UCHS Hall of Fame

E. Dorsey Ruth, Class of 1930*

E. Dorsey Ruth was a distinguished realtor, civic advocate, and visionary leader whose life reflected a profound commitment to public service, community development, and youth empowerment.

A proud member of a family whose presence in University City spans over five generations, Dorsey’s roots run deep. His grandfather was among the city’s earliest residents, and his father, Eugene D. Ruth Jr., served three terms as mayor during the 1920s and 30s. Ruth Park Golf Course stands as a tribute to the family's enduring legacy.

After graduating from University City High School in 1930, Dorsey earned degrees from Washington University and St. Louis University School of Law. After graduating, he became a founding partner of Francis & Ruth Realty. A respected teacher and industry leader, he served on professional boards, taught real estate at Washington University, and advocated for inclusive access to property ownership and housing.

Dorsey was a tireless advocate for youth. In the late 1930s, he helped found Sherwood Forest Camp, a groundbreaking residential program for children from low-income households. As board president in the 1950s and lifelong supporter, he helped shepherd its expansion into a national model for year-round youth development. Today, Sherwood Forest has served over 100,000 children.

His home also served as a cultural hub, welcoming jazz greats like Sarah Vaughn and Louis Armstrong for impromptu jam sessions. Dorsey’s philanthropic spirit extended to causes such as the Community Chest and Park and Playground Association of St. Louis.

*Posthumous

Frances Buss Buch, Class of 1934*

A true pioneer in broadcast media, Frances Buss Buch was the first woman to serve as a full-time television director at a national network, paving the way for generations of women in the industry.

At University City High School, Buch was deeply involved in the arts, serving as president of the Dramatic Club, vice president of the Art Club, a lead in school plays and operas, and business manager of the Dial yearbook.

After attending Washington University, she pursued acting in New York City before discovering the emerging medium of television. In 1941, she accepted a temporary receptionist role at CBS. Her background in performance, visual arts, and determination quickly earned her more responsibilities—set decoration, mapmaking, scriptwriting, and even on-air roles. On the day of the Pearl Harbor attacks, she helped create maps for the CBS news broadcast.

During WWII, she directed Navy training films, and in 1944, she rejoined CBS. By 1945, she became the first woman to direct full-time at a national network. She continued to pave the way for women in the new industry and directed TV dramas, including ''Sorry, Wrong Number,'' the adaptation of a famous radio thriller. In the era of live broadcasts, she directed programs across genres: sports, dramas, cooking shows, children’s programs, and the early game show CBS Television Quiz. She also co-directed the first color broadcast following the FCC’s temporary adoption of CBS’s color standard.

Buch’s innovative spirit continued through her work on medical documentaries and numerous live productions. In 2007, The Paley Center for Media honored her as part of its She Made It initiative, celebrating her as a barrier-breaking figure in broadcast history. She is remembered as a trailblazer whose creativity, resilience, and groundbreaking work helped define the earliest days of American television.

*Posthumous

Mary Goldstein Stolar, Class of 1958*

A visionary civic leader, Mary Goldstein Stolar dedicated her life to public service, shaping both policy and place across the City of St. Louis. Her most enduring legacy is her founding of Forest Park Forever, the nonprofit that—through a public-private partnership with the City—has led transformative restoration and improvement efforts in Forest Park.

A proud graduate of Washington University, Stolar earned a bachelor’s in political science, a master’s in social work, and a law degree. She began her career at Grace Hill Settlement House as a guidance counselor, and later worked as a job training counselor at the St. Louis Evaluation and Training Center.

From 1973 to 1981, she served as Alderman for the Central West End. A member of the “Young Turks” on the Board of Aldermen, alongside future U.S. House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, she was known for her intellect, energy, and bold leadership.

During her tenure, she successfully sponsored landmark legislation creating the Central West End Historic District, redeveloping Maryland Plaza, and authorizing a major expansion of the BJC/Washington University Medical Campus. She sponsored one of the nation’s first curb-cut laws—requiring sidewalk ramps for wheelchair access—and led the creation of the City Office for the Disabled. She was a passionate advocate for those facing discrimination, including people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals.

