In This Issue - Detroit Catholic Central High School

VOL. 57, NO. 1
FALL 2007
In This Issue
Rev. Richard Elmer ’46 Celebrates
50th Jubilee
Six CC Staff Members Retire
With Distinction
2007 Alumnus Of The Year John Argenta ’58
Coaches Mike Rodriguez &
Rick Coratti ’69 Retire
Library Media Center
Is Tops In Michigan
Editor:
Orrin Tibbits ’71
VOL. 57, NO. 1
FALL 2007
Associate Editors:
Paula Bullington
Penni Sakowski
Contributing Editor:
Rev. Raymond Paramo, C.S.B.
Editorial Contributions:
Aaron Babicz ’93
Tim Burke ’86
Dan Collins, Jr. ’84
Bill Galvin ’85
Rudy Seichter ’59
Rev. John Wheeler, C.S.B. ’57
Dave Wilson ’88
In This Issue
Photography:
Mike Rossi
FEATURES
Design & Production:
C.O. & Company
Advancement News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Detroit Catholic Central High School
Administration:
President - Rev. Richard Elmer, C.S.B. ’46
relmer@catholiccentral.net
Principal - Rev. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B.
rranalletti@catholiccentral.net
The Aluminator is published three
times every year by the Detroit Catholic
Central Alumni Office.
Articles should be addressed to:
The Aluminator
Detroit Catholic Central High School
27225 Wixom Road
Novi, MI 48374
To reach the Alumni Office:
(248) 596-3838
Fax: (248) 596-3839
For Information:
Vice President, Office of Institutional
Advancement - Dan Collins, Jr. ’84
(248) 596-3834
dcollins@catholiccentral.net
Director of Alumni Relations - Orrin Tibbits ’71
(248) 596-3836
otibbits@catholiccentral.net
Director of Development - Tim Burke ’86
(248) 596-3835
tburke@catholiccentral.net
Director of Planned Giving - Rudy Seichter ’59
(248) 596-3845
rseichter@catholiccentral.net
Director of Admissions
& Public Relations - Aaron Babicz ’93
(248) 596-3874
ababicz@catholiccentral.net
Or visit us on the Web:
www.catholiccentral.net
Page 23
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Chatterbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CC Profiles
New Book By Tom Grace ’80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
A Final Hug For Coach Rod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
19th Annual Alumnus Award Goes To John P. Argenta ’58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Rick Coratti ’69 Retirement Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
CC Business Profile: Great Harvest Bread Co. - Jim Payne ’88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Message From The Alumni Association Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Alumni Association Committees & Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Reunions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
27th Annual Athletic Golf Outing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Fr. Dick Elmer’s Fifty Years Of Priesthood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Young Alumni
Another Alumnus Comes Home To Catholic Central: Mike Carrier ’06 . . . . . . . 27
The Bells
Wedding Bells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Baby Bells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Calendar Of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SCHOOL NEWS
School Bells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Sports Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Sports Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
On the Cover:
Catholic Central celebrates the 50th Jubilee
of President Rev. Richard Elmer ’46 and bids
farewell to six retiring staff, whose combined
experience at CC totals 167 years.
Photo Submissions: Original prints are acceptable; they will be scanned and returned to you. Please do not scan and
output them on a personal color printer. Digital photographs intended for submission should be shot at as large a
size and in as high a resolution as possible for the camera used. Although this means a memory card will not hold
as many images, larger files yield better results for printing. Attention to proper lighting and crisp focus will also help
tremendously. Please send the “raw” or “uncompressed” original TIF file or high-resolution JPG – do not open and
adjust or resave into any other format. Photos should not be embedded into a Word document.
Advancement
NEWS
Dear CC Alumni and Friends,
thank you!
As I reflect on my first year as your Vice President of Institutional Advancement, I would like
to let all of you know that it is a great privilege and honor to serve you and our Alma Mater.
I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility each and every day as our Advancement Team
strives to support the Mission of this great institution. And I would like to say “thank
you” to all of you who have so loyally supported our School. I would especially like to
thank a very special group of Alumni who came together this year to form a group that
we now call the Basilian Partners.
The Basilian Partners assist our
Mission Statement (of the Basilian Partners)
efforts in a variety of ways
The Basilian Partners are a select group of Alumni who have
throughout the year. Participation
demonstrated
a commitment to Catholic Central High School
last year included: solicitation teleand have pledged their time and talents in support
phone calls for the Capital Campaign and
of the cause of Institutional Advancement.
the Annual Appeal; and participation in
Christmas on Campus, the Fr. Stoba Memorial
Mass, the CC Golf Outing and the Annual Harper/Belmont Reunion. For those of you who have
asked yourself over the years, “How can I help my Alma Mater?”, I invite you to consider becoming
a Basilian Partner.
Fr. Elmer – Jubilee Celebration
Speaking of Basilians, as you will read in this issue, our beloved President Fr. Richard Elmer, C.S.B.
’46 celebrated his 50th Jubilee on June 29 at the Basilian Center in Toronto. Father shared the
celebration with a small group of friends and family and his fellow Jubilarians. In order for all
of you, his CC family, to share in the celebration, Father will celebrate a Jubilee Mass here at CC
on Sunday, October 14. All are invited. Mass will take place at 10:00 A.M. in the School Chapel,
followed by a reception. Please join us as we celebrate Fr. Elmer and thank him for his faith,
friendship and devotion to Mary, Alma Mater.
As always, let me conclude my thoughts by asking for your continued support of our efforts,
whether that support be in the form of financial gifts and pledges, volunteer hours, or, most
importantly, prayer. May God continue to bless Catholic Central and remember…
Everyday is a great day to be a Shamrock.
Sincerely,
Dan Collins, Jr. ’84
Vice President, Office of Institutional Advancement
If you are interested in becoming a Basilian Partner, please contact me at (248) 596-3834
or at dcollins@catholiccentral.net.
Since returning to CC to assist Fr. Elmer and the other
wonderful people in the Alumni Office, I can report to my
fellow alums that the new Campus is a sight to behold.
The physical plant is state of the art and the surroundings
are magnificent. Our own John Argenta ’58 truly created
a masterpiece in design. If you have not been back to
your Alma Mater, make it a point to be here in 2007-2008!
Securing
The
Future
CC is approaching its 80-year anniversary in 2008!
Reflect for a moment on your years at CC. I believe
you would agree that future generations of young boys
need to have the same opportunity we had to attend this
great institution, and to add their imprint to the tradition
that is CC. Yet tradition, like freedom, is not free. It does not
just happen. It takes work, dedication and a sense of caring.
Our country is desperate for men who possess the qualities of
leadership and virtue. The biblical message of the Basilians
rings true today more than ever: Teach Me Goodness, Discipline
and Knowledge. In short, the School, the Church, and the
Country need our combined commitment to preserve what CC
has done, is doing, and must continue to do in preparing young
men to take their rightful place in society. So, what can I do to
help you Secure the Future of CC?
My task is to supply you with public information that
allows you to think about your financial status. In
particular, my focus is on your estate planning. The
goal is to help preserve your estate for your family and
those organizations you hold dear. Naturally, we hope
you will include CC in your planning. While I am
neither a financial nor a tax expert, I shall alert you to
opportunities and ideas via newsletters and email that
you may wish to incorporate into your estate-planning
thought process. Naturally, be sure to work directly
with your personal tax and/or financial professional(s)
on your estate documents.
The St. Basil Legacy Society was established to recognize those
Alumni and friends who have made planned or deferred gifts
to Catholic Central. If you wish to be included in the St. Basil
Legacy newsletter mailings, call, write or email me. Also, if
you have not met with your own tax and financial advisor(s)
to complete a will and/or trust, do so. Do not tarry!
Rudy Seichter ’59
(248) 596-3845
rseichter@catholiccentral.net
Stepping Up For CC Students
2006-07 Annual Giving Reaches $316,000 Level
The Annual Giving Program is specifically designed to fund
tuition assistance for qualified and deserving young men and
their families. The 2006-07 Annual Giving Program operated
during Catholic Central’s fiscal year of July 1, 2006 -June 30,
2007. Without the success of this program, many young men
and their families would not benefit from a Catholic Central
education. Thank you to all who “Stepped Up,” and supported
the 2006-07 Annual Giving Program. Because of your efforts,
$316,000 will directly make a CC education a reality for many
deserving young men.
Please continue to “Step Up” for CC students by supporting
the 2007-08 Annual Giving Program. We have already begun
receiving gifts for this fiscal year’s program, which operates
July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008. Our goal is to get more people
involved in this program, and to raise more dollars for qualified
and deserving young men and their families.
If convenient for you, please use the envelope provided in the
“Aluminator” or you may support the 2007-08 Annual Giving
Program online at www.catholiccentral.net. If you have any
questions, please contact the CC Advancement and Alumni
Relations Office at (248) 596-3838.
You do make a difference! Thank you!
MATCHING GIFTS
Make Your Gift
Go Twice As Far!
How do you make your gift of $150 worth $300?
It’s simple – your company matches your gift!
Over 500 companies offer matching gift programs and, as
a Catholic Central donor, you and/or your spouse receive
benefits equal to your gift plus your company’s match.
Some companies double – even triple – your gift at no
additional cost to you.
To qualify for the match, all you have to do is follow
these simple steps:
1 Pick up a matching gift form at your benefits office.
2 Complete the employee section on the form.
3 Mail the completed form to Detroit Catholic
Central High School.
We take care of the rest!
Let your employer help you help CC!
If you have questions, please contact the CC Advancement
and Alumni Relations Office at (248) 596-3838.
A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
3
C H AT T E R B O X
Staying Connected With Your Classmates
THE THRILLING ’30s
1931 – MSGR. FERDINAND J.
DECNEUDT, at the age of 94, is celebrating
his 68th year as a priest. He attended
Sacred Heart Seminary and was ordained
June 3, 1939. Monsignor served as assistant
pastor at St. Margaret Mary Parish; St.
Elizabeth Parish, Wyandotte; Our Lady of
Sorrows Parish, Detroit; St. Joan of Arc
Parish, St. Clair Shores; St. Edward Parish,
Detroit; and Our Lady of Victory Parish,
Detroit. He was Pastor of Madonna and
St. Paul Parishes, Detroit, and Pastor of
Our Lady Queen of All Saints Parish in
Fraser. In 1965, he was named a Monsignor
and was granted senior priest status
in 1982. Congratulations and thanks for
your many years of service to the Church,
Monsignor!
1936 – JAMES C. MESKILL, a resident of
New Port Richey, Fla., turned 90 April 6,
2007. Jim enjoys his good health, sports,
especially the Detroit Tigers, politics,
reading, watching Westerns, breakfast out
with friends, and visits from his children.
Birthday festivities were held at the Bear
Lake home of son Dennis Meskill ’66 in
Apopka, Fla. Among the many family
members attending were daughters
Maureen, Sharon (Stan Polkowski ’70),
Ann and Sue. Jim has 11 grandchildren
and five great-grandchildren. Betty, Jim’s
beloved wife of nearly fifty years, passed
away in 1997.
The Hon. Benjamin C. Stanczyk ’32 was given the Monsignor Malloy Award at the annual meeting of
the Catholic Lawyers Society on April 22. In the words of the award, “Judge Stanczyk exemplifies a
true Catholic lawyer, devoting his legal career to assisting others and pursuing justice within the principles of the Catholic faith.”
THE SWELL ’40s
1947 – PAUL J. WOLF (right) remembers
CC and identifies himself on the hockey
page of the 1946 yearbook as the player
with the goalie pads. He played in the
band and Fr. Bernard Regan was his
favorite math teacher. He lives in Florida
with his wife, Patricia. They just celebrated
their 55th anniversary.
THE NIFTY ’50s
1957 – REV. GEORGE H. HOSKO, C.S.B.
is the librarian at the University
of St. Thomas in Houston,
1944 - Continuing a tradition since graduation, a group of
Texas. He visits his fellow
1944 CC graduates gathered in Holt, Mich., for their annual
Basilians in Michigan regularly
Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. In addition to some Irish
but would like to hear from
songs and a few old jokes, the celebrants offered a prayer
his fellow classmates. They
for old classmates, particularly deceased friends Steve
can do this by going to the
Gorman, Tom Cotter and Jerry Duggan. Pictured are Tom
Reid, Jim Healy, Jim Mitchell, and Ray Coyle.
CC Alumni Website.
1957 – JOHN C. TRAGIS
and his wife Darlene are
living in Fairbanks, Alaska.
John retired in 1989, LTC
U.S. Army, after 24 years of
service. He is Director of
Administration for Utility
Services of Alaska.
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C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Paul Wolf ’47 and his wife, Patricia
1958 – ROBERT B. ROSOWSKI
received an award at the United Way
for Southwestern Michigan’s “Celebrate
Volunteers - Recognizing Home Town
Heroes” Luncheon held at the Detroit
Marriott Renaissance Hotel. Bob was
nominated for the United Way’s “Heart
of Gold Award” by the Accounting Aid
Society. For the past 20 years, he and
other members of the Society have helped
low-income individuals and seniors
with their taxes for no cost at the Butzel
Family Center on Detroit’s east side.
Congratulations, Bob.
1958 – LAWRENCE J. ZUCAL retired
from the U.S. Air Force after 26 years and
from the City of Southfield after 23 years.
Larry and wife Helen reside in Oscoda,
WIN A CC SWEATSHIRT BY HELPING US!
WE’RE STUMPED… AND WE CAN’T ID THESE ALUMS!
We’re still trying to identify these Alumni shown – and we’re offering a prize for your help.
If you recognize any of the Alumni shown, send us the name(s). One name will be drawn from
all valid entries and the winner will receive a CC Sweatshirt.
Contact Fr. Ray Paramo, C.S.B. at rparamo@catholiccentral.net
Mich. where he is a member of their
Village Watch. He also is an active member
of Sacred Heart Parish and the K of C.
Larry is an elected Oscoda Township
Trustee and plans to run again in ’08.
THE PSYCHEDELIC ’60s
1960 – JON M. FOX and his wife Nancy
have formed a private foundation that
provides social services, housing and
many other support services in poor
third-world countries. They have placed
over 6,000 orphans from Vietnam,
Cambodia, Guatemala, Russia, and many
other countries into adoption with caring
families in America.
1961 – JAMES J. KAVANAUGH and
his wife Monika live in Utica, Mich. He
retired from Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg,
Germany, and also from Volkswagen of
America, Inc., Auburn Hills, Mich.
1961 – DR. DONALD JABLONSKI was
recently appointed to the North Carolina
Medical Board. He is a member of the
Mountain Area Health Education Center
and a preceptor for Duke and North
Carolina medical students. Don currently
serves as President of the North Carolina
Society of the American College of
Osteopathic Family Physicians and is
a past President of the North Carolina
Osteopathic Medical Association.
1962 – ROBERT E. ROACH and his wife
Meg are living in Rochester Hills, Mich.
He is unofficially retired after 18 years
in public relations for Ford Motor Co.,
following 13 years as staff writer with The
Detroit News. In his spare time, he enjoys
cycling and is training for the National
Ski Patrol. His son Drew is in grad school
in New York City, and daughter Meghan
is a goldsmith-jeweler in Chicago.
1965 – THOMAS E. DEW is living in
Ann Arbor, Mich., with his wife Gail.
They have two children, Christy and
Brian. They are proud grandparents.
1965 – FRANK A. LISJAK retired from
teaching after 33 years in the Catholic
schools of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
He taught at Holy Name School in
Birmingham; Shrine High School in
Royal Oak; and Divine Child High
School in Dearborn.
1965 – WILLIAM A. WERTHEIMER
and his wife Barbara live in Bingham
Farms, Mich. Bill practices law out of
his home, largely pro bono.
1967 – KEITH J. HANLEY and his wife
Patricia are living in Cincinnati, Ohio.
They are active with “Engaged and
Young Married” ministry at their parish
and were very active in Worldwide
Marriage Encounter. Keith and Pat have
been married for 30 years and have four
children: Brian - 24, Brigid - 20, Mary 17 and Tim - 15. They love to travel
and have made quite a number of trips
throughout North America and abroad.
1967 – VINOOL S. (VENO) HESANO
and his wife Vicki live in Northville. They
have three children. Recently, he and his
brother John ’70 bought the Pilgrim Party
Shoppe in Plymouth, Mich.
1967 – LAWRENCE M. TURNER is
the District Manager of Detroit District
Central Steel & Wire Co. He has been
employed there for 35 years.
