1970s

70 Class Gift Update
It’s time to start thinking about our 55th Reunion in June 2025. By then two new presidents will have been selected (US and ND), the Old Coal Line Trail will be complete, and Jill and Jimmy O’Connell’s youngest child may be in junior high school. Tom Nerney died in Atlanta on July 16. He lived in Farley as a freshman. A Green Beret in Vietnam, a paratrooper and then infantryman with the 101st, he moved to Fort Devens MA in 1969. After completing service in 1971, he earned a BA and then a Danforth Fellowship at U Georgia. A prolific raconteur, he is still recalled by friends for his recitation of Robert Service’s 1905 poem The Cremation of Sam McGee. For you golfers, lovers of Ireland or both, I recommend Tom Coyne ’97, ’99MFA. His A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee is delightful reading, even if he did graduate 27 years after us. Ed Hogan, skilled negotiator and founder (with his wife, Carol Collins ’72SMC, and colleague John Marren) of Hogan, Marren, Babbo & Rose, passed away Feb. 16, 2023. He had also served as assistant director of the Building and Construction Employers Association and special assistant attorney general for the IL State Toll Highway Authority and IL Department of Labor. Jimmy Brogan has been provoking laughs for over 51 years. In addition to appearances on The Tonight Show, Bridesmaids and Late Night with David Letterman, he appeared at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach CA on Sept. 25, 2022, with Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall and Jim McDonald. A special feature was their New Year’s Eve show with Jay, Jimmy, Carol Leifer and The Passing Zone. Debbie and John Gallagher spent Christmas in London and Malta. We were in Springfield IL with our six children and spouses and 13 grandchildren, but spent a week in Panama tracking down relics from my father’s WWII service there. Cathy and Denis Nolan celebrated another milestone with their eight children at grandson Dennis’ wedding. The church was full, with 56 people in the family photo. Cyndi and Wally Goulet joined thousands at the Navy game in Dublin. They saw Joe Montana, Jack Swarbrick and Fathers Jenkins and Malloy; took two tours of the Guinness Brewery (different visitors); and played golf at Ballybunion. Then they toured the European mainland and were home in six weeks. Our family, including son Lou ’08, son-in-law Ryan Majcina ’02 and their families, enjoyed the Pitt game; a highlight was touring the ND locker room and field. We hosted Beth and Ed McGuinness, Theresa and Tom Duffy of Fort Worth, and Nancy and Joe Vidrine at the tailgate. They all had Sunday brunch with Rev. Tom Blantz, CSC, history teacher and their 1967-68 rector at Zahm. Beth and Ed run McGuiness and Co., general contractors in Tampa. Joe, chief photographer for his high school yearbook, takes better pictures now. Nancy, his second-grade classmate at Holy Ghost Catholic School in Houston, saw Joe’s 2016 comment on the school’s Facebook page. Pretty soon he started driving to Houston from his home in San Antonio, and they married in 2022. Sherri and Scott Braley visited Disney World with family and Quebec by themselves. Dan Sedley died Oct. 2, survived by his wife, Kathy, and three children in Mount Laurel NJ. A Marine veteran, he served as chief inspector of customs in Philadelphia, retiring in 2009. Al LaReau recorded a beautiful Advent tribute to his daughter Gretchen, who died Feb. 7, 1993, at age 13, with insightful comments about the intermingling of joy, love and suffering. See sacredstories.nd.edu/project/december-22-2023. — Don Graham; 1901 S. Glenwood, Springfield IL 62704; 217-652-1560; fever1@me.com

 

70MBA Class Secretary — John Carroll;
4315 Alta Drive, Apt. 1301, Suwanee GA 30024; 404-281-6524; johnrcarroll@outlook.com

 

70JD Spring Has Sprung 
April has arrived and I find myself disagreeing with T.S. Eliot’s observation that it is the cruelest month. As winter fades into the background, we are once again fortunate to watch the beauty of another spring season unfold. I hope you are enjoying the same. Nancy and Joe Kane recently traveled to Florence, Italy, and Joe said they had a fabulous time. Joe mentioned that when he saw the photo of Granville Cleveland last year, he immediately recalled that Granville was a witness in the mock trial case assigned to Joe by Prof. Edward Barrett. His esteemed co-counsel was Pat Doherty. My recollection is that Joe Leahy and I teamed up against the dynamic duo of Rich Sullivan and Jack Van De North. The Hoynes Supreme Court found the four of us battling it out over allegations of negligent supervision on a school playground. It was Professor Barrett who developed and implemented the trial advocacy course that helped train so many future ND lawyers. Edward Barrett was a graduate of Canisius College and practiced law in the Buffalo area. He taught at Fordham Law School from 1946 to 1948 and at ND Law School from 1948 until he retired in 1978. Sadly, he passed away in 1982. Over the years many of you have told me how much you enjoyed Prof. Barrett’s class and that he was instrumental in fostering your interest in trial work. You may recall that we also had two distinguished Canisius College alums in our own class: Grant Zajas and Terry O’Connor. I heard from several of you who attended Irish football games last fall. Joyce and Tom Sopko were at the heartbreaking Ohio State game, as were Marie and Ken Iverson. Both Tom and Ken indicated that the spirit on campus for the OSU game was incredible and that during the game the atmosphere within the stadium was electric. Unfortunately, those upbeat feelings came to an abrupt halt as the clock ticked down in the final three seconds of the game. A few weeks later Tom returned with his grandson to help wake up the echoes inside the Irish stadium as ND convincingly defeated USC. Marie and I met up with our son, Michael ’00, his wife, Shannon (Norton) ’98, and our grandsons, Nathan and Zachary, for the Pittsburgh game. A good time was had by all on a crisp autumn afternoon under a gray October sky. Mary Kevin and Jamie Cawley celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last fall with a trip to Europe. While there they visited their son, Mark ’94, ’98JD, and his family in England and took time to locate places Jamie had frequented as a London Luckie during law school days. He was also able to reconnect with friends made in London so many years ago. Ted Lee was in the process of retiring late last year. When he contacted me, he had one extremely complicated lawsuit left to resolve. Ted, like Tom Rink, Jerry Perry and Jim Doyle, served as a US Marine Corps JAG Officer after graduating from NDLS. He was on active duty from 1970 through 1973 and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Over the years Ted became a member of the renowned Explorer’s Club. His accomplishments include climbing to the top of Denali, taking part in the world’s “toughest canoe race” and exploring the deepest cave in the Western Hemisphere. I know you join me in thanking Ted, Tom, Jerry and Jim for their service to our country and wishing Ted all the best as he eases into retirement. Until next time, stay well. Go Irish! — John K. Plumb; jkplumb37@gmail.com

 

71 Winter Quarter
COVID interrupted Pat and Sam Rumore’s plans to cruise the entire length of the Mississippi. Last summer they completed the unfinished portion, from St. Louis north to Lake Itasca, the original source, and on to Canada by car. Meg and John Collins now reside in TX, and were able to cobble together a creative road trip last summer. After visiting old haunts in Cincinnati, they arrived in Philadelphia for their daughter’s wedding in August. On the way home they stopped in Canfield OH to visit with Mary and Chuck Petrosky, and then headed to campus for the home opener, Tennessee State, and a chance to visit with roommate Ed Brosius. And there was more to come before they were even out of IN. Nick Furibondo passed away in September. He was a native of Hilton NY, a resident of St. Joe Hall and a chemistry major. He put the chem degree to good use during a 20-year career with Nalco, a global leader in water and process management systems based in suburban Chicago. So much so that he was awarded three patents during his time with Nalco. Condolences to Frances and their family. Lawrence Mullan, a native of Kings Park NY, passed away last July. A chem engineering major, he also put his scientific training to good use and was awarded two patents as a co-inventor during his time as a research chemist with Honeywell. Dan Donohue, Sioux Falls SD, was rooting around in some track team archives and came across a freshman-year article on the 42nd Annual Central Collegiate Conference Indoor Track Championships, hosted by ND on Feb. 24, 1968, which had some of the more interesting details for the last scheduled track event in the Fieldhouse. Freshmen were not eligible to participate in varsity competition, so there were two freshmen-only events: a 1-mile relay, which Dave Hyde, Tom Nasca, Tom Grabarek and Dan won. Also, a 1-mile run, with Tom Desch participating. The times have not been posted to preserve the fond memories of feats of yore. The most interesting fact was that the event started at 6 in the evening and went until 10, on a Saturday night. Odd time since there was no basketball game that weekend to compete for the space. Probably a sophisticated marketing ploy to get some of the guys normally headed back to the library after dinner to peel off and check out the activity, putting more butts in seats to cheer for the good guys. Or simply the long-range forecast showed that SMC, Simeri’s and Sweeney’s would be snowed in, making this best gig on campus. Ron Domingue passed away in September. A native of Lafayette LA and an AL major, he returned home to Lafayette after school and was the founder and owner of VMSI, a family business, from 1980 until 2013 when he retired. Condolences to his family. John Dorsey, Knoxville TN, passed away in October. A native of Washington PA, he had a varied career as a math teacher, girls basketball coach, software developer to the steel industry and then a developer for the healthcare industry, before retiring in 2020. Condolences to Deborah and their family. Condolences to Bill Barz and his family on Margaret’s passing. Dinky was a collegiate contemporary, ’71 SMC. A celebration of life was held in Chicago. In attendance were Tom Eaton, Charley Blum, Tom Herlihy, Chuck Nightengale, Chuck Snakard, Joe Maxim and Jay Standring. For those so inclined, the Spring Game has been scheduled for April 20. For those up north all winter, time to dust off the clubs. — John Snider; 830 N. Saint Peter St., South Bend IN 46617-1936; res 574-217-8961; cell 312-860-1779; jlscpa@yahoo.com

 

71MBA Holiday News
Christmas greeting cards and the December Class Notes encouraged several classmates to chip in with news updates. Monique and Bob McManus checked in from Lincoln NE, but are planning to move later this year to the Kansas City area to be closer to Bob’s mom and their daughters and grandkids. They hope to make it to an ND football game this year. Maria and Dick Denecker report in from Richmond VA. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary in March. Dick finally retired three years ago and is investigating second careers. He stays in touch with Anna Maria and Les Larsen since they moved to VA. Patricia and Rod Spear downsized from their riverfront home on the St. Joe River to a condo in Granger, closer to campus. They still have room for visitors and invite those coming to ND to stop by. Diane and John Halloran still claim to be from MN, although they really reside across the Mississippi River in Hudson WI. They will also be celebrating a 50th anniversary later this year. The highlight of the year was a trip to AK. Helena and Tony Strati continue to travel the US to visit grandkids and to make trips around the world that they postponed during COVID. Robbie (Parker) Fackelman ’71MA and I are kept busy with grandkids. I took the nearby grandkids to the Wake Forest game. The highlight was lining up at the player walk and high-fiving all of the coaches and players. That weekend Robbie traveled to Denver to see James, our precious grandson, participate as one of the models in the Global Down Syndrome fundraising event. Robbie has also gone back to teaching eighth-grade math at our grandkids’ parochial school. There are still lots of classmates who we haven’t heard from in a long time. — 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, Suite 1202, Chicago IL 60603; 312-857-2114; bdunigan@duniganlaw.com

 

72 Retirements and Golf (Of Course)
Jim Kee did his graduate work at the U of Virginia. Before retiring, he was a professor of English at the College of the Holy Cross for 35 years, teaching medieval literature, literary theory, and the Bible and literature. Jim writes that, after retiring, he and his wife, Joanne, learned the lesson that life is indeed “what happens while you are busy making other plans.” Shortly after leaving her position as a special ed reading teacher, Joanne was diagnosed with a form of dementia. Grace-filled visits at Joanne’s nursing home have replaced their ambitious travel plans. Their son lives in San Francisco. Michael Garvey was a chemistry major and lived in Stanford his first three years. He retired in 2023 after more than 40 years of practicing nephrology in Greenwich Village. He wrote that his career was bookended by two of the most serious medical issues of our time: the AIDs epidemic when the Village was one of the epicenters of the disease, and in his final years by the COVID pandemic. He was a medical officer for the FDNY for almost 30 years including being on duty on 9/11. He and his wife, Catherine, have been married 48 years and have three children and eight grandchildren. Killington VT was the site of this year’s Domer Duffer Golf Tournament, the 16th annual. The tournament is a three-day affair that has now been played in nine different states and 38 different courses. Participants include Scott O’Neill, Jeff Shula, Frank Martone, Paul Smyth ’73, Paul Pandolfi ’73 and Dennis Hanover ’73. This year’s tournament was dedicated to recently deceased friends Steve Cass (not previously reported in this magazine) and Jay Bonner ’71. Michael Stafford passed on Aug. 26. He joined our Class after having first spent some time at ND after his high school graduation, then served in the Army for two years, nine months, and obtained a degree in industrial management from Gannon U, Erie PA. After obtaining his ND degree in chemical engineering, he embarked on a long career with Stone and Webster Engineering where he worked as a construction manager in many locations in the United States and two in Ghana. He then founded Staff Sterling Management, a construction management consulting firm in VT. Our condolences to his wife, Donna, of 55 years. Tom Broz passed on Oct. 9. He came to ND from St. Joseph High School, Westchester IL (closed in 2021). At ND, Tom was president of the men’s rowing club. In 2016, he organized the 50th reunion of the crew club. Current crew members say that his varsity jersey still hangs in the boathouse and they named their Varsity 8 boat for Tom for their race in the annual Head of the Charles Crew Regatta, Boston. He majored in civil engineering and obtained a master’s in the field from the U of Illinois. He spent two decades with Bechtel where he designed nuclear power plants in the US and abroad and worked on unique projects such as a biosphere in the desert and a high-velocity wind tunnel. Our condolences to his wife, Colleen Monahan ’72SMC. Larry Burns passed Oct. 25. He came to ND from Wilmette IL, served as sophomore class secretary and majored in communication arts. He received an additional degree from ND in ’75 and a law degree from the U of Toledo in ’80. He practiced law in Grand Rapids MI. Our condolences to his wife, Christine, and their four children. Let us pray for each other, living and deceased, to the Mother of Holiness. — Jim Thunder; thundergroup@alumni.nd.edu

 

72MBA Real News for a Change
Our long string of no news comes to an end with this issue. I actually received several emails just after the Class Notes deadline for the winter issue so I shall begin with those. As you read these items, keep in mind this news is from last summer and fall. As always it was great to hear from my former roommate, Olivier Couturier. Last summer started off well, Olivier said, but in July he suffered a health crisis with arthrosis, which meant he could hardly do anything. Fortunately, with treatment, he has been able to resume most of his normal activities. On a more positive note, he said his family is well and his oldest granddaughter is finishing high school with A grades in every subject. Almost simultaneously with receiving the news from France I was equally pleased to find an email from Jack Haffey. Jack and his wife, Susan, are living in MT (no surprise there). Jack worked for the Montana Power Company for 30 years, half of that as a corporate officer, including six years as EVP/COO. He also served eight years in the MT senate. Susan and Jack have three grown children and six grown or growing grandchildren. Jack also mentioned he is currently evangelizing about “Stakeholder Capitalism,” which you can learn more about at jackhaffey.blogspot.com. Also last October I had the pleasure of being contacted by Jack Cofer. Jack and his wife both celebrated their 80th birthdays that month and will have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this March. They live in Marco Island FL and have two sons and four grandchildren who live not far from them. Jack mentioned that years ago he had seen John Satanek at several football games, and not long after graduation had spoken with Gil Goldberg, Matt Minnicks and Walt Sulkowski and had run into Ken Kern at a party in the 1980s. Sadly, as some of you may know, Matt and Walt have since passed away. The arrival of the winter issue of Notre Dame Magazine prompted a January email from Bob McBride and a follow-up to Bob’s email from Ed “West Coast Eddie” Gay. Bob and his wife, Jackie, live in Natick MA, just outside Boston. They are enjoying retirement and spending time with their children and grandchildren. In December they visited their daughter and her family in Portland OR. And, since Ed lives in Vancouver WA, just across the Columbia River from Portland, they took advantage of the opportunity to visit Ed and his wife, Brenda. Bob assured me that Ed is still that one-of-a-kind fellow we remember and still as much fun as ever to be with. If anyone would like a copy of the photo Bob sent of himself, his wife and Ed, just drop me an email. All these gentlemen sent their best wishes for 2024 to each of you. Since you won’t be reading this until April, I’ll just add that I hope the year is going well for everyone. In closing let me point out how enjoyable it is to have so much to report. It would be great if a number of you would follow the lead of these classmates and send an update on your current adventures. God bless you all. — Alex McLellan; 913-991-0944; irish72mba@gmail.com

 

72JD Class Secretary — Chris Schraff;
1881 Marble Cliff Crossing Ct., Columbus OH 43204; 614-227-2097; cschraff@porterwright.com

 

73 Revisited Again
I hope all of you read with great interest the article on seven of our classmates that appeared in the summer 2023 edition of Notre Dame Magazine. These seven classmates had been identified 30 years ago and now the magazine has interviewed them again. In case you missed this article, the seven classmates were Paul Dziedzic, John Abowd, John Walsh, Jim Fanto, Greg Stidham, Linas Sidrys and Floyd Kezele. I really liked the quote from Greg Stidham that said that “the purpose of a Notre Dame education is to become a compassionate person who lightens others’ burdens.” John Burkley retired from the Bank of America Law Department four years ago and moved to Sterling VA to be closer to his daughter Julia. He and his wife, Nancy, keep busy by composing music and teaching courses on James Joyce and Brian Wilson. Good to hear from Mike Forte who unfortunately could not attend the reunion. Mike was a part of the Zahm Zoo. Unfortunately, we have quite a few deaths to report. Those passing since our last column were Donald Shea, Mark Checchia, Martin Hagan, John Molony and, from the Saint Mary’s class, Julaine Brophy Brent. Thanks to Pamela King for that information. Speaking of Pamela, she attended the Pittsburgh game last fall and tailgated with Paul Collins and Bill Sauerland along with Kris Kane Carr and her husband, Larry Carr, both from our Class. Thanks to Lou Ferrello for organizing a memorial Mass for John Mariani said the day before the Wake Forest game in the old Log Cabin Chapel. In attendance were Ned Braun, Tom Sarb and his brother Pat (noted for giving his jersey to Rudy in the famous movie), yours truly and John’s son, Patrick, his wife and two children. The Mass was said by our Class chaplain John Conley. I’m looking for more news. It would be nice to hear some positive retirement stories. Please continue to send me news. — Michael W. Hansen; 3013 Sanctuary Court, Joliet IL 60435; cell 815-212-3661; mikehansen@mikehansenlaw.com

