1940s

40 Until Next Time

I have to apologize for missing the class note deadline. I went into the hospital three days before the deadline and was finally released as the notes are being edited. I am doing quite well and will be back in print next issue. — Bob Sanford; 3212 N. Miller Rd., No. 106, Scottsdale AZ 85251; 480-433-7916; r40shorty@aol.com

41 Correction about ND Band

Last quarter, I mentioned that Dan Gentile ’48 and Jack Steidl were the only remaining members of the pre-WWII Band of the Fighting Irish. Sometimes it is great to be wrong. Jack Schouten ’48 called to tell me that he, too, was a member of the ’41 band. He played under Joe Casasanta ’23 and recalled touring in Pennsylvania and New York with the band in ’41. Jack is enjoying life in Phoenix these days, and has attended numerous band reunions over the years. He was last back on campus in ’08 for his 60th Reunion. Jack started at ND in ’41, attended for two-and-a-half years and then returned after the war to complete his last three semesters. If there are any other members of the pre-WWII band out there, please reach out and say hello. — Meg Julian ’03, ’06JD; 171 E. 89th St. No. 5A, New York NY 10128; 646-246-5480; megjulian@gmail.com

42 Vaya con Dios

Edward J. Sullivan MD, 93, died unexpectedly on Aug. 26 in Jacksonville. He leaves his second wife of 12 years, Catherine (Tressie) Sullivan, and three children, Edward, Susan and William. Dr. Sullivan was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Mary Martin, the mother of his children. He also left many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After graduation, he served in the Navy from 1943 to 1947 and was recalled to active duty in Korea from 1950-51. Ed received his medical degree from Georgetown in 1945. In 1958, he was one of the founders of the Florida Neurological Society and was active in medical and legal communities in Florida. He and his family were planning to attend the Michigan State game when he left us. Thomas J. Walker, 92, passed away peacefully at his home in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 11. One of our most dedicated alumni, Tom grew up in New York and after graduation served as a Navy lieutenant on sub patrol in the North Atlantic. At the same time, Tom’s father, Frank Walker ’1909, was appointed postmaster general by Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1943, Tom married Dolly Shelare, and they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary May 1. Tom is survived by Dolly and five children, Hallie, Frank, Barbara Tight, Shelley and Terry, plus 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Tom moved his family to Fort Lauderdale, where he launched a successful insurance agency. Among his major clients were the Miami Dolphins and Holy Cross Hospital. His last words to me were, “Good days and bad days, but on the whole I can’t complain.” We gathered to witness Notre Dame’s victory over Michigan State. Attendees at the game: super host Judge Bob Miller and son Bob; Jim Frick and son Jeff ’81, with his family plus Amanda ’14; yours truly with Joan Kirby and Colin ’10JD; and Class of ’42 assistant Ann Schanuel with family members. Dolly Duffy ’84 graciously made a visit to the ’42 Tailgate. — John Kirby; 110 Upland Road, Kentfield CA 94904; res and fax 415-925-0544

43 Class Secretary — Bob Masters ’05;

202 Remington Court North Drive, Apartment C, Mishawaka IN 46545; bus 574-234-0121; res 574-904-8315; a.robert.masters@gmail.com

44 Save the Date

Reunion is just around the corner, with the celebration taking place May 29 to June 1, 2014. Save the date for your return to Notre Dame. I received an email from Dan Foley, who inquired about the upcoming 70th Reunion. Information should arrive by mail in early 2014, or refer to mynotredame.nd.edu for updates. Like many of you, Dan used to attend the annual reunions that were headed up by Pat Kiley and Joe Butler. I received a call in August from a friend of Stratte P. Coorlas, who passed away in Chicago. He was active in the community as a former owner of Aragon Liquors, past President of AHEPA Shoreline Chapter 380, secretary of the Hellenic Golf Club of Chicago, and retired vice president of North Community Bank. He will be missed by many friends and family. Alice and Bob McKahan are enjoying the good life at Casa De Las Campanas (house of the bells) in Rancho Bernardo CA. Bob lists his favorite roommates as Sunny McCall and Bob Purcell. Maybe he won’t mind adding me and my family to the list if we decide to escape Chicago winters. Tom O’Reilly connected with John Henneberger and his wife, Freida. They live in Evansville IN and are enjoying good health. John is a retired banker who several years ago sold the family bank in Illinois to Old National Bank, domiciled in Evansville. Their daughter, Molly Henneberger ’80, is a reporter for Fox News. Tom has attended the last football game of the season the past two years but has managed to enjoy the on-field entertainment from the comforts of the press box. He’s aiming to make it three years in a row by attending the BYU game. — Laura (Julian) Fraser ’00; 989 Belaire Court, Naperville IL 60563; 773-255-9843; lejulian00@yahoo.com