1968 – JOSEPH O. THIBODEAU, his wife
Cheryl and family live in Springboro,
Ohio. Joe is involved in “Answer the
Call,” a Catholic Men’s Association in
Cincinnati, St. Henry Men’s Fellowship
Group, Dayton, and is a five-year RCIA
Team Member. Their daughter Emily has
gone home to the Lord; daughter Megan
is a graduate of Ohio State and was
married in April 2006; and son Jeffrey
is a Senior at Wright State University
in Dayton, Ohio.
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
5
On February 10, 2007, Steve Rodriguez ’73 was named Girls’ Golf
Coach of the Year by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches
Association. At the same time, he was inducted into the Michigan
Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame for all of his
work as Head Girls’ Golf Coach at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School since 1985. Over
the last 22 years, his teams have qualified for the State Championship 20 times, winning
twice – in 1986 and 1993. Steve has made sure that Pioneer has hosted several regional
and invitational tournaments during his tenure. Through all of these activities and
many other opportunities to promote golf, Steve was found to be a very deserving
candidate for these awards. Congratulations, Steve, on a job well done.
DISCO-DOWN ’70s
1970 – WILLIAM R. ALEXANDER and
his wife Maria are living in Penfield, N.Y.
Bill is a Corporate and Business Lawyer
in Rochester, N.Y. He was an Adjunct
Professor of Business Law in the William
E. Simon Graduate School of Business at
the University of Rochester for five years.
1970 – MICHAEL J. FENECH SR. went
into the Hospitality field where he eventually became the General Manager for the
Prescott Resort for over 12 years. He was
voted Hotelier of the Year in 2003 by the
Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.
In June 2005, Michael started a new career
in Municipal government as the Director
of Administrative Services for the City of
Prescott, Ariz. Michael and his wife Cindy
have been married just over 30 years.
They have two daughters, Alexandra and
Danielle, both in college, and a son, Michael
Jr., who is a Sophomore in high school
and a nationally ranked fencer in épée.
1970 – ROBERT A. REPICKY has taken a
long-term leave from the Basilian Fathers.
He is currently working at Monsignor
Fraser College, an alternative secondary
school for high risk students, ages 18-21.
He runs a food program for the students
and tries to help them develop the discipline and imagination necessary to get
on with their lives and education.
1971 – JAMES G. JACOBI lives in The
Woodlands, Texas, with his wife Karen.
They are the parents of four children –
Jessica, Elizabeth, James Jr. and Jennifer.
Jim is a self-employed engineer, the
Principal and Chief Information Officer
of Walter P. Moore and Assoc. in
Houston, Texas. He is a registered engineer in Michigan, Texas, and three other
states. Jim considers himself lucky to
6
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
live near the Gulf Coast because his
favorite pastime is deep-sea fishing.
Latin-Jazz septet, which won the Jazz
Album of the Year 2005.
1971 – CHARLES L. KASE relocated
to Indianapolis, Ind., in 2004, and was
employed by Regions Bank Commercial
Division with specific focus on commercial
real-estate lending. In 2006, he accepted
a position with First Indiana Bank in a
similar capacity. Charles, a widower,
is the father of two daughters, Sheri
1974 – DR. JONATHAN D. ZONCA
and his wife, Margo, are living in Denver,
Colo., where he recently opened a family
practice. Jonathan is also a community
faculty member of the Rose Family
Medicine Residency. He and Margo
have a four-year-old son, Alex, and one
on the way.
Please remember…
Rev. Leo Klosterman, C.S.B., who is very ill,
in your prayers. Students of the ’60s and ’70s – during CC’s Science Fair
“golden age” – will certainly remember him! Fr. Klosterman is retired and
living in Windsor, Ont. If you would like more information, you may
contact Fr. Raymond Paramo, C.S.B. at rparamo@catholiccentral.net.
and Leslee, father-in-law of Marc, and
grandfather of Ava and Greta. “I’d love
to hear from any classmates, especially if
in the Indianapolis area,” he writes.
1972 – THOMAS A. JACOBI and his wife
Zoraida live in Baton Rouge, La. They
have two sons. Tom’s leisure activities
include riding Harley Davidson motorcycles, USMS swimming, power boating,
raising purebred cats and LSU/Saints
football.
1973 – DR. ALBERTO S. NACIF, wife
Elena, and two sons Alex and Nick live
in Brighton, Mich. Alberto is the team
physician for the U.S. Collegiate Tae
Kwon Do Team. He is a lecturer and
medical educator who has traveled
extensively in Europe, Russia and the
Americas. Alberto is a Senate member
of the University Musical Society who
teaches a summer course at Washtenaw
Community College on hand drumming.
He is a member of Tumbao Bravo, a
1976 – FR. MICHAEL J. BYRNES, ViceRector and Sacred Scripture Professor at
Sacred Heart Major Seminary, completed
the Boston Marathon April 16, 2007, in
3:52:46, achieving his goal of running
the 26.2 miles in less than four hours.
Congratulations, Fr. Mike!
1976 – BERNARD V. PETERSON and
wife Caroline Cargo have three daughters.
They reside in Paoli, Pa. Bernie is
employed by Morgan Stanley as
Executive Director and Counsel in West
Conshohocken, Pa.
1977 – J. IVAN BOIVIN lives in
Blythwood, S.C., with his wife Nancy.
They are the parents of five children.
Not only did he coach his children in
wrestling and soccer, he himself competed
in wrestling tournaments until age 42.
Ivan is a freelance writer for several
publications. He is a published author
whose novel, Fantasy Fiction, will be
available in 2007 from Amazon.com.
1977 – ROBERT J. ELLIOTT is a restoration
specialist at Van Tel Auto in Taylor, Mich.
He and his wife Dawn live in Livonia.
1977 – CRAIG D. MCCARTHY lives
happily in Spokane, Wash., with his wife
Judy and a blended family of four children.
He is a graduate of the University of
Arizona and Gonzaga University and
works for the Air Force. Craig still runs
and cross-country skis but claims to be
slowing down a little bit. He looks forward
to the 30th CC reunion, and wants to know
if guys like Bernie White, Paul Murphy,
and John Soma are still on the planet.
1977 – MARTIN J. NIEZGODA writes:
“What a long, strange trip it’s been…
worked in the automotive field for about
10 years… went to Focus: HOPE to learn a
machinist trade, and ended up instructing
and working for a great civil-rights
organization for about 21 years, and am
now going back to school to become an
R.N. I will graduate in May 2008.”
1979 – RONALD J. DWYER is living in
San Leandro, Calif. He is a serious car
hobbyist who has restored and sold
cars worldwide over the past 15 years.
Ron specializes in BMWs, Porsches and
Mercedes from the ’60s and early ’70s.
1979 – PETER M. WILLIAMS is pursuing
a Master of Arts in U.S. History and
African American History. He was
the primary researcher on the Detroit
African-American History Project web-
site www.daahp.wayne.edu. Peter is
married to Monica Leonard, the Dean
of Students at the University of DetroitMercy. Monica attended Renaissance
High School for three years, which
means they both spent three years at
6565 West Outer Drive.
THE TECHNO ’80s
1980 – CRAIG P. DAHL has a Mechanical
Engineering degree from Michigan
Technological University. He is active
in the Music Department of Holy Family
Church in Novi, Mich. Craig and Deborah,
his wife of 18 years, have two children –
daughter Macara is eight and son Matthew
is five (Class of 2020!).
1980 – DR. WAYNE D. STARKS, M.D. is
living in Redlands, Calif., with his wife
Grace and their three children – Arian and
twins Alyssa and Maryssa. They moved
to Southern California in 2003, where
Wayne had a private practice. In 2006,
Wayne left private practice to join with
a physician who had eight occupational
medicine clinics; Wayne is the lead
physician at one of the clinics.
1980 – KEVIN L. TEEVENS and his wife
Carol moved back to Michigan in 2004,
after living for seven years in Lancaster
County, Pa. They are enjoying a busy
family life with their three wonderful
sons – Quinn, Connor and Liam. Connor
will attend CC in the fall of 2007. Kevin is
currently a Senior Partner with J. Walter
Thompson. He is a writer and advertising
Creative Director, and has done numerous
print, radio and TV commercials over the
years for clients as diverse as Ford, White
Castle, Kohls, DuPont Stainmaster,
Chrysler and Builder’s Square. Kevin’s
work has been recognized by the industry
through numerous advertising honors,
including Clios, Graphics, IAAA, Effys,
Communications Arts and O’Toole awards.
1981 – KEVIN W. CARPENTER is
working for the ABC/Walt Disney Co.
He writes, “In October of 2002, I moved
within the company to the ABC/Disneyowned TV station in Chicago, WLS-TV, to
become Manager of Online Operations.
Our Web staff has more than doubled
in five years and we continue to grow.
It’s a fantastic job. I can explore my own
interest in technology and new media,
while keeping my fingers in the daily
news business. You can check out our
site at www.abc7chicago.com.”
1981 – PAUL J. CARRIER was the 2007
Toronto Program Director for the Foreign
Study Program of the Thomas M. Cooley
Law School. He holds a B.A. from The
University of Michigan, a J.D. from
MSU-Detroit College of Law, and an
LL.M. degree in International Law from
Georgetown University Law School.
Before going to Cooley Law School in
2004, Paul held international corporate
law positions in the Czech and Slovak
CC on the Beach… Over 40 Shamrock families vacationed in
Myrtle Beach, S.C., during Spring Break this year. All of those forming the
interlocking “CC” are current students or Alumni.
Among the many CC Alumni at Myrtle Beach for Spring
Break 2007 were: (left to right, front row) Dave Butwill ’78,
Mike Loiselle ’79, Pat O’Brien ’53, Denny Barnes ’79, Chris
Popelia ’78, (back row) Bob Paul ’80, Craig Zardus ’77,
Jeff Wiska ’77, Steve Burns ’79 and Bob Karwan ’77.
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
7
Republics with American and British law
firms. Prior to his law firm experience,
he taught public international law and
administrative law to the law faculty in
Bratislava, Slovak Republic, as a Fulbright
Senior Teaching Scholar, and was
also appointed chair of the Fulbright
Commission there by the U.S. Ambassador
in 2000. Before focusing on international
law, Paul was a research attorney with the
Prehearing Department of the Michigan
Court of Appeals and law clerk on special
assignment to several judges. He then
clerked for former Michigan Supreme
Court Chief Justice Dorothy ComstockRiley. At Cooley, Paul teaches Property,
European Union Law, Advance Practice
Skills-International and acts as faculty
co-advisor to Cooley’s Phillip K. Jessup
International Moot Court Competition Team.
1981 – JOHN A. CULVER and his wife
Terry live in Chicago, Ill. with their four
children – Nicole, Marcus, Elias, and
Miracle. He is a lawyer with the law
firm of Myers Miller & Krauskopf, LLC.
1981 – PAUL K. KULA has been working
for the Ford Motor Company since 1990.
He has worked in the Safety Restraint
Department his entire career at Ford.
Over the years, Paul has been responsible
for the design and development of seatbelt and air-bag safety systems on many
platforms, but the first one, the 1994
Mustang, is his favorite. Currently, he is
supervisor of a group of engineers who
are responsible for the development of
seat belts, air bags, steering wheels and
crash sensors on a few vehicles within
the Company. Paul and his wife Linda
live in Farmington Hills, Mich.
1982 – PAUL J. STULIGROSS was named
the Child Mentor of the Year by the Novi
Police Department. Paul is a 19-year
veteran who mentors a child through the
Novi Youth Assistance Program.
1982 – GREGORY W. WIERCIOCH of
the Texas Defender Service is one of the
lawyers representing a defendant in a
Supreme Court capital punishment case.
1983 – JEFFREY S. BARTOS is Head Teacher
at Kid’s College, Daejeon, South Korea.
1983 – JOHN P. BOVICH has been practicing law in California since 1990. He
specializes in intellectual property litigation
with emphasis on patent-infringement
lawsuits. John and wife Samantha have
two children – Bella and Ford.
1983 – PETER D. POIRIER lives in Milan,
Mich., and is self employed. He graduated
from Eastern Michigan University. During
the last 10 years, Peter has announced all
the sports play-by-play for Ann Arbor’s
E. MICHAEL WOOLFOLK ’82 was inducted
into the National Association of Black
Journalists Hall of Fame. He has worked in
Las Vegas, Nev., for KVBC-TV as a sports
anchor and reporter; in Jackson, Miss., for Love
Communications and WAPT-TV as a news anchor and reporter; and in Columbia,
S.C., for WACH-TV as a news anchor and Managing Editor. Mike has served
three years as a Regional Deputy Director, two years as a Regional Director,
two years as Chairman of the National Council of Presidents, and two years as
National Vice President of Broadcasting. He has also given of his time and talent
to help develop the next generation of broadcast journalists. Mike says he is truly
humbled to be considered worthy of the Region III Hall of Fame by his peers.
To join the ranks of the many regional and national legends is quite simply overwhelming. “I am blessed to have the love and support of so many people on this
journey that is my career. To all who have played a role in my success, I can only
say, ‘thank you.’ May you continue to enjoy God’s favor as we all continue to do
the important work we’ve been called upon to do.”
8
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Community Television Network. In 2005,
he received a first-place Philo T. Farnsworth
Award for Excellence in Broadcasting in
the Sports/Professional category.
1983 – SHAUN M. RINEY, wife Mary
Beth and three boys – twins Aidan
and Evan, and Thomas – are living in
Waxhaw, N.C. They moved to North
Carolina after eight years with the U
of M Sports Medicine Department. He
is currently Department Manager for
Carolinas Medical Center.
1984 – DENNIS M. BEITING has lived in
North Carolina for 14 years. He currently
works for UNC-TV, the PBS-affiliated
network there. Dennis has done production work on several shows, including
their daily news program and national
programs like “The Woodwright’s Shop.”
He appears regularly on camera.
1984 – JOHN K. DALY has been teaching
for 17 years, the last 13 at Lake Shore High
School in St. Clair Shores, Mich. He has
also spent 17 years coaching basketball at
Our Lady of Victory in Northville (CYO)
and at Lake Shore and the local recreation
league for 3rd and 4th graders. John
hopes to get into contact with as many
old friends as possible, from the class of
1984 and other years as well. Recently,
he has fallen in with a group of former
engineers that are expanding a business on
the Internet – with growth in the three
hottest areas of e-commerce, franchising,
and distribution. Contact him if you are
looking for anything that may give you
the way toward your dreams and goals.
During the last few years, John has
begun to see that he loves what he is
doing. Teaching is something that gives
him a lot of satisfaction. Now, working
with his business partners, he has also
found a calling to serve and help others.
This will allow him to have fun, make
some money, and, most importantly,
the ability to make a difference in other
people’s lives.
1985 – MAJ. KARL A. VOGELHEIM
and his wife Barb had a wonderful time
in southern Indiana. Their first child
was born September 20, 2006, and she
is an absolute joy. They have moved to
Plymouth, Mich.
☞
1987 – HENRY E. GRAPER* resides in
Anchorage, Alaska, with his wife Stacey.
He is a partner in the firm of Gorton,
Logue & Graper, P.C., a criminal-law
firm. Stacey works in a family business,
Enterprises, which specializes in paving
maintenance.
1988 – JODY J. SAKSTRUP writes: “What
a trip to always receive the Aluminator –
and to think it was nearly half a lifetime
ago that I graduated from such a great
School with nice classmates.” He has
worked in different jobs for many different
people. Jody left Michigan in 1996, to
enjoy a new life in San Francisco, and
finally found a home in California. He
moved to Hollywood in 1998, where he
worked in “entertainment,” as they say.
Jody is presently in the property management field, working at Platinum
Equity World Headquarters in Beverly
Hills as their Facilities Manager, where
he won the 2006 Building of the Year
(“Toby”) Award for that majestic, historic
property. He continues to grow in many
ways in his blessed life on the West Coast,
due in no small part, “to the stellar education and values of Goodness, Discipline
and Knowledge instilled in me as a young
man attending CC. Shamrocks rule.”
1989 – SEAN W. NAJJAR and his wife
Kimberly live in West Bloomfield, Mich.,
with their two children. Sean is the
owner of Green Leaves, Inc., a lawnmaintenance/landscaping/snow-removal
company. He is the former owner of
Vitamart, Inc. Due to economic conditions
in the state of Michigan and an everexpanding e-commerce world, it was time
to move forward to a new opportunity.
1989 – MICHAEL R. PETERSON is
employed by the Michigan State Police.
He is the President of the Monroe County
Right to Life.
THE HAPPENING ’90s
1990 – MATTHEW J. ANGNER opened
an Expetec Technology Services franchise
in the South Denver area in April 2007.
Expetec provides IT services to smalland medium-sized businesses.
