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Warren G. Harding High School Panther Band Alumni and Friends
Russ Abruzzi WGH '67 Trumpet
Susan Adams WGH '68 French Horn
Margaret Parker Adamson WGH '72 French Horn
John Adaway WGH '65 Tuba
Nanci Adkins WGH '83 Flute
Andrew Agona WGH '07 Trombone
Janet Grammatas Aqueda WGH '84 Trumpet, Alto, Fr Horn
Betty Amos WGH '68 Baritone Horn
Doug Anderson WGH '68 Trumpet
Fred Anderson WGH '70 Trombone
Janet Pickup Anderson WGH '69 Friend, Chorus
Brenda Winter Antennucci WGH '74 Flute, French Horn
Chuck Ardingo WGH '75 Percussion
Joe Astolfi WGH '84 Trumpet
Patrick Aulizia WGH '72 Percussion
Valli Spahn Baba WGH '74 Clarinet
Mehmet Baharan WGH '75 Tuba, Sousaphone
Bonnie Bailey WGH '68 Friend
JoAnne Stathis Baker WGH '85 Flute
Pamela Lowry Bane WGH '61 Piccolo, Line, Head Majorette
Frank Barile WGH ‘67 French horn, Trumpet
Deborah Bartlett WGH '88 Alto Saxophone
** Rick Bartunek WGH ‘64 Alto Sax, WGH Band Director 1970-'82; 1995-'03
Carol June Ormsby Baxter WGH '67 Trombone
Robert B. Baxter WGH '66 Trumpet
Randy Beardsley WGH '72 Clarinet
Karen Berger Bishop WGH '64 Family
John Bishop WGH '64 Trumpet
Doug Blank WGH '69 Trumpet
Thomas J. Bonasera WGH '66 Trumpet
Dawn Walton Boylan WGH '91 Trombone
*Lynn Brewster WGH ‘69 Percussion
**James Brodell WGH ‘70 Clarinet, Saxophone
*Robert Brodell WGH ‘71 Saxophone
Joyce Bland Brothers WGH ‘78 Flute, Piccolo
Erica L. Brown WGH '89 Trombone
Karen Slagle Brown WGH '65 Trombone
Tamara Brunetti WGH '82 Saxophone
Donald Bryant WGH '67 Percussion
Joseph Bryant WGH '74 Percussion
Jim Bufalini WGH '66 Friend
John Bugzavich WGH '66 Percussion
Paula Williams Butler WGH '79 Oboe, Tenor Sax
Michael A. Cantelmo WGH '63 2nd chair, 1st Trumpet, Orch
Gerald Canton WGH '70 Percussion Cadet Band
James Carducci WGH '80 Tuba
Pamela Tomlin Chapin WGH '73 Majorette
Joanne Cicero WGH '73 Band Musician, Majorette
Tia Brunetti Ciferno WGH '78 Alto Saxophone
Tom Ciferno WGH '79 Trumpet
Cheryl Ciulei WGH '67 Friend
Stephen Ciulei WGH '64 Percussion
Robin Clark WGH '70 Bassoon
Suzanne Perrett Coggins WGH '67 Alto, Baritone Sax
Martin Cohen WGH '70 Friend, Drums
Carolyn King Collazo WGH '79 Trumpet, Fr Horn, Elec Bass
Julie Conceller WGH '82 Clarinet
Regina Conceller WGH '85 Flute
Michael Coons WGH '67 Percussion
*Neil Corsatea WGH ‘72 Percussion
David Craciun WGH '61 Tenor Saxophone
Linda Diamondstein Crane WGH '65 Flute, Piccolo
Karen Stiver Crites WGH ‘82 Clarinet
Laura Lee Custodio WGH '68 Flute
Deanna Shellhammer Davis WGH '61 Majorette, Clarinet
Renee D'Andrea WGH ‘81 Majorette
Jeff Ding WGH '71 Baritone Sax, Bass Drum
Martha McFarland Dooley WGH '65 Flute
Janet Hrusovsky Dubasik WGH '65 Alto Saxophone
Sheri Dumire-Hamilton WGH '77 Flute, Piccolo
Leslie Klingeman Dunlap WGH '83 Clarinet
Sharon Smith Dyer WGH '78 Head Majorette
Paula Eckenrode WGH '70 Alto Saxophone
Carol Simpson Eddy WGH '67 Flute, Piccolo
Andrew Ellers WGH '79 Tuba
Jennifer Henrey Elliott WGH '87 Clarinet
Gary W. Engstrom WGH '65 Clarinet, Sousaphone
Jean Ledsome Engstrom WGH '66 Clarinet
Bruce A. Evers WGH '64 French Horn, Baritone Horn
Mary Knapp Farmer WGH '90 Majorette
Linda Fenton WGH ‘66 Choir, Friend
Patty Bash Ferchau WGH '68 Clarinet
*Tony Ferderber WGH ‘71 Percussion, WGH Perc.Instructor
Elaine Marshalek Ferguson WGH ‘65 Clarinet
