Alumni News

Please send any articles or announcements to lldundon@yahoo.com.

05/11/08

Published August 15, 2007
From Lansing State Journal

Ex-Mason teacher recalled as putting kids first

Christie Bleck
Lansing Community Newspapers

MASON - Michael J. O'Malley, a long-time agriculture vocational teacher with Mason Public Schools, died Monday of a heart attack while mowing his lawn, according to family members.

O'Malley, 69, taught at Mason High School from 1963 to 1993. He also was the school's Future Farmers of America advisor.

Mason Superintendent Jim Harvey called O'Malley "a big guy, full of life" who put youngsters first.

Mike Anderson, Mason Breakfast Optimist Club past president, said he was upset over the death of O'Malley, who was a charter member of the club and its first president.

"He's going to leave some really big shoes to fill," Anderson said, "not just in our club but in our community."

O'Malley is survived by his wife, Sandra O'Malley of Mason; a daughter, Michelle O'Malley, who is moving from the area to Vermillion, S.D.; a son, Sean O'Malley of East Lansing; and a brother, William O'Malley of Flint.

Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Gorsline-Runciman's Mason Chapel, 621 S. Jefferson St. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at St. James Catholic Church, 1010 S. Lansing St. where an outdoor vigil service will take place followed by a 7 p.m. eulogy.

Visitation also will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at St. James, with the funeral following at 11 a.m.

Burial will be at Leek Cemetery in Mason.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Michael J. O'Malley Scholarship Fund, in care of the Mason Breakfast Optimist Club, P.O. Box 287, Mason, MI 48854.

Christie Bleck is a reporter with the Ingham County Community News.

RUNNING TO BEAT CANCER

Kirk has been actively involved in funding cancer research throughout the years by running the Boston Marathon with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team.

Sombo star Mohlman named finalist for AMATEUR ATHLETE OF YEAR

in Palm Beach County, Fla.

02/27/2007 (Copied, in part, from themat.com)

2006 Sombo World silver medalist Ramie Mohlman of Lake Worth, Fla. has been named as a finalist for Amateur Athlete of the Year by the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.

Mohlman was one of three athletes nominated for the award this year. Also under consideration for the award are Belle Glade football player Omar Haugabook and Riviera Beach basketball player Erlana Larkins.

Mohlman captured a silver medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the Sombo World Championships in Antalya, Turkey in November. FILA hosted its first Sombo World Championships since recognizing the sport as a form of wrestling this year. Sombo is a form of jacket wrestling developed in the former Soviet Union. Mohlman was one of seven U.S. athletes to win a medal at the Sombo World Championships, and the team finished second in the team standings.

Mohlman also won a gold medal at the 2006 Sombo World Cup, the first U.S. winner in that event since 1984. Mohlman won the U.S. Sombo Nationals in Palm Beach County, Fla., to earn a spot on the U.S. World Team. He also competed in the U.S. Beach National Championships.

He is an active Greco-Roman wrestler on the Senior level. Mohlman qualified to compete in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman in Indianapolis, Ind. at the age of 42, gaining national attention. Mohlman is a teacher and wrestling coach in Palm Beach County.

Mohlman will be honored at the 31st Annual Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet and Annual Sports Awards on Sunday, April 29, 2007 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2007 will be inducted, featuring, Delores Colton, Kevin Cooney, Curt Gowdy, Larry O’Brien, Rob Rabenecker, Jr., Barbara Romack and Bob Vanatta. Other awards will be the Professional Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, High School Coach of the Year, High School Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Sports Contributor.

Individual banquet tickets are $65 for Palm Beach County Sports Commission members, $75 for non-members and $45.00 for youth 12 and under. If you are interested in purchasing a table or individual tickets, please contact the Palm Beach County Sports Institute at (561) 233-3180.

Bryan Droscha and son Casey with the Motor City Bowl trophy won by CMU December 26.  This season, Casey had 40 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries.

MOTOR CITY BOWL

Central Michigan 31, Middle Tennessee State 14

That was more than enough.

Ontario Sneed scored twice early and Doug Kress returned an interception for a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half Tuesday night, helping the Chippewas beat Middle Tennessee State 31-14 in the Motor City Bowl for their first Division I-A bowl victory.

"You don't always win games in the fourth quarter," Central Michigan interim coach Jeff Quinn said. "You can win in the first quarter."

The 10th Motor City Bowl, featuring a team from Michigan for the first time, drew a record crowd of 54,113 at the home of the NFL's Detroit Lions.

"People laughed at us when we started this bowl," Motor City Bowl CEO George Perles said. "I don't think people can do that anymore."