After leaving the Board, Stolar practiced law with Husch Eppenberger, and later served as Associate General Counsel for Computer Sales International. In 1986, she turned her attention to Forest Park, becoming its first Park Manager and founding Forest Park Forever, which has since raised funds to restore landmarks such as the Grand Basin, Boathouse, Jewel Box, Nathan Frank Bandstand, and Dwight Davis Tennis Center.

In 1991, following her death at age 47 from breast cancer in 1987, the Mary Goldstein Stolar Memorial Gate to the Dwight Davis Tennis Center was dedicated in her honor, with tributes from prominent government and civic leaders, including Congressman Gephardt and Mayor Vincent Schoemehl. In his eulogy, Gephardt said of his former Board of Aldermen colleague: “She was often controversial when it was not easy to be controversial. Very few of us are both great and good, and I believe that Mary Stolar was both great and good.”

*Posthumous

Cecilia “Cissy” Lacks, Class of 1963

During her time at University City High School, Cecilia “Cissy” Lacks exemplified leadership and drive. She earned academic honor pins all three years, served as vice president of the student body, participated in Student Council and the House of Representatives, and was co-editor of the Dial yearbook. She was also an accomplished athlete, captaining the basketball team and playing varsity volleyball, field hockey, and tennis. Her involvement extended to tutoring, club leadership, and mentorship.

Lacks earned degrees from Washington University, Boston University, Saint Louis University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She spent over 20 years in public education, known for empowering her students, particularly marginalized youth, to express themselves authentically through creative writing. Rather than censor or censure their early, often crude, attempts at self-expression, she supported them, guiding their growth toward more socially acceptable and sophisticated forms of writing. Her approach followed best practices recommended by the National Council of Teachers of English and earned her a reputation as one of the most effective educators in the region.

In 1994, Lacks  was terminated for allowing students to use street language in private writing assignments. The controversy drew national and international attention, and she became a powerful voice for teacher autonomy and student expression.

In 1996, Lacks was awarded the PEN/Newman First Amendment Award, presented by Paul Newman. Though a federal jury ruled in her favor, her reinstatement was ultimately denied on appeal. Despite this, her case has become a landmark example of the tension between educational policy and free speech.

A published author, photographer, and Parkinson’s advocate, Lacks continues to use her voice to inform and inspire. Whether through literature, journalism, or education, her lifelong mission has been to give others, especially young people, the tools to be heard.

Dr. Harley Hammerman, Class of 1967

Dr. Harley Hammerman is a trailblazing physician, passionate collector, and devoted historian whose innovations and contributions have made a lasting impact on medicine, the arts, and St. Louis cultural history.

After earning his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Hammerman became a board-certified radiologist and, in 1994, founded Metro Imaging, an independent alternative to hospital-based imaging services. His patient-centered approach emphasized affordability, efficiency, and compassion. Hammerman introduced the groundbreaking OnSite Results program, offering patients immediate access to preliminary exam findings, a service that dramatically reduced wait times and anxiety. Under his leadership, Metro Imaging grew to five locations and served thousands across the region. Mercy Hospital acquired the practice in 2018, and Hammerman remained CEO until his retirement in 2023.

Outside of medicine, Hammerman became the nation’s leading private collector of materials related to playwright Eugene O’Neill, a passion sparked in tenth grade at University City High School. His meticulously curated archive included rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and production ephemera. Determined to make his collection publicly accessible, he launched eOneill.com, and in 2018, donated the archive to Washington University Libraries, where it remains a vital resource for scholars worldwide.

Hammerman also turned his love of history toward St. Louis’s culinary past. Through LostTables.com and LostDishes.com, he has chronicled more than 200 beloved, now-closed restaurants, preserving their stories and recipes. His work—featured in The Wall Street Journal and local media—has sparked a growing community of nostalgic and curious readers. Most recently, he launched the Lost Tables podcast, blending oral history, sound design, and AI narration.