10
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
PLEASE PRAY WITH US!
…in the Catholic Central Chapel
Rosary
Every Tuesday
at 2:50 P.M.
Holy Hour
Every Wednesday
at 2:50 P.M.
Mass
Every morning
at 7:30 A.M.
Monday -Friday
1990 – ERIK R. BURTON is a Sales
Manager for Comsys in California. He is
living in Orange County. If any Alumni
are in the area, he would love to hear
from you.
1990 – MATTHEW J. FENNELLY,
wife Jennifer, son Declan and daughter
Reagan reside in Lapeer, Mich. Matt is
a Field Staff Adjuster and Catastrophe
Team member for Assurant Solutions.
He was on the gulf coast for Hurricane
Katrina; stories and photos he posted on
his website were featured on CNN.
1991 – DAVID J. MISIEWICZ graduated
from Eastern Michigan University and
lives in Ann Arbor, Mich. He is a selfemployed comedian and a member of the
professional organizations SAG (Screen
Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American
Federation of TV and Radio Artists).
Dave is currently coaching the Freshman
Lacrosse team at CC. In the summer, he
will go back to L.A. for acting and comedy.
His overseas travels for the troops with
“Comics on Duty” have been included
in a DVD to be released soon.
1991 – CHRISTOPHER P. RIEPLE
is happy, healthy and busy living in
Centennial, Colo., with his wife Tricia and
their children Jonah and Olivia. The kids
started skiing this winter so they’ve spent
most of their weekends on the slopes.
1992 – PETER T. FROMMEYER won
The Detroit News Draft Blast contest.
He accumulated the most points in the
News contest, which asked participants to
predict the players selected in the NFL
draft and match those players to the
selecting teams. Pete won two tickets to
the Lions home opener against the Vikings
and a replica Charlie Sanders jersey autographed by the Hall of Fame tight end.
1992 – MATTHEW A. HOLTZ is the
Head Coach for the Michigan State
Lacrosse Team. They are ranked in the
top 25 in the nation for U.S. Lacrosse
College Teams.
1992 – JOSEPH R. PRZYBYLA received
his M.B.A. from the University of
Washington, Seattle, in 2007. He is joining
PWC in the Chicago office starting in July.
He and his wife Arlene have relocated to
the Midwest after seven years. He says
it is very exciting to be closer to home,
family and friends.
1993 – KEVIN W. KRAMER is living in
Chandler, Ariz., with his wife Amanda,
and their twins Mackenzie and Andrew,
born in December 2006. Kevin graduated
from Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University with a B.S. in Aerospace
Engineering. He joined Boeing as a Flight
Test Engineer, then Test Conductor on
the Navy F-18E Super Hornet at Pax
River NAS, Md. Kevin then moved to
Minneapolis to work for Champion Air
as a Powerplant/Avionics Engineer on
the 727-200. He is currently working
for America West/US Air as a Senior
Avionics Engineer.
1993 – PAUL G. NEMZEK is teaching
and coaching at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
Preparatory. He is Head Varsity Lacrosse
Coach and Assistant Varsity Football
(Defensive Line) Coach.
1995 – JEFFREY GAJEWSKI has recently
accepted a new position with the
Tournament Players’ Club Michigan as
Sales and Marketing Manager.
1996 – CHRISTOPHER P. LADOUCEUR
lives in White Lake, Mich., with his wife
Lauren. He works in public relations and
does volunteer work as the high-school
Varsity Lacrosse Coach for Walled Lake
Northern.
1997 – ROBERT J. DOMOL has his J.D. in
Intellectual Property Law from DePaul
University of Law, Chicago, Ill. He moved
to Chicago in 2001 to pursue a legal career.
1997 – PATRICK I. MOORE lives in
Ferndale, Mich. He graduated from
Madonna University in Journalism and
now works for the University of DetroitMercy as Assistant Sports Information
Director. Patrick is a member of the
College Sports Information Directors
of America.
1997 – BRIAN J. TEEFEY* and his wife
Mandy now live in Los Angeles, Calif. His
stepdaughter Selena Gomez has her own
Disney series in which she plays the lead
character, Alex Russo. “Wizards of Waverly
Place” has shot seven episodes and begins
to air on the Disney Channel in October.
1998 – JOSEPH J. JONNA is chief estimator
and safety director for Southfield-based
Jonna Construction Co. He joined the
company in 2003, after graduating from
Michigan State University with a degree
in Urban and Regional Planning. Joe says
he has had to prove himself to elder family
members to have his opinions heard
within the company. He says much of
that has happened by being assertive
when the company bids for contracts.
1998 – CLINT W. MCDONELL is
presently finishing his studies at Sacred
Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese
of Detroit. He will be ordained to the
priesthood in 2008.
1999 – DAVID R. LUSKY and his wife
Carrie are living in Chicago, Ill. He
played football for Eastern Michigan and
was named to the first team All-MAC.
1999 – RYAN L. MATHISON and his
wife Karen live in Wilson, N.C., and they
have a daughter. Ryan works as a warehouse Manager for an electrical company.
In his spare time, he loves fishing, sports
and music.
THE VIRTUAL ’00s
2000 – STEVEN M. DOMINGUEZ
and his brother Dan ’97 have started up
Majestic Plumbing & Mechanical. They
install plumbing and mechanical systems
in high-end homes and commercial
buildings, and are looking forward to the
challenges ahead, hoping to be successful
in Michigan. Steve and Dan have started
another business called The Finger Paint
Company – “creating imaginary worlds
for children and others.” Steven enjoys
painting room themes and murals for
nurseries, daycares, offices and restaurants.
2000 – MATTHEW N. FLAHERTY is
currently living in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, and working for Dubai Aerospace
Enterprise. He earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in Aeronautical Science
with Minors in Meteorology, Aviation
Safety and Aerospace Studies from
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
A Special
Invitation
When you have a moment to reflect,
I ask that you think about what
Catholic Central High School can do
for the future of your sons, grandsons, nephews and friends’ sons.
Our greatest ambassadors have
always been alumni like you. Your
endorsement and recommendation
to others are essential to our future.
I invite you to contact me at anytime
to inquire about CC. I mail a
newsletter to all prospective students
three times a year. It’s a great way
to introduce CC and offer a small
sampling of what the CC spirit is
all about.
Sincerely,
Aaron Babicz ’93
Director of Admissions
and Public Relations
(248) 596-3874
ababicz@catholiccentral.net
* Indicates more information is available on this Alumnus (see “Wedding Bells,”page 28).
in 2003. Matthew will graduate with a
Master’s in Business Administration in
Airline Management in July 2007 from
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
He is a Flight Instructor with CFI/II,
MEI, AGI, and IGI ratings.
2000 – JOHN T. HILL JR. is the Offensive
Coordinator/Coach for the JV Football
Team at Central High School, Brooksville,
Fla. “They had a 5-1 season. Our offense
averaged 33 points a game – a school
record; threw for 15 TDs – a new JV school
record; and rushed for an additional 14
TDs. The Wham has landed in Florida!”
writes John.
2000 – DAVID J. MOSS is playing professional hockey with the Calgary Flames.
He played for the CC Shamrocks and
The University of Michigan before going
to the Flames.
2000 – PAUL C. SCHULTZ graduated
from Harvard in June 2004, and Ave
Maria School of Law in May 2007. He
would like to practice in tax and corporations/small business in Ann Arbor.
2001 – CARL J. SCHNEIDER graduated
in Political Science and is currently
finishing his Master’s in Urban and
Regional Planning at Ball State University
in Muncie, Ind.
2002 – JUSTIN C. DROBA is currently
a graduate student at The University
of Michigan-Ann Arbor in Electrical
Engineering.
2003 – PATRICK J. COLDREN is currently
attending The University of MichiganDearborn and is interning at Henry Ford
Community College in the Financial
Services Department. Patrick played both
Hockey and Baseball for CC and fondly
remembers those years, especially the three
State titles that the CC Hockey team won.
2003 – SCOTT R. JORDAN will be
graduating in December 2007, with a
degree in Financial Counseling and Planning
as well as a minor in Organizational
Leadership and Supervision.
2005 – THOMAS J. JOHNSON was named
to the GLIAC Football All-Academic
Team representing Gannon University.
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
11
Prince Charles visited Sierra Leone recently while Ken Fetzer ’86 (circled) was there serving as senior U.S.
military leader to the International Military Advisory Training Team (IMATT). Inset: Ken (third from left), with
members of his training team in Sierra Leone.
S ERVING O UR C OUNTRY
1986 – KEN FETZER (above) was sent
to Germany in July 2005, doing logistics
work in support of the war effort. He left
there in August 2006, and did six months
assigned to an international military
advisory team in Sierra Leone.
1989 – CAPT. MARC C. HUDZINSKI,
U.S.M.C. is currently deployed to Iraq
in the Al-Anbar Province. His current
assignment is Liaison Officer of II Marine
Expeditionary Force Operations. When
Marc returns to the U.S., he will continue
his tour of duty at the U.S. Marine Corps
Warfighting Lab in Quantico, Va.
1991 – MAJ. JASON C. WORLEY
writes: “Since graduation, I have lived in
Philadelphia, Pa.; Colorado Springs, Colo.;
Enid, Okla.; Abilene, Texas; Rapid City,
S.D.; and finally back to Philadelphia. I
graduated from USAFA in 1996, and went
to Vance AFB for pilot training, where I
was immediately assigned as an instructor.
While there, I married my wife, Shira
Ravitz (USAFA ’97). My next assignment
was Dyess AFB for initial training as an
aircraft commander in the B-1. From there,
I went to Ellsworth AFB and the 34th Bomb
Squadron. We deployed in support of OIF
(three times). While there, we also had
our daughter, Miriam, born April 11, 2004.
In September ’06, I separated from active
duty and went to work for the Air Force
Reserves, flying the C-17. We just bought
a house in Hatboro, Pa., but I will have to
wait to be there for a little while since I
am temporarily in Altus, Okla., learning
to fly the mighty Globemaster. Right now,
I am preparing to apply to the airlines
if the Reserves can’t give me a full-time
position. Shira is starting to make the
transition from stay-at-home Mom back
12
C H AT T E R B O X • FA L L 2 0 0 7
to working professional. Drop me a line
and I will have the bar open and the BBQ
on. See ya in 2011.”
1994 – ERIC C. POPIEL and his wife
Chelsea reside in Buzzards Bay, Mass.,
with their two children, Lucas Maddox
and Sydney Grace. Eric is working on a
Master’s degree in Strategy and Public
Policy at U.S. Naval War College. He is
also a Falcon 20 Instructor Pilot.
1996 – THOMAS G. STEELE completed six
years as a Communications and Electronic
Warfare Systems Specialist onboard the
submarine U.S.S. Pasadena (SSN 752)
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He is married
to Stephanie Banaszak. He is presently
employed at the Yazaki North America
Testing Center. Tom has worked in
various areas such as Materials/Failure
Analysis, Electrical/Wire Harness and
Environment Testing Groups.
1997 – ERIC P. HUDZINSKI, currently
in Oxford, Miss., was recently promoted
to Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps
Reserve. The promotion was retroactive
to January 1, 2007. Eric, from Livonia,
and a former Civil Air Patrol cadet in the
Livonia Thunderbolt Squadron, has been
in the U.S. Marines Corps Reserves since
October 6, 1998. He has been a member
of the Laune’s Composite Squadron,
Oxford. He holds the rank of Major in
the Civil Air Patrol.
2000 – MM2 (SW) PATRICK J. DALY II,
U.S.N. has transferred from the ship to the
Center for Naval Engineering Learning
Site, Service School Command, Great
Lakes, Ill., as an Instructor for Basic
Engineering Common Core.
2001 – JOHN J. HAMANN, an Economics
major at The University of Michigan who
graduated in 2005, is now a Lieutenant
Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy. John
graduated from flight school June 8, 2007,
and is now a Navy helicopter pilot. John
and his wife Heather are moving from
Pensacola, Fla., to Norfolk, Va., where he
will join the HM-14 squadron, flying the
MH53E Sea Dragon, which is the largest
helicopter the United States has. His
primary mission will be ocean-mine
detection and elimination, as well as
cargo- and troop-transportation duties.
John also received a commercial civilian
license to fly high-performance fixed
wing and rotary aircraft.
2002 – STEPHEN M. GRIMA received
active-duty orders to New Orleans, La.,
to assist with the Hurricane Katrina
recovery efforts still going on in the Gulf
Coast region. He is a BM3 Petty Officer
with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves.
This is his second tour of duty related to
Hurricane Katrina. Steve was recalled to
active duty in August 2005, and mobilized
to Gulfport, Miss., three days after the
Hurricane made landfall. His duty station
is Station Manistee in Manistee, Mich.
He is a Senior at Great Lakes Maritime
Academy in Traverse City, Mich.
C C
P R O F I L E
Spotlighting Alumni & Special Members Of Our CC Family
NEW BOOK BY TOM GRACE ’80
By Fr. Ray Paramo, C.S.B.
Best-selling author Tom Grace ’80 has graciously sent me an advance
copy of his new novel, “The Secret Cardinal” (October 2007, Vanguard
Press/Perseus, ISBN 978-159315-456-1, $24.95, 356 pages).
What we’ve seen of it makes it another likely hit. This is the fifth in his
exciting Nolan Kilkenny series.
We weren’t able to review it in time for this issue, but we hope to take care
of that next time. In the meantime, I would recommend that you go to Tom’s
website (www.tomgrace.net) to catch up on him and his other books. He can
be contacted there, but be careful, because he has been known to use friends
as subjects in his novels. I personally have already gone that route in his
second book, so my fifteen minutes in the sun are over.
1.
Go to www.catholiccentral.net
which is CC’s Home Page
2.
Click on “Alumni Home Page” under
the “Alumni & Development” link
3.
“Sign In” or “Register”
Register On The Alumni Website
It’s Easy As 1-2-3!
More information is coming your way via the Alumni Website.
To stay connected with fellow alums, receive the Shamrock News
e-newsletter, keep current with activities and events, as well
as to update your personal profile, logon/get connected today!
If you haven’t already done so, it’s easy to do, and it’s free.
This will get you registered on the Alumni Website. Again,
there is no cost, and it is a great way to stay in touch with
fellow alums, the School, and receive the Shamrock News
e-newsletter. Over 3,500 alums have already registered on
the site. Update your personal profile today – it only takes
a minute.
C C P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
13
Fellow Alumni:
What is the Alumni
Association?
The Catholic Central Alumni Association
is an organization which exists within
the Catholic Central community. Under
its bylaws, every Catholic Central
Alumnus is a member of the Association.
Its Mission Statement provides:
The Mission of the Catholic Central
Alumni Association is to provide services,
benefits and activities of interest to the
Alumni and foster an Alumni body
which is interested and involved in the
affairs and functions of the School, and to
provide such assistance to the School as
may from time to time be requested of it.
The affairs and activities of the Alumni
Association are managed and overseen
by its Officers, its Board of Directors,
and its Executive Director. The Officers
and Directors are elected. The Executive
Director is a member of the Catholic
Central staff.
In conjunction with Catholic Central,
and consistent with its Mission, the
Alumni Association is responsible for
a wide variety of events and activities.
The Association’s oldest and among
its most visible events is the Alumni
Association Dinner. Other events and
activities include the Alumni Association
Boys’ Bowl Mass and Breakfast, the
Mass of Remembrance, the Alumni
Association Basketball League, events
for outstate and out-of-state Alumni, and
Shamrock Club business mixers. The
Alumni Association also organizes and
provides speakers for the Career Day
Program and related activities for
Catholic Central students.
The Alumni Association is not a fundraising organization. Its goal, however,
is to be self-supporting. Some events
have fees which cover costs. Other
events have no fees, most notably the
Alumni Association Boys’ Bowl Mass
and Breakfast. Income from the Alumni
Association Dinner and other activities
pays for these events as well as other
miscellaneous expenses.
14
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N • FA L L 2 0 0 7
This is my first letter as President of your Catholic Central Alumni
Association. I am excited about the opportunity to lead the Alumni
Association Board of Directors and its Committees as we continue to foster
a strong relationship with you. I will be serving with Stan Targosz ’67 as
Vice President and Carmine Palombo ’70 as Secretary.
In the last edition of this column, my predecessor, John Ronayne ’64,
addressed the reinvention of the Association’s Board. I would like to
expand on this by explaining who the Alumni Association Board of
Directors are.
The Alumni Association Board of Directors is a group of Alumni that manage the various Committees of the Board. These Committees serve the
Alumni of Catholic Central. The goal of the Committees is to help Catholic
Central maintain a relationship with its Alumni, and to help Alumni maintain relationships amongst themselves.
