Warren A. Ruby Art Scholarship

            by Heather Paine (granddaughter)

 

Warren A. Ruby dedicated his life to art and to education.  He spent nearly 60 years in Mason City and was proud to call it his home.

 

Coming from a long line of teachers, it was clear what career Warren would choose.  With the support of his family in Lake Mills, Warren attended Morningside College for one year before transferring to the University of Iowa.  After graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in 1935, he taught art in Leon, Iowa, for two years.

 

In 1937, Warren and his wife, Evelyn, moved to Mason City, where he ended up dedicating the rest of his career.  He taught at Lincoln Elementary for a year, followed by Roosevelt for another year.  He then moved to Mason City High School, where he served as art director until his retirement in 1978.  In addition, he spent several years teaching art classes at Mason City Junior College.

 

Warren never confined himself--or his art--to the classroom; he believed art should be in the community, as well.  He painted murals in several local schools, theaters, and public buildings.  And every year his craftiness was put on display, as he designed and built dozens of floats for the North Iowa Band Festival parades.  In 1994, his years of dedication and hard work were recognized by the North Iowa Band Festival Committee, as Warren was honored with the Dan Klempnauer Service Award.

 

In 1987, Warren's dominant right side was paralyzed and his speech was lost after he suffered a massive stroke--but even that didn't keep him from his art.  In fact, his ability to sketch often enabled him to communicate without words.  He even taught himself to paint with his left hand, and, somehow, managed to continue designing, producing, and painting wood carvings.  In 1996, while working on one of his art projects, Warren suffered another massive stroke.  He passed away two days later.

 

By developing the Warren A. Ruby Art Scholarship, his family hopes to embody his

devotion to education, as well as his dedication to the Mason City community.

 

Anyone wishing to contribute to this scholarship, please send tax-deductible donation to the Education Foundation of Mason City Public Schools, 1515 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA.

      

 

 

The Mark Mennen and Vickie Smidt Mennen Memorial Scholarship

 

     The Mennen and Smidt Scholarship was established by their families with the purpose of honoring the talents and lives of Mark Mennen and Vickie Smidt Mennen.  Their intentions are to award an annual scholarship to a deserving MCHS graduate who plans on attending Iowa State University.      

     Mark Mennen and Vickie Smidt were both born in Mason City, IA, 1953.  They graduated from Mason City High School in 1971.  Vickie graduated from NIACC in 1973 and the two were married later that summer.  They both graduated from Iowa State University in 1975.  Mark received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Vickie received a B.S. in Mathematics. 

     Upon graduation from ISU, Mark accepted a job with Monsanto, in St. Louis, Mo.  In 1977, Mark was transferred to Monsanto's Chocolate Bayou plant near Alvin, Texas, where Vickie taught mathematics at Alvin High School.  They had a daughter, Emily, in 1976.  Vickie died in Alvin in August 1979.

     Following Vickie's death, Mark married Beckie Hood, of Alvin, Texas.  They had a son, Eric, born in 1983. 

     Mark later transferred to Monsanto's spin-off chemical business, Solutia, in Decatur, Ala.  He died in Mason City in June 2003.  

     Mark and Vickie are survived by their daughter, Emily Chambers and her husband, Byron, of Shawnee Mission, Kan., and twin grandchildren, Lauren and Tyler Chambers.

     Mark is also survived by his second wife, Beckie Hood Mennen, of Birmingham, Ala., a son Eric, a student at the University of Alabama, his

parents, Richard and Dixie Mennen, a brother,

Paul Mennen, of Mason City and Chicago.

     Vickie is also survived by her father, George Smidt, Sr., a sister, Julie Harrer of Sioux Falls, S.D., and a brother, George Smidt, Jr., of Mason City.

     Anyone wishing to contribute to this scholarship, please send tax-deductible donation to the Education Foundation of Mason City Public Schools, 1515 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA.

      

 

 

Education Foundation

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to build and manage an endowment fund for

the Mason City Community School District to:

 

•Enhance learning opportunities for students

•Support effective teaching

•Provide scholarships

•Develop a strong community bond

 

 

 

 

Recent Projects

 

           Two students use the new scientific balances in the

           chemistry and physics classrooms.  The Foundation donated

           $5,000 for the science renovation project, which entailed

           almost 8,000 sq. ft.