GYOENGYI (MOLNAR) QUINN AND HER FAMILY SEND GREETINGS FROM NEW ENGLAND

Life has been good - I'm still teaching and loving it, although I do plan to retire soon. My husband and I have decided New England winters are for the young and we would like to start spending more time in Florida where we have a second home. You can golf year ‘round in Florida, or so I am told, but Massachusetts’ winters are not as accommodating.

Our children, Brian and Meg, and their spouses are in the Boston area so we don't plan to move permanently... just when the white stuff is covering the ground.

I know that those attending the reunion will be in awe of what the Committee has put together and will really enjoy it.

I suspect most of the people there will think "who the heck was she ...don't remember her at all!"

If asked to reflect on the past forty years, I would simply say that life has been fulfilling. My greatest joy has been being party and witness to the continual capacity of one's own children to enrich and amaze their parents' lives, as well as producing the occasional premature gray hair. I've also felt a great satisfaction in teaching...children have an infinite ability to evoke the best in us. For the past 37 years I have shared my life with my wonderful life partner, Fred.

Today has been a particularly tough game of Whack a Mole. (Gyng's euphemism for the teaching profession) A three-day weekend (as most teachers well know) and the end of our local Topsfield Fair makes the kids nutty every year when it comes to town. So I am on to another day.

I wish everyone the best.

Gyoengyi (Molnar) Quinn

Ipswich MA
Fort Myers FL

FRANK BONACCORSO (THE BATMAN) REDISCOVERED

(Ed. Note – This bio with photos was so filled with news, humor and nostalgia that it is being included in its entirety)

I have been found by Claudia through the miracles of the internet. I only learned about the details of our 40th Reunion today. Not one to hesitate, I will be searching for flights from Hilo, Hawaii, to LA, and if I can find an affordable airefare, then wild horses won't keep me away from this Reunion. I have thought about many of my classmates over the years but whenever there has been a reunion, I have been working in Europe, or South America, or Papua New Guinea (where I had a wonderful job for 7 years as Chief Curator of Natural History at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Port Moresby).

I am no doubt the blacksheep of the Alemany Family. I have seen very few of my classmates over the years (aplogies guys), and have not stayed in one place too long after earning my BA at UCLA (along with Jim Coffee and John Preble among others) and my Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 1975.

My profession, wildlife biology/tropical ecology has given me special privilege to be paid to explore the world and work among rare animals. I have done most of those crazy things you have you have seen on the Discovery Channel, wrestled with boa constrictors, had the black rhino nearly impale my car, had the sea lions in the Galapagos swim through my legs, had a scorpion nearly hit the family jewels, been bitten by vampire bats. I have worked on all the continents (except Antarctica) and quite a few tropical islands on terrestrial and marine mammals, birds, insects, and plants. Among my great thrills as a naturalist/explorer has been being part of the rediscovery of a population of a rare dolphin (snub-nosed dolphin) in river mouths of Papua New Guinea, also a three week cruise to study sperm whales (whale breathe is bad!) on a 94 foot schooner with fancy echolocation gear, again off New Guinea in the Bismarck Sea, many years of research on fruit bats in Kruger National Park, South Africa, where I have been chased by elephants and rhinos repeatedly......well the list could go on for awhile.

While in Kruger National Park, South Africa. I posed with the tusks of my african nemesis, the elephant, outside the camp called Olifants in Kruger. I take volunteer assistants to Africa if anyone is brave enough.

My research experiences and near escapes from elephants in Africa will form a contributed chapter in a book titled, "Moonlight Reflections", to be published soon by the University of Colorado Press (Rick Adams, editor). Check out my book, Bats of Papua New Guinea, on Amazon.com -- hardly a best seller -- but well received by my "batmen" colleagues. I am best known to biologists for my studies of tropical bats, especially the big bats known as flying foxes and which when raised as orphans are gentle as puppy dogs.

At age 35, I discovered I had some talent at running fast middle distance and entered the world of Master's Track and Field and Road Racing as a member of the Florida Track Club. The FTC club was started by olympic marathon gold medalist, Frank Shorter, in Gainesville, Florida., while I was in grad school. At age 41, I ran a 4:41 metric mile (1500 m on an indoor track), much faster than the 5:00 mile I ran on the Alemany track in PE class as sophomore. Coach Vanni would not believe I ran 5 flat when he was recording times after eveyone finished their run in PE that day until I got Dale (Pat) Dolan who I ran beside all the way to verify. I was really sensitive and hurt by this and as a result I never went out for track at Alemany much as I regret it now. In 1989, I represented the USA running the steeplechase in the World Associaton of Veterans Athletes Games (5,000 athletes in a week of competition) at the revered track at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Our Alemany classmate and my best friend, Bill Danaher and his family, were in the grandstands cheering for me. I finished 4th in that race, however, on the second lap, I took the lead for two laps after an Indian wearing a white turbin hit one of the steeple barriers and crashed on the track. With me in the lead wearing a USA team singlet, the crowd went wild cheering U-S-A for me and stamping on the wooden grandstands. I can still hear Bill Danaher, who lived next door to me in Mission Hills on Kingsbury Street, cheering for me. I have won a few medals competing in New Zealand, Australia, and the USA in various Master's Games including a gold medal in the mile road race down the main street of Alice Springs, Australia. This race occurred in 90 degree heat with 10% humidity and after winning four silver medals in those Games, I decided to go for broke and push the pace in my final race. I led the pack from start to finish, but only barely he! ld on to win.

During a decade of teaching biology at the University of Florida's P.K. Yonge Laboratory High School I coached both girls and boys cross country and track and field with some success at turning out state individual champions in distance running. I also volunteered at the UF Gators track and field meets and as "clerk of the course" got to lead many Olympic champions to the starting line for races at UF meets. I am still running, but little niggling injuries have kept me from training hard the past two years in Hawaii. Mostly, I run for fun now enjoying the scenic landscapes of Hawaii and mentoring young runners. Anyone for a run in Hawaii?

I have great memories of Alemany and many of you Indians in the class of '66. A little known fact, I guess I can tell now, is that the night of graduation, I joined Art Fonseca, Bill Danaher, Tim Jordan, and Dave Nehen (I believe that was the group) on a midnight raid to TP the trees outside the nun's convent at Alemany. We must have thrown 20 rolls of toilet paper that night.

Does anyone remember hearing the Association ("And Then Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish") at Grad Night for Disneyland? I probably was the most shy and backward boy at Alemany when it came to girls -- my first real date was our Grad Night at Disneyland when the stars were finally aligned right for me and circumstances just worked out such that a lovely girl happened to coax shy Frank into ridding with her on Space Mountain. Thanks for a magic night in the Magic Kingdom CH! I still have our photo from Grad Night. Ohhh, what secrets I am revealing. My saddest day at Alemany, was the day President Kennedy was assassinated -- I was in English class with Father Rath when he broke the news to us. It was remembering the strength and guidance of Father Rath through that horrible day helping us sophomores to understand trajic death. More than 20 years later when I was teaching high school in Gainesville I had the strength and perspective to console my biology class about the Shuttle Challenger explosion in part from lessons of example from Father Rath. Gainesville is close enough to Cape Canaveral that by going outdoors to the top row of our football grandstands I could show the students the contrails left by Challenger well after the explosion.

Does anyone remember doing the "Freddy", if I can do the "Freddy" with Grandma Barb Broeski (who I remember loved that dance), I will be at the Reunion.

My current office is 100 yards from the rim of the Kilauea Volcano caldera on the Big Island of Hawaii. If the volcano blows, Frankie goes up with it. I work as a biologist for the US Geological Survey and lead a project to study the ecology of Hawaii's only native land mammal, the Hawaiian hoary bat. I would love to show any of my Alemany classmates a world class volcano and the land and seacapes of Hawaii if you come to the Big Island. I still am having so much fun at biology and trying to have a small impact on saving endangered animals around the world. Mr. Diaz and Coach King were inspirational in leading me to a science career. Coach King, I forgive you for always calling me, "Bonaccorso, you dildo" whenever I became tongue tied in German class -- which was my first period freshman class -- Art Fonseca and I managed to talk our way out of ever taking Latin! How many of my classmates can claim that?? Coach King you are the greatest and like Dan McMahon enjoying being called Capt Dan by you, all of us in German loved being ridiculed by you in your Don Rickles style of humor! Coach K, I apologize for all the times I stunk up the chemistry stock room with crazy experiments when I was one of your chem lab assistants our junior class year.

I have been so fortunate that at every step of my education -- Alemany, UCLA, and Florida-- there has always been a very special teacher that took an interest in me and pushed me to be the best I could be. I have taught classes in high school, community college (including one course in a minimum security prison in Florida), as well as university undergraduate and graduate courses for Maryland, Duke, Florida, Miami, Maine and Wisconsin (told you I get around) and I feel I have had a little impact on many of my students, in part to return the blessings I received from great teachers and in part because it is a great vocation. So here is a salute to Mr's Graci, King, and Diaz, Fathers Rath, Tona and Weber, Sister (I am having a memory lapse -- our chem teacher -- someone help me here) and all the rest for making Alemany in the 60's a very special place.

I especially like to take photos of animals that blend in with the environment and at first glance seem not to be or that show as aspect of the animals behavior as the case with the bulbul (top left) that has just pollinated an aloe plant and in doing so has itself really dusted with the orange pollen across its face, the head of the bird really is black. The second bird is a lilac-breasted roller which is the ultimate bird in pastels. The little steenbok antelope in the tall grass is nearly invisible. These three photos are from Kruger National Park in South Africa.

See ya all in Granada Hills.......wonder if anybody will recognize me? (Ed. Note: They certainly will after this posting,)

Mr. Gardina has died

Dear AHS-66,

I got an email Friday morning from classmate Rex Olliff, and later a phone call from classmate Oscar Rivera, saying that there was an obituary in The L.A. Daily News about Ray Gardina. I called Frank Diaz and confirmed that it was our Mr. Gardina.

Mr. Gardina taught Freshman English on "The Boys' Side" at Alemany.

I phoned Mr. Gardina's Alemany buddy Mr. Smidt, our history teacher, to let him know too. (Mr. and Mrs. Smidt are doing well, and he is now Dr. Smidt. He recently retired from a 41-year career in education.)

DM

~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 10/6/2006, Rex Olliff writes:

Friday's Daily News obits contained an entry for Raymond Gardina. Birth year (1930), Catholic funeral arrangements, mention of a long teaching career and likeness on photo make it almost certain the person is Mr. Gardina who I believe taught English to all sections in our freshman year. (Maybe not suitable for a eulogy or formal remembrance, but I remember with love "Big Ray Day" sometime during our freshman year.)

Rex

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obituary from L.A. Daily News

RAYMOND E. GARDINA

Born July 1, 1930 in Pennsylvania; entered eternal life October 1, 2006.

Raymond worked in education for 34 years, and was active in Marriage Encounter for 15 years. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; daughters, Carla (Don Pestana) and Celeste; son, Mark (Danielle); five grandchildren, Cody, Anderson, Marianna, Isabella and Priscilla; brother, Jack Gardina (Jean) of Davenport, Iowa; and sister, Janet Ruscio of Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Services will be held Wednesday, October 11, 2006, 11:00 a.m., at Mission Hills Catholic Mortuary, at Rinaldi and Sepulveda.

Donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity, or Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103.

