LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund

06/26/2026

The LHS Alumni Association and LHS Scholarship Fund Steering Committee would like to recognize and honor another Lakeview Legend—Norm Namminga.

If you know LHS golf history, you know Norm Namminga. Norm coached the boys golf team for 23 seasons — from 1972 to 1994 — and the record he built speaks for itself. His teams went 171-160 in dual matches, competed in 45 invitationals, and cracked the top four nine times. Along the way, they claimed four league championships (1973, 1974, 1975, and 1981), an MHSAA Regional title in 1981, and made four trips to the MHSAA State Championship tournament in 1975, 1980, 1981 — finishing in the top five that year — and again in 1989.

But Norm’s impact has never been just about the wins. Back in 1976, he was one of the founding members of the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association, and he’s stayed connected to that organization ever since — 50 years later and still going. Over the years he worked with local courses to bring junior golf clinics and camps to kids in the community, and even organized a Hole-In-One Contest to raise money for junior golf. And long after his coaching days wrapped up, Norm has remained a familiar face all around Lakeview — still showing up for home athletic events and staying plugged in to the school community he gave so much to.

Congratulations, Norm — your selection to the 2026 Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame is beyond well deserved!🎉🍻

Norm is also a Lakeview legend for having taught typing at LHS for 30 years—from 1964-1994. You knew when you were in his class—the sound alone told you everything. On a good day, a classroom of 25-30 students working in rhythm on their Royal or Underwood manuals produced a sound like a driving rainstorm on the tin roof of a barn. Students went hunting and pecking in his classes and over time learned how to operate a manual typewriter as smoothly as possible despite keys getting stuck together. When IBM selectric typewriters were introduced, Norm still made his students learn first on manual typewriters. The girls were usually more successful in his class than the boys but everyone left his class with a lifelong skill. (Little did we know that we would be using two thumbs for much of our typing 50 years later. )

Norm’s teaching students on manual typewriters was similar to coaching an athletic team because it required the class to synchronize their learning as much as possible. We are thankful that Norm had the patience to teach his many students 10 fingered typing skills that have lasted a lifetime. Cheers to you Norm🍻!

Photos courtesy of Steve Moblo.

05/19/2026

The LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund Steering Committee would like to recognize Phoebe Main and Olivia Trevino who were each awarded alumni scholarships last week by Todd Lincoln (LHS Class of ‘77). Kelly Kehl Hargrove (LHS Class of ‘81) created the LHS ASF lanterns that are given out each year to the scholarship awardees.

The LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund Steering Committee would like to thank the generosity of LHS alumni, friends of LHS and the greater Lakeview community for their generosity in funding the alumni scholarships to make these awards possible each year. In its six years of existence, the Alumni Scholarship Fund has awarded over $10,000 in scholarships for LHS grads interested in pursuing a career in the trades or adjacent fields. Thanks to the many donors who have made these alumni scholarships possible.

01/19/2026

Sitting here on a blustery day thinking about all the LHS teachers and alumni that have touched so many lives and warmed so many hearts. We lost one this past December when Jim Wood passed away on December 5th. Jim was 90 and lived a full life with his beautiful family and shared his many talents with the Lakeview community.

Jim wasn’t born in Michigan but after his family moved to Lakeview, he fully embraced and immersed himself in the community. He graduated in 1953 and after serving our country in the Korean War came back and started teaching in 1961. Over his 37-year career, he impacted many students’ lives by embedding lifelong math skills in his own unique way. In addition to teaching, he coached the varsity baseball teams and 8th grade basketball teams. In both capacities, he enriched the lives of hundreds of students.

He is warmly remembered for his big personality and for teaching fundamental life skills in math, map reading and engagement. Jon Comden remembers how everyone in his 9th grade math class had to memorize the multiplication and division tables up to 12x12. Jon noted that this was a simple life skill that he used his whole career.

Bruce Ball (LHS Class of ’79) continues to use the trigonometry that Jim taught him over 45 years ago in his work today – just doen’t use his slide rule. Although calculators were available to students in the mid-to late 1970s, Jim would never allow his students to use them because he did not think that they were conducive to learning trig in the same way that slide rules were. Bruce also has fond memories of Jim’s Analytical Geometry field trip to Durdle Hill near Entrican where students were required to apply their trigonometry skills to calculate the height of a radio tower located there.

Teaching more than just the dry words (or formulas) in a textbook, Jim would challenge students to live up to their full potential, even when the students weren’t so sure they even had any to live up to. His “Time for Fun in the Sun” sessions in class could be momentarily terrifying but always informative and memorable. While he often put students on the spot in his classroom, it made them do their homework so that there were prepared for their day “in the sun.” Beth (Walter) Hannabass (LHS ’79) dreaded hearing the words—Ms. Walter! Time for Fun in the Sun! She always thought it was punishment for talking too much. She also fondly remembers Jim explaining things other than math in his class like the cause of the Vietnam war or indentured servitude. In this way, Jim was also an informal history teacher.

In addition to teaching and coaching, one of the most heartwarming things Jim did was to go out of his way to recognize all area veterans and particularly those who were LHS alumni. He established an LHS veterans “trophy case” to display a list of the names of all LHS alumni who have served in the military—over 1,300+. Jim coordinated this effort with Terry Helms (LHS ’75) who makes and places each name in the veteran’s case.

