Class Notes 1966

   
  Dave Griffin

1347 Solitaire Pl.
Holiday, FL 34690-6454
727.944.5229
dgriffin53@tampabay.rr.com
   
   
fall 2008

Hello to all. I trust that everyone had a great summer. I think it was warmer than normal for most of the country. If anyone was cold this past summer, please write and tell me where you were. ... I had a great e-mail from Mike DeLisio. He told me about several of the positions that he has held in his career including work in missile test projects at Cape Canaveral and collaborating on the Apollo program. He returned to Florence where he met his wife, Anna. Their two daughters live close by; one is an optometrist and the other will graduate with a degree in architecture. Mike has been involved in several education programs in Florence as a teacher and in administration. He plans to retire next year. ... Paul Klaus checked in with me by e-mail. He is still working with the Westfield Group in Ohio. I believe that they own a home in Florida but, as of this writing, I am waiting for more details on his retirement and future. ... Larry Henry says hi to everyone. His daughter finished her PhD at Perdue and will be doing research to find ways to make flight safer and more efficient. As for Larry, he finished his seven year career teaching accounting and finance at Benedictine University. He said that he is semi-retired, spending his time helping folks manage retirement funds, playing tennis, and golf. According to Larry, both have their ups and downs. ... John Stagl called to say hello. He and his wife, Sharon, continue to live in the Chicago area. They are still, like many of us, in the work force. Stags enjoys the travel he does to conduct management seminars that his company sponsors. His seminars have been written up in several trade publications. ... A note from Steve Chamberlain was interesting. He said that he is still giving money away at Chase Bank. He golfed with John Schwartz recently and said that he is still on the bench as an active judge. Steve and Judi also hosted a Derby party that John and Ron Gillenkirk attended. Ron is retired after a long teaching career but Steve says he continues to listen to the Indians’ ball games. As for the party, he stated that the banker had the winning ticket. However, the judge picked the winner of the hat contest who happened to be Mrs. G. ... I know that we were all saddened to hear about Fr. Schell’s death. For us who lived in the dorms, he had many roles but the most important was a smiling face and an ear to listen when needed. Thank you Fr. Schell for everything that you did for us and for JCU. ... I appreciate the thoughts and prayers that were sent my way after the last column was printed. I am doing well. My best to everyone. Take care, Dave

   
   
summer 2008

Hello to all. I trust that spring arrived for all those in the northern areas. Seems like winter held on to you for longer than normal. We talked with Rob Searson recently. He and Weezie are planning their beer tasting party in mid April. He calls it a “So long winter and taxes” celebration but as most of us know, we all love a good party no matter what it is called. He mentioned that Bob Jacobs and Margie will be there. Bob has been doing some charity work lately and enjoying life. Tim Robertson and Georganne may also join them. I have been told that Tim now has a pacemaker and is doing well. That may however, restrict him to a couple of six packs instead of his normal case. ... The alumni office has told me that two of our classmates have died during this first quarter. Martin Tiernan passed away in January and Fred Fillinger in March. I am sure that we all offer our sympathies to their families. ... I was told to keep this shorter since the page count for the next edition will be fewer pages. I had not planned on it being this short and I am sorry that I do not have more news for all of you. I have a form of leukemia and have been in chemo treatments since January. My response to the chemo has been very good so I plan to be back in form before the next edition. I trust that everyone will have a great summer. As always, let me know how and what you or some of our classmates are up to these days. If you are wondering where a classmate is since we left the hallowed halls of JCU, let me know and we will do our best to track them down. Take care, Dave
   
   
spring 2008

Hello to all. I trust that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family. As I write this, I know that we all hope for peace and a good 2008 for each other. I received a Christmas card from Dan Kush with notes about their year. The senator has retired from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce after 29 years. Judy is happy about that but also is delighted that, in early 2007, Dan became a proud member of the Democratic party. No typo classmates. This came directly from Dan’s note. ... Mike DeLisio e-mailed asking that I extend his best wishes to all. He also mentioned that if you are ever going to Florence, Italy, you should let him know. It almost sounded like an invitation and I bet he is a great tour guide. ... Dan Ruminski sent a letter saying he saw Dale Masino’s comments in the last column and mentioned that they were co-captains of the ’66 Blue Streaks basketball team. Like some of us, he is working hard with no plans to retire. Dan is the president of a 3M safety matting products distributor. He told me that his company had just invented a system of matting products that melt snow and ice. I don’t need that in Florida but if anyone does, let me know and I will put you in touch with Dan. ... Dale Christman e-mailed that he continues to sell helicopters in Mesa, Ariz. He plans to continue that for the next year or so prior to retirement. ... Joe Frederick continues with the organization of info for his book. He has been writing fairly consistently for the past year. He said that he has up and down days but is making progress and is happy with the project. ... Ron Gillenkirk told me that he is “busier than ever but enjoying it a lot.” He is retired ... how can he be so busy? Looks like we really are re-defining retirement. Ron and Diane have a place in 1000 Islands in Upstate New York and enjoy it tremendously during the summer months. ... Fran Nunney told me that I am doing OK on the column. With his experience, I know that is a complement. He continues to coach with Bob Spicer at Gilmour Academy. Their team finished with a 9 and 2 record this past year and went to the second level of the state playoffs. Fran said that a number of them are aiming at the magic “65” after the next season to think about retiring after 42 years +/- of coaching. He is still teaching at JCU part time and his daughter is a sophomore at Carroll. ... That is about all for this issue. I hope that everyone has a great year whether in work or in whatever you do. Are you all thinking Reunion this summer? ... Take care, Dave
   