45 Still Singing

I have reported on Brock Lynch’s singing with The Young @ Heart chorus, the widely acclaimed group of singing elders. Brock recently sent me a card from the group’s 2012 visit to Japan. They did seven shows in four cities over a two-week period. In October, the group made its second tour of Norway. In the first visit, in 2001, they met the king and queen, who attended their concert. For those of you who have not seen the group’s movie, it is available from Netflix and is thoroughly enjoyable. Stan Idzerda died in August in St. Joseph MN. After receiving a doctorate in history from Western Reserve in 1951, Stan taught in several universities before being named president of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph in 1968. After his term as president, he continued teaching at the college until his retirement in 1990. He was an oblate of St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph. He is survived by eight children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. William Abood died in June in Jacksonville FL. He received his dentistry degree at Loyola after graduating from Notre Dame. He served two years in the Army and practiced dentistry for more than 50 years before retirement in 2003. He was an avid golfer who made three holes in one. Rev. William O’Connor, CSC, died in July. He served in pastoral assignments in Indiana, California, Arizona and Ohio. — Ted Weber Jr.; 1400 Geary Blvd. Apt 1409, San Francisco CA 94109; 415-674-8771; theodoreweber@comcast.net

46 Class Secretary — William O’Neil; William.oneil@verizon.net

47 Indoor Blizzards

Gordon Forester recalls attending the ’46 Notre Dame-Army game at Yankee Stadium as the second half of his honeymoon, having been married in June. He also remembers the view of the Dome through the window near his bed in Bronson Hall, with 60 beds divided by sheets. “It would seem to be an ideal place for me to sleep until those in the middle of the room wanted fresh air and insisted in the middle of the winter that the windows be open. Many a morning, I awoke with an inch or two of snow on the foot of the bed. Fortunately, I had managed to get a couple of extra blankets and survived. I visited the campus once during the renovation of the building and convinced the watchman on duty to allow us to visit the spot where I had slept and saw the nice office space it was becoming.” Bill Archibald writes that he has been in the hospital a few days for tests but is at home recuperating slowly. Prayers would be appreciated to our Blessed Mother. A. Samuel Adelo of Santa Fe NM wrote to share of the history of Latino students at Notre Dame, recalling that the La Raza Club was founded in 1928 on campus. The year Sam was club president, they celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe Day with Prof. Walter Langford, the head of Department of Foreign Languages. The club introduced soccer to Notre Dame. Sam shared that Moose Krause invited him to travel with the football team on several long train rides as a Spanish tutor. Bruce Harlan recalls receiving an oil painting as a wedding present in 1948 from the mother of roommate William Clark Riley. “I wanted an appraisal to be fair to my five kids. I tried the internet and got 119 Rileys. Then I tried ND fundraising and got an answer in seconds. I was in touch with Bill’s widow in two phone calls. She and her daughter were very familiar with my painting. It had won a $2,000 prize in NYC in the 1940s. She has a painting in the Art Institute of Chicago. Bill and I used to play bridge with Father Hesburgh long before he became famous.” Classmates who passed away and will be missed include John S. Stehlin Jr. MD of Houston TX, a noted physician, scientist and humanitarian, who passed away at home on June 4 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He is survived by his wife, Sally, and three children. John was born in Brownsville TN in 1923, and received his MD from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He served as a captain in the Air Force from 1953-55, was awarded the Commendation Ribbon, and became part of the full-time surgical staff at M.D. Anderson Hospital in 1957. He led breast and melanoma treatment programs and founded the Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research. He developed a surgical technique for colon cancer that today is standard operating procedure. The Stehlin laboratory became the first dedicated to the exclusive study of human cancers and more than 50 percent of the cells used today in breast cancer research come from lines originally developed there. John M. Henry, 88, passed away on Easter Sunday morning, March 31, 2013, at the Mount Pleasant Retirement Village, Monroe OH. Born Oct. 24, 1924, in Strawberry Point IA, he is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Margaret U. (O’Keefe) Henry, five children and 10 grandchildren. He was a devoted husband and father, loyal to his Christian faith and his country. He was a graduate in electrical engineering, a professional engineer and a veteran of World War II, Naval Reserve. Harold A. “Pete” Vonachen Jr., 87, of Peoria passed away at June 10, at Christian Buehler Home, Peoria. Pete was born Aug. 31, 1925, in Peoria, and married Donna J. Hurst, who preceded him in death in 2007. He is survived by four children and 11 grandchildren. Pete served in the Navy during World War II. Pete served as the general manager and investor in Vonachen’s Hyatt Lodge and Days Inn Motel in Peoria, then president of Peoria Blacktop Inc. In 1983, Pete purchased the Peoria Chiefs and turned them into a well-respected team around baseball. — Michael Morris ’80; 949-433-8568; michaelmorris07@gmail.com

