HF-L High School as seen from East Street. File Photo
Six new inductees will join the Honeoye Falls-Lima Alumni Hall of Fame in a ceremony as part of the district’s Fall Weekend activities.
Following are biographies of each inductee
ERAZIM KOHÁK
Honeoye Falls High School
Class of 1950
Renowned Czech philosopher, Erazim Kohák, is an exemplary role model in his tireless effort to preserve democracy and the planet.
At Honeoye Falls High School, Kohák demonstrated a very inquisitive mind and was eager to learn. He took courses that challenged him, particularly in math and science. He grasped concepts quickly and made many friends easily. His zest for learning put him in the upper percentile of his class. He did manual labor to help pay for his education at Colgate University where he received his B.A. in Philosophy. Granted scholarships, he was able to continue his studies, receiving both his Master’s and his Ph.D. from Yale University.
He served in the US National Guard and went on to teach thousands of students, first at Gustavus Adolphus College and then at Boston University. In 1989, after the fall of the Communist regime and at the invitation of then-President Vaclav Havel, Kohák returned to Prague to teach at Charles University. There he contributed to the re-establishment of Czech philosophy and tried to arouse ecological awareness. From 1990 to 1995, he split each academic year between Boston University and Prague’s Charles University before returning to Prague permanently.
Kohák authored many books and had almost five hundred publications to his name. In his writing, he focused on Czech philosopher Jan Patočka, democracy, and its values, and environmentalism. A passionate activist, Kohák was heavily involved in Boy Scouts and his church. He was a member of the American Metaphysical Society, a member of the honorary board of Children of the Earth, a member of the Society for Sustainable Living, and was active in the Social Democratic Party as well as many non-governmental ecological organizations. He was elected by the Czech Parliament to serve on the Czech Television Council, overseeing public television programming.
Kohák received numerous awards and accolades, culminating in 2013, when the President of the Czech Republic honored him with the country’s highest civilian award, induction into the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, for his “outstanding contributions to democracy, humanity and human rights” in the Czech Republic.
Kohák passed away on February 8, 2020, in his hometown of Prague. As a philosopher, he will be remembered for his warning of boundless consumerism and calling for a more equitable distribution of wealth. As he put it, “At present, the ecological problem is a social problem of poverty and abundance. The antibody against wealth is solidarity.” As a man, he will be remembered and missed for his love of life, his humor, his generosity, his cosmopolitanism, and his thought-provoking conversation.
FRANK OPPEDISANO
Honeoye Falls High School
Class of 1952
Frank Oppedisano’s Honeoye Falls school days were filled with academic success, activities, and athletics. An honor student, an active member of Student Council, Press Club, Athletic Association, Chorus, and the Senior Play Cast, he also attended Boys’ State and was Senior Class Vice President. One of his classmates describes him as an excellent athlete, wearing the Orange and Black uniform for the Hornet’s baseball and basketball teams. He also played soccer, basketball, and baseball on Honeoye Falls’ “town teams” competing in county and regional leagues.
Following three years of military service as a United States Marine, Oppedisano enrolled at Alfred State Technical Institute graduating in 1960 from their Refrigeration Program, with specialization in air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration. His college years included the Psi Omega Fraternity, the Alfred Society of Refrigeration Engineers, and athletics. He co-captained the basketball team that won the first Region III Championship in Alfred State history.
In 1974, he embarked on his career with Postler & Jaeckle, a Rochester based mechanical contracting company, and never retired. According to Beth Howard, Principal/CFO at P & J, “During his tenure at the company, Oppedisano held multiple roles at the VP level, with functions ranging from engineering to construction execution. This allowed him to perform various duties, including sales, estimating, project management, design-build, and value engineering. “We are very appreciative of having Frank in our lives for 40-plus years. He was selfless with his time in teaching others, so we thought it would be fitting to have him memorialized through a scholarship where he can continue to help others grow.” After his death, the company paid tribute to him by making a generous donation of $50,000 to Alfred State to create the Frank Oppedisano ’60 Memorial Endowed Scholarship.
Across 53 years of marriage, Oppedisano and his wife Paula raised three children: Mary Beth, Paul, and Daniel, all HF-L graduates, and welcomed three grandchildren.
Oppedisano was always ready to assist. He was a life-long member of St. Paul of the Cross Church, sharing his professional skills with consults and repairs to buildings and grounds, and assisting with Parish events and fundraising. He was a member of Honeoye Falls, American Legion Post #664. He was a value-added member of Honeoye Falls Village Government serving appointments on two boards and then as an elected Trustee on the Village Board.
