GREAT FALLS — A search through an old Great Falls High School yearbook led principal Geoff Habel to a story he hadn’t expected to find.
Tucked inside was a newspaper clipping about Frank C. Fogarty, a 1942 graduate who went on to command the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine.
WATCH: GREAT FALLS HIGH CELEBRATES LEGACY ALUMNI
Habel followed that discovery through newspaper coverage and contacts in Spokane, eventually reaching Fogarty’s family.
“Lo and behold, we got in contact with his kids, and lo and behold, he is alive and well at 102,” Habel said.
Fogarty is among the honorees in the Great Falls High School Legacy Alumni Association’s inaugural class, which will be inducted during homecoming weekend, October 2–3. He cannot attend this weekend’s celebration in person, but he sent a video for the occasion.
The association recognizes Bison who made a positive impact in service, culture, the arts, and athletics. Its mission has three parts: preserve the school’s history, honor its alumni and inspire future generations.
The inaugural class spans more than a century, beginning with Josephine Trigg, a member of the school’s first graduating class in 1893. It also includes Alma Smith Jacobs, who played a key role in developing the current Great Falls Public Library; artist Monte Dolack; wrestlers Bill and Mike Zadick; and Jaymee Sire, a 1998 graduate whose broadcasting career took her to ESPN and Food Network.
For Habel and committee members Amy Kuntz, Jerry Hopkins and Paul Culbertson, assembling the class meant digging through yearbooks, newspaper articles and suggestions from people with connections to the school.
That research revealed accomplishments even longtime members of the Bison community hadn’t known about. Committee members say there are many more stories to uncover, and they plan to formalize a nomination process after the first induction weekend.
Preserving those stories is another part of the project. The association hopes to digitize yearbooks dating back to 1907, along with school newspapers, and preserve artifacts donated by alumni and their families.
Honorees’ stories will also be displayed at the school, with athletic recognition in the field house and displays highlighting service, culture and the arts on the main campus.
The goal is to help current students see possibilities for their own futures.
“You can’t be what you can’t see, and we need our kids to see that all things are possible,” Habel said.
Legacy Induction Weekend
The celebration begins Friday, October 2, with the homecoming parade at 1:30 p.m. A public meet and greet will follow at Elevation 3330 from 5 to 8 p.m., ahead of the homecoming football game.
Saturday, October 3, includes:
- 9:30 a.m.: School tours.
- 10:30 a.m.: An exhibit featuring the inductees in the old gym.
- 12:30 p.m.: The induction ceremony in Davidson Auditorium.
- 5–9 p.m.: A benefit dinner at the Rendezvous at Elevation.
Weekend passes are $50. Tickets are available at Great Falls High School and Schulte’s Coffee House.
The project is funded through private donations and event ticket sales. For more information, tickets and donation options, visit the Great Falls High School Legacy Alumni Association website.
2026 inaugural Legacy Alumni inductees
Graduation years are listed unless otherwise noted.
- Josephine Trigg — 1893
- John Howard Hoover — 1903
- Elmer Williams — 1907
- Talmage “Tal” Collins — 1919
- Joseph Kinsey Howard — 1923
- Hal Moe — 1929
- Alma Smith Jacobs — 1934
- Les Peters — 1935
- Championship Football Team — 1936
- Ken Dow — 1937
- C. Lester Hogan — 1938
- Frank C. Fogarty — 1942
- Loran Perry — 1948
- Gene Carlson — 1949
- Ian Davidson — 1949
- J. Robert “Bob” Sletten — 1950
- David Cameron — 1953
- Ira M. “Ike” Kaufman — 1953
- Gene Marianetti — 1954
- Kenneth Robison — 1955
- Stan Renning — 1955
- Wade Parker — 1955
- Irving Weissman — 1957
- Phyllis (Peterson) Washington — 1959
- Terry Payne — 1959
- Terry Casey — 1962
- Alexander “Zander” Blewett III — 1963
- Owen Robinson — 1963
- Channing Hartelius — 1964
- Charles “Chip” Erdmann — 1964
- Monte Dolack — 1968
- Gary Minor — 1972
- Pam Spencer-Marquez — 1975
- Lin Su (Glass) Flood — 1976
- Bruce Williamson — 1977
- Mike Guon — 1977
- Ryan Lance — 1980
- Joel Jewett — 1981
- Kerry Porter — 1982
- Natalie Streeter-Chamberlain — 1983
- Kris (Schmitt) Salonen — 1985
- Bill Zadick — 1991
- Dennis Black — 1991
- Mike Zadick — 1997
- Jaymee Sire — 1998
- Coach Ralph Halverson — coaching tenure, 1968–1984
- Coach Bill Swarthout — coaching tenure, 1957–1983
Honorary members: Clyde and Roberta Bigelow.
