Mackenzie High School (Michigan) - Distinguished Alumni

Distinguished Alumni

  • Boyd T. Simmons (1934) Mackenzie DIAL Editor; graduated with honors from Harvard; served as City Editor of the Detroit News
  • Bob Keene (1937) Played collegiate football for the University of Detroit; played professionally with the Detroit Lions (1943–1945)
  • Alex Foley (1946) City champion, pole vault and high jump; top-ranked in both events among Michigan high school athletes (1946)
  • J. Patrick Clysdale (1946) Western Michigan University Football Captain (1950); long career as WMU athletic department administrator
  • Ray Lane (1947) Noted Detroit sports personality; teamed with Ernie Harwell on Detroit Tigers play-by-play broadcasts (1967–1972)
  • Arnold Domke (1948) Former Athletic Director at Edsel Ford High School; coached EFHS cross country team to 1981 MHSAA title
  • Tom Skerritt (1951) Emmy Award-winning actor; Tom has appeared in more than 40 motion pictures and over 200 television episodes
  • John Mackenzie (1952) MHSAA Athlete of the Year; City Champion (880-yard run); 1956 Mid-American Conference titlist (880)
  • Barbara Sue Gilders (1956) Less than one point from a bronze medal in springboard diving at the 1956 Summer Olympics
  • Marilyn Jean Kelly (1956) Current Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
  • Tony Tashnick (1956) US collegiate champion, 100 & 200 butterfly (1958); led University of Michigan to NCAA swimming title
  • Jim Oliphant (1958) Two-time NCAA All-American track athlete for Western Michigan University, high jump (1961, 62)
  • Dennis Coffey (1959) along with the Funk Brothers, recorded “Scorpio” in 1971; the million-selling tune earned a RIAA golden-disc
  • Dennis Wayne Lugar (1964) MHSAA mile-relay champion, 1963; 1st SGT (USMC) Lugar was killed in action, South Viet Nam, 1967
  • Saul Green (1965) Appointed Deputy Mayor of Detroit in 2008; US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan (1994–2001)
  • Dr. Sidney Ribeau (1965) President, Howard University; served as President at Bowling Green State University (1995–2008)
  • Sessions Harlan (1966) All Big-Sky Conference basketball player and long jump performer at Weber State University
  • Richard Byas Jr. (1969) Former National Football League defensive back; veteran of seven seasons with Atlanta Falcons
  • Roz Ryan (1969) Broadway performer; provided voice for Thalia in Hercules and Bubbie in The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
  • Gary Waters (1969) Head Basketball Coach, Cleveland State University; Horizon League Coach of the Year (2008)
  • William "Sugar Bear" Daniels (1971) All-City baseball pitcher; first-round MLB draft selection of the Oakland Athletics in 1971
  • Lovelle Rivers (1971) All-State Basketball; All-DPSSAL Track & Field (shot put); played collegiate basketball for Michigan State
  • Sebastian Wade (1975) MHS Swim Team Captain; current Vice-President, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Chuck Greene (1976) All-American javelin thrower at WMU (1981); World Maccabiah Games Champion (1985)
  • Kenny Garrett (1978) Grammy Award winning jazz saxophonist and flautist; formerly of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and Miles Davis' band
  • Delisa Walton (1979) silver medalist at 800-meters, 1987 Pan American Games; 800-meters finalist, 1988 Olympic Games
  • Kevin Brooks (1981) Former NFL defensive end; veteran of six seasons with Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions
  • Thomas "Pepper" Johnson (1982) All-America at Ohio State; All-Pro linebacker for Super Bowl Champion New York Giants (1986, 90)
  • Doug Smith (1987) Selected to Parade Magazine All-American Team; played professionally with Dallas Mavericks & Boston Celtics
  • Gilbert Brown (1989) Played defensive tackle for 1996 NFL Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers
  • Jerome Bettis (1990) All-Pro running back for L.A. Rams and 2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers; 14 year NFL veteran
  • Daniel Lawson (1998) played collegiate basketball for Mott Community College and Oklahoma State University
  • Rickey Willis (2001) Played collegiate basketball at Western Michigan; ranked third among WMU career assist leaders
  • Darrin Trammell Jr. (2006) Two-time finalist, MHSAA track and field championships; ran for EMU (2007–10)

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