Bishop Lynch High School will celebrate its 60th anniversary during the 2023-2024 school year.
The Summer 2023 issue of Reflections magazine will be dedicated to this special milestone.
Stay tuned!
Dear Friar Family,
Happy New Year! As we enter 2023, we are reminded of the gift and promise of this new calendar year as we journey towards the successful completion of another year of Bishop Lynch High School. In this edition of Reflections, we will reflect on the idea of the journey in two unique ways, through the lenses of accompaniment and entrepreneurship.
Accompaniment is an important narrative within the story of Bishop Lynch: Faithful, caring and dedicated adults journeying side-by-side with students through high school leading them ever closer to Truth. On this journey, we presume that both parties have something to learn, from each other but also from God who speaks to us in groups, not just as individuals. Our feature in this issue on the BL House System will bring our focus on how this virtue of accompaniment is strengthened in our call to educate hearts and minds. With our work as mentors in the house system, we seek to inspire our students to reach that point of discovery like the disciples did on the road to Emmaus as they exulted in Luke’s gospel; “were our hearts not burning within us as He was speaking to us.”
Additionally, we profile our alumni journeys in entrepreneurship in our Through the Decades feature. Entrepreneurship can also be described as a journey. These journeys of entrepreneurs start with lofty ideas and often are pioneered by individuals, yet the main aim is to impact the world. These alumni stories help to highlight those journeys and inspire today’s students to find that calling.
The journey can occur in many ways. We hope and pray that the journey of this New Year will be filled with opportunities to reconnect with your Friar Family.
Peace and Blessings,
Christopher L. Rebuck
Christopher L. Rebuck
President
Jim Urbanus ’73
Chief Advancement Officer
Jennifer Nimmo
Director of Communications
Kelsie Cale Flemister ’10
Director of Alumni
Stephanie Savage Graphic Designer
CONTRIBUTOR
Sean Chaffin
PHOTOGRAPHY
Drew Merlino
Visual Communications Associate
On the cover - Seniors in Bishop Lynch’s student leadership class pose for a photo outside the school’s main entrance. From left to right: JP Savant, Lilli Poff, Parker McClellan, Oceanne Plumettaz, and Henry Basham.
Whether you realize it or not, the experience of a Catholic education at Bishop Lynch has informed your decisions and life trajectory since you last left the doors of Ferguson and Inadale halls. And while the school may look different, and the teachers and teaching methods may have changed, the mission and formation of students remain the same.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with a Bishop Lynch alumnus and parent. During our conversation, we meandered around “The Good Old Days” of Bishop Lynch and how much the school has changed. We discussed the multiple state championships, performing on the stage of the Legacy Gym (which is no longer there), the epic Battle of the Bands, and the great friendships forged over those four years.
We then began discussing his student’s Bishop Lynch experience and how her experience will be so much better. She has access to the latest technology, TEAL Labs, a state-of-the-art science wing, turf fields, and a dedicated space for the fine arts. The father then said something I did not expect.
“You know, now that I think about it, our experiences may be different in terms of technology and facilities, but I have the same goals for her as my parents did for me. I want to give her the gift of a lifetime, the gift of a Catholic education during her most formative years that will serve as a foundation as she becomes increasingly independent and learns to work for justice in the world.”
What a profound statement! As much as things around us change, some things stay the same. Bishop Lynch has been a pillar of our community for nearly 60 years. In that time, many things in our society and our world have changed, but the faith-based educational and formational opportunities provided by Bishop Lynch have remained excellent. The foundation received at BL has inspired many in our community to use their gifts and talents to make their part of the world a better place. At Bishop Lynch, the aim of education is not only to learn the required subjects to be prepared for college but also to learn that the world is a much bigger place than just the individual. Students and alumni of Bishop Lynch understand that as they learn and grow, it is their responsibility to help everyone else around them learn and grow as well. There are many examples of BL graduates who have become non-profit executives, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals who participate in various service opportunities and offer their gifts of time, talent and treasure to organizations that make a positive difference in our community.
I believe this is what that parent was referencing. The gift of a lifetime. The gift of learning how to live. The gift of learning how to grow. The gift of knowing the difference between what could be done and what should be done. The gift of knowing that your role in the community is to help those around you as you were once helped.
You can help give the gift of a lifetime. When you support Bishop Lynch, you support the 1,000 students learning to make a positive difference in the world. One thousand students who will forever be Friars and use their talents to work for justice in the world.
Bishop Lynch holds a special place in our hearts, lives and communities.
You can help give the gift of a lifetime.
Bishop Lynch High School is blessed with many dedicated foundational families that have supported the school from one generation to the next. The Nevitt family is one such family that has created a true Bishop Lynch legacy. From the first Nevitt who walked Bishop Lynch’s hallways in 1968 to the one who does today – and all the ones to come – this article is a tribute to a family’s dedication to Catholic education and their place in the Friar family.
Elaine and Joe Nevitt, longtime active parishioners of St. Pius X Catholic Church, had 10 children who attended St. Pius X Catholic School, and they sent all 10 children on to continue their education at Bishop Lynch High School.
Matt Nevitt ’73 was the second sibling to start his Bishop
Lynch journey, and he calls his Bishop Lynch experience “the gift that keeps on giving.”
“In my four years at Bishop Lynch, I established friendships that have lasted over 50 years. Bishop Lynch helped me develop a sense of community and understand the importance of giving back,” said Matt.
The interests and talents of the Nevitt siblings were varied, and the Nevitt children were involved in many extracurricular activities at Bishop Lynch during their formative years.
The Nevitts’ impact on the BL community didn’t end upon graduation. Many of the Nevitt siblings went on to become BL parents, donors and volunteers. Matt is a regular volunteer for Bishop Lynch’s monthly Austin Street Center service and Renee Nevitt Davis ’75 recently recalled her days as a BL football mom when sons Nick Davis ’04 and Scott Davis ’06 were on the state championship football team. So far, there have been 11 Nevitt grandchildren to attend Bishop Lynch.
Andrew Nevitt ’88 and his wife Wendy have a recent Bishop Lynch graduate (Drew Nevitt ’22), a current BL student (Walt Nevitt, Class of 2025) and a future Friar (Adair Nevitt) at home. This year, Andrew and Wendy are serving as cochairs for the school’s Lone Star Legacy Gala.
“Wendy and I were honored to be asked to co-chair the Legacy Gala this year. It’s a great way to give back to the institution that has and continues to give us so much. I think my parents would love that we are helping with the Legacy Gala to support scholarships and build community at the same time. The Legacy Gala is a tangible way to achieve this goal and keep their memory alive,” said Andrew.
Not only were Elaine and Joe long-time BL parents, but they both worked at Bishop Lynch for separate periods of time as well. Elaine worked in the business office and then Joe later became the business office manager.
“Bishop Lynch High School is a big part of my family. My wife and I both graduated from BL and so did all three of our kids. We gave our children a choice among various private and public schools, and they all unanimously chose BL. No question.”
~ JIM NEVITT ’85The 10 Nevitt siblings pose together for a photograph.
Nancy Nevitt Keller ’82 loved stopping by to see her dad on campus to pick up lunch money.
“Now that I’m older, I better understand the sacrifices my parents made to ensure we all had a quality Catholic education. Looking back, something I may not have always fully recognized, I now have a very deep appreciation for Bishop Lynch’s Christ-centered environment,” said Nancy.
Renee knows that her parents’ legacy is alive and well at Bishop Lynch High School.
“My mom felt that BL was her extended family in so many
ways,” said Renee.
On the couple’s 56th wedding anniversary in 2008, the Nevitts established an endowed scholarship in their parents’ names. The Joe and Elaine Nevitt Family Scholarship provides tuition assistance for deserving students.
“Our parents made significant sacrifices to have all of us kids continue our Catholic education at Bishop Lynch,” said Matt. “This scholarship lets us give back to the Bishop Lynch community while honoring our parents for their sacrifices.”
(left) Matt Nevitt ‘73 runs the ball in a Bishop Lynch football game. (right) Nancy Nevitt Keller ‘82 jumps for the ball in a Bishop Lynch basketball game. Joe Nevitt loved taking pictures, and he took this photo of Nancy during her junior year.
All 10 Nevitt siblings pictured with their parents, Elaine and Joe Nevitt.
~ DAVID NEVITT ’78
MARK NEVITT ‘72
MATT NEVITT ‘73
JOHN NEVITT ‘74†
RE NEE NEVITT DAVIS ‘75
TOM NEVITT ‘77
DAVID NEVITT ‘78
ROXANNE NEVITT ‘80†
N ANCY NEVITT KELLER ‘82
JIM NEVITT ‘85
ANDREW NEVITT ‘88
NICOLE KOLB ‘03
NICK DAVIS ‘04
ABBEY NEVITT BRYAN ‘06
SCOTT DAVIS ‘06
ANNA NEVITT ODDO ‘10
LAUREN NEVITT O’QUINN ‘10
THOMAS NEVITT ‘11
MICHAEL NEVITT ‘13
DANIELLE NEVITT ‘16
DREW NEVITT ‘22
WALT NEVITT, CLASS OF 2025
“Even more than 40 years later, I’m close friends with several of my BL classmates and we meet regularly. The Class of 1978 is still connected after all these years, and we have great alumni connections. That is a testament to our Bishop Lynch High School experience.”
Since 1990, the Bishop Lynch Alumni Association has recognized those graduates who have best exemplified the Bishop Lynch tradition and Dominican heritage of service to the community.
Each honoree should show commitment to the school and its mission and should serve as a model to all of what Christ has called us to become.
The criteria for the Alumna/Alumnus of the Year Award include excellence in the following areas: service to Bishop Lynch High School, service to the community and success in his or her chosen field.
Congratulations and thank you to our inspiring Alumna of the Year for truly living out the mission of what a Bishop Lynch education calls its students to do!
BACK: Andy Zihlman ’72, David Roffino ’70, Jerry Cadigan ’69, Dan O’Connell ’70, Curtis Jaska ’73, Wally Stock ’66, Brian Walter ’81
FRONT: Jeff Miller ’85, Lauren Shircliff Caton ’82, Rosemary LoCascio Hanley ’79, Darlene Doxey Ellison ’84, Tom Yoxall ’84, Terry Miller May ’74
Co-Founder and Former CEO • The Little Bit Foundation
Children have been at the center of most of Rosemary “Rose” Hanley’s life. A former educator with a degree in elementary education from Loyola University and a mother of three, Rose found her niche in listening, understanding and addressing the unique needs of children. But nothing could quite prepare her for the enormity of need she found among the inner-city children of St. Louis in 2001. That was the year Rose and a friend organized a coat drive at their sons’ school, which caught the attention of a St. Louis school teacher who asked if they could collect enough coats for her school where children were in desperate need of them.
Rose and her friend delivered 170 coats for the students and met the children who would benefit from the donated outerwear. A burning desire to do more began to grow, and The Little Bit Foundation was born.
Soon after, Rose resigned her position at a graphics display company where she was a top-performing sales representative. She began pounding the pavement for donors, partners and volunteers and started identifying needs.
Through this tenacity, resourcefulness and sincere love for “her kids,” Rose helped build and lead The Little Bit Foundation, which coordinates more than 200 volunteers each week to serve 14,000 students living in poverty in the St. Louis area. Partnering with 42 schools, The Little Bit Foundation positively impacts student attendance, disciplinary issues and academic performance - with the aim of seeing every student graduate - by providing for the needs of the whole child be it food, clothing, books, school
supplies, health and wellness, eyeglasses, and more.
Rose has received numerous awards for her servant leadership, including the Missouri College President’s Award, Changemakers Children’s Wellbeing Pioneer Award, and Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient, as well as having a mayoral proclamation for The Little Bit Foundation Day.
Making a buck isn’t easy. Venturing out to launch a business takes plenty of risk, dedication, creativity, and plenty of blood, sweat and tears. As any new business owner knows, a challenge can lurk around every corner and entrepreneurs have to be ready to take on any role in their fledgling companies.
But for many, including numerous Bishop Lynch graduates, building an enterprise from the ground up is a major goal and dream.
Some embrace that dream despite all the obstacles, headaches, financial concerns, red tape, and just the fear of doing something different and unknown. Walt Disney once said, “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” These graduates took that advice to heart and have become successful entrepreneurs. They are now their own bosses, but more importantly, continue contributing to the economy and serving their communities.
TX
Owner, Stock and Company; managing partner, Healthy Happy Pets
I needed to be on my own,” he says. “In 1980, it probably wasn’t the best of times to do it, but it was certainly exciting for us. And we were more than cocky enough to know that we could be successful.”
As the firm grew, Stock and his employees branched out to other sectors. Looking back, the accountant realizes that the 1980s weren’t some of the greatest years to launch an accounting firm. The state saw the negative effects of the real estate downturn and the savings and loan crisis. Despite that, Stock persevered, and the firm continued finding loyal clients, never experiencing any major downswings.
Athletics played a major role in Wally Stock’s life in high school. As a senior transfer from Jesuit, he enjoyed his time as a Friar despite only attending a single year. He was active in Student Council, football and basketball, and Stock especially looked forward to a matchup against his old team on the hardcourt – possibly a sign of his competitive nature that carried over to business.
“We beat Jesuit that year,” says Stock, who now lives in Richardson. “I had played in the state championship game at Jesuit, so it was nice to beat my former teammates. It felt good at the time.”
As an all-state basketball selection, an athletic scholarship sent him to play at the University of Houston. As the oldest of 13, college probably wouldn’t have been in his future without that scholarship. He took advantage, majoring in business accounting. At age 21, Stock was working as the youngest CPA in Texas at one point. After working for a large Dallas accounting firm for several years, Stock was ready to strike out on his own in 1980. A partner joined in, and the two men started their own accounting firm, initially specializing in manufacturing and insurance.
“I decided that if I wanted to be able to make money that I could control
After a decade, Stock and his partner amicably parted ways and he went on to found other businesses in construction, GPS tracking, pet food, and more. Through it all, commitment to service and building relationships served him well. He was active in the Texas Society of CPAs and American Institute of CPAs Committee on insurance, and also made time to coach youth sports.
