Lynne Beiermeister is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for her academic and career achievements, and for the resurrection and leadership of the Alumni Association.
Lynne graduated 4th in her class in 1969. Her high school career included English poetry and essay awards, the Charles G Malloy Award for most enriched curriculum, athletic trophies for Miss Spring Sports and Miss Phys Ed and she lettered in cheerleading. She medaled in the NYS School of Music Association competitions for chorus, ensemble performances and achieved the highest rating for her solo singing, and participated in All-County and All-State music festivals. She served as a class officer and on Yearbook staff. Post-high school, Lynne attended a summer language school through SUNY Albany, at the Goethe Institut in Germany and graduated with a BA four years later in 1973. Post college education included courses at Hudson Valley Community College and the University of Connecticut in conjunction with Rutgers University. She joined the NYS Office of Mental Health for a 33 year career starting as a file clerk and working her way up the ladder to management. Most of her career was spent traveling the state inspecting programs serving the mentally ill for quality assurance and standard’s compliance. Other duties included training, regulation drafting, contract management, survey protocol development, and computer program design. During the ‘80’s and 90’s while raising her daughter Megan, she volunteered at her dance school and was instrumental in organizing the Friends of the Albany Berkshire Ballet (FABB). Lynne and her co-president raised over $40,000. She also served on the ballet’s Board of Directors, working at many performances backstage and in FABB’S Boutique at the Palace Theater, The Egg and events throughout the Berkshires in MA. Lynne has kept in touch with many of her high school classmates and was on all of the many class reunion committees. Lynne retired in 2006 and that year was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a successful year of treatment, she turned to helping others and in the fall of 2010 helped the class of 1948 with a fundraiser for the Centennial Award. In 2011 she was elected president of the newly resurrected Alumni Association and in the three years of her
service, among other things; 1) wrote the charter for the Alumni Association; 2) established the Hall of Fame and the Enrichment Grant; 3) preserved the Centennial Award; 4) established a collaboration with the school’s Music Department; 5) established the Class Directory of over 6,000 names ; 6) began the Annual Membership Drive; 7) created the Alumni Club for students; 8) created and administers the Alumni Facebook Page and monitors the Association’s two websites;9) developed an archive and display in the high school for alumni memorabilia, and 10) runs alumni mixers for socialization and camaraderie. All told, under her leadership, the Association has raised over $15,000. Lynne comes from a long line of family who were Rensselaer School academicians including Valedictorians of the classes of 1902, 1932, and 1967. Her grandfather, Louis Dutcher, was Salutatorian of the class of ’24 and elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011 for having served as a teacher and Principal. She is very proud of them and her other family roots which include her great- great grandfather who was Mayor in 1919-20 and her great-grandmother who served as Charities Commissioner in the 30’s. Her mom was an alumna of the class of 1945. Lynne lived many years in Rensselaer and currently lives in the village of Voorheesville. She enjoys genealogy and has recently started an antique business. She was nominated by her friend of almost 50 yrs, 3-term Alumni Association Treasurer and classmate, Ginny Colvin Lazzaro, along with 2-term Alumni Association Vice President and current Ex-Officio and alumna of the class of ’61, Doris Nichols Roberts.
Frank H. Allen is being inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously, for his lifelong community service benefiting the residents of Rensselaer and West Sand Lake.
Frank lived in Rensselaer from 1947-1960. Frank belonged to the Van Rensselaer High School class of 1952. He joined the Rensselaer Fire Department after marrying Nancy Baldwin in 1954. He moved his family and built a house in West Sand Lake in 1961, joining the Fire Department and Rescue Squad. He also was very involved with the town government serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals from 1971-2009, functioning as their chairman and secretary. Frank’s reputation was so well known that in the late ‘60’s he was contacted by some folks in Rensselaer to assist them in organizing a volunteer ambulance corp. He lent his expertise even though he worked two jobs, at the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services, and as owner/operator of Frank’s Key and LockShop, and volunteered extensively in WSL. Frank was also a volunteer Rensselaer County Auxiliary Police Officer who fingerprinted children for safety programs at the Schaghticoke Fair among some of his duties. He served the county and the village for over 30 years. When Frank was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis he did not let it stop him from his volunteer work. Fighting pain and weakness, he continued to help the village. Some of Frank’s awards include the Rensselaer County Executive Commendation, Sand Lake Citizen of the Month, Devoted Volunteer Award from the WSL Fire Company and the MDA Northeastern Personal Achievement Award. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 76, leaving his wife Nancy, fire children and eight grandchildren. Frank was nominated by his daughter, Tabitha Marie Allen Tufano of West Sand Lake.