2013 Winter Irish Ayes

Winter 2013 Volume XL Number 1

FEATURE STORIES

Alum Changing Housing in MN. 50 Years of Wrestling A History of Senior Service Soccer Takes State w w w. f a t h e r r y a n . o r g

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Letters Winter 2013

Board of trustees Executive Committee

Dear Father Ryan, Just fi nished reading this morning’s The Tennessean in which it had several articles on the Father Ryan High School’s Marching Band and its recent appearance in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I was extremely proud as a long-time resident of Nashville and wanted to commend you and the school on its welldeserved recognition.

Growing up not too far from your current campus and attending John Overton High School I frankly had more than a little disdain for the “Fighting Irish,” likely because of the passionate fan base and proud heritage (loved the way the Father Ryan students would take the field during football games) and probably the fact that we probably got our rear ends kicked most of the time! My three children all attended Brentwood Academy and it seemed that during the 14 years at BA, whether it was on a football field or basketball court, one of our biggest rivals was Father Ryan. You could always count on the “Fighting Irish” to be competitive, play hard and give it their all. The players, coaches and fans were always very supportive of their team but were classy in representing their school. It seems as though you have the same kind of passionate and classy young men and women that are a part of the Father Ryan Marching Band.

Patrick J. Nolan III ‘69, Chair Judy Komisky Orr ‘75, Vice-Chair Betty Lou Burnett, Membership Committee Chair David Glascoe, Finance Committee Chair

Committee Chairs

Brett Wesnofske ‘88, Facilities Committee Chair Philip M. Mattingly, Sr. ‘69, Advancement Committee Chair

Ex-Officio Members

Most Rev. David R. Choby ‘65 James A. McIntyre Dr. Therese Williams

Board Members

Best Regards,

Rev. Mark Beckman David Bohan ‘66 Tommy Bradley ‘81 Mary Brennan Warner C. Hassell Judith E. Hoover Steven Janicak Rev. Patrick J. Kibby ‘73 Dr. Robert Labadie Robert J. Mendes Rick Olszewski Ralph J. Schulz, Jr. John Siedlecki William R. Stejskal III ‘79 David Tehle

Donald G. Albright

Life Trustees

Again, congratulations on representing so well, not just Father Ryan High School, but the entire Nashville community as well.

Thomas G. Connor, Sr. ‘60 William H. Farmer ‘65 Edward B. Gore J. Terry Hunter Vincent T. Phillips John C. Shea ‘51 William F. Smith Edward A. Stack

Administration

The Annual I’m Making a Difference Fund

James A. McIntyre, President Paul Davis ‘81, Principal Sara Hayes, Vice Principal &Academic Dean Michael La Haie, Dean of Students Tim Forbes ‘93, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life Pat Lawson ‘93, Athletic Director Connie Steinmetz, Chief Financial Officer

WHETHER MARCHING TO MACY’S AND RESTORING THE HOPE OF A COMMUNITY HIT BY A HURRICANE OR LIFTING THE SPIRITS OF OUR COMMUNITY’S CANCER SURVIVORS OR CREATING A FOUNDATION TO HELP THE HELPLESS IN AFRICA, FATHER RYAN STUDENTS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY. AND YOUR GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND MAKES THESE KINDS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN POSSIBLE. TO MAKE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE 2013-14 ANNUAL FUND GO ONLINE TO WWW.FATHERRYAN.ORG/DONATIONS.

©2013 FRHS 19437

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF FATHER RYAN. GO IRISH!

A Tradition of Faith, Knowledge, Service

CONTENTS

Winter 2013 Volume XL Number 1

Feature

MarcHiNG iNto HistorY

Table of Contents

2} In the News

Relay for Life. National Merit. Yearbook Conference.

6} Athletics

Soccer State Championship. Football. Cross-Country. Volleyball.

8} Flashback

Fifty Years of Wrestling. Legacy Gala.

12} Cover Story

Marching to Macy’s, Far Rockaway and into History.

18} Alumni Profile: Bob Boyd ‘70.

20} Events 23} Service Profile: Senior Service, Kemi’s Friends.

26} 30} 31} 32}

Class Notes Births Weddings In Memoriam

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Winter 2013

Relay for Life Establishes Record for Third Straight Year It never gets old setting records when the record-setting results are funds for cancer research.

With over 800 people participating in Father Ryan’s student-run Relay for Life, the Irish community established yet another record for the 12-hour event, raising more than $67,000 for the American Cancer Society for cancer research. This achievement makes the event the largest student-led Relay for Life in the country for the third straight year.

games and food, with many of the participants shaving their heads in a sign of solidarity with cancer survivors. But the most touching moments are the Survivor Lap around the track to honor those who have battled cancer this year and the lighting of the luminaries at midnight, spelling out “HOPE.” As Herrmann said, “The biggest thing about Relay for Life is that it’s about the community gathering together. It’s an emotional night for some, and for others, it’s a celebration of life.

Senior Callie Herrmann has been a part of the event since her freshmen year and was one of the organizers of Relay for Life this fall. The overnight activities include live music,

Relay for Life: Heads shorn in support, proud marchers, and a message of hope produced over $67,000 for cancer research.

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The 2012 National Merit Scholars are shown with Principal Paul Davis ‘81 First row: Douglas Arney, Elizabeth Haynes, Cole Pickney, and Erin Ferguson. Second row: Luke LeFeve, Daniel Huetter, and Tyler Stuessi. Back row: Joseph Connor, Ransom Patterson, and Griffin Connolly.

National Merit Honors Record Number of Father Ryan Students The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced that 10 members of the Father Ryan Class of 2013 have been recognized this year, seven of them as Semi-Finalists, the highest number in one year in the school’s history.

All 10 students are involved in a broad group of activities at Father Ryan. In addition to active roles that each plays in a variety of service programs at the school, the students participate in the arts, sports and music.

Listed are the students, their elementary schools and parishes:

In making the announcement, Father Ryan President Jim McIntyre said that the success of these students is a testament to their commitment and the preparation they received at both Father Ryan and their elementary schools.

“This is a remarkable group of students who have excelled in all aspects of their high school education. They have shown a commitment both to their academics and to their cocurricular activities, making them outstanding members of the entire Father Ryan community. We salute them on this achievement,” said McIntyre.

Douglas Arney, Overbrook (Christ the King) Joseph Connor, St. Henry Griffin Connolly, Overbrook (Christ the King) Erin Ferguson, University School of Nashville Elizabeth Haynes, Holy Rosary Academy Daniel Huetter, Christ the King Luke LeFeve, St. Matthew Ransom Patterson, Holy Rosary Academy

Junior Receives eagle Award

Cole Pickney, Holy Rosary Academy

Congratulations to junior Eric Sanders who earned his Eagle Award in Boy Scouts over the summer. His service project was with Nations Ministries Center, a not-for-profit that helps refugees in Nashville become independent and become American citizens. He organized a move for them into better facilities and then he helped renovate their new space. Eric is the son of Melinda and Steve‘68 Sanders.

Tyler Stuessi, Brentwood Academy LeFeve and Stuessi were selected as Commended Scholars, Ferguson was named a National Achievement Semi-Finalist and the other seven were named National Merit SemiFinalists. Only three schools in Nashville had more SemiFinalists this year, and no other Catholic school in the state had as many as Father Ryan.

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Winter 2013 Hayes Named Vice Principal Father Ryan promoted the school’s Academic Dean, Sara Hayes, to the new position of Vice Principal.

Yearbook Conference Attendees (from left to right) Back row: Christa Butler, Jake McGowen, Charean Williams, Erin Maher, Paige Stillwell, Mary Armbruster.

Front row: Dina Tate and Rebecca Crumby.

In this new position Hayes will assist Principal Paul Davis ‘81 in the overall daily management of the school and will continue to serve as the school’s Academic Dean. Hayes has been at Father Ryan since 1999.

“This school continues to grow, and the number of courses, activities and opportunities is always expanding,” Davis said. “Sara plays such an important role in all of those aspects as Academic Dean and is a valued advisor to me. Having her as Vice Principal reaffirms the significance of her role for our school and provides our entire community with even greater depth on our leadership staff.

I am delighted to add this to Sara’s responsibilities, and I know it will strengthen Father Ryan.”

Hayes is in her 13th year at Father Ryan, having begun her tenure here first as a full-time teacher and then as Academic Dean. She has taught Theology, Latin, American Literature and Spanish at Father Ryan, and is currently teaching Church History. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame College of Ohio and a master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to this, Hayes has earned over 30 hours of master’s degree coursework in curriculum design, instruction, administration and supervision. This is her 25th year in education, where she has taught grades kindergarten through sophomore in college.

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YEARBOOK STAFF TRAVELS TO NATIONAL CONFERENCE Yearbook sponsors Dina Tate and Paige Stillwell took the five yearbook editors to the National High School Press Convention in San Antonio, TX in November, where they met the keynote speaker, Charean Williams. Williams is in her 19th season covering the NFL, including the past 13 for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She appears occasionally on ESPN2’s “First Take” morning show and the NFL Network, and she served as an analyst for ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage in 2009. Williams became the first female selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Father Ryan Welcomes Home AP Founder As prevalent as AP courses are at Father Ryan today–25 courses as of this year–it’s hard to imagine a time when the school didn’t offer a single AP course. But 45 years ago, in the summer of 1968 the mention of the letters “A” and “P” would have conjured up thoughts of the grocery store across from Centennial Park.

There wouldn’t have been anyone at Father Ryan who would connect those letters and see an academic trend beginning.

But that was exactly the case. Back then one teacher—Joan Wallinghorst (Ford)—had another understanding of those letters and what they could mean for our students. The letters became shorthand for a new college level course at Father Ryan and the Advanced Placement program began, as she introduced AP English to the Class of 1969. Today, AP encompasses courses as varied as Chinese, statistics, science and calculus. The program attracts over 300 students every year, with 86% of them scoring three or higher on the placement test. And it all began with one dedicated teacher with an idea for something new.

Ford (shown above with President McIntyre and Board Chair Pat Nolan ‘69) returned to the campus for the first time since 1969 to celebrate the accomplishments of our National Merit Honorees and to visit with many of her students from that historic class. It was a pleasure to welcome her home and to thank her for bringing to Father Ryan an approach to academics that has created exceptional opportunities for students.

