Longtime elementary counselor and coach Ron Thomason continues his work of helping students even after his passing. Ron began as a school counselor at Mentzer, Starry, and Emerson Elementaries in 1989 and continued as the elementary counselor at MISD until 2004. He also was a track, cross country, and wrestling coach at the middle school and high school levels during this time as well.

Every Christmas, Ron called the school nurse to ask her to suggest a student whose family was struggling to pay the bill for school lunches. He stipulated that it shouldn’t be a family that qualified for free and reduced lunches and that they had to be making a good faith effort to pay the bill. Sometimes it would be a family with more than one student. It didn’t matter. If they were trying, Ron would pay for those student’s lunches for the rest of the school year, thereby relieving the family of that expense.

Thomason unexpectedly passed away on February 3, 2019. The workings of Ron Thomason continue to carry on at Marion Independent with his family establishing the Ron Thomason Trust to help students in need. Donations will be used to fund student lunch accounts for families who are experiencing an unexpected hardship but do not qualify for free and reduced lunch, and who have demonstrated a good-faith effort in keeping current with their payments. School administrators, counselors, and nurses will be able to recommend a family in need to receive this support.

You may send company matching gift forms to the mailing address below or direct info to marionfoundation@marion-isd.org. The Marion Independent School Foundation & Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Mike was dedicated to supporting his children and athletics at Marion High School. He coached Marion feeder teams for softball, basketball, baseball, and football for many years and volunteered in many capacities for Marion junior high and high school track, football, baseball and basketball. In 2017, he was recognized at the Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament as a model of sportsmanship and decorum for Marion High School and its community. Mike passed away unexpectedly on December 13, 2018 at age 53.

His family established the Mike Combs Memorial Fund to support education and athletics in his memory. To make a contribution, you may donate online or send a check using the information below. The Foundation will inform the Combs family about your donation unless otherwise requested in the comment box below.

You may send company matching gift forms to the mailing address below or direct info to marionfoundation@marion-isd.org. The Marion Independent School Foundation & Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Ruth Henderson moved to Cedar Rapids, IA in 1964, with a Business and Commerce degree from Bucknell University. With her three children in school Ruth went back to college to earn her teaching certificate. After student teaching at Washington High School (Cedar Rapids) Ruth went on to teach business, and later computer, classes at Marion High School for 20 years. She was engaged with her students as a teacher and mentor, and made life-long friendships with her fellow teachers. Her family established this scholarship fund for students pursuing post-secondary education in recognition of her service to Marion High School.

You may send company matching gift forms to the mailing address below or direct info to marionfoundation@marion-isd.org. The Marion Independent School Foundation & Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.