1970s

70 Reunion Planning

We’re in the home stretch for our 50th class reunion. Be grateful that we applied in 1969 when 57 percent of applicants were accepted; now 16 percent are accepted, and the fees have risen 30-fold. We’ll stay in Duncan Hall or the Fairfield Inn on Angela Boulevard. President Rick Libowitz has chosen navy blue as our official shirt color. Jimmy O’Connell will speak at the class dinner June 5 in Dahnke Ballroom in the new Duncan Student Center in the west structure of the football stadium. Rev. John Jenkins, CSC, will formally induct the 50-Year Club at lunch June 6. Besides the individual honor, you’ll be able to stay in the Morris Inn for future reunions. (Alas, we’re only the 49-year club now.) We invite your brief, even humorous, half-century reports at the June 6 class dinner in Purcell Pavilion. Kevin Rooney, Rev. Peter Rocca, CSC, and Patrick Murphy will lead a seminar on ND’s past 50 years. We will attend, with friends from Saint Mary’s, a special evening performance of the Hall of Fame-quality First Friday. Our class will sponsor Reunion Park, a lovely contemplative quadrant at Angela and Riverside Drive. It adjoins the Coal Line Trail (created from abandoned rail track) crossing the St. Joseph River en route to the old ND coal-fired power plant. See devonsullivanstudio.com/reunion for more details. Thanks to Greg Sullivan and son Devon for inspiring this fantastic tribute to our school and forebears. We request 142 donations of $70 to reach our goal of $10,000 for grading, planting, trees, boulder and plaque. Send me a check payable to South Bend Parks Department Foundation (tax deductible). Prepare your campaign speeches. President, secretary, and treasurer are open for five-year terms. John Gallagher is permanent sergeant-at-arms. Mary T and O’Malley Smith leave five beautiful grandchildren aged 1-9 as they journey west to the Reunion. Jean and Bill Hederman will join from Virginia. Marcia and Mike Hammes, three children, nine grandchildren and two handsome dogs gathered in Vero Beach last fall. Elise and Chris Servant entered their fifth year of retirement entertaining 10 grandchildren, hosting a two-week family reunion in Block Island RI, retracing Chris’s father’s WWII 82nd Airborne paratrooper exploits in France, and undergoing shoulder surgery. Our class’s former first lady Vicki Spieler says hello from Roswell GA. Jane and John Monnich wittily wished “Marie Christmas” using a photograph of Marie Antoinette with a Santa hat. Rita and Al LaReau noted that Mary and Joseph reached Bethlehem without Trip Advisor or GPS. The LaReaus enjoyed Celtic Colours festival in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and visited their son who taught engineering at ND’s London Center. Their seven grandchildren dubbed Al’s hearing aid “cool.” Lucy and Frank Vatterott will attend from St. Louis. Paul Gill MD practices emergency medicine in Vermont and has written about wilderness and nautical First Aid. His grandmother hails from Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, Ireland, three miles from my great-grandfather’s home. We’re trying to link families. In November, Pat and I visited Carlsbad CA and joined Gail and John Pedrotty MD for a day, savoring ND’s Virginia Tech victory, attending the premiere of Midway at North Island Naval Air Station on Coronado, touring the lovely island and dining at Miguel’s. John was a fast-attack nuclear submarine officer 1970-76; MD’80 USUHS Medical School; Navy flight surgeon 1981-84, including senior medical officer for USS Kitty Hawk, North Island and Miramar; force surgeon, Middle East Joint Task Force including Mogadishu. He served ENT and family practice residencies at Bethesda Naval Hospital and retired from the Navy in 1996. He and Gail have been married 44 years, have four children, with two sons plus a son-in-law in the Navy. Laurie and Hank Cardinali enjoyed her 50th West Virginia Wesleyan reunion and anticipate reconnecting with NROTC classmates and the men who opened Flanner’s seventh floor. Ten years after retirement as a civilian with the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, he enjoys children, grandchildren, traveling, cycling and choir singing. Steve Wolnitzek of Covington KY chaired (1995-2020) the Kentucky Judicial Control Commission which investigates complaints about judges and judicial candidates. Condolences to Paul Partyka whose mother died Jan. 3 in Culver City CA. Pasquale (“Pat”) Rocchio died Sept. 6 and is survived by four children, including Francesco ’00. Geoff Gillette of “Captain Electric” fame died Sept. 7 and is survived by wife Jennifer in Chatham NJ. Frank Zaffere III died Oct. 16 and is survived by parents in Chicago and three children including Francis IV ’92. John Noonan III PhD died Oct. 17 and is survived by his wife and five children. — Don Graham; 1901 S. Glenwood, Springfield IL 62704, 217-652-1560; fever1@me.com

 

70MBA 50th Anniversary, Last Call

Between the fall and winter issues of Notre Dame Magazine, we heard from Rich Johnson. Rich retired in 2000 but has not slowed down. He has become part of the “gig” economy with three gigs since retirement. He works as an equity analyst for Royal Bank of Canada. Rich has a daughter and three granddaughters in NYC, a still-single son in Newport Beach and a new bride. Rich is living in Devon PA, a Philadelphia suburb. He is encouraging a class reunion and plans to bring his bride along. He indicated he may need a campus guide with all the changes since our graduation. We have a timing problem with the winter edition of the magazine being delivered over the last couple of weeks and the spring column due on Jan. 20. I will get an email blast out before the end of February to try and determine reunion interest. I have also included my cell phone number below to make it easier to reach us. Please feel free to text or call. I know the email address works. I got Rich’s message. — John Carroll; 4315 Alta Drive, Apt. 1301, Suwanee GA 30024; 404-281-6524; johnrcarroll@bellsouth.net 

 