Using the old adage, “time, talent or treasure,” the Board is interested in
seeking membership by Alumni who can offer time and talent. To be on the
Board, Alumni are required to go through an approval process by the
Nominations Committee. Board membership is often based on past
Committee work. Once approved to the Board, Alumni have no financial
commitment. Board members are asked to contribute their time and talent
by working on one or more Committees. Committee Chairmen and Vice
Chairmen are required to be members of the Board.
Committee membership is open to all Alumni. We hope to provide an
avenue to engage you when you see fit. Currently, several dozen Alumni
offer their time and energy on the Association’s Committees.
The Alumni Association Board of Directors has its General Membership
Meetings on the first Thursday in September, December, March and May,
although this year’s December meeting is the last Thursday in November.
The meetings are open and most are located in the CC cafeteria. The purpose of these meetings is to report updates on Committee activities.
More information on Alumni Association events, activities and its
Committees is on the Alumni web page at www.catholiccentral.net, and
published in the “Aluminator.”
We are always in need of Alumni who are interested in contributing their
time and talent. Personally, during my time working on Committees and
the Board, I have made many friends that span decades of classes. It has
been a truly rewarding experience that the Board plans to continue for years
to come.
Bill Galvin ’85
President, Alumni Association
Message from the Alumni Association Executive Director
Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends;
of ownership of this beautiful Campus. Not one of those
Alumni gave for any personal notoriety. Those who
could not give in the form of a monetary donation have
given by way of their time and various talents. They
gave, and still give, as a way to say thank you for what
CC has contributed to their lives, and, more so, to help
insure that the CC traditions will continue to be available
to young men long into the future.
I hope this message finds all of you and your loved ones
doing well. Just as I wrote to you a few months ago,
I feel blessed to be at CC on a daily basis, trying to help
in any way I can. As the months have gone by, I can tell
all of you that even though CC may be in a different
location than it was when you and I were students, CC is
still CC. Trust me or someone else, for that matter, when
we tell you that the spirit that filled the halls of your
particular building still lives on here in this magnificent
building in Novi.
Many of you have stopped by my office to say hello and to go on
a tour. By the time the tour has ended, all the alums have left
these halls with a profound sense that this remains “their School”;
they leave with a feeling of belonging. They feel a very deep
attachment to this institution, not because of the brick and mortar,
but because of the “CC Spirit” that permeates the halls.
Catholic Central has had five different locations but has managed
not to just survive, but thrive. It has always thrived and continued
to lead because CC has never been about a particular location.
It always has been, and still is, about the “CC Spirit” that lives
within the walls. It fosters the brotherhood, the affection and
commitment to the institution.
We Shamrocks are not just men of words, but of action, as witnessed
by the fact that this beautiful educational Campus was built by the
Alumni – with their hard-earned dollars and dedication to CC and
its mission. Through those donations, the Alumni – no matter
what their economic circumstances – experience a profound sense
I continue on a daily basis to be impressed by the dedication of the Basilian Fathers and the lay staff to the
School motto of “Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge,”
and their commitment to make the motto a living piece in the
life of each student.
As I end this message to you, I just want to assure you that
everyone here on Campus is doing their personal best to transfer
all the good things that you remember from your days at CC to
the present students. We are not and we will not become just
another private suburban high school. As we all cheered very
proudly and as the boys still boast, we are CC; nothing more
needs to be said.
May God bless all of you, and as always, Go Shamrocks!
Orrin J. Tibbits ’71
Director of Alumni Relations
Alumni Association Committees & Contacts
All graduates of CC are members of
our Alumni Association. Any alumnus
who is interested in one or more of the
committees listed is encouraged to
contact the chairperson associated
with a particular committee. If you are
interested in participating in other areas
or have any questions, please contact
the Alumni Office at (248) 596-3838 or
ccalumni@catholiccentral.net.
Alumni Dinner
Promote, organize, and conduct the
Annual Alumni Dinner.
Chair: Stan Targosz Jr. ’67
smtargosz@hotmail.com
Boys’ Bowl Alumni Mass and Breakfast
Promote, organize and conduct the Boys’
Bowl Mass and Breakfast.
Chair: Gerry Di Ponio ’65
gdiponio@htdconnect.com
Career Day
Nominating Committee
The implementation and organization of
Career Day at Catholic Central.
Chair: Bill Matthews ’58
bill.matthews@comcast.net
Communications
Provide recommendations for Board membership and election of officers.
Chair: Bob Barnes ’56
bobtas@comcast.net
Shamrock Club
Through the use of multiple forms of
communication, this Committee keeps the
Alumni informed of Alumni and Schoolrelated events.
Chair: Dante Cerroni ’96
dante_cerroni@ml.com
Constitution
Prepare a proposed revised constitution for
the Alumni Association.
Chair: John Gierak ’70
jgierak@clarkhill.com
Identify and implement events, programs
and activities which will foster Alumni
business and career networking.
Chair: Jeff Gatt ’83
jgatt@teammemories.com
Silent Majority/Out of State
To reconnect Alumni to the School and
Alumni Association, including those
Alumni who reside out of state.
Chair: Sean Cox ’75
seanfcox@hotmail.com
Early Involvement
Spirituality and Vocations
Develop and implement events, programs,
activities and strategies which will engage
and retain the interest and participation of
graduating Seniors and recent Alumni.
Chair: Bill Galvin ’85
wegalvin@galvinco.com
Develop and implement events, programs,
and activities to provide for the spiritual
enrichment of Alumni.
Chair: Carmine Palombo ’70
carminepalombo@sbcglobal.net
C O M M I T T E E S & C O N TA C T S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
15
Catholic Central Alumni Association
Board of Directors Meeting
All Alumni Are Welcome
A ll graduates of CC are members of the Alumni Association.
Please join us as
we discuss the current year for the Alumni Association and the School.
We Look Forward To Seeing You!
Date
Location
Thurs., November 29
Embassy Suites Hotel
Livonia
Mass
Hors d’oeuvres
& Refreshments
Meeting
6:15 P.M.
6:45 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
Alumni Association Basketball League
Congratulations to
“Team 87” and “1996+1”!!
During this past winter, the
Alumni Association Basketball
League grew to 140 players
who played basketball at CC
every Sunday evening on 14
teams in two divisions. On
March 25, the season concluded
with the crowning of its two
division champions.
The 2007 White Division Champions are “Team ’87,” made up of Team Captain Brent
Valenti, David Donaldson, Sean McLaughlin, Tom Suchora, Leo Hutchison, Kenny
Hutchison, Adam Targosz, Jason Santeiu and Jeff Huston.
The 2007 Blue Division Champions are “1996+1,” made up of (see photo, left to right)
Rimas Polteraitis, J.P. Martin, Michael Jordan, Dave Brock, Team Captain Justin C.
Hoener, Andy Androff and Lenny Polteraitis.
Save The Date:
Sept. 13, 2007
1st Annual
Hall of Fame
Sports Stag
Please plan to attend this Inaugural
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
at CC, where we will honor:
Fr. James Martin, C.S.B. (dec.)
Fr. Gerard French, C.S.B. (dec.)
Fr. James Enright, C.S.B.
John Ronayne, MD ’37 (dec.)
Vince Banonis ’38
Al Moran ’57
Bill Downs Jr. ’61
Frank Tanana ’71
Mark Messner ’84
Steve Campbell ’88
Reception - 6:00 P.M.
All proceeds benefit
the Basilian Fathers’
Scholarship Fund
For more information, contact
CC’s Alumni & Development Office
at (248) 596-3838
Be sure to check the “Aluminator” and the CC Alumni Association Website this fall
for information on how to register for the 2008 season! It’s a great way to get some
exercise and to reconnect with old friends. All skill levels can be accommodated.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW… SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007
Come and join us for Family Fest 2007.
It will be fun for all as
we sample the fine foods our participating restaurants have
prepared. Mass will be celebrated in our beautiful Chapel at
noon and the tasting will begin at 1:00 P.M. Each participating
establishment will offer tasty morsels of all kinds from appetizers to desserts. So get your tastebuds ready for a royal treat
16
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Sunday, September 23, 2007. This event is sponsored by the CC
Dads’ Club. Come and join the fun, and bring your friends!
Tickets are $15.00 – you may pre-register or tickets may be
obtained at the door.
For more information, please contact Janice Sharkey at
(248) 596-3888 or jsharkey@catholiccentral.net
REUNION/BOYS’ BOWL WEEKEND
FOR CLASS YEARS ’42, ’52, ’62, ’67, ’72, ’76, ’77, ’87, ’92 & ’97
Your Class Reunions have been scheduled at Catholic Central
for Boys’ Bowl Weekend, September 28-30, 2007.
1942
Stan Wilkins - (248) 474-7223
Gerald Christ - (313) 884-8400
1952
Alumni Office - (248) 596-3838
1962
B. J. Ratigan - (248) 505-2262
Dennis Cleary - (248) 442-9150
1967
1972
September 28 - Golf Outing & Stag
Stan Targosz - (248) 910-8226
Jack Rajkovich - (248) 477-4817
Jim May - (248) 478-1075
Mark O’Donnell - (734) 844-2389
George Humphry - (313) 885-6776
1976
Bill Dunlop - (586) 215-1362
Joe Merucci - (248) 583-1016
Mike Scanlon - (734) 453-5175
1977
Joe Luther - (248) 679-8725
1987
Chuck Bullock - (734) 354-9722
1992
Stan Targosz III - (248) 219-3172
1997
September 28 - Stag
Jose Rodriguez - (313) 207-1636
Charles Sprecher - (734) 845-7981
Keith Kompoltowicz - (734) 673-9143
FOR CLASSES HOLDING THEIR REUNIONS OFF CAMPUS…
Please note that you are invited to attend all Reunion Weekend activities, including
the Saturday evening Dinner and Reception at the standard per-person charge.
R E U N I O N S
Thanks to the many Alumni who have heard and heeded the call to aid in the planning/conducting of their Class
Reunions. Our gratitude for their help has consistently been matched by the positive feedback from Alumni who have
attended. In addition, the overflow of spirit and camaraderie generated at these events have also resulted in generous
donations to our Alma Mater. These funds are directed towards tuition assistance for deserving students.
We would like to make a special appeal to those who have never participated. The Alumni Office is doing more than ever
to facilitate the entire process. If you have already begun planning your next Class Reunion, please let the Alumni Office
know so we can help with much of the legwork, providing you more time to concentrate on getting the word out to
Alumni far and wide.
If you would like to help make your reunion a success, please contact the appropriate alum listed above, or Orrin Tibbits ’71
at otibbits@catholiccentral.net or (248) 596-3836.
ADVENTURE
WEEKENDS
In July 2008, the Alumni Association will be sponsoring either
a whitewater-rafting trip or a dune buggy/ATV weekend for Alumni,
and possibly their sons, through Adventure Weekends, Inc. Details
will follow in the next issue of the “Aluminator” and in future issues
of the e-newsletter. Please call (248) 596-3836 to let us know your
level of interest for either or both trips.
R E U N I O N S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
17
Harper-Belmont
Reunion 2007
On June 14, the traditional date of the
Left to right, above: Fr. Richard Elmer ’46, Tyler
Seling ’08, Mike Martin ’08 and Dan Collins Sr. ’57.
Below: George McCloskey ’46, Tim Collins ’46,
Barb Collins, Norm Gaynor ’45 and Bill Smith ’36.
Feast of St. Basil, 80 members from the
Classes of 1929-1954 and their guests
attended Mass and a luncheon, held at
Catholic Central. It was a chance for old
friends to reconnect and share memories
of their days on Harper, Belmont and
Outer Drive. The years seemed to
disappear amongst the hugs, smiles and
handshakes. Yearbooks were on display,
which seemed to encourage long-forgotten
tales and, in some cases, tears for deceased
classmates and teachers. There were
many expressions of awe and praise
about our beautiful Campus from those
who had not yet seen it. Many of the
Basilian Fathers were on hand to help
welcome our Alumni home. This is
a wonderful event and we encourage
all of our Alumni who know of other
Shamrocks from 1929-1954 to please
attend this event next June.
Left to right, above: Mike Carrier ’06, Msgr.
Ferdinand DeCneudt ’31 and Bill Smith ’36.
Below: the Hathaways – Bob ’43, Fr. Tunney ’44,
Bill ’42 and Dick ’68.
Fr. Dick Elmer ’46 with St. Basil Legacy Society member Lou Yeager ’50 (left)
and Norm Gaynor ’45 (right).
27th Annual Athletic Golf Outing
The 27th Annual Athletic Golf Outing was a huge success,
and another sellout. Held at Walnut Creek Country Club
and Tanglewood Golf Club, both in Novi, nearly 350 golfers
enjoyed lunch, a beautiful day on the links and a great dinner
afterward. Frs. Dick Elmer ’46, Ned Donoher, John Ward ’59,
John Wheeler ’57, Ed Kline, Mike Buentello and Jim O’Neill
were on hand for spiritual guidance, but, unfortunately,
couldn’t help with our scores. The winning group from
Walnut Creek included Jim Moreau ’84, Mike Williams ’85,
Mike Foltyn ’88 and Joe Kujawski ’75. Winning team
members at Tanglewood were John Connor ’84,
Mark Percha ’86, Rich Muller ’84 and
Mark Messner ’84. The real winner,
however, was the Athletic
Department, which benefits
directly from the proceeds
generated by the outing.
Mark your calendar for
next year’s event, which
will be held on the first
Monday in May.
18
32
R E U N I O N S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Above: Tanglewood winners were
(left to right) John Connor ’84, Rich
Muller ’84 and Mark Messner ’84.
(Teammate Mark Percha ’86 is
missing from photo)
Left: Walnut Creek winners were
(left to right) Jim Moreau ’84,
Mike Williams ’85, Mike Foltyn
’88 and Joe Kujawski ’75.
More Reunions
1955
Left to right: Terry Brady, George Goodrich, Bill Barr, Jim DeMattia, Ray
Billinghurst, Tom Jozwiak and Bill Moskal.
The Class of 1955 held their second Florida winter reunion on
March 24, 2007, at the home of Terry and Karen Brady in Ft. Myers.
Fr. Dick Elmer ’46 celebrated the Holy Mass, which preceded
an evening filled with fun, food and reminiscing. The attendees
included Dave Rice, Vinnie McNulty, Don Liebau, Tom Jozwiak,
Jim DeMattia, Dick Conley, Bill and Yvonne Barr, Ray and Pat
Billinghurst, Terry and Karen Brady, Ray and Lori Brennan,
Louie and Barbara Burr, George and Shirley Goodrich, Bill
Moskal and Gilda Hayes, Norb and Kitty Kozlowski, Paul
and Linda McGlynn, Gerry and Pat McGrath, John and Elaine
Roberts, and Mike and Kathy Wolf. Plans for next year’s
gathering on March 8, at the Brady’s, were in place before the
group went their separate ways.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Norm Van Riper, Dick
Marentette and John Ivers were unable to attend.
1965
Class of ’65: (left to right, front row) Mike Gearty, Mike Schloff, Carl Baecker,
Bob Kinggo, Fr. John Wheeler ’57, (second row) Denny Lukasik, Mike Harrison,
Ken Topley, Don Jacobites, Fr. Richard Elmer ’46, Gerry Robichaud, (third row)
Joe Noune, Mike Noune, Mike O’Keefe, Gary Wasiak, Tom Prendeville, Pat
Devine, (fourth row) Mike Ronayne, Greg Haley, Ken McDaniel, Tim Price, Tom
Kemper, Tom Baldwin, Jim O’Donnell, (back row) Jerry Berry, Dan Durack,
Jim Muir, Tom Dew, Tom Dodson, Tom Wendt, and Mike Fields.
On June 2, 2007, many members of the Class of ’65 gathered at
Ginopolis Restaurant in Farmington Hills, Mich., to celebrate their
60th birthdays. This was a prelude to their next Reunion in 2010,
at which most of these members of the Class of ’65 – who graduated from 6565 West Outer Drive – will find themselves… 65!
This “65” fixation seems harmless compared to Coach Tony Magni’s
obsession with the number 13, although a little obsessive nevertheless. To complete their celebration, a commemorative cake, a girl
singer in a tux, and Joe Noune ’66 (who is only 59) – doing his
famous renditions of Fr. Hathaway and Coleman Young as he
used to do on the Dick Purtan Show – rounded out the evening.
