The 2012 Trenton High School Alumni Weekend is just around the corner, with a whole host of activities planned for Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.
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The THS Class of 1962 and the THS Class of 1987 are the honor classes this year, with the Class of 1987 serving as hosts. The Class of 1987 will be honoring former Trenton High School Coach and teacher Richard “Dick” Mellencamp.
All-alumni activities planned include a hospitality mixer at the Riverside Country Club on Friday night, beginning at 6 p.m.; an open house at the high school on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.; a dance at the Elks Lodge on Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and a brunch from 10 a.m. to noon at the high school. Riverside Country will also be open for golf all weekend with greens fees charged for non-members.
Individual class activities announced so far include:
Friday, Aug. 31
Class of 1982 – Barbecue at the home of Sue Chenoweth, 6 p.m.
Class of 2002 – Social gathering at Washington Street Food and Drink, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1
Classes of 1935-38 – Luncheon at Lakeview Restaurant, 11:30 a.m.
Classes of 1940-43 – Dinner at the First Christian Church fellowship hall, 6 p.m.
Class of 1947 – Social at Lakeview Restaurant, 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m.
Class of 1951 – Buffet lunch at 10th Street Baptist Church, 1 p.m.
Class of 1952 – Dinner at First Christian Church Activity Center, 6 p.m.
Class of 1953 – Lunch at Royal Inn Pizza, 11:30 a.m.
Class of 1957 – Lunch in community room of Adams Park Apartments,
Class of 1962 – Meet at open house at high school 9 a.m.; dinner at the KCP&L building, 5 p.m.
Class of 1967 – Happy hour at McJ’s on the Green, 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m.
Class of 1970 – 60th birthday party, details to be announced.
Class of 1972 – Coffee at Connie Hoffman’s home, 10 a.m.; dinner at Riverside Country Club (downstairs on the patio), 6 p.m.
Class of 1977 – Brunch at Larry Bunnell’s house; dinner at Chris and Jackie Hoffman’s house.
Class of 1987 – Catered dinner at US Bank (east location), 5 to 7 p.m.
Class of 1992 – Catered dinner at armory, 6 to 8 p.m.
Class of 1997 – Plans are pending.
Class of 2002 – BBQ at Crowder Park, noon to 4 p.m.
Class of 2007 – Lunch at Hoffman home, 1 p.m.
25-Year Honoree
Several members of the Class of ‘87 remember their high school years with Coach Mellencamp, whose 1986-87 season was very memorable. Second in MEC selections and 6-3 for the year, he was instrumental in building the team and had a special way in bringing out their true talent. Class member Terry Lynch commented, “It is extraordinary to see someone able to come into our school system without knowing anyone and have that type of success. It is amazing the impact he made on the team and THS students in such a short period of time.”
Some highlights of Mellencamp’s career was working as an assistant football coach, under his first high school quarterback, now head football coach at Missouri Valley College in Marshall. Coach Mellencamp also officiated High school basketball for 25 years and women’s college basketball for 17 years. He held National Certification in Athletic Administration and was selected as Athletic Administrator of the Year in 2008.
Coach Mellencamp kept the enthusiasm among his players and he was definitely a coach that led by example. Enjoying athletics throughout his Clarinda High School years, he continued three seasons playing football at the college level while enrolled at Northwest Missouri State University and Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. He married Connie Stickelman in 1964 and the couple made their home in Cedar Falls, Iowa. During those six years, their first two children, Jerry and Denell were born. He later worked for Production Credit Association and managed Pyramid Builders in Atlantic, IA, but he still longed to coach. With student teaching remaining, he finished a bachelor of science degree in physical education/health and safety, with a minor in business. A second son, Jeff, was born three months before his 1975 graduation from NWMSU.
Coach Mellencamp began coaching in Gallatin and moved to Nodaway Holt School in Graham to accept his first three positions as head football coach, girls basketball coach,and girls and boys track coach, while teaching seven periods a day. Following five years at Nodaway-Holt, he accepted a graduate assistantship completing his master of science degree at NWMSU.
Coach Mellencamp began his teaching career in Trenton in 1985, serving as head football coach, assistant wrestling coach and head junior high boys track coach before moving to Cameron in 1989. In the fall of 1993, during their youngest son’s senior year, Mellencamp moved to Carrollton to work with lifelong best friend, Coach Stan Kee. There he coached football, girls and boys track and was athletic director from 2004 until his retirement in 2010.
The Mellencamps built a new retirement home in 2010 at the Lake of the Ozarks in Camdenton, where their youngest son, Jeff and family live. They have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Coach Mellencamp received care out of Houston, TX for third stage melanoma and just recently was informed that he was cancer free!
He keeps busy substituting, helping with stats and records for district track meets, helping coach his grandson’s soccer team, working at a part-time position two days a week as a golf course Ranger at Tan-Tar-A Resorts in Osage Beach and is active in his church’s Prayer Force and Soup Kitchen ministries. This June, he and Connie will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary.