9 minute read
Treasure of Faith: The Arata Family
BY MICHELLE ARGUMANIZ
Ann Jo and Robert Arata didn’t set out to leave a legacy, and yet their presence laid a foundation of faith, generosity, and humble service that continues to shape the school today.
The eldest child of Catherine and Angelo Arata, Robert “Bob” Arata paid his own way through Catholic school in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, before joining the Navy. He met Ann Jo "Jo" Riker, the daughter of George and Mary Jo from Memphis, Tennessee, on a blind date, and their love unfolded through letters while Bob served in the Korean War. They married on December 31, 1954, and over the next nine years, lived in Beeville, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; Chicago, Illinois; and Columbus, Ohio, before laying down roots in Dallas, where they would raise their six children.
Jo and Bob were gentle, dedicated parents. With fifteen years between the oldest and youngest, the siblings attribute their closeness to the bonds forged through their parents’ involvement, shared memories at Bishop Lynch, and, as Diane Arata Paradowski ‘79 fondly recalled, the annual holiday road trips to visit family in Memphis, passing the time with songs, laughter, and conversation.
Parishioners at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Garland, Jo and Bob’s willingness to lend a hand in their community extended far beyond their parish and school.
“They were trying to form a girls soccer league in Garland and there was no one to do it,” recalled Stephen Arata ‘84. “My dad became head of the Garland Girls Soccer Association. He had never seen a soccer ball, much less played soccer. But he said, well, if someone needs to do it, I'm going to do it.”
When they enrolled their first child, Terry ArataMaiers Psy.D., ‘75, at Bishop Lynch, it was soon clear to Jo and Bob that Bishop Lynch was not just a school—it was a second home.
Jo quickly became an invaluable member of the parent community all while maintaining her roles as a Girl Scout leader and room parent and PTO president at Good Shepherd. She served on the Bishop Lynch school board during the installation of Deacon Ed Leyden as head of school. Even with Bob’s frequent work travels, he was also a fixture at every school game or performance that featured one of his children.
"They came to every football game from the 1970s to the 1990s,” laughed Cindy Arata Ragan ‘90. “They were at every event that I took part in, whether I was playing or performing or not. If it's something I was involved in, they showed up.”
And the Arata six were involved.
“That was the great part about BL,” remembered Julie Arata Beyer ‘83. “We were all so different even though we came from the same family, but we all had something that we could do.”
Terry, Julie, and Cindy were all Brigade members, with Cindy serving as a lieutenant during her senior year. David Arata ‘76 was one of the 13 original members of BL’s first marching band and part of the Latin club, and Diane was prom queen and a soccer player. Stephen also played soccer, Julie was on the softball team, and they both played basketball. Both Stephen and Cindy served on the Student Council. Terry, Diane, Julie,
Stephen, and Cindy all performed or worked on the crew in Blackfriars musicals, though Stephen remembers that his participation required a bit of encouragement.
Each Arata sibling not only got to explore their own talents and deepen their sense of self but were also able to establish lasting friendships that continue to this day. Stephen’s high school friends are just a few ballparks away from completing the national circuit, and after decades of living in different states, Terry and one of her best friends from Bishop Lynch picked right back up where they left off when they found themselves back in the same city. For Cindy and Diane, the friendships formed at BL laid the groundwork for something even deeper. Cindy met her husband Mike Ragan DDS ‘88 as a sophomore, and Diane’s husband Chuck Paradowski ‘79 was a friend throughout their years at Bishop Lynch.
One thing that every Arata sibling remembers fondly about their time at BL is the way that educators went above and beyond, using creativity, ingenuity, and even their own time and resources to create unique opportunities for students. From Sr. Dorice’s advanced summer math courses that allowed students like Terry to study at Eastfield College during the year, to the art class Sr. Kenneth formed so Julie could continue her growth as an artist, Bishop Lynch educators inspired and motivated the Aratas to pursue the academic and personal excellence— and passion for serving others—that resonates in their lives today.
