Austin High School Alumni – Austin, Texas

Thank you to the most recent donors to the AHS Alumni Association.  These funds are used to promote excellence at AHS and provide assistance to the Hall of Honor in their endeavor to preserve artifacts in the archives. We wish to thank our newest members for their support of the Association. Memberships are $25.00 for 1 year and $250.00 for a lifetime membership.

Corinne Johnson, Class of 1973 – Lifetime Membership

Mary Lou McDaniel Ramsey, Class of 1958 – Alumni Membership

Chris Ruud, Class of 1970 – Alumni Membership

Wilson Bauer, Class of 2010 – Lifetime Membership

Austin High School, AISD, and the Austin running community have partnered to raise funds to resurface and renovate the Austin High track and field. This initiative is a public/private partnership called “Back the Track,” and we are looking for businesses, runners, parents, and other community members to contribute to this great cause. With over 15,000 in the community using the AHS track annually, it is critical to restore the track into top shape. Visit: www.backthetrack.run for information.

Several members of the class of 2007 just updated their contact information on the Loyalforever.com database. This database is the best way to keep up with classmates throughout the years. If you have not registered on the site, today is the day. It doesn’t cost a penny and you will have access to the complete database of alumni of S.F. Austin High School. Class of 2007 recent registrants:
Deena Marie Vierus
Emily Maline
Hilary Jordan
Brock Fields
Decker H. Basham
Jacquelyn Plummer Hanson
Kristin Gutierrez Cardona
Madison L. Morales
Gershen Greenberg
Rose Goodrich Harrison
Sara Pfeiffer Tzaperas
Dawnielle Castledine

Don Baylor, the former Major League Baseball power hitter who won a World Series championship in 1987 with the Minnesota Twins and went on to manage the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs, died Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, of cancer in his native Austin, Texas. He was 68.

Baylor had multiple myeloma, or blood cancer, according to multiple news sources.

Baylor played for the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, and four other AL clubs: the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox.

When the Rockies were added to the MLB along with the Florida (now Miami) Marlins during the 1993 expansion, Baylor was hired as the manager. He managed the Rockies until 1998. In 2000, he managed the Cubs for three seasons.

Donald Edward Baylor was born June 28, 1949. He played baseball and football in high school. Baseball won out.

The Orioles drafted Baylor as a second-round pick in the 1967 draft. He made his MLB debut Sept. 18, 1970, with the team. After playing for the Orioles until 1975, the outfielder was traded to the Oakland Athletics before the 1976 season.

Baylor entered free agency in 1977, signing with the Angels, where he played until 1982. He went on to play for the Yankees from 1983 to 1985, the Red Sox from 1986-to 1987, the Twins for a season in 1987, and back with the Athletics in 1988 before retiring as a player.

Baylor won a World Series ring in 1987 when he was with the Twins. He hit a home run and had three RBI during the Series.

Baylor was named an All-Star in 1979. The left fielder’s prowess as a plate-crowding power hitter earned him the Silver Slugger Award three times, in 1983, 1985, and 1986.

The Yankees shared the team’s condolences via social media.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Don Baylor,” the team tweeted. “He was a great man & we send our thoughts to his family & friends.” The post was accompanied by a photograph of Baylor from his playing days.

The Cubs also mourned Baylor’s death and sent condolences via Twitter “to his family and friends.”

Former Oriole player Ken Singleton tweeted, “Very sad last few days as baseball loses 2 strong leaders of the past, Darren Daulton & Don Baylor. Two old school tough baseball players.”

Daulton, the former Philadelphia Phillies legend who won the World Series in 1997 with the Marlins, died Sunday. He, too, had cancer.

Thank you AHS Alumni for the outstanding response to our recent email. Hundreds of updates were made to contact information and many of you responded by joining the Alumni Association. These funds are used to promote excellence at AHS and provide assistance to the Hall of Honor in their endeavor to preserve artifacts in the archives. We wish to thank our newest members for their support of the Association. Memberships are $25.00 for 1 year and $250.00 for a lifetime membership.

Our newest members/renewals:

Thomas Schieffer – Lifetime Membership
Amy Allen – Alumni Membership
Lucy Hardin – Alumni Membership
Kathryn S. LaGrone – Lifetime Membership
Theresa Maldonado – Alumni Membership
Nancy Harper – Lifetime Membership
Leslie McConnico – Lifetime Membership
Brittan King – Lifetime Membership
Pam Reed – Lifetime Membership
Charles T. Rogers – Lifetime Membership
Duke Covert – Alumni Membership
Michael Hines- Alumni Membership
John David Holmes- Lifetime Membership
Meagan Thompson- Alumni Membership
Todd Hilliard- Lifetime Membership
Thomas Schieffer – Lifetime Membership
Barbara Benson-Padgett – Lifetime Membership
Dan Lundquist – Alumni Membership
Jim Davis – Alumni Membership
Michael Marks – Alumni Membership
William R. Ward – Alumni Membership
Carolyn Sparenberg Russ – Alumni Membership
Elizabeth Harper Bouffard – Lifetime Membership
Jamie Holman – Alumni Membership
Elizabeth Milburn – Lifetime Membership
Jim D. Wynn – Lifetime Membership
Mike Holloway – Lifetime Membership
Doug Fell – Alumni Membership
Joel Billingsley – Alumni Membership
Ann Pieratt – Lifetime Membership
Emily Landry – Lifetime Membership
Kate Trimble Allen – Lifetime Membership
Victoria Burgess – Alumni Membership
Glenna G. Harris – Lifetime Membership
Toni Moore – Alumni Membership
Jerry Bell – Alumni Membership

Austin High School is proud to claim that we have the 2nd largest class ring collection – 2nd only to Texas A&M University. We would love to add rings from missing years to the collection and need your help. Please consider donating your ring to the collection to complete the following years:
1917, 1929, 1982, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2001, 2005-17.