At age 74, Stock shows no signs of slowing down, still working in accounting daily. When it comes to his time at Bishop Lynch, Stock looks back fondly and still has deep connections to the school. Numerous family members attended including two of his brothers, his wife, a son, grandchildren, and more. His daughter Shea Stock also serves as a counselor at the school.
As a student himself, one popular BL idea at the time really made an impact on Stock that stayed with him as an entrepreneur.
“We had a saying in those days, at least on the boys’ side, that we felt that we were in the top 10 percent,” he says. “It was just a concept. The priests always said it. You had to always try to achieve and so we considered that average didn’t count. You always had to make sure that you were striving to be the best. It didn’t mean that you had to be number one, but you had to be in the top 10 percent, you had to always achieve. I think that mindset was very good because it gave us the idea of service to everybody else.”
A new friendship changed the course of Rick Gavos’s life. After graduating from Texas Tech University in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in communication design, he’d been working as a graphic designer at a small Dallas design firm. His client list included some of the most prestigious companies in the Southwest and he specialized in annual report design, corporate branding, marketing campaigns, and more.
That career trajectory took a turn in 1990 when Gavos met David Helms’s, a freelancer for the firm where Gavos worked. The men quickly became friends. Helms’ background as an advertising agency art director and writer complemented Gavos’s own creative skills.
In 1991, with $10,000 each (Gavos borrowed from a close friend) and their own Macintosh computers (Gavos used a couple credit cards), Gavos+Helms Design opened the doors in uptown Dallas. The firm grew over its 30-year history to six employees and $2 million in capitalized annual billings. Through the years, Gavos and Helms found that becoming successful meant more than just focusing their creativity.
“The biggest challenges were managing people, running a business, and being a practicing designer at
the same time,” Gavos says. “Small firms such as ours require wearing different hats every day. Tax audits, corporate filings, accounting, and legal implications are areas that were unfamiliar to me and not very creative.”
“Over the years, though, I became the ‘business guy’ of the partnership. I handled the day-to-day business needs, employee payroll, lease negotiations, collections, and a myriad of other business responsibilities. And I still made time to design work for clients!”
Overseeing those critical aspects came with some trial and error. Gavos had no business background before and relied on what he gleaned from work at previous firms. However, making Gavos+Helms more employee-friendly was also a goal. The firm offered respect, fair salaries, bonuses, profit sharing, and paid holidays, he says. In the long run, that paid off “with true loyalty to the firm and above-andbeyond efforts from all.”
While in high school, Gavos participated in basketball and the Sports Car Club. He wasn’t as active as other BL classmates and spent much of his free time working. But the designer credits BL with providing a well-rounded education beyond the fundamentals. He enjoyed classes like sociology, psychology and economics.
“However, we didn’t have art or typing!” he jokes. “Those subjects were only taught in the girls’ division. I could have used both. BL also provided discipline, a work ethic and a can-do attitude. Surprisingly, I had many friends at Lynch that ended up in the creative world — writers, photographers and designers. We enjoyed high school at a very unique time in U.S. history with ’60s and ’70s music, the Vietnam War, protests, fashion changes, 24-hour news, pop culture, and movies. It was a creatively-rich time.”
In 2009 Gavos hit the books again, earning a Master of Fine Arts in visual communications at the age of 58 from Texas A&M University-Commerce. The effort involved night classes and more than 60 hours of study. He
graduated summa cum laude and over four decades after leaving BL, the new master’s graduate also took on a new title – teacher.
“It took three years and challenged me more than I ever thought possible,” he says of earning his degree. “I believe Bishop Lynch instilled in me the motivation, discipline and ability to do this. Two years later, I became a university adjunct professor, teaching a required graphic design course that I had written and implemented — all while still running a successful design firm.”
says Rollins, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida. “But I’m a survivor and wasn’t going to be destroyed. I knew I would have to work, and I’d have to find a way to support and take care of myself.”
The book served as a vehicle to build a new brand. Rollins faced an incongruence – going on a book tour speaking about lifestyle and entertaining while not having much of a lifestyle herself. She didn’t own much for such entertainment and lived in a series of less-than-glamorous places for a few years.
“I knew I had one opportunity to promote my book, so I focused on the lasting impact that we all can make through our own effort to make things the best that they can be no matter what they are,” she says.
DANIELLE
ROLLINS ’86 Palm Beach, FL
Founder and owner, Danielle Rollins Interiors It’s never too late to turn an idea into an entrepreneurial success story. Danielle Deaton Rollins knows that firsthand. After life as a stay-at-home mom, corporate wife and community volunteer for 17 years, she just went for it. Rollins launched her own lifestyle design firm following a divorce and the release of her first book “Soirée Entertaining With Style.” She took some of the pain from the divorce and focused that into building something new.
“Much to my everlasting disappointment, my separation and divorce wasn’t what I had wished it could have and should have been,”
The book was a success and led to the launch of the design business in 2012 as well as a clothing line, additional books, a thriving online business, a retail showroom, and more. And while the business may have come later in life, Rollins always had a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. A sense for design came naturally, so she launched the design firm with no experience.
Success wasn’t instant. She decorated places for friends and family and took every job possible, including becoming a contributing editor to Veranda magazine. She started her own clothing line a few years later on a lark when a friend and publicist booked Rollins for a trunk show after seeing pieces she’d made for herself. On the operational side, reading business books, online accounting tutorials and learning on the fly all paid off.
“I’ve made every mistake in the book, but experience really is the best teacher,” she says. “I’ve learned not to fear failure and embrace the mistakes, because those are the times that toughen you up and teach you the most. Life’s greatest lessons are learned from the mistakes you make and seem to come from the harder times in your life. I still go to bed almost every night thinking I won’t be
experience and structure for learning to work with people and build teams. “The focus on community and commitment, with an education based on teaching how to learn not what to think, helped me form my own sense of self and gave me the security to know I could do anything,” she says. “Having a faith-based perspective in my life has always been a guiding force to do what’s right.”
One never knows where life will take you and Rollins certainly understands that. A decade after going out on her own, she is thankful for her success. But that journey came with plenty of sweat equity and the designer/author hopes that others can be inspired by her own journey.
and dreaded going to work. “I needed a challenge, something that I was passionate about,” he says. “Something that I could create and implement from scratch.”
But why the restaurant business? Chances of success are slim in a highly-competitive environment. The National Restaurant Association estimates one in three restaurants won’t survive the first year. But Schmitz was up for a challenge and was passionate about the industry. That started at age 18 when a friend convinced him to apply at the restaurant where he worked. At the time, Schmitz was shy and had trouble talking to people.
’86
“There’s no such thing as an instant just-add-water success recipe,” she says. “I think there’s a notion today that everyone can be successful if they have a great Instagram or whatever. It’s great to have style, but you have to have the substance to back it up. Hard work is the only way to get to the top, and in between you have to be willing to do anything and everything yourself. Find the opportunities. Take the risks. Expect the failures. And then move on.”
“That wore off quickly,” says Schmitz, who now lives in Richardson. “I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to be more social, so I took the job and it changed me forever.”
Fast forward to 2013 and Schmitz decided to turn his passion into a profession. White Rock Lake is one of his favorite areas of Dallas and he longed to open an eatery there. He and some friends sat on his couch and kicked around some concepts. The Lake House soon opened for business and diners will find some great food and drinks, ranging from steak and pasta to burgers and sandwiches.
able to make it but wake up the next morning determined to keep going.”