70JD Reunion Updates

As I write this column in late December, 34 classmates have said they plan to attend our 50th Reunion Oct. 2-3. Those who have reserved rooms at the Embassy Suites or have otherwise indicated they will attend are: Jamie Cawley, Mike Kelleher, Jim Kirker, Terry O’Connor, Joe Kane, Maurice FitzMaurice, Mike Crowe, Rich Bovey, Tom Rink, Jim Doyle, Jack Slimm, Joe Jankowski, Jack VandeNorth, Steph DeSalles, Tom Ebel, Ken Iverson, John Forhan, Richard Slawson, Tom DiGrazia, Don Schuering, Ted Lee, Joe Murray, Rich Blumberg, Sterling Spainhour, Jim Hardgrove, Tom Harvick, Dick Jordan, Bill Keck, Bob McDonnell, John Meany, Jerry Perry as well as Joe Leahy, Tom Sopko and myself. A listing of specific events will be distributed by email as the information becomes available. If anyone has not yet received any emails from Joe, Tom or me about the reunion please contact me and I will see to it that copies are delivered to you. The possibility exists that some of your email addresses have changed or are inaccurate. We have been working hard to contact all classmates who started with us in 1967 and graduated in ’70, ’71 or ’72, sometimes to no avail. If you know of a classmate not listed above and you have his email, phone or home address please forward the info to Joe Leahy at jjl@emeraldlaw.com or call Joe at 541-746-9621. Please let us know if you are planning to attend so that we may finalize plans. Rooms may still be available at the Embassy Suites adjacent to campus, so reserve now if you haven’t already done so. In other news, Joe Kane relayed to me that in October he and Nancy travelled to France to visit the D-Day beaches of Normandy. Tom Deluca and Dick Farina wanted me to send their best to our class. Joe Jankowski was at the USC game last fall. When you see Joe at the reunion be sure to ask him how he managed to work his way into the Monogram Club dinner before the game. Kathy and Mike Crowe are looking forward to seeing everyone in October. Mike left law school after our first year and returned to graduate in 1972. Rich Bovey was one of the “London Luckies” who spent his second year in England. Like several others in our class, Rich’s law school days were interrupted by military service and he graduated in 1971. He and wife Michelle will be at the reunion. Kudos to Jim Kirker for the publication of his third children’s book, Izzy and the Three Kings. It is a Christmas story with beautiful illustrations that will appeal to young and old. Tom DiGrazia wrote that on the 56th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination he spoke before the Association of Conflict Resolution Hawaii on how he remembered JFK and the influence JFK has had on his life. Tom will be making the trip from the Aloha State to South Bend for our reunion. Joe Leahy suggests we award Tom the “farthest to travel” title now. Marie and I were on campus in early November for the Virginia Tech game. We caught up with Joyce and Tom Sopko at a tailgate party outside the stadium and met their grandson, Braxton, 8, and granddaughter, Ella, 6. Braxton was about to attend his first ND football game with his grandfather. The cold overcast day caused Tom and me to recall the November 1967 game against Navy, when a heavy snow began to fall and the student section chanted “Ara, Stop the Snow.” Ara was a great coach, but the snow continued to fall. Or, did it? Until next time, stay well and, as always, I look forward to hearing from you. Go Irish. — John K. Plumb; jkplumb37@gmail.com

 

71 Travels

A family Christmas trip took Michelle and Barry Pflum to Hilton Head, but a side visit with Bob Bullard, Bluffton SC, was in order. Thus, they had an afternoon in the Frosty Frog to catch up over wings and adult beverages. Since then, Bob has gone under the knife and is sporting a new knee, but it helps to have Maureen at home as she is an experienced nurse. More on this later. Condolences to Dave Jaworski of Palm Coast FL, on the passing of his mother, Florence, and to Tom Desch, Winston-Salem NC, on the passing of his father, Don. The Navy game brought Terry Lee to town from San Francisco, via Valparaiso IN with Al Gabriel, and provided an opportunity to visit with his brothers from Indianapolis. Also traveling north from Indy to join them were Tom McCalley and Frank Caito. Dave Frisse went to St. Louis U Law School after ND, and 40 years ago he relocated to Paris IL and has been practicing law there ever since. Tom Dowd of Denver was kind enough to share a copy of Dave’s retirement letter to his co-workers, clients, friends and fellow professionals. It featured a bunch of thank yous, a look back and a nice perspective on a 40-year career. A nice note came from Jim Metzlufft of Memphis saying the Innsbruck crowd of ’68-’69 organized a reunion in October 2018, and 26 of the original 32 members met for a week in Salzburg and then went on to Innsbruck. Don Mikes of Doylestown PA, Gene Geiger of Lewiston ME, and Jim Kelly of Belgium took the lead as organizers and developed an extensive itinerary designed to recall and relive wonderful memories. The group had extra assistance from Russ Kempiners in Murrhardt, Germany, who coordinated events with the alumni director of Innsbruck U, which just celebrated its 350th anniversary. The one sad note, Kevin Harrington was scheduled to participate, but passed away a month before departure. Mark McGowan, Detroit, begins his second year on the Alumni Board as the rep for the Midwest Region. Joe Skelton, formerly of Dillon, passed away in November. Joe was a native of Coshocton OH and returned home after law school at the U of Akron to concentrate on real estate and trust and estate law. He retired as a colonel in the Army National Guard after 33 years of service. Condolences to his wife Margaret and their two children. John Nolan ’72, passed away this summer. Tom Morton, Terry Lee, Gary Kos, Ed Grenda, Mike Cotter, Marty Polcari, and Bob Broderick joined Mari Jo and their son Brian for an October memorial service in Scottsdale. Also leaving us this summer was Jackie Stephens ’72SMC of South Bend. Jackie was the daughter of longtime assistant AD Col. Jack Stephens and the wife of Phil Krause ’72, the son of longtime AD Moose Krause. Mike Cotter’s wife, Patti ’72SMC, gave the eulogy at the funeral Mass. An aside for stock pickers out there, especially disciples of the Peter Lynch model: buy what you use and what you know. Given the trend the last few years, artificial hips and knees are in demand, as are stents. There is some need for shoulders, but not so much for pacemakers. That is totally unscientific, so use or toss as you deem appropriate. Happy St. Patrick’s Day and a toast to all, especially those no longer with us. — John Snider; 830 N. Saint Peter St., South Bend 46617-1936; res 574-217-8961; cell 312-860-1779; jlscpa@yahoo.com

 