 

73MBA Moving on to 51
Gus Browne tells us that he recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Congratulations!! Mark Pajakowski and John Gaski share that recently they got together for lunch at the Parkview Tavern in downtown South Bend. They reviewed the 50th Reunion and gave a high grade and look forward to the 55th. Thanks again to Tim Geoghegan, Mike Gormley and Chuck Arentowicz for all you did to make it happen! Will Jones lets us know that after 16 years in SW FL he and his wife moved to the Tucson AZ area over a year ago. They have a son in this area and a daughter in San Diego, and it is nice to be closer to two of their children and grandkids. The other two sons live in WI, and they have an aversion to snow, ice and subfreezing temperatures. My granddaughter Victoria turned 21 in January. Exciting times for Susan and I. I look forward to hearing from all of you. Send me your updated email addresses and any additions or corrections to these magazine inputs. Please continue to support our legacy ’73MBA Notre Dame Magazine alumni quarterly input opportunities. Share your job promotions, retirements, ND memories, family stories or more. You are always welcome to visit us in Southern CA. — Thomas Jindra; tajindra@charter.net

 

73JD Class Secretary — Paul Reagan;
16527 Heron Coach Way, Fort Myers FL 33908; cell 847-915-9796; pvreagan@gmail.com

 

74 One Amazing Class 
This is the year we celebrate our 50th Reunion. We are blessed to be with those who can join in this wonderful celebration of special times from long ago. You can register at reunion.nd.edu. And should this be in your mailbox after the reunion, anyone that was unable to attend in person, we know you were with us in our memories and spirit. As of this writing, it is prior to the Reunion, and the news will be light; however, just wait till afterwards, as I’ll have lots of fun items to share. Mark Wenig sends his greetings from Sydney! He has spent the northern winter out of Vienna since his wife has a home in Australia. While Mark has every intention to attend Reunion, the knee replacement on April 25 may be a hindrance … ya think? However, I like his spirit. As Mark said, “I mean, how many 50-year reunions do you get in a life?” Great perspective. He welcomes all those in the Vienna area after March 16! A little POG? Jim Whalen (Whales) would like to reiterate that this POG will be the largest gathering in the history of POG, surpassing all records. The shenanigans begin on April 15 and last until the last man is standing (or golfing) on April 21. We are anxious to hear how the rookies survived alongside the seasoned regulars. We wish Dennis Lozzi (Loz), Ken Schuster (Schu) and Steve Bauchman (spud muffin/cowboy) all the best. Also, the competition for the annual ART award must be shared. Greg Aiello, pro Hall of Fame NFL public relations guru, and his wife, Karen, spent two weeks in Italy. First to Florence for a visit with their son, who is currently studying at Syracuse U, and then they were off to enjoy the fine wines in Tuscany and along the Amalfi Coast. That’s it, short and sweet. The Class officers and Reunion committee helpers are feverishly working as a solid team to make the 50th Reunion one of the best to remember. It all begins on Thursday night, so book your flights early!! Ree Devitt Thelen is working her magic behind the scenes to make this a very fun and memorable event. Come alone, come with classmates and/or meet new friends … just join us. You’ll be so glad you did. Remember what Mark said about how many 50-year reunions does one get in a lifetime? And please write/visit me. Cheers! — Dede Lohle Simon; 300 2nd Ave., Unit 2139, Needham Heights MA 02494; dedersimon@gmail.com

 

74MBA No Changes
Some things change, others do not. For example, the Detroit Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years in mid-January!! Go Lions!! Some things change, for the better, some might argue (e.g., the Detroit Lions’ victory-starved fan base). On the other hand, some things seldom change. The weather today in MI is frigid. There are about 4 inches of snow on the ground and the high temperature may reach double digits. That is not unexpected weather for this time of year in Detroit. Also, I have not received any new information from any of my 1974 MBA classmates since the last issue of this magazine. Oh well, what shall I write? I know. The continuing adventures of Jack and Helen! In mid-February, Helen and I are flying to FL to spend 10 days in the sunshine, surf and warm temperatures of the Gulf of Mexico. We will be journeying to FL’s west coast to Cape Coral, north of Fort Myers. We really enjoy our escapes to FL or the Caribbean during the cold winter months. That warm sunshine has a way of rejuvenating our spirits. We envy those classmates living in FL in the winter, but we wonder how you can bear the heat and humidity during those long summer days. I guess everyone finds a way to adapt to their surroundings. I hope this note finds all of you and your families in good health. Drop me a line and let me know if you come into contact with any former classmates and want to share some of those stories with us in this article. As always, we welcome any news about our former colleagues. — Jack Burnett; 19248 Glen Eagles Drive, Livonia MI 48152; 734-464-3458; jburnet1@sbcglobal.net

 