Father Ryan Adds to Staff Father Ryan High School recently announced the addition of Neal Martin as director of technology, Bridget Nolan Thomas as advancement services coordinator, Debbie Chasse´ as executive assistant to the president and Courtney Fedou as associate director of admissions. Anna Beth Godfrey has also been promoted to Annual Fund and special events manager.

Martin comes to Father Ryan after working for the last 12 years as a technology specialist and technology coordinator for the Laurens County Board of Education in Dublin, GA. He also worked as a technology instructor at West Laurens High School, where he was an assistant football coach and sponsor for the technology student association.

Martin has a bachelor of science in Technology Education and a master’s degree in education technology from Georgia Southern University and an educational specialist in educational leadership degree from Columbus State University.

Thomas had worked as the Director of Catering at Hillwood Country Club since 2010, where she successfully planned a variety of events including wedding receptions and meetings. She coordinates the school’s events and serve as the liaison for the Parent School Network. She graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a bachelor of science in journalism and electronic media in December 2009.

Chasse´ joins Father Ryan after serving in executive assistant roles for the Arthritis Foundation and FTI Healthcare here. A native of Michigan, she received her associate administrative assistant degree from Macomb Community College in Warren, MI.

College, Pro Heroes Call Father Ryan Home

Giacosa Stadium in the Jim Carell Alumni Athletic Complex welcomed some big names and big teams over the holidays. For the fourth straight year, the field was the official site of the ACC participant in the Music City Bowl Game. This year, we welcomed the Wolfpack of NC State for three days of practices leading up to their game against Vanderbilt on December 31. The players, coaches and staff were a pleasure to host and appreciative of the welcoming approach and the quality of the facilities.

Early in January NY Jets QB and former Florida signalcaller Tim Tebow stopped by the campus for some workouts. He has visited us before to use the facilities and happily posed for photos and chatted with Father Ryan students and staff.

Nutritionist Tells the Secrets to Performance Eating Professional nutritionist Leslie J. Bonci, director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Center for Sports Medicine, was at Father Ryan in January for a presentation about performance nutrition. The presentation is part of the ongoing fitness and strength program here at Father Ryan.

Fedou joins Father Ryan after serving for five years in Admissions for Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management, most recently as an associate director. A 2003 graduate of the University of Georgia, she is currently completing her master’s degree in English literature at Belmont.

Her presentation touched on the importance of eating the right foods at the right time (a clue–20 ounces of fluid an hour before you work out and something the size of a tennis ball 15 minutes after that workout). More than 200 parents, coaches and athletes attended the session. The presentation can be view online at fatherryan.org/athletics.

Godfrey has been with Father Ryan since 2010 and has been responsible for events, including the Legacy Gala and the Parent School Network. She is a 2009 graduate of the University of Mississippi. In her new role, Godfrey will manage the Annual Fund and special events.

Leslie serves as a consultant for sports teams and organizations at all levels, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and she has worked with Olympians Usain Bolt and Tara Lipinksi.

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Athletics Winter 2013

Girls Soccer Claims Third State Title With less than 25 minutes of game time remaining in the 2012 TSSAA Division II Girls State Championship game, sophomore Sarah Bossung stood at the penalty kick line with only the goalkeeper in her path. In the spot that she and every soccer athlete has imagined at least one time in their lives, she knew that one solid kick in the right position would net the Lady Irish their first goal and put them in position for their third state title. And just as she had always imagined it, the PK was true and the title was Father Ryan’s.

Parlaying a stellar defense with timely goals, the Lady Irish soccer team went on a late season run through the 2012 playoffs and delivered another state title to match their 1998 and 2008 championships.

After topping Ensworth and top-seeded St. Agnes to make the final four, the Irish marched to Chattanooga where the gauntlet of home teams–Baylor and GPS–awaited them.

They beat Baylor 1-0 and then topped GPS by the same score on Bossung’s goal in the 66th minute. GPS was the No. 1 seed out of the East /Middle Region and finished 15-2-2, while Father Ryan finished 12-5-5.

the road to beat the top team in the west in St. Agnes in the quarterfinals, then beat two-time defending champion Baylor in the semis and then beat GPS (No. 1 seed in the East/Middle) on its field in the finals,” Dieterich said.

“It’s hard to say if this is more special than the other two, but to come through the toughest draw this year and win it is special,” Coach Dieterich stated.

The Irish were powered all year by a balanced lineup, including a talented group of youngsters, who were led by seniors Madeline Fox, McKenna Foster, Francesca Mancuso, Kalyn Pruett and Raia Vance.

Father Ryan now has been in five state finals under the 16-year tutelage of coach Robin Dieterich ‘73. “We were the fourth seed out of the East/Middle this year, had to go on

State Champions: (from top) Celebrating the title; topping JPII; the proud team.

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Up and Down Season Shows Promise for 2013 No one associated with the Irish football season will try to claim success, but the signs were there for this young squad and the promise of next year revealed itself in the team’s late season performance.

After starting out the season with wins over Overton and eventual District Champ Cane Ridge, the Irish saw the early season hopes dashed with a surprising loss to Hillwood. A rash of turnovers crippled the offense in the 2nd half, preventing Father Ryan from developing any rhythm in its new triple-option offense. This proved to be a recurring story through the middle part of the season. The often outsized Irish lines were pressed to control the line of scrimmage, making it hard for senior running backs Jamonte Graham and Rafael Hopkins to get much running room. However, some things started to click as the season wound down, with a 17-0 shutout of BGA providing some hope headed to the playoffs. They closed the season by playing strong against eventual state champion Ensworth, and then played a big and experienced MBA squad close in the first round of the playoffs before falling 17-7.

The season provided a young assemblage of talent some valuable experience. An offseason in the Jim Carell Fitness Center and another year with the new offense should produce more thrills for the Irish faithful in the 2013 season.

Volleyball and Cross Country These two established programs saw mixed results in this year’s seasons.

The Lady Irish volleyball team worked to get a consistent streak going all season, wrapping up the year with a 14-10 record, with most of the losses coming inside Div. II-AA. Coach Jinx Cockerham had a lot of young players this year, and they got the playing time, with several showing strong promise for the 2013 campaign.

Both the boys and girls cross country teams completed strong seasons, extending their consecutive streak of winning seasons to 37. The girls had a 92-43 won-lost record, finishing third in the Tennessee Classic and Conference Championship and fourth in Metro Championship. The boys posted an overall record of 118-36, finishing in the top five teams in every major invitational, including a runner-up finish in the Tennessee Classic Invitational and eighth place finish at the State. Sophomore Alex Reiter was name to the 2nd team All-Metro.

Honoring Longevity and Impact No Father Ryan home football game would be complete without a special pre-game salute to a group of distinguished alumni and teachers. The 2012 season fit that bill perfectly.

50 Years of Wrestling (see following story)—The Irish kicked off the season with a welcome back to our wrestling alumni, and over 200 wrestlers and family members attended, including Rose Drennan, widow of Coach Joe Drennan ’57, and Coach Bobby Garmon ’65. The 1969 state champion team was featured and Bubba Donnelly ’69 handled the coin toss.

85 Years of Theatre—Harkening back to the founding of the Purple Masque Players back in 1927, the Irish faithful saluted the long and outstanding performances Theatre alumni celebrate long-standing heritage. of this Father Ryan group. Dozens of alumni (left) returned to watch Theatre Director Kelli McClendon toss the coin for the Homecoming Game.

10 Year Anniversary—The community enjoyed seeing them in the spring, so they were brought back—the 2002 State Champion baseball and the 2002 and 2003 State Champion girls lacrosse teams were honored prior to the Cane Ridge game, with Bill Brunner ’79, coach of that championship baseball team, flipping the coin.

175 Years of the Diocese—In remembering our Diocese in this, its 175th year, the focus was on Catholic education and its rich tradition in our community. Diocesan Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Therese Williams (left), accompanied by Vice Principal and Academic Dean Sara Hayes, did the honors with the pre-game coin toss.

Dr. Therese Williams gets the game underway.

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Athletics Winter 2013

50 Years of Wrestling “We carried Joe Drennan around the mat we were so excited. The 12 of us on the team were best friends.

We could finally say that a Midstate school won a state championship in wrestling.”

—Scott Brunette ‘69 as told to The Tennessean.

The ride the grapplers gave Coach Drennan capped a six-year run to the top of the wrestling world of Tennessee and started a dynasty that has been the most successful and honored at Father Ryan and in the TSSAA. It all began in 1962 with Father Fennell as coach and about a dozen curious athletes, each wondering how wrestling was (or wasn’t) like the ‘rasslin they saw on TV. Within two years Joe Drennan ‘57 became coach, and by 1967, Father Ryan was on the map with its first state champion, Yogi Walsh ‘67.

By 1969 with their first team state championship, the center

2010 team celebrates state Dual Team championship.

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of wrestling in Tennessee had moved to Middle Tennessee.

Nineteen team titles and 79 state individual champions later, Father Ryan still is THE standard for excellence in the state.

This year we celebrate five decades of wrestling success.

The 1969 team was the first team outside of Chattanooga ever to win a wrestling state championship. Following an undefeated season, the Irish toppled highly favored Notre Dame, whom they had already beaten by a 20-19 score in a heated Sunday afternoon match in Nashville late in the regular season. Although Notre Dame had more individual champions, 10 of 12 wrestlers from Father Ryan placed in the championship, including two state champions: Scott Brunette ‘69 and Bubba Donnelly ‘69.

“That was a great time,” remembers Donnelly, who went undefeated for the season in his matches. “I remember the gym was packed, and the crowds were unbelievable,” says Donnelly. “Ryan had to Coach Joe Drennan ‘57 open up the stage so that there was room for people to sit.”

Before that day, wrestling was considered a secondary sport, overshadowed by more popular programs like football and basketball. When the wrestling program began in 1962, the sport was not widely followed among high schools. During the early days, wrestling in Tennessee was mostly isolated in Chattanooga where many of the big private schools were located. The sport made its way across the state, where more schools adopted the program. Father Ryan’s earliest local

rivals were Donelson and the Tennessee School for the Blind.

Father Ryan’s first wrestlers were actually plucked from the football team, Drennan’s idea that wrestling would provide Coach Bobby Garmon ‘65 off-season training.

