Mercer Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Inducts Two New Members

On Wednesday, May 18th Mercer High School hosted its annual Academic Awards Banquet at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. The evening included a dinner as well as a student awards ceremony, where students received recognition for various accolades during the 2015-16 school year. Below is a photograph taken of all award recipients who were in attendance for the Academic Awards Banquet.

 

The evening also included the formal induction of the 17th class to the Mercer High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. There were two members inducted into the Hall of Fame. Below is a brief description of their accomplishments.


S. Mark Courtney (Class of 1974)

Highly active is the best descriptor of both the Mercer High School life and post-secondary career of S. Mark Courtney, graduate of 1974. A heavily involved participant in a myriad of academic and athletic student organizations, Mark was renowned for his strong work ethic. Upon graduation, Mark earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, earning a Medical Science degree in the Physician’s Assistant program in 1978. Mark went on to earn an additional Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science at Slippery Rock State College in 1980. Mark then worked as a Physician’s Assistant for Family Healthcare Partners, Grove City, PA, from 1981 until 2014. During that time, Mark also provided his medical services to the State Correctional Facility in Mercer and various local nursing homes.

In 1979, Mark started a sole proprietorship, Runner’s High, a road race timing service. This company began by providing timing services to organizations within the Mercer County region. A family enterprise, Runner’s High developed a machine to prepare computer chips for running events. The business continued to grow and in 2000, Runner’s High became the first timer in Pennsylvania to time runners with computer chips on their shoes. By 2010, the company was providing services to over 350 races per year, sometimes 10 races at time. These encoded shoe chips, which are prepped in Grove City, PA, have been shipped to places across the world like Puerto Rico and Indonesia. Some of the most notable races that have used the services of Runner’s High include the Pittsburgh Great Race, Pittsburgh Marathon, Air Force Marathon, Baltimore Marathon, Boston Marathon, and the Gate River Run.

An avid runner, Mark has not missed a single day of running since December 19, 1979 (13,000+ days), which currently ranks him 33^rd on the United States streaker list of consecutive running days. He has competed in the Boston Marathon for 36 consecutive years, which currently ranks him as 18^th on the active streaker list. In 2006 Mark won the 50-59 age group of the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:46:44. Overall, Mark has completed 160 marathons with a personal record of 2:28:48 in the Chicago Marathon of 1990. As of 2016, Mark has a lifetime mileage of 98,000 miles and has competed in more than 1,800 races

Kelly Jones (left) represented his late mother, Anna Belle Jones; Inductee S. Mark Courtney (right)

 

 

Anna Belle (Kelso) Jones (Class of 1941) (Award accepted on her behalf by son, Kelly Jones)

Anna Belle (Kelso) Jones graduated valedictorian of the Mercer High School class of 1941. She furthered her education at Grove City College and graduated as an honor student in 1945. After college, Anna Belle worked as a court stenographer before becoming the legal secretary at Stranahan/Sampson Law Firm. At the encouragement of these attorneys, especially James A. Stranahan Jr., she trained to become an attorney under the old “clerkship” process and passed the Pennsylvania bar exam in 1965 without the benefit of law school. Anna Belle Jones became the first woman admitted to full-time practice of law in Mercer County when she was sworn-in on November 12, 1965. She practiced with the Stranahan & Stranahan firm until 1979, when she and her niece, Mary Anne McConnell incorporated a law firm, Jones-McConnell, P.C. It was there that she practiced until July 2008, when her health suddenly declined.

In addition to an outstanding law career, Anna Belle served as a public servant to the Mercer community. She and her family were active members of the Coolspring Grange and the Mercer United Methodist Church. In her adult years, she served on the boards of United Way, Children’s Aid Society, and the Regional Jail Prison Chapel. She was President of the Brandy Springs Park, Inc. for over 30 years, during which time she spearheaded fundraising for construction of an additional pool, and both sought and received land donations to enlarge the park.

Anna Belle and her husband, William North Jones, had one son, James K. (Kelly) Jones, who graduated from Mercer High School in 1971. She was also the proud grandmother of two grandchildren. Anna Belle (Kelso) Jones passed on October 31, 2013.

 

Congratulations to these inductees for receiving this honor!