1960s

60 60th Reunion 

We look forward to our 60th reunion in a more compact version at the Purdue game weekend, Sept. 16-19. Emails have gone out to the 565 or so classmates who have email addresses in the ND system. Presently, only about 284 of us have logged in to our new class website. The public (including non-registered classmates) can see three or four pages on our site, but only classmates who have registered can see all the pages including photos, list of deceased classmates (369 as of April 17) and contact information for all our classmates. There are several additional pages with class and classmate information. Call the ND helpline if you have difficulty logging in to our site on the ND system: 574-631-1579. The login address is my.nd.edu/1960 to register and to log in. We are finding more classmates are passing away with no notice to your secretary nor ND. If you hear of a classmate or a spouse passing, please let me know immediately so I can let all the classmates know. Two classmates noted in the current issue of ND Magazine and not reported earlier are Paul Lembach (12/26/2020), and Larry Wartha (1/25/2021). A remembrance came from Bill Gatti: “2005 wasn’t really that long ago, was it? Reading through the notes you sent me transported me back to those days filled with wonderful campus memories and in reflection, I could almost smell the trees and earth of those student times.” A recollection came from Bob Keeley: “Jeanne and Dave Roller and I have attended every one of the band alumni gatherings since we helped found the band alumni organization in 1977. They also marched for 13 years in the Chicago St. Pat’s Day Parade.” A note from Dennis Pheney said, “I can’t get too much information about our classmates. I am still a part-time magistrate in our District Court, retiring soon. When they dedicated my courtroom to me two years ago, I thought it might be time to consider retirement after 35 years. I will continue my wills and trusts law practice, at a slower pace, for a while longer. It is sad to hear of classmates in distress.” A mid-pandemic note came from Tom Adamson: “Thanks, Joe, for letting me know about Bill McMurtrie’s passing. He was one of a kind and one of the best, funniest human beings I ever met. He had a knack for becoming friends easily with anyone. He introduced me to Dr. Tom Dooley after our graduation and was a friend of Rev. Ted Hesburgh, CSC ’39. The last time I was with him was at our 50th where Father Hesburgh gave the homily (in his mid-90s) and was about to reveal the magic three words to say when things were not going well in life. Bill turned to me and said, ‘Come, Holy Spirit,’ which the good father immediately repeated. One of my biggest regrets was not accepting his offer to room with him our senior year. I wanted a single room. Bill will be in my prayers right after I say ‘Come, Holy Spirit,’ which I use frequently now. Here is one from the archives: Charles Smith MD is a semi-retired cardiologist enjoying the rural atmosphere of Pauma Valley CA. He enjoys golf and assisting as a consultant to the Indian Health Council in Valley Center CA. He and his brother, Arthur ’64, are co-authors/editors of the book American Grandfather available on Amazon.” — Joseph F. Jansen; 9190 Southmont Cove, No.103, Ft. Myers FL 33908; cell 317-514-4478; jfjansen@aol.com

 

60JD Class Secretary Wanted

The Alumni Association is in search of a class secretary for the Law School Class of 1960. Interested parties should email Alumni Editor Joanne Norell at jnorell@nd.edu using the subject line “Class Secretary 1960JD.”

 

61 Loss of a True Fighting Irishman

As I have said before, “We have gotten to that age.” We have lost an icon of our class and of our beloved ND. On April 9, late in the evening, William R. “Red” Mack passed away. (Did any of us ever call him Bill?) His lovely wife, Jean, called me first thing the following morning to share the sad news. (It was still midnight for me.) The newspaper report described him as a loving husband and father of three sons. As most of you know, he grew up in Pennsylvania. At Hampton High School, he was a star football player, and we know he was a star football player again at ND. After graduation, he went on to play wide receiver and halfback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and then the Philadelphia Eagles. His last season (1966-67) he acquired a Super Bowl ring with the Green Bay Packers. After football, he returned to South Bend, Jean’s hometown, where they raised their family and Red worked as a production supervisor for Bendix Corp. (now Honeywell) for 35 years. As you would expect, Red was active in the community, coaching youth sports and volunteering to help residents of Healthwin, a residential nursing home. Jean says he spent much of his extra time watching birds feed at his feeder, tending to his flower and vegetable gardens, eating ice cream, watching westerns and loving ND football in all its glory. He was inducted into the Hampton High School Hall of Fame, Indiana Football Hall of Fame and Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He also received the Knute Rockne Spirit of Sports Award in 2018 and the South Bend Celebrity Volunteer of the Year Award in 2008. In death, he donated tissue to Boston U CTE Center for research diagnosis and treatment of chronic traumatic encephalopathy brain disease. He just never quit giving. As a football manager, I remember him as quiet and determined, playing hard for ND, recovering from significant injuries and being an all-around good guy who made us proud. Larry Erickson dropped me a line and said the Class of 1961 held its 60th reunion March 13 in Naples. Once again, Frank Annese made all the arrangements, and an outstanding St. Patrick’s Day menu was provided by the Kensington Country Club. Rev. Denis O’Shaughnessy celebrated the Mass, George Bott took numerous photos, and they honored deceased classmates. Two first-timers were John Keegan and Jack Gentempo. In 2022, we will celebrate the first anniversary of our 60th reunion. Hopefully, in a post-COVID era more will join us. Joe Libby wrote that he, George Voris and Marty Ronan were close for 35 years. They miss Marty’s Irish humor. While Marty was in the hospital prior to his death, Joe sent him a large ND flag to serve as his bedspread. George is moving to Connecticut to be closer to his children and grandchildren. Joe thinks a Zoom class reunion is excellent. Other deaths reported to me by the Alumni Association were: Richard W. Nielsen Jr. on Nov. 28, 2019; Robert W. Shultze on Dec. 20, 2020; Angelo J. Militello on Dec. 27, 2020; Rev. Jeremiah Cullinane on Jan . 21, 2021; and William F. Noonan on Jan 18, 2021. Finally, I have a report from Bob Young that his roommate Donald J. Bader passed away Jan. 5 in Mississippi. He says that Don was a commissioned Marine officer, survived by his wife of 59 years and three children. I am sure you are all waiting with bated breath so here goes. Abbie is well and at the front door with the latchstring out just waiting for some of you to drop by on your way through South Texas. We would love to see you. — Joseph P. (“Pat”) Kelly; 2103 N. Wheeler St., Victoria TX 77901; 361-573-9982; jpkellytx@sbcglobal.net

 

61JD Class Secretary — John N. Moreland;

jnmnd1958@aol.com

 

