Scholarship Fund

Remembering Rick
The Marshall University
Memorial Student Center Fountain

Amid stormy weather just after nightfall on November 14, 1970, the plane carrying Marshall University’s football team home from an East Carolina University game crashed on its final approach to Huntington, West Virginia.

The lives of 75 people were lost in that, the worst single air tragedy in NCAA sports history. Among them were nearly the entire Marshall football team, coaches, flight crew, numerous fans, and supporters — including beloved Eastmoor graduate Rick Lech.

Over the next two years sculptor Harry Bertoia created a fountain standing more than 13 feet high and weighing 6,500 pounds. It was erected at Marshall University’s Student Center and dedicated to the memory of the plane crash victims by University President John G. Barker. The fountain represents life — rising, receding, surging in an expression of upward growth, immortality, and eternality. It bears a simple bronze plaque with the inscription: “They shall live on in the hearts of their families and friends forever, and this memorial records their loss to the university and to the community.”

Each year on November 14, a memorial service is held which includes a traditional laying of a wreath. The fountain’s symbolic flowing water is then turned off until the following spring.

 

The Lech Family

 

Scholarship Recipients from Previous Years

Alumni scholarship contributors to date
(* indicates scholarship award judges):

*Marsha Abbott Gerhardt
Diane Abbott (Class of 1974)
Larry Amberger
Steve Barkan
*Shelly Brenner Baird
*Steve and Sarah Bartfield
Roscoe Betsill
Sue Bolon and Jerry Hunt
Michael Booth
Cathy Butsch and Keith Simpkins
*Debbie Cale and William Kirk
*Caren Case and John Wuellner
Sheri Center
*Leonard and Marcia Comeras
Linda Crossley
Karen Dietz Swartz
lona Horvath Dorsey
Kathy Ehrich
Nancy Fields (class of 1967 donation)
Michael Feinstein/Terrence Flannery
*Nancy and Roger Fones
*Sylyna Cousar France
Greg Friedberg
Annette B. Fromm
Sima Gellman
*Dean Goldberg
*Mike Goodman
Steve Handler
Ann Heim Hilgeman
Jeff Heston
Earl Hiell
Tina Karmia Frazier
*Bob Kauffman
*Don Konkle
Mary Korenberg and Thomas Fries
John Kramer
Nina Hollister Krauth
*Kathy Kriss Zimmerman Berger
*Ken Levin (fund accountant)
Molly Longstreth
Madeline Lowitz Gold
John Lowy
Kenneth MacDonald
Judy and Bernard Mandelkorn Levin
Barbara Mellman Meluch
Karon Mentser Boatwright and Tom
Dr. Nancy and Boris Merritt Bagranoff
David and Bonnie Milenthal
*Marilyn Miller Jenkins
*Dale Miller
*Wayne Morrison
Patty Murphy Huthwaite
Joan and Bruce Van Schepen McCallum
Dave Neubauer and Jean Krum
Adlai Neubauer
Chuck Petty and Christina Ohlinger
Dave Perkins
Carol Prisk Grimes
Donn Ross
Claudia and Gus Sariotis
Tamra Sauselen Brumfield
Dave Schott
Karen Schultz Danner and Glenn
Chris Simmons Lebowitz
Elizabeth Smalley
*Claudia Smith Jones
Sid Snyder
Joe Stolpa
*Dick Todd
Dick Traphagan
Linda and Steve Trout
Laurie Milenthal Volheim
Craig and Janet Wohlfarth
Brett and Rebecca Zerby

For more information or to contrubute,
Contact: Nancy Fones
Eastmoor Alumni Scholarship Committee
nfones@verizon.net
703-258-5841