Dan Fiorino WGH '67 Alto Saxophone
Jacquline Flask WGH '55 Majorette
*Bill Forrester WGH '71 Trombone, Band Director
Katie Foster Granddaughter of Ast Band Dir Clinton Foster
Sheri French WGH '64 Clarinet
Lynn Cheryl Gadson WGH '66 Clarinet
Chrystal Rodgers Gallatin WGH '86 Clarinet
Jerry Gania WGH '75 Percussion
Linda Heathman Garber WGH '75 Choir, Friend
Darlyn Jackson Gardiner WGH '75 Flute, Piccolo
Brian Geist WGH '85 Trumpet
Anthony Germano WGH '63 Trumpet
Cindy Gillam WGH '91 Clarinet, FLag Line
Arlene Glass WGH '72 Flute
Stellie Glinatsis WGH '78 Majorette
Richard Grate WGH '55 Clarinet
Pamela Custin Gray WGH ‘71 Saxophone
Susan Griffin WGH ‘69 Cheerleader, Friend
Rick Griffing WGH '71 Percussion
Margaret "Peggy" Groves WGH '66 Flute, Piccolo
Glenn Hammercheck WGH '81 Trumpet
Paul Hammercheck WGH '83 Saxophone
Robert Hammercheck WGH '85 Trumpet
Stephanie Hammercheck WGH '86 Trumpet
Linda Hanick WGH '64 Clarinet
Mary Beth Uhlir Hank WGH '73 French Horn, E flat Alto
Michael Hatfield WGH '80 Trumpet
Joyce Hebberts WGH '72 Flute, Piccolo
Charles Hefling WGH '67 Clarinet
Sandy Brodell Hilas WGH ‘75 Line and Head Majorette
Lynnette Hillman WGH '84 Trombone
Sarah Hirt WGH '79 Flute, Piccolo
Richard Hockensmith WGH '83 Trumpet, Tuba, Guitar
Janice McGill Hodgson WGH '65 Flute, PiccoloTom Hodgson WGH '64 Baritone Sax, Oboe, WWR
Joyce Klinger Hoffman WGH '76 Friend
Band Dir.
Jim Holmes WGH '65 Trombone
**Jean Neidhart Hood WGH ‘69 Flute, Piccolo
Michael Howard WGH '88 Saxophone
Tom Huff WGH '88 Percussion
Richard Marlin Hunter WGH '63 Oboe, Alto Saxophone
*Colleen Tomlin Janis WGH ‘70 Line and Head Majorette
Burton Job WGH '67 Trombone, Baritone
Doug Johnson WGH '64 Trombone
Jim Kerr WGH '80 Trombone
Maggie Ruckman Kiesow WGH '67 Clarinet
Sue Kindelberger WGH English teacher 1965-1994
**John Kobasiar Jr. WGH '51 Clarinet, Sax, WGH Assist. Band Director 1966-'69
Karen Bellesis Kontras WGH '77 Baritone Horn
Terry Kotsatos WGH '88 Head Drummer, Percussion
*Bill Kush WGH ‘71 Clarinet
Trevor Lang WGH '86 Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, French Horn
Kathy Sedlock Larson WGH '79 Flute, Piccolo
Colleen Lowry Latta WGH ‘66 Majorette
Elizabeth Lewis WGH '75 Flute
Judy Lewis WGH '63 Majorette
Nancy Neidhart Lewis WGH '71 Clarinet
Susan Lewis WGH '76 Trombone
Nina Longwell WGH ‘83 Clarinet
Randall Loos WGH '71 Clarinet, Trumpet
Greg Lowry WGH '64 Drum Major, Tenor Sax (Dance Band), Bassoon (Concert Band)
Jeannie Iacozili Magri WGH ‘68 Majorette
Carl Manofsky WGH '65 Trumpet
Therese Marchin WGH '68 Majorette
Shawn Marko WGH '88 Trumpet
*Lynn Green Marlin WGH ‘70 Fr. Horn, WGH Band Director
Amy Marshalek WGH '94 Clarinet, Tenor Sax
**Anthony Marshalek WGH ‘64 Baritone Horn
Tim Martin WGH ‘82 Tuba, Sousaphone
Mark Marvin WGH '83 Trumpet
Rosalind Bowman Matthews WGH '65 Flute
Jim McFarland WGH '72 Trombone
Lynette Menendez WGH '84 Alto Saxophone
Christine Metzendorf-Bullard WGH '89 Clarinet
James Metzendorf WGH '93 Saxophone, Drum Major
**Joyce Ormsby Meyer WGH ‘69 Baritone Horn, Majorette
Kim Miller WGH '77 Alto Saxophone
Larry Miller Niles graduate
Lynn Miller WGH '71 Clarinet
Samuel Miller WGH ‘71 Saxophone
Fred Mills WGH '65 Alto Saxophone, Oboe
Mark Minton WGH '72 Snare Drum
*Tom Montgomery WGH ‘68 Percussion
Jan Harris Moody WGH '72 Majorette
Mary Beth McDonald Morris WGH '69 Clarinet, Bassoon