62 Health and Lifestyle

This spring, Brian O’Neill alerted me to Jack Forest’s blog dealing with health and livability issues. I called Jack to find out more. He said that after graduation, he went to medical school at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, and then did post graduate work at Yale. After his military obligation, Jack began teaching radiology at Washington U in St. Louis and then at UC San Diego. Several years ago, Jack started “Jack’s What Really Matters Blog – Health and Lifestyle.” He noted that medical journals give this area short shrift, and his purpose was to let people know that with proper diet and lifestyle changes, one can prevent and treat many types of chronic disease. Jack also pointed out the American College of Lifestyle Medicine is working with universities and schools to get this message out. If you log on to the blog, you will find a monthly message plus a couple of YouTube lectures where Jack goes into detail on how to live a healthy life. Because of the changes in medicine, away from the personal aspect to the cookie cutter approach of HMOs, insurance, Medicare, etc., Jack retired in 1997. He and his wife split their time between the San Diego area and Hawaii. Dick Hodder, another physician who has turned patient, had his pacemaker replaced recently and is debating whether to have a knee replacement. Frank Callahan and Bill Weinsheimer braved the pandemic by going out, with their wives, to celebrate their birthdays at a “gala dinner.” Jerry McKenna was notified that he had been awarded the Clans of Ireland Order of Merit “for outstanding contributions to Irish culture and heritage, and for bringing conspicuous honor to his clan.” Jim DeBow has been involved with Ann’s Heart, a public non-profit since its inception in 2014, and is currently president of the board. Their mission is to provide a place of welcome and human services to people in the Phoenixville PA area. As previously noted, our 60th class reunion will take place next year on the first weekend of June. Your class officers are open to your suggestions and ideas for events. We also need your thoughts on whether you want a class dinner on Thursday night as in past reunions. We can look at a restaurant or other venue, but we will need to get an idea on attendance. Let us know your thoughts. So far, 2021 has not been good to the class as we have lost 12 members. In January we learned that Lou Iribarne died Dec. 5 at his home in Canada and Roger (Jeff) Kelling passed away unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve after having been at work earlier in the week. Bill Shuster died New Year’s Day; Joe Zeller passed away Jan. 5; Tom Hoffman on Jan. 10; Dick Corso on Jan. 25; and James Bruce on the 31st. Barry Ryan, who was in hospice care, passed away on Feb. 17. Barry lived in Harrisburg PA but had a home just north of campus where he hosted classmates for football and basketball weekends. About a week before he died, he called several classmates to say goodbye. On successive days in March, we lost John Hood on the 10th, Al Czachura on the 11th, and Bob Griffith on the 12th. Jim Gmelin passed away on March 25. We have successfully migrated the Sunday morning messages to the University email platform. Let me know if you are not receiving them so that you can be added to the email list. — Raymond Raedy; 5310 Rileys Ridge Road, Hillsborough NC 27278; 919-967-8816; nd62secy@medicinemanremedies.com

 

62JD In Mourning

Our class mourns the loss of another dear classmate. Richard Wilbur passed peacefully surrounded by his family at his home in Sarasota FL on Dec. 27. Formerly of Otisville NY, Dick is survived by his devoted wife, Jean, son Carl and daughter Shelley. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Marianne and I are planning to get together with Pat and George Vander Vennet in Naples FL, where they reside. George tells me they have a condo on Lake Michigan in Wilmette and would enjoy seeing classmates in either location. Paul Rooney’s book has been published. Convicting the All-Time Affable Carmine De Sapio, the Last Chief of Tammany Hall follows the rise and fall of the controversial New York City politician. I will enjoy reading Paul’s book on my Kindle. Save the dates for our 60th law school reunion: April 29, 30 and May 1, 2022. Christine Stucko has been diligent in her efforts and has blocked 15 rooms at the Morris Inn as well as a private dining room for Saturday evening. The rooms are reserved for Thursday in case anyone wishes to arrive early. Christine reports the possibility of a stadium tour on Friday afternoon; golf tee times; meeting with the dean of the law school Saturday evening; Mass Sunday morning. Your input is welcome. This is a big reunion, and we hope to see you there. Please pass the reunion information along to classmates. — Tom Kelly; 802 Ambriance Drive, Burr Ridge IL 60527; 630-891-3182; marianne1956@sbcglobal.net

 