Chicago Alumni Event
U.S. Cellular Park was the site of this
year’s Chicagoland Alumni Reunion on
June 9. Thirty Alumni, along with four
members of the CC staff, had lunch on
the stadium’s patio before attending the
White Sox baseball game. The Good
Lord provided an almost perfect day
for the event and a good time was had
by all. We are planning to make this a
yearly outing, open to all Alumni, and
their families and friends. For those
who were there, we look forward to
seeing you again next
year, and to those who
couldn’t attend, we
hope to see you in 2008!
A N N U A L AT H L E T I C G O L F O U T I N G • FA L L 2 0 0 7
19
Dick Elmer’s Fifty Years of Priesthood
Born without fanfare in Epiphany Parish, Detroit, Michigan, on
May 3, 1928, Richard Joseph Elmer ’46 graduated from Epiphany
Grade School and Detroit Catholic Central High School. In his
Senior year, he was President of the Student Council and Editor
of the School’s Yearbook. He graduated second in his class.
Of his Basilian teachers, he said, “They were a joyful, humble
group of Priests who were excellent teachers and spiritual role
models.” He entered the Basilian Community August 4, 1947,
and was first professed August 15, 1948, with Final Profession
taking place August 15, 1952. In the same year, he received his
Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.
He was ordained June 29, 1957, earning a Bachelor of Sacred
Theology degree from the University of Toronto. He received
a Master of Guidance and Counseling degree from the
University of Detroit in 1968.
Fr. Elmer taught at Catholic Central High School 1952-1954, and
at Assumption College School 1959-1960. During his second
assignment at Catholic Central, 1960-1978, he was, sequentially,
teacher, Director of Guidance, Director of Athletics and
Principal. At the National Catholic Educational Association in
Washington, D.C., he was Director of the Annual Convention
and Exposition 1978-1986. He then became Dean of Student
Services at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas,
from 1986-1990. Upon his return to Catholic Central in 1990,
he commented, “The same CC
Spirit still pervades the School.
It’s great to be back home, and I
look forward to working closely
with and for my fellow Alumni.”
Since 1999, Fr. Elmer has been
serving as CC’s first President,
providing leadership in building
the new Campus in Novi.
In 2004, the Alumni Association
honored Fr. Elmer with
the Fr. Canning Harrison
Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Father ended his remarks that
evening by stating that, in all
his accomplishments at CC, he
was but “a hammer in the Hands
of our Almighty Carpenter.”
Fr. Elmer also was a Co-Director
of his Basilian Community’s
Strategic Transformation Change
Process from 1994-1997.
20
F R . E L M E R ’ S J U B I L E E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
The Basilian Community hosted a Golden Jubilee celebration
for Frs. Elmer, John Fiore, Howard Keon, M. Owen Lee ’47,
John Murray ’47, Maurice Pierce and Rocco Volpe. They
renewed their commitment to the Priesthood at their Jubilee
Mass held on June 29, 2007, in the Chapel at the Cardinal
Flahiff Center, Toronto. Rev. Kenneth Decker ’56, as Superior
General of the Congregation, was the Principal Celebrant.
Larry Elmer ’47 did one of the readings. A remembrance of
their deceased classmates, including Fr. James Daly ’50, was
part of the service. Following Mass, the honorees were treated
to a reception and dinner, as were Father’s seven co-workers
from CC, who made the trip for the occasion.
Fr. Elmer’s words on behalf of all the Jubilarians at the Dinner,
summed up his thoughts that day:
Well, we made it! Fifty golden years of priesthood – a
priesthood, perhaps tarnished a little, but still as solid
as gold, as beautiful as gold and as valuable as gold…
But only to the extent that our Divine Master has
bestowed the solidity, the beauty and the value on each
one of our priesthoods.
Our prayer today is that the Master continues to use us
as His instruments – as His channels of grace through
the administration of the
Sacraments, and by our
words and example.
We truly have been blessed,
and thank God for that.
And speaking of thanks,
the greatest blessing of my
priesthood, the crown jewel
of my priesthood, is the
Holy Eucharist, which means
holy thanksgiving.
Amen
See the next issue of the “Aluminator” for
our story about additional CC Alumni –
Fr. M. Owen Lee, C.S.B. ’47, Fr.
John Murray, C.S.B. ’47 – who
also celebrated 50th Jubilees along
with Fr. Elmer.
The Jubilarians singing at Mass.
Fr. Elmer’s brother Larry ’47 attended the Jubilee.
Sharing 50th Jubilees: (left to right) Fr. John Murray, C.S.B. ’47, Fr. M.
Owen Lee, C.S.B. ’47 and Fr. Dick Elmer.
Joining Fr. Dick Elmer ’46 at the Jubilee celebration were (left to right, front
row) Paula Bullington, Theresa Green, Sharon Bowling, (back row) Orrin
Tibbits ’71, Dan Collins ’84, Rudy Seichter ’59 and Tim Burke ’86.
Below: The Chapel at the Cardinal Flahiff Center in Toronto, Ontario,
held Golden Jubilee celebrations for (left to right) Fr. Rocco Volpe, Fr.
Owen Lee, Fr. Dick Elmer, Fr. Ken Decker ’56, Fr. John Murray, Fr. John
Fiore (in front), Fr. Maurice Pierce, and Fr. Howard Keon. (Fr. Volpe
passed away on July 25. May he rest in peace.)
F R . E L M E R ’ S J U B I L E E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
21
C C
P R O F I L E
Spotlighting Alumni & Special Members Of Our CC Family
A Final Hug for Coach Rod
The Wrestling Community of Catholic
Central High School came together on
April 21, 2007, to honor Coach Mike
Rodriguez for his dedication and commitment to the young men of CC during
the past 41 seasons. Coach Rod, wife
June, six children – Steve ’72, Jackie
Hagan, Dave ’75, Patti Naysmith, Nancy
Showers, and Chris ’89 – their spouses
and 16 grandchildren shared in the
celebration. Rod’s “boys” traveled from
almost every state, and a few from overseas, to commemorate the life of their
wonderful teacher, coach and friend.
Many recalled how he changed their
lives for the better through lessons he
taught in the wrestling room, classroom
and behind the wheel. It was indeed a
night to remember. Over 400 attendees
were able to gain a small glimpse into
the life of this special man through the
storytelling of many, with both laughter
and tears, and a special video created by
Jeff Gatt ’83 exhibiting his extraordinary
life. Coach Rod
was a “winner”
by all standards,
but it was his
ability to teach
“Goodness,
Discipline
and Knowledge” that outweighed the
championships, trophies and awards of
his career.
In addition to the Retirement Celebration
and to further express their gratitude and
affection, Coach Rod was awarded a oneof-a-kind CC Varsity jacket made
by Mike McGowan ’69 and a
unique “State Championship”
ring designed by Orin Jewelers,
as well as other tokens of appreciation. There was a tear in
Coach Rod’s eye as he received
an honorary CC diploma; even the
toughest men in the crowd could
not hold back their tears. This was
followed by the announcement
that the Wrestling Alumni and Jeff Gatt ’83
friends of the program had
established an Endowment Fund
in Coach Rodriguez’s name.
This special event was organized and
executed by Tony Tedesco ’71 (Chairman),
Dave Butwill ’78, Sean Cox ’75, Fr. Dick
Elmer ’46, John Foley ’73, Jeff Gatt,
Rocky McHenry ’71, Nemir Nadhir ’78,
Waad Nadhir ’74, Chris Rodriguez ’89,
Nemir Nadhir ’78
Waad Nadhir ’74
Dave Rodriguez ’75, Steve Rodriguez ’72,
Reagan Schwarzlose, Orrin Tibbits ’71,
and Joe Urso ’84. Thank you for your
time and effort.
Coach Rodriguez, thank you for your
dedication to Catholic Central High
School, for all your sacrifices over the
years and for the example of Christian
love you exhibited for us. May God
grant you and June many, many years
of happy and healthy retirement.
If you are interested in donating to
the Wrestling Endowment Fund,
please call the Alumni Office at
(248) 596-3836 for details.
22
C C P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
On behalf of my entire family, let me extend my deepest appreciation
for the most spectacular evening of my 75 years. To recall the
memories of 6565 West Outer Drive… awesome years; 14200
Breakfast Drive… outstanding years; I became a true Shamrock at
27225 Wixom Road and a Letter Winner all in one night, an eventful
evening which will live in my heart forever!
Thank you Fr. Elmer, Committee Men, and all those who gave of
your loving time. A special thanks to our Alumni for giving up
your weekend to come and celebrate this old Coach’s retirement.
God bless you with his love and good health and continued success.
We love you, Shamrocks!
Coach Rod and Mrs. Rod
Thanks from the
Rodriguez Family!
Words cannot express the feeling of
gratitude the Rodriguez family has for
this Committee. Last night was a great
night. In fact, as Coach Mitch put it,
“Last night was a great day to be a
Shamrock.” I had a chance to talk to
Coach Rod this morning about the one
thing that impacted him the most last
night: he said the diploma. He went on
to say that graduating from Ann Arbor
High was OK. Getting a degree from
U of M was nice. But when he got that
diploma from CC, he finally felt he
belonged to the brotherhood of the CC
Family. My father always surprises me
with his humbleness.
Here I thought everyone looked at
Coach Rod as Mr. CC.
Thanks again for everything, guys!
Great job!
Dave Rodriguez ’75
Wrestling Keepsake Package
“40 Years Of CC Wrestling - Starring Coach Rod”
Keepsake Book & DVD Tribute to Coach Rod with Interview
Order form available on the Alumni Website:
www.catholiccentral.net
Book and/or DVD available in the Alumni
Office
C C P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
23
C C
P R O F I L E
Spotlighting Alumni & Special Members Of Our CC Family
The 19th Annual Alumnus Award
Goes To John P. Argenta ’58
John was born in Detroit, Mich., and
graduated from the Outer Drive Campus
in 1958. He attended the University of
Detroit-School of Architecture and graduated
with a Bachelor’s degree in 1964. John
became a principal of Coquillard/Dundon/
Peterson and Argenta in 1969. The firm,
which today is known as CDPA Architects,
is located in Southfield.
John has raised two wonderful children.
His son, John, graduated from CC in 1995,
and then the University of North CarolinaCharlotte. Christine, his daughter, graduated from Mercy High School in 2001,
and then Michigan State University. John
has deep ties with CC. In addition to his
son John, his brothers Louis ’61 and
Robert ’62, and nephews Peter ’87 and
Christopher ’88 also call CC their Alma
Mater.
John has been a member of Our Lady
of Victory Parish, Northville, for 26 years
and served on their School Board for five
years. He has also served on CC’s Alumni
Board since 1992. John is a member of the
American Institute of Architects, and past
director of the Construction Specifications
Institute and the Southeastern Michigan
Construction Industry Council.
24
C C P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Fred Lauck ’61 and John Argenta ’58
“
HAVING HAD THE SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITY OF ATTENDING
AND BEING A PART OF THIS VERY
SPECIAL SCHOOL, IT WAS A
GREAT HONOR AND CHALLENGE
TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH THE
TASK OF CREATING A NEW
CAMPUS AND A HOPE FOR CC
TO CONTINUE ITS INCREDIBLE
TRADITION OF GUIDING YOUNG
MEN TO GOODNESS, DISCIPLINE
AND KNOWLEDGE FOR MANY
MORE YEARS.
JOHN ARGENTA ’58
”
During the past 35 years, John has completed educational projects for more than 15
school districts and over 30 municipalities.
He also has handled many private projects.
In addition to CC’s Novi Campus, he
completed several additions and renovations at the Breakfast Drive facility.
John is currently working on a gym and
performing arts center for Marian High
School and has completed projects for
De La Salle Collegiate and Ladywood
High Schools.
“The Basilians gave me intangibles that
made me feel honored to be a part of
this School. They shaped everything I
did. How I conducted myself morally, in
school and business, all began here. As I
thought about how important CC was in
my life, I wanted to perpetuate my experience for
those who came after me –
or give back.” According
to every visitor to the new
Campus, John has done
a wonderful job of giving
back to the Basilian Fathers,
the Alumni and the present
students. His design work
on the new Catholic Central
Campus truly magnifies the Glory of God.
Fred Lauck ’61 talked about John at the
Dinner, praising him for the excellent job
he did in designing the new School. He
made it a point to thank John for all the
work he did to see that it was a first-class
school with all the bells and whistles
that are needed on a modern educational
campus, but somehow kept it simple,
and not pretentious or ostentatious.
It is with great honor for his service and
dedication to Catholic Central High School,
to his Church and to his Community,
that the Alumni Association proudly
names John P. Argenta the recipient of
the Fr. Canning Harrison Distinguished
Alumnus Award for 2007.
C C
P R O F I L E
Spotlighting Alumni & Special Members Of Our CC Family
Rick Coratti ’69 Retirement Dinner
By Aaron Babicz ’93, Director of Admissions & Public Relations
How do you say goodbye to a coaching legend and mentor?
You have 250 friends and family join in celebrating what most would call the career of
the greatest defensive coordinator in Michigan High School Football history, Rick Coratti.
On June 21, the Catholic Central family made sure that Rick knew just how special he is
and to how many by throwing a Roast/Retirement Party at Laurel Manor in Livonia,
Mich. There were so many great stories and speeches delivered by the likes of Jeff
Wiska ’77, Mike Lewis ’80, Jim Ryan ’81, U.S. Representative Thad McCotter ’83,
Detroit Free Press Sports legend Mick McCabe, CC Head Football Coach Tom Mach, and
Rick’s son Anthony ’01. Coratti’s coaching career at CC began in the fall of 1973 and
ended this past season in 2006. For the first time in over 30 years, Football season will go
on without Rick Coratti. The strong undertone of the event was a love for the foundation
of morals Coratti taught, which made it apparent that he was more than just Xs and Os.
We all learned so much from Coach Coratti, and as a former player and coach, it is
impossible to do justice in one paragraph. I was honored to be asked to emcee the event.
We were all there for the right reasons, with the right people, on a perfect June night, to
join our CC brother for his official retirement. Rick is more than a coach or teacher; he
is a friend, a father, a grandfather, and a husband of 36 years to his wife, Nancy. Rick
Coratti has given us so much over the years and this was our way to thank him for the
way he has positively affected so many he’s come in contact with. Thank you so much
to all who participated, attended, and helped arrange this fantastic event, but most of
all… thanks for everything, Rick.
PLEASE VISIT…
…the Catholic Central High School Shamrock
Business Directory at www.catholiccentral.net.
It’s in the “Alumni” section.
This Directory is for the use of all Alumni, students,
parents and friends of Catholic Central High
School. We encourage you to consider the
products and services listed in this Directory.
C C P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
25
CC BUSINESS PROFILE
Spotlighting Special Businesses In Our CC Community
Great Harvest Bread Company
When Jim Payne graduated from
Catholic Central High School in 1988, he
never expected to one day be the CC man
with all the bread. But here he is today,
nearly twenty years after his high school
graduation, the successful owner of the
Great Harvest Bread Company store in
Commerce Township, Mich.
Jim left CC and enrolled in the James
Madison School at Michigan State
University with his sights set on law
school. In fact, he even completed the
LSAT exams. But his plans all changed
in the fall of 1993, when Jim took a job
at the Great Harvest Bread Store in
Northville. There, Jim became enamored
with the feeling of civic pride and
commitment to the community that was
evident in his daily interactions with
the local customers. Before too long, Jim
was hooked. In 1996, the owner of the
Northville store expanded his business
and opened a new store in Brighton. Jim
spent time managing both stores until
the opportunity came for him to open his
own store in Commerce Township in 1999.
Since then, Jim has been selling highquality, whole-grain bakery products
that are the hallmark of the Great Harvest
26
Bread Company. Great Harvest breads
are all-natural products – containing
no fats, oils, eggs or preservatives. All
products are made from scratch and are
sold “fresh” each and every day. “Day
old” is not an expression ever used at
Great Harvest. Products include bread,
cookies, muffins, and scones. Gift baskets
are available for all occasions.
As a business owner, Jim is proud of his
commitment to the community and feels
a great sense of civic responsibility. His
doors are open to local schoolchildren,
scout troops, senior citizens and the
developmentally disabled, who are invited
to tour his store and experience the
opportunity to be a baker for a day.
All unsold product is donated each and
every day to local senior centers, food
banks and the Salvation Army.
Along the way, Jim has employed a
number of CC Alumni, including Pat
O’Rourke ’88, Kiley Jenkins ’87, Mike
Pinkleman ’84, and his own brother,
John Payne ’90. And some of his regular
customers include Jane Beaudoin (CC
Faculty member and wife of Mark
Beaudoin ’68) and Ken Stuligross ’54.