Directors 818-361-7387

(Published in the Los Angeles Daily News on 10/6/2006)

~~~~~~~~~

Online Guest Book for Raymond Gardina

http://www.legacy.com/LADailyNews/Obituaries.asp?Page
=Lifestory&PersonId=19500901

October 6, 2006

Mr. Gardina was an important part of Bishop Alemany's history. We will keep each of you in our prayers and enroll Mr. Gardina in our morning prayers. God Bless each of you.

The Bishop Alemany High School Family, Mission Hills, CA
JoAnn Schnelldorfer
Director of Alumni

~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 10/6/2006, John Barreiro writes:.

I remember Mr. Gardina well. At the time my English wasn't very good [big understatement!] but he was patient and encouraged me to develop good grammar habits.

I also had Mr. [Dr.] Smidt for history and I have him to thank for the extensive vocabulary that I have today.

It was he who suggested that I procure an English dictionary and read two or three pages a day, trying to deduce the meaning of the unknown words by further search within the same dictionary instead of resorting to an English / Spanish dictionary.

Needless to say, it worked. --Does anyone know how many pages the "Unabridged" OED has? ;-)

John Barreiro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a phone call on Sunday, 10/08/06, our classmate Terry Bowles recalled that he used to see Mr. Smidt and Mr. Gardina tossing the football around up on our football field from time to time. That's a sweet thing to picture, the two good friends who are teachers at the school, playing catch on the football field at lunch. DM

THE LAPORTE-CULLUM FAMILY

October 6, 2006

Mary Jo writes:

We are a little proud of our kids, can you tell? This was taken at Brian's graduation last December. The cast of characters are: our adorable daughter-in-law Katie, our son David (the married one), Brian our firefighter, me and my hubby Chuck.

Chuck and I are well. We celebrated our 37th anniversary this past June. Our twin sons will be 33 yrs. old this month and both live in Castle Rock, Colorado . David is married (2 yrs. this mo.) and Brian is a firefighter. No grandchildren yet, but they say next year is the plan. We miss them terribly and have made several trips to visit. We hope to make the move next year ourselves.

As for me, I'm still a pediatric medical assistant, great job, I get to play with babies every day, and Chuck is a mortgage loan officer with Chase Capital Group.
Well, that's a brief update from here. I'll look forward to hearing how the reunion went. Give my regards to our classmates. I'm sorry I haven't responded before now, but I was waiting to see if we could get out of another engagement for the same day, unfortunately we can't. I'm sorry to be missing this one, I'm sure it will be great fun.

Mary Jo
Mission Viejo , CA

Daria Shanks Jackan, RIP

10/5/2006

Joann in the Alemany Alumni Office confirmed today that our classmate Daria Shanks is no longer with us.

I used to get emails from Daria, but I hadn't received any in a few years. She hadn't responded to any of our Reunion mailings. But when her Reunion invitation was returned to us, we really started to wonder about her.

After I made an inquiry about Daria, Joann contacted Daria's older brother John Shanks (AHS-65), who said that his sister had passed away a little over two years ago. Joann said John was sorry that his class didn't have a reunion, and he knew Daria would have enjoyed attending hers.

I last saw Daria at the new Alemany campus. It was in the daytime, so it must have been Alemany's anniversary celebration in 1996, when they were giving tours of the earthquake-damaged original Alemany site. She had an advanced case of MS, and drove herself in a van that I called her Ironsides Van (referring to the TV show "Ironsides" starring Raymond Burr, in case you don't watch TV), because her van had a motorized ramp in the back for her electric cart just like Ironside's van.

I was deeply touched by what I saw in Daria that day. I really admired her because she was very friendly and warm and still had her great sense of humor, despite her condition. Daria had gone to Our Lady of Peace Grammar School with us, so I knew her a long time.

God bless Daria Shanks Jackan.

Danny McMahon

THE ROMERO FAMILY

October 5, 2006

Here is my contribution to the Alemany Blog!

This is my Family. My husband Victor and my sons, (left) Nick, 25, on the right, Mario, 23. Nick is single and works in the world of mortgages, as well as sales with Victor's company. He's a basketball and sports fanatic who will travel anywhere to see a game. Mario, also single, is an Associate Broker at Swett-Crawford, downtown Los Angeles, he lives in West L.A. and is also a die-hard drummer. Emily is our beautiful cancer survivor who is now a healthy 7th grader.

My life since high school has been a journey of joy and surprise. We married in 1975 while I worked at U.C.L.A. clinic in the admissions department. Shortly after Victor who was working for Pac Bell at that time was transferred to No. California and we settled in the town of Walnut Creek, only to move back to the valley one year later. By then my first son was on his way and so we stayed near family for the time being until 1987 when we moved back to the No. California town of Danville. This was a great time for us as we explored the Bay area with our young boys. By mid-90's we were blessed one more time with our daughter Emily. She came into our lives healthy and beautiful with two doting brothers at her side. At the age of 10 months she was diagnosed with a form of childhood Leukemia and our lives were forever changed.

Today she is a healthy young lady who loves everything any 12 year old girl would like, she plays piano and enjoys theatre arts. By the end of her treatment we moved to Orange County and have been here since 1997.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Oct. 28th. Thanks to your help I've been in touch with some long lost classmates. It's so great to find friends again. You have all done a great job with all this reunion stuff, so I'd thought I'd join the online party with my own.

Teri (Arteaga) Romero

Yorba Linda CA

Email Interview with
Coach Mike King

One of my favorite teachers at Alemany was Mike King. He was my "B" football coach in 9th and 10th grades, and then I had him as a teacher in German in 11th grade and for Chemistry in 12th grade. Obviously he was a man of many talents and much knowledge, and a man of deep dedication.

My claim to fame is that I was one of the captains on the "B" football team in 10th grade, something of which I was very proud. (That was the only year in my four football years that I didn't "ride the bench.") I got in touch with "Coach King" about eight years ago after I attended a conference in Irvine and met a nun from Sebastopol, CA. I knew Mike King had lived in Sebastopol and asked if she knew him. Did she! I got back in touch with him then, and I've had a very enjoyable email relationship with him ever since.

He continues to have a wonderful sense of humor, or "Sinn für Humor," as we German scholars used to say in his German class. He calls me "Captain Dan," which always makes me smile. I call him Coach. He is retired, and he and his wife Jan live in Oysterville in Washington State.

Danny McMahon

~~~~~~~~

From: MCMAHONDAN@aol.com
To: janrex@pacifier.com
Date: Fri, Sep 29, 2006, 6:59 AM

Dear Coach,

Did you deliver newspapers while teaching at Alemany? That's what Brent Poirier (AHS-64), Adrienne's older brother, said.

How many children do you guys have? I know it was a lot more than 2. I don't know how you did it on a Catholic school teacher's income.

Do you still keep in touch with Coach Vanni?

Capt. Dan

~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 9/30/2006 10:53:52 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, janrex@pacifier.com writes:

Hi Capt. Dan.

Funny you should ask! It's been a couple of years since we visited with Coach Vanni. He was quite broken up over the loss of his oldest boy, Dave, who collapsed after finishing his daily workout. Dave was a super son and a fireman in the Oakland area.

Both Coach Vanni & myself had a night job part-time at the L.A. Times, where we loaded up several hundred bundles of newspapers, and trucked them to the different dealers for delivery.

Jan & I have five girls and 4 boys, and 17 grandchildren. Fortunately, they are all College Grads and have good jobs.

Have a great reunion, & I sure wish we could come, but the timing is off! Please give our best to everyone. So sorry to hear about Fr. Chris – he'll be in our prayers.

Coach Mike King

From Big John Stigmon

9/30/2006

Life continues to be a grand adventure!!

I am really enjoying all the communication about our classmates from Alemany.

Attached is a picture of my family. Its ok for Dan and Bob the Scan Man to post on the web. The two little ones are my boys 7 & 10. I had children late in life and it has been a fantastic experience. After my children were born I gave up the corporate life and traveling all over the world all the time. In 2000 I sold the company I co-founded and moved to the mountains of Northern Arizona. I wanted my kids to experience living in a small community and having their dad around. My wife Kathleen works at Northern Arizona University. We met when I was with Ben & Jerry’s.

Today I keep busy doing a little real estate, some business brokerage, as well as, executive coaching and consulting in the franchise industry. Over the past 10 years I have become involved in Indian Economic Development. I have advised many tribes on the value of supporting their tribal members through entrepreneurial ventures. Since I am in Flagstaff I have had the opportunity to work with the Navajo Nation, two Apache tribes and some others teaching about business ownership. I also do some work with the Center for American Indian Economic Development.

I love being in my fifty’s and having little kids. My 10 year old has really taken to music. He plays about six instruments and is always asking me about the old rockers like Led Zeppelin, Jimmie Hendrix, the Beatles, Elton John, Etc. They both like to invite me to their school on grandparent’s day because they kid me about being older than some of their classmates actual grandparents!! We love to travel as a family and usually spend some time every year at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.

The only person I see from Alemany is Kathy Dunlay. Her brother Jerry owns a home here in Flagstaff. She comes through town about once a year. All she ever talks about is Bob Orlando or was that Bob Johnson (just kidding!!). It will be fun to see everyone at the end of October.

All the best,
John
Flagstaff, AZ

2006 Alemany Homecoming !!

From Alemany's Alumni Office to the Class of 1966 ...

Join us for Bishop Alemany's 2006 Homecoming Celebration!!

BAHS HOMECOMING IS FRIDAY NIGHT SEPTEMBER 29TH.

ALL ALUMNI ARE INVITED TO COME AND JOIN IN THE FUN.

FLOATS, CROWNING OF THE HOMECOMING QUEEN, FIREWORKS AND MUCH, MUCH, MORE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENING.

THE FUN BEGINS AT 4:00 P.M. WITH THE JV GAME AND THE HOMECOMING PRE-GAME SHOW STARTS AT 6:30 P.M.

THE ALEMANY WARRIORS (must be a typo) TAKE THE FIELD AT 7:30 PM WITH A 3-0 RECORD AS WE GO FOR WIN #4 AND THE BEST SEASON START ALEMANY HAS SEEN IN MANY YEARS.