   
fall 2007 Hello all. I hope that everyone has enjoyed the fall after what seemed like a very hot summer. I had a great e-mail from Dale Masino. He wanted all of us to know that retirement is great. In his words, “It is the best job that I ever had.” He and Joanne moved to Ocean Isle Beach, NC, a little over four years ago. They are enjoying many activities but the best is that their daughter and grandkids are able to join them for many good times during the summer months. He said to be sure to say hello to everyone. ... I had an e-mail from a woman named Katy in southern California. She asked about Steve Chamberlain. She was looking for a Steve who graduated from San Diego High School in 1967. I wrote back that I knew this Steve and that he was not from San Diego. I asked her how she happened to e-mail me. She said that she Googled Steve Chamberlain and saw our JCU article where I mentioned him. How about that ... our class of ’66 made Google. ... On a sad note, I had an e-mail from the alumni office saying that Rev. Merton Jannusch died in early October of this year. Some of our class who were in the master’s programs may remember him as he received a Master of Arts from John Carroll. ... This is a non-paid, non-political commercial that should benefit everyone – JCU’s Career Center has a new online program called Carroll Contacts. This program is designed to connect current JCU students to alumni and other faculty, staff, or friends of the John Carroll community. The goal is for students to be able to contact you and ask you career, or even life related questions. With Carroll Contacts he/she can search for a qualified candidate to inquire about job requirements, living conditions in your location, or something as simple as the best restaurant in town. To sign up, simply go to www.jcu.edu/careercenter, and click on the Career Connection link. Then click on Carroll Contact, and begin filling out your information. ... Unlike Dale and many of our classmates, I am not retired. I will work harder and make my best effort to contact all of you in to see what you are doing. If you think about JCU, let me know what has happened to you since we left and what you are up to now. Maybe we can get together this summer at the Reunion. Take care everyone, Dave
   
   
summer 2007

Hello to all. I trust that everyone is enjoying a good summer. Joe Frederick sent me this press release. Sure sounds nice to be retired. John Morris, retired FBI agent living in Simi Valley, CA, and Dr. Joe Frederick, retired educational superintendent from around Bowling Green, OH, recently met up at the PGA Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, OH, on June 3. John is a security agent ably protecting the best golfers in the world. Kathy Frederick won tickets to the PGA at the 2006 JCU reunion courtesy of John. Joe took time off from working on a book about his life and people and happenings in his life to attend the tournament. Also in attendance were his sons Joe II and Mark. Another get together at the event is being planned for next year. ... Jane and I went to a wedding in Cleveland in the spring and were able to spend some time with Rob Searson and his wife, Weezie. All is well and his business is getting stronger but he is not thinking about retiring just yet. ... Jim Adair called. We had a good talk about his eight children and all his travels. Jim’s company provides Catholic tours and pilgrimages to Fatima and other holy locations. He saw the last issue and the note about Peter Kassay-Farkas. They have known each other since before attending JCU. He asked for Pete’s contact info so they could renew the friendship. Now that is one of the things this column is all about. ... At a conference in Dallas in May, I had a chance to visit with Jack McLain and his wife, Penny. Jack is enjoying his retirement from Delta. Penny is a senior flight attendant on Delta’s international flights to Europe and still enjoys flying. ... That’s it for this edition. Keep those calls, cards and e-mails coming. Would like to hear what you are up to these days. Take care everyone, Dave
   