Oppedisano lived his life contributing to his schools, his home community, his profession, and the country. He lived a humble lifestyle filled with family, service to others, and a steadfast eye on “paying it forward.” He is an exceptional role model for students.
JOHN NEENAN
Lima High School Class of 1965
For a man who enjoys working with the soil, John Neenan is an excellent example of blooming where you are planted. Whether it’s personal matters, business, or community giving, Neenan’s accomplishments are a testament to his high morals, citizenship, caring, and respect for other people. Besides that, he’s pretty darn tough. He’s been beaten down by a bull and has recovered to tell the tale.
Neenan was a busy guy while at Lima High School. He was a four-year baseball and basketball standout, president of his sophomore and senior classes, vice president of his junior class, an active member of Student Council, even serving as Chaplain of Student Council. After earning a Regents Diploma in 1965, he went on to obtain a degree in Agronomy from Alfred in 1967.
Neenan and his high school sweetheart, Sharon, raised three successful children; Kevin, Traci, and Brian. From the beginning, he always took an active role in his kids’ lives. Neenan instilled in them a strong work ethic and moral character. He was their coach in the early years of their sporting lives and an enthusiastic spectator later. He continues that tradition by cheering on his seven grandchildren at their various events. Recently, Neenan was recognized for scorekeeping at HF-L games for over 25 years.
Neenan’s Farms is an award-winning business that is well known for the quality of its livestock and crops. They’ve accomplished this through hard work, intelligence, and willingness to try new innovative approaches. In 2008, their farm earned the Livingston County Commerce Award for “Farm of the Year.”
One example of Neenan’s commitment to his community is his work on establishing and building Mark Tubbs Park. He assisted with everything from land surveying, obtaining construction materials, grading, seeding, building basketball backboards, and constructing baseball dugouts.
Friend, Ralph Clapp states, “John is committed to his community and he is always looking for ways to support the people around him.”
Neenan has been a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and has served as Altar Boy, Choir Member, Eucharistic Minister, and Trustee at St. Rose Church in Lima. He currently attends Mendon’s St. Catherine’s Church with his wife and extended family.
Nothing stops Neenan. Active at the farm, in the fields, and a multitude of sporting venues, he’s proven himself to be a man for others and a force to be reckoned with. That bull may have tried to take him on, but Neenan had faith, worked hard, and carried on.
REBECCA CLOUGH
Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Class of 1980
Clough’s classmates remember her as an independent, gutsy, determined individual on the soccer, track, and cross-country ski teams. She even dared to petition the principal in 6th grade to allow girls to take shop instead of home economics.
Following graduation, Clough obtained an Associate’s degree in Individual Studies (Architecture and Horticulture) from SUNY Delhi, 1982 and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) from SUNY Syracuse, 1985. She was licensed as a Landscape Architect in Massachusetts and New York. She followed her career path to New York City, Department of Design and Construction.
Clough had a prominent role in the “clean up” effort following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The sight was divided into four sections for management purposes and Clough was responsible for the southwest quadrant for the first three weeks. After that, she was responsible for the overall site logistics including much of lower Manhattan. In mid-October, as Clough was walking the site, she noticed that one of the mangled trees had sent up a couple of new leaves. She was inspired and heartened by this pear tree. Among all the rubble of death and destruction, this was a sign of “Hope and Survival.” The tree was sent to the Arthur Ross Nursery in the Bronx where it flourished. The Callery pear tree stayed at the nursery until the 9/11 Memorial site was ready. It was moved and replanted in March 2010 and is known as the “Survivor Tree.”
Clough’s skills were quickly and often recognized, and she was promoted to more and more responsible positions. She led the way and broke the glass ceilings. Her considerable technical skills and knowledge are complemented and matched by her great management and people skills.
Over the past 30 years in NYC, Clough has worked and guided more than 900 projects ranging in cost from $50,000 to $1.5 billion; including police stations, fire stations, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, courthouses, parks, playgrounds, health clinics, and juvenile justice facilities.
In January 2019, Clough was promoted to Associate Commissioner for the Borough- Based Jails Program, the NYC physical response to justice reform. It is a monumental task and will leave its mark on the city for generations to come. Her responsibility is to organize and get it built. It will complete her career.
Jacqueline Montgomery, who became friends with Clough their first year at Delhi, describes Becky today as “determined, intelligently historical, always fair, and a bit snarky with a love for Maine.” She adds that “Becky is a testament to being a role model for girls and women alike…be they women engineers, architects, or builders.”
