CLASS BULLETIN BOARD. These are items submitted by your classmates in 2009-2010 with the most recent on top. For earlier postings (2007-2008) click here. For more recent information, visit the current Bulletin Board. |
I apologize for the lateness in notifying you guys, but Kathy Bunnell McBride's, husband Don passed away last week. As you probably remember, Kathy is my wife's first cousin. Don with Kathy attended our 50th Class Reunion a few years ago, so some of you may have met him or know him from past functions. He was a great guy, retired from UPS and has been managing the Star's Bowling Alley in Vacaville. Don was diagnosed with cancer around his lung (a non smoker) 5 weeks ago. Anyway, I went to the his funeral last Tuesday in Fairfield and meant to let some of you know of his passing, but forgot.....It's an age thing.....But now you know......Have a great Christmas.........Terry
Editor's Apology: I received this email from Terry on December 11 but it got lost in my inbox. Sorry for the delay!
Bill Chavez sent some photos from the Christmas Thank You. To see them, click here.
Bill Chavez has sent word that Bernie (Esteves) and Ray Kelleher have organized a Christmas Thank You honoring Father Knapp, Sister Constance, and our own Father Leo LaBelle. It's in San Rafael on December 11. For all the details, click here.
I have been sad every time I realize that I had to miss our 50th. At that time I had more to do than most of the people I live and work with/for. They can't seem to understand how dear my classmates are to one another and their families. So, let me catch you up.
A quick review of life saw me study at St. Mary's College with entry into the Dominican Novitiate - at that time located in Ross (Marin County). After that year I spent seven more years in graduate school in Berkeley. After my ordination I was sent to Eugene, Oregon, for my first assignment: Newman Chaplain at the University of Oregon. From there it was to the U. of Washington and then back to the Bay Area to serve in Province work for the Dominicans. After a few years there I was the president of our graduate theology school in Berkeley and then returned to the U. of Oregon. My next work was to be Dean at Saint Mary's, my alma mater. From there to Berkeley as a pastor and finally to Stanford where I served for 13 years. I really enjoyed that and got to meet and know some interesting people, e.g., Chelsey Clinton and the two grandsons of Robert Kennedy. I found once again that kids are kids. Along the way I did some more schooling to earn degrees that helped me do the work I was assigned to do. My most recent work was three years as director of a retreat and conference center and then in February of this year was elected (yes, we elect our superiors) prior of our community in San Francisco. St. Dominic's is a pretty active place where we have a Dominican Community of 16. We send our first year students here to begin their formation and have been blessed with good numbers of very good people. This is a 3 year position so who knows what comes next? We don't retire but, rather, have a category called Limited Service. That limitation is whatever the individual wants it to mean. I suspect I will just keep on going and doing whatever the Province asks me to do.
I have the pleasure of working with Martha (Sister Anne) Bertain who does all of the outreach work at St. Dominic's. We really confuse people when I call her Martha and she calls me Leo. It gives the folks a kick to find out we are high school classmates. I stay in touch with some SV people, e.g., I gave a workshop for the high school faculty earlier this year and will celebrate Mass for the 50th anniversary class next week. They would have been Frosh when we were Seniors. Other than that I remain in education work serving the clergy of the Archdiocese of San Francisco as director of their ongoing formation and education. At St. Dominic's I hear lots of confessions (as in the film Field of Dreams - If you build it they will come. With Confessions: if you hear them they will come), preach and do other things to help the parish hold its reputation as #1 in the City. Having a parking lot helps as well.
My parents both died happy and peaceful deaths, my Aunties (Mom's youngest sisters) live in a retirement center in So. Cal.in their 90's. My brother is married and retired from being a high school principal down south. His wife and children are all in education. My sister is married and she and her husband are retired living in Lincoln - near Sacramento (two doors down from Bob and Claudia Moelk). Their family, as well, is in education. My father used to lament: Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who can't teach, teach teachers. He produced an entire family of educators just to give people something to talk about.
Blessings and prayers for all of you.
All the best with love.
Leo
New Contact Info:
Father Patrick LaBelle, O.P.