ANDREW BECKMAN
Editorial Director, Gardening, Martha Stewart Living

As the editorial director of gardening, Martha's longtime head gardener Andrew Beckman, spends his days planting seeds of ideas and nurturing them along. A knack for planning ahead, then waiting patiently, comes in handy in the garden—and at work, too. His team conceives all of its stories up to two years before they're published and then produces them a year in advance. Andrew has a degree in landscape architecture and a practical degree in horticulture from Pennsylvania's prestigious Longwood Gardens. He also co-owns a nursery in Columbia County, New York. He travels the country to visit nurseries and gardens, attend lectures, and research new plants, and is always talking with fellow gardeners about what interests them.

This article located at www.marthastewart.com.

NICE, FRANCE - Ramie Mohlman (Lake Worth, Fla./Seadog WC) won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs., the top U.S. performance at the FILA World Cup of Sombo Wrestling, held at the Salle Serge Leyrit on Nov. 26.

Mohlman was competing in his second international Sombo event, after winning a silver medal at the 2006 World Sombo Championships in Antalya, Turkey, Nov. 2.  Mohlman placed ahead of runner-up Angelo Arlandi of Italy and bronze medalist Farid Dajamkhov of Iran, scoring a submission against both opponents.

The U.S. had two other medalists in the competition. Josiah Henson (Falls Church, Va.) won a silver medal at the 74 kg/163 lbs. division, and Shaun Scott (Millersville, Pa./U.S. Sombo Association) added a bronze medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Both are veteran Sombo athletes who have competed in the style for many years. For Scott, it was his 10th career medal at the Sombo World Cup event, which was previously sponsored by other international federations.

The United States placed third in the team standings, behind champion France and runner-up Spain. A total of six teams entered the competition.

U.S. teammates Mohlman and Scott were both involved with the wrestling team at Eastern Michigan Univ. during the 1980-81 season. Mohlman was a freshman athlete on the team, and Scott served as an assistant wrestling coach there. Now, 25 years later, both were teammates and won medals at the Sombo World Cup.

Mohlman v Selcuk (TUR)

“I was disappointed, because I hesitated out there,” said Mohlman. “I thought I had more time. I was confident I could score on him, but I did not get it done before time ran out. Part of it was the inexperience with the jacket, but I really believe I could have scored on him.”

MOHLMAN NEARLY MAKES GOLD--WALKS AWAY WITH A SILVER METAL

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling

11/02/2006

ANTALYA, Turkey--The team did a great job. Although the first round was a bit rocky, we bounced back and got things under control, winning medals. Ramie Mohlman, the 44 year old wonder, had a very close loss in the finals against a tough young Turk. There were some great performances in the wrestlebacks for bronze, including Faruk Sahin and Moises Hernandez. Angelo Borzio, in his first tournament in Sombo, got a submission to win a bronze. We were very proud of the team, and after taking team pictures on the mat with our medals, we had to run back and get on the bus. Of course, the ride home was much more fun after such a good day on the mats.

AGAINST THE ODDS

Many people have no idea of the struggles Ramie faced the first several years out of high school.  Where most people would have given up, Ramie kept his chin up and kept coming back.  Click here to read reporter Gary Abbott's 2004 story.

Journalist Gary Abbott did a wonderful job chronicling the daily experiences faced by the USA sombo and beach wrestling teams.  For his running journal and photos, select this link at TheMat.com. The following are segments from his report.

ELLEN KERR-DUNSMORE BEATS HER PREVIOUS TIME IN THE CHICAGO MARATHON, October 21

More information on the event as well as a search for the runners' results can be found at chicagomarathon.com.

Berlin is one of the world’s greatest marathons and the course runs through the former East and West Berlin. Lined with spectators throughout its 26.2 miles, the Berlin Marathon starts near the Brandenburg Gate and returns through the Brandenburg Gate for the finish. 

Dale Lindemann ran the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 24, 2006.  He felt he did pretty well "at least for an old geezer running his first marathon".  The trip also served as a reunion with an old Air Force buddy who was in West Berlin the same time as Dale-- while when the Wall was still up.  Dale's friend turned 50 the week before and wanted to celebrate by running the marathon.  Dale says the city and marathon were both fantastic and he would highly recommend them both.

Dale, front and center, crosses the finish line.

A L U M N I   T R I V I A

Still a funny guy!  This classmate moved away from Mason during the Junior High years.  His photo was found online, cracking kids up at PF Chang's near Birmingham, MI.  Can you guess the name of this ex-resident of Holt Street?  For the answer, visit www.project2000.org/changphotos.html.

How many of the above classmates do you recognize?  See if you can identify Abby Freeman, Beth Brevard, Debbie Barker, Kate Sullivan, Stacy Love, and Sandy Cochrane.  (Kate's little sister Anne is also pictured.)

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You don't have to be an Olympian or run a marathon to make the news.  Please send info, announcements, events, or challenges and any photos to lldundon@yahoo.com.