Central High Foundation Announces 2018 Hall of Fame Class

This October, the 2018 Central High School hall of fame class will be introduced at a ceremony at Central. Recently, the new inductees were named. They are: Barry Combs, class of 1950, Sally Fox, class of 1968, Olive Graham, class of 1961, Samuel Johnson, class of 1981, Harry A. Koch Jr., class of 1947, Michael and Susan Strouss Lebens, class of 1970, Stephen and Judith Hutton Olson, class of 1960, Merle Rambo, class of 1969, Jerry Slusky, class of 1963, and Doris Stevens, class of 1905. Michele Roberts, CEO of the CHS foundation said she is, “looking forward to the induction ceremony”, which will take place October 4. 

Combs still lives in Omaha, and he went to Iowa State University. He is currently retired. Fox died in January of 2014. During her life, she spent many years as a Vermont state senator. She attended the University of Wisconsin for her undergraduate degree. When she died, flags across the state of Vermont were flown at half staff in honor of her. Graham died in December of 2016 in Brownsville, Texas. During her life she was a journalist and radio producer in the city of Austin, Texas. 

Graham attended UNO, and also taught at Tuskegee University. Johnson wrote for the Central Register during his time at Central. In 1981, he won best column writing at the NSAA’s state contest. Koch Jr. was the son of Harry Koch, who in 1916 founded and Insurance & Financial consulting firm named Harry A. Koch Co. Throughout its 102 year history, the firm has worked on numerous major projects in Omaha. A recent example would be helping the Henry Doorly Zoo install its Aftrican Grasslands exhibit in 2016.  

Susan Lebens was the president of the CHS foundation as recently as 2011. She is a member of the Nebraska State Bar. Mike Lebens has been the CEO at Tenaska Inc., and Tenaska Marketing Ventures Inc. It is an independent energy company based in Omaha. Stephen Olson is an attorney at Fraser Stryker. He is a member of the Nebraska state bar among many other things. Rambo is the owner of a firm called, Facilities Cost Maintenance. He attended college at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. 

Slusky is a partner in the Smith Slusky Law LLP law firm. He has also been a partner at another law firm, named Kutak Rock. Slusky is a member of the Nebraska, Iowa, and Florida bars. Doris Stevens died in 1963. During her life, she was an author and women’s rights leader. She was a national strategist for the National American Women Suffrage Association’s Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage. Stevens was also a prominent participant in the Silent Sentinels vigil at the White House. She was arrested many times. She was a woman’s civil rights leader.  

Roberts says she “knows (or knew) all of the inductees”, and looks forward “to getting to know more about them” in the coming months before the induction ceremony.