Memorial Monument

The Donegal Memorial Monument Committee (DMMC) seeks to publicly recognize leaders in the Donegal community through inclusion on the Donegal Memorial Monument. These individuals have made substantial contributions that have made a lasting, positive impact within the Donegal School District and/or the community.

To nominate someone, please click here.

 

Inductees for 2022

The late Harold Billow– Harold served in the United States Army during WWII. He was one of the survivors of the Malmedy Massacre during which 87 of his Comrades were killed by German soldiers. Each year since returning home Harold honored his 87 Comrades on July 4th and Veterans Day by placing 87 American flags in his front yard in Mount Joy.

For many years Harold visited and spoke with Donegal High School students about his WWII experience providing them with a valuable first-person account of what it was like. He was always impressed with their interest and desire to learn. Harold was always willing to visit and share his experience so others could appreciate what he and other war veterans sacrificed to preserve our freedom and pride in the United States of America.

The late Michael Guinivan (Gin-a-vin)- Mike embodied the traits of integrity, virtue, leadership, community engagement and community service in everything he did. Mike was an Industrial Arts teacher at Middletown Area High School for 34 years. Outside the classroom Mike coached Men’s and Women’s swimming at Elizabethtown College earning several Conference Coach of the Year awards. Mike also coached swimming at Willowood Swim Club in Elizabetheown and was very influential in the Mount Joy Lions Swim Club where he would manage the pool for the community in addition to coaching the swim team.

Mike also served the Donegal Community on the Donegal School Board and was also a member of the East Donegal Township Planning Commission.

Mike also volunteered with the American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels. Mike was also very active with his church- Mary Mother of the Church where he served on Parish Council and Building and Grounds Committee.

A member of the Mount Joy Lions Club Mike served four (4) terms as president and also club secretary.

Mike never said “no” to Community Service and his countless hours touched many lives in our Donegal Community

 

Inductees for 2021

Ron Wagner ’64-Graduate of Donegal High School- 1964. 4 years playing both soccer and baseball at Donegal.

After 21 years in the workforce, Ron ran his own business in Mount Joy- WagBee Printing from 1986- 2019 and participated with the Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce during that time.

Ron has committed himself to a lifetime of service to the Mount Joy community through his time and talents in MJAA Baseball, Mount Joy Fire Police, Mount Joy Ambulance, Mount Joy Jaycees from 1970- 1982.

Through coaching baseball with the MJAA, Ron has mentored hundreds of kids in over 40 YEARS of service. He has coached various age groups, but the majority of his coaching was with the 12 year old Midget-Midget teams. Although wins are not what we will measure Ron’s time by, he led the 2005 MM Blue team to the prestigious New Era Tournament championship. That 2005 championship team remains the only Midget-Midget champion from the Donegal School District in the tournament’s 75-year history. Since ending his coaching career, Ron has remained active in youth baseball as an umpire.

Vera Albert-Vera Albert was born and raised in Mount Joy and graduated from the Mount Joy High School in 1944.

Vera lived a life of service to the greater Donegal community. During her high school years, Vera was a volunteer at the Mount Joy Cemetery to man the observation tower to observe for enemy aircraft. Additionally, she was involved with the Girl Scout program in Mount Joy in the 1940’s and 50’s.

Very taught 4th grade for the Donegal School District from 1961- 1989 at the Grandview Elementary School. She had a passion for teaching.

Vera was very involved with the Mount Joy Jaycees in the 1960’s when her husband, Prince Albert was also president of the organization.

Vera’s other passion was history. In the late1970’s she was a member of a core group that started the Mount Joy Historical Society. After her retirement from teaching, she led the Mount Joy Historical Society for many years growing the society tremendously in her lifetime. She learned about Mount Joy history and shared her passion with the community. She authored and published many booklets about various Mount Joy matters. She was president of the organization for over 20 years up to her passing in 2014.

Vera was a 50 year plus member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Mount Joy.

Linda Good-Linda Good is being honored for her many selfless and tireless contributions to the Donegal community. Because of her upbringing in a family that values traditions and heritage, she understands the importance of traditions, family, and community. All that she invests in matters to her because the future matters to her. In addition to her current role as a School Director, Linda was a highly dedicated educator in the Donegal School District, routinely exceeding expectations of her role; examples include opening her farm to entire grade levels within the District to experience firsthand sensory and experiential learning and honoring the history of May Day, through design and development of student productions and performances associated with that event. It is this dedication of time and talent and devotion to the Donegal Community that improves the lives of those within the community, as well as supports the developing of future generations.