“Drennan was like a second parent to us,” says Donnelly, 1971 Champions also a former football player. “He gave everyone a chance to wrestle and made sure the next class had enough experience to step up for the following year.” That coaching philosophy still extends to today. After Drennan, Bobby Garmon ’65 became head coach, followed by Pat Simpson ’74 who has coached for the last three decades. Drennan led the Irish to three state titles (‘69, ‘71 and ‘74), Garmon led them to the ‘77 crown and Simpson has been at the helm for the other 15, the latest one just this past season.

Even in the early ‘60s, practices were held every day during the season, including weekends. Wrestlers weighed in before school, and if they did not make their weight class, they spent lunch running.

Proper practice venues and equipment were also hard to come by at the time. Occasionally, the team would practice in classrooms or on the stage. The wrestling mats were made of horsehair and vinyl, a rough and heavy alternative to today’s foam mats. To raise money for a new mat, the team sold donuts on Saturday, though as Donnelly remembers it, there was a backlash against that tactic: “It was hard not to eat the donuts, and we were expected to stay in shape!” On top of that, wrestlers lacked enough uniforms, or singlets, so they were forced to share between matches. But from those inauspicious beginnings came a program that has become one of the most popular at Father Ryan. The number of wrestling alumni tops 500 and competition for spots on teams each year is heated and demanding. The success has also spread the interest Donnelly wins again. to the grade schools with many a pre-teen student testing his skills on the mat through Nashville Catholic Wrestling.

The list of outstanding achievements by individuals and teams is long, but here are a few to highlight: Tim Wilson ‘72 and Eric Wood ‘72—each won backto-back titles in ‘71 and ‘72, with Wood doing it in two different weight classes, 155 and 185.

Johnny Drennan ‘85—captured the state title his senior year and then passed away from cancer in 1986.

For his courage, the Middle Tennessee Wrestling Coach’s Association named its award for the best wrestler of the year after Johnny.

2010 Duals

Flashback 1969 Panther We’re No. 1!

The 1969 championship team: (front) Doug Henard ‘71, Joe Morales ‘70, Greg Garr ‘69, Mike Carter ‘69, Jim Holzmer ‘69, Mike Rourke ‘69, Mike McMullen ‘71 (back) Bubba Donnelly ‘69, Emile Catignani ‘69, Phil Mattingly ‘69, Coach Joe Drennan ‘57, Frank Baltz ‘69, Jimmy Wilson ‘69 and Scott Brunette ‘69

Since its beginning six years ago, the wrestling team has steadily improved itself here and brought with it interest from all over the state. Perhaps the fervor and spirit of this year’s team has permanently instilled this form of competition as one of the highest types of individual assertion in athletics...Father Ryan brought home the 1968-69 State Wrestling Trophy, finishing a perfect season with a 12-0 record and four tournament championships, and upsetting rival Notre Dame 77-56 in State competition. Scott Brunette and Bubba Donnelly both posted championships, Mike Carter and Greg Garr placed second...This sport is of the highest competitive nature and will produce at Father Ryan in future years.

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The 1988, 1998 and 2000 teams—each won the Dual and Individual Team State Titles in the same year.

Michael Carletto ‘93—won back to back titles in ‘92 and ‘93.

The Dunning brothers—Raymond ‘03 and Whitt ‘05—and Wes Wesley ‘11 are Father Ryan’s only threetime state champions, with Raymond claiming titles from 2001-03, Whitt from 2003-05 and Wes from 2009-11.

Cole Moseley ‘12—holds the record for the most wins by a wrestler in a Father Ryan uniform.

1988 State Champion Seniors.

Mike Hooker ‘12—who wrestled for Father Ryan as a senior after starting at McCallie, set the TSSAA record for career wins, wins in a season and career wins by pins.

Today, the wrestling program boasts a new practice facility, the Patrick Simpson ‘74 Wrestling Facility in the new Jim Carell Fitness Center. Named for the long-time coach—who wrestled on the ‘74 championship team—the facility adds 3,000 square feet of space to the wrestling arena. And it honors a man whose three-plus decades have Pat Simpson ‘74 produced 59 state champion wrestlers.

In fact, this year four alumni are wrestling at the collegiate level after earning athletic scholarships.

2009 State Champion Seniors.

With players recognized and respected across the region for their unwavering discipline and sportsmanship, the wrestling program has earned a place in school and state history. Thanks to the leadership of its coaches and players, past and present, the Irish wrestlers continue to build on its 50-year legacy and hold the torch for aspiring athletes everywhere.

1963, First Wrestling Team.

1977 State Champions

Left: Raymod Dunning on top. Right: Tagbo Obi ‘09.

Alumni wrestlers gather after their on-field appearance at the football home opener this year.

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championship team, is a faculty member in the wellness and social science departments, joining the faculty in 1979. He has served as the head coach of wrestling, the linebacker coach for the varsity and head coach of the J.V. football teams. He also served as the head coach of softball from 1987-97, winning the state title in 1995.

2013 Long-time coach Patrick Simpson ‘74 will be the honoree at the school’s 34th annual Legacy Gala on March 16.

The evening will also showcase the coaches and alumni of the highly successful wrestling program, which has claimed 19 state titles and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The event, which raises funds for the school, will take place at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Connie and Brett ’88 Wesnofske are chairing the event. Wesnofske was a member of the state champion wrestling team in 1988.

Simpson, a 1974 Father Ryan alumnus and a member of the 1974 wrestling state

Since becoming just the fourth wrestling head coach in Father Ryan’s history in 1979, his teams have won seven team and eight dual state titles with 59 wrestlers earning individual state titles.

He was inducted into the MTSU Wrestling Hall of Fame earlier in 2012.

In making the Legacy Gala announcement Father Ryan President Jim McIntyre praised Simpson’s work ethic and his commitment to the school’s students. “Pat is a Father Ryan teacher through and through, and his faith guides his every action as he inspires young men and women whether in the classroom, on the field or on the mat. For more than three decades he has represented excellence and achievement and has a legacy of student-athletes who are better people because they were coached by him.

Saluting him and the Simpson family, who have been integral parts of this community and this sport—is natural.”

2013

Wrestlers from all eras will gather to celebrate a half century of excellence.

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COVER STORY Winter 2013

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“You don’t know how much this means to us, and I appreciate so much your coming to Rockaway.”

Those words, uttered with pride and excitement by 58-year Rockaway resident Dorothy Martin (shown in center photo above), capped a weeklong Marching to Macy’s experience and captured the true impact of the Father Ryan Marching Band’s trip to the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

From the announcement of the band’s selection for the Parade in the spring of 2011 through the sunny march through Martin’s hometown, this was a Father Ryan experience unlike any other. And yet, every aspect of it was so “Father Ryan.”

An 18-month build-up packed with practices and anticipation, nods to history and to the present, holiday breakfasts that featured a lot more noise than most early morning Thanksgivings, and memories that stretched from Nashville to New York and around the country. It was a march that left a mark that is indelibly and unmistakably Irish.

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Cover Story Winter 2013

a send-off with a saint

pray that through the God, Our Father, we our as You will protect hol Nic St. of n intercessio from harm and help e saf m the p Kee children. sight. In ome worthy in Your them grow and bec u have given the gift Yo h urc Ch ur Yo Your love for n and these Father Ryan me of musical ability to ngth to keep their stre m the e Giv h. women of fait in Your keep alive their joy faith in You; and to their talents for use y the as m the creation. Bless y people. the good of Your hol Your glory and for , Our Lord. Amen.

Through Jesus Christ

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Wows From Manhattan to the shore After the two-day bus ride to New York, the excitement and glitter took over. The city, bedecked in Christmas decorations, was glittering and stunning. Trips to the Blue Man Group and Ground Zero followed by a reception at the Princeton Club of New York raised the heartbeat.

And even with a 1:30 a.m. wakeup call for the ride over to dress rehearsal for NBC, Thanksgiving Day dawned gloriously. The Parade itself was stunning, with 3.5 million people lining the streets of Central Park West and 6th Avenue to watch and cheer and smile. Included in the crowds were pockets of purple (above) Bishop David Choby ‘65 presents medals, leads prayer.

-46 46-47 1945 19 8 -4 7 4 19 -496 1954-55 1953-54 48 -507 19 5-5 195 496-5 195 8 1 19 7-5 -5 195 0 0 9-8 5 197 1 19 0-8 198 2 2 5 11981-8 1952-53 195

E BAND A PRAYER FOR TH

Macy’s Performance Honors the Past, salutes the Present

Two special activities added to the distinctly Father Ryan approach to the Parade. Jeff Schletzer, co-director of the band since 1983, has always said that when he would walk in the Macy’s Parade, he’ll be thinking about every band that came before, because every band that came before

1986-87 1985-86 19 84-85 1983-84 1982 -83

®

Father Ryan alumni and every class since 2009 has heard the Odyssey of the Medal, the story of Bill Donlon ‘31’s Blessed Virgin Mary medal that he wore throughout his life as a connection to Father Ryan and his faith. This year, each band member was presented with a medal of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children and the symbol of the holiday season. Bishop David Choby ’65 shook the hand of each band member and presented them with their medal, hearkening back to the gesture of Bishop Alphonse Smith in 1930 when he presented Mr. Donlon and the basketball team their medals. It was a touching start to an unforgettable week.

6 8-49 1947-48 1946-47 1945-4 194 0 9-5 194 1 0-5 195 2 1-5 1952-53 195

Macy’s week began with a pep rally— of course it did! On Friday, November 16 with the student body, many parents and alumni in attendance and four TV stations and The Tennessean documenting the day, the band got a send-off that captured the spirit of the school. There were proclamations from Governor Bill Haslam for each band member, making them Ambassadors for Tennessee. A hearty greeting from the Mayor’s office through Councilmember Sean McGuire. But the highlight was a ceremony rooted in Father Ryan’s early years. Many

made this trip possible. The band took that literally as every band member walked the parade route with a photo of one of the bands in our 65Year Marching Band history. It was a warm way to turn Schletzer’s words into reality, and it added special meaning to every band alum who was watching the Parade.