74JD Five Decades On
Tempus fugit. I guess those Romans knew a thing or two. Two scores and a decade ago we convened at du Lac to begin our legal camino. Early on Prof. Kellenberg invited us to ride along on Post’s hunt, and the race was begun — though Pierson did get the last laugh. Prof. Murphy helped us navigate the privity of contract maze of Tweedale v. Tweedale (love that name), and Prof. Rice explained Justice Caradozo’s Long Island Railroad cautionary tale, allowing us to learn from Mrs. Palsgraf’s fate and dodge exploding packages and descending scales. Chief Broderick orchestrated football pep rallies while standing on a law classroom desk, thereby demonstrating that all work and no play could make Jack and Jill dull legal scholars, while simultaneously making Col. William J. Hoynes spin in his grave like a top. At this point we knew we were not in Kansas anymore. There were no atheists in the shadows of a blue book when the results of an entire semester’s work and study hinged on the outcome of a single exam. That’s pressure. The places we’ve gone have enriched our lives. We were fortunate to prepare for our journeys with the help and shared wisdom of our colorful and dedicated Law School faculty and staff. We were fortunate to have met and known each other. Time and distance may have eroded these memories, but Roberta Halladay and Noel Augustyn have worked hard to give us the opportunity to refresh them by organizing our 50th Reunion, which will be held this year during May 30-June 2. Professor Emerita of Law Patty O’Hara coordinated our efforts with those of Tammye Raster ’92JD, the law alumni program manager, whose assistance has proved invaluable. We sincerely hope that you are able to realize this opportunity to reconnect. It’s been 50 years since most of us have seen each other — don’t make it be another 50 before we do. We hope that you can join us at ND to reminisce and catch up. Peace and take care. — Joe O’Reilly; cell 502-649-6955; joe.oreilly34@icloud.com

 

75 Hog Reunion a Big Success
Paul Ryan writes from MI about a campus reunion of Holy Cross dorm dwellers from the Classes of ’75 and ’76, held over the fantastic USC weekend in October. Nearly 200 “Hogs” gathered to celebrate the dorm that was built in 1887 and torn down in 1991. Included were the following: Anthony Abowd, Steve Cahir, Joe D’Alusio, Mike Fitzgerald, Rick Golden, Dick Kelley, Dave McLoughlin, Ed Merrion, Jim “Admiral” Pettengill, Raul Romero, Paul “Nana” Ryan, Ken Scarola, Ken Tenaglia (from Japan!), Jim Whittington, Dick Williams and Drew “Boss Hog” Danik. As previously noted, classmate Dan Hesse has a weekly podcast called The Mentors Radio Show. A recent episode, no. 352, featured an interview with legendary ND and NFL quarterback Joe Montana ’79. Way to go, Dan (and Joe)! Find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. From Joe Henderlong: He and wife Sarasue live in Parker CO and have welcomed a second grandchild, a preemie grandson who spent two months in Denver Children’s Hospital but is doing fine now. Joe will watch his son do a marathon run in London this year and then travel to Paris and Vienna with his daughter. Sadly, Joe reports that classmate Bob “Flag” Bailey passed away from cancer last December in Petersburg MI. They were close friends through high school in WI and then ND. Bob’s wife, Debra, passed away 12 years ago and he is survived by sons Mason and Mark. The memorial service will be in the spring. Peter Geurtz of Griffin GA was a guest speaker at the Notre Dame Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 9. Peter was in Air Force ROTC while a student, then active for 26 years and retired as an Air Force colonel in 2001. His day on campus included speaking to students in classes. He has been married since 2007 to Candace Carson Geurtz ’77, who also went through ND’s Air Force ROTC program. Thanks to both for their service! Jim Lewis happily reports from PA that his son Jim married a fellow Catholic U grad, Alicia, in Washington DC, where they are both employed. Remember the recently lost classmates: Dr. Bill Crooks of Plantation FL, who passed Sept. 19 and is survived by wife Jane, and Francis “Frank” O’Connell of Bethel Park PA, who died Nov. 24 and is survived by wife Barbara. Save the date now for Reunion 2025, our 50th Class gathering at ND, May 29 to June 1 next year. We are planning great activities to mark this milestone. Join the planning committee! Contact Jeanne Murphy at jmmnd75@gmail.com. Please continue to send me your news. Thanks! — Norm Bower; 3946 Fernwood Ave., Davenport IA 52807; 563-349-0469; normbower53@gmail.com

 

75MBA Class Secretary — Jim Ouimet;
215-862-3080; jimouimet@comcast.net

 

75JD Spring Notes
Not having heard from anybody, I had no grist for this quarterly column. I was distraught, nearly tossing in the towel, and knowing my streak of 20 straight columns might be coming to an end. However, if Air Supply can make love out of nothing at all, and if Prof. John “Chief” Broderick could teach evidence in much the same way, I knew I had a chance. So, I dipped my toes and eyeballs into internet postings and social media to hunt down fresh meat to fashion a functional column. I headed first to Facebook, recalling that Brian Short had posted about a trip to Ireland for the Navy game. He noted that he, Kathleen and others explored northerly (Belfast, Derry and Donegal) before working their way to Ballingarry, home of his grandparents. Just by chance, Karen and I were across the pond for the same game, and we traversed the island with our daughter (Courtney Flynn ’03), her husband (Jim Flynn ’03) and four grandchildren; we worked our way through Galway, Killarney and Cork before a side trip to Carrick-on-Suir, the ancestral home of the Flynn wing of our extended family. Anybody else make the journey to Ireland? It was a wonderful experience, and trouncing Navy was an added plus. Speaking of football, is it possible that the epic 85-yard touchdown run of Eric Penick ’75 occurred a half century ago? I assume we were all there on Oct. 27, 1973, when he rocked the stadium in our second year as Ara and the lads took down the Trojans. For me it is an endearing memory, and to bring those games front and center, download Penick’s fascinating book titled A Notre Dame Man. Switching to basketball, Grant Billmeier is the 12th head coach of the New Jersey Institute of Technology men’s basketball program; Grant’s father is Bob Billmeier. Over in Chicago, Steve Botsford, an outside linebacker on the 2010-11 Notre Dame football roster, was a candidate for Chicago City Council Ward 43; being astute, you already guessed that Steve’s father is our Steve Botsford. As our Class gets smaller and grayer, work is a four-letter word describing dawn-to-dusk office drudgery which most of us shun. Still, mediation services have become an obvious pursuit (read: pastime) for seasoned (read: non-young) attorneys. I find internet postings for Ed Choate (d/b/a Choate Consultation Services) in Republic MO, Terry Shewmaker in Elkhart IN and Patricia Ann Siuta in Atlanta, all offering mediation services. I am sure there are others in our Class who have gone down the same path. As for me, I am unable to mediate disputes between my grandsons when they bicker over a PlayStation control, so I am staying far away from big-people squabbles. Lear Capital has assembled a rotating panel of experts including Andy Napolitano to provide focus and advice to put current events into context and understand their impact on the economy and pocketbooks; Andy’s “hard earned dollars” commercials pop up on my television with considerable frequency. The foregoing is a collection of nuggets squeezed from internet and social media sites. Like Seinfeld, it is all about nothing. I hope everything is true as reported, but I am sitting in the sunshine on the deck of a high-rise hotel in Myrtle Beach at this moment indifferent to the veracity of the written word. Plus, to twist the Janis Joplin lyrics, accuracy is just another word for nothing left to lose. In short, if my web sources gave me bad info, we will have to live with it. Cheers, mates! — Frederick Giel; fggiel@gmail.com