If this entrepreneur seems like a person with many irons in the fire, that was also the case in high school. She participated in BL Brigade, Student Council, track and field, and more. The Brigade especially stands out for building what she says is the foundation of her life – practice makes perfect as well as dedication and commitment. Student government also provided some hands-on
Owner, Lake House White Rock Bar & Grill
Staring at his laptop, John Schmitz knew he needed a change. As a sales rep at a logistics company, he sought something more than a typical 9-to-5
“I was overflowing with passion, and looking back it was such a wonderful but terrifying time,” he says. “I was about to quit my job and invest my whole life savings into my business. My friends left their jobs to follow me on this crazy journey. It was a lot of pressure but with the support from my family, friends, the east Dallas community, my staff, and the lessons that I learned from school, I couldn’t fail. I contribute my success to all the wonderful people that I have met over the years in this business. It is not me that makes the restaurant successful, but the people that I surround myself with.”
That doesn’t mean everything has always gone smoothly. There are always obstacles to making a business a success. At times, only half the staff showed up. A kitchen leak once
“There’s no such thing as instant just-add-water success...Hard work is the only way to get to the top, and in between you have to be willing to do anything and everything yourself. Find the opportunities. Take the risks. Expect the failures. And then move on...”
flooded the restaurant with an hour to clean up and serve a dining room slammed with customers. COVID presented a completely different challenge entirely and Schmitz was close to shutting the doors for good.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s that feeling of overcoming the impossible,” he says. “It is why I love what I do. Then imagine doing that every day. I love to adapt and change and create a product that makes my customers happy.”
At BL, Schmitz found friends and memories that stuck with him forever. While on the football team, coach Bill Persinger taught the value of working hard and never giving up –and called the youngster out when he was slacking. The wrestling team was also a special experience and led to a love of mixed martial arts, where he’d eventually train with fight legend Guy Mezger.
“Fast forward to today,” he says. “BL has really shown a lot of love and support to the Lake House over the years. The wrestling team and supporting staff have had meetings and dinners at the Lake House throughout the years. We have also had alumni events and social happy hours. I have also employed many BL students over the years. Some of my best customers are BL alumni.”
Hard work is a critical part of running any successful business, and Junior Desinor learned that trait at an early age. Growing up anything but welloff, he watched his mother and father work five jobs to keep the family going. It’s that kind of work ethic that he brings to the real estate development company he founded in 2009.
Desinor fell in love with entrepreneurism and owning properties at an early age, founding his first company at age 18 and buying his first property a year later. In 2016 he even completed a $500,000 deal on Shark Tank with Barbara Corcoran for his Toor smart lock system. An app allows realtors and hosts to manage the lockbox remotely, simplifying the process of connecting home buyers and sellers. Through the years, Desinor has built several companies and doesn’t seem to slow down.
With Level Properties, Desinor buys, renovates and builds single- and multi-family properties around Texas. Seeing his parents, immigrants from Haiti, struggle to provide for their family and send the children to nice schools serves as motivation. His hard work, dedication and a bit of trial and error have certainly paid dividends when it comes to real estate.
“I have no formal training, just something that I’ve gotten very good at the more I attempted both,” he says.
And while this BL graduate has built multi-million dollar companies, as every business owner knows, there are plenty of ups and downs. What’s his own personal list of positives and negatives when it comes to being an entrepreneur?
“The cons are the constant feeling of pressure,” he says. “Pressure to deliver for customers, pressure to create a great work environment for your team. The pros are freedom.”
At BL, Desinor played football and credits the school for offering an environment that prepared him for a life in business. That includes dealing with people and unique situations that present themselves in the grind-it-out daily world of managing a business and working to see some money fall to
“It was a safe environment to prepare you for the different personalities and challenges outside of high school. Bishop Lynch is a microcosm of how the world works.”
~ JUNIOR DESINOR ’02JUNIOR DESINOR ’02 Dallas, TX Owner, Level
the bottom line.
“It was a safe environment to prepare you for the different personalities and challenges outside of high school,” he says. “Bishop Lynch is a microcosm of how the world works.”
Salon finally opened.”
Located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Stargazer specializes in modern, creative color and cuts. Green and her staff work to create a unique, luxury experience that leaves guests feeling renewed. The success didn’t come without some bruises. During the build-out phase, a storm flooded her building. Undeterred, the plans for the business continued, albeit with some lessons learned and a renewed spirit.
the learning skills we were taught to figure out how to build a brick and mortar and establish a successful business.”
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, and Ruidoso, New Mexico. His work appears in numerous regional and national publications.
Founder and owner, The Star Gazer Salon
“That taught me to expect the unexpected and that there will be bad days but they won’t overshadow the good ones,” Green says. “It was a very humbling experience. The best part of owning this salon is seeing how much my clients love it. They always mention how welcoming and relaxing the space makes them feel. I built it for them and it’s wonderful to see the hard work pay off.”
Seeing her grandfather take pride in running a successful landscaping business served as an inspiration for Mercy Sanchez Green. After graduating from BL, Green was so inspired that being her own boss became her own dream as well. After becoming a hairstylist, however, owning a salon seemed like a distant dream.
Maybe she was selling herself short. After putting in plenty of hours and with lots of dedication, Green worked her way up from assistant to commission stylist and eventually opened a small salon suite in 2020. But that was just the beginning.
“My business continued to grow and thrive each year and outgrew my small space quicker than I expected,” says Green, who now lives in Fort Worth. “I finally felt prepared to embark on this journey as a salon owner in early 2022 and by late September, The Stargazer
Music played a major role for Green while at BL. She participated in choir, Minstrels Club and Music Ministry, and that brought a circuitous route toward an interest in business. A freshman English research paper about potential colleges and fields of study eventually led to entering a new music industry studies program at the University of Texas Arlington. The curriculum was combined with business, which piqued her interest. An internship with Sony’s grassroots marketing team followed. And while Green ultimately went in a different direction after earning her degree, she definitely utilized what she had learned in school.
“I don’t think I would have found out about that small program and taken those beneficial business classes had I not done my research early on during my time at Bishop Lynch,” she says. “Bishop Lynch prepared me in so many ways. I would say the greatest lesson would be the importance of education that was instilled into us. My passion for continuing education is what helped me become a confident and knowledgeable hairstylist. I used
There was one man who led the Friar soundtrack for a generation of Bishop Lynch High School students on campus in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He inspired hundreds of teenage musicians and injected his infectious love of music into band performances at Friday night football games, parades, concerts, and competitions.
Not only did Joe Cardinale found the Bishop Lynch Band in 1973, but he served as the school’s band director until 1995 and held a host of leadership positions in state and national band organizations, including a term as president of the National Catholic Bandmasters.
Paul Dybala ’89 was a Bishop Lynch student during Cardinale’s tenure. Joe’s wife Johnnie spent many weekends and weeknights accompanying Paul and other members of the Blackfriars Guild during rehearsals and performances for the spring musicals. Paul also saw the positive impact
Joe had on his friends who were band members, and the legacy Joe was creating at BL.