Linda also goes out of her way to support the needs of the most vulnerable in her community. She assists with addressing senior hunger and isolation through the delivery of meals for Meals on Wheels. In addition to delivering a warm meal and engaging in conversation, Linda has also been known to bake a special treat to let the senior know that she and others care about them. She also participated in the weekly delivery of backpacks for DIS students in need, allowing children in the community to receive necessary and valuable nutrition filled food. Healthy seniors and healthy children equate to a health community. In addition to her community service, Linda is also a community leader, both in her church, as a Sunday School teacher, organist and active church member, as well as through her role with the Maytown Historical Society, enabling community members to embrace a strong history, rich in tradition. Linda’s service and leadership to the Donegal Community warrants public recognition through inclusion on the Donegal Memorial Monument.

Inductees for 2020

William “Bump” Yohe-“Bump” was instrumental in the development of baseball in Marietta. Bump was one of the charter members of Marietta Youth Baseball in the 1960’s. He spent the next 30 years coaching every level of baseball from Midget Midget to Legion ball. He had the opportunity of coaching many of the great Donegal players. He served as president of the association on several occasions.

When Donegal’s midget football started after the baseball program began, Bump was there to help get it started as well. He was coach in the youth program for over 15 years and came back to help when they could not find a coach.

Bump was also a member of the Jaycees in Marietta, an organization formed to improve communities. Bump was integral to the growth of Marietta youth sports and the blooming of Donegal Athletics in general.

 

Bernard “Bernie” Thome’55-Bernie graduated in the first graduating class at Donegal High School in 1955 and was a high school teacher for 34 years. He taught for 30 years at Donegal High School where he was a longtime coach of soccer, track & field and basketball.

Bernie also coached the Lancaster County All-Star soccer team that played seven national teams in European countries. He was the founder of Donegal Elementary Soccer, donating soccer goal posts and personally making sure each elementary player had a soccer ball.

Bernie helped construct the DIG—Donegal Intramural Gym—at Donegal High School.

After his retirement, Bernie devoted his time doing correspondence work that related to former students, former athletes, church personnel, missionaries, relatives and friends throughout the U.S. and overseas.

Bernie was a faithful supporter of Donegal Athletic Club from its inception and beyond his passing.

 

Barry Etsell-Barry has made a significant impact on the Donegal School District and Mount Joy community through his love of baseball and his passion for coaching.  Barry helped form the original Mount Joy Athletic Association (MJAA) and was one of the charter board members serving as Vice President.

Barry volunteered countless hours to build Kunkle Field and it has grown to become a destination for Lancaster County youth baseball tournaments and for the Mount Joy community to gather. His leadership secured a sponsorship for one of the first electric scoreboards in the area in the 1970s.

During his 24 years of coaching baseball, he coached his son Scott, many collegiate athletes, minor league baseball players Mitch Johnson, Mike Sarbaugh and Kris Harmes, and 2006 MLB Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Sutter.

Barry was inducted into the Donegal Athletic Hall of Fame along with the 1963 football team in 2009 and was honored for his continued dedication to the MJAA at the 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2019.

Inductees for 2019

John Felix-John Felix was recognized for his 40 years of dedicated service to Donegal School District. Before retiring in June 2019, John served as social studies teacher, coach, athletic director, dean of students, assistant principal and principal. He was also assistant coach for varsity football and baseball, and head coach for junior high, varsity and elementary wrestling. He continues to serve as head coach for elementary wrestling.

John is also president of the Donegal Education Foundation. He has earned the respect of his peers, students, parents, administrators and the community. In nominating John for this honor, Tom Konas said, “No one bleeds greener than John!”

John is active in the community as a member of the Mount Joy Township Parks and Recreation Commission.

 

Ken Depoe-In his 40-year teaching career at Donegal, Ken Depoe earned the respect of faculty and administrators, and had a positive influence on the lives of countless students. His impact was felt in the classroom and in athletics, as well as in his fly-tying and fly-fishing club.

