EAST PROVIDENCE – A former governor, a local sports journalist and a former Providence College men’s basketball standout are among 13 individuals who will be posthumously inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in a Nov. 17 ceremony at Salute at Squantum.
Lincoln C. Almond, the Republican former governor who served two terms from 1994 until 2002 and died on Jan. 3, 2023, at age 86, is the only former elected official who will be part of the Heritage Hall of Fame’s 2024 class. Almond also served as the state’s attorney general in his career in office.
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Peter Fontaine, who died in March, worked in local journalism, including a stint as sports editor for the Kent County Daily Times in West Warwick, and will also be inducted in this year’s class.
Also being inducted is John “Johnny” Egan, who was an All-American basketball player for Providence College and played in the NBA from 1961 through 1972. Egan, who died in 2022 at age 83, also served as head coach of the Houston Rockets from 1973 through 1976.
The other inductees are:
- Gen. Michael Byrnes, a former military officer.
- Raymond “Ray” Dwyer, a former high school track and field athlete and coach.
- Barnet Fain, co-founder of the Barrington Jewish Center (Temple Habonim) and Rhode Island School of Design board chairman.
- Edmund “Ted” Fuller, a restauranteur and businessman who developed the POSitouch point-of-sale system.
- George Greeley, a Hollywood-based musician and band leader.
- John Leyden, a former U.S. marshal for the district of Rhode Island and North Kingstown police chief.
- Mary Ann Lippitt, owner of Lippitt Aviation, a nurse and member of Lippitt family.
- Norman E. “Sandy” McCullough, a philanthropist who supported education in Rhode Island.
- Morris Nathanson, an artist, designer, founding board member of Trinity Repertory Company and civil rights activist.
- Everett “Tall Oak” Weeden, an artist, historian and Native American activist.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