Robert Lochhead, Class of 1970

Robert Lochhead has devoted his life to justice, public service, and humanitarian aid–locally, nationally, and around the globe.

After graduating from University City High School in 1970, Robert went on to graduate from Columbia University Law School, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and to  build a distinguished legal career. He later served as regional legal counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Eastern Europe and as a senior fellow at BYU’s International Center for Law and Religious Studies, where he participated in international symposia on religious freedom.

Robert’s deep commitment to global justice led him to join the Leavitt Institute for International Development, where he worked with universities and law students to strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine and Moldova. He taught trial advocacy, ran legal internship programs, and judged mock trial competitions. He later became the Institute’s Executive Director and published scholarly works and presented papers on American jurisprudence for international audiences.

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Robert partnered with the NGO August Mission to deliver humanitarian aid to war refugees. He also raised money for electric generators for hospitals, public utilities, and bomb shelters in Ukraine. He later became a project manager for a Utah-based foundation, where he and his wife, KLynn, facilitated medical and legal aid projects in Ukraine and demining efforts in Azerbaijan.

Throughout his life, Robert has also dedicated years of full-time volunteer service to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including leadership assignments in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and the United States. He and KLynn are currently serving a mission in Frankfurt, Germany.

Lamerol Gatewood, Class of 1973

Lamerol Gatewood is a multi-media artist whose work blends spiritual energy, cultural symbolism, and rhythmic improvisation. Gatewood first discovered art through ceramics and technical drawing at University City High School.

After earning BFA and Educational degrees from Lindenwood University and his MFA at
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he moved to New York City in 1986 and spent 25 years teaching art for the Department of Education in Brooklyn, Queens and retiring in 2012. Gatewood currently lives and works in Brooklyn with his wife Diane Ridley Gatewood, also a UCHS alum, class of 1969.

Gatewood’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in spiritual exploration. His mixed-media collages, part of his acclaimed Energy Series, combine painting, drawing, and layered textures using materials like charcoal, oil pastel, acrylic paint, oil paint, glitter, and interference colors. He draws inspiration from African diasporic music, jazz, and the traditions of quilt-making passed down by his mothers. Spheres and circular motifs, often representing cosmic energy, have become central to his work, creating a visual language that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Gatewood’s Curatorial Practice includes “Abstract Assemblages And Collages”, at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery, NYC July 2025, “Figures Light And Abstract”, at University of Hawai’i at Hilo July 2024, Exploring Conceptual Possibilities, NYC July 2023. Gatewood was included also in the “New to the Museum: Prints, Drawings, and Photographs” St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, in 2023, and a solo exhibition, “Abstract Energy of Sound” at the Sebrof-Forbes Cultural Center, Kensington, Maryland in 2023. In addition Gatewood was a  guest speaker at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion with Sam Fox School Black Student Network at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri in 2023.

“Lamerol A. Gatewood”, the artist’s limited edition monograph, was self-published in 2021. The book, featuring paintings and collages, documents two series of paintings and collages: ‘The Energy Series’, and ‘The Abstract Energy of Sound’. His art is in permanent collections including: Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri; Fairfield University Museum, Fairfield, Connecticut; James E. Lewis Museum, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland; New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, New Jersey, and Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington DC, University of Delaware Art Museum, Delaware and many private collections throughout the United States.

Redditt Hudson, Class of 1983

Redditt Hudson is a nationally recognized human rights advocate who has built a remarkable career as both an elite athlete and a passionate voice for justice, equality, and systemic change.

As a student at University City High School, Hudson distinguished himself as a leader on and off the court. Despite injuries during his senior year, he earned All-State honors and was the leading scorer and rebounder in regional All-Star games, including the leading scorer and rebounder in the 1983 McDonald’s Missouri vs. Illinois All-Star game, which Missouri won. His talent, poise, and tenacity earned him praise from Coach Ed Crenshaw, who once described him as “a coach’s dream.” 

