Students at Danville’s Kenneth D. Bailey Academy were told today (Thursday) that the most important thing in life is to be respectful. The words came from Harold Bott as he and two others were inducted into the Academy’s ‘Wall of Honor’. Others inducted during the ceremony were Major Frank Luzenske and Morris Hunter.
‘’I want you to always be respectful of your teachers. I want you to always be respectful of your parents. And I want you to always be respectful of your country,’’ Bott told the students.
Bott attained the rank of Staff Sergeant during his six years in the U.S. Army. He is a founding member of the local chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association.
Debbie Strader, an instructor at the Academy, accepted the award in behalf of her father…Major Frank Luzenski. And Lillian ‘Dodie’ Hunter accepted the award in behalf of her husband, Morris Hunter.
Bott (shown here accepting award) told the students that he and Hunter graduated together in the Danville High School Class of 1947. And he recalled working with Luzenski at the high school in the mid-1970’s. ‘’Everybody considered them to be nice guys,’’ said Bott, ‘’and there is nothing wrong with being a nice guy.’’
Luzenske taught history and coached wrestling, football and swimming at Danville High School. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp where he became a training officer.
Bott served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Korea during the Korean War. He later became head custodian at Danville High School before serving time as the District 118 Director of Buildings and Grounds before his retirement.
Hunter also served in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Army. During his service he earned the Bronze Star, Korean Service Medal and others. He later became a Danville Firefighter (in 1956) as one of the first Black firefighters in the city. And Hunter also owned Simon’s Shoe Service along with his wife ‘Dodie’.
[In photo on left Lillian ‘Dodie’ Hunter accepts the award on behalf of her husband. In photo on right, Debbie Strader accepts the award for her father, Frank Luzenske. Standing with her is Luzenske’s great-grandson, Braxton Butler.] The Academy has been adding new names to the ‘Wall of Honor’ each year right before Memorial Day.
Members of the local Marine Corp League provided an Honor Guard for the service.
