persons from IRTA and two from the Lake County RTA, McHenry County retired teachers present were Vida Austin, Helen Brewer, Mary Gannon, Frances Garland, Margaret Gillies, Mary Gillies, Catherine Renich, and Cora White.

MCRTA is an affiliate of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1955; and the National Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1947 and the parent of the American Association of Retired Persons. MCRTA works closely with IRTA to enhance the welfare of all retired teachers in the State of Illinois.

Over the years, our MCRTA leadership has been in the hands of loyal, dedicated retired teachers. Those who have served as presidents for our organization are listed below. The Association appreciates their outstanding guidance.

Presidents <>1960          * Frances Garland, Woodstock
<>1961-62     *Suzanne Reed, Elected President and *Katherine Renich, "Presiding President", Woodstock
<>1963-64     *Iola Shepard, Harvard
<>1965-66     *Frances Brand, Crystal Lake
<>1967-70     *Julia Feffer, Crystal Lake
<>1971-72     *Jennette Burbank, Woodstock
<>1973-76       Lucille Thurow, Huntley
<>1977-78     *Leila Coons, Woodstock
<>1979          *John Richards, Woodstock
<>1980-81     *Olive Nolan, Woodstock
<>1982-83     *Carrie Hage, Harvard
<>1984-87     *Herb Mroch, Harvard
<>1988-89     *Vernon Hajeck, Woodstock
<>1989            Eleanor Wilkens, Woodstock
<>1990-93    * DuWayne Sheldon, Crystal Lake
<>1994-97       Ken Swanson, Ringwood
<>1998         *Bill Courtright, Harvard
<>1998-01    Steve Polep, Oakwood Hills
<>2002-05       Marti Swanson, Ringwood
<>2006-07       Al Boeldt, McHenry
<>2008-09       Mike DeWolfe, Johnsburg
<>2010-     Lois Shartiag, Barrington Hills

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* Deceased

McHenry County
Retired Teacher of the Year

In 1988, a gubernatorial proclamation asked that we honor outstanding retired teachers. Each unit submits the names of local honorees to the IRTA. Those honored by McHenry County Unit 13 include the following:

     1988          Vera Perry* - Woodstock
     1989          Carrie Hage* - Harvard
     1990          Verda Dierzen* - Woodstock
     1992          Eleanor Wilkens - Woodstock
     1993          DuWayne Sheldon* - Crystal Lake
     1994          Edith Newcomer* - Crystal Lake
     1995          Marie Husmann - McHenry
     1996          Edith Brandt - Crystal Lake
     1997          Ken Swanson - Ringwood
     1998          Marti Swanson - Ringwood
     1999          Betty Anderson - Huntley
     2000          Don Seaton - McHenry
     2001          Steve Polep - Cary
     2002          Beulah Allyaud - Woodstock
     2003          Mary Stompanato - Woodstock
     2004          Herb Rangl - Marengo
     2005           Venus Nienow - Woodstock
     2006          Velma Dysart - Crystal Lake
     2007          Greg Johnson - McHenry
     2008          Henry Kenyon - McHenry
     2009          Al Boeldt - McHenry

Honorary Local Life Members

In 1994, MCRTA instituted a policy of awarding honorary local life membership to long-time members.
Those so honored include the following:
* = deceased

1994
* Mildred Flanders

1995
* Stasia Gannon
* Gladys Maushak
* Elizabeth Orr

1996
* Helen Anderson
* Clarence Anglese
* Lillian Bolger
* May Chesak
* Leila Coons
* Hannah Lloyd
* Leonard McCracken
* Marie Moritz
* Freeda Avis Pankonin
* Vera Perry
Lucille Thurow

1997
* Doris Clinansmith
* Evalyn Johansen
* Irene Rings
* Ruth Wilson

1998
* Hazel Heideman
* Marian Krockow
* Catherine Miller
* Hilda Tigard

1999
* Loretta Foley
* Geraldine Frederick
* Erma George
* Lucille Maguire

2000
* Florence Hunt
Carroll Rudden

2001
* Alice Clark
* Rosamond Hilton
* Roland McCannon

2002
* Lucy Blake
* Kathryn Hornbostel
* Ruby Pierce
* Mabel Wyman
* Gene Zalucha

2003
Raymond Despard
* Ruth Dooley
* Alice Ferris
Katherine Huck
* Hazel Passmore
* William Rossiter

2004
Beulah Allayaud

2006
Arlene L Echternach
Jeanne C Flanagan
Bertha V Fyfe
* Marion Karlove
Maxine Kempf
* Edith Newcomer

2008
Marjorie D Adams
Leoma C Clark
Ruth Fenwick
Marguerite S Kaufman
Margaret Nienstedt

MCRTA Scholarship Winners

1995      Emily Benecke, Marengo High School
1996      Aaron Swank, Crystal Lake Central High School
1997      Nicole Schafer, McHenry West High School
1998     Brittany Witek, Hampshire, Marion Central High School
1999     Kelly Bandur, Cary-Grove High School
          Jeremy Little, Woodstock High School
2000     Deanne Lund, McHenry East High School
          Anne Prusina, Marian Central High School
2001     Amanda Maguire, Harvard High School
          Sara Walkington, MCC (Woodstock High School grad)
2002     Louise Henshaw, Prairie Ridge High School
          Rochelle Ruzicka, McHenry West High School
2003     Kurt Carlson, Woodstock High School
          Clarisse Iftner, Harvard High School
2004     Tera Beaty, Huntley High School
          Brian Koppen, Johnsburg High School
2005     Emily Larkin, Woodstock High School
          Samantha Sebastian, Crystal Lake South High School
2006     Jennifer Barnes (Richard Swanson Memorial), McHenry East HS
          Laura Gibbons, Marengo Community High School
          Jessie Rigby, Woodstock High School
2007     Malyssa Jankowski (Alice J “Sally” Ronan Memorial), Woodstock HS
          Danielle Knaizer, Crystal Lake South High School
          Mary Lawler, McHenry West High School
2008     Ryan Forner, McHenry West HS (Richard Swanson Memorial Scholarship)
          Susanne Johnson, Cary-Grove High School
          Nathan Staller, McHenry West High School
          Stephanie Tate, Woodstock HS (Alice “Sally” Ronan Memorial Scholarship)
2009     Ashley Faith, McHenry West High School
          Elizabeth Linning, Crystal Lake South High School
          Julianne Pacana, Huntley High School
          Alayna Pierce, Cary-Grove High School
          Blair Rummel. Richmond-Burton High School
          Tracy Trebes, Harvard High School