Jim has built his business through hard
C C B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
work and dedication, and has taken the
CC virtue of Goodness to heart, since he
regards his business as a “stepping stone
to charitable deeds.”
The Great Harvest Bread Company is
located at 3376 E. West Maple Road. Store
hours are Tuesday, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.;
Wednesday through Saturday, 7:00 A.M.6:00 P.M.; and Sunday, 11:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.
For more information, call (248) 926-9848.
Y O U N G
A L U M N I
Getting To Know New Alumni Association Members
Another Alumnus Comes Home To Catholic Central
We’re happy to have Mike Carrier ’06 join us in the Office of Advancement as a
summer intern. Mike resides in Ann Arbor, and will soon begin his Sophomore year
at Eastern Michigan University, majoring in Social Studies and History. When his
studies are completed, he hopes to return to CC full time as a member of the Faculty.
Mike and his brothers Mark and John (triplets) attended St. Michael School in Livonia,
where Mike and Mark currently coach the fifth-grade CYO Football team. At CC,
Mike played football, wrestled and served as Student Council Treasurer. In addition,
Mike will work with Mitch Hancock as a CC Assistant Wrestling Coach this winter.
Mike is an active Alumnus and Basilian Partner, and has assisted with the Alumni
Dinner, Golf Outing, Phone-a-thon and at graduation. Fr. Donoher loves him and that
makes him good enough for us… Welcome home, Mike!
Mike Carrier ’06
{N E W S}
Mothers’ Club
Please Recycle
By Denise Campbell, Mothers’ Club President
In order to receive the Mothers’ Club newsletter every
month, you must continue to purchase 500 Club raffle
tickets every year. The tickets are one for $8 or three for
$20. The raffle occurs once a month, starting in October
and ending in May. If your name is drawn, you win $500.
Your ticket is then placed back into the container for all
the remaining drawings. If you would like to purchase
tickets, please send a check to the School, made out to the
Catholic Central Mothers’ Club, along with your name,
address, and telephone number. Please put “Attention:
Mothers’ Club” on the front of the envelope. We will
make sure your name gets added to the mailing list.
Our Annual Alumni Mothers’ Dinner is scheduled
for Tuesday, October 23, at 7:00 P.M. in the Café at the
School. If you would like more information on the
dinner, please call or email Candy Christenson
(248-596-9811 or candychristenson@mac.com) or
Judi Fanco (248-474-0158 or jlf281952@hotmail.com).
If you have any questions pertaining to the Mothers’
Club, please feel free to contact me via email –
par2plus3@aol.com.
Please recycle any old
memorabilia you were
considering discarding.
The Archive Department
is interested in just about
any kind of Catholic
Central souvenir, from
old programs and
photographs, to sports
items, etc., and especially
yearbooks.
To make arrangements for pickup or delivery
of your items, please contact:
Dan Collins ’84
(248) 596-3874 or dcollins@catholiccentral.net
or
Tim Burke ’86
(248) 596-3835 or tburke@catholiccentral.net
Y O U N G A L U M N I • FA L L 2 0 0 7
27
THE
BELLS
Wedding Bells
MIKE KANIOWSKI ’92
and Sarah Brown were
married on September
30, 2006, at St. John
Catholic Church in
Dearborn Heights, Mich.
CC alumni in attendance
included Best Man Dave
Lovell ’92, Groomsman Mark Kaniowski ’98, Usher
Mike Zopf ’93, Darrell Kaniowski ’76, Mario Gargaro ’93,
Anthony Gargaro ’99, Veno Hesano ’67 and Gary Barnas ’64.
PAUL OLSZEWSKI ’85 and Rebecca Westphal (above)
were married at St. Simon’s Church in Ludington, Mich., on
September 16, 2006. Dr. Douglas Boyce was Paul’s Best Man and
brother Stephen ’81 was a Groomsman. They honeymooned in
Paris, France, and now reside in Louisville, Ky.
HENRY GRAPER ’87* and Stacey Coffman were married
on April 28, 2007, in a ceremony on Kapalua Beach in
Maui, Hawaii.
Baby Bells
Regan Angeline and Riley Catherine Long
GLEN W. LONG ’86 and his wife Sherry –
daughters Regan Angeline and Riley
Catherine, born October 6, 2006.
28
T H E B E L L S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
DENIS BOLAND ’87 and his wife
Lisa – a daughter, Mira Grace, born
May 17, 2007.
Mira Grace Boland
PATRICK MOYLAN ’89 and his wife
Christina – a daughter, Willow Nicole,
born September 28, 2006. Willow joins
brothers Jack, 6, and Michael, 3, at their
home in Baltimore, Md.
SEAN GALLAGHER ’94 and
Katie Beeler were married
on October 8, 2005, at the
Basilica of Sacred Heart on
the campus of the University
of Notre Dame. Shamrocks
in attendance were Best Men
Dan Gallagher ’96 and Brian
Gallagher ’03, Groomsmen
Andy Kummer ’94 and
Andy Slankster ’94, Rick
Daguanno ’94, Richard
Daguanno ’56, Phillip
Tomey ’94, Josh DelCorvo
’96 and Paul Romanelli ’68.
Sean and Katie reside in East
Lansing, where Sean attends
the Michigan State University
College of Law.
MATT REDDING ’90 and his wife Lee –
a daughter, Ashlynn Grace, born December
3, 2006. Ashlynn’s sister,
Loralee, is 6 years old and
the family resides in
Mesa, Ariz.
Ryan Hayes ’97 and Anne Argersinger were married in the First
Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, Mich., on January 13, 2007.
Back, left to right: Brian Greskowiak ’97, Steve Rapson ’01 and Ranjit Gill
’95, with newlyweds Sarah and Jeff Greskowiak ’95.
JEFF GRESKOWIAK ’95 and Sarah Crenshaw (above) were
married at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Detroit Mich., on
October 21, 2006. The couple currently resides in Canton, Mich.
BRIAN TEEFEY ’97* and Mandy Cornett were married on May
18, 2006. They live in Grand Prairie, Texas.
JOSEPH MICHALEK ’97 and Kathryn Elder (right) were married on May 13, 2006, at St. Michael Church in Livonia, Mich.
(See “Baby Bells” below)
CC Alumni present at the Michalek wedding included (left to right) Nick
Muccino ’97, David McGrann ’97, Brian Greskowiak ’97, Robert Orosz ’97
and Mark James ’97.
Jack Andrew Beardsley
DAVE BEARDSLEY ’94 and his wife
Carla – a son, Jack Andrew, born
January 2, 2007.
Annabelle Marie Michalek
Francesca Elizabeth Fanco
JOSEPH MICHALEK ’97 and his wife
Kathryn – a daughter, Annabelle Marie, born
April 1, 2007. (See “Wedding Bells” above)
JEFFREY FANCO ’98 and his wife
Elizabeth welcomed their fourth child –
a daughter, Francesca Elizabeth (Chessie),
born December 28, 2006. Chessie joins
siblings Margaret, Theodore and
Antoinette.
BRIAN DUFFOURC ’97 and his wife
Jessica – a son, Dominic Jason, born May 4,
2007. Dominic is the first grandchild of
CC teacher George Duffourc.
* Indicates more information is available on this
Alumnus (see “Chatterbox”).
T H E B E L L S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
29
I
N
M
E M O R I A M
The following members of the Catholic Central Family have passed from
this life to the next. Please remember them in your Masses and other
prayers. Our sincere condolences are extended to their loved ones.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the
mercy of God, rest in peace.
Alumni
WILLIAM W. FREDERICKS ’32 –
March 12, 2007. He is survived by five
children, 10 grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren. William was predeceased by his wife Elizabeth. The
Funeral Service was held at Henry Ford
Village Chapel, Dearborn, Mich.
RUSSELL J. COOK ’35 – May 27, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Pat, three
children, his twin brother Robert ’35 and
a sister. The Funeral Service was held at
Charles Verheyden Funeral Home,
Grosse Pointe, Mich.
RAYMOND W. LUSTIG ’37 – April 10,
2007. He is survived by his wife Betty, four
children, including Bill ’64, and ten grandchildren. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Gerald Church, Livonia, Mich.
ROBERT E. CONSTANTAKIS ’38 –
April 5, 2007. He is survived by his wife
Beverly, a daughter and his brother. He
was predeceased by his brother George
’36. He served in the United States Army
Air Force and was a Veteran of World
War II. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church,
Dearborn Heights, Mich.
JOHN P. O’NEILL ’42 – March 16, 2007.
He is survived by five children, five
grandchildren and a sister. He was predeceased by his wife Mary Ann. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at Holy
Name Church, Birmingham, Mich.
CHARLES J. VAN HOVE II ’42 – June 17,
2007. He is survived by three children,
three grandchildren and two siblings. He
was predeceased by his wife Patricia, his
parents and a brother James ’46. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Lady
Star of the Sea, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
HORST G. BOHLAND ’43 – June 23,
2007. He is survived by his four children,
his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A Funeral Service was held at the Stanley
Turowski Funeral Home, Dearborn
Heights, Mich.
FRED F. BRIGGS ’44 – April 14, 2007.
He is survived by his three children. Fred
was predeceased by his wife Mildred. The
Funeral Service was held at A.J. Desmond
& Sons Funeral Home, Troy, Mich.
LEONARD J. CHURCHES ’44 – March
30, 2007. He is survived by his wife
Rachael, seven children, including
Edward ’80, 11 grandchildren and one
great-grandchild. He was predeceased by
his parents, a sister and his son James.
Leonard was a World War II Veteran
who served in the Philippines. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at Holy
Family Catholic Church, Novi, Mich.
MILTON P. LILLEY ’44 – March 16, 2007.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years,
Marie, four children and 12 grandchildren.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at Our
Lady of Sorrows Church, Farmington, Mich.
EUGENE M. SPRATKE ’44 – April 13,
2006. He is survived by his wife Pearl,
four children, nine grandchildren and one
great-grandchild. The Funeral Service
was held at Arthur J. VanLerberghe
Funeral Home, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
MILES C. CLINCH ’47 – July 16, 2007.
He is survived by his brother John ’42,
eight nieces and nephews, and 10 great
nieces and nephews. The Funeral Service
was held at the David J. Wysocki Funeral
Home, Warren, Mich.
ALFRED L. GEBERT ’47 – April 12, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Christine, five
children, three grandchildren and a sister.
Alfred was predeceased by his parents.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Mark Church, Warren, Mich.
Rev. David G. Heath, C.S.B. ’48, Priest & Educator
Rev. David Gordon Heath, C.S.B. ’48 died peacefully in
his sleep Sunday, March 11, 2007, at Anglin House,
Cardinal Flahiff Centre, Toronto, Ont. Fr. Heath
is survived by his brother James, his sister Janet
Kosty, and eight nieces and nephews. He was the
son of the late Gordon and Florence (McGowan)
Heath.
Fr. Heath was born February 20, 1930, in Detroit,
Mich. After graduating from Catholic Central in
1948, he entered the St. Basil’s Novitiate in Rochester,
N.Y., and was professed on August 15, 1949. After
his University Education at Assumption College in
Windsor and two years teaching at Catholic Central, he
took Theology courses in Toronto from 1955-1958. He was
ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal McGuigan at St. Basil’s
Church in Toronto on June 29, 1958. Fr. Heath was a member
of the pioneering staff of Andrean High School in Merrillville,
Ind. Those early years were characterized by hard work and
pleasant memories. While in Indiana, he began studies at the
30
I N M E M O R I A M • FA L L 2 0 0 7
University of Indiana and received his Doctorate in
Education. He thoroughly enjoyed his position as an
involved educator at Catholic Central High School
in Detroit (1965-71) and St. John Fischer College,
Rochester, N.Y. Fr. Heath was President of Assumption
University (1978-1991), Treasurer General of the
Basilian Fathers (1991-95) and, after his terms in
office, continued to contribute by his membership
on the Standing Committee on Finances, on the
Board of Governors of the University of Windsor,
and of the Catholic Ministerial Association. During
his retirement, Fr. Heath remained very active, advising
the Basilian Fathers on retirement and financial questions.
In his later years, beset with health problems, he met them
head on with faith, courage and good humor.
A Vigil Service and Mass of the Resurrection were held in the
Chapel of the Cardinal Flahiff Centre. Fr. Heath was buried
in the Basilian Plot of Holy Cross Cemetery, Thornhill, Ont.
☞
H USE
CATHOLIC CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11
•
12:00 - 4:00 P.M.
All 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys and their families
are cordially invited to attend the annual
Catholic Central Open House.
O P E N
Teaching Goodness, Discipline & Knowledge
For 79 Years
This special day
allows you to tour the
school, see exhibits, meet the
students and faculty, and much more. Come experience the spirit,
tradition and difference Catholic Central High School offers.
HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST
November 17 • 7:45-11:30 A.M.
For more information, call (248) 596-3810 or visit us at catholiccentral.net
27225 Wixom Road • Novi, MI 48374
WILLIAM J. SCHUSTER JR. ’47 – July 11,
2007. He is survived by his wife Genevieve
“Jean,” son William III, daughters Jill,
Candy and Nancy, six grandchildren, three
great-grandchildren and three siblings.
A Memorial Service was held at the John
Molnar Funeral Home, Brownstown, Mich.
RALPH A. HAZEN ’48 – May 8, 2007. He
is survived by his wife Doris and six children. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Mary Catholic Church, Milford, Mich.
PETER A. DEL GIUDICE, M.D. ’50 –
July 19, 2007. He is survived by his wife
Jacqueline, daughters Katherine and Janet,
son Peter M., five grandchildren and a
brother. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at St. Anselm Church, Dearborn, Mich.
ROBERT H. ENGLER ’50 – December 22,
2006. He is survived by his wife Barbara,
three children, seven grandchildren
and a sister. The Funeral Service was
held at the Warren Chapel of the E.J.
Mandziuk and Son Funeral Home,
Warren, Mich.
THOMAS A. LACHOWICZ ’51 –
March 26, 2007. He is survived by
his wife Jackie, five children, eight
grandchildren, two sisters and a
brother. Tom was a Korean War
Veteran. The Funeral Mass was held
at St. Timothy’s Catholic Community,
The Villages, Fla.
PATRICK H. COGAN ’52 – May 7,
2007. He is survived by his wife
Patty, three children, nine grandchildren and his brother Frank ’43. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at St.
Owen Catholic Church, Bloomfield
Hills, Mich.
brated at St. Anthony Catholic Church,
Mancelona, Mich.
THOMAS J. GREENE ’56 – May 9, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Laurie, two
children and a sister. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at Visitation Catholic
Church, Los Angeles, Calif.
MICHAEL MCDONNELL ’61 – March 20,
2007. He is survived by his wife Lorraine,
three sons, five grandchildren, a brother
and a sister. He was predeceased by his
brother James ’63. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Anastasia Church,
Roseville, Mich.
KENNETH F. KUBECK ’64 – July 11, 2006.
He is survived by his wife Katherine,
daughter Kelly and his brother and sister.
The Funeral Mass was held at Our Lady
of Good Counsel Catholic Church,
Plymouth, Mich.
Catholic Central
Memorial Mass and Breakfast
On October 28, 2007, the Catholic Central Alumni
Association and the Catholic Central Dads’ Club will
co-sponsor the Annual Memorial Mass and Breakfast.
The purpose of the Mass is to recognize and pray for all
the deceased members of the Catholic Central family,
including Alumni, staff and extended family members.
Those members of our CC family who have returned
to the Lord during the last year are remembered in a
special way through the lighting of candles for them
and their families.
Mass will be at 10 A.M. in the Catholic Central Chapel
with a Pancake Breakfast immediately following.
A voluntary donation will be requested at the door.
grandchildren and two siblings. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Isidore
Catholic Church, Macomb, Mich.
ARTHUR T. AUCUTT – May 11, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Linda, son
Jon ’94 and a sister. The Funeral Service
was held at the First Presbyterian
Church, Dearborn, Mich.
MARILYN C. BARNES – April 2, 2007.
She is survived by three children and five
grandchildren. Marilyn was predeceased
by her husband John ’44. A private family
committal service was held at Holy
Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Mich.
JULIE A. BARRY-GLEESON – April 24,
2007. She is survived by her husband Bob,
two children and eight siblings, including
Craig Gleeson ’83. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. James Church,
Novi, Mich.
ANDREW BONKOWSKI – December
28, 2006. He is survived by his three
sons, including Michael ’85, two
grandchildren and two siblings.
Andrew was predeceased by his wife
Delphine. The Funeral Mass was
celebrated at St. Francis d’Assisi,
Detroit, Mich.
JACK BRODIE – February 20, 2007.