   
spring 2007

Hello to all. I had a good talk with Steve Chamberlain. He gave me some advice about the column and what to do about getting all of you involved. Steve was our scribe for many years so he has the experience.  He told me that he and John Schwartz were at the JCU vs. Wooster College basketball game in Rochester for the NCAA Division III Championship tournament. ... Ron Gillenkirk told me that he could not make it to the NCAA game. He is enjoying his retirement after teaching for all these years. He has a couple odd jobs that keep him busy and right now is getting their 1000 Island retreat ready for the season. ... Rob Searson told me that he is still involved with some teaching at CCC in Cleveland. He is also building his own business helping companies screen prospective employees with various profile tests to determine aptitudes and positions within a company. Rob told me that they are attending a Tim Robertson wedding soon. It seems as though Tim’s son is getting married in the spring. We wish them the best. I had an e-mail from Jim Fineran. He was involved in the successful election of the governor of Maryland and now holds a position in the Maryland Public Information Office. ... I had an unexpected email from Dale Christman after he saw the last column. He remembers going into the Navy Pilot Officer Candidate School with Jack McLain. ... I had a talk with Peter Kassay-Farkas who is doing well and still living in Nebraska. He and his wife, Joan, enjoy their travels. Peter is retired after 32 years in the pharmaceutical industry. You may remember that Peter was a founder of the soccer program at JCU. Believe it or not, he still plays today. ... That is all for this edition. If I left anyone out, it is because you did not call, write or e-mail. I would like to have the longest column in the class section but that depends on all of you. I would love to hear from everyone so I can write what you are up to today. Tell me about your children, your grandchildren, and your job that you hate or love or why you are retired and I am not. Talk to me! Take care everyone, Dave
   
winter 2007 Hello to all. As you read in the last edition, Fran Nunney passed the torch to me. I wondered why he was so nice to me and bought me all those drinks at Reunion! I kid because, the fact is, I readily accepted this hand-off from him. I want to thank Fran for his years as our scribe. I will do my best to carry on the tradition. I have come up a little thin on happenings for this edition. I did not realize the short time frame between getting the last edition and the submission date for the next one. A few days before this was due, I felt like so many of us remember at JCU when that paper was due tomorrow and I haven’t even started it. ... John Stagl is still a Chicago boy. He e-mailed that he will be traveling for his company this year as he has in the past. Believe it or not, Stags is a speaker at conventions and conferences. If any of our classmates are in Philadelphia, New Orleans or Toronto, he will be there so you may want to touch base with him. I got a kick out of his comment about the internet. He said, “Can you imagine how easy it would have been to do school work if we had had “Google.” ... Dan Kush wrote that he and Judy were in Sarasota, FL, in mid-January. They love the area and were checking out potential locations and homes for their retirement years. He invited me to give him a call so we can talk and plan to do that to catch up on the inside scoop on beltway happenings. ... I had a Christmas note from Jack McLain. He and Penny are still living in Dallas. Jack has retired from the cockpit of the Delta airliners. Penny continues to fly as a senior flight attendant. ... I e-mailed Paul Klaus. At the reunion, he and Judy had told us about living in Ohio because Paul’s position with his company was there. They told me that they want to move back to Florida when they retire. I asked him how the weather was up there in the winter -- I did not get a reply yet. Now I wonder if the Internet lines in Ohio are frozen. ... I will conclude this first episode with the fact that Jane and I are living just north of Tampa, FL. I hate to tell those of you up North but we were on the beach in mid-January. If anyone is headin’ this way, we would love the chance to renew old acquaintances. I would like that chance by phone or e-mail also. Let me know what you have been up to lately. Take care everyone, Dave
 
fall 2006 Dear Members of the Class of ’66: This will be my last note as class columnist; I think that it is time for a fresh voice and a fresh perspective. I have enjoyed my five years as your correspondent and I am grateful for all who have contributed to the column. A special thanks to Michele McFarland, of the JCU Public Affairs Department, for all of her help, encouragement and reminders; she does a great job and deserves much credit for the success of the magazine. Dave Griffin has graciously and enthusiastically agreed to take over the column and he is looking forward to hearing from classmates. Drop Dave your news -- dgriffin53@tampabay.rr.com. Best wishes and thanks to Dave. I look forward to seeing you all at the next reunion. Fran
   