63 Pep Talk, Here Comes the Judge

Tim Haidinger writes: “I try hard to avoid letting the old man in. So, my request to classmates is, let’s talk about what energizes us. ... Now I do what I can. I am learning to play the piano, I earn master points in bridge, and my golf handicap is hopefully moving down from 18 to the eight it used to be. I work a third of my time trying to provide a nice working environment for my small business tenants. I know and use sous vide cooking. I sail a leased 50-foot boat in the Caribbean with my daughter and her family. As president of our homeowners’ association, I try to provide a nice environment for our neighborhood. I am setting up a personal foundation so I can help troubled San Diego families. I am not the only one who is working hard to suck out every bit of energy we have left in this wonderful world. … There are lots of positives in our lives, and if we just talk about the negatives, we will wither and die. So, I hope we can honor those who have left before us but retain a vision for our future.” Well said, Tim. Tom Bishop connected, saying that after graduation he served on active duty as an Army officer and earned a JD from Georgetown U Law School in 1969. For the next 25 years, Tom practiced law with a small firm in New London CT while he and his wife, Kathrine, raised their two daughters. In 1994, he was appointed to the Connecticut Superior Court, serving until 2001 when he was appointed to the state appellate court where he still sits. Tom recently published his first novel, The Good Priest, in which he created an admirable and memorable Father Pat. Bob Hellrung related that he received a JD from St. Louis U Law School in 1966 and then practiced as a legal aid lawyer and administrator. He completed his MA in sociology and then became a mediator providing services to divorced or separated parents. Bob has been retired since 2012, has been married to his sweetheart, Cheryl, for 37 years and they have a daughter and a grandson. Bob and Cheryl are writing a book, Tenderly Together, about tenderness as a couple. It can be read on their website, tenderly.com. Christina M. Weinmann ’86 informed me that her father, Raymond L. Weinmann, passed away on Feb. 17 after a brief illness. Ray was an architecture major who became a well-known builder/developer in the Philadelphia area. Ray was the co-founder of Meehan-Weinmann Inc. a building and construction management company. Ray is survived by his four children, 11 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his former wife, Mimi. Jim Nolen informed me that John Kane passed away on March 14 at the North Shore Medical Center in Salem MA. John and his wife, Millice, had recently moved to Marblehead MA. John suffered from Parkinson’s disease for many years. John was profiled in the fall 2020 and winter 2021 issues of this magazine. We have heard from Don Rothermich who is a financial advisor with Raymond James in Columbus OH. He is a longtime member of the Notre Dame Club of Columbus, serving as president in 1973 and Notre Dame Man of the Year in 1975. He has been committed lifelong to the arthritis cause and is a board member of the Arthritis Foundation of Central Ohio and the Columbus Medical Research Foundation. Don has been married to his wife, Liz, for over 35 years; he has four children. Don shared the news of the passing of his lifelong friend, Jerry Eisenman, on Nov. 27. Jerry and Don grew up a block apart and went through grade school, high school and Notre Dame together. After graduation, Jerry worked for many years at the family-owned company, Ohio Auto Kare. Jerry enjoyed Notre Dame and Ohio State football and, later in life, Hallmark Christmas movies. Being a religious person, Jerry took great comfort knowing that he would be reunited with his wife, who had predeceased him. Christopher Hughes ’89 reported that his father, William James Hughes, passed away on Jan. 20 in Greeley CO following a long illness. Bill is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patty, children Christopher ’89, Dean, Tricia, April ’99 and her husband Mike Kinninger ’99, and eight grandchildren. Bill earned an MBA from the U of Denver and was a certified public accountant. His career spanned 31 years with Montfort of Colorado/Mapelli Brothers/ConAgra from which he retired as senior vice president, and he made substantial volunteer contributions. Mike Stevens called to say that J. King Cruger passed away on March 15 in Naples FL. While traveling in Europe in 1968, King applied to the Stars and Stripes newspaper in Darmstadt, Germany. He was hired on the spot and from then on resided in Europe for 30 years. King spent the last 20 years of his life with his cherished longtime companion, Darcy Pavlick, in Naples FL and Newport RI. He is survived by Darcy, two daughters and two granddaughters. Steve Seall and Salvatore Cilella advised that Tom Bruner died on Feb. 24, in South Bend. Tom received a JD from Notre Dame in 1966, after which he married his wife of 55 years, Janice. Tom and Janice had two daughters. After law school, Tom taught political science, worked as an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, and served under Sen. Vance Hartke (D-IN) and Rep. Wiliam Hathaway (D-ME). The Brunner family returned to South Bend in 1972 where Tom practiced private law, was South Bend city attorney, and founded the law firm of Parker, Brunner & Hamilton. In 2005, he received the highest distinction then awarded by the State of Indiana when he was named a “Sagamore of the Wabash.” The Alumni Association has advised of the passing of the following classmates: Peter G. Hourihan died Dec. 20, survived by five children; John F. Jordan Jr. died on Jan. 28 in Aiken SC, survived by his wife, Laura, and two children; Frank Minik died on Dec. 17 in Indian Head IL, survived by his wife, Margaret, and three children; Thomas A. Needy died on Nov. 20, survived by one child; and Arthur A. Schrage died on Oct. 17, 2019, in Sterling Heights MI, survived by his wife, Carolyn, four children and two grandchildren. — John F. Dougherty Jr.; 915 Exeter Crest, Villanova PA 19085; 215-510-0844; johndoc969@gmail.com

 

63JD Better Late Than Never  

Three months after Paul Driscoll’s death on Dec. 2, 1985, at age 48, in a Jackson Hole avalanche, Ed Fillenwarth wrote a letter to Notre Dame Magazine requesting an article on Paul explaining that “our class has generally provided very little information for the magazine.” Following Ed’s passing, Val Fillenwarth found a copy of the letter and forwarded it to Jim Lekin. In fairness, Joe Sullivan, who wrote our class column in 1986, prepared a very good obituary on Paul. However, 35 years later, here are some of the things Ed wanted to say about Paul’s life, particularly the period after law school. Paul left South Bend for Washington DC in 1963, the recipient of a Prettyman Fellowship funding legal representation of indigent clients. After three years, he left DC for Delano CA to join Cesar Chavez in working on behalf of the Farm Workers Union. Delano was ground zero in the struggle to unionize agricultural workers. With Paul’s brilliant mind, toughness and determination, no one could be a better fit for the job. At the same time, Denny Powell was working in Salinas for California Rural Legal Assistance providing farm workers with legal representation. Paul’s father passed away in 1970. He moved back to New York to assist his mother. The following year, she passed away and Paul moved to Wyoming. He loved skiing and settled in Jackson Hole. He was admitted to the Wyoming Bar but limited his practice to friends needing help and others unable to afford an attorney. His real love was the outdoor life. Skiing was soon joined by kayaking, whitewater rafting and hiking in the mountains. In 1976, Marilyn and I with our three kids (ages 1-6) visited Paul on the way to a camping trip in the Grand Tetons. He was a different person, relaxed, enthusiastic about living in Jackson Hole and free at last from the “jealous mistress” we learned about in law school. Everything changed on Dec. 2, 1985, when Paul was killed leading a ski patrol checking conditions before opening the slopes. He was at the head of the team and suffered the hardest hit. He was the only member of the team to die. Ed writes in his letter, “Paul Driscoll never married, but you could say he was married to his love for the outdoors and his care and concern for other people. Freak accident though it was, it was only fitting that Paul died trying to make something safe and better for other people.” I have an update on Tom Brannigan’s grandson, Jack Brannigan. In 2019, I reported that Jack, a high school senior, was hoping to receive a ND baseball scholarship. In the summer 2020 Class Notes, I confirmed that Jack got the scholarship and that he was a starter on the varsity team as a freshman. Although the season was cut short by the virus, Jack played in all 13 games scoring a team-high 14 runs, 12 hits, 11 runs batted in, three steals and one home run. The update: At the end of the season, the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named Jack a Freshman All-American. — Bob Saxe; 15725 Ranchero Drive, Morgan Hill CA 95037; bsaxe5@aol.com   

 