Fast forward 30 years, and Paul and his wife Kelly have a son Andrew who is a member of the BL Band.
The Dybalas are true champions of the fine arts and believe that Bishop Lynch High School’s fine arts department sets it apart from other private schools.
The Dybala family’s support of the fine arts at BL led them to establish an endowed scholarship to benefit students in the fine arts, particularly the band. When it came to naming the scholarship, Paul knew exactly whose legacy he wanted to honor. Thus, The Joe and Johnnie Cardinale Family Scholarship was established.
“Kelly and I are excited and feel privileged to be able to honor the Cardinales and also support the fine arts programs at Bishop Lynch. The BL Band has a history of excellence
thanks to the work of Johnnie and Joe Cardinale and continuing today through the leadership of current director Andrew Balettie. This scholarship is a way to say thank you to the Cardinales for their past service and support the work of the BL Band into the future,” said Paul.
Paul and Kelly are matching donations to the Cardinale Scholarship, and donations honoring Joe’s legacy and supporting BL fine arts students are coming in as steady as Joe’s conducting days.
The Joe and Johnnie Cardinale Family Scholarship was announced at the Homecoming football game on Oct. 14. The Cardinale family and the Dybalas joined BL President Chris Rebuck on the field for a rousing celebration of the newly endowed scholarship. Prior to the on-field recognition, the Cardinale family was joined by friends, donors and current and former band families for a reception. Four of Joe’s
former drum majors were on hand for the special night. “It is very special to me after all these past years to be remembered and honored for the work done on behalf of the Bishop Lynch Band Program. I am quite pleased that Kelly and Paul Dybala and alumni contributors to the scholarship fund have acknowledged the formative work done in establishing music programs in Texas and the impact of the Bishop Lynch Band Program. I am honored to be associated with the endowment for students who will get aid to pursue their studies,” said Joe Cardinale.
A special band reunion is being planned as part of the school’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2023. Former band members should email Andrew Balettie, director of fine arts, at andrew. balettie@bishoplynch.org to be included on the invitation list.
You can help current and future band members realize their dream of a Bishop Lynch education – and have your donation matched by the Dybalas – by contributing to The Joe and Johnnie Cardinale Family Scholarship.
Please text GoBLBand to 71777 or visit www.bishoplynch.org/Cardinale.
Bishop Lynch High School’s Boldly Leading... Building Legacy Capital Campaign is helping to advance the school’s mission as Bishop Lynch approaches its 60th anniversary. From Bishop Lynch’s establishment in 1963 to today, there have been numerous changes in technology and education and the school has doubled in size, but the mission of the school – to promote the development of the total person by bringing together a diverse community in a rigorous college preparatory environment where students are taught to strive for excellence, seek truth and work for justice in the world –remains the same.
To continue to give our Friars a first-choice total formational experience, Bishop Lynch High School facilities must match the strategic needs of the school in the coming years.
Your support of the capital campaign will ensure even more Bishop Lynch students get a quality Catholic education in top-notch facilities in the very heartbeat of the school to match the academic rigor, extracurricular excellence, spiritual formation, and social opportunities on campus.
~ STEPHEN ARATA ’84“The BL Bistro, library and student commons renovation is at the very hub of the school. These renovations are needed to give our current and future Friars the necessary spaces to learn and grow in their total formation on campus.”
BL’s
Bishop Lynch High School’s library space has remained virtually unchanged since 1963. Thanks to the Internet’s online research options and eBooks, there isn’t the same need for an extensive library with thousands of paper tomes. To best utilize space on campus and give our students a 21st-century library to meet their needs, the library will move downstairs to the current student commons area across from the BL Bistro. The new library and media center will allow for updates and more usable student research and collaborative study spaces centrally located in the hub of the school.
Relocating the library will enable the BL Bistro to expand into a larger two-story space that incorporates a student commons area and brings the Math Success Center, Writing Center and House Leadership Lab into the central hub.
In recent years, Bishop Lynch High School has adopted a community dining program where students get breakfast and lunch on school days at no additional cost.
“Breaking bread together as a community is vital to the social and emotional needs of our students. The commonality of a shared meal gives our students a place to belong, a place to unwind and a place to develop lifelong friendships,” said BL President Chris Rebuck.
“The isolation of the pandemic and the after-effects on social and emotional development remind us of the importance of togetherness. Bishop Lynch High School’s mission is not solely academic. We are here to form the whole student in mind, body and spirit. While it may seem simple, quality time sharing a meal is very important to that endeavor,” said Chris.
The BL Bistro serves a wide variety of nutritious and tasty options. Several hot
main line choices and daily salad and sandwich bar spreads allow our well-fed students to be well-equipped to handle the rigors of BL’s college preparatory curriculum and a busy campus life.
Originally built to fit 400 students, the BL Bistro now must accommodate more than 1,000 hungry teenagers each day. The BL Bistro renovation plans include an expansion and open layout concept to facilitate various menu lanes amid the hustle and bustle of high school.
Besides the capital campaign’s planned facilities renovations, the Boldly Leading... Building Legacy initiative is raising funds to build the endowment –giving even more deserving students the opportunity to earn a quality Catholic education.
The capital campaign is also focused on building the endowment to provide much-needed tuition assistance for students. Since the capital campaign was first announced, many generous individuals and families have answered the call to give. The number of endowed and named scholarships has grown from 30 to 62 since 2020 – totaling $4.9 million dollars in cash and pledges.
Currently, approximately 40 percent of Bishop Lynch students receive tuition assistance. The need for a larger endowment is vital to helping even more students and their families realize their dream of a quality Catholic education.
You can make a difference in Bishop Lynch High School’s future and positively impact thousands of deserving students by contributing to the Boldly Leading... Building Legacy Capital Campaign. Please contact Jim Urbanus ’73, chief advancement officer, at jim.urbanus@bishoplynch.org to make a donation or pledge.
The 2021-2022 Annual Report (coming in early 2023) will feature a current listing of capital campaign contributors.
Stephen Arata ’84 is a lifelong Friar through and through. As the fifth of six siblings who all attended Bishop Lynch High School, Stephen credits his BL journey with preparing him for Southern Methodist University, a career in business, energy and entrepreneurship and his community leadership roles.
Stephen received Bishop Lynch High School’s Alumni of the Year accolade in 2015 recognizing his contributions to Bishop Lynch, impact in the business world and notable leadership for nonprofit organizations.
In the last eight years, Stephen has undertaken various leadership roles to give back to the BL community. Most notably, he and his wife Kathryn successfully chaired the Legacy Gala in March 2020 and now Stephen is bringing his education and experience to the executive leadership team for the Boldly Leading... Building Legacy Capital Campaign.
Stephen believes in making Catholic education affordable, and he has focused his charitable contributions on the endowment. Stephen and his siblings established the Bob and Jo Arata Endowment Fund in 2013 to honor their parents, and Stephen and Kathryn established the Father Sean Martin Scholarship Fund in 2020 to recognize Stephen’s dear mentor and friend.
Stephen knows the importance of improving Bishop Lynch High School’s physical infrastructure to meet the changing – and growing – needs of today’s student body.
“The BL Bistro, library and student commons renovation is at the very hub of the school. These renovations are needed to give our current and future Friars the necessary spaces to learn and grow in their total formation on campus,” said Stephen.