summer 2006
Dear members of the class of ’66 -- Reunion Weekend was a great time, as the weather cooperated and many old acquaintances were renewed. Class members in attendance were: Tom Alvord, Chuck Bartels, Jake Boland, Bill Buckley, John Byrnes, Steve Chamberlain, Tom Cozzens, Charlie Dalton, Tony DeCarlo, Michael DeLisio, Bill Drummond, John Fox, Joe Frederick, Ron Gillenkirk, Dave Griffin, Larry Henry, Paul Klaus, Denny Kolarik, Dan Kush, Tom Madden, Gerry Martin, Mike Mayer, John Morris, Mike Murray, Mark O’Connor, Jim O’Keefe, Jim Pershinsky, Dan Raleigh, Dave Rosa, Bob Searson, Bob Spicer, John Stagl, Mike Starr, Gabe Varkonyi, and Lou Vitullo. ... Tim Robertson missed the reunion because his daughter was being married that weekend. Larry Henry, whose daughter was also married that weekend, attended the reunion on Friday evening and returned home Saturday morning for the wedding. Congratulations to both proud fathers! ... Chuck Bartels shared the reunion with his son, John, who was attending his tenth reunion as a member of the Class of 1996. ... Mike Starr and his wife, Pat, hosted Saturday’s lunch at their home near campus and did a tremendous job! ... Ron Gillenkirk retired after 35 years of teaching math in the Rochester area. ... Paul Klaus has come back to Ohio from Florida, and is a senior executive for commercial lines at Westfield Insurance in Westfield Center, OH. ... Bill Drummond will begin his fortieth year as a math teacher in the Andover, MA, public school system. Bill still has a great enthusiasm for teaching and for his students. ... Dr. Noetzel ’38 and Fr. Bichl attended our class dinner and were well received. There are very few faculty left from our time at JCU and it was very nice to see them. ... During our class dinner, Dan Kush reviewed some of the significant historical events that occurred during our years at Carroll. Chuck Bartels recalled being a member of JCU’s first varsity wrestling, a very successful program begun by coach Tony DeCarlo. Dave Griffin mentioned that he; Ron Gillenkirk and Jack McLain were members of the class who were among the founding members of the JCU soccer team. ... Michael DeLisio and his wife, Anna Marie, traveled from Florence, Italy, to attend the reunion. ... On a sad note, Sharon Arnold, the wife of our classmate, Dick Arnold, wrote to inform us that Dick had passed away on May 11. Dick had battled brain cancer for six years after being given only a 50% chance of surviving for one year. Sharon wrote that Dick was so proud of the fact that graduated from John Carroll and that he often joked about being “the Methodist boy getting the excellent education from the Jesuits”. ... Fr. Schell extends a big thank you for the cards that were signed by the class of ’66 reunion attendees. He said that it is very meaningful and he will always cherish the thoughts and good wishes. He misses attending reunion and visiting at dinner. It was always a great joy to see so many old friends. You are in his prayers. ... Thanks to all of the committee members who helped to make the reunion a success and thanks to all who attended. It certainly does not seem like forty years! Fran
   
spring 2006 Dear members of the class of ’66! ... I saw Bruce Asmus at a recent Jesuit Retreat conducted by Fr. Metzger, SJ, (I’m certain that the St. Ignatius guys in our class will fondly remember Fr. Metzger). Bruce’s son, who attended Loyola of New Orleans graduated and fortunately moved to Chicago before hurricane Katrina struck; however, he is currently housing two of his college friends who had to leave the city because of the storm. ... On a personal level, our youngest child will attend JCU as a first year student in August; she is looking forward to the experience. ... Don’t forget Reunion Weekend, Friday, June 23-Sunday, June 25! ... Fran
   
winter 2006
Jim Malatin writes that he was blessed with his first grandchild in December, “handsome, big eyed, Jake.” Jim is obviously a very proud grandpa! Jim lives in Cincinnati and is the CFO of Taylor’s Industrial Services in Mt. Gilead, OH. ... Gerald Staraitis reports that he and his wife, Nadine, reside in Naperville, IL. A former Alpha Kappa Psi member, Gerry is a Collateral Controls analyst for IBM Credit Corp. ... “The Senator,” Dan Kush and his wife, Judy, continue to be active and busy in the Washington, D.C. area. Dan is in his 27th year with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce where he produces The Daily Report, an electronic summary and update of the U.S. Chamber’s Congressional regulatory and legal reform issues, activities and events. As a member of the Corporate Communications Department, Dan also continues to work with the U.S. Chamber’s small business and mid-cap sales teams and U.S. Chamber members. Judy, aside from her work with Diplomats Washington, Inc., is a volunteer reading mentor to a Washington, D.C. public school child through the “Everyone Wins D.C.” program, and she also is a volunteer at Bread for the City in the Anacostia section of Washington, D.C. Dan, a life-long Republican and Judy, a liberal Democrat, have interesting and stimulating discussions during our current political climate. As Dan stated, “civil war has not broken out, but sparks do fly on occasion!” We are looking forward to seeing Dan and Judy at the Reunion! ... Chuck Bartels, who is working on the Reunion Committee, also enjoys a connection to the political scene. His wife, Teresa, is running for Congress in the Eighth District of Illinois. ... John Morris is recovering from hip replacement surgery and looking forward to getting back to work as a PGA security consultant. John is also working on the Reunion Committee and looking forward to seeing many of us there. ... Reunion Weekend is Friday, June 23-Sunday, June 25. Many are indicating that they will be attending; hopefully you will be there also. Until then, Fran
 