We send our thanks to Ty Wheeler for donating his 2001 class ring to the collection. This act of kindness and his generosity are greatly appreciated.

Contact Jenna McEachern with questions or suggestions.

The Austin American Statesman reported the death of former AHS faculty member Ronald Beauford on February 18, 2017. Mr. Beauford was a very dedicated and beloved educator in the Austin ISD starting his career as a biology teacher and then Dean of Boys at Austin High. He went on to be Assistant Principal and then Principal at Murchison Jr. High until 1972. He was Principal of LBJ High School from 1972-1981, when he was made Principal of Anderson High School where he brought the first International Baccalaureate Program to AISD. His last two years before retirement were spent as Director of Technology for Austin ISD, bringing the school district into the computer era.

We celebrate the life and gift of Dorris Parke Schrank, Mommy Dorris (D), our wonderful mother, mentor, and friend. As we think about Mommy D, the words that come to mind include loving, caring, giving, working, inspiring, and laughing. She almost made it to the age of 100, she was 99 when she peacefully went to sleep for the last time, under a beautiful full moon, on October 15, 2016. She was a retired Austin High School math teacher, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and lifelong Longhorn. She was born February 6, 1917 in Kyle, Texas. Her parents were Edna B. Hooker Parke and Oscar G Parke II. Her sister Mary B. Parke Hall is living in Tulsa, Oklahoma and she was preceded in death by her brother Oscar G. Parke III and her husband Dr. A.R. Schrank. She is survived by her son Kenton Parke Schrank MD and his wife Andrea (of Pottsboro, Texas); daughter Karon Schrank Simpson MD, and her husband J. Scott Simpson MD (of Austin, Texas); grandchildren Lt.Col. Amber E. Schrank Ritenour MD, and her husband Lt.Col. Josh Ritenour MD, Travis Parke Schrank MD, and his wife Yana Mikhaylov MD, Madison Paige Schrank, Gayle Simpson Patel MS, and her husband Niraj P. Patel MS MBA, Kristi Simpson Plotnick MHA, and her husband Jonathan D. Plotnick BA, Sean S. Simpson MS (almost MD) and his wife Abbie Arnold Simpson PA; and great grandchildren Abigail Ritenour, Caleb Ritenour, Amelia Patel, Lila Patel, and Addison Plotnick. Dorris grew up in Kyle, Texas and graduated from Texas State University, majoring in english and mathematics. Her first job was in Kerrville, Texas, as a math teacher, where she was only two years older than her students. She continued to teach math at University Junior High, in Austin, Texas, where she reconnected with and married Auline Raymond Schrank, and helped him complete his PhD at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). Dr. Schrank continued as a biology professor at UT, where he later served as the Dean of Natural Sciences. Once married, Dorris spent most of her time raising her two children and supporting UT. Later, she returned to teaching after her children were in school. She taught math including trigonometry, pre-calculus, and calculus to many of the Austin High School students for 20 years. She was a tough, but fair, teacher and challenged her many students (including her children and their friends) to do well in her advanced math classes, and then their chosen professions. She was always the kindest teacher and was loved and respected by many people. She loved her family dearly, and will be missed and remembered by them for years to come, as well as by her many friends and former students. Despite her advanced age and other challenges, Dorris continued to care for herself, home, and finances independently, until two months prior to her death. Kent, Karon, and their families would like to invite you to remember Dorris and celebrate her life with them on November 12, 2016, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at 16407 Kidd Lane, Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers, contributions or memorials may be made to All Saints Episcopal Church or the UT General Scholarship Fund.

Angie Reeve, AHS librarian for 19 years and archivist for the Hall of Honor died July 10, 2016.  We will miss her dedication for and love of her students as well as her embracing personality.  A memorial service in her honor will be held at Austin High School on September 17 at 2:00pm.

Angelica “Angie” Carone Reeve was born July 29, 1948, in Escalon California and celebrated her Heavenly birthday July 10, 2016. Her parents, Luigi Carone and Maddalena DeCarlo Carone were two Italian immigrants who came to California seeking a better life, her father a walnut and grape farmer and her mother an incredible cook, seamstress and homemaker. Angie learned English at the age of six and often got scolded by teachers for talking to her classmates during lessons. Once Angie learned how to communicate in English she wasn’t going to stop. Angie’s mother, who had quit school at fourth grade in order to care for her siblings, emphasized the importance of education, inspiring Angie to earn a Bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State University and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin.

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