Savannah Moss TCHS Representative
David A. Nuzzi WGH '71 Saxophone
James Nuzzi WGH '65 Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Joseph A. Nuzzi Jr. WGH '65 Tenor Saxophone
Michael O'Brien JFK '73 Friend
Mary Ellen Ognibene WGH '72 Fr. Horn, Head Majorette
**Michael A. Ognibene WGH ‘71 Percussion
Merry Lynne Ormsby WGH ‘72 Trombone
**Darlene Hoffman Owen WGH ‘68 Majorette
*Kathleen Tomlin Pace WGH ‘66 Majorette
Randy Palmer WGH '70 Majorette
Barb Parker WGH '70 Flute, Piccolo
Wayne Parks III WGH '77 Trumpet
Carol Lucarelli Patterson WGH '66 Clarinet
Deborah Capito Paully WGH '72 Majorette
Anthony J. Payiavlas WGH '80 Friend
Kat Workley Pellegrino WGH '84 Altonium, Clarinet, Tuba
Erin Dixon Petraites WGH '75 Clarinet
Michelle Postiy WGH '90 Majorette
Tom Potjunas WGH '80 Trombone
Mary Sue Armambasick Prezioso WGH '73 Clarinet
Michael Principi WGH '64 Trombone
Kathy Lynn Prussey WGH '79 Majorette
Debra Ding Quinn WGH '69 French Horn
John Radu Jr. WGH '68 Bb Clarinet
*Kay Iacozili Ralph WGH ‘66 Line and Head Majorette
Gerald (Jerry) Rassega WGH '57 Percussion
John Reese WGH '78 Trombone
Linda Rich WGH '71 Clarinet
Kathy Kobasiar Robinson daughter of Mr. Kobasiar
*Rich Rollo WGH ‘75 Saxophone, WGH Band Director
Robert A. Rollo WGH '78 Trumpet, WGH Assist Band Dir
Lynn Rowley WGH '78 Baritone
Stephen Russ WGH '65 French Horn
Karen Lockovich Sampson WGH '77 Clarinet
Judy Schultz WGH '67 Clarinet, Oboe
Larry Sebben WGH '72 Percussion
Rosemary Smith Sebring WGH '60 French Horn
Kathy Shehane WGH '84 Flute
Betty Shimko WGH '70 Clarinet, Majorette
Kathryn Clark Snowball WGH '68 Saxophone
Susan Stack WGH '83 Piccolo, Flute
Lois Stanley WGH '73 Line and Head Majorette
Marietta Morris Stathis WGH '77 Flute, Baritone Horn
Candy Stover WGH '78 Saxophone
Connie Murray Struble WGH '66 Majorette
Drusella Talkington WGH '74 Piccolo
Bonnie Behrens Tandy WGH ‘69 Alto Saxophone
Victor Tsimpinos WGH '78 Percussion
Gail Shepherd Vannelli WGH '69 Flute
Patricia Vennitt WGH ‘62 Friend
*John Vlad WGH ‘52 Saxophone
WGH Raider Band Directors
Tim Welch WGH '87 Percussion
Darryl White WGH '81 Trumpet
Marty White WGH '70 Friend
David Workley WGH '87 Tuba, Saxophone
Richard Yerman WGH '64 Trumpet
Cathy Young WGH '68 Friend
John Yurtin WGH '65 Percussion
Ron Zelenak WGH '68 Saxophone
Kris Zickefoose WGH '89 Majorette
* Charter Steering Committee
** Founding Officer
233 Registered Panther Band Alumni
*as of 7/25/24
The Fleming Legacy Band Directors
The very special alumni on this list have performed in the WGH High School marching and concert band under directors Robert Fleming and assistants Clinton Foster or John Kobasiar Jr., or they studied music and performed in the Youngstown State University or Hiram College marching and concert bands under Mr. Fleming as director.
*James Bane WGH '61 Cleveland Heights HS Band Director
*William Leon WGH '63 Lakeview HS Assistant Band Director
*Richard Bartunek WGH '64 Warren G. Harding HS, Assistant, and Band Director
*Tom Hodgson WGH '64 Warren Western Reserve HS, Band Director
*Lynn Green Marlin WGH '70 Warren G. Harding HS, Assistant, and Band Director
*Bill Forrester WGH '71 Hubbard HS, Hubbard, OH, Band Director
*Tony Ferderber WGH '71 Warren G. Harding HS, Percussion Instructor, including Howland, Lakeview, Maplewood, and other area high schools.