64 Hope Everyone Got to See...

…the Notre Dame Senior Alumni virtual program on their YouTube channel for Memorial Day. Featuring alumni who gave their lives during the Vietnam War, the 45-minute show featured interviews with classmates and friends. Our class was well represented with segments on heroes Joe Adrian and Jim Egan, both MIA for 50 years now. John Hargrove spoke on Joe, and John Lalli shared perspective on friend and roommate, Jim. All four guys are special people. The show connected me again with John Lalli who had lived across the hall in Keenan. John had a fascinating career, with over 40 years of technology and business experience. He spent 31 years in broadcast/media/entertainment with CBS, where his last role was chief information officer. John is currently COO and managing director at Blue Hill Data Services, a provider of customized data center outsourcing solutions. John Hargrove accessed me to a stimulating dialogue among several classmates (including Dick Muench, Jack Harty and Jack McCabe) regarding the March WNDU report on the closing of Zahm Hall. The action was taken by the University after “years of unsuccessful intervention to alter a troubling culture.’’ Ask McCabe about that. He was president of Zahm in 1961 when rumor has it the trouble began. Jon James provided an update on his India mission work. All is going fine as students are finally back after one year of school closures. Jon is in touch with John Rurak (Columbus OH), Richard Galiher (retired in Jackson Hole), Peter Murray (retired in Charlotte) and Rev. Mike Glockner, CSC, (Cincinnati). The Detroit Regional Chamber’s Inaugural Business Leadership in Education and Equity Award was presented to Dick Rassel, chairman of Butzel Long, one of the leading law firms in Michigan and the US. Dick has been with the firm for 52 years. We have sad news regarding the passing of several classmates. These include Bob Malone of Seneca SC (survived by Carolin and four children) and Pat O’Malley of Dayton (survived by Ann and four children). Lew Blaising of Rockford IL died in December. He had his own insurance company and is survived by Barbara and seven children. Tom Brown, president of Joyce Beverages (“the 7-Up company”) in Joliet passed away in November. Wife Becky Borchers Brown SMC and four children survive. Deacon Jack Leadbetter died in January. An electrical engineering grad, Jack owned several small businesses, was a three-time mayor of Marquette MI and was involved in the church. Wife Donna Keskimaki and four children survive. Jim Beiter of Dawsonville GA passed just before Christmas. Jim spent 34 years with BellSouth/AT&T. Four children and Shirley, his wife of 56 years, survive. Dan Horan died in Charlottesville in February. He practiced medicine in the Chicago area, serving as chief of radiology throughout his career. He is survived by Diane, his wife of 59 years, and two children. We lost my friend from Keenan and Lyons, Dennis McCracken. Denny and Susan had six children and he spent his career at Monsanto in St. Louis, summering in Jackson WY. Bill Fallon passed in February in San Diego. After the Peace Corps and a JD from Wisconsin, Bill spent his career with Caterpillar and Solar Turbines. Mary Ann and two children survive. Finally, I received word that Tom Benson died in March in Littleton CO. Tom founded his own firm and practiced law in the Denver area for 47 years. He spent 27 years in the Navy JAG Corps, rising to captain in the Reserves. At 59, he began to run marathons, doing so for 15 years. Active in his faith, Tom is survived by wife Mary and three children. — Paul R. Charron; 44 Contentment Island Road, Darien CT 06820; 917-860-5385; paul.richard.charron@gmail.com

 

64JD Medical Parade

This is being written from Palm Springs within the celebratory season of Easter. Sharon and I are here with our children and grandchildren for a long-delayed family reunion amidst temperatures reaching 100 degrees. All of us are healthy and enjoying our respite and “group bake.” A recent and unexpected blessing was a phone call from classmate and former roommate David Petre. Our contact for the greater part of the past 50 years has been minimal, and I last exchanged news with him in 2019 while he was on a fishing trip with his son. He was proudly holding a huge brown trout that would have been quite the trophy fish, but he only does catch and release when on these fishing trips in Montana. He is in good health and just celebrated his 80th. He lives in Dania FL with family close by and “each day is a blessing.” Larry Gallick was a member of our law school house with David and me, and related that his spouse, Betty, was released from the hospital after surgery for serious colon issues. Larry’s neighbor in Venice FL, Bob Cash, experienced family issues relating to COVID but, blessedly, all in the family recovered including his spouse, Eileen. Our medical parade also includes Bob Frost, who is recovering from back surgery and walking with a cane and walker as he experiences his eighth surgery in four years. Russ Bley also has experienced some illnesses and is considering different living options. Frank Miele remains hale and hearty in NYC, still following his strenuous physical training program. He sends greetings to all. Charles Sacher continues his weekly civic service to Montgomery Botanical Center Garden in Miami, honoring one of his beloved Dorothy’s favorite charities. Ted the cat still snoozes under the dining room table. Pat Weir is head of the North Dakota Parole Board, among other things. The state has intensified its focus on restructuring drug-related penalties when applied particularly to young offenders. My contact with Lou Pfeiler was upbeat. He is doing well, with prayer and family support, living life and accepting the loss of his dear Carol. He continues his support of veterans. Kay and Tom Conneely broke out of their Mill Valley confines to take a driving trip down the California coast and ultimately to Sedona AZ. We spoke over a virtual cup of coffee. He was at Harris Ranch on the coast, which he highly recommends. I was on my son’s patio in Palm Desert. He reminded me that with Tom Broden’s passing, the last of our cadre of professors have departed for the higher court. All good and interesting memories as we look back on those days. Jim Slater continues his robust hikes, and his life moves at a brisk pace with children and grandchildren filling in any blank time for him and Marian. On the other coast, Jim Mercurio and I kibitzed about our mutual army JAG experiences in Vietnam, which seems a lifetime ago. He and Nancy share quality daily life in Bethesda. Jack Rammel was on his way to exercise when we chatted. It is a daily “must-do,” keeping him fit and able to enjoy all the things he likes to do. Bob Hanlon continues to enjoy his down-sized digs in New Jersey. In an earlier conversation with Gene Kramer, he advised me that life is good for him and JoAnn with no real complaints. If you don’t see your name with a brief synopsis of your life during COVID-19, we all are missing you. Please stay in contact. Blessings and prayers to all. — Richard Balfe Wagner; 1204 Erskine Manor HI, South Bend, IN 46614, 574-299-9888; cell 760-567-1270; rswagnersb@gmail.com

 