71MBA Thanks, Tony

Robbie (Parker) ’71MA and yours truly, Jim Fackelman, returned to campus for the Navy game and stayed with gracious hosts Patricia and Rod Spear. We will join them for the next Navy game in Ireland in August and for the Wisconsin game at Lambeau Field. I am teaching a class at the local tech college. Rod is still a docent at the Snite Museum of Art on campus. My thanks to reliable Tony Strati for passing on some news that he received from classmates. Anna Maria and Les Larsen are building a home in northern Virginia to be close to family and plan to settle down there. Mary Jo and Todd Helmeke are still in Idaho and plan to go to the games next fall in Ireland and Green Bay. Anyone else want to join us? Please drop me a note to let me know where you are and what you are doing. Remember our 50-year class reunion is 2021. — Jim Fackelman; 4635 Lakeview Circle, Slinger WI 53086; res 262-644-6245; cell 414-379-0968; jfackelman@alumni.nd.edu 

 

71JD Class Secretary — E. Bryan Dunigan;

19 S. LaSalle St., Suite 1202, Chicago IL 60603; 312-857-2114; bdunigan@duniganlaw.com

 

72 Innsbruck and Woodstock Veterans 

The last two issues had never-before-published lists of everyone who studied in Angers and Tokyo our sophomore year. Now we have Innsbruck, Austria: Jim Anderson, Pat Anderson, Steve Bailey, Mary Ellen Stoltz Bianco, Bruce Bower, Channing Brackey, Max Bunster, Ross Creagan, Kelly Cushing, Thomas Domkofski, Rick Dow, George Efta, John Engers, Jim Freese, Bill Godfrey, Staff Grady, John Grap, Peter Iannini, Don Koehler, John Markey, Mike McCara, Phil Novak, Jim O’Hara, Chuck O’Meara, Pat O’Sullivan, Tom Reid, Don Roach, Tom Rozynek, Charles Zeltzer, and Mike McCabe ’71. Saint Mary’s students who were in Innsbruck that year included Ginger Birskovitch Anderson, Cathy Wolf Denby, Cindy Engers, Nora Frein, Mary Matlavitch, Beth McGuire, Angie Raaf, Peggy Thompson (who was my source for these names), Sharon Ohweiler Tufaro, Margaret Olson, Cherie Weismantel. In August, the Innsbruck group will have a 50-year reunion in Vail CO. If you want to look at the Scholastic and Observer back issues, use this address: archives.nd.edu/digital. Lawrence R. John became president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society on Oct. 26. He is affiliated with UPMC St. Margaret’s Hospital and is a clinical instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at the U of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His wife, Martha, is a pediatrician. Jim Shelley wants to know if he is the only member of our class to attend Woodstock. Jim lives in Cliffside Park NJ, where he grew up. He never left. He and his wife Joyce live in the same house into which they moved several days after graduation. They have six children. Jim retired from Cliffside Park High School as vice principal in 2010. Jim is a docent for the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. William Claypool was interviewed about his screenplays and four novels by The Golden Domer, November 2019. In addition to fiction writing, he has been a physician, research scientist, biotech engineer and entrepreneur. Steve Mitros wrote about his roommate, Bob Ryan, who died on Dec. 15 from cancer. He received his law degree from Stanford and practiced in California until he retired in 2012. According to Richard Sherman’s “Robert Ryan,” Talent Magazines, June 1, 2018, Bob then started painting eight hours daily, four to five days a week. He painted still life, landscapes, figures and more contemporary works in oils. Bob told the reporter, “Not many people make money creating art, but nobody should give up art in the process of making money.” For a list of his exhibits and awards see: URLrobertryanfineart.com/about. Our condolences to his widow Michele. Let us pray for each other, living and deceased, to the Mother of Holiness. — Jim Thunder; thundergroup@alumni.nd.edu 

 

72MBA Class Secretary — Alex McLellan;

913-991-0944; irish72mba@excite.com

 

72JD Class Secretary — Chris Schraff;

1881 Marble Cliff Crossing Court, Columbus OH 43204; 614-227-2097; cschraff@porterwright.com

 

73 Authors

It seems popular for our classmates to become authors, whether in real life or upon retirement. I generally receive at least one notification per column about a new or longtime class author. Steve Schaefer has published his first novel, A Death in Auvers. It is about Van Gogh’s death and how his demise would disrupt the political environs of Europe. It was over five years in the making. Congratulations, Steve. He also reports that he, Ed Tenholder and Pete Chaput continue to see each other several times a year, usually playing golf. Pete, Steve, Charles McParlind and Mark Flora and their wives will be going on a barge trip through the Bordeaux region of France in June. Dennis Fitzgerald recently published an article on Coley O’Brien ’69 that can be viewed on NDnation.com. It is a must read. Speaking of trips, Denny and John McEleney and their wives will be going to Dublin for the Navy game in August. They will extend their excursion to Gleneagles and St. Andrews in Scotland for golf. Speaking of golf, I played golf with John at his home course in Davenport IA in September. We had a great time. Steve McGraw is the author of the play Love Quest which played at Theatre Jacksonville in February and March. Steve had done an earlier teleplay Miles from Nowhere, an autobiographical family drama produced by New World International starring Rick Schroder and James Farentino. It first aired on CBS and won a Christopher Award for writing. Steve is also the producer of several off-Broadway long- running hits at his cabaret theatre in Manhattan including Forbidden Broadway, Forever Plaid and A Couple of Blaguards. Dennis Wall of Winter Springs FL recently updated his two volumes of Litigation and Prevention of Insurer Bad Faith that has been the leading treatise on bad faith for nearly 35 years. Enjoying retirement is Peter Krieg. Pete did a couple of marketing consulting assignments and enjoyed a cruise on the Danube with a side trip to Normandy. Unfortunately, Peter reported the death of Mike “MAO” O’Neill. Mike’s uncle was Rev. Ted Hesburgh, CSC, ’39. Mike was the center of gravity for the 1970-71 Innsbruck program. Checking in from near Houston is Bill Little. Bill enjoyed a wonderful year in Ireland in 2013 getting his LLM in international and comparative law. He is still trying to retire like me while he works as a prosecutor and does civil litigation. I saw Denny Gutkowski at the USC game this fall. Denny is a retired teacher but still coaching at Gary Andrean. His daughter played basketball at Valparaiso U. Thanks to Mike Casale who reported on the summer get-together in Salisbury Beach MA to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Pattie and Scott Gleason. Attending were Vic Billings, Connie and Robbie Michelotti, Sandy and Ray Popeck, Lori and Jim O’Malley, Erin and Jim Musuraca, Ruthie and Danny O’Toole, Connie’73SMC and Mike Casale, Carol and Daryll Dewan, Rita and Jimmy Ronan and a cast of local characters. Golf, lobster, Red Sox and beach were enjoyed. I am sad to report the deaths of Stan Beecher, Harrison Chung, Rick Bard and Robert Cunningham IV. I am always looking for news. — Michael W. Hansen; 3013 Sanctuary Court, Joliet IL 60435; mikehansen@mikehansenlaw.com