In fact, four recent alums marched

worn by parents, staff, faculty, alumni and supporters, including Coach Bruce Lussier and his wife, Bobbi, who traveled to NYC to salute the band that has always been a source of inspiration for the football team. The news coverage was wall-to-wall at home and in New York, and the accolades were immediate and many, including the band’s selection by Entertainment Weekly as the best uniforms of the Parade. Within 45 minutes of their performance, the band was trending top four on Twitter.

in the parade, carrying the banners for Tennessee and Father Ryan. And numerous alumni sent messages of encouragement and pride to this year’s band.

In addition, the band made the viewing more participatory with a special Macy’s Viewing Pack promotion. Working with our Leadership Sponsor, Hunt Brothers Pizza, the school offered Breakfast Pizzas along with special pennants, cups and band memorabilia for families to support their musicians as they watched the parade. The promotion, also advertised on WSMV-TV (Channel 4) with Hunt Brothers Pizza, raised over $5,400.

And that money is making a big difference as the band and the school decided to donate it to the Macy’s/ American Red Cross disaster relief effort for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Hunt Bros. Pizza for breakfast: Faculty member Carolyn Lavender picks up pizza from Patricia Hunt and (from left) Morgan Thompson ‘16 and Britt ‘13 and Bailey ‘15 Hunt.

excited…and a bit nervous. But it was left to long-time director Jeff Schletzer to capture it best. Walking off the star after the band’s performance, he shed a tear or two and said “You don’t know what this means. I am so proud of these guys.”

(continued on page 16)

Most important, the band absolutely nailed their performance. With Matt Lauer of NBC’s The Today Show introducing them around the world, the 83 band members wowed a national audience and the assembled crowd on 34th Street with their presentation of “Asphalt Cocktail.” The 75 second show included the kind of nontraditional components that have become the band’s hallmark…elaborate movements, exceptional musicality, leaps and hurdles and robotic expressions that had the band directors

Marching from Midtown to Central Park: Band members and parents celebrate at Princeton Club; Alums Eric Tudor ‘09, EJ Hinlo ‘12, Jessica Zic ‘12 return to carry the banner; Directors celebrate a memorable performance.

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Cover Story Winter 2013

Back on the Bus The band members and co-directors will tell you that the best part of the trip was boarding the bus right after performing their show on TV, having been up for 12 hours, traveling to Far Rockaway and performing a second parade for the residents of this community, so hammered by Hurricane Sandy.

It began as a Father Ryan idea…in the aftermath of Sandy, why not send some money to help with the relief effort, and let’s offer to perform our music for an area that has been working to clean up. Macy’s was taken with the idea, but had no possibilities—until the day after our offer, when David Whitehead, pastor at an interdenominational church in Manhattan, contacted Macy’s to see if a band might be interested in

coming to Queens. From those simple confluences such good things emerged.

A New York City police car provided the escort along the turnpikes and through the traffic to get the band to Far Rockaway, an hour’s ride to the southeast, right along the Atlantic Ocean. Signs of the city’s struggles greeted the caravan as soon as it got close to the city: a boat parked on top of someone’s garage, the storm’s debris covering fences and the beaten-down fields, an eerie emptiness to stores and businesses, windows boarded up and insurance company signs indicating that the property was damaged.

As the band arrived and the curious faces of the residents appeared, an energy enveloped the community. The parade line formed quickly with New York Councilman and State Senator-

elect James Sanders taking the front.

The band set off to the tunes of “Call Me Maybe” and “Gangham Style” around the town. The music and the sight brought homeowners, firemen, visitors and policemen out of their buildings to follow the sound, as though the music was leading them to a better time and a better place. Fortyfive minutes later the parade ended in that better place, still Far Rockaway, but more energized and hopeful—if only for a day—by the presence of these 83 musical souls and their directors.

The faces of the residents registered smiles, appreciation and tears. Dorothy Martin said that “no Macy’s band has EVER come to Far Rockaway. Thank you for being the first.” Other residents rocked to the tunes, steadily filming the event on their iPhones. Thanks and appreciation poured out in both

The Irish family and TV cameras were out in force to follow the Irish. (top) Band preps at Far Rockaway.

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Making Noise across the social Media World The Marching Band’s trip to and appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lit up the social media world. On Facebook, Twitter and various blogs as well as on TV stations and in newspapers throughout the U.S., Father Ryan was at the fi ngertips of every social media follower.

“We’re trending top 4 on Twitter!”

-Comment uttered by band member on the road to Far Rockaway

“…best uniforms in the Parade were Father Ryan’s.”

-Entertainment Weekly directions. One band member was delayed in returning to the buses after heading to the auditorium for the restroom. When the directors located her about ten minutes later, she told them that she couldn’t get back out, “Everyone stopped me to say ‘thank you’, to hug me and to let me know what it meant for us to be there.”

At the family Thanksgiving Dinner back at the hotel that evening, at the end of this very long day, the band members talked with their parents and friends about the experience: the marching, the meals, Blue Man and the Princeton Club, the bus ride and time with their friends. Every one of them said the best part was the faces on the folks in Far Rockaway, and each mentioned how grateful they were to have been able to make that trip.

That’s Marching to Macy’s….Father Ryan style.

You can see the coverage and catch all of the details of the trip on the website in the media gallery.

“Thank you again for playing my piece at the Macy’s parade. I loved your performance! Best Thanksgiving ever!”

-Composer John Mackey via twitter “So proud of @fatherryan! I still can’t get over how awesome that was!!“ -Chase Stejskal @chaseallister

Today, my Thanksgiving has a new recipe. It calls for 82 of my closest friends, traveling to New York, marching down 6th Avenue, carrying a history of 88 years, “Call Me Maybe”, “Gangnam Style”, and even a bit of hope for the people of New York.

-Liz Haynes ‘13, The Tennessean Op-Ed on Thanksgiving Day

“Listening to the fight song as the Father Ryan band walked off gave me chills! It’s a great day to be Irish!”

-Ellie Scaglione @ellenscaglione

A young New York City fan wants to join the Band for the Parade.

“It is our first time. So excited to be here, it has been an awesome experience. It is everything we imagined and more. It’s a great day to be Irish.”

-Athletic Director Pat Lawson interviewed

by Channel 7 NYC 17

Alumni Feature Winter 2013

Minnesota’s Home-Body Bob Boyd ‘70 has a message for Father Ryan students who feel like they don’t measure up to the scholars around them: you are still remarkable.

He knows this from personal experience.

Having once been told by Coach Murray Lynch that he held the record for the number of times anyone was placed on the afterschool “Work Crew” for disruptive behavior, Bob is now an executive manager with a 40-year record as a creative and compassionate leader who has supervised multi-million dollar budgets and professional staff.

In his current job as director of Policy and Special Initiatives for the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA), he has had oversight of major agency programs, including a $100 million housing development project, the opening of the nation’s first public housing complex for adults with memory loss, and multiple welfare reform initiatives that have helped MPHA earn national awards and recognition for innovation—while taking care of health, employment, housing and other needs of the poor and the elderly.

“If I can succeed like this after my 18

record, there is hope for everyone,” said Bob, who joked that he moved up from “D” class to “B” class during his Father Ryan years. It wasn’t that he wasn’t smart, Bob said. It was just that he didn’t know how capable—or compassionate—he was until the Father Ryan community pulled it out of him.

Bob said several teachers touched his life, particularly Jim Dedman, Jim Langdon, Pat Langdon, then–Fr. Ed Johnston, and then–Fr. Jim Sullins.

“Each of them got me believing in myself, “said Bob. “Pat Langdon befriended me and showed me I was a good writer. Jim Langdon encouraged me to read deeply and broadly. Ed Johnston took me to Haiti and showed me I could make a difference through social action, and Jim Sullins exposed me to new ways of thinking on social justice.”

But the greatest single impact was by Dedman, who coached the speech and debate team.

“He figured out I had a natural ability to articulate and argue, skills I didn’t appreciate I had,” said Bob, who worked with the team but stopped short of joining when he found out he had to be

by Terry Shelton ‘69

able to argue for either side of an issue.

Bob, who later became a conscientious objector while he was in the seminary at St. Ambrose College, could not argue the “pro” side of the war in Vietnam.

But it was not just Father Ryan faculty who influenced Bob. He said Father Ryan students and alums like Tony Garr ‘64, Pat Shelton ’67, Mike Carter ’69 and Dan Darst ’70 were important influences. And it helped that he was welcomed into the inner-city activities of the Catholic Youth Volunteers (CYV) group—the first of many social justice groups Bob would join or lead.

“They all believed in me, paid attention to me and convinced me I had the capacity to learn and blossom,” Bob said. “They offered acceptance and the sense of community I was hungry for.”

Bob said it’s not surprising he had such self doubt or that he got into such trouble at Father Ryan. As one of ten children, Bob had a lot of competition at home, where he was surrounded by older brothers Hugh ’64 and Danny ’69, seven successful sisters, and a mother, Irene, known nationally for her writing in Catholic media such as Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic Digest and Maryknoll Magazine.

(Above: Bob Boyd with Cora McCorvey, executive director of MPHA)

color and prepared for me future collaborations with bosses and supervisors.”

Irish Pride: 1970 and today.

“There was a lot for me to live up to, I guess, and I didn’t know how I could do it. So I acted out a bit,” said Bob. By the time he finished Father Ryan, Bob had grown past much of that self-destructive behavior and was discovering and affirming the leader within. More importantly, he was determined to live a life devoted to social justice.

“In CYV I experienced magical moments of faith when I knew I had made a difference in the lives of the poor,” said Bob. “Don’t get me wrong. The Boyds were poor. We were children of a first generation Irish immigrant. But on Hawkins (Street) I saw what different dynamics were at work when poverty was intertwined with race. That’s where I learned I could play a role in the lives of the poor and could bring the gospel message of love and service to life.”

Over the next two decades Bob followed his wife and college sweetheart, Helen Schwartzhoff, as she found teaching jobs in Minnesota. He took a variety of jobs that prepared him for his current role. At Legal Aid in Winona, his job was “to find poverty and end it.” He worked with battered women, welfare recipients and the elderly, helping educate them on their rights. Next, he managed a 180-unit housing development for the elderly in Rochester before moving on to be a mediation program coordinator in Zumbrota and then a tri-county community corrections planner.