**Dennis Bowers, WGH '74 -- Warren G. Harding HS, Assistant Band Director
**Richard Rollo, WGH '75 -- Warren G. Harding HS, Assistant, and Band Director
**Robert Rollo, WGH '78 -- Warren G. Harding HS, Assistant Band Director
**Daniel Carioti, WGH '80 -- Warren G. Harding, Assistant Band Director
Dr. Darryl White, WGH '81 -- University of Nebraska, Associate Professor of Trumpet
Ed Fabrizio, WGH '82 -- Girard HS, Girard, OH, Assistant Band Director
** Melanie Vlad, Hiram College '87 -- Music Specialist, Warren City Schools; Director of Music Ministry, First Presbyterian Church, Warren, OH; Top Notes 30 years.
Shawn Marko, WGH '88 -- Youngstown East HS, Band Director
Sean Jones, WGH '96 -- Peabody Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins University, Professor of Jazz Studies
Dr. Joshua Haggerty, WGH 2001 -- John F. Kennedy HS, Warren, OH, Band Director
* Fleming Legacy Directors are WGH graduates who performed as high school students under the direction of Robert Fleming and Assistant Directors Clinton Foster or John S. Kobasiar, Jr.
**..WGH, YSU, or Hiram graduate who performed under Mr. Fleming, Fleming Legacy Assistant Band Director Rick Bartunek, studied under Robert Fleming at YSU or Hiram and returned to WGH as band director, or as Director of Music for Warren City Schools.
Other WGH band directors who were not WGH grads whom we would like to recognize for their service to the WGH Marching and Concert Band and Orchestra are: David Ready, Mark Hoffman, David Colella, Brenda Romack, Jessica Turner, Michael Westmoreland, Dr. Victor Markovich, Kevin Kifer, Angie Smith, Reid Young, and Heather Sirney.
A message to our Panther band alumni ...
You are one of a highly select and unique group.
Only a small segment of humanity can say they achieved the pinnacle of an endeavor, they were the absolute best. Our 1960’s marching and concert bands under the direction of Robert Fleming were the first Panther bands to accomplish exactly that.
The ancient Latin phrase Discipuli Victoria, Magestri est Gloria (the achievement of the student is to the credit of the teacher) applies to us because it was Robert Fleming capably assisted by Clinton Foster and later, John Kobasiar, Jr., and the legacy directors in the two decades to follow, who guided WGH bands to greatness.
"Robert Fleming has been acclaimed one of the best directors in the nation and his band demonstrates why." -- Jim Brown, Tribune Chronicle, Aug. 4, 1967
Shortly before the band’s half-time appearance at the August 4, 1967 Green Bay Packers v College All-Star football game at Soldier Field in Chicago, Warren Tribune Chronicle reporter, Jim Brown, wrote, “Bob Fleming could give lessons to a Marine drill sergeant and his direction shows it. He has been acclaimed one of the best directors in the nation and his band demonstrates why. When he chews them out, they tremble, but they highly respect him, and when he barks, they know they deserve it. ‘He’s the greatest,’ is the common comment among band members, and the esprit de corps instilled by Fleming would be the envy of any Marine unit."
"... a band second to none in the nation. And they love Fleming for doing it." -- Jim Brown, Warren Tribune Chronicle, Aug. 4, 1967
Brown added, “They have been rehearsing twice a day, Monday through Friday, since June 26. They march on the infield of the Fairgrounds track. It’s dusty, dry, and hot. It’s march, march, march, but they have shown they can take it. It’s rough and once in a while one of them gets sick when it’s too hot, but they know they’re being molded into an organization of which they’ll be proud – a band second to none in the nation. And they love Fleming for doing it.”
The goal of The WGH Panther Band Historical Association: The Fleming Legacy, which consists of Mr. Fleming’s combined 1950s-1960s WGH bands and his legacy bands through the next two decades, is to preserve his memory and our hard-won artistic accomplishments for posterity.
Together, we achieved at a level beyond what many thought could be possible for young teenagers. Now, considerably older, and with a wealth of experience across a spectrum of endeavors, we unite once again with the common purpose of remembering and honoring our esteemed director and teacher, Mr. Fleming, and the talented legacy directors through the following decades, who so indelibly influenced our lives.
Above: Assistant Director Clinton Foster and Director Robert Fleming review marching plans on the field at Mollenkopf Stadium 1964. Photo credit: 1964 Echoes yearbook.
Above: Director Robert Fleming with Assistant Director John Kobasiar Jr., near the Panther scoreboard, Mollenkopf Stadium 1966. Photo credit: Tribune Chronicle, Warren, Ohio.
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The Warren G. Harding Panther Band Historical Association: The Fleming Legacy
Subject Line: WGH BAND FLEMING LEGACY
