Stephen Schaller

Milton Probasco

Margaret Marshall

Dr. Walter Hoffman

James Brandon

The Waterloo High School Legacy Society announced its 2017 Legacy Wall inductees, with an open house date of Sept. 14 set to honor them.

This is the fifth year of recognizing individuals who honor the legacy of WHS by their service or accomplishments.

This year’s class of honorees includes the late Milton Probasco (WHS faculty member from 1952 to 1983), Margaret Marshall (WHS Class of 1985), Dr. Walter “Wally” Hoffmann (WHS Class of 1961), James Brandon (WHS faculty member from 1963 to 1987) and Stephen Schaller (WHS Class of 1985).

The Sept. 14 open house is free and open to the public. There will be a tour of the high school starting at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Milton Probasco
Probasco shared the gift of music with many students and the community of Waterloo for 55 years, serving as WHS band and chorus director from 1952 to 1983 and also playing with the Waterloo Municipal Band from 1952 to 2007, as well as the Bud Light Brigade and the St. Paul United Church of Christ Adult Choir and Brass Ensemble.

During his time at WHS, he led band and chorus members to many successful state music contests. He wrote and arranged music that is still played today by the Waterloo Municipal Band, and traveled to Washington, D.C. and the Illinois State Fair with the WHS band.

He also completed many successful performances of high school musicals, such as “The Sound of Music,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” and “Oklahoma.”

Probasco will always be remembered fondly by the WHS community as “PB.”

He served is the U.S. Navy from 1943-49 with the rank of Musician 2nd Class.

Margaret Marshall
Retired U.S. Navy Commander Marshall graduated from WHS in 1985, received her post high school education from the University of Missouri, and attended Naval Officer Candidate School. She also studied National Security and Strategic Studies at War College and received her M.A. 

She received her MBA at Troy State University in Alabama. 

Marshall has many career achievements and awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and others.

She retired as a commander in the U.S. Navy after 22 years. 

Marshall has traveled the world and now works and resides in Norfolk, Va. She is an archivist at the Norfolk Public Library, and assists her husband in researching a book he is writing on various aspects of the British military.

While at WHS, she participated in band, chorus and speech team, was a member of the National Honor Society, and received a history award.

Dr. Walter Hoffmann
Upon his graduation from WHS in 1961, Dr. Hoffmann received his post high school education at the University of Tennessee-Martin, his Master of Science in Chemistry at Southern Illinois University, his Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry at SIU, and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at University of Illinois.

During his career, Hoffmann received many awards, including the U of I College of Veterinary Medicine Service Excellence Award, the American Association of Clinical Chemistry Division of Animal Clinical Chemistry Award for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Clinical Chemistry and others.

Hoffmann served on the faculty of the U of I College of Veterinary Medicine as a clinical pathologist, an interim associate dean at U of I College of Veterinary Medicine, and was head of clinical pathology for many years. He discovered a previously unidentified isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase in dogs, and developed an essay to use as a diagnostic test.

He contributed chapters to scientific textbooks, contributed to more than 80 scientific publications, served on numerous advisory committees, and delivered lectures and speeches around the word at conferences. 

He is currently Professor Emeritus at U of I, and is also currently serving on the Chancellor’s Round Table at Tennessee-Martin.

In his private time, Hoffmann led the conversion of an empty grocery store into a library using all donated labor.

James Brandon
Brandon taught Spanish and math at WHS from 1963 to 1987. He received his post high school education from Murray State University, the University of Illinois and University of Cincinnati Math Institute.

Brandon was active with students in high school, but took immense personal pride in his many achievements with the Boy Scouts. He served as a webelos leader and scoutmaster, and participated with the Kaskaskia District training staff. Brandon helped re-establish the Valmeyer Boy Scout Troop, and has more than 35 years of dedication to the Boy Scouts of America.

Brandon received many scouting honors and awards, including the Kaskaskia District Award of Merit, Okaw Valley Council BSA Lifetime Achievement Award, and Order of the Arrow Vigil Award. 

He received the Torch of Gold Award in the Okaw Valley Council for outstanding service and leadership to scouts with special needs and disabilities. 

Brandon is a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Europe in the Ardennes counteroffensive from December 1944 to January 1945. He is a survivor of the “Battle of the Bulge.”

Brandon taught Sunday School for many years and also coached women’s softball.

Stephen Schaller
Upon his graduation from WHS in 1985, Schaller received his post high school education at Illinois College and the University of Illinois College of Law. 

He currently lives and is a practicing attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among his many career achievements and awards include practicing as an in-house banking attorney for more than 18 years. He currently serves as Deputy General Counsel of Springfleaf Financial Services, an Evansville, Ind. based company.

He formerly served as general counsel to a national specialty finance company, worked as a civil trial lawyer, and is a nationally recognized speaker on consumer lending and regulatory compliance matters. 

Schaller is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Kentucky.

While at WHS, Schaller was a National Merit Scholar semifinalist and was a member of the National Honor Society.