 

73MBA Calling on Classmates 

For the first time in approximately 10 years, I did not send a request this month for input to our quarterly Notre Dame Magazine column. Neither did I receive any “on your own” input from classmates. I was out of work 33 days recovering from a sepsis infection which violently overtook my body one night in November. I worked at home and am gaining strength all the time. I can’t wait to get back on the treadmill. I’ll be ready to send out requests in April for the May input period. All of you are encouraged to write something for the summer issue. We are three years away from our 50-year ’73MBA anniversary and possible class reunion. You are always welcome to contact us when in Southern California. You don’t have to wait until I send a request for information. Let us keep each other in our prayers. If you have not corresponded in some time, please take the time to share your experiences with your classmates. Create your own legacy in Notre Dame Magazine. Please continue to forward your new email addresses and those of classmates. — Thomas Jindra; 7179 Alviso Ave., Jurupa Valley CA 92509; res and fax 951-685-2091; tajindra@charter.net 

 

73JD Very Slow Quarter

Between settling into Florida for the season, the holidays and general procrastination, I did not pester enough people for news for this edition and, happily, the University did not notify me of the passing of any of our classmates. So, there is no column this quarter. Send news. — Paul Reagan; 16527 Heron Coach Way, Ft. Myers FL 33908; cell 847-915-9796; pvreagan@gmail.com

 

74 Life is a Present

As life moves faster forward, and some of our classmates have experienced unforeseen health issues, we must learn to take each day as one would receive a birthday present, full of excitement and gratitude. We all hope that by the time this column is read, our beloved “All-American” Gary Potempo, “Po” as he is affectionately called by some, is fully recovered. Per our very own Dr. Gary Nowak, “Po” got a staphylococcal sepsis of unknown etiology. This is where the bacteria get into the bloodstream and can cause a drop in blood pressure and affect multiple organs (septic shock). Fortunately, Potempo’s wife, Mary Pat was attuned to his behavior and rushed him to the hospital. Before this occurred, Gary was pushing doing 450-pound bench presses and 675-pound squats. He’ll return stronger than ever. Prayers continue. Joe Cari Jr., who along with hundreds sends his best to Gary, suggests we reach out to him at Ciavierella Partners, 124 East 79th St. New York NY. Mark Wenig who hails from Vienna had me meet one of his dear friends and his friend’s wife. We did before the holiday season. It was great fun. Mark enjoyed the Christmas markets in Austria, Germany and Prague while his wife went off to Sydney for a holiday getaway. If you’re going to the Ireland game this year, say hello to Mark. Classmate William J. O’Connor sent me his latest CD, “The Empire Strikes Out.” It features songs and stories of what the Irish in Ireland endured. A thunderous round of applause goes to Ken Hughes who received a lifetime achievement award for helping New Mexico communities plan their futures and move toward clean energy projects. For 26 years, Ken was with the State of New Mexico. Now he’s onto his next achievement while in retirement. One of his goals is to secure more volunteers to help with the soup kitchens during his involvement in the ND Club of Northern New Mexico. Steve Mayer wrote to say his second wife, Patricia, unfortunately passed away in late 2019. They were married for 12 years, although beautiful friends for 40. Attending the funeral and supporting Steve during this trying time were Joan and Paul Aspan, Mike Green, Jeff Warnimount, Tony Zuaro and Judy Lynch, widow of Steve’s college roommate John Lynch. Carol Longo Kaupp, my college roommate, came to visit before 2019 closed. Great fun and laughter abound when Carol comes to Chicago for a work event. Tim Kelly retired from the US Department of Transportation in 2016 after 42 years in aviation consumer protection. He and his wife live in northern Virginia. Son Ryan, a photojournalist, received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for his photo of the car attack at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Tim’s other son hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, a mere 2,700 miles. This year, being on the board for Ireland Network Chicago provided a chance to organize a holiday gathering and a whisky tasting event at the Drake. It’s important to know these things as one grows more mature and it helps to take away the Chicago winter chill. The IN Ball in February held at the Drake brought the opportunity to wish farewell to the Consul General Brian O’Brien and welcome his replacement. Wishing all my classmates happiness, health and great fortune in all your endeavors in this new decade. Soak up the moments, as we know they can change in a nanosecond. Continue to write or visit.
— Dede Lohle Simon; 440 N. Wabash Ave.,No. 3905, Chicago IL 60611; domerdede@aol.com

 

74MBA More Travels with Jack and Helen

Again, there were no messages from any classmates since the last publication. I have some news to report from a telephone conversation. Randy Marks advises that on Feb. 7 he planned to attend a luncheon, address, and Q&A session at the Lakewood Ranch Country Club near Sarasota FL. Brian Kelly was the featured speaker. The event was sponsored by the Greater Sarasota Notre Dame Club. There is nothing else to report from the class. I really wish that some of you readers out there would send me an email and tell me what is going on in your lives. The only other news that I can report is that Helen and I will be heading south for a vacation in late winter or early spring: a seven-day cruise in the Western Caribbean. We will be visiting Key West, Georgetown (Caymans), Ocho Rios (Jamaica), and a private island in the Bahamas. After arriving back in Florida, we plan to spend a week or so in Florida, visiting the Sarasota and Clearwater areas. We hope to get together with Sandy and Randy Marks while we are in Sarasota. So, enough about the travels of the Burnett family. Drop me an email or give me a call. If not, you will continue to hear about the continuing travels of Jack and Helen. — Jack Burnett; 19248 Glen Eagles Drive, Livonia MI 48152; 734-464-3458; jburnet1@sbcglobal.net