 

76 Gracefully approaching 70 . . . ?
It’s “88 and 1” Day, as I stare at the grey and white Indiana landscape, vividly remembering the day we snapped UCLA’s 88-game winning streak in men’s basketball 50 years ago. As we reminisce about days gone by, we find ourselves in that “in-between” space – sometimes mourning the loss of our formerly active selves and other times sharing drinks with weathered classmates approaching the magic age of 70. While some ponder our fleeting youth, others still celebrate it. Tom Paulius – artist, photographer, philosopher extraordinaire – played on the winning team in Florida Lacrosse Classic’s inaugural 70+ Zen Masters Division! Tom Young, Augie Grace, Paul Shay, and Rick Supik (surviving members of “F-Troop”) seek warm climates each February to reminisce and embellish on past adventures. Last year, it was Palm Springs with a supplemental trip to Dublin Ireland! Mark Augustine sold his business in 2019 and retired in 2021. Then, after 39 years in Texas, he and his wife moved to Owensboro KY in October to be close to daughter Melissa ’04SMC and family. He has six grandchildren – three in Kentucky and three in Alaska. Betsy Short was in CO for the birth of her first grandchild, Elizabeth Marion “Bizzy” Drescher. Mark Storer is proudly celebrating the many Golden Globes and Emmys for The Bear which is the brainchild of his son Christopher Storer. Greg Marino splits his time between Wyoming and Alaska – combining roles as deacon and oncologist, admittedly busier than ever! The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium asked him to return in 2022 to rebuild the hematology-oncology department serving the native community. Greg asks for prayers for his team and their patients from the Middle Yukon who rely on the salmon that have not shown up in the Yukon River in recent years. A Dec. 23 Washington Post story featured classmate E.A. “Betty” Raven and her quiet acts of kindness while her health declined before her passing. Her sister Cathy Raven ’92 reported her death in South Bend. Betty earned a BS and MS in electrical engineering from ND, working for Bendix (Honeywell) from graduation to retirement in 2018. Betty generously supported organizations that protected the environment, fed the hungry, and supported immigrants in her community. In death as in life, she chose to be a trailblazer; her “green” burial was the first of its kind at Cedar Grove Cemetery on campus. Peter McElroy passed away in December after a distinguished law career in Massachusetts. He loved his family, reading, travel, and sunrises. Stephen Simpson lost an extended battle with Leukemia complicated by COVID-19. He became a full-time resident of Naples FL in 2019 following his retirement from 38 years as an orthodontist in Ohio. Kevin O’Connor called Dec. 26 to let me know his father Chuck O’Connor had sadly passed away on Christmas. Chuck was a baseball player while at ND and a proud alumnus. His firstborn, Charlie, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at age six and had a double lung transplant in 2011. James Landis worked for IBM in the US and Italy, then for several tech companies while living in Ireland, Italy, and Belgium. He retired in 2022 and moved from VA to Sicily, where he was struck and killed by a car near his home in December. Mike Lombard shared the news that his Flanner roommate Jim Ghiglieri passed away. Jim was a pitcher on the baseball team at ND and followed his father’s and grandfather’s legacy in community banking, eventually becoming President of Citizens National Bank in Toluca IL. We celebrate these distinguished lives and offer our sincere condolences to their families and friends. — Shelley Muller Simon 5972 Dune Harbor Dr, Portage IN 46368; call or text 573-268-3690; ssimon823@gmail.com

 

76MBA Class Secretary — Mike Norris;
text 248-330-5366; norris1021@comcast.net

 