ELIZABETH O’LEARY ROLLINS
Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Class of 1983
Elizabeth “Liz” O’Leary Rollins is a class act in and out of the classroom. Early on she was an inclusive team player and peer leader on and off the field, always providing comic relief when necessary. Rollins competed in four varsity sports, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and softball while in high school, often as captain. In 1982 she became one of two softball players to bat over .600 for the first time in HF-L history.
Rollins furthered her education at Nazareth College earning both her B.S. and Masters. She was inducted into the Nazareth Golden Flyers Hall of Fame for both soccer and softball. She was the recipient of the team’s Defensive MVP award for four straight seasons, helping them to three state tournament appearances. Rollins was named to the Adidas Academic All-American team and was the female recipient of the Robert A. Kidera Scholar-Athlete award, which recognizes academic and athletic excellence.
Rollins has taught business classes in HF-L for over twenty-five years. Her creativity and willingness to go the extra mile have made her a legend. Partnering with fellow teacher Christine DeFranco, they started an innovative program to take young HF-L entrepreneurs where the action is in the business world, New York City. In addition, she has planned and executed trade show competitions for HF-L students, locally and statewide.
Rollins understands the importance of taking the time to share her knowledge professionally, serving on several committees at HF-L, as a faculty advisor, mentor to new teachers, host to numerous student teachers, School Improvement Team, CARE rep for the business department, standards coordinator, class advisor, and coach. In addition, she is a member of the Business Teachers’ Association, a Young Entrepreneur’s Academy facilitator and instructor, and a certified Monroe Community College instructor for the Dual Credit Program at HF-L providing to students the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school.
Family, faith, and community are the most important part of Rollins’ life. She has volunteered to coach numerous sports teams for the five wonderful children she shares with her loving husband Tracy and participates in the annual church fund-raiser. Coordinating being at just about all of her five children’s extra-curricular events earned her Sports Mom of the Week recognition from the Democrat and Chronicle.
Paraphrasing a common theme from friends, what Rollins learned during her time as an HF-L student has provided a foundation for success in her career and life. She continues to share her academic and athletic accomplishments with her students and children, displaying the importance of hard work, volunteering, and passion for sharing what you love. For one person, she does an awful lot of good.
MATT WHANN
Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Class of 1994
Quality is the word that comes to mind when describing Matt Whann, 1994 graduate of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School — quality in education, sports, career, community, family, and friends. Starting at HF-L and leading to his current position as Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Environmental Health & Safety, and Sustainability at Milk Specialties Global, he has achieved quality all the way.
Education was important to Whann from the beginning. He graduated third in his class from HF-L. He was a member of the National Honor Society for three years and was voted “Most Athletic” as well as Homecoming King his senior year. From there he went to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where he graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Biotechnology program, receiving Presidential recognition and the Dr. Mark Ellingson Award for being the university’s most outstanding scholar/athlete. He then earned a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. He graduated Summa Cum Laude while triple majoring in Finance, Accounting, and Marketing. Whann has continued to be a lifetime learner taking many classes and courses annually through his work — always striving for quality.
In high school, Whann played varsity basketball for three years and was named captain his senior year. He participated in the Ronald McDonald charity game and qualified for the area AAU team traveling to five states competing with top players. At RIT, Whann was a four-year starter and was again chosen captain his senior year. In the 1996-1997 season, he was named as a Chase Scholarship Classic Tournament First Team All-Star. They went to the NCAA each year, were ranked #1 in the East Region every year, and in Whann’s junior year they qualified for the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
Whann served his community in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota for years by coaching, serving as a voting board member on the Traveling Basketball Program, and Directing the youth boy’s basketball teams & leagues. He is passionate about coaching young people, teaching them not just the skills of basketball and team playing but also the life skills of honesty and hard work.
Whann’s professional career began as a lab technologist at High Falls Brewing Company in Rochester, NY, and then also as a microbiologist at Kraft Foods in Avon, NY. He eventually worked for Land O’Lakes, Inc. for over thirteen years in the areas of quality assurance and strategic operations with roles located in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. He was also Senior Director of Operations Quality at HP Hood in Boston, MA before joining his current employer, Milk Specialties Global in Eden Prairie, MN. In 2019, Milk Specialties Global awarded him one of the company’s most prestigious honors –The Integrity Award.
Whann married his high school sweetheart, Brenda Fancher (Go Cougars!). They have three children, Benjamin and twins Naomi and Joseph.