Stephen is thankful for all the support that has been shown to the capital campaign thus far.
“We just need to get this facility renovation piece pushed over the finish line in order to start construction this summer,” said Stephen.
Four years ago, Bishop Lynch High School implemented a bold school-wide program to improve student connectedness and create a greater sense of belonging on campus. As Bishop Lynch has grown over the years to be the largest co-ed private high school in Texas with more than 1,000 students, school leaders looked for ways to cultivate smaller communities that reflected the diversity of the student body in order to increase pastoral care, student leadership opportunities and mentorship.
Thus, the BL House System – one of only a few house systems in the Dallas metro area – was developed. With eight houses, six mentor groups per house, eight dedicated deans, 48 caring mentors, and more than 150 student leaders, the BL House System has positively changed the BL Experience and brought a whole new meaning to Bishop Lynch being a home away from home.
~ ABBY ROGERS“The BL House System has helped me to truly be able to call Bishop Lynch my home. Without the community that the house system provides, I wouldn’t have the close connections and relationships that I do now.”
To honor Bishop Lynch’s Dominican heritage, the eight houses are all named after Dominican saints or blessed. Each student is placed in a house (and a mentor group within that house) for the entirety of their high school journey. There are approximately 125 students per house and 20-22 students per mentor group. There are freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in each mentor group and house, which allows the younger students to learn from the older students and the older students to mentor the younger students. Immediate family members are placed in the same house but are members of different mentor groups.
Mentor groups meet twice each week for fellowship and activities planned by the student leaders. Mentor group activities run the gamut from kickball, kite flying and pancake making to meditation and service-oriented projects.
Kristie Wainwright ’06 is the house system director, and she said the chosen mentor group activity doesn’t matter as much as the opportunity it creates for connection, leadership and mentorship.
“The house system carves out two 30-minute midday breaks in the school week for students to step away from academics and put down their devices. This gives them the space for face-to-face conversations and the opportunity to put their leadership skills into practice or provide advice to a younger student,” Kristie said.
“Watching seniors truly getting to know freshmen and seeing students who may never have crossed paths before working together on a project – there are so many examples of this – has been so rewarding to witness.”
Kate Ehnis See ’12 is the dean for Siena House. She loved her time as a Friar student but sees firsthand the benefits of the house system.
“The house system has totally changed the culture at BL. Students are more connected to each other and it gives them
something else to root for. In addition to cheering for the Friars, they cheer for their house,” said Kate.
And cheer they do.
The BL House System wouldn’t be complete without some friendly competition. Quarterly House Days celebrate the BL House System and include various competitions (think tugof-war, sack races and trivia contests) to earn house points toward the Dominican Cup, which is awarded in April to the house with the most points. Each House Day also features a pep rally where the house colors and cheers are proudly displayed and loudly chanted.
House members also earn points for the Dominican Cup by joining in on dress-down days for Friar Week and Homecoming, attending sports games and fine arts performances, bringing canned goods for the annual food drive, and participating in service events and academic contests – all reinforcing a supportive and participatory school environment.
The Class of 2023 will be the first graduating class to have the BL House System for all four years of their BL Experience. Overall, these students have bought into the house system concept and the seniors are taking ownership to plan house activities.
Abby Rogers is a BL senior, so she has only ever known the house system during her time as a Friar.
“The BL House System has helped me to truly be able to call Bishop Lynch my home. Without the community that the house system provides, I wouldn’t have the close connections and relationships that I do now. I also have been able to learn a lot through my mentor and the people in Ricci House that have helped me grow significantly,” said Abby.
Abby’s older brother, Ethan Rogers ’20, was a senior during the house system’s inaugural year. He was the very first captain of Ricci House and was excited to be one of the first student leaders in the new house system.
“Being a foundational part of what the house system would become over the years was really special. Although I didn’t get to experience what the BL House System has grown to be, I loved being able to participate in the very first year,” said Ethan.
Kit Hoolan Sawyer ’77 has taught at Bishop Lynch for 40
Two De Porres House members use recycled materials to make dog toys for shelter animals.
The Ricci Rexes were the first BL house to win the coveted Dominican Cup for the most house points. The Dominican Cup was not awarded during school years impacted by COVID-19.
“Watching seniors truly getting to know freshmen and seeing students who may never have crossed paths before working together on a project – there are so many examples of this – has been so rewarding to witness.”
~ KRISTIE WAINWRIGHT ‘06
years. She is the dean for Ricci House, and she is a huge proponent of the BL House System.
“The house system honors the whole idea of being a Friar forever. It doesn’t change the fact that you are a Friar, but it adds another level of engagement and connection with the school,” said Kit.
The house system has truly been integrated school-wide in its four short years. The house system puts on Freshman Rally for incoming freshmen each spring, students sit by house at all-school Mass, The Locker sells house-specific merchandise, and the houses set up house tents at the Homecoming game in October.
Each house has an Instagram account where they highlight their house and mentor group activities. Wainwright sees recent BL graduates positively engage on social media with their house posts.
“The students made a deep connection with their houses
and mentor groups during their time on campus, and that connection is still evident even after graduation,” said Kristie.
Wainwright sees a future where BL Homecoming celebrations in 10 years include house-specific reunions where former house leaders are invited back for honorary roles. She even envisions a golf cart parade with the golf carts decked out in house colors.
“I can’t wait for the first generation of house to send their legacies to Bishop Lynch,” said Kristie.
BL has already become a leader among house system schools. Each June, school administrators and house deans attend the annual House Institute at a member school to share ideas and lessons learned. Bishop Lynch is scheduled to host this national symposium in 2026.
Patron Saint - Blessed Fra Angelico Mascot - Angel, named Augustus Color - Fresco Yellow
Patron Saint - St. Thomas Aquinas Mascot - Ox, named Duke Color - Philosophic Blue
Patron Saint - St. Martin de Porres Mascot - Komondor, named Chimu Color - Dominican Teal
Patron Saint - Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Mascot - Big Horned Mountain Sheep, named Rocky Color - Fellowship Orange
Patron Saint - St. Rose of Lima Mascot - Llama, named Lorenzo Color - Rose Red
Patron Saint - St. Louis de Montfort Mascot - Leopard, named Lafayette (Laffy) Color - Guardian Blue
Patron Saint - St. Catherine de Ricci Mascot - T-Rex, named Rico Color - Mystic Purple
Patron Saint - St. Catherine of Siena Mascot - Phoenix, named Flare Color - Unity Green
Faithful. Caring. Dedicated.
These are the core values of Bishop Lynch High School faculty and staff members, and they are certainly hallmarks for these recent BL employees who retired after years of service to the school.
You may send your retirement well-wishes to retirement@bishoplynch.org and Bishop Lynch will be sure to forward your sentiments to our recent retirees. Please include the recipient’s name in the subject line.
Mike Gillespy ’68 and his wife Kristine Darby Gillespy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 5, 2022. Their family has grown throughout the years to include six children, 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren!
Three Bishop Lynch employees, Lauren Shircliff Caton ’82, Candice Barbosa ’92, and Rachele Carver Piazza ’02 celebrated BL Homecoming at our Friday Alumni Party on campus. Their classes also celebrated their 40, 30 and 20-year reunions the following night on Saturday. A great representation of our #foreverfriars coming home!
