Will Rogers Hall of Fame Videos
The primary purpose of the Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame is to inspire current and future students by honoring distinguished alumni in hopes that current students will strive to emulate the successes of the honorees in their own careers, knowing that they can aspire to greatness, regardless of their ethnic or socio-economic background.
The criteria for selection rely on a definition of fame as accomplishment, public esteem, reputation, and overall character. Fame may also be defined as popular acclaim and renown, wide acclaim, and high honors. A person may achieve fame within his or her field of endeavor without becoming a household name.
All graduates of Will Rogers High School, living or deceased, are eligible to be selected for induction into the Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame, including anyone who left school to enter wartime military service and eligible to receive a diploma.
Watch videos on previous inductees by clicking on their names below.
Banks, Dave, 1968, Three-time Emmy-winning cameraman, photojournalist and documentarian
Beier, Nancy Jo Daulton, 1956, opera diva throughout Europe; Broadway musical genre actress/singer, toured US
Bell, Charles, 1953, internationally renowned artist, photorealism pioneer; Navy veteran; comptroller, Int’l Nickel Corp.
Bennett, Lynette (Danskin), 1955, award-winning Broadway and West End stage, film, TV actor/singer/dancer/author
Bishop, Elvin, 1960, blues musician (“Fooled Around and Fell in Love”); Paul Butterfield Blues Band; R & R Hall of Fame
Bradshaw, Linda Chambers, 1960, owner, Tulsa World of Gymnastics; board, Will Rogers Memorial Museum
Bridges, Russell (Leon Russell), 1959, R & R Hall of Fame (“This Masquerade,” “This Song’s for You”), L.A. Wrecking Crew
Bryant, Anita (Dry), 1958, singer; 2nd runner-up, Miss America; Oklahoma Hall of Fame; Orange Juice and Coca-Cola icon
Butler, Phillip N., 1956, Navy pilot, tortured as prisoner of war in Vietnam; author (“Three Lives of a Warrior”); lecturer
Bynum, David, 1958, formed Inst. for STEM Edu.; Pres. Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring
Caruthers, Preston C., 1945, known as “Mr. Arlington (Va.);” hotelier, real estate developer, philanthropist
Cary, Robert, 1963, air pollution scientist; research, developed first instrument to measure carbon aerosol particles
Chandler, Donald “Babe”, 1952, kicker, NFL Giants and Packers (winners of first two Super Bowls); many honors, records
Chesebro’, Stephen D., 1959; chairman & CEO, Tenneco; COO, Pennzoil; chairman, Harvest Energy; college athlete
Cloud, Gil, 1964, Executive Director of Athletics for Tulsa Public Schools
Counts, Richard B., MD, 1959, physician, researcher, and pioneer in comprehensive care of hemophilia; saved many lives
Davis, Paul, 1955, acclaimed artist; designed covers for Rolling Stone and TIME magazines; Broadway theatre posters
Donahue, Mikel, 1974, award winning Western artist; magazine covers; Cowboy Artists of America; “Artist of the Year”
Duca, Gordona Moore, 1958, nationally recognized Realtor; Kansas City Federal Reserve Board; multiple civic boards
Dunn, James D., 1960, chmn., Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Co.; trajectory mgr. for NASA on Gemini and Apollo programs
Evans, J. Thomas “Tommy,” 1949, collegiate and Olympic wrestling great; twice national champion coach at OU
Fife, Gary, 1968, journalist; founder ‘National Native News,’ carried on 181 public radio stations across the country
Finch, David, 1971, winner of 19 Emmy Awards; Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame; innovative CBS sports photographer
Flanagan, Ronald D., 1957, designed Tulsa’s flood hazard mitigation program; national pioneer, model for other cities
Fleak, Art, 1965, Tulsa Co’s first juvenile public defender; wrote Okla. Juvenile Justice Code; All-Conf. football at Okla. St.
Frasier, James “Jim”, JD, 1959, attorney; chmn., Okla. Dem. Party; Dem. Nat. Cmte.; chmn., Grand River Dam Authority
Frazier, Linda Sellen, 1958, guiding force in Tulsa arts and advocate for arts education; Tulsa Hall of Fame, other honors
Gates, David, 1958, musician (“Bread”); composer (“If,” “Baby I’m a Want You,” “Goodbye Girl,” “Guitar Man”)
Givens, Herald, 1968, inspired others while suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—ALS (“Lou Gehrig’s disease”)
Goodwin, Archie, 1955, comic book editor/writer/artist (“King of the Comic Books”); “Batman” and “Star Wars” books
Guntheroth, Warren G., MD, 1945, medical researcher; saved thousands from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Harrison, H. Thomas, DMin, 1972, senior pastor, Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa; international missionary
Heth, Charlotte Wilson, PhD, 1955, asst. dir., Nat. Mus. of Amer. Indian, Smithsonian; ethnomusicology, dance research
Hinkle, John William “Bill,” 1965, owner, award-winning advertising agency; student favorite adjunct professor at TU
Hinton, Susan Eloise “S.E.,” 1966, author; “The Outsiders,” “Rumble Fish,” “Tex” made into movies by Francis Coppola
James, David, DO, 1958, gastroenterologist; professor, OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine; 150+ research projects
Johnston, Billy “Joe,” 1966, songwriter, author, journalist, music prod., ad. exec., entrepreneur; invented “Happy Meal”
Jones, James W., MD, PhD, 1959, 12,000+ open heart surgeries; colleague of Dr. Michael DeBakey, heart pioneer; author
Kelley, Pat, 1970, guitarist, composer, producer, teacher; recorded and toured with major artists; TV and film credits
Kimball, Charles, ThD, 1968, instrumental in 52 American hostage negotiations with Iran and Camp David peace accord
Kizziar, Janet Wright, PhD, 1957, psychologist; television talk show host; author; women’s advocate activist, counselor
Lewis, Jo Anne Meade, 1955, pres., WRHS Comm. Found.; volunteer, Price Tower and Philbrook Museum; civic leader
Lewis, William L., 1949, international opera star; Metropolitan (New York), Covent Garden (London), la Scala (Milan)
Lipke, Walter, 1960, created Earned Schedule, internationally recognized project management system
Marcum, Frank, 1961, NASA’s Teacher in Space program semifinalist, President Ford’s military liaison for Cuban refugees
Mayberry, Lee, 1988, All-American; Univ. of Arkansas, final four; NBA 1st-round pick; Milwaukee and Vancouver, 7 yrs.