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 Celebrations and Farewells
At the Chicago/Midwest National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards ceremony, Tim Powell and his wife, Betty Olivera, celebrated a new addition to Tim’s crowded trophy shelf: a 2023 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for “Outstanding Crafts Achievement for Audio — Live or Postproduction” for Live from the Harris: Adrian Dunn’s Emancipation. In October the NDames Rowing Team, including Elizabeth Corbin Murphy, competed in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in Philadelphia. Pitt game gatherings included: Polly Mack Spangler, Sarah Lynch Hadley, Betsy Lamping Sklena, Sue Fitzpatrick Drago and Lou Drago; Cincinnati group of Jen Ryder Raabe, Cary Bangs, Carole Howard, Prudence Pyn Lidbury ’78Arch, Dom Carbone ’78Arch, Tessa Bangs ’18, Jackson Bangs ’12, Rob Howard ’78Arch, Ken Fedorko, Ray Fedorko, Jamie Joyce, Lisa Becker ’78Arch, Gregg Bangs, Mark Koplin ’78Arch, Andy Swanfeldt, Sue Kowal Swanfeldt, Joe Raabe ’19, Ed Blieszner ’78Arch, Diane Blieszner ’78SMC, ’81JD, Wendy Duffey ’76, Judy Shiely King’s husband, Joe King, and Michael Nolan ’78Arch; and Morrissey Hall’s Paul Waller, Tim Casey, Mike Buersmeyer, Mike Burke, Dan Breitenbach and Jim Wolf. In November, classmates sent happy 85th birthday wishes to Sister Jane Pitz, the first assistant rector of Walsh Hall, and we read Eileen O’Grady Daday’s NDSA newsletter article, “The Class of ’77 Visits the Vatican.” Candace Carson Geurtz was a “very proud wife and fellow [USAF] veteran” when her husband, Col. Peter Geurtz ’75, ret., delivered the Veterans Day address on campus. The Geurtzes also laid wreaths for National Wreaths Across America; a corporate sponsor is Jersey Mike’s, where John Gelson is VP and general counsel. Robert E. Reilly Jr. is CEO and founding partner of Reilly Partners, an executive search firm in Chicago. Bob Grant, on staff at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, was pleased to receive a thank-you letter for gifts given to the Pope after the Class of ’77 Papal audience, which included Mass cards and a statue of St. Patrick. In December, Fisher Hall alumni gathered at the Landmark Tavern in New York City; in attendance were Brian Rourke ’81, Colette Floyd ’78SMC, Frank Floyd MD, John Garofalo, Sheila Elser ’79SMC, Mike Elser MD ’79, Rosemary Briganti, Mike Briganti ’81, Laura Hurban, Robert Hurban ’79, and Marianne and John Gallina. Jeff Vitter began an @OysterLoafer blog on Instagram and Facebook, and traveled in Chile with his wife, Sharon. James King, author of Bill Warrington’s Last Chance, shared his poetry at Wilton CT workshops. January’s weather revived fun memories of a campus-wide snow sculpture contest after the Blizzard of ’77, with photos of Kong, the Sphinx, Jaws and a peanut that resembled President Jimmy Carter, ’77’s commencement speaker, shared by Pat McHugh McGue and John Gallina. Wedding bells rang for Bill Scheible, who married Lori Kiser on Jan. 6 at Immaculate Conception in Port Clinton OH; for Dan Winnike Jr. ’14, son of Sharon Carr Winnike and Dan Winnike ’75 and nephew of Nick Winnike; and for class treasurer Bob Blanck’s youngest daughter, Hannah Blanck, a lawyer at Booth Hall, who married Tyler Roberts at Epiphany Church in Miami on Jan. 20. Twenty days later, his attorney son, William Blanck, who works with Bob, married Michelle Gonzalez at Epiphany Church. Allison Yuhl Kenney welcomed her fifth grandchild, Anna Catherine Kenney, daughter of her son Ryan and his wife, Cristina, in December. Deepest condolences go out to Carolyn Short who lost her brother, Robert McCann Short; to Tim Mulligan, former co-captain of the ND fencing team, who lost his 98-year-old mother, Mary T. Mulligan, who “was very happy that my brother, 1st Lt. USAF Dan Mulligan ’73, dec. 1976, and I were both graduates of ND”; and to the family of Jim Draga. Jim was previously a psychotherapist in CO and worked in education in New Zealand before becoming the “graduation czar,” or executive director of university initiatives and student success, at Sacramento State U. Write to me with your news, and happy spring! — Virginia McGowan Bishop; res 847-291-7510; classof1977@alumni.nd.edu

 

77MBA Class Secretary — Alan J. Fisher;
ajfisher7577@gmail.com

 

77JD Buller Travels for Total Eclipse
Susan Buller plans to travel from San Francisco to San Antonio in April to have the best (protected) view of the total solar eclipse. Susan, of course, researched the best places in the path of totality. (ND is a good place to view a near-total eclipse.) Back home, Susan enjoys time with her grandson Brady, who shares a name with my youngest grandchild. John Van Gessel stays in shape with a daily vigorous hike of two to three miles. I can vouch for him because he was breathing hard when we talked. He and his wife spend the winters in Marietta GA and summers near South Haven MI. John stays busy with a small practice, some investment properties and charitable work. They are also busy and blessed with four children, including Anthony Van Gessel ’05, and four grandchildren. Because I share my brother Joe Becker ’70’s love of airplanes, my husband, Larry, finds spots for me to watch military planes, even if it is in our front yard on ND game days as the Thunderbirds roar by. This year we will spend a couple weeks in Pensacola FL where we can spend quality time at the National Naval Aviation Museum and watch for the amazing Blue Angels. Of course, sunny beaches are also a draw for us and for our golden retriever, Buddy, who is happy with either snow or sand that resembles it. My plan is to contact classmates I haven’t heard from in some time to share their news. I welcome all calls, emails or texts. As previously noted, as I get closer to full retirement, I will be transitioning to my home email address of jane1977nd@outlook.com. — Janey Bennett; 50850 Tarrington Way, Granger IN 46530; 574-298-9251; bus 574-243-4100; jane1977nd@outlook.com

 