Ken was instrumental in creating the Donegal Fish & Conservation Association in 1965. This achievement led to the conservation efforts in the Donegal Creek Watershed, the creation of one of the first fly-fishing only projects in Lancaster County, and the development of a naturally sustaining brown trout population in Donegal Creek. These efforts gave Ken’s students a place to gain actual fly-fishing experience in the Mount Joy, Marietta and Maytown areas.

The DFCA has been in existence for 50 years and continues to hold an annual outdoors show every spring. Former students of Ken’s are now involved with the club, some holding leadership positions. Ken’s vision and believe in conservation helped the DFCA become a valuable partner to other conservations groups and led to the restoration project of Donegal Creek in 1996.

The DFCA has a 20-year tradition of holding an annual fishing derby for kids, which has exposed numerous young people to both fishing and the local natural resource of Donegal Creek. Through these young people Ken’s legacy continues, according to Kurt Enck, who nominated Ken for this honor.

Inductees for 2018

John Weidman-John Weidman is a lifelong resident of East Donegal Township and Mount Joy. He raised his family – 3 Donegal graduates. He served on the former School and Home Committee as well as the Finance Committee for the Donegal School District. He was a Donegal School Board member for 12 years and mentored students for 20 years after his retirement. He was also a very instrumental mentor to the DAC Capital Campaign Committee which raised over $1,000,000 of donated funds for the building of the stadium and athletic facility improvements in the Donegal School District

 

Oliver Overlander II-Oliver C. Overlander II, has been a long term supporter of DSD and a long term community leader. Oliver moved to Marietta in his early 20s to raise his family. He bought and restored an old house on Front Street Oliver served on Borough Council in Marietta for years and was Vice President and then President. He then ran for mayor and was mayor for over 29 years. As mayor, he helped form and then manage the Susquehanna Regional police force. He also helped improve the streets and sidewalks in Marietta and helped buy trees for Front Street which now line the whole street from one end of town to the other. Oliver coached youth baseball with the MYAA for a decade. He also contributed to the Marietta Fundraiser for years and volunteered at stands at the Marietta carnival to raise money for the Marietta Fire Police. Now retired, Oliver supports DAC and donated to the stadium campaign and supports the Susquehanna Theater in Marietta. He is truly a community leader.

Inductees for 2017

Anne Milanof-Anne was a long time resident of Mount Joy and Maytown.  A 25 year volunteer that included a member of and President of the Library’s Board of Trustees.  Included in her will, which was read in 1992, Anne had donated $450K to the Library building fund enabling the Library to acquire the land for the current Library.  With her substantial assistance the tiny Mount Joy public Library grew into a dynamic community resource.

 

Mr Clarence Schock-Clarence was born in Mount Joy 1865 and graduated from Mount Joy High School in 1881.  In 1941 he converted his business into a trust and all the profits from his business went solely to public education in the areas served by the SICO companies.  The SICO Foundation has provided educational opportunities to the Donegal areas in many areas.  Local students entering the education field earned millions in scholarships.   His legacy also provide a gift of $400,000 to the Mount Joy Public Library.  The new facility began serving the community in 1999.

 

James A. Madara-Jim Graduated from East Donegal High school in 1947.  He served two years in the Marine corp.   For 25 years he served as an active member of the Florin Fire company and Fire police.  He also served two terms as a member of the Mount Joy Borough Council. Jim was very active in the Donegal Braves booster club for several  year.  He was very active in the Saint Mary’s Catholic Church as a usher and grounds keeper for more than 20 years.

 

Mr. Stan Tucker-Stan was the first drum major for the Donegal High School and graduated in 1969.  He has, since graduation, continuously been involved in the Donegal band at all levels from the Junior high, high school and alumni.  Stan is know for adding “pizzazz” to every event and performance, especially with his participation in the community parades.  Stan also participated in the Maytown 250th town celebration as well as the closing celebration of the Maytown Elementary School.  Stan’s continued engagement and service to the community is clearly apparent in his willingness to volunteer at events long after his own children have graduated form Donegal.

We would like to recognize the  people and organizations listed below. They have made significant contributions to the Donegal School District and / or the Community at large.

Donegal Education Association
Clarence Schock Foundation
Friends of Gayne Deshler
Friends of Jed Sweigart
Kevin & Suzanne Bradley
Don White
Shrum Family In Honor of John & Marie
Madara Family
McCue & Sheetz Families

Matt Ober – Excavation
Drohan Brick
M & M Masonry