He is survived by his son Jeffrey ’73,
two grandchildren and a greatgrandchild. Jack was predeceased
by his daughter Terri Montroy and
his wife Fern. The Funeral Service
was held at the Harry J. Will Funeral
Home, Livonia, Mich.
ALBERT L. “Len” BROWN – June 11,
2007.
He is survived by his daughter
Please plan on attending to remember your former
Jacqueline
(CC Staff Member) and son
classmates and their families. You can register for this
CHARLES E. SLATE ’52 – March 19,
Richard ’67, a granddaughter and
event on the CC Alumni Association Website.
2007. He is survived by his wife
his sister. The Funeral Mass was
Alice, two children and three grandcelebrated at St. Mary’s Catholic
children. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
Church, Milford, Mich.
Extended Family
at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church,
LENORE A. BUECHEL – April 15, 2007.
MARY ABAD – May 27, 2007. She is
Ypsilanti, Mich.
She is survived by four children, including
survived by two children, including John
JAMES F. PARADISE ’54 – March 20, 2007.
Thomas ’56, 15 grandchildren and 15
’58, five grandchildren and seven greatHe is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lois,
great-grandchildren. A Memorial Mass
grandchildren. The Funeral Service was
a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.
was celebrated at St. Patrick Catholic
held at A.J. Desmond & Sons, Troy, Mich.
Church, White Lake, Mich.
DAVID A. MURPHY ’55 – May 31, 2007.
ROSEMARY ALLAN – June 21, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Norine, four
GREG CLARK – February 10, 2007. He
She is survived by her three children,
children, 10 grandchildren, and four
is survived by his wife Susan and son
Robert ’71, James ’72 and Pattie, seven
siblings – including Patrick ’52. He was
Ryan ’02.
grandchildren and two siblings. A
predeceased by his grandson Connor.
Memorial Service was held at St. Colette
LEO DIMAMBRO – March 6, 2007. He
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St.
Catholic Church, Livonia, Mich.
is survived by his children, including
Gerald Church, Farmington, Mich.
Phillip ’68, three grandchildren and a
ELIZABETH C. ALTERMATT – March 4,
DENNIS R. OSTROWSKI ’55 – July 23,
great-grandchild.
Leo was predeceased
2007. She is survived by her 13 children,
2007. He is survived by his brother
by
his
wife
Anne.
The Funeral Mass
including Eugene ’50, 40 grandchildren,
David ’66. The Funeral Mass was celewas celebrated at the Church of St. Ives,
51 great-grandchildren, seven great-greatSouthfield, Mich.
32
I N M E M O R I A M • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Rev. Richard Kinsky, C.S.B., Priest & Educator
Rev. Richard Kinsky, C.S.B. died Monday, May 7, 2007, at
Joseph’s Place, Pittsford, N.Y. He died from leukemia.
Fr. Kinsky was born in Rochester, N.Y. He graduated from
Aquinas Institute in 1949, and entered St. Basil’s Novitiate in
Rochester in August. He professed his first vows on August 15,
1950. Following profession, he went to St. Michael’s College,
Toronto, and received a B.A. in History from the University of
Toronto in 1954. He then taught two years at Catholic Central,
Detroit, Mich., before beginning his theological studies. He was
awarded his S.T.B. in 1959, from the University of St. Michael’s
College, and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Francis
ROSEMARY A. DONOHUE – April 4,
2007. She is survived by three children,
eight grandchildren, including John ’05,
and a sister. Rosemary was predeceased
by her husband John and son John ’68.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at Our
Lady of Sorrows, Farmington, Mich.
M. RITA DURKIN – February 22, 2007.
She is survived by three children, including
David ’67, six grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Priscilla Catholic
Church, Livonia, Mich.
LEONARD GNIEWEK – April 23, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Mary, four
children, including Paul ’76 and Matthew
’87, 11 grandchildren and a sister. Leonard
was predeceased by wife Helen and son
Stephen ’85. A Memorial Service was
held at St. Thomas á Becket Catholic
Church, Canton, Mich.
GLENN W. HARTSELL JR. – May 2007.
He is survived by his wife Pat, eight
children, including Daniel ’73, David ’75
and Duane ’79, 29 grandchildren, two
great-grandchildren and a brother. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Lady
of Sorrows Church, Farmington, Mich.
WALTER S. HENDZELL – April 21, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Eleanor, three
sons, Thomas ’69, Robert ’70 and Gary
’72, and eight grandchildren. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. Thomas á
Becket Catholic Church, Canton, Mich.
MARY A. IANNUCCI – March 26, 2007.
She is survived by four children, including
Ariel Ruzzin ’52, 15 grandchildren, 23
great-grandchildren and two brothers.
Mary was predeceased by her husbands
Ugo Ruzzin and Arnold Iannucci. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Michael
Catholic Church, Southfield, Mich.
THOMAS KISH – March 28, 2007. He
is survived by his wife Marcia, and sons
Nicholas ’08 and Anthony. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. Valentine
Catholic Church, Redford, Mich.
Allen on June 28, 1959. Father Kinsky then taught at Aquinas
Institute, Rochester, N.Y.; Andrean High School, Gary, Ind.; St.
Pius X High School, Albuquerque, N.M.; and St. Thomas High
School, Houston, Texas. He was Superintendent of Schools for
the Diocese of Rochester for two years. He also served at Christ
the King Parish, Rochester, N.Y. He retired to the Basilian Fathers
of East Rochester and died at Joseph’s Place.
Father Kinsky served God’s people in a number of capacities
and in a number of places over his nearly 57 years as a Basilian.
May he rest in peace.
CHRISTINA LESSNAU – May 25, 2007.
She is survived by her three siblings,
including Robert ’79 and a niece. The
Funeral Service was held at John N. Santeiu
& Son Funeral Home, Westland, Mich.
NANCY C. LONG – April 15, 2007. She
is survived by her husband Glen, three
children, including Glen ’86, four grandchildren and four siblings.
JOANNA MIKULA – April 4, 2007. She
is survived by her husband Edward, six
children, including Michael ’87, and 19
grandchildren. A Memorial Mass was
held at St. Kenneth Catholic Church,
Plymouth, Mich.
FRANK S. NOSEWICZ – March 23, 2007.
He is survived by two daughters, son
Michael ’72, 10 grandchildren and seven
great-grandchildren. Frank was predeceased by his wife Virginia. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. William
Catholic Church, Walled Lake, Mich.
JEROME L. OLDFIELD – March 27, 2007.
He is survived by his wife Lois, three
daughters, four grandchildren, his mother
and sister. Jerome was predeceased by
his father, brother John ’60 and a sister.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church,
Redford, Mich.
DIANE E. POLENI – July 21, 2007. She is
survived by her husband R. Martin ’55,
son Michael, daughter Victoria, her parents
and her brother. The Funeral Mass was
celebrated at Guardian Angels Church,
Clawson, Mich.
THADDEUS T. PUACZ – July 2007. He
is survived by his children – Julianne,
Vincent and Thad ’79 – three grandchildren and his sister. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Patrick Catholic
Church, Brighton, Mich.
MICHAEL REDDING SR. – July 14, 2006.
He is survived by his sons, Michael ’86
and Matthew ’90, and four grandchildren.
MARGARET E. SCHEUBER – May 19,
2007. She is survived by her husband
William, son Michael ’04, a daughter,
her father and two siblings. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. Collette
Catholic Church, Livonia, Mich.
HELEN STEFFEN – July 5, 2007 at the age
of 95. Helen is survived by her seven
children, including Ralph “Bud” ’56, and
nine grandchildren. She was predeceased
by her husband Ralph. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Catholic
Church, Placentia, Calif.
GEORGE TUREK SR. – May 23, 2007.
He is survived by his sons, George ’66
and Howard ’76, and five grandchildren.
A Memorial Service was held at the
Great Lakes National Military Cemetery,
Holly, Mich.
ARTHUR WENDT – May 15, 2007. He is
survived by his mother Alice, stepfather
Ralph Larsen, a sister, three brothers,
Gregory ’81, Ronald ’82 and Christopher
’86, and his companion Mary Gingell
and her children Jason and Casey. The
Funeral Service was held at the Harry J.
Will Funeral Home, Livonia, Mich.
WILLIAM WERTHEIMER III – June 16,
2007. He died tragically in a boating
accident. Bill is survived by his wife Tina,
two daughters, his parents, William ’65
and Barbara, a sister and three grandparents.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St.
Michael Catholic Church, Southfield, Mich.
ANN C. WOLFF – July 16, 2007. She
is survived by her husband Joseph ’47
and son Stephen. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Gerald Church,
Farmington, Mich.
MAY J. YIM – July 10, 2007. She is
survived by her husband Arthur, three
children – Penny, Steven ’77 and
Leonard ’81 – and six grandchildren.
A private Memorial Service was held.
I N M E M O R I A M • FA L L 2 0 0 7
33
CATHOLIC CENTRAL
2007 Calendar of Events
September
3
Labor Day Holiday
6
Alumni Association Board Meeting – 6:00-9:00 P.M.
12
Mothers’ Club Mass and General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
13
1st Annual Athletic Hall of Fame/Basilian
Scholarship Stag Dinner – 6:00 P.M.
17
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
19
Gabriel Richard Night – 7:00 P.M.
21
Senior Mass & Ring Blessing – 10:00 A.M.
23
Mothers’ Club Alumni Dinner – 7:00 P.M.
27
Dads’ Club Quiz Bowl Night – 7:00 P.M.
28
Dads’ Club/Alumni Association
Memorial Mass & Breakfast – 10:00 A.M.
November
1
All Saints’ Day Mass – 9:22 A.M.
Faculty Meeting – Dismissal at 1:43 P.M.
Student Council Road Rally – 6:30 P.M.
3
23
Family Fest 2007 – Mass at 12:00 Noon
(Followed by the Taste Fest)
Mothers’ Club Piccadilly Square Marketplace –
10:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.
5
Student Council Canned Food Drive – All Week
27
School Mass – 9:22 A.M.
6
28
Boys’ Bowl Weekend
Shamrock Shuffle – 8:15 A.M.
Assembly – 9:30 A.M.
Rally – 8:00 P.M.
Alumni Association Shamrock Business Bash –
7:00-9:00 P.M.
11
Open House – 12:00-4:00 P.M.
12
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
29
Alumni Reunion – 6:00 P.M.
16
Student Council Dance – 8:00 P.M.
30
6th Annual Alumni Mass & Breakfast – 10:00 A.M.
Boys’ Bowl Football Game: O.L. St. Mary’s – 1:00 P.M.
Homecoming Dance – 8:00 P.M.
21
Half Day – Dismissal at 12:00 P.M.
22
Thanksgiving Day
23
Class of 2002 Five-Year Reunion – 6:00 P.M.
29
Alumni Association Board Meeting – 7:00 P.M.
October
34
21
December
1
Boys’ Bowl Holiday
4
Faculty Meeting – Dismissal at 1:43 P.M.
1
Parents’ Christmas Dinner Dance (Reservations needed)
7
Dads’ Club Father/Son Field Day – 11:00 A.M.
2
8
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Christmas on Campus – 10:00 A.M.
Christmas Concert & Afterglow – 6:00 P.M.
12
1st Quarter Ends
3
Student Christmas Concert – 9:22 A.M.
13
Mothers’ Club Rummage Sale – 9:00 A.M.
10
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
17
National Testing Day
PSAT/NEDT – 8:00 A.M.
12
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass – 9:22 A.M.
17
End of Second Quarter
18
Half Day – Parent-Teacher Conferences
3:00 to 5:00 P.M. AND 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.
C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
S C H O O L
B E L L S
Current Events At Catholic Central
O U R D I L L O N & W H E L A N A WA R D W I N N E R S
THE 2007 FR. DANIEL DILLON
AWARD for Outstanding
Achievement in Academics was
awarded to Thomas Mathew ’07
for having the highest cumulative
grade-point average over four
years. Thomas will be continuing
his academic pursuits next fall at
The University of Michigan.
THE 2007 FR. JAMES H. WHELAN
AWARD for Outstanding
Achievement in Athletics and
Academics was awarded to Jake
Marmul ’07. Jake will be continuing
his academic pursuits next fall at
the University of Notre Dame.
LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER – TOPS IN STATE
On April 6, 2007, The Detroit News
announced that the Library Media Center
of Catholic Central High School, Novi,
is the Largest Digital K-12 Library in the
State of Michigan.
are used by students, faculty, staff, and
parents, via the Internet. Catholic Central
has linked itself to these digitized information resources. Student use on and
off Campus exceeds 7,000 hits per month.
Digital service is provided by one of
America’s premier publishers, Thomson
Gale, in Farmington Hills, Mich. Thomson
Gale provides vast content pools, which
Roy Kronsbein, CC’s Library Director,
noted that before the advent of electronic
technologies, the School’s collections
had been primarily in print format. The
removal of bound periodicals opened
up 500 square feet of floorspace, which
allowed computer carrels to be installed
for housing newly purchased computers.
The information is accessible to all of
Catholic Central’s Alumni “24/7,” from
anywhere around the world. Alumni
at Catholic Central have Campus and
off-Campus access to our information
via a password.
Alumni must call the
CC Alumni Office
(248-596-3838) to
receive their password –
ask for Paula Bullington.
Tell her you would like
the Alumni Password
to access the Library
Media Center’s
Information Databases.
On other library matters,
contact Roy Kronsbein at
kronsbein@yahoo.com.
S C H O O L B E L L S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
35
Don’t Cry Because it’s Over… Smile Because It Happened!
Catholic Central High School is all about tradition, and change is often
difficult for us. The changes we’ve seen in the last two years have been, for the
most part, happy. Just look at our new Campus! This year, however, we are both
happy and sad to announce the retirement of some long-time members of our
faculty and staff. Happy, of course, that they will be able to enjoy well deserved
relaxation, but sad, obviously, to see them go. Their longevity says volumes
about dedication, with combined totals of 193 years in education and 167 years at
Catholic Central! They’ve touched thousands of lives and we will miss them all.
Linda Benger leaves the CC
Guidance Department this year,
after 30 years in Catholic education.
She served at Ladywood and Bishop
Borgess High Schools before joining
CC in 1995. A graduate of Dominican
High School, Linda earned a B.A. in
English and an M.A. in Education and
Guidance from Eastern Michigan
University. She believes very strongly
that a Catholic education continues
to provide the core values and faith
principles of our Church for today’s
student. “The message hasn’t changed,”
she said. Linda hopes her students
remember her as someone who was
their advocate, and who tried to help
them become the best CC men they could
be. In retirement, Linda “hopes to find a
hobby,” but that may be difficult, as she
and husband Bob have three children and
nine grandchildren who promise to keep
them busy!
Josephine “Jo” Evangelista will retire in
August, 2007, after 35 years as a Secretary
at Catholic Central, most recently in the
Guidance Department. Born in Casino,
Italy, her family immigrated to the U.S.
when Jo was seven years old. After
graduating from Hazel Park High School,
she was employed in public relations
for an advertising company, and for the
Children’s Center in Detroit. The mother
of four children– including Doug ’69,
Mike ’74 and the late Jon ’67 –
Jo was very active at CC,
serving as Room Mother,
Boys’ Bowl Program
Chair, and President
of the Mothers’
Club from 19701971. She also
has a grandson,
Marc ’95 (son
of Jon), who
graduated
36
S C H O O L B E L L S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
from CC. Jo said the young men of Catholic
Central have always been respectful and
kind to her, and she, in turn, “always tried to
treat them all like her own… no favorites!”
She hopes they will remember how much
she enjoyed being with them. In her free
time, Jo will continue to sing in the choir at
St. Valentine’s Church, travel a bit and enjoy
her 11 grandchildren.
Fr. Marvin LaBute, C.S.B., French Teacher,
Archivist and Editor of the Aluminator and
House Superior at the Basilian residence for
the past six years, has retired to O’Connor
House in Windsor, Ont. He was ordained at
Assumption Church on December 10, 1966.
Fr. LaBute’s years as a student and 38 years in
education have taken him, literally, around
the world, from Canada, through the U.S. and
to Europe. Among his many assignments,
Fr. LaBute served as Secretary General for the
Basilian Community, Chaplain at St. Joseph
Hospital in Toronto and House Superior while
teaching at Bishop O’Dowd High School
in Oakland, Calif. He said he has always
enjoyed teaching and working with students,
especially on weekend retreats. He feels that
“today’s students are more knowledgeable
about computers, but communicate less easily.”
Fr. LaBute plans to continue his travels (having
been to 49 of our 50 states) by visiting his
nieces and nephews around the country. He
enjoys reading, photography, and stamp and
coin collecting.
