Hurley honors alumni 

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Hurley — Several in the community joined the Hurley Education Foundation in honoring the accomplishments and contributions of six graduates of Hurley and Saxon schools over the decades on Saturday.

The school auditorium was filled with community for the 18th annual Distinguished Alumni and Friends Awards Ceremony. The event was to honor Brian Tarro, Hurley class of 1960, who was present, along with posthumous recognition for the late Ken Clement, Saxon class of 1958; Henry DeRosso, class of 1935; Capt. Warren Gilbertson, class of 1954; John Mehnert, M.D., class of 1943, and Charlene Newhouse, class of 1958

A color guard of members from the American Legion Saxon-Gurney Post 371 opened the event with a flag posting. The members present included Denny Smith, commander; Ron Trone, Robert Peterson, Ricky Holm and Leonard Malander.

Clement was a post member and Gilbertson belonged to Hurley post when he lived here, Smith said.

“So, it’s kind of nice for us to be able to present the colors,” Smith said.

Several members of Clement’s family were present, including daughter Susie Drews-Clement, who spoke at the podium with her siblings. She said the family learned a great deal more about their Clement in talking to friends and relatives following his death from COVID-19 in February, and in preparing for this award.

“I know for a fact he would have been extremely touched to have accepted this honor in person, and would have been smiling from ear to ear, and with gratitude for everyone that has helped him along the way,” she said. 

Clement was a leader and an inspiration to many, she said. 

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” Brews-Clement said.

From veterans events to the Iron County Fair, electric cooperatives, along with starting or supporting youth education programs in agriculuture, Clement was involved in many things.

“Youth education was dear to his heart,” she said. “He was a project leader as well as an advocate and mentor to men and youth in Iron County.”

The family hosted several children in these programs, and people still come back years later as adults to mention how appreciative they were for the experience and opportunity, she said.

“Some people can touch your life for a brief moment but will leave an imprint for a lifetime,” she said.

Tarro, who graduated from J.E. Murphy High School in 1960, went on to study French, English and secondary education at UW-Superior, before completing advanced degrees at UW-Madison including a doctorate in French. His academic career included a Fulbright Scholarship to France before spending the next 23 years teaching at Carroll University in Waukesha.

Tarro assisted the HEF with increasing an alumni database from 2,000 to more than 5,000 contacts, according to his introduction. 

Taking the podium and looking over the school auditorium, Tarro opened with “Is this French 101?”

He then went on to list several teachers that helped instill the value of learning and his ambition to seek out a career where he would work with the most esteemed people in his field.

“I want to say that I have been honored in this award because I received a fine education from this Hurley High School,” he said. “From these people I received a solid foundation to go on to college. I received an excellent base upon which to go.”

Tarro concluded by opening a briefcase and apologizing for forgetting his three-hour speech on the glories of French civilization. “The dog ate it,” he said.

Speaking for the late Capt. Warren Gilbertson was his brother, Henry. 

Gilbertson graduated with the class of 1954 and started a distinguished military career with the U.S. Army, eventually earning a commission after graduating from UW-Superior with a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in counseling. He served with the 101st Airborne Division, with duties that included volunteering for two tours during the Vietnam War. His many awards include the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He provided counseling for veterans in retirement and passed away in 2007.

“For my brother, I know that if he was here, he’d be really proud,” Henry Gilbertson said. “The Education Foundation has done fantastic things for our community, beyond belief for our school, for our little community as far as economics, values and it’s just unbelievable how good it’s going.”

Charlie Newhouse was present to accept the honor for his late wife, Charlene Newhouse, who passed away in 2020. He wore one of her many trademark hats to accentuate her presence in spirit. 

She was inducted for numerous contributions as an educator in Hurley for 30 years, which included tutoring student athletes, hosting foreign exchange students and coaching girls basketball. She obtained a financial brokerage license in retirement and served on the Gogebic Community College Foundation board and the Iron County Fair Board. 

Newhouse described his wife as a smart, aggressive person who did a good job in all she did.

“It’s an honor for me to be standing here on behalf of my family and my late departed wife, because if she was sitting here right now she’d be clapping her head off,” he said. “She would be so happy that she was getting inducted.” 

Henry Andrew “H.A.” DeRosso was honored as a hard-working accomplished author with many books in the Western genre. He struggled for years to be published until he reached notoriety with popular magazines of the time and later with his books. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside of a barn shed in 1960, where the coroner’s report described it as an accidental death from tripping with a loaded weapon.

A great-nephew in accepting the honor on behalf of the family, said that all proceeds from DeRosso’s books are donated to the Children’s Hospitals. 

“We are honored with this award that will be on permanent display at the Iron County Historical Society Museum in Hurley, along with Henry’s collection,” he said. “We encourage you to stop by and see his collection. It’s quite interesting.”

John “Jack” Mehnert, M.D. was described as an exceptional student who went on to study medicine, eventually becoming a renowned thoracic surgeon, who served two tours as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy and held a private practice in San Diego for 35 years. He passed away in 2011.

David Sauter, of Ironwood, accepted the honor as one of three cousins still living in the area.

Sauter said Mehnert may have been thought of as a bookworm but he had as much fun as the cousins and got into as much trouble. 

At the same time Mehnert was well-loved in the communities in which he lived and was a “tremendous surgeon.”

“Jack exhibited a good sense of humor and he enjoyed life,” Sauter said. “He had a big mind and a big heart.”