fall 2005
Dear Members of the Class of ’66 ... Bob Spicer’s Gilmour Academy football team recently had their 26 game regular season winning streak end. The streak, second longest in Gilmour history, nearly matched the 29-0 streak accomplished during the 1960s. With only five seniors on the team, the future is certainly bright for Gilmour. On a happier note, Bob, a JCU Hall of Famer, saw his son, Ryan, inducted into the Ohio Wesleyan Hall of Fame this past September. ... Tony Fuger - Tfuger@aol.com, who is employed by Sears, reports that he and his wife, Virginia, still reside in Chesterland, OH. ... On October 11th, I represented the Class of 1966, during the installation ceremonies for John Carroll’s new President, Fr. Robert Niehoff, SJ. The Mass was beautiful and the installation ceremony was dignified and impressive. The theme of the week’s events was “Engaging the World.” Father Niehoff’s message cited the need for JCU to continue to educate women and men for others, especially for those throughout the world who are bereft of human dignity. He also emphasized the need to seek greater diversity among the faculty of JCU and to pursue a more diverse student population. ... Hope you enjoyed the autumn colors! Fran
 
summer 2005
Hot and humid greetings to the Class of ’66! Having recently returned from visiting our daughter and her family in Las Vegas, I have a greater appreciation for their “dry heat” as opposed to what we have been experiencing in the Greater Cleveland area this summer. ... Chris Botamer and I have been exchanging messages. He writes that Warren Cromer is now living in Florida, near Ocala. Warren has retired from ALCOA in Pittsburgh, and he says that “retirement is great!” Chris would like to hear from John Morris, if John is not too busy arranging security for PGA events. Chris’ e-mail - cbotomer@adelphia.net. ... Please keep our next reunion (can it be fortieth already?) in your plans for next June 23-25 – not Father’s Day weekend this time! Enjoy the rest of summer, Fran
 
spring 2005
Spring is finally here! Greetings to all members of the Class of ’66. ... I received a nice note from John Chojnowski. He and his wife of forty years, Julie, are now retired and living in Utah. John reports that he spent 35 years working in the purchasing profession for Euclid Division of GMC, White Motor Corp., Volvo White Truck Corp., Envirotech Pump Co. and FMC Jetway Systems in Ogden, UT. He says that he and Julie have lived in Utah “where the mountain views are spectacular” for 27 years and that they really enjoy the lifestyle there. Their three children and five grandchildren live within a 25-mile radius of John and Julie. Currently, John is enrolled in a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning program at Davis Applied Technology College, where he says, “I am having fun with the program and putting my gray matter to good use.” ... Chris Botamer’s new address is: 673 Devonshire Drive, State College, PA 16803-3202. Chris is president of the Botamer Financial Corp. in State College, PA. ... On a more somber note, Donald North, a Graduate School member of the Class of ’66, passed away in January, after suffering a heart attack. Donald worked for the FBI in New York City and “was head of the organized crime effort that led to the conviction of John Gotti and other organized crime leaders,” according to NYTimes.com. Besides his illustrious 39-year career with the FBI, Donald also produced records for a Gaelic rock band called Speir Mor. ... Have a great summer! Fran
 
winter 2005
Dan Kush checked in with a Christmas card and note. In October Dan and his family celebrated the marriage of his son, Brian to Mary Beth Young, in Hot Springs, VA. Dan’s youngest daughter, Katie, received her master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and is working for Capitol One in Richmond, VA. Dan’s daughter, Wendy, continues to live in Santa Monica, CA where she works for a screenwriter and director. Dan’s wife, Judy, continues her work with Diplomat’s Washington, helping to put on seminars for newly arrived wives of ambassadors and diplomatic staff members. Judy reports that Dan turned 60 in December, joining the rest of us who continue to get better, not older! He will appreciate that his Young Republican Club is still very active on the JCU campus. Dan says that he is already looking forward to our 40th Reunion in 2006. ... Bob Spicer’s Gilmour Academy football team set a school record by winning 11 games, this past season, and earning their first ever playoff victory in the process. ... Until the next time, Fran
 
fall 2004
JCU has been enjoying some of the nicest autumn weather in many years! ... I received a note from Larry Henry, just after the deadline for the last issue of the Alumni Journal. Larry, Tom Madden, Jim O’Keefe, Steve Lochen and John Byrnes got together in Chicago. John is now employed at Grubb and Ellis where classmate Bruce Asmus also works. Steve is a professional photographer for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other important events. Tom has his own company in Georgia, selling police equipment to municipalities. Jim is retired and, according to Larry, has become an excellent golfer as is Larry, himself. Larry continues to have fun, as an adjunct professor, teaching accounting. ... In my Communications 100 class at JCU, one of my students is John Rudell, son of classmate Tom Rudell. John is a bright and personable young man and a member of Coach Kerry Volkmann’s wrestling team at JCU. ... As of this writing, Coach Bob Spicer’s Gilmour Academy football team is 8-0 and on their way to a second consecutive undefeated season. For the last two years I have been on Bob’s staff with four other sixty-year-old coaches. It does keep us young and it’s interesting to observe how14 to 18 year-old kids relate to us and we to them. ... Until next time, Fran
   