 

74JD Farewell, Tom

Tom Kennedy passed away in October in Eugene OR. Born in Canandaigua NY, Tom was a Double Domer. He practiced in Rochester and Canandaigua before returning to his mother’s West Coast roots. Tom, a golfer, retired as supervisor of outside services at the famed Eugene Country Club. Please don’t hesitate to share any news you may have. Take care. — Joe O’Reilly; cell 502-649-6955; joe.oreilly34@icloud.com

 

75 See You Under the Dome

Start making plans to return to campus from June 4-7 for a fun-filled weekend that offers you plenty of opportunities to catch up with friends, see what’s changed and remember why you call Notre Dame home. There will be plenty of free time for exploring the campus and hanging out with friends, but also a fun and stimulating schedule of speakers, entertainment and panel discussions. You can hear from University administration, athletics personalities and academic leaders. Saturday evening there will be an all-class Mass at the Joyce ACC, and later a screening of the must-see Hesburgh documentary film. Golfers will have a chance to play a round or two for old time’s sake. We are also working on getting a comic to visit during one of our class sessions. The Alumni Association reunion phone number is 574-631-9029. Its website is: reunion.nd.edu. Call your friends and line up a special get-together. FYI, for those who really like to plan, the dates for our 50-year reunion in 2025 are May 29 to June 1. And, we will be making a “class gift” to Notre Dame in celebration of our 45-year milestone anniversary of graduation. Please consider a donation to this special fund that supplements scholarships for current students. Details to come. If you want to chip in for the operation of our hospitality lounge and other behind-the-scenes expenses for our specific class gathering, consider a gift to ND Class of 1975 and send to Kristen White in the NDAA office, 100 Eck Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556. In other class news, Lynn Larkin Flanagan writes from sunny California that she and Frank Flanagan will be at Reunion for sure. They have five grandchildren under the age of 7, with another on the way. Frank and Lynn are going to the Holy Land during Lent this spring. A cancer survivor and advocate, Lynn hosted 40 guests at a breast cancer support group party in December and offers her advice on treatments to classmates, friends and anyone who reads these notes. Her email is flanagan.lynn@gmail.com. Please continue to send me your news. Thanks. — Norm Bower; 3946 Fernwood Ave., Davenport IA 52807; text 563-349-0469; normbower@mchsi.com

 

75MBA Class Secretary — Jim Ouimet;

215-862-3080; jimouimet@comcast.net

 

75JD Spring Notes

Can you name two earth-shattering events that will occur only once in your lifetime? If you guessed Halley’s Comet and our 45th law school reunion, pat yourself on the back. The comet has come and gone, but there is still time to plan for the reunion. The June 4-7 time period is fast approaching, and du Lac is summoning you back to renew friendships and explore the ever-growing changes on campus. Plus, the long-term weather forecast says no snow that weekend. Meanwhile, having retired from his practice in New Jersey in February 2018, Joe Cooney and his wife, Michele, relocated permanently to Estero FL, where they have made many new friends. However, Joe tells me that their old friends are still the best, and they have been fortunate to spend time with Joanne and Pete Shirk in Florida and recently with several classmates at the Shirk home in southwestern Michigan on a football weekend. Brian Short, Donna and Ray Garza, Linda and Bear Foster, Brennan Farrell, John Sperla, Sheri and Jack (the Judge) Garbo, Mike Eldred, Robin and Ron Hein, and Joe Gilfillan were in attendance and looking great. Joe relates that Pete and Joanne are first-class hosts and are personally responsible for many yearly gatherings. I caught up with Mike Eldred at a football tailgate last autumn, and we reflected on the passing decades. You will recall that Mike is one of several Double Domers in our class. Immediately after law school, he took a position for two years in the Office of the Legislative Counsel, US House of Representatives, drafting legislation. During his time in the nation’s capital, he crossed paths on occasion with Gene Smary and other members of our class. Later, he returned home to Terre Haute IN where he practiced with a private law firm while serving as a deputy prosecuting attorney. In 1980, he was elected judge of Vigo Superior Court, Div. 1, and served 30 years through five partisan elections. In 2010, he retired from his full-time position on the bench but transitioned to senior status which he still holds, working about 40 days a year. During his judicial career, he presided over felony trials, including five capital murder cases and about 75 other murder cases, as well as various civil cases including contractual, personal injury, medical malpractice, and domestic relations matters. Mike and Sherry have four children: ND alum Christy, Jenny, Kate, and Michael, who is deceased. Their children live in Chicago and Denver. Finally, in September of last year, the family of our late classmate, Peter A.R. Lardy, visited the Law School. Dennis Lardy (one of Pete’s brothers) and Dennis’s daughter, Sonja Dutchuk, met with this year’s Lardy Award recipient, Lenora Popken ’20JD, as well as dean and professor G. Marcus Cole. It was an opportunity to wander the campus, enjoy the Irish conquest of the Virginia Cavaliers, and see the plaque in the Law School commemorating Pete’s life and the endowment in his name. I caught up with Sonja sometime later and shared my own memories of our classmate, an uncle she never met. You might also recall that Pete was the youngest of 10 children growing up in Sentinel Butte ND. Sonja told me that several of his siblings became educators, which was Pete’s path at the U of Vermont before joining us at NDLS. To ensure that future scholars are rewarded and the Lardy legacy lives on long after the rest of us leave the stage, please make an annual contribution to the memorial scholarship fund. Go Irish. — Frederick Giel; fggiel@gmail.com

 

