1940s

40 Class Secretary — Rebecca Smith;

542 Fairview Ave., Glen Ellyn IL 60137; 630-254-4485; rebecca.antas@gmail.com

 

41 Class Secretary — Meg Julian ’03, ’06JD;

804 Jersey Ave., Spring Lake NJ 07762; 646-246-5480; megjulian@gmail.com

 

42 Class Secretary — Ann Schanuel;

annjolene2@aol.com

 

43 Class Secretary — A. Robert Masters ’05;

1906 E. Madison St., South Bend IN 46617; res 574-904-8315; bus 574-234-0121; armasters@nfmlaw.com

 

44 Class Secretary — Laura (Julian) Fraser ’00;

1021 Royal Bombay Ct., Naperville IL 60563; 773-255-9843; lejfraser@outlook.com

 

45 When the Phone Rings

As we say, “no news is good news, until it isn’t.” Sadly, after trying to call Capt. Robert “Bob” Thomas USN (Ret) multiple times for months, the University notified me of his passing in December 2023. Taking over as the class scribe for a class 32 years ahead of mine creates the need to reach out to each person, or they become just names on paper. Bob was not just a name. He took the time to become a friendly voice on the phone and a fantastic host when we visited him in his assisted-living home in Monterey CA. Bob proudly pointed out all his ND and naval memorabilia, the many awards and cups from each ship or submarine, showed photos of his wife and daughters, told stories of the people he had known and let us know him as a wonderful gentleman. I will miss his delightful phone stories, and hope one of his daughters will contact me. Another not-just-a-voice on the phone is William “Bill” Wrape, who is in fine spirits still. He appreciates all the love he receives from family, daily if not hourly. He isn’t sure if he lives with them or they live with him. Doesn’t matter, he considers himself the luckiest homeowner in the world, and he doesn’t even need to go grocery shopping, cook dinner or do dishes! Bill will be 99, we think, in November. At this point it’s moot. His mantra of “thank you, Jesus” will always ring in my heart. Though I did not personally know John Squire Drendel, our western state proximity leads me to believe my family attended a reunion party with his family when I was about 10. After a very long drive we arrived at an extremely beautiful house in the middle of nowhere and made friends for the day with the other kids who were in the same situation. John passed Feb. 15. He was 100. Squire was born and raised in Reno NV. His education started in a one-room schoo in the hay fields near Carson City. The Great Depression provided him with lessons of the value of hard work and the need to respect those still less fortunate. John had a love and respect of the great outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and trapping taught to him by his father and older brother. With financial help from those around him, John attended ND only to experience both the bombing of Pearl Harbor and days later the death of his father. He was sent to Columbia U to finish his naval training. John ended up in the Pacific theater, returned home, attended law school, married, raised four children and even worked as a trooper for the highway patrol while studying for the bar exam. He went on to be recognized as an amazingly talented trial lawyer, committed to and advocating for civil rights. For retirement John chose to continue helping others by being an advocate for nursing home patients, veterans and individuals who could not afford legal assistance. Definitely not limiting his interests to law, John enjoyed poetry and established a poetry group which meets monthly. He was a true gentleman to all and missed by so many. As for the names-on-a-page, there are still at most 10 classmates somewhere out there. Connection with any of their families would be amazing. Thank You, Jesus. — Melissa Erkins Rackish ’77; 1224 Campbell St., Williamsport PA 17701; 570-971-2296; mrackish@comcast.net

 

46 Class Secretary — This class is in search of a Class Notes author. If you would like to volunteer, please contact beth.thomas@nd.edu.

 

47 Cheering Her Name

I am saddened to report the recent passing of Thomas M. McGuire on May 2. Please keep in touch with your memories and stories of campus life, as I always look forward to hearing from you. Go Irish! — Eileen Z. Surprenant ’09, ’15; emzander@gmail.com

 

48 A Wonderful Tribute

I am saddened to report the recent passing of Robert “Bob” M. Preston on March 23. May he rest in peace. I was eager to hear from Pete Fleming ’75 concerning his friend James “Jim” W. “Wonderful” Costa, who passed away Sept. 6, 2023, at the age of 97. Pete writes that Jim was a big ND fan who had ND memorabilia all over his room in the nursing home and always wore ND garb while watching the football games — which he did his whole life. The whole Costa family has been big ND fans for life. Jim was born in Detroit on Aug. 20, 1926, and his family moved to Springfield IL in 1932. After graduating from ND in 1948, Jim married Rosemary Gauer in 1949, and they had five children. Jim met Rosemary while he attended ND. Rosemary and all four of their daughters graduated from Saint Mary’s College. Jim and his brother, Gene, owned and operated Precision Products Inc. for 60 years. Jim was a soft-spoken gentleman, a truly gentle man whose humor and even temperament endeared him to and gained him the respect of business associates as well as family and friends. Whether for an ND football game, a birthday or just another Wednesday night, Jim shined the brightest when together with people. What a wonderful 97 years! Thank you to Pete for sharing this tribute to Jim. Please keep in touch with your memories and stories of campus life, as I always look forward to hearing from you. Go Irish! — Eileen Z. Surprenant ’09, ’15; emzander@gmail.com

 

49 Still Speaking, Still Leaving

Sam Hazo has added The Treachery of Luck: New and Selected Poems to his 40 books. Dr. Sylvester P. Thiesen, a professor and sometime administrator at St. John’s U, Collegeville MN, died March 15. His wife, Vere Castelli, preceded him. He leaves nine children — David, Clara, Sylvia, Paul, Julia, Andre, Bruno, Carla and Maria — and 11 grandchildren. Eugene D. Dollard died March 16 in Hamlin NY. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jeannette Harmon. He leaves his second wife, Marciana, and daughter Elizabeth Dollard Bysiek. Eugene was a recipient of the rarely awarded French Legion of Honor for bravery at Omaha Beach and in Okinawa. Paul V. Delker, who also pursued graduate studies in Thomistic philosophy at ND, died April 11 in Warrenton VA. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Madeleine Bordes, and their son Mark. He was survived by his second wife, Jean Heidenreich, and their children Judy, Brian and Moira, and his children with Madeleine, Leine and Christopher. After labor organizing, Paul joined the Department of Health, Education and Welfare where he designed the training program for the first Peace Corps volunteers and became director of adult education. Note to ND alumni: Paul and Madeleine warmly welcomed me and my German bride to South Bend in 1955 and became godparents of our firstborn, Susanne Mechtild Slavick. — Bill Slavick; whslavick@gmail.com