spring 2004
Spring is somewhere but not yet in Cleveland! ... Joanna DeJong (Drawe) writes that she has retired after twelve years of working as a school counselor for the Aberdeen, SD., Catholic School System. She is substitute teaching until her husband, Ronald, retires this coming year. They plan to move to Chattanooga, TN., and enjoy their retirement. ... Doug Kaputa e-mailed that he is living in New Hampshire and that all is well. He is still working and is looking forward to retiring in a few years. ... I spent much of last week with my two grandsons (a year-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years old). Their energy is unbelievable! Mine, unfortunately, is not, but we still had lots of fun! .Have a great summer and stay in touch. Fran
   
winter 2004
Sitting at the computer, watching out the window as the snow falls, wishing for Spring!!! ... I was able to join classmates Steve Lochen, Tom Cozzens, Charlie Dalton, John Byrnes, Mike Mayer, Tom Madden and Larry Henry for dinner in October. The guys had come to JCU for the Mount Union football game and met at Geraci’s where we had a great time. The Chicago guys, however, were still bemoaning the Cub’s dramatic playoff loss. ... Larry Henry reported that his daughter, Colleen, is completing her master’s degree at Purdue in some very serious engineering program. Larry, himself, is an adjunct professor of accounting at Benedictine College in Chicago. Larry also reported that John Minaudo’s son was married this summer and Don Chenelle’s son was also married this summer. Don’s other son and daughter-in-law will soon present Don with his first grandchild. ... Tom Madden’s son, Geoffrey, is a student at Georgia Southern University and his son, Jimmy, is a freshman at Alabama. Tom and Steve Lochen recounted Steve’s survival of a really serious freak accident. Fortunately, Steve is well and appeared no worse for the experience. ... Mike Mayer regaled the group with tales of his musical experiences with Bill McCoy and Jim Hartings and their group Attila and the Huns. ... I recently received an e-mail from Bill McCoy and he also had some fond memories of Attila and the Huns. Bill and his wife, Jean, have taken up condominium living near Cincinnati. Hopefully, Bill and I will get together when he travels to Cleveland on business. Interestingly, the Phi Theta Mu music fraternity that Bill and Jim Hartings were instrumental in founding at JCU, is the only fraternal organization on campus that remains from our era at JCU. ... Jim Fineran writes that he “is just wrapping up a ‘gig’ as vice president for University Advancement at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a historically Black University.” He said that his work there had been a great experience. Jim also reported that he and Tom Gibbons attended the Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade in keeping with their annual custom. Jim said that it was disturbing to read that Iota Chi Upsilon has been “organizationally demised,” he remains confident; however, that the brotherhood lives on. Jim and his wife, Marylou, are the proud grandparents of three grandchildren. Jim would like to hear from classmates at fineran@intercom.net. ... Tim Robertson, who has had a wonderful career as an educator at Villa Angela-St. Joseph H.S. was recently named “a Hero in Education by Dr. and Mrs. Gary Jarkewicz, through their contribution to the Howe Military School Annual Fund Campaign, in recognition of his role as a hero in their lives. Congratulations Tim! ... Bob Spicer enjoyed an exciting autumn. His daughter became engaged on a Friday and the following morning his other daughter gave birth to a baby girl. Bob’s Gilmour Academy football team completed their first undefeated season in forty years and Bob was named the Greater Cleveland High School Football Coach of the Year. ... Bruce Asmus’ son, Jim, has written a musical for his senior project at Loyola University of New Orleans and plans to move to Chicago to further his career in comedy with the original Second City Troupe. ... John Byrnes, a veteran real estate professional, has joined the Grubb and Ellis Company’s Corporate Services Group as executive vice president, regional managing director. In this capacity, John will oversee the Corporate Services Group’s Central Region. John joins Grubb and Ellis after spending 32 years with IBM Corporation. ... Eloise Vaccariello Traina writes that she and her husband Dr. Michael Traina, are Class of ’66 master’s degree graduates. Michael is currently a professor of Business and Marketing at Kent State University and Eloise, for the past 22 years, has been the executive director of the Family Recovery Center in Columbiana County, OH. Michael and Eloise have two children and one grandchild. ... “The Senator,” Dan Kush, continues to work for the US Chamber of Commerce and reports that he and his wife, Judy, are doing well. Dan’s son, Brian, is engaged to marry Mary Beth Young. An autumn wedding is planned and will be held in the historic University of Virginia chapel. His daughter, Wendy, continues working in the movie and television industry in Hollywood. She recently wrote and starred in her own play, which was well received by audiences in Santa Monica, where Wendy lives. Dan’s youngest daughter, Katie, will soon receive her master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University. ... Hoping to hear from more of our classmates, Fran
   
