Alumni Share Memories and Pay Tribute to Wooster Legends

More than 650 graduates return to campus for Homecoming over the weekend

Wooster Head Coach Mike Schmitz presents a Scot football helmet to the family of longtime assistant coach Roy Lockett during the dedication of a tree in his honor on Homecoming weekend. More photos

WOOSTER, Ohio - More than 650 alumni returned to campus for Homecoming over the weekend to share memories with one another and to pay tribute to three men whose combined service to The College of Wooster totaled nearly a century. John Plummer, Roy Lockett, and Stuart Ling, each of whom passed away during the last two years, were honored at separate ceremonies across campus on Saturday.

Plummer, who spent more than 40 years at Wooster, first as a student and then as a member of the business office and the department of economics, was honored with the dedication of a scholarship in his name. The John B. Plummer Scholarship, established to support students who promote a welcome environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people on campus, was awarded to senior Sarah Gollwitzer on Saturday morning in Gault Alumni Center. "This is a memorial for a person who devoted his entire career to the College," said Hans Johnson '92, who was a driving force behind the award. "It provides recognition for a student who has made an exemplary effort to promote inclusion and challenge intolerance on campus."

Lockett, who served as an assistant football coach at Wooster for 30 years, was honored with the dedication of a tree planted at the top of the hill leading down to the football field. The white oak tree, adorned with a black-and-gold ribbon and surrounded by fresh mulch at its base, stands at the site where Lockett made his way to and from practice an estimated 3,000 times during his three decades as an assistant coach. "He loved to work with young people," said Wooster Head Football Coach Mike Schmitz. "He earned a great deal of respect from his players at Wooster as well as the kids he worked with in the community." Jon Bulkley '88, a former Scot running back remembered Lockett as "one of the kindest human beings I ever met and best coaches I ever played for." A football helmet with the initials RL was presented to Lockett's wife, Sylvia, and their daughters. The RL decal, donated by former Scot quarterback Craig Lombardi '89, also appears on the helmets of every Scot football player this season.

Ling, director of bands and professor of music at Wooster for 35 years, was honored at a reception on Saturday evening in Scheide Music Center. Family members welcomed former students and colleagues who gathered to share their memories of the always colorful and immensely popular leader of the band. A brief PowerPoint presentation was shown and each of Ling's three daughters - Kristine, Karen, and Katherine - spoke, as did Sandra Weaver Weckesser '66, the first female drummer in the band, and Nancy Ditmer, who succeeded Ling in 1984. "Stuart was the consummate gentleman and scholar," said Ditmer. "The greatest gift he gave to me as his successor was his unconditional support and understanding as well as his unwavering dedication to the band and the music education program."

Other Homecoming events included the annual Scot Band Parade and Serenade, the 40th birthday celebration for Lowry Center, and the inaugural "running of the cows," a parade of 34 wooden cutout cows painted and decorated by departments and student groups across campus.