When Cora McCorvey hired him in 1993, she had just taken over as executive director at MPHA and was determined to re-make the bureaucracy into a results-driven agency that had a real impact on people’s lives. She said those early years were filled with numerous difficult operational challenges, and few systems were in place to carry out the most routine activities.

“I understood clearly that I would have to be able to attract, hire and retain the most talented professionals,” she said. “I hired Bob to take care of a small, but important department, and over time it became clear that he had deep passion for issues that affected our large resident population, and he began to make creative recommendations.”

Ultimately, she promoted him twice. She was struck, she

Bob continued that passion when he entered the seminary at St. Ambrose. He threw himself into community activism, working as a tutor and organizer in inner-city Davenport, Iowa. This same passion helped get him kicked out the seminary four times in clashes with the rector. He was reinstated each time and finally left on his own after two years, but not before he had sharpened his organizing, speaking, writing and leadership skills.

said, by “his keen ability to respond quickly to change while providing critical, thoughtful strategies and fresh ideas…while working very intentionally and directly to bring out the best in our staff and residents.”

At the same time he also became a leader in the anti-Vietnam War movement, which led to an arrest during a protest after the mining of Haiphong Harbor in 1972.

To Bob, Cora is another major mentor in his life, like those teachers at Father Ryan. Besides pushing him to excel professionally, she lets his individuality shine through.

“We were holding ‘Nixon Kills Me’ signs downtown and, at noon, all dropped to the ground. When cops told us to get up, everyone did but me. It was the time in my life when I decided I had to be totally involved, not just preaching for others to do it,” Bob recalled.

“She let me bring my values to my work and lets me be me,” Bob said, even if that means he shows up for work or staff meetings dressed as Santa Claus, a leprechaun, or a movie star in drag. And even if it means she occasionally has to channel his passion when it broaches the boundaries of decorum, or when she has to reject his ideas that bend or stretch bureaucratic rules to the breaking point.

He ultimately ended up serving 30 days in jail for that conviction, and it further crystallized his thinking on social activism that had been born at Father Ryan.

Bob finally turned his full attention to scholarship when he went to the University of Iowa, where he majored in Women and Minorities Studies.

“I was often the only white person or only man in a class,” he said. “It was a powerful experience to be in the minority and got me thinking about how I work with women and people of

She said they have been able to work together for almost 20 years because of “his love and respect for our residents.” His willingness to help out “always makes me smile. I love Bob’s tender caring heart and his special ability to put others first…”

Bob admitted he is known for overreaching at times in his zest to help the poor, but it is what he has committed his life to ever since those early days at Father Ryan.

“I learned to act from a simple line in Scripture: ‘God is love’,” Bob said. “Every time I’m able to do something to bring an experience of love to another, then I’m exposing that person to love...to God.” 19

Events Winter 2013

ReMeMbeRing ouR veteRans: the heRo PRoJect The date is now 71 years old. December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor. A day that launched the United States into World War II and launched thousands of young men and women into a period of service that earned them the title of “The Greatest Generation.” Interesting, isn’t it. The day that President Roosevelt told everyone would “live in infamy” became the day these citizens became Heroes.

There aren’t many left to salute or be saluted for their service, and many of the pictures are faded. This past year, Father Ryan was able to start the process of saluting many of our Heroes

through the Hero Project. At the 9/11 Prayer Service and again at the annual Veteran’s Breakfast, eight students of Father Ryan High School finally received their diplomas, adding “alumnus” to “member of the greatest generation” and countless other titles that describe these lives.

The Hero Project began as Father Ryan discovered the depth of sacrifice of its students and faculty during World War II. During that conflict more than 500 Father Ryan students and many faculty members served in the armed forces. This is a remarkable number of

servicemen, because by the end of the war in 1945, Father Ryan had been in existence for only 20 years and was getting ready to graduate its 18th senior class. Since the total alumni body was approximately 580 at this time, that means that over 90% of the total Father Ryan alumni universe served at some point during the War. What a testament to our tradition of service!

The Hero Project identifies those Father Ryan students who served in World War II and either never returned from the war or never returned to Father Ryan to complete their studies. Leigh

A Hero’s Salute: (from left) Dan Fogarty, Class of 1944; Gerald Keogh, Class of 1945; The Langdon family accepts the diploma for David Langdon ‘43.

aluMni status PRoudly confeRRed Each of the Hero Project honorees received his diploma, which says, “This certifies that this alumnus, by virtue of his being a model to his family of the mission and beliefs of Father Ryan High School and of his service to our community and our country is herewith awarded this Honorary Diploma.”

The first honorees are: Robert Barnard, Class of 1943 James M. Burns, Class of 1944 Benson Wesley Davis, Jr., Class of 1944 Daniel P. Fogarty, Class of 1944 Eugene Greene, Class of 1945 Gerald D. Keogh, Class of 1945 David Leo Langdon, Class of 1943 Patrick J. Nolan, Jr., Class of 1944

David Leo Langdon

For more information about the Hero Project or to let Father Ryan know of someone who should be honored, go to www.fatherryan.org/heroproject or call the Alumni Office at 615-269-7926.

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9/11 Prayer Service honors our First Responders, who were warmly thanked by Father Ryan students.

Anne Hasty of the junior class, her father, Mark Hasty, a Veterans Breakfast, Channel 5 Feature member of the Class of 1987 and the Alumni Board, and Bill Honors Heroes of All Ages Varley of the Class of 1971, have been leading this research effort. John Furgess, Class of 1961, serves as Chair of the Hero Project Committee, and our Registrar, Nancy Langdon, has also been deeply involved.

The project was unveiled this fall, and a more touching introduction could not be imagined. The 9/11 Prayer Service is always an emotional moment, as our alumni and parent first responders come to the campus to be honored; this year, their arrival on the gym floor before the event began sparked a spontaneous standing ovation from the student body that tugged at the heartstrings of even the most senior staffer. In this environment, we then honored our first Hero, David Leo Langdon, whose brothers, Jim ‘54 and Pat ‘57, are long-time members of the Father Ryan faculty. They along with David’s children accepted the diploma from a grateful Father Ryan community.

We told you earlier that the photos are fading, but the memories they conjure have not waned. The Langdons’ picture of their oldest brother in uniform with the rest of their family captures the pride and the determination of this young man, all of 18 years old and ready to serve. But that’s the look of all of the photos and the faces. Two veterans were there at the Veterans Breakfast to pick up their diplomas themselves, Dan Fogarty of the Class of 1944 and Gerry Keogh of the Class of 1945. Proud, yes…of their service, but prouder to be officially Father Ryan alumni. The ovations for these gentlemen and the family members of those who could not be present resonated loudly throughout the halls, reminding us of greatness in our presence and the tradition of service that they embody and inspire in our community.

The Veterans Day Breakfast has become a focal point for the school’s celebration of our veterans and active duty personnel, and this year’s event demonstrated that in attendance and emotion. The largest crowd in the breakfast’s history came out on Friday morning, November 9, and were touched by very special ceremonies.

In addition to the Hero Project presentations, there was the reading of the “Odyssey of the Medal” and the presentation of that medal to our Father Ryan faculty veterans and to one alumnus who went on active service in Afghanistan that weekend. Mary Lee Bunch, daughter of the medal’s owner— Bill Donlon ’31—read the story of the medal’s protection of her father through WWII and the rest of his life.

Senior Callie Hermann’s reading of her VFW “Voice of Democracy” essay was a dramatic and insightful retelling of the importance of the U.S. Constitution. (see sidebar on page 22).

All of this was captured and told in a beautiful TV news story

by Mike Rose ’89 of WTVF (CBS). His more than six-minute story aired on the Monday after Veteran’s Day and is available for viewing on the Father Ryan website in the media gallery.

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Events

Blackhawk Helicopter Lands at Father Ryan Winter 2013

An Irish Voice of Democracy Is the Constitution still relevant? That was the question answered by senior Callie Herrmann ‘13 in the VFW Voice of Democracy Essay Contest. Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW’s) premier scholarship program.

Each year, more than 50,000 high school students compete for more than $2.3 million in scholarships and incentives.

Students compete by writing and recording a broadcast script on an annual patriotic theme.

Callie asked about the relevance of the U.S. Constitution and how different a country we’d live in under an “Alternative Constitution” based on selfish interests.

Here’s an excerpt:

“So, is the U.S. Constitution still relevant? I can answer with absolute certainty that it is. When I think about the dreadful alternative, I have visions of chaos, destruction and a divided nation full of unhappy people. The “Alternative Constitution” has no consideration for others, and without each other we are nothing. The unity, love and inclusion that our country once stood for would vanish. This is certainly not what our Founding Fathers had in mind when they constructed the Constitution on the principles of liberty, unity and selfless love. The U.S. Constitution still holds true to these goals and dreams of America.”

The normal sounds of the classroom and campus faded into the distance shortly after the Veterans Day Breakfast as the newest Blackhawk helicopter dropped in for a visit. Its arrival was arranged through Capt.

Matt Morales ’05 who is training on the helicopter later this spring. The $22 million aircraft drew students and faculty members on the campus, including the Christ the King 8th graders on their visit day. The craft stayed on the practice field for three hours, affording our community a rare opportunity to see up-close a hi-tech piece of the American military force.

The Blackhawk making its entrance (right): MacKenzie ‘13, Matt ‘05, Maggie ‘11 and Mandy ‘01 Morales.

A Weekend to Remember service From Friday’s Veterans Day Breakfast and Hero Project Honors to the special visit of the new Army Blackhawk Helicopter...to Saturday’s Veterans Pride 5K and its 300 runners and walkers...to our remembrances of veterans...past and present...we honor our service men and women and say thank you for your service to this nation.

A record number of runners and walkers turned out on a beautiful Saturday morning for the Veterans Pride 5K. Thanks to event sponsor TSH Investments and our Leadership Sponsors: Angel Healthcare Staffing, Hunt Brothers Pizza, LSI, Mary Lee Bunch and Associates, Novacopy, SMS Holdings, Star Physical Therapy and Sunrise Contracting for another memorable event to support tuition assistance.

Go to the Father Ryan website under Alumni Events to read Callie’s entire essay.

The 5K started on the right foot.

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Service Profile Winter 2013

Senior service opens door to life of service By: Jack Murphree ‘79

Francesca Mancuso, Daniel Whitcomb, Caleb Sharber, Rebecca Crumby, and Grace Farone at Harris-Hillman Special Education School.