Terry, a child psychologist at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, began her career as an educator, chairing the English department at Ursuline Academy. David's nursing background made him the perfect caretaker for Jo and Bob in their final years. Diane and her husband Chuck, a former BL board member and senior VP at KeyImpact Sales & Systems, continue to breathe life into innumerable aspects of Bishop Lynch through their philanthropic endeavors. They’ve also remained deeply connected to the community, having hosted their 30th and 40th class reunions. An art director turned entrepreneur, Julie, along with her husband Thom, owns The Range in McKinney. Stephen, the CFO of Next Wave Energy Partners, was BL's 2015 Alumnus of the Year and served on the most recent capital campaign steering committee. He and his wife Kathryn chaired the 2020 Legacy Gala, and thanks to their introduction to global aid organization Feed My Starving Children, the BL community has packed 869,832 meals for children through an annual volunteer event. Stephen attributes his English degree to the inspiration of dedicated educators like Mrs. Persinger and Mrs. Lorenz. Cindy just completed her 26th year as an educator, and Mike Ragan’s orthodontics practice—an essential sponsor of the BL Gala—continues to expand.
The next generation of Arata Friars is equally impressive.
Charles “Chad” Paradowski III ’07, Chris Paradowski ’10, and Colton Paradowski ’13 graduated with college credits and the study skills that propelled them through their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in A&M’s professional program in accounting as well as CPA licensure. While her children attended BL, Diane took advantage of every opportunity to serve. As president of the Bishop Lynch Parents Association, she volunteered for homecoming activities, senior dinner, and back to school nights, to name a few. When Julie’s two, Zoe Beyer Thomason ’18 and Jonah Beyer ’21, got to Bishop Lynch, she also dove right back into the community serving as president of the BLPA and Alumni Association and as a volunteer with the Blackfriars, band, Gala, and homecoming. A government contractor in Washington, D.C., Zoe credits her AP English class at BL for the exceptional writing skills that aided her in obtaining her war & peace defense degree, and Jonah, who now manages retail and training for his family’s business, excelled thanks to the robust academic offerings at BL.
In fact, the impressive academic achievements and heartfelt commitment to service seen in all of Jo and Bob’s eleven grandchildren are a true testament to the work ethic and faithful dedication to others that they passed down. Terry’s daughter Rachel is a pediatric occupational therapist; Abby Ragan is pursuing a master’s in speech-language pathology at Vanderbilt, and sister Caroline Ragan is a dual-sport athlete at Gettysburg College.
Stephen and Kathryn’s three children have built meaningful careers in service and technology, with Julianna at Feed My Starving Children, Hanna as a youth pastor, and Jeremy designing video games.
“Once the grandchildren came, my parents picked right up where they left off with us—everything their grandkids did, they attended,” Cindy remembers fondly. “My parents truly cherished their relationship with each grandchild.”
Jo’s devotion to nurturing young people didn’t end with her own children and grandchildren; her passion for Catholic education continued through two decades as the beloved school secretary at St. Mark Catholic School until her retirement in 2007 when she received the Catholic Foundation’s Work of Heart Award. Five years later, in deep gratitude for the faith and community that shaped their family, the Arata children established the Jo & Bob Arata Endowment Fund at Bishop Lynch.
Presented during Bob’s 80th birthday celebration in 2012, with former BL president Deacon Ed Leyden in attendance, the endowment honors their parents’ lifelong dedication and love for the school. Diane reflected, “Mom and Dad would want to afford anyone the education that could make a difference in their life. They were giving back because of what Bishop Lynch gave to us.”
Jo and Bob’s generosity continues to resonate in the halls of Bishop Lynch. Through their endowment—and The Bo & Bobbi Paradowski Endowment established by Chuck and Diane as well as Stephen and Kathryn’s contributions to the Fr. Sean Martin Endowment—generations of Friars will continue to grow in a community where faith, hard work, and service are nurtured. It’s a place that inspires young people to live with the same love and purpose that Jo and Bob modeled so faithfully.
Their true treasure, as their children lovingly recall, was always their faith and their family.