fall 2003
Another fall semester is just around the corner and the JCU campus, with the new science building and the new football stadium, is really impressive. After visiting our oldest daughter in Las Vegas, for our grandson’s first birthday, I made it back in time to join Larry Henry and Tom Madden for golf in Sandusky, OH. We were favored with perfect weather and we had a great time. Larry’s daughter, Colleen, is completing her master’s degree at Purdue. Larry is an adjunct instructor of accounting at Benedictine College in Chicago, and he is looking forward to the new semester. Tom’s son Geoffrey is a student at Georgia Southern University and his son, Jimmy, is a freshman at Alabama. Larry, Tom and Tom’s sons were fortunate enough to attend the Fiesta Bowl and watch Ohio State win the national championship. They had some great stories to tell about sitting (or standing most of the time) in the OSU section of the stadium! Larry also reported that John Minaudo’s son was married this summer and Don Chenelle’s son was also married this summer. Don’s other son and daughter-in-law will soon present Don with his first grandchild. ... I talked to Bill McCoy recently and he and his wife, Jean, have taken up condominium living near Cincinnati. Hopefully, Bill and I will get together when he travels to Cleveland on business. The Phi Theta Mu fraternity that Bill and Jim Hartings were instrumental in founding at JCU is the only organization on campus that remains from our era at JCU. ... Jim Fineran writes that he “is just wrapping up a ‘gig’ as vice president for University Advancement at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a historically Black University.” He said that his work there had been a great experience. Jim also reported that he and Tom Gibbons attended the Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade in keeping with their annual custom. Jim said that it was disturbing to read that Iota Chi Upsilon has been “organizationally demised,” he remains confident; however, that the brotherhood lives on. Jim and his wife, Marylou, are the proud grandparents of three grandchildren. Jim would like to hear from classmates at fineran@intercom.net. ... Tim Robertson, who has had a wonderful career as an educator at Villa Angela-St. Joseph H.S. was recently named “a hero in Education” by Dr. and Mrs. Gary Jarkewicz, through their contribution to the Howe Military School Annual Fund Campaign, in recognition of his role as a hero in their lives. Congratulations Tim! ... Bob Spicer had quite a weekend several weeks ago. His daughter became engaged on Friday and the following morning his other daughter gave birth to a baby girl. Congratulations, Bob! ... Hoping to hear from more of our classmates, Fran
   
summer 2003
I received an e-mail from Dave Pumphrey, who proudly reports that his company, Pumphrey Marketing, recently was honored with two prestigious awards. The Business Marketing Association’s 28th Annual Pro-Comm Awards presented Pumphrey Marketing with two Pro-Comm Awards of Excellence. Pro-Comm is the oldest and most respected business-to-business marketing competition in the nation. Dave’s company won one award for its own Web site and a second award for a NavCat CD-ROM developed for Drake Manufacturing. According to Dave, “the NavCat combines information from brochures, spec sheets, magazine articles, case histories and videos that demonstrate capabilities for nine machines. Users of the CD can navigate to any machine capability or feature in just one or two clicks.” Dave went on to say that, “Pumphrey Marketing was the only Cleveland-area agency to win an award this year. We entered the competition in two categories and won in both. That’s batting a thousand. If only that would rub off on the Indians, it would be a better year.” Congratulations to Dave! ... Congratulations also to John Bodnar, who has just published his latest book, Blue-Collar Hollywood: Liberalism, Democracy, and Working People in American Film, with Johns Hopkins University Press. John is currently the Chancellor’s Professor of History at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. According to a press release, “John examines the ways in which popular American films, made between 1930 and 1990, have depicted the lives, hopes and dreams of working-class characters, and comparing these cinematic representations with the aspirations of ordinary Americans and the promises made to them by the country’s political elites. Among the topics addressed are the role of censorship, attitudes toward labor unions and worker militancy, racism, the place of women in the workforce and society, communism and the Hollywood blacklist, and the faith in liberal democracy.” ... 'Til next time - Fran
   
spring 2003
I hope all is well with the members of the Class of ’66. … Paul Klaus e-mailed in January. He is working for the Westfield Group in Westfield Center, OH. He said that there are two great golf courses in Westfield for any classmates who would like to have a golf get-together in Westfield in the future. … Another golf response came from Mike Murray who is a lawyer in Sandusky, OH. He said that he wished he had known about last summer's outing at Sawmill Creek and he would like to be included if anyone is planning future outings in the area. … I recently ran into Dale Masino who started with our class. The former JCU hoop star looks like he can still play. He is moving to North Carolina very soon. … Dan Kush and his wife, Judy, sent a lengthy note at Christmas time. Judy has come through a long illness and has resumed work with Kit Moss and Diplomats Washington, Inc. Dan and Judy spent election night at the home of Kit & Oliver Moss, in Maryland, with six ambassadors and their wives, watching the election returns. Dan continues his work as director of Sales Promotion and Business Issues Specialist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. … Bob Spicer, who currently resides in Bay Village, OH, completed a very successful first year as head football coach at Gilmour Academy where he turned the program around from 1-9 to 7-3 and earned Gilmour's first State Playoff appearance in nine years. I have recently joined Bob as an assistant coach and we're looking forward to the coming season. … Please write, call, or e-mail and have an enjoyable summer! Fran
   