In 1972, the Father Ryan Senior Service Program introduced students to the immeasurable value found in the experience of giving and caring for others by connecting them directly with those in need.

In 2013, not only is the Senior Service Program wildly popular at a 90% class enrollment, it is paving the way for graduates who are choosing service as a career.

“Initially, they sign-up for the class to get off–campus without supervision,” says Betts Clippinger, Senior Service Program Coordinator since 1997, “but they figure out quickly that the class is not about getting their freedom.

It’s about wanting to see the people they work with because they truly care about them.”

The community service program, offered exclusively to the senior class as a course elective, essentially places student volunteers into 12 different educational and care-giving facilities two days per week during the school year, including St. Mary Villa Child Development Center, St. Mary Villa Nursing Home, Paragon Mills Elementary School,

Murrell Academy and Harris-Hillman Special Education School. Each of the program partners cater to preschool, elementary and special needs education as well as elderly care.

have to ride with,” says Clippinger. “By the end of the semester, they are very best friends with those same people and are so grateful to have gotten to know them.”

“Before I send my kids out, I spend three or four days prepping them about the different kinds of places they can go and the kinds of people they can work with,” says Clippinger. “I map out the possibilities and the responsibilities at each one so that they are able to make a choice.”

One important aspect of the program curriculum is the journaling by the students about their individual experiences, which includes addressing five different assigned topics each week, is a part of the program curriculum.

The student journals are also windows into the lessons which are cultivated by the Program.

The logistics of getting from the Father Ryan campus to the various destinations inside the 90–minute allotted class time begins with car groups of two to six assigned to licensed drivers with transportation. Groups are required to ride together so that they can process and discuss what’s happening at their place of service on the way to and from their placement.

Typically, the car groups do not know each other well, so the connections with the people they serve aren’t the only relationships they begin to build.

“When I first put them in their carloads, they moan and groan about who they

“It’s a whole other way of life they’ve never experienced from the glass bubbles they live in,” says Clippinger. “They get involved in other people’s lives and they grow to love them.”

Integrating the concept and the importance of serving others into the reality of high school is not exclusive to Father Ryan, but it is uniquely Father Ryan.

“Service is an important topic among parents at other schools,” says Angela (Allbee) Mills ‘85, Director of Alumni Communications. “but our motto is Faith, Knowledge, Service, and we’ve 23

Service Profile Winter 2013

Service throughout the comunity; (clockwise from top left) Gina Beckman with a friend at Centennial Adult Care; Cindy Nguyen at St. Mary’s Villa; George Edwards making a mark at Christ the King; Casey Motley ‘12 visits his friends at Paragon Mills.

been about service to the community for over 40 years. It is ingrained in our student experience.”

At the core of the Senior Service Program is the belief that cultivating the habit of giving of one’s self deliberately makes the desire to serve steadily grow stronger.

“Our Senior Service Program is a tangible way for students to live their faith,” says Tim Forbes ‘93, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life. “It is a practical way to put faith into action and an opportunity to minister with their peers.

It is a time of real self-discovery for them.”

At Paragon Mills Elementary School, fifteen seniors are assigned to pre-kindergarten through 4th grade classes, assisting teachers with one-on-one and small group work, grading papers and mentoring special needs children, according to Teresa (Sharp) Davis ‘81, school librarian and point person for the Senior Service Program there.

“The Ryan students make such an impact,” says Davis. “It’s really neat to watch their relationships grow. Whenever our special needs kids see their buddies, it helps defuse what may have been a difficult day for them.

“Our teachers really bond with the Father Ryan students,” says Davis. “They know they can rely on them, and they make plans in their classrooms that include them.”

Bringing individual skill sets and leadership to service is also fostered by the Senior Service Program.

“Two of our Father Ryan seniors were interested in teaching math to our students last year,” says Davis. “One of the teachers let them form a small group made up of 4th graders who brought sack lunches and participated in activities that were tied to the skills they were learning in class.”

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“The group was so effective that it led to the formation of a math club headed by Ryan students at our elementary school,” says Davis. “On top of all of these experiences for these young students, I am personally so proud to have these Father Ryan students come to my school and represent so well the tradition of Faith, Knowledge, Service.

“It’s important, especially for the Elliston Place alums, to know that the real life experiences that we remember so vividly at Ryan are still happening today, and that our students are still motivated by those experiences to pursue careers in areas they otherwise would not have heard about before college,” says Mills.

For Kristin Schletzer ‘08, senior service in a pre-K classroom where English was not a first language cemented her career path. She is working on a master’s degree in education and English language learning at David Lipscomb University.

“Looking back on it, the Senior Service Program honestly changed my life,” said Schletzer. “The diversity in that classroom was not something I had ever been exposed to, and it was a real challenge for me. I definitely would never have considered what I am doing now had it not been for the Senior Service Program.”

ryan student sends help to congo’s street children

by Maria Bonvissuto Reprinted with permission from the Tennessee Register.

Thanks to one Nashville youth’s efforts, street children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive desperately needed clothes.

Wabi Tela, a junior at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, has organized a charity known as Kemi’s Friends to collect and send used summer clothing to the impoverished children of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital city. Tela gathered boxes and boxes of donations, which are currently traveling overseas, to be given to Kinshasa’s poorest youth.

age and younger wandered the streets, abandoned, homeless, and without the basic necessities of life. Tela was shocked and saddened by this dire situation. “(It was) unnatural to me,” he said.

After some research, Tela discovered that the abandoned children of Kinshasa are known as Shegues. After the Democratic Republic of the Congo was thrown into horrific social and economic strife due to violent civil wars that rocked the country from 1996 to 2003, many children there found themselves cast out into the streets. According to Tela, this has happened to thousands of children in Kinsasha – some estimates as high as 30,000 – all orphans of AIDS, victims of abuse, or abandoned by or separated from their parents.

Tela determined that he would find a way to assist the children.

It was then that Kemi’s Friends was born.

He christened the newly founded charity after his 7-year-old sister. “Her name means ‘God is taking care of me,’ so we want children over there to know we’re taking care of them even if they feel no one is,” explained Tela.

He decided that there was no better place to start the clothing drive than his own school, Father Ryan. With the assistance of Dean of Student Life and Campus Ministry Tim Forbes, Tela set up donation boxes in all the theology classrooms and visited classes to give presentations about his cause. The response was overwhelming. Donations from the community poured in and over the course of his freshman and sophomore years, Tela said, his clothes drive garnered a “tremendous amount” of clothing.

Tela created Kemi’s Friends in March 2011, but the seeds of the charity were planted long before he collected his first piece of clothing. Tela’s family originally hails from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His parents Zudi and Nkumu grew Despite the overwhelming first success of Kemi’s Friends, Tela up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before attending still had some snags to overcome. The cost of shipping such a college in Belgium, where Wabi was born. The Telas eventually big load of clothes to another continent was prohibitive. And moved to the United States to raise their family. there was also the problem of how the donations would be It was during two trips to the Democratic Republic of the distributed once they reached their destination. For the first Congo in the summers of 2008 and 2009 that Tela and his two years of the drive, Tela could not send the Congolese younger brother Kahwit noticed the terrible living conditions children their clothes due to high shipping costs. However, of the children in Kinshasa. Thousands of boys and girls their after talking to several different charities, Wabi discovered

Purple Pride from Nashville to Kinshasa: Kemi’s Friends was able to collect many boxes of clothing; Caritas Congo, a Catholic charitable organization operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, distributed the clothes to the street children.

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Caritas Congo, a Catholic charitable organization operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The group agreed to partner with Kemi’s Friends to distribute the clothes to the poor children of Kinshasa, and it also gave a substantial donation to help defray transport expenses.

This, along with the cooperation of a generous shipper, made it possible for Kemi’s Friends to finally send its first donation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by boat. Once the donations touch the coast, Caritas will pick up and deliver them to Kinshasa’s street children shelters.

Tela said one of the most rewarding aspects of this ministry has been, “seeing the community here open their arms.” And, of course, he mentioned that, “It’s nice to help out the country where my family’s from.”

The junior hopes that Kemi’s Friends will live on at his alma mater long after he graduates. “I want this to be a permanent thing there, I hope my brother will carry on when he gets to Father Ryan.”

He added that he wants this work for the children of Kinshasa to continue beyond his family so that, “Even if we’re not there (Father Ryan) physically, the drive’s still going on.”

Winter 2013

1954 BILL SHANKS lives in Daytona Beach, FL with his wife Carolyn. Bill was named to the Midtown Redevelopment Board where he will serve two years as Project Professional Site Planner. This project includes a large residential/ commercial portion of Central Daytona and the development of a campus master plan for the expansion of Bethune– Cookman College.

1968 GARY LIVINGSTON retired in August 2012, after 20 years with Hewlett Packard Company. Gary is still traveling, but now it’s in a RV all around the U.S. 1969 DR. ROBERT CAMPBELL (top right) was honored in January by the FDA at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Orphan Drug Act. The event recognized 30 heroes whose accomplishments to support and develop treatments for individuals with rare diseases have made clinical, research, advocacy and regulatory contributions.

Bob was acknowledged for his work to develop the VEPTR medical device (a lifesaving artificial diaphragm for children with spinal deformities, see Irish Ayes, Winter 2012), as well as his tremendous advocacy for rare diseases.

In the meantime, though, Tela is content to observe the present results of Kemi’s Friends and continue to promote his cause.

1980 TONY FREELAND is a graduate of University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He served as U.S. Army Officer and now owns a civil engineering fi rm in Bellingham, WA.

“As long as we can help one child, that’s even good enough.”

1982 JIM HUBBUCH has been promoted to Vice President of Strategic Financial Partners. He is responsible for an aggressive growth plan for the Nashville/Knoxville regions in terms of production and in growth of the number of Nashville-based advisors for the fi rm.

For more information or to give a donation, visit Tela’s website: http://kemisfriends.org or email kemisfriends@ gmail.com. To follow news and show support, follow and like Kemi’s Friends on Facebook.

1984 BLAKE FONTENAY (right) had his fi rst novel, The Politics of Barbecue, published. It is available in stores and via Amazon.com. The fictional story is set in Memphis and chronicles the greed and corruption that accompany plans to build a World Barbecue Hall of Fame in the city.