THE ALUMNI OFFICE WILL COMP YOUR TICKET. JUST CHECK IN WITH MRS. SCHNELLDORFER AT THE MAIN GATE TO PICK UP YOUR PASSPORT TO A FUN EVENING.

SEE YOU THERE!

JoAnn Schnelldorfer
Alumni Director

Ned Ryan Remembered

9/28/2006

Leonard DiTrapani writes:

Thanks for posting that pic of Ned Ryan. He was also a friend back at Alemany. I read of his passing on the list you had first sent out. He was also one of the guys that made me take a deep breath.

Every time he comes to mind, it's always of a Science class with Mr. Diaz. In Mr. D's pop quizzes, he often included the name of one of our classmates in the question. This time it was Neddleton "Broomface" Ryan..... I can't remember sharing a laugh that hard with the rest of the class as Mr. D read it out loud.

I still laugh when I think about it and that's always a great way to remember someone.

Leonard

David Surges

When I graduated from Alemany, I went to Loyola for four years. After graduation I was drafted (lottery #143 – the highest number was 146) and spent time in Hawaii and Vietnam. I never saw any action except for trying to get a seat at the NCO club on Saturday nights.

I married Linda Nye while overseas, and we had one son. After 9 years I made the biggest mistake of my life by leaving her. At the time I was in banking and spending a good part of my life in drinking and partying. I also used your tax dollars to go back to school and receive an MBA!!

Three years later I married my current wife Vicki. Together we have 6 children, and 3 of our own still living with us. I haven’t been back to the Valley since 1973, but I know it has changed. Vicki and I followed one of dreams to escape SoCal so we went to Flagstaff AZ. Banking was not my passion, so I tried teaching at Northern AZ University. I found out I was having more fun teaching one night a week, than working over 40 hours.

Vicki is not only the smartest person I have ever met, but she is the most resourceful. She found an opportunity to teach business and accounting in Carson City Nevada in 1986. I taught a variety of management and finance courses for 13 years. Then we opened a new chapter in our lives. Both sets of parents had passed away, so we really had no reason stick around the West. At this time is when we both discovered a personal relationship with Jesus.

In 1999, I found a job teaching finance and strategy courses for a small Benedictine college in Northern Minnesota. It is the most beautiful country I had ever seen. We are nestled right on Lake Superior (which is my substitute for the oceans). We all extremely happy here. We are joined by our daughter Veronica; age 22, Vinnie; age 19 and little Madeleine (11), AKA God’s surprise 7 years after a vasectomy!!!

People sometimes ask why Duluth??? The health care is superb, we have no fires, earthquakes, or poisonous snakes (or other critters.) Also, our oldest 3 children were busy playing hockey. In fact two years ago the local HS was the only one to have home schooled goalies starting for the men’s & women’s teams.

I wish I had some more exciting things to offer to the best class ever from Alemany. Guess you will have read between the lines. Life is an exciting adventure when you have the Lord as your guide, and you trust his leadership.

God Bless you all.

David
Duluth, MN
09/26/06

Bob Orlando

This picture of me and my daughters Anna and Christi was taken on a Mexican Riviera cruise in 2005 to celebrate my dad's 92nd birthday.

After Alemany, I went two years to Antelope Valley College, then a year and a half to old San Fernando Valley State College (CSUN), when in my senior year the draft ended (1970) and the lottery began. I was #77, was called up in March, but joined the Coast Guard for four years+ so that I would not have to go to Viet Nam.

Ended up in Southeast Asia anyway; was stationed in Thailand for a year during the WWIII; made it back, was discharged in San Francisco where I finished my degree in Geology at San Francisco State Univ. Went to work for the US Geological Survey as a marine geologist conducting environmental studies offshore Alaska for five years; actually working out of Menlo Park but lived in SF and Fremont.

I complete my masters in Geology at San Jose State Univ and went to work for ARCO Oil & Gas Company in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, New Mexico, London, and Texas; then I was transferred back to CA, to Bakersfield, in 1987. When I got back to CA, tested for and received my state license as a registered-professional geologist, and left ARCO in 1989 after nine years to move into the environmental industry that made better use of my registration..

I live in work in Santa Paula (2 mile commute). The company is PW Environmental, been around for 27 years, I'm a VP, probably because I'm one of the elders, and by state law, a registered professional must be an officer of the company to do what we do. I was married for 20 years and have two wonderful daughters by my first wife. My oldest, Anna, 28, is married, lives in San Diego, a UCSB grad, working for the Irvine Company. My youngest, Christi, 24, is a realtor in Bakersfield, and almost engaged (I'm not a grandpa!).

Becci and I have been married for 10 years and we live in a 1882 Italianate-Victorian that we have been slowly restoring since 1998. Becci has three kids; we still support the youngest, Clint, 23, who graduates this December from Cal Poly SLO with a masters in mechanical engineering. I'll probably work for five more years mainly because of Clint and because I like it. For fun, we sail to the Channel Islands; we have CJ5 Jeep that we use to abuse off road.

We try to visit Puerto Vallarta at least once a year; we like camping and cruising. In 2003, my brothers, sisters, and our spouses, when with my dad (nine of us) for a 16-day trip of Europe for my dad's 90th birthday. Part of this trip was a 10-day Med cruise that ported in, among other cities, Palermo, Sicily - my dad's home country, and Dubrovnik, Croatia, my mom's home country (my mom died in 1995); we visited family that we had never met at both stops. Fabulous time.

Dad now wants to take an eastern Caribbean cruise for this 94th bd; 11 of us depart next March for 8 days. As long as my dad wants to travel, we travel.

I really look forward to seeing all of you again and thank you for your emails and pictures.

Bob Orlando
Santa Paula, CA
9/24/2006

Fr. Paul Nourie writes from Chula Vista, CA

John Christenson, Alemany's "Fr. Chris," has died

9/25/2006

I just wanted to pass on to you the message that (Fr.) John Christenson died this past week.

His services will be held on Saturday September 30th, at 11 a.m. at the Cemetery Mortuary of Mission Hills cemetery, located at the corner of Rinaldi and Sepulveda. He is cremated for the services, and I believe he will be interred after the services.

The family has asked me to officiate at the services and I have been able to find myself able to go up to do so.

I am sure that all know that John had left the priesthood many years ago. I had kept some contact with him over the years, of course, at a moment like this, I would say, not as much as I would have wanted, but I guess we all do what we can.

I am sure that his family would appreciate having friends or appreciative fellow journeyers present.

Caringly,

Fr. Paul Nourie, O.M.I.

paulyvonnourie,omi

~~~~~~~

9/26/2006

Bob Orlando, AHS-66, writes:

So very sorry to hear about Fr Christenson.

I'll never forget the day, November 22, 1963; I was in his history class when the news about Kennedy was announced. We all went to the gym for prayers and Mass, remember?

I've thought about him often, because of how that day impacted our lives and how he solemnly handled the situation and how he reassured us that we would be okay.

Thanks,

Bob O.

~~~~~~~

9/27/2006

Tina (Cross) Huchting writes:

I am sad to hear about the passing of (Fr.) John Christenson. I knew that he had been sick for years and that he suffered greatly.