Prior, St. Dominic's Priory
San Francisco, CA
Director: Office of Ongoing Formation for the Clergy of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
St. Dominic's Priory, 2390 Bush Street
San Francisco, CA 94115 415-674-0460
labelleop@gmail.org
FAX: 415-931-3360
Time Magazine columnist Joe Klein attended a neighborhood block party on Bill and Pattie Chavez' front lawn in Yuba City. You can find his writeup in the current issue of Time (October 18) — or by clicking here.
Patty Littleton Rogers reports that Lois Lawrence Ladd passed away on March 8th from cancer. Lois's daughter advises Patty that there is not going to be a funeral per Lois's request. Here is the death notice published in the Douglas County (Oregon) News-Review on March 10:
Lois Louise Ladd |
A note received today from Margaret Riley Finley reports the death of her Mother last month: I meant to send this earlier - many of our classmates knew my Mother. She always asked why we couldn't have a reunion at the house, so she could see everyone. Margaret
Click for the Death Notice.
Hi Al: We so enjoy getting the updates on SVHS - Don and I live in Colorado and continue to be way too busy with our Rocky Mountain Hat Co. We live on the Highlands Meadow Golf course so Don plays 4 days a week. Our daughter, Dina, and her family have moved to Colorado from Napa and our son Brett lives in Denver. We both have had a few health issues but the good Lord saw us thru and we are both fine now. We have 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.
Best Regards, Sandy Ellsworth Robben sandyrobben@yahoo.com
Classmates celebrating. Despite appearances, Bill and Al haven't really swapped wives.
Bill and Pat Chavez and Al and Joan Cattalini celebrated the induction of Sister Anne Bertain into the St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School Hall of Fame on October 3. It was a great evening with a large crowd, good food, and much festivity. We're delighted to see "Martha" get this recognition and have reproduced her Hall of Fame citation below.
SISTER ANNE BERTAIN, OP SV'S7
Martha Andrea Bertain was born Feb. 15, 1939, to Ellen and Jean Bertain at Parks Victory Hospital in Napa, California, the youngest of four girls. Her family were active members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and she attended elementary school there.
In those days, there was not a Catholic high school in Napa, so St. John's provided bus service for the families to send their children to St. Vincent's to continue their Catholic education. In 1953, Martha entered high school and, as in elementary school, was educated by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael.
In July, 1957, she joined the Sisters and, upon reception of the habit, took her religious name, Anne. Following the novitiate in San Rafael, she attended Dominican College (now Dominican University). Over the years she taught school and completed her degree, receiving a life time teaching credential. She taught in parochial schools in San Rafael, Benicia and San Francisco.
She arrived in San Francisco in 1965 during the Civil Rights Movement. There were positive changes going on in education, the Church, and throughout the country. After completing fourteen years of teaching first grade and six years as Principal, all at St. Dominic School in San Francisco, she moved from education to community outreach in St. Dominic Parish. This year she celebrated thirty years of directing Community Services at St. Dominic's. Over the years programs have changed and expanded. Five years ago she opened the Lima Center, a drop-in center for the homeless. Set in rooms in the church basement, the Center is open four days a week and provides breakfast every morning and lunch two days a week. The guests have a quiet place to eat good food, watch movies or TV, read, play games on the computer, steep, do laundry, take a shower and get clean clothes. Besides the drop-in center, Sister Anne oversees all the community service programs of the parish: jail ministry, the senior program, sandwich making for a rehabilitation center. consolation ministry, the Social Justice Committee, Eucharistic Ministers to the homebound and assistance to families in need.
In addition to her ministry, Sister Anne has been active in her congregation's committees and leadership, serving six years on the congregational council. After the 1989 earthquake, the Dominican Sisters were able to build eighteen units of affordable housing across from St. Dominic's Church and two new convents for the sisters. These buildings have created a unique community on their block, in which she has an active role.
Sister Anne is grateful for the love and support of her family and for their example of helping others. Their deep faith and the life skills she learned from them has continued to strengthen her religious life and her ministry over the years. Sister Anne's congregation, her family, and the people who come into her life each day bring her joy, energy, and blessings.
I want to thank the classmates who attended my mom's memorial mass yesterday or sent emails and notes of condolence. Your support is very much appreciated! We learned at the after-mass reception that Philomena Blankenship Bowman will be undergoing knee replacement surgery in the near future. Please join me in wishing her the very best. Philomena, we're praying for a speedy recovery and lots of miles on your new knee!
