The Lehighton Education and Athletic Foundation is honored to announce that five Lehighton Area High School graduates have been named as its 2022 Graduates of Distinction. LEAF honors those graduates who have achieved a lifetime of noteworthy success in their chosen career and have further distinguished themselves by contributions to society at the local, state or national level.

A dinner honoring these Graduates of Distinction will be held at the Lehighton American Legion Home on Oct. 22. The dinner is open to the public and family and friends are encouraged to attend to help honor the new inductees.

The five graduates selected for induction into the 2022 Graduates of Distinction are:

Lamont R. “Bear” Ebbert

Class of 1951

Lamont Ebbert is recognized for his outstanding accomplishments as a teacher, administrator and coach at Lehighton Area High School and for his longtime service to the community of Lehighton. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, he returned home and completed his studies to earn a B.S. in Education from East Stroudsburg State Teachers College and later his M. Ed. from Kutztown State Teachers College. He also earned a school administration certificate from Lehigh University.

Ebbert began his career in education at Lehighton as a social studies teacher, driver education teacher and wood shop teacher. He progressed in the administration arena as an elementary school principal, high school assistant principal and finally high school principal. He is remembered as one of Lehighton’s most successful football and track and field coaches. The Indian football team he coached in 1964 set a school record with a 9-1 season and a share of the Lehigh Valley League Championship. The track team won back-to-back LVL League championships in 1962 and 1963 and finished second in 1964. The 1963 track team also finished first in Class 2A at the Emery Relays meet. Coach Bear Ebbert was honored for his achievements in coaching by being inducted into the Carbon County Sports Hall of Fame and the District XI Football Hall of Fame.

Ebbert is also remembered for his service of over 50 years to the community of Lehighton. He served as a member of the Lehighton Borough Council for two terms and has been a member of the Lehighton Water Authority Board since 1992. He co-authored a book “Lehighton - Images of America” which chronicles the history, culture and scenic beauty of the town of Lehighton. His tireless efforts as a local historian and mentor continue to this day.

Lamont has been married for 65 years to Regina Tkach Ebbert and they have had four children - daughter Michelle Ebbert Stoudt, sons Gregory “Segal” Ebbert (deceased), George Ebbert and Stephen Ebbert. All of Lamont’s children followed him into the field of education.

Richard A. Eckhart

Class of 1953

Richard Eckhart has spent a lifelong career excelling in many disciplines and has earned the respect of those in the field of chemical engineering and education. He graduated with honors from Lehigh University in 1957 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. He continued his graduate degree program at Penn State University where he received his MS in Chemical Engineering in 1961 and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 1964. His initial work as an engineer showed an unusual grasp of mathematical modeling, process simulation and control. He used this expertise to produce dynamic modeling and simulation for a control system for an LPG vaporizer and developed a computer control strategy for the world’s largest fluid catalytic cracking unit. This led to further success in the fields of control system training and the establishment of computer control systems and software development for the chemical/petroleum process.

Eckhart then began a career in undergraduate teaching as an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Azusa Pacific University in California, serving as acting department co-chair. He presently acts as the Professor Emeritus at Azusa Pacific in the Department of Engineering and Computer Science. For the last 20 years he has taught online courses as an adjunct professor at several universities, including UCLA’s Department of Engineering, Information Systems & Technical Management. He is sought after as a guest lecturer and speaker and has been published in professional journals many times.

Eckhart has supported community efforts wherever he has lived. He has been a high school basketball referee and baseball umpire for both high school and Little League programs. Eckhart also served as a member of the Border Sheriff’s Association and has contributed financially to programs such as the Salvation Army and America’s Frontline Doctors. His service to church activities has been a constant in his life. He has served in the choir, orchestra and Board of Elders of several different churches since 1976. He has enjoyed success as an actor for church performances.

He was married for over 61 years to Mary Jane Stimmel Eckhart, who passed away in April of 2021. They have three children - David R. Eckhart, Dennis A. Eckhart and Deanne E. Eckhart.

Randolph Randy Rabenold

Class of 1948

Randy Rabenold will always be remembered by the communities of Lehighton and Jim Thorpe as a highly decorated Korean War veteran, an artist and an art teacher and a coach devoted to his players. He enlisted in the Marine Corps after his senior outing and served four years. He fought in some of the most ferocious battles of the Korean War, including amphibious landings at Inchon, Pusan and the battle of Chosin Reservoir. He returned home after four years in the Marine Corps and enrolled at Kutztown State Teachers College to pursue his degree in one of his lifelong passions - art education.

After graduation from Kutztown, Rabenold began a teaching career as an art teacher at Jim Thorpe High School that would span 37 years. He was named “Teacher of the Year” in 1983-1984 and “Educator of the Year “in 1992-1993. He will be remembered as a basketball coach for over 28 years who never cut a player from the team. The basketball court at Memorial Hall in Jim Thorpe bears his name, honoring him for over 50 years of service as summer league basketball commissioner. For his lifelong accomplishments and dedication to the sport of basketball, Rabenold was named to the Carbon County Sports Hall of Fame and the Jim Thorpe Area Sports Hall of Fame.