65 Particle Accelerators

After 47 years at Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island and helping construct superconducting magnets for particle accelerators at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN Lab in Geneva, Peter Wanderer has retired in Shoreham, Long Island. He and his wife, Judy, have three children and seven grandchildren. To keep active, Peter is part of a committee reviewing R&D proposals for the US Department of Energy. Nick Sordi and his wife, Eileen, have celebrated 55 years of marriage. They have two daughters and four granddaughters. Nick has retired from a general practice of law with an emphasis on plaintiff’s personal injury work and municipal law in Glen Cove, Long Island, in a firm with his father and brother. After 38 years in Glen Cove, Nick and family moved to Eagle CO where he practiced another eight years and now his days are filled with tennis, skiing and hiking. Neil Broderick has retired from a career in real estate development. He and wife, Anne, have two children, Paul ’92 and Maureen ’94. In 2000 Neil joined the board of Orchard Place, an organization that provides mental health services to kids. He also served two terms on the state of Iowa Mental Health Commission. Both he and Anne work with teenagers at the residential facility and at a high school dedicated to those whose diagnosis prevents them from attending a traditional high school. Bob Dilenschneider and his family have established the S.J. Dilenschneider Graduate Student Award in honor of their father. It is designed to recognize and honor distinctive and exceptional achievements by a graduate or professional student that significantly advance the University’s mission and core values. Eighteen members of Bob’s family have attended ND. Last July Dan Morello retired from his practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Jupiter FL. Dan is past-president and chair of the board of directors for the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. He earned his MD from Georgetown College of Medicine. Dan and his wife, Mona, have three daughters and nine grandchildren and have become avid golfers in retirement. Peter Jost reports that his lifelong friend and ND roommate, Peter Crowley, died in March from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Peter received his JD from the U of Illinois College of Law and practiced with various Chicago law firms and insurance companies. In 2001 he, his wife, Mary Catherine, and their four children moved to Scottsdale AZ where he became the city’s risk manager until his retirement due to Parkinson’s. Peter was a good Irishman who was always fun to be around. John Schneider wrote that Walt Sahm passed away in January. Walt had a remarkable basketball career including the 2011 induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and was named to ND’s All-Century Team as the second of five players to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for his career and still holds the career record for rebounds per game (16.9). Walt worked for Akron Goodyear and retired to The Villages FL about five years ago. He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and two daughters. Our delayed 55th reunion is now solidified to be held May 31, 2022 and June 1, 2022, at the Morris Inn where the two class dinners will be held. The alumni office has been incredibly supportive of our request to hold our gathering separate from the all-class Reunion which is scheduled for June 3-5. Rooms have been reserved at the Morris Inn for our class. Make your reservations now. Details will be in mailings from the University and this column. — James P. Harnisch MD; 6759 West Mercer Way, Mercer Island WA 98040; jphnd65@hotmail.com

 

65JD Class Secretary — Henry Boitel; 324 Brower Avenue, Rockville Centre NY 11570; boitel@mindspring.com

 

66 Just Warming Up

Despite the COVID chaos, life (and in lots of cases, work) continues to be full and active for many in the ’66 cohort. There is still spunk in them thar hearts and bones. You may have read in the last issue about our distinguished B. “Pat” Bauer, who retired after 50 years in the Indiana legislature. Congrats BPB, on a job well-done. I heard from Tony Rivizzigno in Syracuse, where he practices municipal law. Talk about coincidence. Tony was watching his grandson Ben play club lacrosse when his daughter mentioned that the father of the woman standing next to her went to ND. It was Jane Flynn, daughter of my old roomie and our dear departed and wonderful friend, former AD Mike Wadsworth. Tony notes that Emmett Flynn is the image of Mike. As a former Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, one would expect Mike’s progeny to carry the Flynn moniker. Tony is in touch with Bob Lombardo, now retired from his GI med practice in the Hamptons. Speaking of the good old days, George Bernard reminded class leader Cap Gagnon that Wads and I lived in 102 Stanford frosh year, a regular stopping off point for many on the way to and from dinner. We had lots of great visits and conversations with tons of guys. Among those living in our immediate “hood” were Tom Callahan, Ben Campbell, Pete Palumbo, Ben Nelson, Jim Murphy, Tom Belden and Tony Andrea. Also in Stanford that year as roomies were Nick Eddy and Arunas Vasys, fellow Pennsylvania fullbacks Jim Smith and the late great Pete Duranko, along with future barristers Phil Sheridan and Bob Meeker. On a sad note, Bob, still living and practicing law in Akron, lost his wife of 40 years, Mary, in late February following a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She had an extraordinary career in nursing, including caring for Alzheimer’s patients. Cap reports that on a recent campus walk he ran into SB transplant Mike Rush, who was suffering PTSD after leaving Beantown … trying to find the Prudential Building. Cap notes that pal Frank Duncan, living in Massachusetts, is having vision problems but remains sharp and in touch with his many friends. Frank has given up driving, but his license plate is “FD-1” and includes his proud status as a Vietnam Army vet. Art Frigo, the tallest ’66er, reported that he continued to play b-ball in parks and rec and industrial leagues following graduation and ultimately became a marathoner. Bob Basche reported that he and fellow Nitelighter Tony Andrea are funning it with a new production company, Sygnificant Prod. To date they have produced an NFL tailgate cooking show for CBS and plan a series of 9-ball pool events on TBS. Dick Frey and Pat have fled to Lenexa KS where Dick is permitted to sing bass as part of a folk group at Mass. Dick sent the sad news of the sudden passing of Dr. Ralph Boyd in Pensacola, where he had led the county health department. One of the few African Americans in our class, Ralph was in the Glee Club and always had a smile on his face. I caught up with Greg Rust out of Greensburg IN, who is still plying his trade in financial planning. He is in touch with Paul Mayeux, also a broker, in Charlotte, and the now-retired Pat McRedmond in Music City. Greg recalls spirited shave cream fights in BP with the folks above and the late Jim Phelan and Jim Gallagher. Word is that Bill Wentworth winters with his lady friend in Naples and summers at his mansion in Bloomfield Village MI, to which he welcomes all comers. The class necrology grew again, as word arrived that Pete Riehm passed in early April in Vienna VA. Pete earned four ND degrees and worked as a mechanical and nuclear engineer. Jack Gerken shared info on ND Niles Irish Dons. Alan Loboy is out Oregon way following a fulfilling career as a teacher, coach and administrator. Skip Medina in Houston is active with the local ND club. Bob “Ozzie” Schwartz of Nashville is passing his printing business to his son. Chuck Reali lived across the Columbia River in Washington from Al Loboy for years but is now in Marston MO rehabbing a failing smelter and closer to ND, where his granddaughter will enroll in fall. Jack Gerken reminds us that the class website is in transition and should be workable by fall. To get on now, contact him at jack@gerken.org. That’s all folks. Aim high, go long and stay positive. — Tom Sullivan; 1108 Westwicke Lane, Lutherville MD 21093; cell 773-454-4343; t66sullynd@gmail.com 

 