I had the opportunity to see him again after graduation and to meet his wife. We were at the Valyermo Celebration many years ago. It was a pleasure for me and he was so gentle and responsive. He was one of my favorite priests at Alemany and was so supportive when my mom died.

I also remember the daily noon Mass in the chapel at Alemany. He actually let me be an altar server. Way ahead of his time as far as allowing women to be present on the altar.

Steve and I plan to go to the service on Saturday. It will be good to see Fr. Paul also.

Thanks for passing this on.

Love, Tina

~~~~~~~

10/2/2006 Rex Olliff writes:

Fr. Nourie read Bob's remembrance of Father Chris during the funeral and he also mentioned John Christenson's work making ILAP a reality. From the various remembrances given on Saturday, John Christenson touched many lives in a profound way. I was glad that his connection to the class of '66 was noted. Although we were not all in Fr. Christenson's class the day Fr. Weber made the announcement, Bob's remembrance about Fr. Christenson's assurance that we would be OK captures exactly who he was. I am glad John Christenson was part of my life.

Thanks, Bob.

Rex Olliff

Requiescant In Pace

Alemany '66 Classmates:

Margaret Bamrick Cooper

Sue Bolduc Coffey (2007)

Charlene Brash (2007)

Paula Carabelli (2006)

Frank Del Olmo (2004)

Mary Dermody McGrath (2004)

Russ Doutre (2006)

Don Faulstich (1970)

Paul Frysak (2003)

Lynne Gayetty

Randy Guerrero

Tim Hollywood

Wayne Jzyk (1969)

Peggy Kiley (1985)

Jim Lahey (1995)

John Lorenze (2005)

Pam Morris (1966)

Pam Richard Checkie (2003)

Sharon Rondou Diamond

Ned Ryan

Daria Shanks Jackan (2004)

Greg Villalva (2003)

Tom Walker (1994)

Don Writer

Our Alemany Teachers and Staff:

Sr. Augustine, CSJ

Sr. Rose Bernard, CSJ

Fr. Fred Caldwell, OMI

Sr. Mary Celine, CSJ

John Christenson (2006)

Sr. Mary Clara, CSJ

Dr. William Connell

Fr. John Donovan, OMI

Sr. Rose Eleanor, CSJ

Sr. Anne Elizabeth, CSJ

Ray Gardina (2006)

Rebecca Gemma (2006)

Daniel Gonzales

Fr. Gerald Gottenbos, OMI

Sr. Mary Hugh, CSJ

Sr. Arthur Joseph, CSJ

Sr. Davida Joseph, CSJ

Sr. Madeleine Joseph, CSJ

Fr. Jim Kernan, OMI (2006)

William Regan (1997)

Sr. Rosanne, CSJ

Sr. Rosemary, CSJ

Thomas Weber

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

From Janet (Borstner) Shows

September 14, 2006

Hi Everyone!

Since I have so enjoyed reading the brief bios of many '66 classmates, I feel compelled to share a condensed version of my own.

I was married to our classmate, Al Shows, for 16 years during which time he completed Med School and we moved to Fresno to open his private practice in Cardiology.

We have two children: Dominic, 33 and Stephanie, 30. Dom and his wife, Julie, have blessed us with three grandchildren all under age five. I must say that having grandchildren is beyond the accolades we have all heard--it truly is heavenly. Stephanie is getting married in March '07 so the family is expanding again.

After the divorce I went back to school and obtained a BA and Master's Degree in Social Work. I came to really appreciate that it would indeed have been much easier to complete my education -- before having children.

Since completing school I have worked for a Retirement Community, county Mental Health and an Adult Day Health Care Center. I have to say that working with these spunky Seniors really keeps me on my toes with their frank and un-censored outlooks as well as sharp senses of humor.

Upon hearing of this milestone reunion, I began reflecting on the passage of time and life experiences. I hope we can all say that although we've had some trying times along with the celebrations, we've come to know that we had the strength to make it this far & that when the next challenge comes along we can make it through that as well.

My inability to attend the reunion may be just such a challenge for some of you but please know that I wish you all well.

Janet Marie Theresa Borstner Shows

(I got the idea for using my "complete" name from the book "Growing Up Catholic"-- it's really a hoot. Whenever I tell anyone that I am a "survivor" of twelve years of Catholic schools I receive instant respect and empathy!)

Email from Fr. Ed Cunningham, OMI

9/14/2006

Hey Danny,

The offer to attend the Reunion is very tempting, and I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

I'm hesitating to accept because I had a heart attack August 28 - about which I knew nothing. Lucky for me I was hospitalized with pneumonia a few days afterwards, and the routine tests indicated a heart attack. I was transported to Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a stent.

I was released on September 8th, the 48th anniversary of my ordination. There were 8 guys in that class; three left the priesthood, and of the remaining 5 priests two died of heart attacks, so there's only three of us left.

I'm back at the parish, doing well, recovering nicely, no permanent damage, but retired now and doing "Retired Active Ministry."

If I can get the doctor's permission to travel I'll get back to you, asap.

Meanwhile keep up the good work, and give my regards to the wonderful class AHS - 1966.

Fr. Ed, omi
St Paul's Parish
Minnesota City, MN 55959-0026

Quote from author Lynn Hall

9/13/2006

Found this quote from author Lynn Hall. Thought it was insightful.

"We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves."

Barbara (Broeski) Tennis
Freeland, WA

Hotel Info for our Reunion

In a message dated 9/12/2006, Penny Mertens writes:

Hey there Alegamanians (as my sister Pam used to refer to us)!

Can't wait to see all of you at the reunion! We've been working our fairly-old but still energetic tails off getting things ready for you. Your reunion committee is looking forward to a really nice time together. In the meantime, here's some information on hotels in the Valencia/Santa Clarita area and a couple of places very close to the Odyssey:

First, I looked at the hotels close to the Odyssey (The Guesthouse Inn on Sepulveda and Best Western at the bottom of Odyssey Drive) and as Karen King said," They're serviceable, but not great." If you want to stay close to the Odyssey and remain in the valley, a room in one of these hotels would be fine. They were $75 (special rate)-$129. Then I went up to Santa Clarita to look at hotels off of the 5 freeway (about 10-15 minutes from the Odyssey.)

Comfort Suites (661 254-7700) is the least expensive at $108. It certainly was nice enough but was pretty close to the freeway, so I was concerned about noise. You can request a room that faces away from the freeway, but they won't guarantee that you'll get it.

The Residence Inn (661 290-2800) was pretty and I thought the rooms were very nice. It was $149 and had a complimentary hot breakfast in the morning. It, too, is a little close to the freeway, though not quite as close as Comfort Suites because it's higher up. A group rate might be possible if enough people are interested. Let me know if you are (lapre@adelphia.net). Both of the above hotels are directly off of the 5 freeway at Lyons Ave. Perfect for anyone coming down the 5 from Northern California and parts yonder.

The 3rd choice is the Hyatt off of the 5 at Valencia Blvd. It would take a couple of minutes longer to get to because it's closer to the center of town but it's a full-service hotel, the only one in the area. It's definitely a step up from the other hotels in the area. It has a restaurant and bar in the hotel, pool/spa, work-out room, room service and is directly across the street from the Valencia Town Center (Macy's, Pottery Barn, restaurants etc.) If we book at least ten rooms, we can get a discounted rate of $143 plus tax, which is a great rate. The regular rate is $179 to $200. If you know for sure that you would like to stay at the Hyatt, please email me (Penny) directly at lapre@adelphia.net. When I have ten confirmed rooms, I will go sign the contract that is required to get the $143 rate. I will have to be responsible for the cost of the room for any cancellations or no-shows, so please be sure you want to stay at the Hyatt before emailing me. It would certainly be fun to run into classmates at the same hotel and some may want to go shopping at the Town Center to prove just how expensive a reunion can be!

One more thought - there are other hotels in the same area. There's a Fairfield Inn and a Hilton Garden Inn also, to name a couple more. I know they are probably similar to the ones listed, but I'm sure they are listed in the phone book if there's a particular hotel you like. I didn't have time to look at all of them. Feel free to email me with questions etc. I will reply, I promise. I hope everybody is resting up for a great party weekend - I already have my dancing shoes on!!

Love,
Penny Mertens

~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 9/9/2006 4:27:38 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, Elsie (Dellecese) Thatcher writes:

Another hotel option is the Airtel Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Van Nuys near the Van Nuys Airport. The online rate through Hotels.1.com is $99.00 plus tax.

Looking forward to seeing everyone,

Elsie (Dellecese) Thatcher