76 Lots of News

Mike Hammell joined International Paper after Drake U Law School, beginning a career in human resources that spanned 38 years and six states. He retired in 2015 and he and wife Jeanne live in the Chicago area. Son and daughter-in-law Brian ’03 and Lynne (Francis) Hammell ’04 live in Boston. Daughter Colleen and her husband Nathan live in Chicago and are parents to Jacob. They will welcome a daughter this month. Mike sees Phil Delaney when he visits Sarasota. Corky Weber is a radiologist living in Redondo Beach CA. He spends a lot of his summer in Harbor Springs MI. He is an avid sailor and past commodore of the Little Traverse Yacht Club. He has four children, and his son Mike is a Double Domer. Corky joined fellow ND and medical school classmates Mike Mokris and Jim Tytko skiing in Montana. For more than 20 years a group from Stanford Hall has returned for a football game. This year Dave Mennel, Mark Buynak, Paul Grogan, John Fancher, John Callaghan, Rick Moccia, Don Kufrin and Ed DePaola came for the USC game. Tom Whelan checked in from Minnesota. A bunch of expats from Alumni Hall met for the Virginia Tech game. The organizer was “Magic” Bob Bartl. Joining the group to drink someone else’s beer were Kevin Deehan, Jose Alonso, Bill Whiteside and Steve Diebold. Before leaving for the stadium, they raised their glasses to salute their comrade Mike Hassett, who’s living in Woodland Hills CA with his wife Janice, close to their daughters. Here’s to you, Hossy. Phil Coyne came stateside for the Navy game and to connect with Chuck Sanders. Tom Paulius held a tailgate for the BC game before heading south to the east coast of Florida. Nancy (Brenner) and Joe Sinnott spent January in California visiting their son and daughter-in-law Christopher ’02 and Lisa (Corbitt) Sinnott ’03 as well as son Nick. Marcia and Don Opal welcomed grandson William Lowell Opal II, son of Molly (Mahoney) ’04SMC and Bill Opal ’04. Mike Shaw spent his career in the Marines and the heavy equipment industry mostly overseas. He has settled down in Pittsburgh and has a small legal practice that deals mostly with refugees seeking asylum. Kathi Gwynn lives in Woodside CA with her husband Jon Cosby. She has two stepdaughters and two grandsons. Paul Graf and wife Colleen have three children and recently relocated to Castle Rock CO to be near them. Paul spent 33 years as an NCIS Special Agent (the real Gibbs) and currently works as a senior investigator at the US Center for Safesport. Brian Lemon recently retired as CEO of Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. His wife Catherine and he have a blended family of nine children. They live in Glen Ellyn IL and relax at their lake house in Sister Lakes MI. The Center for Disability Services in Albany NY named the transportation center after Tom Cassidy. Maggie Waltman Smith retired as a director of marketing at Fiserv and has been traveling with her husband to national parks in their RV. They have one grandchild in Anaheim CA. Lynda and Pat Sarb were successful in meeting the matching grant for NKH research. Ace Schroeder, Jamie Cain, Thad Naquin and Mark Flanagan traveled to Binghamton NY to attend the memorial services for John Dowd. They met up with John “Meatball” Mirabito and Bob Zanot. We lost classmates Helen Kraus MD and Cmdr. John Carey. Keep their families in your prayers. Also remember Jose Santellano who is recovering from a stroke. Please continue to send me your news and updates. — Mary Anne Kennedy Reilly; 7423 18th St. NE, Saint Petersburg FL 33702; 727-480-1251; mareilly@rfs-pa.com

 

76MBA Classmates Overwhelm Class Column

For the first time ever, so much news was reported that we ran out of space. Just kidding. We need more news. Drop me an email and let the class know what you are doing or at least give us an email address where classmates can reach you. I thank you in advance for this. Blessings to you and your loved ones. — Mike Norris; cell and text 248-330-5366; mikenorris@alumni.nd.edu

 

76JD Class Secretary — Virgil L. Roth;

625 Fair Oaks Ave., Suite 255, South Pasadena CA 91030; 626-441-1178; fax 626-441-1166; vroth@vlrlaw.com

 

77 Rolling on the River

The lyrics of the song “Proud Mary” refer to leaving stressful times behind for a more tranquil and meaningful life. No wonder ’77 women row together, for over 40 years now. The NDames Senior Women’s Rowing Team placed fourth in the Head of the Schuylkill race, after age adjustments. Jody Gormley, Mary Fitzsimons, Elizabeth Corbin Murphy and Mary Spalding Burns celebrated after this race in Philadelphia. Scott Brinkman served the past four years as secretary of the executive cabinet of Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky. Scott was appointed to the board of trustees of the U of Louisville, which is among many initiatives he plans on pursuing, along with spending more time with his family. Sheila O’Brien received the first Step Up for Chicago Award last fall, from the Chicago Crime Commission, in recognition of her dedication and commitment, prosecutorial excellence, and outreach to the community. Polly Mack Spangler, Sarah Lynch Hadley, Betsy Lamping Sklena, and Sue Fitzpatrick Drago and Lou Drago enjoyed their yearly mini reunion at the Virginia game. Lou and Sue also welcomed a new grandson this year. Bob Hoffman, Frank Murray, Dave Asmuth, Rich Danfy, Paul Grogan ’76, John Fancher ’76 and other Stanford buddies met up at the USC game, their annual tradition. The Fischer Hall 4A ND Alumni Dinner was held at the Landmark Tavern in NYC in December. In attendance were Marianne and John Gallina, Jody and Mike Reilly, Sheila and Mike Elser MD ’79, Rosemarie and Mike Briganti ’81, Laura and Bob Hurban ’79, Brian Rourke ’81, and George Blanthorne ’81. John Garofalo had to cancel due to the poor health of his mother, age 98. Patricia “Patter” and Tom Birsic ’76, cousins of Don Roos are founders of the National Pancreas Foundation, which supports research for a cure of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. NFL player Justin March of the Dallas Cowboys revealed an NPF purple shoe as the Cowboys’ choice for NFL’s 2019 My Cause My Cleats. Jen Ryder Raabe and Terri Sullivan arranged visits, flowers, cards and birthday parties for years, to the great joy of 90-plus years young Sister John Miriam Jones, associate provost of the University in the 1970s, who implemented co-education at the request of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, then University president. Sister passed away at her Sisters of Charity Motherhouse in Cincinnati last fall. Bonita Bradshaw is facility administrator for Casa Ladera in Inglewood CA, and thankful for classmates’ donations to the school. Included are Beth Neary MD and her roommate LeeAnn Russo, a retired attorney, now serving the less fortunate with her dedicated pro bono work. Joya DeFoor and her husband Tom celebrated their 30th anniversary. Kathy DePauw Graham and Jerry Graham celebrated the wedding of their daughter. Marianne Morgan Harris announced that three daughters are married: Kelly in March 2019, Lynne in August 2019, and her eldest, Colleen, married Jesse two years ago. They met at ND. Her family has three ND grads, two Aggies, and two who Roll Tide. Rich Wanders welcomed his third granddaughter, Grace. Molly Sample, her husband and their running club held their own Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Oklahoma attorneys Chris Bergin and his daughter Kelly served turkeys at a holiday community program. Mike Grady and Mike Richter organized a great Stanford game weekend with Alumni Band volunteers. Condolences go out to Maria Kimovec Grutsch MD on the loss of her mother Matilda Kimovec MD, the mother of two ND alumni and grandmother of one, and to Rev. Anne Dilenschneider PhD on the loss of her mother Rose-Marie Dilenschneider, wife and mother of many ND alumni and one Saint Mary’s College alumna. May they rest in peace in God’s loving care. Please send me your news to share. — Virginia McGowan Bishop; 847-291-7510; classof1977@alumni.nd.edu