winter 2003
One of the highlights of the past summer was the golf get-together that Larry Henry arranged in July. The location was Sawmill Lodge in Huron, Ohio. Classmate Tom Bleile is an owner of the lodge and his son is the golf pro there. I met with Larry and Tom Madden, who came in from Georgia, and Bruce Asmus for dinner on Friday night and we spent the evening recounting many things about families and JCU experiences. Bruce's daughter has spent several months in India doing volunteer work with an order of nuns, and his son attends Loyola of New Orleans University where he is majoring in drama and theater arts. On Saturday, Larry, Tom and I played golf. The weather along the Lake Erie shore was beautiful as was the course, which was very challenging. We had a great time and as Tom remarked, "it is so nice to be with people who have so many shared experiences and memories." The passage of years seemed almost nonexistent. On Sunday, John Naylor was supposed to come in from Chicago to play golf, unfortunately I had to leave and missed him. ... Larry has since e-mailed that he also recently played golf with Steve Lochen, who as Larry said "is living his second life in more ways than one and enjoying it as ever." ... Dan Kush wrote to say that his wife, Judy, whom many of us met at the last reunion, had come through a very serious cancer surgery. Dan said the doctors indicate that Judy is now cancer-free. "The Senator" continues to work for the US Chamber of Commerce, where he has been for twenty-five years. He is working on membership development and still does weekly television reports as a freelance correspondent for the First Business television program that is seen on 125 stations nationwide. ... Steve Chamberlain reports that he now has three "boy grandbabies" and that he is still working at JPMorganChase. He said that he had recently spoken to Bill McCoy and Jim Hartings and that they are doing well in Cincinnati. ... Tim Robertson was recently featured in the Villa Angela-St. Joseph Alumni Magazine. Tim has been a teacher and administrator at VASJ for 35 years. He is the dean of daily operations and teaches advanced placement calculus, honors algebra I, and is the math department chairperson. Over the years he has also worked as yearbook moderator (an experience which I shared during my own teaching experience) and as academic and disciplinary dean. Tim and his wife, Georganne, whom he married in 1968, have four children. Their son, Jeff, is a manufacturer's representative in Columbus. Their second son, Tim, Jr., is co-owner of a business in Euclid. Their daughter, Melanie, is a seventh grade science teacher in Beachwood, and their youngest son, Kevin, is studying athletic training at Ohio University. ... Having retired as a colonel from the Army, Ken Nadrah and his wife, Diane, are now living in Hilliard, Ohio, near Columbus. Ken now works as a business analyst for Central Ohio Procurement Technical Center. ... Finally, Bob Spicer, of Blue Streak football fame, has returned to the Greater Cleveland coaching ranks. Bob had been a very successful head coach at Hawken School, before leaving the coaching ranks to enter the business world. Having recently retired, Bob has taken the head coaching position at Gilmour Academy, where he will return the program to the success it once enjoyed. ... I hope everyone has an enjoyable autumn and a happy holiday season. I hope to hear from more of you in the New Year -- Fran
   
spring 2002 Bruce Asmus reports that he received a visit last summer from Dave Deal and his wife, Thelma, who both recently retired from AT&T. Dave and Thelma currently reside in Miami, FL. They have bought a travelling vehicle so that they can visit their children and grandchildren in California, New Mexico and Louisiana. Dave has promised to make every effort to attend the next reunion, now that he has “retired young.” ... Tony Gibbons is another classmate living in Florida. He resides in Key Largo. ... Also residing in Florida, at least part-time, are Dave Holson ’67 and his wife, Liz, whom he met while attending Carroll. Dave has been retired from Chase Manhattan Bank for several years. He and Liz live half the year in Maine and the other half in Florida. Dave has become an avid golfer. ... Speaking of golf, I received an e-mail from Larry Henry, who is looking for classmates who would be interested in a golf get-together this summer. Larry says that he has asked some people about this already and he would like to hear from others. You can e-mail Larry at: airlarr@mailhost.chi.ameritech.net. This sounds like a great idea! (See update at left)... Paul Klaus and his wife, Judy, live in Westfield Center, OH, where Paul is employed with the Westfield Group. Paul and Judy have two grown children, Kimberly and Paul Aaron. ... Dominic Mancini and his wife, Delores, reside in Wexford, PA. Dominic and Delores have three adult children, Laura, Joseph and John. Dominic has joined the growing number of retired classmates and like many of us, is probably finding that we are busier than ever. ... God bless all and may all be safe and secure in these troubled times. Looking forward to hearing from you, Fran
   
 

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