7 Bedford grads to be inducted in alumni association's hall of fame

10/17/2007

For Sylvania resident Ed Tutelian, education was a way of life.

Now 45 years after that life began in the Bedford Public School District, Mr. Tutelian will be inducted with six others into the Bedford High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Making up this year's hall of fame class along with Mr. Tutelian:

•Lowell Cauffiel (Class of 1969),

•Douglas Dove '59,

•John Hittler '70,

•Brett Holey '78,

•Todd Lezon '82, and

•retired teacher C. David Parker.

"All the candidates are wonderful," BHS Alumni Association Vice President Gene Stock said. "The variety that we have is the neat thing this year, and they are outstanding candidates. These guys would make anybody's hall of fame, so it's great."

Inductees also will be honored tomorrow at halftime of the Bedford-Algonac football game at Bedford Community Stadium.

Mr. Tutelian started teaching at Bedford Junior High in 1962 and then moved to the high school level, where he taught world history until his retirement in 1998.

"I'm very, very honored," said Mr. Tutelian, who taught at least three of the inductees while they were students at Bedford. "My experience at Bedford was very good. It was a very positive experience. I enjoyed teaching."

Mr. Tutelian is now an active member of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel.

He and his wife were also recently special guests of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in Russia.

"I've had a very colorful life," he said.

Also to be honored in the Outstanding Teacher category, Mr. Parker is credited with starting the vocal music program at Bedford in 1965 before leaving the school in 1979.

Mr. Cauffiel and Mr. Holey will be inducted in the Outstanding Post High School Accomplishments category.

Mr. Cauffiel, a best-selling author of nine books, spent the first 15 years of his writing career at The Detroit News and Detroit Monthly Magazine. He now is a TV show creator in Los Angeles and the father of actress Jessica Cauffiel, who has appeared on several TV shows and in movies such as The World's Fastest Indian.

Mr. Holey, a three-time Emmy award winner, works as the director of NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. He won his first Emmy while working as a director for ABC's Primetime Live in 1989 and since has won two more with NBC.

Mr. Dove, Mr. Hittler and Mr. Lezon will be awarded for their outstanding athletic achievements. Mr. Dove lettered in football, basketball, and track and attended Indiana University on a football scholarship.

He then went on to obtain his medical degree and is a neurologist in Decatur, Ill.

Mr. Hittler became the first Bedford athlete to be named to Wrestling USA Magazine's All-America Team in 1970, holding a 42-1 record in his senior year. He attended Northern Michigan University and resides in Lowell, Mich.

Mr. Lezon lettered in football, basketball, and track, and he still holds numerous passing records in the Bedford history books. He attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship and resides in Vermilion, Ohio.

"We were very surprised and real excited for our whole family," Mr. Lezon said. "Just to have our family's name permanently remembered like this is pretty cool."

Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet and dinner can be purchased at Bedford High School or by calling 734-850-6080. Cost is $30.

Contact Zach Silka at: zsilka@theblade.com.