48 Tie Scores Leave Deep Scars

Eldon O’Brien recently published his first book, In the Shoes of an Investigator. His son, Tim J. O’Brien ’75 of Sorin Hall, relates that the book tells the true stories of Eldon’s 60 years as a private eye in California. Available on Amazon.com, the ND author has had several book signings. Eldon has been married for 62 years, has 10 children, 25 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His next-door roommate, while in Badin Hall, was the hall rector, Theodore Hesburgh. We heard from Joseph Creen ’51 of Cedar Rapids IA. In his letter, Joe eulogized his dear friend, C. James Styers, also of Cedar Rapids, who passed away on Aug. 15. Mr. Styers lived in Vetville, was a member of the Monogram Club for track and was called “caring” at ND. Following his BA and MS degrees at Notre Dame, Mr. Styers received a PhD in electrical engineering from Iowa U and worked at Collins Radio in Advanced Research. Mr. Styers was brother-in-law to Father Joseph Cavanaugh, CSC. Both lived in St. Edward’s. Father Joe died too early and was a theologian of high regard. We are saddened to report the passing of Rev. Francis J. Buckley, SJ, on July 9; John A. Culligan MD of Saint Paul MN on June 24; Robert W. Gorman of Chesterfield MO on July 23; Robert E. Connell Jr. of Houston on July 24; Lawrence J. Raville of East Berlin PA on August 14; Robert E. Livingstone of Munster IN on Aug. 1. Tales from Dan Gentile: A ND tie was the ’46 Army game. Consolation is found in the sporting world’s moral victory award to Notre Dame for the Army game: Army’s continued inability to cross a Frank Leahy goal line and the complete neutralization of Army’s Blanchard-Davis duo. Mostly it elevated the ’47 match, with a stunning 27-7 Notre Dame victory, by featuring the Brennan brothers’ stupendous performances. Ultimately, Terry Brennan was selected as Frank Leahy’s successor. Other memories: The first summer semester of WWII was a scorcher. Studies became secondary as civilian students were preoccupied by draft notices, rumors and rides to the railroad station dispatching another classmate to his fate. To vent our frustrations we resorted to creative pastimes such as hot foots, short-sheeting a victim’s bed, water fights, stopping a spinning fan blade with an index finger (my left one still bears scars of this mayhap) and, on occasion, Bill Niggins and Jim Mello would demonstrate their prowess at shredding phonebooks. — Dan Gentile; PO Box 2671, Scottsdale AZ 85252; res 480-425-1240; Eileen Zander; 1538 Oakhill Drive North, South Bend IN 46637; bus 574-631-7505; ezander@nd.edu

49 Still Strong and True

Hugh Rafferty, Houston, checked in via email. He was one of Father Ted’sold hall mates in Badin Hall after World War II. Hugh is still active in volunteer work and received an award from the Houston ND Club for service to the club and community. Al Lesko, Coldwater MN, enjoyed a number of get-well cards and letters. One old grad asked if Al remembered a past football game event in Dillon where Al retrieved a cold beer from the toilet tank. He remembered but was quick to point out that he rarely drank. Joe Devincentis, Richmond VA, sent along a nice letter to big Al. To date, 21 classmates have advised that they will attend next year’s reunion. Mike Laughlin ’85 emailed an additional note on the passing of his father, Richard Laughlin. Janet Toth Bachman ’83 reported on the death of her father, Alex Toth of Couperville WA. Maybe you’ll recall the Space Needle/Pen note from a previous issue. At his request there was no memorial service. He asked that his friends remember him by raising a glass of good cheer in his memory. Cheer, cheer. He was a magician under center; the slickest ball handling quarterback among the many ND great: Frank Tripucka, Woodland Park NJ, passed away in September. Frank’s final three ND teams compiled a 26-0-2 mark and consensus national titles in 1946 and 1947. We’ll never forget those fantastic days. Frank went on to become a first-round selection in the 1949 NFL draft. He played for the Eagles, Lions, Cardinals, Texans and Broncos. He also played seven years in the Canadian Football League. Frank was a great athlete, friend and classmate and will be missed but never forgotten. The Alumni Association provided the following obits for ’49ers: William A. Durkin Jr., Stamford CT; Xin de Feng PhD; Richard T. Laughlin, Naples FL; William V. Phelan JD; Edward S. Sherman, Valparaiso IN; William E. Shine, Yountville CA; Eugene E. Sullivan, Naperville IL. Locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis, old friends. — Joe O’Brien; 18120 Cloverleaf, South Bend IN 46637; 574-271-8323; obie49nd@comcast.net