’19’s position coach. They had a BL alumni reunion at the tailgate before the game. It ended in a big win, so the Friars brought some good luck!
Pictured: Chris Rebuck; Bryn Bradley, Class of 2023; Michelle Bowles
Jackson ’99; Amie Smith Bradley ’93 and Ty Bradley, Class of 2025.
John Frazier ’88 recently booked the lead role in a film called “Levi & Belle: A Texas Love Story” playing Levi.
wife Diane were honored at halftime of a Texas A&M University football game for being committed and generous supporters of Texas A&M studentathlete scholarships.
Alan Lucien ’73 and
BL President Chris Rebuck and the Bradley family visited Houston to watch several Rice University football players who are Friar alumni. Michelle Bowles Jackson ’99’s husband, Jim Jackson, is the tight ends coach at Rice and is Jack Bradley
Danielle Francingues M.A. Ed ’03 is the owner of Open Pathways, LLC. Her company provides private tutoring using Rapid Prompting Method to teach academics, hobbies and life skills to learners with Autism and other communication-related disorders aged four through adult.
his
Brian Benjamin ’06 recently selfpublished a children’s book on Amazon. Book description: Introduce your child to the heroic early days of the American Revolution, when a young nation’s fate hung in the balance on a snowy Christmas night in 1776. Written in rhyming verse that is a joy to read aloud, Christmas, 1776 follows George Washington and his continental army as they struggle for freedom and independence against the powerful British army. The vivid illustrations heighten the drama as the Americans plot a surprise counterattack after being pushed out of New York City and all the way to the far side of the Delaware river.
George Washington decides to lead them on a daring raid across the river on Christmas night...
Emily Reznicek ’08, associate researcher at Chaplin Hall at the University of Chicago, had the opportunity to speak with Eastern European and Central Asian countries about the work she is doing on a Regional Monitoring System for home visiting. She worked directly with representatives from UNICEF Turkmenistan to discuss their work on nationwide metrics for measuring the success of home visiting.
Two former Friars, Pat Richards ’09 and Joe Sorce ’10, met up after competing against each other on the gridiron at the Clemson vs NC State game on Oct. 1. Pat is an athletic trainer for the Clemson football team, while Joe is an athletic trainer for NC State.
Colin
Maggie Carter ’09 is the editor of Between Fault Lines and Front Lines: Shifting Power in an Unequal World which was published on June 30, 2022, and explores the roles of elites and institutions of power in the deepening of social and economic cleavages across the globe. Maggie is senior research analyst at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), Switzerland.
“I started Adorned by Kate because I have always struggled to find stylish and on-trend apparel and accessories in East Dallas. I wanted a creative outlet from my day job and to provide a new store for the East Dallas community. Adorned by Kate is 100 percent online! You can visit the website www.adornedbykate. com or on Facebook and Instagram to start shopping. I also have doorstep delivery available in Dallas city limits. I have new arrivals every few weeks and I’m excited to see where this adventure goes!” - Kate
Hinton ’06 teamed up with Rema Hasumi and Shawn Lovato to release a jazz album on July 16, 2022, titled Rema Hasumi/Shawn Lovato/ Colin Hinton, Live at Scholes Street Studio.
Chelsea Odem ’06 traveled to Japan to represent the USA for the Professional Long Drivers Association’s Ladies World Championship.
Kate Hettrick ’17 started a women’s apparel and accessories online store called Adorned by Kate.
Antonio Police Academy Class 2021 Delta (where he was Class Orator and second in Academics). He is now a police officer in San Antonio.
Zak Zapletal ’18 began seminary studies at Holy Trinity after graduating from BL and is now a graduate of The University of Dallas and continuing his seminary studies at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA. Read more below about Zak’s impressive journey!
Chris Rebuck visited Rice University to watch some former Friars who all now play football for Rice. Pictured: Jack Bradley ’19, Plae Wyatt ’20 and Jeremiah Williams ’22.
George Smith ’18 recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy. He has accepted a position as a Marine Engineering contractor for the US Navy in Norfolk, Virginia.
Petty Officer 2C Michael Smith ’18 has recently been awarded his second Naval Achievement Medal for outstanding direction of emergency repairs on a US submarine at facilities in Guam. Michael also holds a Navy Unit Citation and two Battle “E” ribbons.
“After graduating from BL in 2018, I started seminary studies at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, TX, and undergraduate classes at The University of Dallas. This past year has been my senior year at Holy Trinity, and this May I graduated from The University of Dallas with a B.A. in Philosophy and Letters. Now, I will be leaving Holy Trinity and The University of Dallas to continue seminary studies at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA. While there, I’ll begin graduate classes to receive a Master of Divinity degree (essentially a master’s degree in theology with pastoral ministry included). As of now, I have completed four years of seminary out of the nine-year process to become a priest for the Diocese of Dallas. This is subject to possible changes in the future, but the projected year for my ordination to the transitional diaconate is 2026, and the projected year for my ordination to the priesthood is 2027. One cool thing this past year in seminary has been that another BL Friar joined me at Holy Trinity. Khanh Tran ’20, started his freshman year at Holy Trinity this year as a seminarian for the Diocese of Dallas, so we were able to spend time together as brother seminarians for the past school year and will continue to be connected as Dallas seminarians in the future.” - Zak
The alumni news section is one of the most popular features of Reflections.
We love hearing from you and sharing your news! If you don’t see alumni news you submitted, please be patient as it may appear in a future issue due to layout specifics and print deadlines. BLHS reserves the right to edit all submissions.
Please direct letters to the editor, address changes or other correspondence to alumni@bishoplynch.org.
Scott
Kristen Bernet ’08 married Jason Naranjo on Aug. 6, 2022, at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church with a reception at The Westin Stonebriar Golf and Spa Resort. The wedding party included Matron of Honor, Katie Bernet Slater ’08.
Charlie DiCarlo ’10 married Sarah Mosely on Oct. 22, 2022, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with a reception at The Room on Main. The wedding party included Tony DiCarlo ’13, Joe Sorce ’10, David Kendall ’10, Bobby Hartmann ’10, Matthew Boyd ’10, Nathan Packard ’10, and Nick Clements ’10.
13,
Chris Paradowski ’10 married Makenna Arca on Oct. 1, 2022, at St. Pius X Catholic Church with a reception at the Dallas Athletic Club. The wedding party included Chad Paradowski ’07, Colton Paradowski ’13, John Vehslage ’10, Andrew Plugge ’10, Ryan Plugge ’13, Joe Shotland ’10, Tyler Smith ’10 and Ben Steiner ’10.
Michael Clariday ’12 married Astha Rao on Feb. 5, 2022, in a Hindu wedding ceremony. The wedding party included Thomas Boston ’12, Will Fregia ’12, Nick Menke ’12, and Megan Boston ’15.
Megan Bebb Lebre ’05 and her husband Ryan welcomed twin boys, Everett Francis and Liam Robert, on June 30, 2022. They join big sister Alice (3).
Whitney Jarvis Sykes ’09 and her husband Marquis welcomed their first child, Logan Marquis, on July 15, 2022.