Hudson’s story extends far beyond basketball. After college, he served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, gaining firsthand insight into the complexities of law enforcement. In 1999, he left the force to pursue systemic reform, founding a consulting firm focused on police accountability and building trust between law enforcement and the Black community.

In partnership with Sultan Muhammad, Hudson co-founded Project PEACE, a grassroots initiative designed to keep young people out of the criminal justice system. Through school-based programs and community outreach, they impacted thousands of at-risk youth across the St. Louis region. He co-founded the National Coalition of Law Enforcement Officers for Justice, Reform and Accountability, a network of current and former officers committed to advancing human rights and public safety through justice-focused reforms.

Throughout his career, Redditt has held leadership roles at the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, the NAACP, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, where he helped build new models for justice rooted in equity and accountability.

His voice has been featured in The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Hill, and on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, BBC, and local media outlets across the United States.  In 2024, he appeared in Yance Ford’s documentary Power, exploring systemic issues in policing.

Hudson also led the successful effort to name the UCHS gym and court in honor of Coach Ed Crenshaw and Hasan Houston, preserving a powerful legacy for future generations.He was the last of his family to graduate from UCHS, following his sisters Robyn (Class of 1977) and Rhonda (Class of 1980). He is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

A recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award and a lifelong mentor, Redditt Hudson has dedicated his life to creating a more just, compassionate, and inclusive world.

Dr. Gershom Norfleet, Class of 1994

Dr. Gershom Norfleet is a trailblazer in the field of forensic science and a nationally respected leader in public service. In August 2022, he was appointed Chief Medical Examiner for St. Louis County, becoming the first African American to lead the office responsible for determining cause of death, conducting autopsies, and providing expert medical testimony in court. His appointment marked a historic moment in the region’s medicolegal communities.

He is a proud, 1994 graduate of University City High School. He also attended Flynn Park Elementary School, Ronald E. McNair School and Brittany Woods Middle School. Dr. Norfleet earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana, graduating cum laude, and went on to receive his Doctor of Medicine from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, he returned home to St. Louis to complete his residency and specialized fellowships in pathology.

Board-certified in both anatomical and forensic pathology, Dr. Norfleet is licensed to practice in Missouri and Illinois. He is an active member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the National Association of Medical Examiners, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 

Dr. Norfleet currently oversees investigations of deaths resulting from violence, infectious disease, or suspicious circumstances in St. Louis County, and he also serves as Assistant Medical Examiner for St. Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson counties in Missouri. Additionally, he is a private forensic pathologist for eight counties in Illinois.

Throughout his career, Dr. Norfleet has presented at national conferences, published professional articles, and trained future forensic professionals. He is widely regarded not only for his technical expertise, but also for his commitment to integrity, justice, and mentorship.

During his time off, he enjoys traveling with family, attending professional sporting events, comedy shows, and musical concerts. He lives by the motto, “Spend less and invest the rest!”. He and his wife are the proud parents of one adult child.

Justin Vail, Class of 2001

Justin Vail has spent his career advancing democracy and justice at the highest levels of American government. A proud graduate of University City High School, he credits early mentors—teachers like Ms. Massie and Ms. Williams, and Scout leader Doug King—with helping him develop his voice, sharpen his writing, and spark a lifelong commitment to public service.

After earning degrees from Truman State University and Washington University School of Law, Vail served in all three branches of the federal government. His experience includes clerking in U.S. District Courts, advising Senator Claire McCaskill, and holding senior positions under two presidential administrations. Most recently, he served as the first-ever Special Assistant to the President for Democracy and Civic Participation in the Biden-Harris White House.

In that role, Vail authored the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting, which expanded nonpartisan voter registration through federal agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also contributed to major presidential speeches on democracy, led U.S. delegations to the United Nations on human rights, and helped shape national policy on emerging technologies, including President Biden’s Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence.

Throughout, Vail has remained grounded in his Missouri roots and committed to making government more inclusive, accessible, and accountable. He continues to champion voting rights, civic engagement, and public trust in democratic institutions.