By Mark Ambrogi
Jeff Thomasson has many fond memories of his Zionsville Community High School principal Oliver Warner.
“He was sensational at keeping the rules firm but always had a smile on his face,” said Thomasson, a 1976 ZCHS graduate. “He served under Gen. (George) Patton in the Battle of the Bulge (in World War II). His attention to detail and his ability to walk the walk and talk the talk was just superb. For whatever reason, for the life of me I don’t know what it was, but he took a liking to me and during my high school career he and I became close. He cheered me on and mentored me. He and another teacher encouraged me to run for senior class president. I did, and I won. As a result, I became extra close with him my senior year.”
When Warner died at age 93 in November, Thomasson wanted to play tribute to him by establishing the Oliver L. Warner Education Scholarship Fund. Thomasson started the fund with a $200,000 contribution.
The scholarship will award approximately $8,000 per year, in perpetuity, to a ZCHS senior planning to go into a career in education.
It is one of the largest scholarship funds managed by the Community Foundation of Boone County.
“To this day I consider him to be a significant part of any success or blessings that I’ve had in my professional career,” he said.
Thomasson, an Indianapolis resident, is the CEO and a managing director of Oxford Financial Group, a wealth management firm he founded in 1981. He graduated from Indiana University with masters of business administration in 1981.
The Warner family also made a generous gift to the scholarship fund.
Warner spent 10 1/2 years as a teacher and 23 1/2 years as a principal in the Zionsville school system. He retired in 1987 after seven years as assistant superintendent.
“My family is filled with humility, pride and thankfulness for this honor and tribute in honor of my husband,” said Berniece, who turns 93 March 28. “His whole career of 40 1/2 years in one school system is not a common happening. Our family has so appreciated the community of Zionsville for this to happen. I’m so proud and pleased to be a (Zionsville) citizen.”
