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- Category: Hall of Fame
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Ronald K. Rucker is an alumnus of the class of 1968. He is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his achievements in music, performing arts and gospel ministry.
Ron’s love of music started at an early age at home, church, and then in school. He started high school in Phoenix, AZ, transferring in his freshman year to VR. While in school he was in many activities: Jr. Varsity Cross-Country, Beta Phi Chi, Key Club, College Club, Chorus and Band. He excelled in playing multiple instruments in the band and also sang in the Boys’ Glee Club. Each of these musical groups received the highest rating when they performed in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) competitions. He was also in the area all-state band, all-state and all-county choruses. After HS, Ron studied music theory, composition and Japanese language at SUNYA, then Los Angeles City College, after relocating to California. While still in the area, Ron joined a soul band in the late 60’s and began his professional music career playing locally. Later, he toured throughout North America, finally landing in CA where he worked as a performer, music copyist and a session arranger. In 1977 he travelled to Japan, married and had a family while continuing his music career. In 1986 his original song “Friendship” won the Preferred Song Prize at the Yamaha Song Contest “POPCON”. From 1991-3 Ron appeared on, and wrote songs for, the English Corner of the popular Fuji Television children’s program, “Hello! Ponkkiki”. He has appeared on numerous TV commercials and hosted radio programs in Japan, among them, “Ronnie’s American Oldies”. In 1992 he opened the Vocal Fitness Center and founded Rucker Gospel Ministries, since then producing gospel music workshops and founding numerous choirs throughout Japan. Known as the “Father of Gospel Music” in Japan, Ron also serves as the Chapter Representative for the Japan Gospel Music Workshop of American. Ron has his own “dot.com”, working out of his home studio as a singer-songwriter, performs chapel concerts and gives gospel history lectures at universities throughout Japan. He has published a gospel piano method book and a collection of gospel style hymns and has been quoted in The New York Times for his knowledge on the gospel genre in Japanese culture. Ron has also recorded and released 6 CDs. Ron visits the USA from time to time, coming to his hometown to visit friends and family. He lives outside of Tokyo with his wife Yoko. He has 4 children and 1 grandchild. Ron was nominated by his high school friend, Lynne Beiermeister ’69.
Ron's thank you response was sent from Japan as a singing video you won't want to miss.
Ron Rucker Video
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- Category: Hall of Fame
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Walter (Coach “D”) Dlugolecki is being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame for his long career with the Rensselaer City School District, his dedication to his students and athletes and his community service.
Walt graduated from Wilbur H. Lynch High School in Amsterdam, NY in 1955, immediately enrolling in Ithaca College, from which he graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science. His first, and only full-time job was with Van Rensselaer and Rensselaer Junior-Senior High Schools. His career spanned 32 years. While on faculty, he taught Physical Education and coached Boys’ basketball, volleyball and football. One of the highlights of his career was the creation of the Driver Education program. Walt was an outstanding member of the Rensselaer community. He worked at the Rensselaer Community Center when he retired in 1991 until it closed. He was especially proud of his founding role in the Rensselaer Pop Warner youth football program. His community service also included volunteering at Concern's U. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Hill Hook and Ladder Fire Company. Walt was an active communicant in St. Joseph’s/St. John’s Church, serving on the Bereavement Committee with his widow, Mary. Mary and Walt lived in Rensselaer. They raised four children (David, Kelly, Donna and Dianne) who gave them six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. “Coach D’s” colleague, Bill McCarthy, a 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee, nominated Walt as an outstanding member of the Rensselaer community for his contributions and achievements which continue to have positive impact. And in Bill’s words “as a colleague, friend, teacher and coach, he enabled character and commitment.”
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- Category: Hall of Fame
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City of Rensselaer Vietnam Era Veterans
This is a partial listing. If you have other names please let us know.
| John Albert VR’64 Loren Alcombright VR’70 Lothar “Lou” Allert Robert Austin VR’68 Jon P. Badi VR’62 Bruce Baird VR’64 Steven Benedetto VR ‘69 Noureddine Bensalah Wayne Bentley VR’63** William Bonacker VR’65 William Bradt VR’66** Joseph Branion VR’67 Frank Bruno VR’68 Louis Bruno VR’69 David Burgess VR’61** Alex Buono James “Sonny” Caldwell VR’67** John Carlotti Philip Carlotti C. John Chesbro, Jr. VR’64 Salvatore “Curly” Cirrincione SJA’66** Robert Conroy VR’67 Robert Cummings* David Dahm VR’65 Dennis Davis VR’65 Allen H. Deitz VR’66 Fernando DiTullio SJA'67** Lawrence Dooris VR’69 Keith L.Dwyer VR’68** Stephen T. Dwyer VR’65 Ray Edwards VR’68 Ross Edwards VR’65 John Embree VR’66 Daniel Farrell SJA’62 John Farrell SJA’68 Vincent Farrell SJA’66 Arthur “Tweedy” Felt VR’67 Gordon Felt VR’68 Kenneth Forte Raymond Frankoski, Jr. VR’61 |
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Herbert Northrup VR’68 Kenneth Oliver* Glenn P. Passino, Sr. Gary Petrone VR’65** Alvin Pickens VR’67 Rocco “Rocky” Pollicino VR’67 John Praga James F. Pratt VR’65 Dennis Puls SJA’66 Robert T. Quenneville Raymond Ranalucci SJA’66* Chris Reardon VR’65 Mark Reardon VR’67 Thomas Reed VR’65 Michael Riscavage VR’66* Dennis Sansone VR** William Shorts VR’65* Charles “Chuck”Snyder SJA’64 David Sprague VR’62 Gary Springer VR’70 Melvin Stephan Robert Stewart VR’67 Walter W. Townley VR’69 James Tully SJA’67 Larita Vanbergen VR’67 Thomas Vanbergen James VanVorst VR’68 James Venema VR’65 Andrew Viglucci Michael Webster VR’67 Edward Welsh VR’66 Gary Ted Welsh VR’70 Donald Werner VR' 62 Paul Werner VR’61 Edward Whited VR’61 George Whited VR’64 Dennis Williams SJA William Zemanick* |
*denotes killed in action; **denotes deceased since war