1985 LAURA CANTRELL (lower right) performed this summer at “Music City Roots, Live from Loveless Barn” where several of her classmates cheered for her. Laura is a country music artist living in NYC. Her latest CD is Kitty Wells Dresses: Songs of the Queen of Country Music, and she is working on her fourth album.

1987 JASON ERWIN, Father Ryan’s resident artist and faculty member, recently created a mixed media map of Nashville for The Scout Guide. The guide book highlights independent businesses and attractions in Nashville.

1989 MICHAEL JONES has relocated to Nashville after a 17–year absence. He took a new position with his employer, US Bank, as a Private Client Relationship Manager in the Brentwood office covering eight branches in the Middle Tennessee area.

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Jerry Forster ‘79 Takes Helm of University of Charleston-Beckley Jerry Forster ‘79 is returning to his alma mater as the president of the University of Charleston-Beckley, part of the University of Charleston system in West Virginia. He was announced as the new president last October and began his tenure on January 1.

Dr. Robert Campbell ‘69

The new Beckley campus is on the grounds of the former Mountain State University, which closed late last year. Jerry and the University of Charleston president Dr. Ed Welch are planning enhancements in program offerings, particularly in nursing and the allied health sciences, with a goal of having 400 students this spring and over 2,000 within the next three-five years. “It’s a big challenge and there’s a lot work to do,” Jerry said.

However, based on Jerry’s educational successes, the challenge is one he will handle well. In taking the top position at Beckley, Jerry is returning to the University he served as vice president from 1992-2001, responsible for administration and finance. During his tenure the endowment more than doubled, and he participated in a successful capital campaign, which funded the construction of several new buildings on the main campus of the University.

Author Blake Fontenay ‘84

Prior to taking the presidency at Beckley, Jerry served as the treasurer and chief financial officer at Sewanee: The University of the South since 2001.

A graduate of St. Edward School, he attended UC on a basketball scholarship and earned his undergraduate degree in 1983. He received his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Vanderbilt in 2007. Jerry and his wife, Gayle, also a UC graduate, have three children, two who have graduated from Belmont University and one who graduated from Sewanee.

Shown at Cantell’s performance are (l. to r.) Christie Wilson, Steve Kohl, Martin Strobel, Laura Cantrell and Regina (Warner) Chiames from the Class of 1985.

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1996 Gary Gerald is assistant professor of biology at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE. He married Lisette Torres in the summer of 2012.

1998 Kevin McCauley graduated from Belmont with a bachelor’s degree. In 2010 he married his wife, Brittany, and they had a daughter, Everett Anne McCauley, in 2011.

Kevin left cooking at Margot Cafe to become the full-time kitchen manager and part-time culinary instructor at Viking Cooking School in Franklin, TN. 1999 Laura (Bosio) Allen was named Teacher of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year at Avery Trace Middle School in Cookeville, TN. Laura is in her eighth year in the classroom and is teaching 5th grade reading and social studies.

2000 Steven Schrimpf accepted the position of operations analyst at Produce Alliance LLC, a Nashvillebased brokerage company. He is now living in Hermitage with his wife, Anna, and son, Aidan.

2000 Jenn Sims, currently completing her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, recently organized and led an international team of 20+ scholars to produce The Sociology of Harry Potter: 22 Enchanting Essays on the Wizarding World (Zossima Press 2012). As the first book–length sociological analysis of Harry Potter, it aims to introduce the public to a sociological way of thinking via analysis of the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. In addition to being the editor, Jenn also wrote four of the chapters. Anne Marie McCabe-Morgan ‘00, Bridget Mahoney ‘05 and Brittany Sims ‘05 are all mentioned in the Acknowledgments. Brittany is also the co-recipient (with J.K. Rowling) of the book’s dedication.

2002 Dr. Sarah Talley has joined the staff of Ducklo EyeCare, P.C., announced Dr. Tommy Ducklo ‘67, optometrist and owner.

“Sarah is a talented young optometrist,” said Dr. Ducklo. “We are very pleased to welcome her to our team as our practice continues to grow.” When not providing eye care, Sarah helps at her parent’s equestrian boarding facility, Chataway Farm, in historic Leiper’s Fork.

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2004 Stephanie Elder lives in Clarksville, TN where she is pursuing a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting at Austin Peay State University. She assists with the APSU Wind Ensemble, as well as the “Governor’s Own” Marching Band. In addition, she is a graduate assistant in the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center.

Prior to enrolling in APSU, she was the band director at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, TN. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the UT Knoxville in 2008.

2005 Frances (Leathers) Meza was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps effective August 1, 2012. She lives in Beaufort, SC. 2005 Brittany Sims received her master of public administration from Tennessee State University in May 2012.

2009 Caitlin Mulloy completed her 2012 term as president of Delta Zeta Sorority at UT Knoxville. During this time the sorority built a house on campus, the first in UT history. She was in charge of 160 girls with 43 living in the DZ house. Caitlin followed another alum, Laine Moody ‘08, as sorority president.

2009 The BCS National Championship Game brought together several ‘09 grads for the night! Scott Englert, Rachel Hunkler and Maria Rigby met up and tailgated together before the game. Scott and Maria are seniors at Notre Dame and Rachel is a senior at Alabama.

2010 Domenic DiGiovanni, a junior at Hillsdale College in Michigan, has been selected as an Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) Honors Fellow and attended ISI’s Student Leadership Retreat in Mecosta, MI. He founded an ISI student reading group centered on the ideas of economic liberty and morality. He accomplishes all this while studying physics and economics, tutoring in the school’s writing center and participating in the college’s Catholic Society.

2010 Ellen Mullins earned All-South Region Honorable Mention by the American Volleyball Coaches Association after another impressive season at UT Knoxville. Appearing in every match as the starting libero, Mullins shattered her single-season totals by averaging an impressive 4.55 digs per set, a mark that ranks third all-time in the rally scoring era at UT. She finished the season with the second-most digs (541) and the

fourth-highest scoops per set average in the SEC. 2010 Anthony Simpson, a junior at Bryan College, finished his cross country season at the NAIA National Championship where he led the Lions with a personal best time of 25:11.

His run placed him 25th overall, garnering NAIA All-American Honors. In addition to his family, Father Ryan Boys Cross Country and Track Coach Doug Jones was in Vancouver, WA to support the former Irish runner. Anthony was named as the Appalachian Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the week in September after his performance in the Vanderbilt Classic Cross Country Meet, where he posted a fifth place finish in a field of 135 runners, leading the Lions to a second place finish in the team competition. Anthony ran the 8K race in 26:02.

2011 Tusculum College’s Warren Cheney captured medalist honors to win the 2012 Walters State Fall Golf Classic in Morristown, TN. He fired a two-under par 34 in the nine-hole final round to win his first collegiate golf title and rally the Pioneers to a two-stroke victory over Tennessee Wesleyan in the team competition. Warren came from six shots back to tie the first round leader with a score of 112.

The two would decide the individual crown with a suddendeath playoff, which lasted an additional seven holes. Warren scored a par on the seventh playoff hole to earn the medalist title.

2012 Sam McCullough, Jimmy Oh and E.J. Hinlo are marching for the Notre Dame Band. Sam, who attends Holy Cross College across the street from Notre Dame, is one of only two freshman chosen to join the snareline. The three are photographed in front of Ricci Band Rehearsal Hall at Notre Dame.

2012 Maeve McNamee received a Middle Tennessee OSU (The Ohio State University) Alumni Club Scholarship Award.

2011 Mary Pat Conway was elected president by her sisters at Delta Zeta at UT Knoxville. She is the third president in a row from Father Ryan for the sorority.

Alum Promoted to top national guard post Gary Ensminger ‘77 has been selected as the U.S. Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army National Guard.

CW5 Ensminger has served in the Tennessee Army National Guard for the past 33 years.

Gary is an aviator with the National Guard, qualified in multiple rotary wing aircraft. He has had many assignments in the National Guard: all centered around Aviation Training and Aviation Logistics. Gary deployed to Kosovo in 2004, serving with the MultiNational Forces in the Balkans.

In 2009, Gary was appointed as the Command Chief Warrant Officer for the State of Tennessee. The State Command Chief Warrant Officer is the senior Warrant Officer, responsible for policies, procedures, administration and training for all Warrant Officers in the State.

On October 5, 2012, Gary was selected by Lieutenant General William Ingram to serve as the U.S. Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Army National Guard. Gary will have the same responsibilities, but will oversee all 54 States and Territories.

Gary and his wife, Melanie, relocated to Washington, DC for this three–year assignment.

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Births Winter 2013

Joseph Hudson to Amanda and Stephen Baker ‘93 born on August 23, 2012. Raymond and Mary Jane Baker (Faculty) are thrilled to be first-time grandparents.

Elizabeth Frances (Betsy) to Louisa and Buster Bateman ‘99 born on April 12, 2012. Grandparents, Tommy ’75 and Susie (Francescon) ’75 Bateman are enjoying their family’s new addition. Louisa teaches 8th grade at Christ the King, and Buster began his career as a financial advisor last year with Wells Fargo Advisors, where he joined his father.

Lily Grace to Mark and Brandy (Hounihan) Brandenburg ‘94 on August 9, 2012. She is adored by her two big brothers Matthan, 4 and Asher, 3.

The family lives in Frederick, MD.

Shea Everett to Rob Duke III ‘98 and his wife, Lauri Buckner, born on September 11, 2012. Shea is the great grandson of Dr. John Robert Duke, Sr. ‘50 and Thomas Mogan Davis, Sr. ‘47. Rob, Laurii and Shea live in Nashville.

Virginia Gray Ellen was welcomed into this world on November 14, 2011.

Virginia is the daughter of Hunter Ellen ‘96 and Rachel (Mayo) Ellen ‘01. She also has a proud 2–year–old brother, Zane Patrick.

Thomas Samuel Hoover III to Casey and Tommy Hoover, Jr. ‘03 born on September 11, 2012. Tommy, Sr. and Judy Hoover (Board of Trust) are thrilled to be first-time grandparents.

Griffith Lee to Lee Ann (Griffith) ‘96 and Jeff Johnson born on July 18, 2012.