 

77MBA Class Secretary — Alan J. Fisher;

Church & Fisher LLC, 473 Dunham Road, Ste. 101, St. Charles, IL 60174; 630-338-8740; alan@churchfisherlaw.com 

 

77JD Audience with Pope 

Dale Recinella’s latest book, When We Visit Jesus in Prison: A Guide for Catholic Ministry (Chicago: ACTA, 2016), was selected for the 2017 Award for Excellence in Publishing and first place in the “resources for ministry” category, by the Association of Catholic Publishers. In 2019, his book was released in Italian. On the last day of a book tour, Dale and his wife Susan had a personal audience with Pope Francis. They presented him with the book and with a picture of each Catholic on Florida’s death row. As Dale says, he and Susan keep on keepin’ on. Bob Connolly, our Irish resident, is looking forward to seeing classmates at the 2020 Navy game in Dublin. In the past, Bob and his stateside sister Sheila have organized “family and friends” packages for games with best hotel locations, good seats and side trips to give visitors a flavor of Ireland. His contacts going back to 1984 and his years of representing hotels and pubs put Bob in a perfect position to show everyone a wonderful time. His sister Pat and brother-in-law John “Jack” Ready are signed up. There are still some openings, so check out blackthornexpedition.com or contact Bob directly at roberteconnolly@hotmail.com. — Janey Bennett; 4100 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka IN 46545; 574-298-9251; bus 574-243-4100; jbennett@maylorber.com

 

78 Hello Spring

Greetings fellow members of the class with class. Ann Combs has moved back home to Granger IN. When asked why South Bend, Annie reportedly replied, “The streets are lined with gold and the beer is free.” Good luck Annie. Marianne Corr is heavily involved with the University daily as the general counsel. Mary Flannery is the director of undergraduate studies in the ND economics department. Nace Mullen organized an outing to the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia. Post-game, Regina Mullen hosted a birthday party for Nace at their Olde City home. In attendance were Jeff “Carp” Carpenter, Greg “Sweets” Switaj, Don “Dancing Bear” Smail, Cathy and Steve Conover, and yours truly, Jim “Souls” Coyne. Just a few weeks after this gala, the Mullens hosted their annual New Year’s Day/Mummers Parade open house. PJ Stapleton and I were among the crowd welcoming the year. Vicki Lopez spent Halloween with the Mullens. Dennis Doughty opened the doors of his South Bend condo in January for a mini reunion of sorts. Randy “Wheat” Heimbuch, Pete “Hales” Haley, Chris Dugan and Jim Wendell loved the balmy weather. Sadly, Pete Haley’s mom, Jane, passed away in December. Randy Heimbuch was among the mourners giving Mrs. Haley a beautiful sendoff. Robert Stackowiak’s latest book, Azure Internet of Things Revealed: Architecture and Fundamentals, was declared by BookAuthority as one of the 20 best new Microsoft Azure books to read in 2020. Rick Mazzei was in Philadelphia in January visiting Jane and Mike Kinsella. They had lunch, Irish style, at McGillin’s Olde Ale House in Center City. Also in January, PJ Stapleton moved into a condo on Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square. He was assisted in his move by the Mullens. Jaime Stephens is still in charge of the San Juan County Council in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Seattle. Danny Romano is in the beverage business in Chicago with Red Bull. Susie and Terry Heidkamp are in Chicago, St. Joe MI and Orlando. Eric Schmitt and new bride, Linda, are in Sacramento CA. He oversees the entire electric grid of the state of California. Kathy and Charlie Wolfe and family are in Chicago. Most of their time and effort goes into philanthropic work. Danny James works hard in the health care business in the Chicago area. Again, Nace Mullen, John Delaney and I marched in Philadelphia’s St Patrick’s Day parade with the Notre Dame Club of Philadelphia. Finally, in January, we ushered our dear friend Jimmy Martin to his new home in heaven. The viewing and funeral Mass were simply beautiful. Several of Jimmy’s friends and classmates attended: Jimmy Dunne, John Coyne, Rich Riley, Stan Ziherl, Dicky Byrne, Pat Flynn, Bruce Martin, Danny James, Danny Romano, Nace Mullen, Jeff Carpenter, and me. Kathy Reifsteck was at the funeral representing Bill. Please keep the Martin and Haley families in your prayers. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. An update on our Class of 1978 scholarship: We want to provide future generations with the same opportunity we had. The fund’s overarching principles include anonymity, and all gifts will be confidential. Keep us in your gifting plans as a matching fund has been established. Visit app.mobilecause.com/vf/ND1978 to donate. In Jimmy Martin’s death notice, there was a request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to our fund. In January, we received about $50,000. The fund’s total is now $100,000. For more information, contact Pat Flynn, pat.flynn@indianabev.com. Stay in touch. Do good. Love, and then love some more. — Jim “Souls” Coyne; 1801 Butler Pike, apartment 20, Conshohocken PA 19428; 267-847-8809; jcoyne@cohs.com

 

78MBA Class Secretary — Mamie Anthoine Ney;

350 Alewive Road, Kennebunk ME 04043-6013; res 207-229-0989; bus 207-333-6640 ex 2020;irishwasherwoman@alumni.nd.edu

 

