Five graduates of Belleville High School will be honored on Sunday as a part of the ongoing Distinguished Graduate program.
This year’s honors go to Randy Brown, Rosemary Otzman, Dr. Tami Harkai Remington, Dr. Susan Clark Studer, and William Wolters.
Randy Brown
Class of 1981
Randy Brown has distinguished himself in the area of Community Service.
Randy Brown graduated from BHS in 1981. While attending school, he was a percussionist in symphony band, jazz band, and marching band for three years. He also was a member of the German Club.
Always the enterprising businessman, Randy opened Randy Brown Landscaping in 1985 while attending Michigan State University (MSU). In 1991, Randy earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from MSU. After college, he continued to grow his landscaping business which evolved into The Gardner’s Choice, currently located on Belleville Road.
He has been active with the Jaycees, the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Van Buren Public Schools. Randy has spent many years volunteering across the community, many times loaning his employees and equipment to help collect food drive contributions, stringing Christmas lights in the township, and helping to clean Van Buren Park for events. One could say that if it happens in Belleville, Randy is there.
Since he joined the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce in 1990, Randy has held many positions, including President. He is a familiar face at all the local events, and is in charge at a number of them, winning the Joan Van Buhler Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Chamber. In 2006, Randy presented his idea for a nighttime Christmas Light parade. He had a vision of crowds of families enjoying the parade, fireworks, and the arrival of Santa Clause in a “Norman Rockwell” small town Christmas, complete with falling snow. This vision became a reality in 2007 in spite of many roadblocks. Over the last three years, activities have been added that are making the parade into a daylong event which draws more people every year. He organizes the parade, the fireworks, and a dinner at the BHS cafeteria before making the mad dash to emcee the parade on Main Street. For the record, because he has hosted both the Christmas and Strawberry Festival parades for many years, his has become the voice of parades in Belleville.
Over the years, he has proved to be a staunch supporter and enthusiast of the school district. When the idea for the Van Buren Public Schools Education Foundation was presented to him, he immediately agreed to be a part of it, serving as past vice-president and president. After four short years, the Foundation raises $20,000 each year to be awarded as grants to the Van Buren Public Schools staff to benefit the students.
He spent three years as part of a voluntary building committee to study building needs for the Van Buren Public Schools. This group later determined that the only practical plan for the high school was a new building and he spent many hours working on multiple bond campaigns to help pass the funding necessary. It is the recommendations of this committee that laid the groundwork for the new BHS that will open in the fall of 2012.
As a business owner he has volunteered his time and resources to support many athletic and extra-curricular groups in the public schools, even though he doesn’t have any children of his own. On a more personal note, he helps organize the Florence Brown Invitational, a cross country meet to honor his mother. Randy has also found time to teach courses in horticulture at the Wayne County Community College and is a member of the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association.
“I have always been proud to be a graduate of Belleville High School and have tried to pay back all of the opportunities that I have been given,” said Brown. “It is a very proud and humbling experience to be inducted into the Distinguished Graduate Hall of Fame.”
Rosemary (Kuchta) Otzman
Class of 1954
Rosemary (Kuchta) Otzman has distinguished herself in the field of Journalism.
Rosemary graduated from BHS in 1954. As a student, she served as an editor for the BHS school newspaper, contributed to the Belleville Enterprise as a student columnist, and performed lead roles in the junior and senior plays. She received the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award for having the qualities of dependability, service, and patriotism to an outstanding degree.
Rosemary attended Albion College where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in English in 1958. She minored in art, education, and German and was editor of the college newspaper. Rosemary also took additional courses in sociology, outdoor education, and advanced photojournalism. She married after college and had three children: Gerald (now deceased), William, and James. She worked as an elementary teacher in Albion Public Schools (1958-59) and as a substitute teacher in Grand Ledge, Romeo, and the Van Buren Public Schools District. She also covered municipal meetings at night for various newspapers.
Rosemary has spent most of her life doing what she loves the most: newspaper writing. She has a distinguished career in journalism that spans more than four decades. Her credits include being a news broadcaster for WSMA Radio in Marine City, Special Writer for The Detroit News, managing editor of three weekly papers based in Richmond, Michigan, and editor/reporter for the Longmont Daily Times Call in Colorado.
In 1990, Rosemary moved back to Belleville from Colorado to take care of her aging mother. She was hired by The Belleville View newspaper and soon became editor. After leaving The View, she started composing a newsletter to keep snowbirds in Arizona up on the news that was happing around town. It was first called Dave’s World after the former Van Buren Township Supervisor Dave Jacokes. The name eventually changed to Davey’s Locker. The little newsletter became such a hit that it was soon published by the thousands and was delivered to nearly all households in Van Buren Township by volunteers. In 1995, a group of local investors who, impressed with her work, transformed her newsletter into the Belleville-Area Independent and positioned her as editor/publisher. She has received well over a dozen awards from the Michigan Press Association for her work in the Independent. The newspaper boasts a circulation of 7,000 readers and that it is the only local newspaper still located in Belleville, right at the site of the old movie theatre.
Along her way she has been a Cub Scout Den Mother, a board member of the Otsikita Council of Girl Scouts, a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, a volunteer for a safe house in Longmont, Colorado, and a volunteer for the Belleville First United Methodist Church food closet. She even found time to start and serve as president of the Belleville Toastmasters.
Rosemary has been called everything from a “straight shooter who tells it like it is” to a “controversial community member” and then some. Say what you like, there is still no other community paper that covers local meetings and events with as much detail as she does or cares as much about the community.
Dr. Tami (Harkai) Remington, Pharm.D.