~~~~~~~~

In a message dated 9/8/2006, Dan McMahon writes:

One of the hotels close to our reunion site is The GuestHouse Inn on Sepulveda, just south of Chatsworth Blvd.

They were recommended by The Odyssey, and they will give us a special rate of $74 per night, if you contact them on or before Sept. 20, 2006. If you make your reservation after that date, your rate will be higher.

Here is their contact info:

GuestHouse Inn San Fernando Valley
10621 Sepulveda Blvd.Mission Hills, CA 91345818-891-1771
818-895-1446 Fax Cathy Bayot, Sales Manager, ext. 304, cbayot@hotelpros.biz
On the Internet: http://www.guesthouseintl.com/property.cfm?property_id=159&CFID=6229335&CFTOKEN=61176570

We Get Emails ...

Gyoengyi (Molnar) Quinn

9/10/2006

Dear Danny,

How nice to hear from you and get all the updates on the reunion. Bob Johnson called me on Friday and, after a momentary surprise, we had a neat time catching up after 40 years.

I will not be coming to the reunion unfortunately but I wish you all a wonderful time. I was saddened to read about Paula Carrabelli. My daughter lost one of her dearest friends (at age 27) to melanoma. It's a vicious and cruel disease. I've done volunteer work with the Melanoma Education Foundation since we lost Jen in an effort to educate young people about the dangers of sun exposure.

Life has been good - I'm still teaching and loving it, although I do plan to retire soon. My husband and I have decided New England winters are for the young and we would like to start spending more time in Florida where we have a second home. Our children and their spouses are in the Boston area so we don't plan to move permanently... just when the white stuff is covering the ground.

Again, thanks for all the updates

Gyoengyi
Ipswich, MA

Message from 40th Reunion Committee

9/7/2006

Dear AHS-66 Classmates and Teachers,

When you have time, check out ...

New pictures and text at http://www.flickr.com/photos/alemany66/. Get in on the fun, and email me a picture of yourself with a description for our picture web site.

New posts and links at http://alemany66.blogspot.com/. Posts are on the left -- scroll down and read them. Click on the links in the right column to check out your old classmates & friends on the World Wide Web.

If you have your own web site, personal or family or professional, DON'T BE SHY. Email it to Danny so we can add it to the links on http://alemany66.blogspot.com/.

~~~~~~

Our 40th Reunion is just around the bend. It's 51 days, or seven Saturdays, from now ... Time is flying, isn't it?

If you haven't sent in your RSVP and check to Claudia (TStepan214@aol.com or (818) 344-6862), please do so soon. If you're still on the fence, jump down, and do it on the side of attending.

We're ALL heavier than we were in 1966 (well, everyone except Louise Franco), so what the heck?! Come anyway!

~~~~~~

SCHOLARSHIPS. We wanted to let you know that we are still giving out Partial and Full Scholarships to the Reunion.

If the cost of the ticket is the only thing holding you back, please let Danny (mcmahondan@aol.com or (661) 272-5648) or Claudia (TStepan214@aol.com or (818) 344-6862) know.

This part of the Reunion will be held in strictest confidence as they say, so don't be shy. Kind members of our class have sent in extra money just for this purpose.

As you'll see when you go to the websites above, Greg Villalva's sister kindly sent in a check to pay for someone to attend, in Greg's memory. If you're that person, please step up.