66JD Seamus Saves the Day 

St. Patrick’s Day brought out the best in Seamus. He provided me with a wealth of information and memorabilia related to our class. He sent his video of our 35th reunion events. The video has it all: visits from professors, updates of classmates’ lives, speeches from a couple of our classmates who are no longer with us, and a recreation of an alleged hallway encounter between Mike Roche and Dean O’Meara. Seamus also suggested that the football coaching staff should add another mascot. He thought an Irish terrier such as the early 1960s mascot, Clashmore Mike, would work well. The mascot could also be released onto the field in the event the team needed a timeout, but none remained. Seamus has not lost his sense of humor despite six spinal surgeries reducing his navigability to using a walker. He resides in Schubert Villa of Holy Cross Village, which is between Holy Cross College and Saint Mary’s College. Steve Seall undertook the sad chore of providing news of the passing of two fellow South Benders, Tom Brunner and Jim Virgil. Please keep them and their families in your prayers. Here’s hoping that all of you and your loved ones are healthy and keeping safe during these difficult times. Who is Seamus? The first classmate who guesses correctly and gives some information for use in this column wins a copy of the Seamus video. Results will appear in the next column. — Scott Maxwell; 5635 Turtle Bay Drive, Apt. 9, Naples FL 34108; cell 215-920-0616; ndscotty@gmail.com 

 

67 Champs Reunite

The football team of 1966 will celebrate the 55th anniversary of their National Championship this fall during the Purdue football weekend, Sept. 18. The organizing committee consists of Capt. Jim Lynch, George Goeddeke, Dick Swatland, Harry Alexander, Angelo Schiralli and Frank Criniti ’68. Preliminary plans anticipate a Friday night dinner on campus, Saturday tailgate before the game and Sunday Mass and brunch. Also, Friday morning a Mass will be held at the Basilica remembering Brian Boulac ’62, an assistant coach for the ’66 team. Celebrant will be Rev. Paul Doyle, CSC ’65. A long-lost member of the ’66 team resurfaced after 54 years to inform us of the passing of his high school and ND classmate Frank English. Frank left us Dec. 29 in Vero Beach FL. He also maintained a residence in Rye NY. After serving in the Army, Frank joined Morgan Stanley in New York, with a short stint in Chicago, where he rose to vice chairman. Frank was an All-Metropolitan NYC high school QB at Iona Prep where he played along with several of our classmates. Frank served on many corporate boards as well as several charitable organizations. He made a profession of mentoring others after his retirement. Frank established an endowed scholarship at Notre Dame for low-income students. His accomplishments are too long to include here. He was a true gentleman and will be missed. Dick Kiekbusch wrote to let us know he lost his wife of 51 years on March 8. Gary Lewis was so bored in retirement that he decided to write a novel, even though he was concerned that an engineer was not going to achieve literary acclaim. So, to spice it up a bit, Gary used the names of classmates for the fictional characters in his book. Included as characters are Bob Kratovil, Bill Brew, John Dempsey, Pete DeBruyne, John Bauchman and Mike Moravec, with a significant contribution from Father Ted Hesburgh ’39. Darb Kelly tells us he occasionally sees Rob Lemire, Pat O’Dea, Kevin McCoy, Bill Boken and Mike Hanpeter. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale AZ has been serving Bob Dowdell by treating his melanoma, and also Richard Ghio who received a successful kidney transplant. Bill Burke writes that he and his wife, Diane, sold their home in Evanston IL and moved to Lake Geneva WI. Please write to provide some current info. — Bert R. Bondi; 1891 Curtis St., Unit 1502, Denver CO 80202; bertrbondi@gmail.com

 

67JD Survey Results   

Roz and Steve Lamantia had just returned from a Caribbean cruise when COVID struck. They went into hibernation but weathered the storm and they and their three kids (all essential workers) have been vaccinated. Unfortunately, they had to cancel their plans for a 50th wedding anniversary gala in May. Steve finished the two-year term as president of the ND Club of Buffalo and found it to be a fun experience. He also turned a hobby into a fundraiser by joining the Fighting Irish Fighting Cancer bike team raising money for the local hospital. In his spare time, he volunteers to help supply food for local homeless families. Dave Holmes writes that he is still working as a storefront lawyer in Bremen IN. It means doing a little bit of everything including his elected position as county GOP chairman. Retired from his county prosecutor position, Dave is collecting his pension and enjoying this chapter of his life with wife Jan and their three kids, grandkids and a three-year-old great-grandchild. Just reading about John Nelson’s activities exhausts me. He admits that teleconference committee meetings for a judicial reform study and state transit board meetings and county board of commissioners’ meetings have left him suffering from Zoom overload. I think he is the western Colorado volunteer-at-large for all police, fire, judicial reform, transit and general-stuff issues. The James Olsons have again canceled their once-postponed trip to Japan for the Summer Olympics. The Olympic organization is not allowing foreign spectators into the events. They did manage to spend six weeks in Naples FL and perhaps we can reschedule a minireunion there next winter. Beth and Frank Verterano have canceled their vacation trips for this year and are not sure about 2022. They will probably spend more time at their condo in South Bend and visiting their niece, whom they have not seen in a year. Results of the survey regarding the effect of the coronavirus on our classmates: over half the class responded, and all reported that they have been vaccinated (mostly with Pfizer) with no one suffering any significant side effects from the vaccination. Of course, I previously reported that James Harrington’s daughter contracted the disease and is a “long hauler,” but is making progress. Robert Konopa’s daughter and granddaughter also had contracted the disease but have fully recovered. Gary Kaup, who caught the virus in March 2020, volunteered for the antibody plasma donor program. He made 12 donor visits until his antibody counts were deemed too low. Several classmates indicated that they had difficulty getting the vaccine. Jack Couch, in particular, reported that his county in upstate New York was allotted only 100 shots per week and they found it impossible to get an appointment for three months. Mike Seng also had difficulty and had to travel 30 miles to get the shot. Thomas Sullivan also made many fruitless attempts to get vaccinated until he “got lucky,” connected with a live person and arranged to get the shots. Overwhelmingly, our class does not mind the mask requirements and finds social distancing “inconvenient” but doable. Virtually everyone agreed that the most difficult aspect of the pandemic, aside from the few who contracted the disease, was lack of contact with families and friends followed by travel restrictions. Several reported increasing their exercise routines while several others admitted to “significant weight gain.” — Jim Heinhold; 1200 Carmel Lane, New Bern NC 28562; res 252-638-5913; im4irish@aol.com

 

