ı CLASS NOTES ı THE 40s
Delores Quinn-Stuebe ‘45 writes “I am 93 and 8 months. Looking back, it was a wonderful experience, but I do not think I appreciated it at that time.” Genevieve Dillon-McMonigle ‘47 celebrated her 68th wedding anniversary. “We are blessed with two wonderful daughters, six super grandchildren, and two active and loving great-grandchildren who reside in MA — but whose escapades we see daily online. It has been a good life and I am thankful to Bishop’s each and every day. Margaretmary (Peggy) Lang Virgadamo ‘48 writes “since my last update, I have been blessed with two great-grandchildren and another on the way. Sadly, within nine months of each other, I lost both my husband and our youngest son. I emailed my son every morning in his final days; he lived in FL and begged us not to come down to see him die. My book, Love Letters from a Mother to her Dying Son (published with amazon.com), has a five-star rating. All proceeds from the book are donated to Cathedral Prep Seminary High School. It was originally written as a gift of love
for our two grandsons with copies just for immediate family and close friends. After much deliberation and positive feedback, I was encouraged to publish it as a beacon of hope reflecting our final journey of helplessness, denial, anger, despair, frustration, and unconditional love — eventually resulting in the culmination of acceptance, faith, hope, and gratitude for the privilege of sharing in the creation and development of our family. The special bond of mother and child is written with love on their hearts and souls, making them a part of each other forever. Always and forever, pride and gratitude for being a Bishop’s girl.” Joan Roche-Stroh ‘49 had a small reunion in Rockville Center last spring with other classmates from 1949.
THE 50s
Rosemary McCoy-Balling ‘50 is 89 yearsold and doing well. Margaret “Margo”Richter Roll ‘50 is still hanging in there at 90 years-old, “slow but still gardening and painting. I stopped teaching in 2020, and recently closed my studio. I get to Mass most days and am involved in the ACTS retreat, Come Lord Jesus, and Catholic Daughters in our parish, St. Joseph Church in DeRidder, LA. I have five children, 11 grandchildren, and 16 great-children. My husband of 67 years, Ernie, went home to be with the Lord at the age of 94 on October 5, 2020. Oh Jesus, I
surrender myself to you, you take care of everything. God Bless.” Anne Linnane-Kevany ‘51 recently became a great-grandmother and writes, “I am still in my house, volunteer at Good Sam Hospital in West Islip, make dolls for sick children in hospital, and quilts for the Life Center in Massapequa. Life is good — praise the Lord.” Therese Young Beckwith ‘51 has five children and eight grandchildren. She retired after 38 years of teaching high school and second and third grade. Sr. Theresa Kelly, RSM ‘52 wants you to know that Sr. Sally Ryan, RSM ’52 died at Maria Regina Residence on Dec. 23, 2020. Magdalene (Baroni) Sanatore ‘53 has retired from her legal practice at age 86! She says “I am healthy and love the Lord. My husband is with the Lord since 2010. We have four children, 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. The Lord said, increase and multiply, and we did!” Grace Tomanelli-Meyer, Esq. ‘53 lives in River Vale, NJ and writes “well, thanks be to God there are eight of us friends from the Class of 1953. Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School remains with all of us. We were taught love, compassion, friendship, and the true love of God— how truly blessed the eight of us are! I have four children, 18 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. At 86, I am finally retiring from my legal practice — which started half of my lifetime ago! I was
Bishop McDonnell Scholar Angela Derras ‘22 Angela is a Student Ambassador, a member of the National Honor Society, and she participates in softball, band, and Campus Ministry. She dreams of practicing Criminal Justice/Law at Penn State.
30 MEMORIAL2022
