In Memory of: Mary & Stella Gorney

In Memory of: Regina Davey

Ontonagon Gladiator Booster Club

In Memory of: Vieno Moilanen Savela

Pestka Construction Company

Louis J. & Lois M. Gregory

In Memory of: Linus & Wilhelmina Stannard

In Memory of: Florence L. & James P. Strong M.D.

Jim wanted to share his passion for competitive golf with his best friend, and bought Flossie a set of golf clubs when she was age 26. For the next 30 years, she was a driving force in women’s golf.   She won five UP golf championships, captured two Great Lakes Senior Championships, and claimed championships on many courses throughout Michigan.   In 1999, she was named to the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame for her golfing accomplishments.

Dr. Jim, as he was known locally, also had a life-long commitment to continuing education and medicine. For 52 years, he worked tirelessly to provide outstanding medical care to our community, always putting his patient’s needs before his own. In 2007, he was honored to receive the Frederick and Besse Moulton Plessner Memorial Award, given to a Michigan physician who best exemplifies the practice and ethics of a rural practitioner. When not at his clinic or the hospital, Dr. Jim could be found on the golf course pursuing the perfect golf shot and reluctantly coming into the house only when it was too dark to continue playing.

Strongs always found time to share their love of both medicine and golf with others. Both were willing to mentor younger players and students. This memorial scholarship continues Flossie and Dr. Jim’s tradition to provide young people with opportunities to fulfill their dreams.

In Memory of: James A. Koski

James Koski was a 1989 graduate of the Ontonagon Area High School. He played numerous sports during school, excelling in football and being named to the All UP Football team after his senior season. As an adult, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, working on older cars and his Harley Davidson Motorcycle, and spending time with family and friends.

Jim was a generous person with his time, and was often found helping others. In honor of this trait, Jim’s family established this named trust in Jim’s memory to help other young people in our community continue their educations. Jim’s friends have expanded on the family’s gift by giving the proceeds of Bucketfest, the music festival in Greenland, Michigan, to help grow this endowment to benefit further our area youth.

In Memory of: Ernest C. & Helen M. Toivonen

Ernie and Helen Toivonen both spent most of their careers as educators in the Ontonagon Area.  Ernie was a classroom teacher and also coached varsity basketball at Mass High School for nine years; then, following the consolidation of schools, continued his teaching and coaching career for an additional twenty years at Ontonagon Area High School.  He retired in 1987.

Helen began her career in the business world, then returned to college for a teaching degree.  She then began her new career teaching business education classes at the Ontonagon Area High School. After a very successful twenty-three years of teaching; she retired in 1993.

The Toivonen’s caring efforts and dedication to the youth of our school community have always been very visible to everyone around them.  Throughout their lives as educators, both dedicated many hours to supporting and encouraging young people in extracurricular activities in Mass and Ontonagon.

The Toivonens were supporters of the Ontonagon Area Scholarship Foundation since its beginnings.  Their generous spirit and love for the children of our school community will be remembered for many years into the future through this special gift.