Hurley Foundation inducts four

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Hurley - The Hurley K-12 Commons Saturday was full as the community gathered to see the Hurley Education Foundation induct four new distinguished alumni.

The foundation's Class of 2019 featured Maj. Gen. Rodney R. Hannula, Phyllis Schlecht, Edward "John" Wiita and Mike Fauerbach.

For each of the four inductees, there were introductory remarks about their background before the inductee or a family member gave their remarks.

The speeches made clear that each of the four inductees made their mark on the world in their own way - whether its a successful business career, a legacy of philanthropy, building up the community or in fostering the region's musical talents.

Maj. Gen. Rodney Hannula

Hannula graduated from Saxon High School as both the valedictorian and class president of the Class of 1958, also excelling in basketball and baseball.

He joined the Hurley unit of the Wisconsin National Guard, later deploying as a platoon leader during the 32nd Division's activation for the Berlin Crisis.

Serving in various command and staff positions in the 732nd Maintenance Battalion, Hannula transferred to the Minnesota National Guard in 1965.

He progressed rapidly there, serving all levels of command.

A number of men who served in Company D of the 724th Engineer Battalion, part of the 32nd Infantry Division, were on hand Saturday, and Hannula greeted each one as their names were called out.

Outside of the military, Hannula started working at 3M in 1964. While with the company, he was awarded two patents; developed processes and products for Scotch tape and other pressure sensitive adhesives.

Present day postage stamps stick to envelopes because of his work. He served as business unit leader of all Scotch Tab Easy Open Systems, a $75 million to $100 million per year division. He had this position for 10 years and worked closely with major producers of food products worldwide. He worked closely with the scientists who developed Post-it Notes and Stretch tape.

"Nobody could do the things he did in one lifetime," lifelong friend Mike Downey said, while introducing Hannula.

Phyllis Schlecht

Schlecht was born May 6, 1916, in Duluth, Minn. She began studying violin in grade school and became so accomplished she joined the Duluth Symphony Orchestra in junior high. Her talent eventually earned her a scholarship to the Julliard School of Music in New York City. At the same time, she pursued her master's degree at Columbia University's Teachers College.

Despite her talent, she wasn't one to brag about her excellent musical training.

"I think very few people really knew the background - she never talked, so far as I know, about the fact that she had gone to Julliard and she had studied under Madame Anna Schoen-Rene (a noted opera coach) or that she had sung with this or that ensemble," said her son, Joesph Parisi. "In fact, at her funeral, a number of people - a number of friends of hers - came up to us kids and said, 'I had no idea.' These were people who knew her 30-40 years, she never talked about it."

Schlecht's first teaching position was in Wakefield, where she was the instrumental music director for three years before leaving the area. She would later return to teach at Wakefield again 20 years later in 1964, before becoming the head of vocal music at Hurley. She would teach throughout the district until her retirement in 1981.

She also gave private lessons and continued to perform as a violin and soprano soloist throughout the area. For over 40 years she was a key member of the Chequamegon Symphony Orchestra in Ashland, playing with the group into her 90s.

She died in 2011 at the age of 95.

Edward "John" Wiita

Wiita graduated from Iron Belt High School in 1952. Later, after he returned to Northern Wisconsin, he and his wife Donna built the Badger Motel. Wiita was one of the early pioneers of the region's snowmobiling industry, grooming trails with bed frames towed behind snowmobiles and acting as a guide. He was also a proponent of bear hunting in Iron County, even contacting National Geographic about doing a story on the hunt locally. He later entered the insurance industry, renaming the Prenderville Insurance Agency in Hurley to the John Wiita Insurance Agency. He also served on the county board and was influential in the development of Schomberg Park. He was a founding member of the education foundation.

"My dad is not one of those people who did something to get the recognition," said Wiita's daughter, Lori. "He did something because he felt it was important for the (the community)."

Mike Fauerbach

A successful local attorney who retired in 2017, much of Saturday's speeches about Fauerbach focused on his philanthropy - especially with the Hurley Education Foundation - and the impact he had both on, community, school district and individuals he met.

Fauerbach was a founding member of the education foundation and served as president of its board until his unexpected death in January.

"Mike did not do the things he did because he wanted to do them, (he did them) because he knew he had to do them," said Jamey Francis, who served on the education foundation's board with Fauerbach. "Writers write, painters paint, ... philanthropists give."

At the end of Saturday's ceremony, the foundation members gathered to mark the donation of $100,000 to the Hurley district for the expansion of the school's Northwoods Manufacturing wing.