Kelsie Cale Flemister ’10 and her husband Eric welcomed their second child, Gracie Mae, on July 11, 2022. She joins big sister Bobbie (2).
Caroline Zihlman Reese ’05 and her husband John welcomed their third child, Molly Marie, on Aug. 5, 2022. She joins older sisters Hadley (6) and Reagan (4).
Patrick Donovan ’10 and his wife Jessica welcomed their first child, Daniel Steven, on Dec. 6, 2021.
Allysen Delaney Patterson ’11 and her husband Ryan welcomed their second child, Luke Wyatt on Oct. 22, 2022. He joins big brother Nolan (2).
Madeline Clary Drown ’12 and her husband Stephen welcomed their first child, Blaine Milazzo, on Oct. 2, 2022.
Lebre Donovan Sykes Drown Patterson FlemisterTheresa Interrante Kettle ’66 passed away on Nov. 5, 2022. She was the cousin of Minnie Interrante Shelby ’68.
Joseph Lyons II ’67 passed away on Aug. 14, 2022. He was the brother of Paul Lyons ’66, Linda Lyons Dehan ’69 and Julie Lyons ’72.
Suzanne Stearns Rottman ’69 passed away on June 15, 2022.
Judy Zipper Kramer-Young ’70 passed away on Nov. 2, 2022. She was the wife of Ronald Kramer ’69† and the mother of Jonathan Kramer ’96. She was also the sister of Patricia Zipper ’67 and Connie Zipper Klein ’75 and the sister-inlaw of Chris Klein ’73. She was also the aunt of Courtney Linex Barrett ’92, Devon Linex Chewning ’97, Doran Wofford Lopez ’00, Corey Wofford ’01, Chelsea Scott ’02, Lauren Jiles ’07, Jessica Stewart ’09, Audrey Klein ’12, Kirsten Steger ’13, Bailey Jiles ’14, Mariah Lentz ’14, and Megan Hertel ’16.
Patricia Gasser ’72 passed away on
Sept. 11, 2022. She was the sister of Ira Gasser ’70.
Nancy O’Rourke ’73 passed away on July 27, 2022. She was the sister of Mary O’Rourke Fishback ’69, Patricia O’Rourke Sutton ’70, Michael O’Rourke ’74, John O’Rourke ’75, and Sharon O’Rourke ’80. She was also the aunt of Michael O’Rourke ’09.
Anne Bruton Rush ’73 passed away on July 17, 2022.
Teresa Vrana Fletcher ’74 passed away on Aug. 24, 2022. She was the sister of Michael Vrana ’73, Melinda Vrana Yates ’75†, Mark Vrana ’77, Greg Vrana ’78, Kim Vrana ’80, Laura Vrana Stoecklin ’82, and Bryan Vrana ’83. She was also the aunt of Heather Vrana Ross ’96 and Jenny Vrana Gagnon ’99.
Terry Gillespie ’76 passed away on Aug. 20, 2022. She was the aunt of Deidra Brown Hatcher ’88.
Tom O’Leary ’77 passed away on Oct. 20, 2022. He was the brother
of Dorothy O’Leary Jones ’71, Margaret O’Leary ’74 and Jack O’Leary ’77.
Kathleen Moore ’81 passed away on Sept. 8, 2022. She was the sister of Sandra Moore Masoner ’78, Margaret Moore Wainwright ’80 and Robin Moore ’85. She was also the aunt of Kristie Wainwright ’06, Lindsey Wainwright ’08 and Matthew Wainwright ’10.
Richard Kellogg ’82 passed away on Oct. 26, 2022. He was the brother of James Kellogg ’80 and Beatrice Kellogg Dorsett ’87.
John Sullivan passed away on July 3, 2022. He was the husband of Frances Mentesana Sullivan ’68 and the brother-in-law of Sara Mentesana Koonce ’67.
Brother Roger Shondel, OP passed away on June 10, 2022. He was a former employee of Bishop Lynch
from 1975 through 1982.
John Walter passed away on Oct. 29, 2022. He was the father of Brian Walter ’81, Craig Walter ’82, Laura Walter Becker ’83, and Blake Walter ’84. He was also the grandfather of Kimberly Walter ’15 and Benjamin Walter ’17.
Joseph Gorman, Sr. passed away on July 26, 2022. He was the father of Joseph “Joe” Gorman, Jr. ’75 and Colleen Gorman ’77.
George Santa Cruz passed away on Oct. 5, 2022. He was the father of Barbara Santa Cruz Campbell ’76 and Richard Santa Cruz ’80.
George McKenzie passed away on Nov. 12, 2022. He was the father of Meshanda McKenzie ’88 and the godfather of Aisha McClendon ’94.
Betty Davenport passed away on Aug. 25, 2022. She was the mother of Richard Gavos ’71, Joseph Gavos ’75 and Shirley Gavos Moscrey
’77. She was the mother-in-law of Frank Moscrey ’77. She was also the grandmother of Tony Moscrey ’00 and Andrew Moscrey ’07.
Robert Goebel passed away on Sept. 27, 2022. He was the father of Laura Goebel Kirkpatrick ’85 and Matthew Goebel ’87.
Rosemary Bardis passed away on Nov. 9, 2022. She was the mother of Angela Bardis ’88 and the grandmother of Nick Dewbre ’19 and Stefanos Dewbre, Class of 2026.
Richard Mueller passed away on Aug. 5, 2022. He was the father of Patrick Mueller ’08.
John Claude Boykin passed away on July 13, 2022. He was the father of Shean Boykin ’80, Shannon Boykin Spurgeon ’84 and Colleen Boykin Guy ’85.
Matthew Fitzgerald passed away on July 22, 2022. He was the father of Olivia Fitzgerald ’20.
Bruce Packard passed away on Sept.
4, 2022. He was the husband of Mary Cook Packard ’79. He was also the father of Maresa Packard Fowlkes ’05, Aaron Packard ’08, Nathan Packard ’10, Luke Packard ’13, Jacob Packard ’15, and Daniel Packard ’18.
Leona Wilson passed away on Sept. 2, 2022. She was the mother of Lori Wilson Rust ’75, Lisa Wilson Arriaga ’76, Kelli Wilson Briones ’77, Steve Wilson ’79, Kathy Wilson Light ’81, Sara Wilson Valenta ’85, and Paul Wilson ’90. She was also the mother-in-law of Tim Valenta ’84.
Chris Jackson passed away on Aug. 12, 2022. He was the father of Clair Jackson ’20 and Harry Jackson, Class of 2025.
Joyce Lappen Meyer passed away on Aug. 26, 2022. She was the sister of Daniel Meyer ’72.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING DATES!
LEGACY GALA
• FEB. 25, 2023
BL GIVING DAY
• MAY 4, 2023
1973 50 TH REUNION
• MAY 19-20, 2023
ALUMNI OF THE YEAR
• OCT. 26, 2023
ALUMNI HOMECOMING PARTY
• OCT. 27, 2023
MASS OF REMEMBRANCE
• OCT. 28, 2023
1983, 1993, 2003, 2013 REUNIONS
• OCT. 28, 2023
THE BL GOLF CLASSIC
• OCT. 30, 2023 (Tentative)