By Martha Jacob
This year marks the 50th year for graduates of Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington High School to be eligible for and receive the prestigious Tom De Fosse ‘Self-Reliant Award’
The Tom Fosse Self-Reliant Award was the brain-child of Fielder Pitzer, who was a history teacher and principal at Ripley High School.
“Pvt. First Class Thomas Glenn De Fosse was the first Ripley soldier to die during the Vietnam Conflict,” said Betty Campbell, local Ripley resident and member of the Ripley Alumni Association.
“Mr. Pitzer had Thomas as a student and wanted to do something to keep his memory alive and so he set up this award which is given out each year to a Ripley graduate.”
Thomas Glenn De Fosse was only 19 years old when he began his tour in Vietnam in 1968. He was killed in action on March 4, 1968 in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam.
Throughout the past 50 years, the Award has continued to be important to the community of Ripley, and given out every year since.
Today, in a joint effort between Southern Hills Community Bank, First State Bank, Citizens Deposit Bank and Merchants National Bank in Higginsport as well as the Ripley Alumni Association the award has continued to thrive.
According to Matt Carpenter, president of the Ripley Alumni Association, the Alumni Association was organized in 1933, celebrating it’s 86th year in existence.
“Presenting these four scholarships each year is one of the most exciting and important things the Alumni Association does each year,” Carpenter said with a smile. “These scholarships help our local kids with paying for their college educations and we are proud to be a part of it.”
This year’s recipients include Maranda Thompson (daughter of Brian Thompson and Dana Hinson, Cailey Kirk, (daughter of Previs and Christy Kirk), Katelynn Miller (grandparents are Susan and Terry Miller) and Corey Germann son of (Jennifer and Tommy Germann).
Congratulations to all these deserving 2019 Ripley High School graduates.