68 Herd Impunity

When can we gather for a reunion? The frequency of the question shows how we long for the Great ’68’s default state: full herd impunity, no Zoom link needed. Among irons in the fire is a plan from Fred Ferlic: if we meet during a weekend without a home game, there may be hotel advantages as well as access to campus facilities. Pay attention to our blog, ndclass1968.com, where notice will appear when Class President Tom Weyer can give us the official word. The need to remember and mourn five classmates reinforces the wish to see one another. The obituaries on the blog attest to men whose lives were reflective of Notre Dame ideals. Michael J. Habing died Dec. 9, 2020, in Westerville OH. Paul Becavec of Clairton PA, who was Tom Weyer’s Keenan Hall roommate and a popular dorm barber who had learned his technique while working at the family funeral home he soon inherited, died Feb. 4, 2021. Stephen R. Cooke Sr., holder of a PhD in chemistry, died March 20 in Honeoye NY. A note in his obituary says, “Due to COVID, the family will have a private ceremony, and those who knew him know Steve wouldn’t want the fuss anyway.” U of Florida Prof. Edward T. Dugan died Jan. 24. Read the recollections of former students and colleagues. Charles J. Simons Jr. died Feb. 9, in Somerset NJ. When Charles (known as Skip) took early retirement from Smith Barney because of his multiple sclerosis, he volunteered with a local food bank, a senior center and parish groups. Dan Collins has added to the class literature trove with his novel, Future Victories, available on Amazon. The well-organized tale begins with discovery of documents that suggest, no matter the disintegration of the USSR, nuclear weapons await detonation in US cities. To the delight of Dan and other Keenan Hall classmates who meet on Zoom, Prof. Charlie Stevenson, now retired in Australia, wrote War Stories, his memory of an unlikely three years of Army service in Germany. Gerry Moore’s stationing at the same post almost overlapped with Charlie’s. Greg Strick’s photos and memory of an artifact from the 1966 Michigan State game have been posted on the blog. The same game was the subject of a Tom Dorsel column written for a community newspaper in Hilton Head: Google “CITIZEN COLUMNIST: Ara Parseghian and the ‘Game of the Century.’” Jay Schwartz’s blog, One More Thing..., keeps the pot stirred with reflections on subjects ranging from an imperiled French rooster to the renaming of San Francisco schools. Naples FL winter residents Bob Brady, Meg and Jeff Keyes, and Joan and Will Dunfey arranged for Pat Collins to discuss his book, Newsman, with that book group and guests Dennis Gallagher, Elise and Dennis Reeder, Tom Weyer, and Nancy and yours truly, Tom Figel. Marti and Mark Kush, grandparents of 15, met and hugged their first great-grandchild, Sienna, tantalizingly nearby before vaccinations arrived. On the other hand, the celebration of Rich and Neil Rogers’ January birthday was a Zoom event for the Eagle Lake crew (who shared a senior-year residence there): Mike Trombetta (whose daughter will be ND ’21), Bob Santaloci, Brian McManus, Dave Graves, Pat Furey, Mike Carroll, Pat DeMare, Mike Ryan and John Murtagh, a Rogers cousin from ’70. Steve Grace manages real estate interests in Florida and Manhattan from his Palm Beach FL residence. Steve keeps in contact with Ed Haggar, Paul Dunne, Ken Collins, Bill Sweetman and Dave Boehnen. They miss Tom Roach, who died in fall 2020. Despite the joy of living in Ft. Worth TX near his son’s alma mater, TCU, Fran Mentone laments that his previous Arizona handicap has ballooned from six to 11. For some reason, he wants to have a “friendly game” with Mike Heaton and Bill Cvengross ’70. Longtime Texan Leo Welsh may be too busy helping California emigrants with their housing purchases. Says Leo, “My next-door Stanford neighbor, Larry Gruber, had a giant Texas flag on his wall. Being from western New York, I didn’t even know what the New York flag looked like. Having lived in Texas for 22 years, now I understand the Texas thang.” In San Francisco, Forrest Hainline has bounced out of his short retirement and is now senior counsel with law firm Braun Hagey & Borden. Winter life was good for Dia and John Walsh who spent months in New Orleans, including Easter with John Flemming and Zoli Perry. For his part, Bryan Dunigan could email, “Tom Gibbs and I have just returned with Joyce and Matt Walsh from Jumby Bay Island, Antigua.” Jim O’Rourke’s knowledge of the US Postal Service brought the Mendoza professor to appear on NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Balart. Please send news and photos. — Tom Figel; 1054 West North Shore, Apt. 3E, Chicago IL 60626; 312-241-7917; tfigel@reputecture.com

 

68JD Soul of the Class

The Class of 1968 started with more than 100 law students and graduated 56. This column will focus on the life of Jack Sandner, who died on March 11 after suffering a stroke. We were a special class and Jim Seckinger noted at our 50th reunion that the success of our class was grounded in the word “grit.” Jack Sandner was unique, and Tim Ward may have summarized it best: “We have lost a dear friend, the inspirational soul of our class.” Pete King shared with us that Jack grew up and was a product of Chicago’s toughest streets. He was a Chicago Golden Gloves Champion and proceeded to head up the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Pete added: “Jack was truly outstanding and as loyal a friend as anyone could be. Jack and his wonderful wife, Carole, adopted eight great children, and displayed what it means to be loving parents.” Allen Barnard noted that in talking to his wife, Andi, the day of Jack’s death “…she remembers that Jack had the most welcoming smile for everyone.” Owen Lopez then shared his observations about Jack, who was one of the first classmates that he befriended in law school. He added that they lost contact after the first year because Jack was interested in associating with serious students. Finally, Owen concluded by sharing that Jack was “a truly unique and outstanding individual.” Terry Kelly stated in his email that he was always amazed by Carole and Jack’s bigger-than-life values. He concluded by adding, “If Jack hadn’t been NDLS ’68, we would have had to invent him.” Lanny Bonenberger added, “What can you say about a one-in-a-kind life?” Paul Gore titled his email, “Death is but a passing; the tragedy lies in waste.” As to Jack’s passing, Paul stated, “I am now at peace that indeed law is not a jealous mistress, but is the very foundation of God, country and family and, of course, Notre Dame.” I noted in my email to our class “…that we were all lucky to have Jack and his wife be part of our lives. Jack made the world a better place. With each passing of a class member, we remember the greatness of our group.” Rev. John Jenkins, CSC ’76, ’78MA, spoke about Jack’s initial unsuccessful application to Notre Dame and that he showed his “grit” in driving to Notre Dame and convincing Dean O’Meara to reverse his decision. It was one of the dean’s best decisions. Jack was a great husband, father, an excellent lawyer and businessperson, and a person who made a difference in the lives of many. Tom Curtin shared about Jack visiting Tom at St. Joe Hospital following his knee surgery in 1967: “He visited every day, but only during the hours Carole was working as a nurse.” After viewing Jack’s funeral Mass at ND, Allen Barnard stated, “the Mass at Notre Dame reminds us of a place we love, honor and wish to return to. We love thee, Notre Dame, for many reasons, but ND Law School was and is the DNA of our lives. Onward to victory.” Tears flowed when the funeral concluded with “Love Thee Notre Dame.” Please remember in our prayers our deceased classmates including John Amerman, Emilio Belluomini, John Burgess, Albert Dudash, Richard Hirsch, Tom Kapacinskas, Joseph Ladd, Steve Madonna, Larry Miller, Jack Sandner, and Robert Wilczek. As usual, I would appreciate everyone providing me with an update as to what is happening with you and your family. — Dennis G. Collins; 2203 Derby Way, St. Louis MO 63131; bus 314-516-2648; dgc@greensfelder.com