78 The Class with Class
Greetings, fellow members of the class with class! Here’s to a great spring and summer! Now to the news! Attending the ND/Pitt game were Alicia Denefe and Kathy Kane (assigned to be roommates freshman year and still friends almost 50 years later!). We enjoyed our “tailgate” in the Monogram Club into which Kathy was inducted last year for her participation in varsity field hockey. Thank goodness for Title IX and thanks to Notre Dame for recognizing the athletes that came before Title IX. We had a great time on campus. I love all the “pop-up” photo opps around campus and really enjoyed the Hesburgh mosaic in one of the library entrances that celebrates women and female athletes. Alicia also reported news of the Innsbruck crew. There was a total of 56 who studied abroad in Innsbruck, Austria, during the 1975-76 class year. They were one of the largest groups and enjoyed many experiences together that produced a tight bond. The Olympics were in Innsbruck the year they were there! Jimmy Dunne, in his position as a member of the PGA Tour’s policy board, did well in his testimony before the US Senate committee investigating the merger of the PGA and LIV golf. Jimmy was the main architect of the deal. Bill “Beefsteak” Reifsteck wants us to know that a limited run of copies of his book, Two Million Bricks in 160 Days: The Story of the Construction of Notre Dame Stadium in 1930, are available on eBay. Just search the title. Bill will donate half of any profits realized to our Class Scholarship Fund. Paul Coppola had an article published on the website of Notre Dame Magazine. It is a story about his decades-long friendship with Gerry Faust. Paul tried to represent the Class of 1978 well by writing a good story. It contains some new things you may not have heard before. It was great to see Ken “Hawk” Haffey at Reunion! Ken has been involved in planning and managing the University’s 1977 football championship reunions every five years, along with Terry Eurick, Steve Orsini and Terry Murphy ever since 1982. On a professional note, Ken’s CPA firm merged into Marcum LLP in 2019 and he was appointed the partner-in-charge for national mergers and acquisitions. Don Smail and the San Joaquin Club organized a group trip to Ireland for the Navy game, including side trips to Rock of Cashel, Blarney, Jameson’s, golfing and a few pubs along the way. The ’78 crew staying in Tipperary with Don included Steve Durant, Pete Andreyev, Greg Switaj, Joe Camarda, Larry Morris, Mary Emich, and Jeff Carpenter with wife Janice. Also encountered in Dublin and elsewhere were John Delaney, Steve “Bones” Conover, Mary White and Pat Dermody. On the way to Ireland, Don and Greg made a stop in Holland to visit Paul White in Haarlem. Paul sends many thanks to all classmates for their prayers for his recovery. After Dublin, Don took Pete for his first visit back to ND for the Ohio State game, where Rich Barlow joined. Also part of the crew were Pete Haley of grilled cheese fame, Randy Heimbuch, Tom Coryn and recent Abbey Road stars Dennis Doughty and Jim Wendel. Don rolled back into South Bend for the USC victory with Steve Durant, Nace Mullen and his son, Hilary and Chris Crnkovich, and Donna and Jim Leonard. The USC game and the indoor tailgating were exceptional, even if the lodging was a bit spartan! Tony “Disco” Crudele was Nace’s private chauffeur for the weekend. In October, John Delaney and Jim Coyne had dinner with Jack Sacco near Villanova PA. Jack is working on a documentary about human trafficking. It was a fascinating conversion! John, Nace, Steve Conover and Jim Coyne once again marched in the annual Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 10. Nace organized the Philadelphia Alumni Club’s group, and John was inducted into the Parade Association’s Ring of Honor. An update on our Class of 1978 scholarship, as we honor the memory of Jimmy Martin: The fund has raised in excess of $295,000 to date! This is great news, but it doesn’t mean we stop! While it may be more difficult to contribute at this time, consider any gift that you can. For more information, contact Pat Flynn at pat.flynn@indianabev.com. Stay in touch! Please keep in your prayers the families of Jerry Brems, who died, and Bill Reifsteck, whose dad died, both in September. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. — Jim “Souls” Coyne; 1801 Butler Pike, Apt. 20, Conshohocken PA 19428; 267-847-8808; jcoyne@cohs.com

 

78MBA Class Secretary — Mamie Anthoine Ney;
41 Applewood Lane, Falmouth, ME 04105; res 207-229-0989; bus 207-333-6640 ex 2020; irishwasherwoman@alumni.nd.edu

 

78JD A Note from John
I did not receive any recent news from our classmates, but there was a big surprise. John Connaughton, one of our many excellent professors from the 1970s, wrote to me saying, “I just noticed that you now write a class column for the Notre Dame Magazine. So, now I have found an easy way to track you down. I remember you from your days at the Notre Dame Law School. You were there when I was on the faculty. I remember full well the day you were in my office, and I told you about the good time I had at Yale when I got an advanced law degree there.” What a nice treat to hear from one of our teachers after so many years! During the fall semester I spent three months on sabbatical at the London School of Economics working on a book on the American approach to ethics in government. A couple weeks before Christmas I flew to Krakow, Poland, to speak on “Artificial Intelligence and Legal Malpractice Liability.” The city could not have looked more Christmas-y. There was a heavy snowfall that lasted a full week and horses decked with red tassels and silver bells crisscrossed the paths leading to the markets and churches. Gorgeous! Send news, stories, memories and other grist for the mill. — Vincent R. Johnson; 210-410-3562; vjohnson@stmarytx.edu

 

79 South Bend Bound
Our reunion celebration begins next month from May 30 to June 2. It’s not too late to register at reunion.nd.edu. Rev. Mark George, SJ, is in Detroit serving with pastoral work and art work. He is a painter and sculptor. In the fall, he had a “powerful experience” as part of a 20-member delegation to Honduras with the SHARE Foundation. Mary Gaskill-Shipley and her husband, Ralph, live in Cincinnati where she is a neuroradiologist at the U of Cincinnati. She is a part-time retiree, having stepped down as department section chief and taking a part-time position as vice-chair of faculty development encouraging the career growth of the newer faculty. Her husband, who worked in the same department as a chest radiologist, fully retired. Andy Gotuaco and his wife, Chona, live in Muntinlupa City in the Philippines where he is the director of Gotuaco Del Rosario Insurance Brokers. They have three children and two grandchildren. In November, Mary and Tim Sullivan welcomed their first grandson, Colin Sean, joining their granddaughter, Jane. Colin and Jane belong to their son Sean ’21MBA and his wife, Elizabeth. Jenni (Imfeld) and Mark Duerinck became grandparents in November as well when their daughter Caitlin ’11SMC and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed Elaina. Mark and Jenni live in Naperville and Mark has retired from cardiology. Sheila ’80SMC and Steve Simmerman live in Phoenix where Steve is with Locus Robotics managing the global partner team and supply chain network. Their three children live in the Phoenix area, which allows Steve to spend time with his three grandsons. See you at the reunion. — Barbara A. Langhenry; res 216-651-8962; cell 216-509-8962; breclw@aol.com

 

79MBA Class Secretary — Patty Kennedy Kerr;
7750 Leonard St. NE, Ada MI 49301; 616-682-1223; kerrtaxcpa@gmail.com

 

79JD Class Secretary — Daniel F. McNeil;
1001 NW Lovejoy, Unit 205, Portland OR 97209; 503-539-9188; mcneil.daniel12@gmail.com