Alumni Award Winners 2009

Each year, Heidelberg honors a group of alumni and legacy families for their contributions to their careers, their communities and their alma mater. It’s been a tradition since 1971. This year, the university recognized a decorated Navy veteran, an alum who gathered and organized information about his class and a family with 36 alumni among its generations.

The Career Excellence Award, presented to an alumnus or alumna who has demonstrated excellence in his or her chosen profession, was awarded this year to Vice Adm. Anthony “Tony” Less (ret.), whose illustrious Navy career spanned 34 years following his 1959 graduation from Heidelberg.

Included in his service record are 10 medals for air combat during Vietnam and 6,200 hours with more than 1,000 arrested carrier landings in Navy front-line tactical jets. Tony commanded Attack Squadron TWELVE, Carrier Air Wing NINE, the USS Wichita, USS Ranger and Carrier Group ONE in the Pacific, as well as the Middle East Force in Bahrain. He served as Chief of Staff to the commander of the US Seventh Fleet.

Equally impressive were Tony’s shore assignments. He completed a stint as an A-4 Skyhawk weapons instructor and commanded the Navy’s elite Blue Angels. He also served as director of the Political Military Branch of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and commanded the Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet in 1991. Retiring in 1994, Tony was authorized to wear the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and various other meritorious medals and campaign award.

Reconnecting members of the Heidelberg class of 1958 became a labor of love for James Evans. This one-man crusade involved compiling information about fellow classmates that formed the basis of the class’s 50th reunion memory book last year. He completed a similar project for the class of 1957 – the year his wife, Sue (Chambers) Evans graduated. In recognition for his commitment to his peers and the university, Jim received the Alumni Service Award, given to alumni who have made important contributions to perpetuate and enhance Heidelberg of the alumni association through years of dedicated service.
 
Jim’s memory books contain individual biographical pages for each classmate, an “In Memoriam” section and pages dedicated to faculty and trivia. Now that his banking career has come to a close, Jim works routinely on behalf of his alma mater. In 1962, he landed a job at National City Bank and remained with the company for the next 39 years. He earned the title “Mr. Real Estate” for his work that involved such things as initiating the bank’s venture into selling residential mortgages to Freddie-Mac and Fannie-Mae. For 17 years, he served as manager of the bank’s real estate division.

The Legacy Family Award pays tribute to one family each year that has had two or more generations graduate from Heidelberg. This year, the college honored the members of the Kellermeyer-Ahrens-Higgins-Long-Lynn Family, whose Heidelberg connections span more than 80 years.

Their story began in the Roaring ‘20s when siblings Hugo Kellermeyer and his wife, Alma, came to Heidelberg, along with Gertrude Lynn and her brother, Kenneth. Little did they know they would be the foundation of several generations of Student Princes.

Among their ranks are ministers, doctors, journalists, teachers and government and military servants. Although this combined family has maintained its loyal connection to Heidelberg for more than 80 years, one of the most dedicated alumni was John Long. In 2001, John was diagnosed with lymphoma. After six months of aggressive treatments, it was evident that his life was nearing an end. His family asked him what he wanted to accomplish. “Visit Heidelberg one more time” was on his short list. In January 2002, Becky Long, ’93, took her father to the dedication of the new Williard Hall. John died the following week. A scholarship fund was established in his name so that future students might have an opportunity to attend Heidelberg.

Today, the family’s legacy continues. The most recent member of the family tree to earn a Heidelberg degree is Luke Ahrens, who graduated last month, 60 years after his grandparents, Herman and Lorene (Kellermeyer) Ahrens. And there are more to come. Luke’s second cousin, Andrew Long-Higgins, will be a ‘Berg sophomore in the fall.