Coach Mike Rodriguez has retired after 51
years in education and 32 years at Catholic
Central. (See “CC Profile,” page 22.)
Mike Rossi retired this year after 32 years of
teaching Latin, but will continue to “hang
around,” as he put it, as CC’s photographer for
many of our sports and activities. Mike, the
“Maestro” or the “Ripper,” depending on the
age of the CC student he taught, didn’t like
Latin as a high-school student at Harper Woods
Notre Dame. “They were just words.” As a
student at Wayne State University, however,
the “words” became meaningful. This change
led to a discovery of literature, and Mike was
hooked. He earned his B.A. in Psychology
and M.A. in Greek and Latin Classics from
Wayne State. In the early years, Mike taught
Mythology, Greek Tragedy and Ancient Greek
at Wayne State, while teaching Latin and
Psychology at CC. In semi-retirement, he and
his wife, Helen, will have more time to travel.
As for how he’ll be remembered, Mike said
he hopes his students had fun amidst the
learning. “I’m glad I found this place in ’76,”
he said. “It’s been a great experience.”
John Wilson attended Adrian Catholic
Central, where he played football and basketball. After receiving his B.A. in English from
Sacred Heart Seminary and an M.A. in English
from Sienna Heights University, John taught
at St. Sabina for one year before joining our
English Department in 1967. He has always
enjoyed teaching and can’t think of another
career he wished he’d pursued. As English
Department Chair for 20 years, John is proud
of having helped establish the Fr. Enright
Writing Contest, and hopes his students
have gained an appreciation for writing and
English literature. Computers have changed
education over the years, and John feels students
don’t have the same interest in reading they
once did. John expressed appreciation for his
colleagues in the CC English Department.
“I want them to know what a
pleasure they were to work with
and lead. We had a good team.”
John and his wife, Elaine, are
avid cruisers and took their
51st cruise in July, this time
to the Eastern Caribbean.
To our colleagues and
friends, we bid a very, very
fond farewell!
Catholic Central Commencement 2007
On May 20, 2007, Kevin O’Connor ’79 spoke to the 210 graduating Seniors and
newest members of the CC Alumni Association as the featured speaker at Catholic
Central’s 78th Commencement Exercises at Hill Auditorium in Ann
Arbor. Kevin’s speech emphasized “the importance of prioritizing
your life and remembering that any amount of fame and fortune do
not take the place of family and friends.” Kevin shared the stage with
Valedictorian Thomas Mathew ’07, Salutatorian Zachary Crawford
’07, and Dedicatorian Jake Marmul ’07.
One out of every 10 students taking
would go to the Olympics unprepared.
home of a French family. In oddFrench at CC became a National Medalist
Likewise, if you want to compete in a
numbered years like this one, CC
in this year’s edition of Le Grand Concours,
national contest, you have to make a
families play hosts to French students.
the national French contest sponsored
tremendous commitment.”
This year, 19 young men and women
by the American Association of Teachers
from France, along with two of their
of French. In the past five
teachers, discovered
12 FRENCH STUDENTS EARN NATIONAL HONORS
years, CC students have
what it was like to
amassed two Gold Medals,
live with an American
seven Silver, and 56 Bronze.
family.
This year, with over
100,000 students competing
nationwide, CC had three
Silver Medalists: Nick
Caverly, Thomas Mathew,
and Carl Nelson. Bronze
medals were earned by
Dave Bushart, Mike Kluz,
Conor Parks, Joey Khalil,
Mike Clemente, Gabe Rogers, Dustin
Parmenter, Dan Wardle and Glenn
Malear. Students of Fr. John Wheeler
’57 have won 52 of the 65 medals earned.
He says that the secret of success lies in
preparation and motivation. “Nobody
French students at the Novi City Hall
Part of the motivation for excellence in
French is the French Summer Exchange
program which Father Wheeler started in
1979, which is still going strong in 2007.
In even-numbered years, CC students
travel to France to spend a month in the
Perhaps the best thing
about the exchange
program is the enduring
friendships that are
forged. A number of
former CC “exchangers”
from the ’80s are so
convinced of the value
of the program that,
since 2002, they have contributed over
$15,000 to provide financial aid to
students who couldn’t otherwise afford
the trip to France.
CC & Telcom Credit Union
Working Together
To Support Our Students
On May 4, the Morelli family won a $500 scholarship
from Telcom Credit Union. All CC families were eligible
for a special drawing to win the scholarship based on
making a $5 deposit to a Telcom Credit Union savings
account. We would like to thank all CC families that
participated and support Telcom Credit Union.
We also would like to thank the staff at Telcom
Credit Union, especially Linda Daly, Tyler Ross and
Cindy Tschirhart for their continued support of CC
and our students. They make a difference and we greatly appreciate their friendship. If you are looking for a friendly place
with friendly faces where all of your financial needs can be met no matter how complex, please consider Telcom Credit Union.
S C H O O L B E L L S • FA L L 2 0 0 7
37
S P O R T S
B R E A K
Keeping Up With Catholic Central Athletes
25th
Anniversary
of Lacrosse
at CC
By Dave Wilson ’88, Coach
The 25th Anniversary of the
Lacrosse Program drew 35 Alumni
back to CC for their annual Alumni game.
For many, it was their first visit to the new
School. Each Alumnus received a 25th-anniversary
jersey and had an opportunity to catch up with old
classmates during the Alumni game.
The Lacrosse alums were able to entertain each other
with stories of glory from days gone by, over samples
of chili in the 1st Annual Tom Christenson Chili Cook Off.
Tom is the father of Josh ’98, Zach ’00, Andy ’04 and Jake ’08.
The first event featured 10 entries and was won by Larry
Marmul, father of Senior Jake.
The Varsity Lacrosse team recorded a league
Many thanks to Darren
Murray ’88, Stan Zajdel ’88,
Greg Durham ’88 and Josh
Christenson ’98 for their help planning
the day, and Justin Ronayne ’93 for bringing
his Cranbrook team over.
I would also like to recognize Captain Tim Knoth ’93,
who traveled from Pennsylvania just for the game.
Tim is in the Army and has not been able to attend a
CC event in 10 years. Thank you, Tim, for your service
to our country. You and your fellow servicemen are in
our prayers.
The CC Varsity team was led to the Stadium by a bagpiper
to commemorate the anniversary. Apparently, the
chili was not quite spicy enough and the Shamrocks
dropped a heartbreaker to Cranbrook, 10-8.
time All-American Pat Nemes ’07, and
fellow First-Team All-State Justin Burgin ’07.
Coach Dave Wilson ’88 and his staff did an
excellent job of keeping the team focused
throughout the season despite injuries to
some of his key players. Even though they fell a game short, it
was a great season for the Lacrosse team, and, as many of the
team will return in 2008, the future looks extremely bright.
Lacrosse
2007
record of 13-6 and followed their regular
season successes with a second straight
Regional Championship. A thrilling 9-7
comeback triumph over Troy Athens in the
Regional game earned them a return trip to the State Finals
against arch-rival and defending State Champion, Brother Rice.
Unfortunately for the Shamrocks, the boys from Birmingham
took the day and the trophy 17-7. CC’s team was led by two-
Lacrosse Team Individual Honors
Academic All-America
All Catholic
All State
Jake Marmul ’07
Pat Nemes ’07
Justin Burgin ’07
Connor Bush ’07
First Team
Pat Nemes ’07
Justin Burgin ’07
All America
Second Team
Nick Gary ’07
Matt Aubrey ’08
Ryan Cebula ’07
Academic All-League
Mike Dunleavy ’07
All League
Pat Nemes ’07
Ryan Cebula ’07
Nick Garry ’07
Matt Aubrey ’08
Pat Nemes ’07 was also named
Novi/Northville Player of the Year
by the
Northville Record/Novi News.
38
S P O RT S B R E A K • FA L L 2 0 0 7
Third Team
Connor Bush ’07
Honorable Mention
Brad Janer ’08
Track 2007
Baseball 2007
The Track team had a good season –
their league record was 2-2-1, and they
finished third in the Catholic League. In
every team meet, with the exception of
the State Finals, Mike Martin ’08 and
Jake Maloney ’07 finished one and two
in the shot-put competition. Yes, that
is all relay meets: the Catholic League,
Regional, Operation Friendship and
the Oakland County meet. In the State
meet, Mike finished first and Jake was
sixth. The last Shamrock to win the
State Championship in the shot-put was
Tom Jozwiak in 1955. Alex Toloff also
qualified for the State meet in the 3200Meter Run. The entire Track team and
coaching staff did an excellent job as
witnessed by the number of Shamrocks
who received post-season honors.
The CC Varsity Baseball team was
young but very competitive, finishing
with a league record of 11-13. Nine
members of the team were selected for
post-season honors. The team almost
pulled off one of the biggest upsets of
the season when they took then-rated
#1 team in the state, Northville, to its last
at bat before falling by one run in a state
District game. The future looks bright
for the Shamrock Baseball team as most
of the key players will be returning for
the 2008 season.
Baseball Team
Individual Honors
All-Academic District
Ryan Houska ’08
Drew Walters ’08
Jake Hansen ’08
Dan Foley ’07
Ethan Whitesell ’07
All-Academic Regional
Ryan Houska ’08
Drew Walters ’08
Jake Hansen ’08
All-Academic State
Shown at the State Track meet are (left to right)
Mike Martin ’08, Eugene Grewe, Pat Reid ’82,
Tony Magni and Jake Maloney ’07.
Track Team
Individual Honors
All Catholic
Brendan Curran ’09
Jack Daykin ’08
Mel Farr ’08
Spencer Hall ’10
Jake Maloney ’07
Michael Mamut ’08
Michael Martin ’08
Zach Oleski ’08
Scott Sansovich ’09
Brandon Schneider ’09
Alex Toloff ’09
Ryan Houska ’08
Presenting the plaque honoring the 2007 CC
Hockey Team are Janet Wilson and Barbara
Karamon from the Tom Wilson Agency. Accepting
the award are Dan Collins ’84 and Tim Burke ’86.
Congratulations
To The 2007 Hockey Team!
The Tom Wilson Agency and MEEMIC
Insurance Company are partnering
with the Michigan High School Athletic
Association to honor individual teams
who exemplify all aspects of outstanding
good sportsmanship. This honor is not
only extended to the team, but also to
the coaches, parents and fans. The 2007
Catholic Central Hockey Team was
chosen as this year’s recipient of the
award. We proudly accept this honor
and thank the Tom Wilson Agency for
their continued support!
All Area
Billy Hardin ’07
Doug Raymond ’07
Jake Hansen ’08
Andy Omilian ’07
Sean Falvo ’07
All Catholic
Billy Hardin ’07
All District
Billy Hardin ’07
Doug Raymond ’07
Jake Hansen ’08
All League
Doug Raymond ’07
Jake Hansen ’08
TENNIS TEAM
The CC Varsity Tennis Team won
three tournaments and recorded a
dual-meet record of 3-5, but ended
the season on a high note by finishing
in second place in the Catholic League
Tournament at the State Regional.
The excellent finish propelled the
team to an eighth place finish in the
State Finals. The team should be
very strong next year as many of
their individual honors were earned
by underclassmen.
All City & All State
Jake Maloney ’07
Michael Martin ’08
S P O RT S B R E A K • FA L L 2 0 0 7
39
S P O R T S
S C H E D U L E
Supporting Our Young Athletes
VA R S I T Y F O O T B A L L
Sat.
Sat.
Sat.
Sun.
Sept. 8
Sept. 15
Sept. 22
Sept. 30
London Catholic Central
Brother Rice
De La Salle - Warren Fitzgerald HS
Boys’ Bowl - O. L. St. Mary’s
7:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
1:00 P.M.
1:00 P.M.
Sat.
Sat.
Sat.
Oct. 6
Oct. 13
Oct. 20
Divine Child - Crestwood HS
U of D Jesuit - Ferndale HS
Prep Bowl - Ford Field
7:00 P.M.
1:00 P.M.
TBD
U of D Jesuit
Divine Child
De La Salle
O. L. St. Mary’s
Brother Rice
Livonia Franklin
7:30 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
7:30 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
7:30 P.M.
7:00 P.M.
VA R S I T Y S O C C E R
Tues.
Wed.
Sat.
Tues.
Sat.
Sept. 4
Sept. 5
Sept. 8
Sept. 11
Sept. 15
Divine Child
Toledo St. John
De La Salle
Brother Rice
Junior Varsity: Ann Arbor Pioneer
Ann Arbor Pioneer
7:30 P.M.
7:30 P.M.
1:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
11:00 A.M.
1:00 P.M.
Tues.
Fri.
Tues.
Thurs.
Fri.
Wed.
Sept. 18
Sept. 21
Sept. 25
Sept. 27
Sept. 28
Oct. 3
CROSS COUNTRY
Sat.
Mon.
Sat.
Mon.
Sat.
Sat.
Tues.
Sat.
Sept. 8
Sept. 10
Sept. 15
Sept. 17
Sept. 22
Sept. 29
Oct. 2
Oct. 6
Mon. Oct. 8
Sat.
Oct. 13
W. Bloomfield Inv’l - Kensington Park 10:30 A.M.
Brother Rice - Cass Benton
4:15 P.M.
Holly HS Inv’l - Springfield Oaks
12:50 P.M.
U of D - Stoney Creek Metro Park
4:30 P.M.
CC Inv’l - Cass Benton Park
11:30 A.M.
Haslett HS Invitational
9:00 A.M.
John Glenn 9th-10th Grade Inv’l
4:30 P.M.
Oakland County Championship 10:30 A.M.
Kensington Park
De La Salle/St. Mary’s Prep/Cass Benton 4:15 P.M.
Varsity: Sturgis HS Invitational
12:00 P.M.
Junior Varsity: Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard
TBD
Inv’l - Hudson Mills Metro Park
Mon. Oct. 15
Sat.
Oct. 20
Tues. Oct. 23
Fri.
Oct. 26
Sat.
Tues.
Sat.
Mon.
Oct. 27
Oct. 30
Nov. 3
Dec. 31
Brother Rice 9th-10th Grade Inv’l 4:30 P.M.
Marshbank Park
CHSL Championship - Stoney Creek
TBD
Operation Friendship Championship
4:30 P.M.
Center Line 9th-10th Grade Inv’l
4:30 P.M.
Redford Union Open Championship 4:30 P.M.
Cass Benton Park
State Regional Championship
10:40 A.M.
White Lake Lakeland 9th-10th Grade Inv’l 4:30 P.M.
State Championship - MIS, Jackson, Mich.
TBD
38th Annual New Year’s Fun Run 3:30 P.M.
Belle Isle
VA R S I T Y T E N N I S
Tues.
Wed.
Thurs.
Sat.
Mon.
Thurs.
Sat.
Mon.
Sept. 4
Sept. 5
Sept. 6
Sept. 8
Sept. 10
Sept. 13
Sept. 15
Sept. 17
Ann Arbor Huron
West Bloomfield
Saline
Essexville-Garber Invitational
U of D
Grosse Pointe South
Romeo Invitational #2
Brother Rice
4:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
8:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M.
8:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M.
Tues.
Sat.
Mon.
Sat.
Sept. 18
Sept. 22
Sept. 24
Sept. 29
Wed. Oct. 3
Sat.
Oct. 6
Ann Arbor Pioneer
Port Huron Northern Invitational
De La Salle
CC Invitational - Forest Hills Central,
Birmingham Groves, Grosse Ile
Troy
CHSL Tournament
Note: Bold type denotes home games
Please visit the CC Website for
the most current information about events:
www.catholiccentral.net
40
S P O RT S S C H E D U L E • FA L L 2 0 0 7
4:00 P.M.
8:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M.
8:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M.
TBD
The Detroit Catholic Central High School Alumni Association
Presents
The 6th Annual Boys’ Bowl Alumni Mass & Breakfast
Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007
COMPLIMENTARY
BREAKFAST
Please make your
reservations now!
In the CC Gymnasium, prior to the Boys’ Bowl Game
against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
Mass - 10:00 A.M.
Immediately followed by complimentary breakfast
Honorary Chair - Bill Downs ’61 • Alumni Association Chair - Gerry Di Ponio ’65
CC vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s - 1:00 P.M. Gametime
Tickets for the Game will be available
for purchase after Mass
Reservations Required
Please indicate name, class year and number of adults
and children attending
Telephone
(248) 596-3838
Detroit Catholic Central High School
The Aluminator
27225 Wixom Road
Novi, MI 48374
Change Service Requested
Online
www.catholiccentral.net/alumni/
Non-Profit Org
US Postage
PAID
Systems Services Inc