McGuire, Sherryl Mellott, 1965, professor in learning disabilities, leadership at OU and military bases; author; speaker
Mellott, Donald R., 1962, industrialist; Heater Specialist, LLC, Catoosa; philanthropist (Tulsa Dream Center); rancher
Meydag, Richard, 1958, Marine helicopter pilot; 1,000+ Vietnam combat missions; Pres. Carter’s pilot (“Marine One”)
Moody, Ernest, 1944, founded Moody’s Jewelry group; original Will Rogers class ring purveyor; early local television icon
Morgan, Gordon, 1953, All-State baseball; college (TU) and high school (Will Rogers) coach; many championships
Morsani, Carol Walsh, 1949, civic leader; philanthropist (Carol Morsani Hall, Straz Perf. Arts Center, Tampa; Okla. St.)
Morsani, Frank L., 1949, chmn., U.S. Chamber of Comm.; philanthropist (USF Morsani Coll. of Medicine, Tampa; Okla. St.)
Myers, Russell B., 1956, created “Broom-Hilda” in 1970; 1975 National Cartoonist Society’s “Best Humor Strip” award
Nunneley, J. David, 1954, figurative/military/wildlife sculptor; West Point Heisman statue; US patents for oil and gas
Paul, Linda Barton, 1969, Grammy-nominated harpist, Oklahoma Centennial Artist, Episcopal priest, prison chaplain
Pelton, Dr Joseph, 1961, Dean Emeritus and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, International Space University
Pitezel, Frank, 1942, WWII Bronze Star; Okla. House of Representatives; built “Bear League” baseball field for youth; PSO
Rader, David, 1975, TU football star; NFL quarterback; TU head football coach, 12 seasons; author; Oklahoma Senate
Radford, Ronald, 1962, world-class flamenco guitarist; studied under Montoya and Segovia; Fulbright scholar; lecturer
Randle, Rodger, JD, 1962, president pro tempore, Oklahoma Senate; mayor, City of Tulsa; president, UCAT; Peace Corps
Risk, Richard “Dick”, JD, 1959, formed WRHS Comm. Found.; sr. exec., Reagan Admin.; aided Nixon historical trips; USAF
Russell, James W., PhD, 1962, civil rights and antiwar activist in ‘60s; university professor, Eastern Conn. State; author
Sanders, Fred, 1945, design engineer manager for NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, Skylab programs; worked on F-4 Phantom
Sartain, Gailard, 1963, “Hee Haw” TV show, 20 yrs.; 50 movies (“Mississippi Burning,” “Fried Green Tomatoes”); artist
Scott (Hamilton), Roberta, 1960, “Miss Tulsa;” overcame loss of leg to cancer; toured Vietnam with USO as singer
Seago, Anna Lea Brixey, 1959, First woman promoted to Sergeant Major (E-9) in 85th Infantry Division, US Army
Sparks, Neil R., Jr., 1954, Navy pilot; rec’d Navy Cross (next to Medal of Honor) for daring helicopter rescue in Vietnam
Stover, Paula LeFan, 1959, executive director, Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma City; built venues; 2001 “Woman of the Year”
Stuart, Robert J., 1944, played football at West Point during late ‘40s glory days; chairman, JD Young Co., Tulsa
Tate, Christy Kelley, 1997, TV and film actress; Lifetime Movie Network and Lionsgate; formed Hearts for the Arts in OKC
Thompson, Barbara Hencke, 1957, Honorary Consul of France for Oklahoma; national “Mother of the Year;” teacher
Unruh, Paula Combest, 1947, Senior executive in Reagan administration, Energy and Commerce; USO board; civic leader
Van Burkleo, Bill, 1960, All-Time Greats of Oklahoma Football from the1950’s, practiced medicine in rural Oklahoma
Waddel, Pat, 1959, Commissioner of the Tulsa Development Authority 25 years, 10 years as chairman
Ward, John Henry, 1966, All-American wrestling & football, OSU; 1st-round NFL pick, Vikings (2 Super Bowls), Bears, Bucs
Winfrey, Jean, 1969, Executive Director at Tulsa’s Little Light House
Wixon, Jim, 1958, first team All-American in baseball at OSU; College World Series Hall of Fame; no-hitter in CWS
Woods, Ron, 1957, pioneer of self-insured healthcare plans and onsite workplace clinics; musician; philanthropist
Yager, Walter S., 1954, NASA space exploration pioneer, Viking to Mars, Voyager 1 and 2 to Jupiter and Neptune; USAF
YouTube URL key as of January 1, 2026 – Left click on name to access video – Right click on name to copy URL