Class of 1983
Dr. Tami (Harkai) Remington has distinguished herself in the field of Pharmacology and Education.
Tami graduated from BHS in 1983. As a student, she was a member of the National Honor Society, participated in marching band, and tutored junior high students. She graduated seventh in her class at BHS.
Tami received the Regents Scholarship Award from Eastern Michigan University and received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 1987. She went on to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Michigan in 1991. She completed her Critical Care Pharmacy Residency in 1992 at Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health Center.
Tami has held many prominent positions with prestigious institutions including: Clinical Pharmacist with The Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System, Clinical Specialist in Internal Medicine with St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice with Wayne State University. She is currently Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Services with the University of Michigan Heath System. While at these institutions, she also participated in and directed research grants that include: Improving Quality of Medication Histories in an Ambulatory Geriatrics Clinic; Retrospective Evaluation of Antipsychotic Drug Use among Older Adults with Dementia; and Comprehensive Programs to Strengthen Physicians’ Training in Geriatrics. Tami has also been published dozens of times in peer-reviewed articles, text books, and other periodicals.
She is a sought-after lecturer and expert in the field of geriatrics. In addition to giving presentations on various topics at local, state, and national professional meetings, she is coordinator of the geriatrics course at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. It is a popular elective course that is taken by more than half of the student body. Recently, she was presented with the Teaching of Excellence Award in recognition of excellence in teaching in the classroom and clinical settings. Tami also dedicates time to educating older adults and their caregivers about medications in venues outside of the University of Michigan. Over the years, she has led dozens of discussions and presentations on various topics relating to optimal use of medications.
Tami shares her life with her husband, Andrew, and their two beautiful children, Matthew and Mark.
Dr. Susan Clark Studer, Ph.D
Class of 1967
Dr. Susan Clark Studer has distinguished herself in the field of Education.
Susan graduated from BHS in 1967. During high school, Susan was an involved student participating in Spanish Club, Senior Band, Junior Band, and play crew for two years. She served as a State Representative for the United Nations Club and was awarded a band scholarship to a summer music program. She won ribbons at individual and group music competitions for playing the saxophone. She also served as counselor at band camp after graduation.
Susan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1974 and her Master of Science degree in Human Development from Eastern Michigan University in 1980.
She married her high school sweetheart, Paul Studer, and they had two children, Paul and Matthew. In 1979, her husband’s career required them to move to California. In 1997, Susan earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Riverside.
Susan has been involved in the field of education for over 30 years as an educator, teaching both children and adults, nursery school through master’s degree students. She is currently employed as a Professor of Education for the Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education at California Baptist University. In addition to teaching, she serves as Research Coordinator in charge of all masters’ thesis projects and comprehensive exams, and has been president of the Faculty Senate for three years. Her research interests include teacher motivation, parental involvement, social and cultural contexts, and the history and foundation of American Education.
She has been a supporter of BHS and showed her support with donations to band boosters and supporting plays and other events In 2000, she established The Paul L. Studer Memorial Golf Scholarship to honor the memory of her late husband and to help future graduating BHS seniors to attend college.
Susan is a popular speaker, presenting at local schools and at conferences nationally and internationally on education topics. She is a program evaluator for the United Way, helping to decide which programs get funded. She works with Habitat for Humanity, hospice, and local art alliances.
Susan is the owner of the company Stats for U, a research organization that provides statistical help and election supervision for homeowner’s associations. She is an editorial reviewer for The Journal of Negro Education and the Journal of Urban Education. She has been published in peer-reviewed articles and other periodicals. She has two books being published this year: The Teachers’ Book of Days: Inspirational Passages for Every Day of the Year and Leveraging Chaos: The Mysteries of Leadership and Policy Revealed.
William E. Wolters
Class of 1966
William E. Wolters has distinguished himself in the area of Community Service.
Bill Wolters graduated from BHS in 1966. While attending school he participated in football and received his varsity letter in swimming.
After graduation, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served for three years. When his tour of duty ended, he worked in skilled trades for General Motor/Hydromantic, Adell Industries, Masco Corporation, and Milford Fabrication. He returned to school to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1975 and became an instructor for Henry Ford Community College. Bill has also spent time substitute teaching for the Van Buren Public Schools. He opened Stoney Creek Motor Sports in Belleville in 1997 and became a part of the Belleville business community.
Bill has been president or board member of the Thunderbird Kart Club, Michigan Kart Club, and Great Lakes Sprint Series. He also was named Superkarts U.S.A. Great Lakes Sportsman of the Year and was the TAG Racing USA World Champion in the “Master Class” in 2006.
Bill volunteers his time to the community in so many ways; it is difficult to include them all. He has been past president and member of the board of the Belleville Area Jaycees, the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Business Community. Bill has won the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce Joan Van Buhler Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Chamber.
Year after year Bill organizes and runs the National Strawberry Festival. To most of us the festival is a weekend of fun, food and seeing friends we haven’t seen since last year; for Bill it is the culmination of a year of work and planning and, at times, refereeing the many groups involved. Bill is a familiar face around the festival because he is there almost around the clock from the time the vendors start arriving on Thursday until the last piece of trash is carted away on Sunday.
Bill is one of the founding members of the Van Buren Public Schools Education Foundation and has been secretary since its inception. He has served in many ways, organizing and setting up fund raisers, reviewing grant proposals, and voting on which grants should be funded. The Foundation grants $20,000 annually to the school district. Bill supports many public school activities with both his money and his time, even though he doesn’t have any children in the public schools.
Bill shares his life with his wife of 38 years, Phyllis. He cherishes her love and support.