This applies to teachers and staff too, because we know you're probably retired and $90 is a lot of money. You retired sisters, heed this invitation!

~~~~~~~

Hoping you are doing great, we remain,

Your old friends,

Danny, Claudia, Penny, Monique, Karen & John

AHS-66 40th Reunion Committee

Chris (Belle) Monroe "Bio"

It’s been 40 years since we graduated from Alemany, and 40 years since I met the love of my life in the summer of ’66, John Monroe!

I graduated from Immaculate Heart College with a teaching credential in 1970. John and I were married that year and settled in Reseda.

After teaching Kindergarten for a year in LA City, our first baby Amy was born and I became a full-time Mom and our family grew in the next 10 years to include Michelle, Michael, and Nicholas.

Deciding we wanted to “raise our kids in the country,” we hitched up our wagon and moved to the Sierra foothills near Placerville and John built a home for us on 10 acres, and we have lived in this gorgeous area for the last 25 years. We added one more child to the Monroe crew (Monica) and now have 3 (and one more on the way) beloved grandchildren…isn’t being a grandparent the greatest?

I went back to teaching at our local K-8 rural school for 15 years and helped develop an award-winning visual and performing arts program. I retired from there in 2000, and went to work at UC Davis coordinating professional development workshops for teachers in the arts.

I have been working on a Doctor of Ministry degree for the last 10 years in a program with theologian, Matthew Fox, and took an amazing class at Chartres Cathedral in France this summer. In June this year, I graduated from Cal State Sacramento with a Masters in Education…OK, I confess, I’ll never stop going to school, I love learning, and this passion has rich roots from our education at Alemany, especially the ILAP program!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about what our classmates have been doing and seeing your pictures. John and I are very excited to reconnect with all of you in person at the reunion and continue this great dialogue!

Love,
Chris Monroe
9/9/06

P.S. The picture above is of John and me at my Sacramento State graduation from their Masters in Education program with an emphasis in visual and performing arts, June 2006.

Email from Ron West, AHS-66

Golf, anyone?

9/7/2006 westron2@comcast.net writes:

Hey Danny,

I have been enjoying all the latest about our classmates. Thanks for all you and the committee are doing to prepare for the BIG EVENT!

I almost forgot about updating you with my bio, so here it is. if it is too lengthy, feel free to edit it down.

How's this for a varied career?

After Alemany, I attended L.A. Piece Jr. College and studied Architecture for three semesters while working part time for the L.A. City Schools as an architectural aid.

I joined the Navy in 1969 & became an Air Traffic Controller and was stationed in So. Texas and Midway Island While on Midway I made the All Navy Volleyball team and for my last 3 1/2 months I was based in Hawaii, but traveled all across the USA playing volleyball.

After the Navy, I was hired by the FAA in Colorado Springs and worked tower and approach control. In 1981 President Reagan sent me a letter saying I was fired for striking, so moved on to bigger & better things. The stress was too much anyway.

I then got involved in engineering commercial satellite TV systems. In 1986, we moved to Alpine, UT where I designed and built my own home, which fulfilled my dream of being an architect (see photo).

I am now an inventor. I started by designing products for my own vinyl fence company. In 1996, I was hired as a Technical Director for Kroy Building Products to design new fence products.

In 2001, I quit & started my own business marketing some of my own inventions. I now have over 20 patents in various fields, some of which are licensed to other companies. You can see my web page at www.tufshine.com

My greatest accomplishments are my 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. They were, and still are, the best kids you could ever hope for. They have all left home, so it's a little lonely now. That's not all bad though, now there's more time for golf! Our first grandchild is due in January.

Best regards to everyone.

Ron West
Alpine, Utah

P.S. I'll be coming down early for the Reunion, and wondered if anyone would like to play a round of golf on Friday or maybe Saturday morning. If they do, have them email me at westron2@comcast.net ... Also, I felt really badly to hear that my old friend Jim Lahey had passed away. I'd appreciate any info about Jim or his family, if anyone in the class knows anything. Thanks.

Holistic Medicine

By Maureen Longworth, MD (Pam Pelton's sister)

Sept. 8, 2006

Hi Danny,

Alemany referred me to you about your upcoming reunion. I do all Holistic Medicine and specialize in an integration of mind-body-spirit self healing called “Energy Balancing Medicine.”

I am one of the few doctors trained in this in the U.S and LOVE it and love teaching it. It fits in well with the values we learned at Alemany.

I am doing workshops and classes now in California and lots of Pam’s friends are interested in knowing about them. I am just having my first-ever web site designed, which will likely be finished by time of the reunion. I will email you the site's address when it's ready.

Until then, if anyone in the Class of '66 is interested in information about my workshops, please have them contact me. I also do individual Energy Balancing Sessions.

Thanks so much.

Sincerely,

Maureen
Alemany Class of ‘69

Maureen Longworth, MD
Alaska Holistic Family Medicine
119 Seward Street, Suite 17
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 209-2005
ahfm@gci.net

Greg Villalva, RIP

August 20, 2006

Dear Claudia & Alemany Class of 1966,

I am Gregory Allan Villalva’s sister. I am writing to inform you that Greg passed away on June 28, 2003. His passing came two days before his 55th birthday. His death was unexpected and I can’t tell you the toll it took on me and my parents.

When I received the invitation for Greg's 40th reunion it brought back memories of loss and sadness, but I wanted to do something positive to honor his memory and “unfinished” life. Therefore I am enclosing a check for $90, hoping that someone less fortunate can attend the reunion in his place. I know Greg would have wanted me to do this.

The surfboard my brother is holding is one or the many “classic” boards he had refinished for his job at Chanin Surf boards in Encinitas, CA. He took up surfing again in 2001 and seemed to have found the perfect job and lifestyle.

Greg died of an accidental drug overdose in my parents' home in Oceanside, CA. He had battled the drug demons for many years and we all thought he had won that war. Sadly, the impulse must have been so great he could not resist. We are certain his death came as a bigger surprise to him than us and was not planned. The manner in which he left doesn’t make us love him any less. He was a great brother and I miss him every day.

Feel free to share this with his classmates. Please let any of the alumni know that I am eager to talk to anyone about my brother. I miss him so much and any memories I can keep of him are very valuable to me.

I still find it hard to believe he is gone but I know he is in a better place.

Best Regards,
Marylee (M.L.) Villalva First
Anaheim, CA, 92804
den1st@pacbell.net

Glory at Seventeen

By Charmaine (Haley) Coimbra, AHS-66

The summer of 1965. I’m seventeen. It’s my senior year. The Beach Boys rule! Hot cars. Drag strips. Glory Days.

$250 waits in a shoebox--earmarked for a car. I wanted to pop a racing clutch and burn rubber at the stoplight. I wanted to take on that totally bitchin surfer dude in the hot Nomad and race him down the boulevard.

My buddy, Claudia scored her mom's car for Friday night. Tooling our way to the strip, the gleam of chrome rims flashed from inside a used car parking lot.

We whipped around the long rectangular block. Lustrous black paint reflected the parking lot lights. Chrome reverse rims were magic with sparkle. "Bitchin!" I exclaimed. "It even has chrome dual exhaust pipes.” The sales ticket was the price painted in bold white letters across the massive windshield -- Price Reduced to $250.

A honk blasted through the desert air. Full of ourselves, we assumed the blare was for us.

"How friggin' bitchin. It's the surfer dude. Quick, Claud, let's go. Maybe tonight I'll finally meet him. I mean, wow, he honked." Curfew neared before we tagged the bitchin surfer dude. One of the kids at the A&W drive-in said his name was Mark Saxon.

Saturday morning I dragged my godfather to the used car lot. A salesman in a green plaid jacket and olive slacks vaulted the fence.

"Good morning, folks. This little Bonneville Sport Coupe has it all. Why it was Motor Trend's 1959 Car of the Year. And this cream puff still has the original upholstery," he bragged as he opened the driver's door. It was garish--glossy red plastic three-color stripe.

"The previous owner added some extra features--an eight track tape with vibrasonic sound from the rear speakers, glass-packs, and let me show you the muscle on this car." He lifted the hood. More polished chrome glared in the morning sun. "This Tri-Power 389 pulls 345 horses. The tranny is a Super Hydra-Matic automatic (cq). It'll do zero to 60 in about 10 seconds."

I drove home with KRLA radio rocking through vibrasonic rear speakers. It was Saturday night. Us girls piled into the car, hunted for the bitchin surfer dude, burned rubber at the first stop light, discovered the glass-pack muffler grumble of a hydra-matic transmission and tempted fate along the two-mile boulevard. It was odd that there was no bitchen surfer dude cruising. By July he had disappeared. We heard that he joined the Marines was going to Vietnam.

Two weeks into July, I replaced the chrome covered Tri-Power carburetor. Sometime in August the Bonneville's rear end went south. Before my senior year began, my pride-of-the-road needed several hundred additional dollars in repair. My godfather asked how I could put so many miles on to that car in so few months. I denied that I ever took the car past the city limits. Never mind the beach sand in the trunk and on the carpets.

The class of '66 was a force by October. Cruising was reduced to Saturday nights and I hit 60-miles-per hour racing a guy in a '58 Chevy, dropped my transmission from high gear to low as we approached the next intersection, the glass-packs ripped through the night and something big hit the pavement. The guy in the '58 Chevy hollered out his window, "Your transmission hit the dirt, chick."

My mouth grew drier than the desert winds and my heart raced like that 389 did the first night I drove it. My beautiful 1959 Pontiac Bonneville was a goner.

Sunday morning, I scooped the local newspaper from the driveway. The rubber band freely slipped off to reveal a bold face bodoni 60-point headline, "Local soldier killed in Vietnam. Mark Saxon's family mourns."

Claudia picked me up that afternoon. Bob Dylan's sardonic lyrics wailed through the airwaves. Claudia said that the neighbor kid next door had just been drafted into the army and she was afraid that he would die like the bitchen surfer dude. And she had been accepted to a university. I answered that I wasn’t sure what I would do now--maybe hitchhike across country.

Carefree tales of big waves, big cars, and the self-obsessed utopia of a post-war haze died that fall. A new direction was born.

Charmaine

LET'S BLOG!
Visit AMothersPerspective.blogspot.com

We get emails ...

Diane Scollard, AHS-66

7/14/2006 email from Cathy (Albus) Rainey:

I told you that Diane Scollard is in a cloistered Benedictine abbey on the Isle of Wight in England. Her older brother, Mike, also graduated from Alemany in 1964 and is a dentist practicing in Oakland, CA, in the bay area. He's been my dentist for years. So that's the connection to Diane.

The abbey's website is http://www.stceciliasabbey.org.uk/

The setting and the monastery are beautiful! If you go to the "Gregorian chant" page on the site, there's a picture of Diane praying. (She's the poster child for "Praying with Plainchant.")

Here is the mailing address. Could you send her an invitation to the reunion, just so she knows we're thinking about her?

Sister Anselma Scollard
c/o St. Cecilia's Abbey
Ryde PO331LH
England

Cathy (Albus) Rainey

