Eight Honorees Selected for St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame

The St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Foundation will induct eight people into its Hall of Fame during a ceremony Friday, September 25.

St. Marys City Schools Superintendent Bill Ruane and Auglaize County Commissioner Doug Spencer discussed this year’s class during an appearance on WCSM’s Spectrum.

The celebration will begin with a dinner and reception for the honorees, their families and invited guests. The inductees will then be recognized on the football field before St. Marys takes on Ottawa-Glandorf.

The 2026 Hall of Fame class includes two honorees for academic and professional achievement, one for athletic achievement, one for service to St. Marys City Schools and four for military service.

Academic and Professional Achievement

Stephen W. Camick, a 1982 graduate, built an extensive career in the aerospace industry after earning an engineering degree from Ohio Northern University. Ruane said Camick’s interest in rockets began in St. Marys and eventually led him to work at Cape Canaveral, where he has helped support space missions for decades.

B. Gregory Stroh, a 1966 graduate, attended The Ohio State University and built a lengthy career in corporate leadership. He began with Kraft Incorporated and advanced through several management positions, including executive roles involving operations and business development. Stroh also served on industry boards and completed executive management programs at Harvard University.

Athletic Achievement

Connie (Hamberg) Allen, a 1994 graduate, will be honored for a standout athletic career in basketball and track and field.

Allen helped lead the Lady Roughriders to their first Western Buckeye League basketball championship in 1993. She finished her high school career with 1,348 points and remains among the program’s leaders in scoring, rebounds, free throws and steals.

She was also a two-time WBL high-jump champion and two-time state qualifier. Allen continued her basketball career at Xavier University before becoming an educator and coach.

Service to St. Marys City Schools

Former Memorial High School band director Dane Newlove will be inducted for his service to the school district.

Newlove directed the band from 1986 through 2014 and helped establish several traditions that remain part of the program. He expanded the marching band, introduced contemporary and themed performances and helped create the band’s “Script Riders” formation.

Ruane said Newlove continues to assist area music programs and remains dedicated to working with students.

Military Service to Country

Four graduates will be recognized for their military service.

First Lt. Ralph W. Dennings, a 1940 graduate, served as a bombardier aboard a B-24 Liberator during World War II. He completed 35 combat missions over Europe and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.

Sgt. Norbert A. Ricker, a 1961 graduate, served with the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. Ricker suffered gunshot wounds during combat shortly after arriving in Vietnam and was later awarded the Purple Heart and several other military honors.

Lt. Colonel David N. Simms, a 1995 graduate, served for 23 years after receiving his commission through The Ohio State University. Simms held several leadership assignments and received the Purple Heart after being wounded by mortar fire in Iraq in 2005. He later served as a professor of military science at Kent State University.

Major Nicole Lauth Keating, a 2001 graduate, served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years and completed eight deployments. Her work included aeromedical evacuation missions and leadership in military nursing. She retired in 2025 and is the first woman selected for the Alumni Foundation’s Military Hall of Fame.

The Alumni Foundation also supports current St. Marys students through scholarships and educational programs. Ruane and Spencer said the organization has awarded 125 scholarships totaling more than $64,000 during the past seven years.

Additional information about the September 25 induction is available through the St. Marys MHS Alumni Foundation’s Facebook page.