Brookfield Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2025
The inductees include Gary Lees, Meryl Johnson, Dr. Taylor Brooks, Dave English, Wardell Jefferson, and Morgan Bonekovic.
Notably, Lucille Flemon Downs, represented by her daughter Meryl Johnson, was the only African-American in her class at Brookfield High School during the Great Depression.
“You’ve gone to all-black schools your whole life; you will go to Kent State,”
Downs told her daughter, influencing her educational path. Despite facing prejudicial racial attitudes, Downs was named valedictorian for the Class of 1933.
Author's summary: Brookfield schools honor distinguished alumni.
- Lucille Flemon Downs: valedictorian of the Class of 1933
- Meryl Johnson: represented her mother at the induction
- Other inductees: Gary Lees, Dr. Taylor Brooks, Dave English, Wardell Jefferson, and Morgan Bonekovic