 

69 Beginning to Emerge from Quarantine

Last November, Don Hynes was a guest Zoom lecturer at Louis MacKenzie’s ND freshman writing course. In January, attorney Tom Demetrio was named to the 2021 Lawdragon Hall of Fame and the 2021 Top 10 Illinois Super Lawyer list. Diane and Steve Kavalauskas and Sharon and Chuck Nelson had lunch in Fort Myers. Ken Bieschke published his novel, The Werewolf of Walworth County, about a cryptid and two men on trial for murder. On its 40th anniversary, the Society of Wetland Scientists presented wetland scientist Bill Mitsch PhD with an award for being with the organization since 1980. In February, Greg Helm wrote a blog article about how he worked with Apple’s Steve Jobs to create the iconic “1984” Super Bowl XVIII ad. Bob Franken is a community announcer for WSND-FM’s “Afternoon Concert” on Wednesday afternoons. Sally and Tom Ladky visited Peggy and Fran Mentone ’68 in Fort Worth. As a former Peace Corps volunteer to South Korea in the early 1970s, Mike McCauley and other former Peace Corps volunteers received a “COVID-19 Survival Box” from the South Korean government as a thank you for past service. Kathy and Mike Petersmith got through the Texas polar vortex with only some random power outages. We hope all our southern classmates fared well during the polar vortex. The Bonita Springs FL area was popular; Kate and Tom Altmeyer had lunch with Barb and Coley O’Brien. The Altmeyers also dined with Mary Helen and John Quinn, Scotty and Dick Cimino. John and Dick played golf with Dean Benner and John Kenefick. Mike McCauley and Errol Flynn played golf at Spanish Wells GC. The Hampton County Guardian (South Carolina) reprinted Peter McInerney’s blog story of ND and Saint Mary’s College students’ voter registration project in Hampton County during spring break 1969. The South Pasadenan (California) reported how Lance Davis, the Parson’s Nose Theater’s artistic director, has successfully redirected the theater’s productions to podcasts during the pandemic. Mary and Lance’s daughter, Jemma, was married in a backyard celebration. Dan Yu ’90 of the ND Pittsburgh Club did a Zoom interview of Don Wycliff and David Krashna ’71, co-editors of Black Domers. In March, the ND Club of Chicago also Zoom-interviewed Don on March 28. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann threw out the first pitch at the State vs. Southern game in Pearl MS. Sally and Larry Pezanko visited Sharon and Ed Weinlein in Hilton Head SC. There, Jeff Kemper and Ed attended a memorial for Mike Pasquale who died in 2020. Mike and his wife, Pam, created a scholarship for ND golf scholar-athletes. The estate of John McCoy, who died in 2020, gave $50,000 to the Observer. In April, on a 25-day road trip, Sally and Tom Ladky visited Sally and Albert Lutz in Jacksonville, and John Kenefick in Naples FL. Bob Lusardi hosts a monthly Zoom meeting with Cavanaugh buddies Joe Anderson, Jim Blakely, Dan Cox, Bob Gibbons, Bob Heil, Marc Imundo, Mike Lippa, John Rank and Bob Wilhelm. Mike Cerre is back producing stories for PBS Newshour after receiving his second COVID shot. Matt Naegle successfully recovered from hip replacement surgery and has returned to doctoring. Bill Wade has recovered from quadruple heart bypass surgery. Deaths: Al Dean, Nov. 7, Park Forest IL; Elizabeth Flynn, mother of Errol Flynn, Jan. 24; Jim Johnston, Feb. 4, Joliet IL; Ron Dushney, March 12, Scranton PA. Gwin Sullivan, wife of Richard Sullivan, March 26. Daniel Burke, brother of James Burke, April 13. Our sincerest condolences to their family and friends. With 1,370 stories since January 2017, the class blog hit 900,000 page views in March. Stay healthy and God bless. — John Hickey; notredameclassof1969blog.blogspot.com; jphjr47@hotmail.com

 

69MBA Zoom Invite

As I indicated in the last issue of the Notre Dame Magazine, we hold biweekly Zoom calls with about 10 classmates, as well as periodic class emails. Additionally, a few of the wives held their own call, and would like more participation in the future, so if you or your wives would like to join in, please let me know. The 100th anniversary of the founding of the School of Commerce (original name for the Mendoza College of Business) is upon us. As part of that, the University had a representative “interview” on one of the Zoom calls. The recollections were amazingly vivid, including naming about everyone in the original class photo on the Main Building steps. Two overarching themes came from the conversations: the unanimous admiration for Dean John Malone, the founder of the MBA program, and the effect of the Vietnam War on virtually everyone in the class. If you would like to be interviewed singularly, let me know, and I will try to get it arranged. If you want to join our calls, they are on Monday evenings. (Courses are largely closed). — Bob Dowdell; 31625 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach CA 92651; 714-381-6104; bobdowdell55@gmail.com

 

69JD Together Again? 

Hopefully the COVID pandemic will be on the wane when you read this. Bob Greene reported that Notre Dame is doing its part with a vaccination facility on campus while he stopped by on his way to Chicago. Hank Catenacci indicated that the vaccine was made available to students, faculty and staff. It would be great to attend football games and get together again. Please let me know if I should begin making arrangements for a reunion at a home or away football game. Bill Keck is in favor of a minireunion in Chicago when we play Wisconsin at Soldier Field in September. Bill has an extended family in the area. Joe Kennedy has done an amazing job on the saga of our three years in law school. It is a work in progress. I plan on publishing the saga in this class column one semester at a time. I have a word limit for the column and cannot include all three years in one writing. Send me (and Joe) any moments from the first semester (scholastically and otherwise) that you would like to include in the saga. — Jim Starshak; 889 Kaohe Place, Honolulu HI 96825; res 808-395.0443; cell 808-778.4033; starman@hawaii.rr.com