He was very active with the VFW and served as the Lakeview post commander for several years. He would go out of his way to connect with veterans and their families, letting them know they were remembered and that their service truly mattered. He sent a very powerful message to families that sincerely helped them heal in so many cases. And he was always present at the various Veteran’s Day ceremonies regardless of the weather, with a helmet on his head and a trumpet in his hands. He would make sure that everyone remembered the sacrifice of all Lakeview veterans who served, particularly Private Wortley, a Lakeview area resident who fought (Company E, 26th Infantry) in France during WW 1. Private Wortley was killed in action on July. 19th, 1918 in France and has a grave marker in the Lakeview cemetery. Jim Wood made sure that Private Wortley’s sacrifice was never forgotten.

The LHS Alumni Association and LHS Alumni Scholarship Steering Committee are grateful for all that Mr. Wood did to contribute to the success of his many students.

08/26/2025

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized? Submit your nominations by August 29! More information can be found here: https://gacfmi.org/lakeview-area-community-fund/

08/12/2025

07/23/2025

Sharimg this to help support Chris Cantwell’s request to help prevent the hidden dangers of propane fires or explosions. Here is Chris’ story and request.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

When fire breaks out, you can count on the Lakeview District Fire Department (LDFP) to be there to help you. We ask that you join us in helping the LDFP by making a donation of any size to help them secure Combustible Gas Detectors for Home Use.

Many in the Lakeview area use propane to provide energy to their homes. While propane is typically safe, there are times when propane can be dangerous. This message was brought home to our family recently in an unnecessary loss. My Uncle’s life was saved, thanks to a quick call to 911 and the heroic efforts of the volunteers with the fire department; the home however was not, and is a total loss. While this was a sad and tragic event that could have been prevented, it was nothing compared to what could have happened if the fire department had not arrived as quickly as they did.

As a thank you and to help further the Department’s mission of Service and Protection, our families’ have raised the necessary funds to provide 2 hand-held combustible gas sniffers for the LDFD to be deployed at each Station House to help them detect propane leaks before they cause damage.

As neighbors who help neighbors, we do not want to stop there. We are seeking the Lakeview area community’s support to help fund propane floor detectors for older homes that may not be required to have a detector by code. These detectors can help make a home safer by sniffing out propane leaks before they can cause damage. Had one of these simple devices been in service for my Uncle’s family, the loss and risk would have been mitigated. We ask for your help. Our Goal is to raise $2,500.00 to support this cause. As a Family the Johnson’s and Cantwell's will match the first $1,000.00. ALL funds donated will be made available to the LDFD so that they can purchase the hand-held gas sniffers for the Station Houses and floor detectors for installations when the need is found to help prevent home catastrophes in the future.

Click on this link or use the QR Code to make a donation: https://godonate.akoyago.com/gacf/fund/lacf Please make sure to note that this donation is for the LDFD.

Or you can send a check to: the Lakeview Area Community Fund c/o the Greenville Area Community Foundation, 225 N. Lafayette, Greenville, MI 48838

Please be sure to insert LDFD in the memo line of your check.

Thanks in advance for your support from the Johnson and Cantwell families. This is our combined family’s effort to turn something awful into an opportunity make it better and safer for our Community.

05/28/2025

The LHS Alumni Association and LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund Steering Committee are pleased to recognize the most recent recipients of the LHS Alumni Scholarships--Sarah Parsons and Harrison Copeland! Todd Lincoln and Diane (Brasington) Dunklau (LHS Class of ’77) represented the LHS Alumni in awarding Sarah and Harrison each a $1,000.00 scholarship on May 15th. We wish Sarah and Harrison all the best in their next chapter in life.

The LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund Steering Committee would like to thank LHS Alumni, friends of LHS and the Lakeview Area Community Fund for their generosity in contributing to and supporting the LHS Alumni Scholarship Fund over the past five years to make these scholarships possible.

02/02/2025

There are so many people that touch us in our lives. Some in dramatic fashion and remarkable ways. Others in more subdued and quiet ways. Dave Lewis fits that latter category for me and possibly many of you as well. Dave passed away last week at 94. Maybe he touched your life too.

He was a fairly quiet, unassuming man. I never saw him extremely animated, but you always knew where he stood and he wasn’t ever afraid to share his mind. I always admired how put together he was. Always. He took pride in keeping the school that way as well. He worked in the Middle School for over twenty years and was affectionately called “Pops”. He always had a smile on his face and was quick with a laugh. His pride in his work truly helped make Lakeview Schools a place that everyone who attended was proud to go there. He took especially great pride in caring for the gym in what was the "old" high school. The gym was built when Lakeview was a basketball powerhouse in the late 1950's and 60's. He enjoyed watching his son Brook practice shooting hoops in a place that he knew was very special to so many people.

He had the ability to make people feel special too. For me it was always greeting me with a term of endearment and a sincere desire to know how I was doing when he asked. He was a figure a little bit larger than life in some ways. I was always enamored with the horses and when I saw him and Aunt Nita in their square dancing outfits. A man of many talents who lived a long and well loved life.

01/17/2025

Hope everyone's 2025 is off to a good start and that LHS seniors are getting applications in for scholarships.

Thought this was an interesting read and supports our scholarship mission. Take a look if you need something to read while you cozy up in the coming cold snap.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Da4bDbx3j/

Colleges and universities in the United States could be facing a crisis as they struggle to meet enrollment numbers due to increase in tuition costs, declining birthrates and the rise of alternate career paths.