Al Cattalini
Marie Cattalini, Al's mom, died Tuesday in Fort Bragg at the age of 92. A memorial mass will be celebrated at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Vallejo at 12 noon, Monday, July 13. Click for obituary.
Bill:
Thanks to you and Al for posting my short bio. Having only spent two years at St. Basil's and one year at St. Vincent's, I am sure most of our classmates were wondering...."Jack Who?"
I think it is great that you all, as a core group of classmates, have stayed in touch and together. It's a special bond, almost like family. My wife, having started elementary school with most of her fellow graduates, shares that same kind of treasured bond. It's amazing to me that three St. V's classmates followed a religious vocation. That too is special. I was surprised at how many names I actually remembered after all this time.
Thank you Bill for sharing with me the information which enabled me to scroll back in time.
Regards, Jack
Hi Bill,
Yes, please post my email address: jvbfuzzi@yahoo.com
A little about us:
I moved from Vallejo to Oregon in 1954 and graduated from Yamhill-Carlton High in Yamhill, OR in 1957. After the navy I married my high school sweetheart, Sandra, and we lived in Vallejo until 1965 when we moved to Portland, OR. I went to work for a large dairy foods company in Portland. We were transferred by the company to Kennewick, WA, Astoria, OR, and Yakima, WA where I served as branch manager at these locations then back to Portland, where I was the sales manager. In 1980 we moved to Eugene, OR and purchased a local dairy foods company (similar to the old Red Top Dairy company). in 1999 we sold our dairy and in 2004, retired and remain in Eugene, OR. Our two children, daughter Megan and son, Douglas, also live in Eugene and work in the food industry. Our son has three children.
I was happy to hear from you again and hope all is well with you and your family.
Regards, Jack
Vil Chavez Landaker, age 78, passed away after two weeks in intensive care. She died of a lung infection. Surviving family members include her husband Ed, their four children, Cindy, Steve, Ron and Joe and grandchildren. A son, William, passed away in November, 2000. Her surviving brothers and sisters are Ed, Norma, Bill, Chuck and Debbie along with many nieces and nephews.
Rosary will be at Colonial Chapels, 1000 Redwood St., Vallejo at 7 PM Wednesday; Mass will be at St. Vincent's on Thursday at 11:00 AM. Reception will follow in the Parish Hall.
Bill Chavez sends us this report:
Classmates of Jimmy Doyle attended his induction into the Vallejo Athletic Hall of Fame at an annual Greater Vallejo Recreation District dinner Saturday, March 7. In attendance were Phil and Sally Avellar, Ralph and Sharon Harris, Gary Coronado, Coke Nash, Rollie and Ellen Freitas, Bill and Pattie Chavez.
Jimmy was honored for many of his outstanding performances in football, basketball and baseball. After St. Vincent's, Jimmy attended Vallejo Junior College and then signed pro baseball with the Kansas City Athletics and played in the minor leagues for a while. Jimmy then joined the Marine Corps for two years, returned to Vallejo, married and had two daughters, Sally and Sherry.. He held various sales positions in Vallejo until he passed in 1994 at age 55.
Also in attendance was a former inductee into the Vallejo Hall of Fame, Coach Bud Smith, age 93, who coached many of us at St. Basil's on a volunteer basis from 1949-1952
Bill Chavez sends us this item from the Vallejo Times-Herald:
The 2009 Vallejo Hall of Fame class will be inducted on March 7, at the Foley Cultural Center in Vallejo. The evening begins at 4:30 p.m. with a social hour and silent auction. Dinner and the ceremoney will follow. Tickets are $45 and are on sale now. RSVP by mailing a check to GVRD, 395 Amador St., Vallejo, CA 94590 or order tickets in person. All proceeds benefit GVRD youth sports and recreation scholarship programs. The 15-member induction class includes Vern Highbee, Trish Allen, Jim Doyle, Dave Parsons, Joe Rapisarda, Martin Wyatt, Billy Himes, Bob Salinas, Beyonka McDowell, Frank "Ping" Bodie, Kathy Joseph Myers, Clarence Marshall, Don Gleason, Mud Howard and the 1947 Vallejo Junior College Football team.
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