Rabenold was a true professional of art. He wrote and drew cartoons for the school newspaper, the Leni Lenapian, while at Lehighton High School. At Trinity Lutheran Church, he created over a thousand unique baptismal banners. Over many years, he produced countless cartoons, signs, banquet programs and covers for sports programs and veterans’ organizations, including the American Legion and the AMVETS, where he was an adjutant at the Elwood Miller Post for over 60 years. In 1993, he hosted the Jim Thorpe Alumni Art Show which drew over 500 people.

Many friends spoke of Rabenold as an inspiration to so many students and athletes. His friend of over 60 years, Dan McGinley, said it best when he said of Randy - “You can argue which man was the greatest athlete and the greatest teacher, but you can never argue about which athlete and which teacher was the greatest man.”

Rabenold passed away in June of 2020. His wife of 53 years, Ruth Arlene, passed away in 2008. The Rabenolds are survived by their six children - Rebecca Rabenold Finsel, Randall, Rhonda, Richard, Ronald, and Zach, and many grandchildren and friends.

Gordon B. Ripkey

Class of 1956

Gordon B. Ripkey has been recognized for a successful career spanning many years at Lehighton Area High School as a teacher, coach and school administrator. After graduation from Lehighton High school, he enrolled at Penn State University, where he received a degree in education. He would later complete a master’s degree in education from Penn State. Finally, he completed all requirements for his principal certification from Lehigh University.

Ripkey began his career in education as a physics teacher. His classes were tough but fair and he was always willing to help students who needed some extra attention. His attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile for his students was noticed and led him to the next step in his career in education - that of a school administrator. He served as assistant principal and then, for 23 years, principal, at Lehighton High School. His years as principal were highlighted by the many students he mentored and helped prepare for the next phase of their lives. During his years as a teacher and administrator, he was also a football coach. He was Bear Ebbert’s assistant for the 1964 Indians football team, which had a school best 9-1 record that earned them a share of the Lehigh Valley League Championship.

Ripkey was heavily involved in the Lehighton community in which he lived. He served as a board member for the Lehighton Water Authority, on the Carbon County Fair board of directors, the Lehighton Cemetery board of directors and a member of the Zion United Church of Christ Finance Committee. He was a very active member of the Elks and the Free and Accepted Masons. Ripkey will always be remembered as a historian for all things Lehighton and Penn State. He co-authored a book along with his good friend Lamont Ebbert - “Lehighton - Images of America” which chronicles the history, culture and scenic beauty of the town of Lehighton. He is recognized to this day as one of Lehighton’s most notable historians.

Gordon is the widower of Joan Gravel Ripkey, to whom he was married to for 55 years. He has two sons, Todd Ripkey and Doug Ripkey and a daughter, Amy Ripkey Leach.

Dennis F. Roth

Class of 1953

Dennis Roth graduated from Lehighton High School in 1953. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Science from Muhlenberg College in 1957, where he won the Elizabeth McGregor Award as the outstanding senior scholar-athlete and the Ulysses Dubach Award of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He earned his Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1961 where he was awarded the National Science Foundation Fellowship. Finally, he received his Doctor of Education from the Teachers College of Columbia, New York City in 1976. After graduation from Muhlenberg College, Roth began his career as a teacher and a coach at Lehighton High School, Whitehall High School and Minisink Valley High School from 1957-1966. He taught physical science, chemistry and physics. He was also a very successful coach in varsity basketball, football and track and field.

In 1966, Mr. Roth began his longtime relationship at Kutztown University. He was a Professor of Physical Science and a Dean for Student Life at the time of his passing in September 1994. Prior positions included the assistant dean of men, director of housing, acting vice president for student affairs, assistant to the vice president of student affairs in charge of the student judicial system, a counselor at the student counseling center and health center, and an advocate for commuting students. Roth was also a past president of Phi Delta Kappa. During his tenure at Kutztown University, he was also the assistant varsity basketball coach, head freshman basketball coach and the varsity track and field coach.

Roth was truly one of Lehighton High School’s most outstanding athletes. He played varsity football, basketball and baseball. He was particularly outstanding in basketball and baseball where he set the standard for years. He continued his outstanding basketball career at Muhlenberg College where he was named to the Muhlenberg College Athletic Hall of Fame for being one of the all-time great basketball players. He was named to the All-Star Eastern Professional Basketball Association team in 1958 and 1960, the All-Star Pocono Mountain Baseball League 1957-1962, the All-Star Orange County Baseball League in New York in 1962. While a coach at Kutztown University his track and field teams won seven PSAC championships and twice finished 4th at the PSAC meet, the best finish for Kutztown ever. Finally, Roth was elected to the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987 and to the Carbon County Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.

He passed away in September 1994. He is survived by his wife, Louise Werner Roth, who resides on Reber Street in Lehighton, sons Dr. David M. Roth of San Diego, and Thomas H. Roth of St. Augustine, Florida, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.