78JD On Stage

Irma Herrera wrote, “My post-law career is in theater. The one-woman show, I wrote and perform, Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? had a successful five-month run in San Francisco and Berkeley and was named one of the 10 best plays of the Bay Area for 2019. One scene is set at ND Law School and I would like to bring my show to Notre Dame someday. I’ve had the good fortune to see several classmates this past year: Honorable Martha Vazquez, Vicky Mendoza and Patricia Dunn. All are well. Martha continues serving as US District Court judge in Santa Fe and Vicky works at a non-profit organization in Reno that addresses domestic violence. Pat retired after working 35 years at the US Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review. Although still involved in immigration-related issues, she is especially enjoying travel. Pat and Vicky attended the Rose Parade in Pasadena in January. Pat went to India for the second time this past year and is planning visits to Singapore and Bali in the coming months.” Patrick A. Salvi has been named to the 2020 edition of Best Lawyers in the areas of medical malpractice and personal injury law. Patrick is the founder and sole managing equity partner at the Illinois personal injury law firm Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard. Doug Weimer continues to enjoy his ninth year of retirement. He spends the winter in Palm Beach, where he is involved in various community activities and serves on the board of the Palm Beach Friends of Hillwood Museum, and other local organizations. Should you be in the Palm Beach area, he would love to see you. (Email: doreid@comcast.net.) I am interim dean at St. Mary’s U School of Law in San Antonio where I have taught torts, ethics and international law since four years after we graduated from Notre Dame. The St. Mary Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics is publishing four tribute pieces honoring Notre Dame law professor Thomas L. Shaffer ’61JD, who died in 2019. Tom had taken a course at St. Mary’s U several years before he earned his law degree at ND (1958-61). After the publication of his book On Being a Christian and a Lawyer (1982), Tom was awarded the St. Thomas More Award and an honorary doctorate by St. Mary’s U. Copies of the tributes (including my 35-page recollection of Shaffer) can be found at stmaryslegalethicsjournal.com. Please send news. — Vincent R. Johnson; 210-410-3562; vjohnson@stmarytx.edu 

 

79 There Goes the Judge

In December, Rick Stevens retired after more than 20 years as a judge in the Child Protection Division of the Cook County Circuit Court. Although he said that he has no plans, he plans to remain in Chicago, take a few cycling trips, more frequently attend yoga classes taught by his wife, Monica, and hike a few more National Parks with his son Sean. Anne Mahoney ’80 and Herb Glose are grandparents after the birth of Jack Herbert Glose last fall. Anne and Herb have been married for 37 years and live in Buffalo where Herb practices law with Barclay Damon. He is looking forward to travelling between Buffalo and DC to visit Jack. Dave Marcel is enjoying retirement and is active with the Orange County ND Club. Bryan Gruley, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author, has been seen on TV in Chicago talking about his newly published book Purgatory Bay, a mystery involving a murder in a small town. Helen Weber-McReynolds is a primary care physician’s assistant in Indianapolis. She graduated from the St. Louis U PA program in 1981. She and her husband Jeff have been married for 36 years and enjoy their four sons and their families, including two granddaughters. In June 2018, Helen was ordained a Roman Catholic Womanpriest and currently serves as the pastor of St. Mary of Magdala Catholic Community in central Indiana, affiliated with an international movement not officially sanctioned by the Vatican. JP McGuire, Jerry Perez, Randy Raymond, Al Brunett, Dave Gutschenritter and Jim Rice, all from the greater Boston, Cape Cod and Providence area, enjoyed friendship and laughs at the beginning of the year. Remember the families of Thomas Brophy and Mark Ladd, both of whom died in August. Mark is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Aleasha, and brothers David ’81 and Eric. Tom is survived by his son David, daughter Sarah, and his father. Send me news about your celebrations with ND friends. — Barbara A. Langhenry; res 216-651-8962; bus 216-664-2893; breclw@aol.com 

 

79MBA Class Secretary — Patty Kennedy Kerr;

7750 Leonard St. NE, Ada MI 49301; 616-682-1223; kerrtaxcpa@gmail.com

 

79JD 40th Reunion Was Magical

We had our 40th class reunion in October at the Law School. It was a festive and memorable event for the 40 classmates and many spouses who attended. Rose (Gill) Kenyon wrote a beautiful piece summarizing the events and the special feelings we all experienced during and after the weekend. Here it is, and thank you Rose. “While we are still basking in the glow of a wonderful reunion weekend, I wanted to reach out to thank our hero-classmates who planned the weekend. Making this happen took a lot of organizational sweat, work, initiative and creativity. Your work was a tremendous gift to the rest of us who just showed up after the heavy lifting was done. I hope I am catching everyone, but heartfelt thanks to Dan McNeil, Deborah Griffith, Paula Fulks, Pat Scott, Ed Foley, Greg Murphy, Scott Sullivan, Terry Karnaze, David Evinger and Ray Marvar. Many of you took the time to call (sometimes repeatedly) classmates and recruit them to attend, succeeding in many cases and, in others, making classmates feel connected and welcomed even if they could not attend. The events and special touches you planned for the weekend were thoughtful and meaningful. Arranging for Frank Sabatino to join us live so we could enjoy his good humor and sharp wit gave us some precious moments with our friend. Inviting Judge Kenneth Ripple to speak and share his words of wisdom with us again, 40 years later, was brilliant and meant a lot, I believe, to Judge and Mary Ripple. Babs and Ed Foley generously opening their beautiful home to this crowd gave us a warm place to continue visiting with each other. Having Rev. Dean Dave Link minister to us, as he essentially began doing on day one of law school, was comforting and moving. Listening to Ray Biagini’s piano playing was an absolute treat. Thanks to Ray Marvar and Dave Evinger for successfully working with Law School and University administrators to re-designate the Ellen Carpenter Scholarship Fund as the Class of 1979 Scholarship Fund. The change was to more fully honor our deceased classmates (now 13 of them), and also remind us about how we may still, as a class, make a mark on the law school and remember our beloved classmates. But the very best part was having the chance to see so many of you and catch up. To quote Dan McNeil, ‘It was truly magical.’ I hope and trust that you all made it home safely. All the best until next time.” — Daniel F. McNeil; 1001 NW Lovejoy, Unit 205, Portland OR 97209; 503-539-9188; mcneil.daniel12@gmail.com