~~~~~~~~

7/29/2006 email from Sr. Anselma (Diane) Scollard:

Dear Danny,

I was astounded and very delighted to get your letter. Please could you send me your home address so that I can write to you and also send some leaflets about our Abbey for my priest classmates and anyone else, as well as eventually some leaflets about our latest CD? Maybe they might want to use some Gregorian chant at the Mass on 28th. Many thanks.

With prayers and affection,

Sr. Anselma Diane Scollard

PERSPECTIVE

This couldn't happen to any of US. Or could it?

~~~~~~~~

I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist when I noticed his diploma hanging on the wall. It bore his full name and I suddenly remembered a tall, handsome dark-haired boy with the same name. He had been in my high school class some 40-odd years before and I wondered if he could be the same guy I had a secret crush on way back then??

When I got into the treatment room I quickly discarded any such thought. This balding gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was much too old to have been my secret crush... or was he???

After he examined my teeth I asked if he had attended Morgan Park High School. "Yes, I did I'm a Mustang!" He said, gleaming with pride.

"When did you graduate?" I asked.

"1959. Why do you ask?" He answered.

"Well, you were in my class!" I exclaimed.

Then that ugly, old wrinkled son of a bitch asked, "What did you teach?"

Carabelli's Salutatorian Speech, 1966

Paula Carabelli (1948 – 2006) was our class Salutatorian at our Alemany graduation in 1966.

Below is her Salutatorian address, courtesy of Louise Franco. As Louise tells it, immediately after the graduation ceremony, Louise asked Paula if Paula would give Louise a copy of the speech, and Paula simply handed over her typewritten original copy, complete with pencil corrections, to Louise. Louise kept it all these years, and emailed me a scan of it on 7/31/06, which I turned into a Word file using OCR (optical character recognition) software. I copied and pasted that Word document below.

DM

P.S. On 08/02/06, Louise brought Paula's original speech document to Paula's funeral, and gave it to Paula's daughter Emily.

~~~~~~~~

Paula Carabelli Salutatorian Address — 1966

“Know that this passing and precarious time in history will demand much of you."

Your Excellency, Right Reverend Monsignori, Reverend Fathers, Sisters, Lay Faculty Members, Parents and Friends,

Surely if Dr. Tom Dooley were here today, he would repeat to all of us his words:

“Know that this passing and precarious time in history will demand much of you ~ It will maroon the hesitant, but inspire the brave. Stand up and shout, 'This is my time and my place in this time,' and seek that place.”

And today the Class of nineteen hundred sixty six here at Alemany High School might well wonder what response these words should bring forth.

How often today are we presented with a bleak and discouraging picture of “this passing and precarious time”? Daily we are witnesses to a steady mounting of international tension. Our nation has made commitments to peoples struggling for the freedom to choose their own governments. And the validity of these commitments is being challenged — both abroad and within the United States. With commendations and condemnations being hurled at American foreign policy, it is difficult to determine to what degree our international involvement should extend.

National issues present another source of conflict. Better education, adequate housing, equal employment opportunities are needed to break the vicious circle of poverty and ignorance. Yet, appropriations for such efforts cannot be acquired without a tax program which many Americans will criticize as unreasonable. Basic human rights are denied to many American citizens because of their God—given heritage of race, color, or nationality. Even the law is unable to insure that every citizen exercises his right to vote.

The 20th century Christian is also confronted with dilemmas peculiar to our Pentecost. Traditional rituals are giving way to a new liturgy. Scientific achievements such as man’s newly found ability to cause, control, and crush life, and an apparently changing morality challenge our ethics. In the age of the Second Vatican Council, the layman is playing an increasingly important role. However, these new trends in the manner of Catholic worship, in our concepts of morality, and in the position of the laity may seem to disrupt a pattern fixed by years of custom and belief.

And yet, despite these anxieties and uncertainties, we are inspired to seek our places in a most exciting era. For you, our parents and teachers, have stimulated in us a thirst for a full life — a life possible only to those who are willing to be caught up in the issues I have just mentioned.

As Americans we profess the willingness to promote our democratic principles. Because we, as a nation, have heeded the cries of tyrannized peoples, we have gained a position of world leadership even among those who condemn our actions. Our very aversion to a passive existence implies a national character in which each one of us can share. And so we can truly echo the conviction of Dag Hammarskjold, whose keen international perspective led him to conclude, “In our era the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action.”

Domestic problems are also being met with vigorous action. Legislation seeks to undo wrongs intensified by centuries of living and learning. Our opposition to increased government spending does not overpower our desires to provide equal opportunities for all American citizens. Civil rights legislation continues to break the barriers between the majority and minority groups. And we are members of that great society which is conscious of the dignity of every human being.

How good it is to be alive when true living and loving are inseparable.

Our Catholic Church, too, calls on us to revitalize that love of self, of brother, and of God which marks the Christian. We are not living in the Middle Ages, in the nineteenth century, or in the first half of the twentieth century – we are living in nineteen hundred sixty-six. The springtime of the Church envisioned by Cardinal Suhard is evident. Our new liturgy provides the modern Christian with a vital spirituality necessary for his all—important role in society. Our Church's persistent adherence to the natural law helps keep morality from becoming a thing of the past. And our new role of leadership in the Church has made us, the laity, a most effective leaven in Christianizing our world. Fortunate are we who witness and participate in this renewed Christian movement.

The richness of our age is without precedent. We have come to this awareness through an education provided by a farseeing hierarchy, by sacrificing parents, and by perceptive teachers. For this we are sincerely grateful. We have benefited from the many spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and athletic activities provided for us. Our years here have helped us to see life as I see it — embracing, warm, rich, and blessed.

Having reflected upon the “passing and precarious time” in which we live and having considered, too, our position as twentieth century Americans and twentieth century graduates of this Catholic high school, I hope I speak for each member of my class when I say, “Yes, this is my time and my place in this time, and now I seek my place.”

Paula Carabelli
Alemany High School
Class of 1966 Salutatorian