Amelia Marie to Chrissy and Matt McWatters ‘00 born on October 8, 2012. This is the first child for McWatters and the first grandchild for his mom, Mary Alice McWatters, (Faculty).

Paige Baker to Kimberly (Baker) ‘00 and Stephen Songy born on July 8, 2012.

Ayden Alexander to Teresa and Lance Wise ‘91 born on July 1, 2012.

Autumn Grace to Bryan and Theresa (Nichols) Furlong ‘04 born in November, 2011.

Emerson “Emmy” Josephine to Chip and Kate Goetzinger (Staff) born on November 13, 2012. Big sisters Allison and Payton are pictured with their new baby sister.

Anna Rollins to Angela (Rohling) ‘98 and Mike Gregory born on May 14, 2012. Their first daughter, Katherine Gayle Gregory, was born March 2, 2010.

The Gregorys moved to Knoxville last summer where Mike is director of marketing services and special events for UT and Angela continues to work as an occupational therapist for Gentiva Health.

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Harper Elizabeth to Tiffany (Jackson) ’00 and Stephen Holland born on October 7, 2012.

Eric Michael, Jr. to Anne Marie (McCabe) ‘00 and Eric Morgan, Sr. born on June 26, 2012.

Weddings Winter 2013

ALLYSON AGBUNAG ‘04 and BEN LORANCE ‘04 were married on March 10, 2012. The couple is living in Nashville.

LEAH CONNERS ‘00 and P.G. Banker were married on June 2, 2012 at her aunt’s farm in Franklin, TN with the REVEREND JOSEPH PATRICK BREEN ‘54 officiating.

Leah is the daughter of JOHN T. CONNERS III ‘69 and the granddaughter of JOHN T. CONNERS, JR. ‘37. She is a resident in Family Medicine at John Peter Smith Hospital in Ft. Worth, TX, where the couple lives. P.G. works for Hummingbird Productions, a music advertising firm based in Nashville.

KRISTI MORGAN ‘99 and Craig Cotham were married in Key West, FL on October 20, 2012.

Tish (Pilkerton) ‘03 and Bryan Picklesimer ‘99

TISH PILKERTON ‘03 and BRYAN PICKLESIMER ‘99 were married on June 23, 2012. Tish is coaching and teaching PE at Ensworth School, and Bryan is coaching and teaching PE at Overbrook and St. Cecilia.

MELISSA PUCHALSKI ‘05 and Albert Rich Dorsey IV were married on September 8, 2012. The celebration was at St. Joseph Church in Madison, TN. The happy couple lives in Brentwood, TN. Caroline Ruth Moses married LEE MICHAEL SPROUSE ‘98 on October 20, 2012. Lee is a civil and criminal trial attorney in private practice. He and Caroline live in Nashville.

KATIE THROOP ‘03 and Chase Burnett were married on September 1, 2012. The couple had a small ceremony and reception at her father-in-law’s home in Crossville, TN in front of about 40 friends and family.

Olivia Juneau and JASON HARTMAN ’08 were married on December 5, 2012. GREG HARTMAN ’10 was the best man and JESSE BUTRUM ’08, DAVID COMM ’08 and CHARLIE MENKE ’08 were groomsmen.

SHARE YOUR LATEST NEWS AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE FATHER RYAN FAMILY Irish Ayes is always eager to hear what and how our alumni and families are doing. You can keep in touch with updates on college experiences, jobs and promotions, marriages, births and other personal highlights at alumni@fatherryan.org.

PARENTS OF ALUMNI If your son or daughter no longer maintains an address at your home, please notify the Father Ryan Alumni Office of his or her new address by calling 615-269-7926 or e-mailing Angela Mills ’85 at millsa@fatherryan.org.

Follow us on Facebook.com/ fatherryanhighschool Twitter.com/fatherryan

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In Memoriam Winter 2013

GERTRUDE “TRUDY” FAIMON - Mother of Bill Faimon ‘50.

CHARLIE E. FIELDS - Staff member from 1986 to 2005.

JOHN MURRAY FLYNN ‘65 - brother of Jerry Flynn ‘59 (deceased) and Becky Frazier.

WILLIAM C. “BUDDY” ABBOTT, JR. ‘65 - Father of Trey ‘95, Amy ‘97 and Marty ‘01 Abbott.

ROBERT A. ANGLIN, JR. ‘43.

BARBARA BAGLEY - Mother of Paula Bagley ‘11.

JAMES DAVID BAIRD - Father of Craig Baird ‘93.

LAWRENCE “ROMEY” BALTZ ‘44 - Preceded in death by siblings Joseph, Geroge, Bernard ‘43, Alfred ‘55 and Frank ‘54 Baltz and Anna Marie Harrigan and Margaret Taylor. Survived by sisters Bernadine and Elizabeth Baltz and Catherine Corbitt.

ANGELA H. BARDILL ‘78 - Sister of Bill ‘71, Kathy Vaughn ‘73, Mary ‘74, Pat, Dan, Karen ‘75, Theresa Adkins ‘76, Anne McIntire ‘79, Renesa Davis, Joe ‘80 and Maureen ‘82 Bardill and John Gupton IV. JOHN CHRISTOPHER BATEMAN - MATTHEW P. BATEMAN ‘82 - Brother of Kevin (deceased), Matthew (deceased), Michael, Steve and Cathy Bateman ‘73, Frances Baird, Trisha Fultz, Barbara Barrett and Peggy Cooper Montgomery.

WILLIAM IRVIN BERRY ‘46 - Life Trustee of Father Ryan and brother of the late Robert Berry ‘42 and George Berry ‘51.

MARY LOUISE BEUERLEIN - Wife of Joseph M. Beuerlein ‘58 and mother of Anthony Beuerlein ‘86 and Amy Beuerlein Scanlon ‘89.

ALICE MANZ BOOTH - Mother of Linda Garner, Charles Booth, Debbie Taylor ‘75 and Michael Booth.

THOMAS E. BREEN ‘51 - Brother of Hugh Breen ‘47, Fr. Joe Pat Breen ‘54, Fr. Philip Breen ‘57, Ann Treadway, Mary Jo Beavin and Dorothy Williams.

ROBERT ROSS CALDWELL ‘73.

MERLIN ANTHONY “TONY” CONNOLLY ‘63 - Brother of Matthew ‘60, Alvin ‘61 and Joe ‘66 Connolly; son of the late Matthew F. Connolly, Sr. ‘37.

THOMAS MICHAEL CONNELLY ‘66.

ROBERT J. CROWLEY - Father of Robert, Charles, John ‘78 and Jim ‘80 Crowley and Jacquelyn Hilyer.

JOHN J. CUNNINGHAM - Life Trustee and father of John, Jr. ‘78 (deceased) and Mark Cunningham ‘80.

DIANE E. DEFREECE - Mother of Kenneth ‘77, Thomas ‘81, Jim ‘82, Mike ‘83 DeFreece and Peggy Dean.

NANCY B. FOLEY - Mother of Wendi (Curtis) Johnson ‘85.

LILLIAN PELLETTIERI FORD - Sister of the late Charles Pellettieri ‘50, also known as Wes Don Bishop.

CATHERINE KLEESPIES FORTE - Wife of Fritz Forte ‘40 and mother of Greg Forte ‘73, Ann Yuknavage ‘74, Regina Neligan and Alicia Davis.

HENRY C. FYKE ‘49 - Father of Steve ‘73, Tony, Chris, Scott and Karen ‘85 Fyke, Julie Agee and Sally Henshaw.

MARTHA MARY GIBBS - Mother of Ronnie Gibbs ‘68, Debbie Johnson, Janet Himmelberg and Kenneth Gibbs.

ANGELA M. GILMORE GRIFFIN - Sister of John E. Gilmore, Jr ‘67 (deceased), Mary Ann Gilmore (deceased), Betty Neuhoff, Kathy Bonnet, Amy Schmid, and Joe Gilmore ‘67.

LUALHATI “MARYLOU” GO - mother of Aljon Go ‘93 and Henry Go ‘94.

MARY REGAN GREEN - Mother of Mary Ann Harris, Ellen Tipton, Jim Green ‘67 and Roberta Wheeler.

MARTHA HAINS - Mother of Sarah Hains ‘11.

JOHN B. HARDCASTLE - Husband of Jennifer (Seaman) Hardcastle ‘86.

JOSEPH WALSH HOWINGTON - Son of Maurice Howington ‘44 (deceased).

WILLIAM K. JAMESON - Father of Maureen, Tim ‘72, Kevin ‘76, Christopher ‘77 and Mike Jameson ‘81.

MATTHEW KEEFE - Son of Stephanie Wood KeefeSchmitter ‘77.

JANE L. KELLY - Mother of Mike ‘71, William “Tinker” ‘73, Chris and Bryan ‘84 Kelly.

LEO A. KERRIGAN - Brother of Thomas Kerrigan ‘55, Paul Kerrigan ‘58 (deceased) and Gail Rosson.

GEORGE G. KNIERIEM - Father of Brad Knieriem ‘96, Robin Newell and Shannon Hofferbert.

MICHAEL B. KRUSE - Father of Amy Hubbuch ‘83, Lisa Carter ‘84, Kevin Kruse and Eric Kruse ‘92.

RICHARD “DICK” W. KULASKI, JR. - Father of Richard Kulaski III ‘92 and Megan Odle ‘95.

CHARLES “CHARLIE” L. DONNELLY ‘46 - Father of Janice Alexander (deceased) and Lisa Baltz.

MARTHA J. LANGDON - Wife of the late Joseph Langdon ‘47, mother of Gayle Hilyer ‘75 and sister of Bill Bell, Jr. ‘46 (deceased) and Leonidas Bell ‘56.

SHIRLEY EATHERLY - Mother of Beth, John Overton ‘97, Justin, Biz and Joy Eatherly (senior).

RALPH F. LANGRECK - Father of Rick ‘77 and Michael “Bucky” ‘79 Langreck and Karen Brown.

BERNADETTE EICHORN - Mother of George S. Dobler II and Amanda (Dobler) Swafford ‘90.

WALLACE A. “SANDY” LATIMER, JR. ‘65.

CHRISTIE S. ELDER - Sister of Theresa Mascola ‘82 and Mickey Elder ‘85.

THOMAS “SONNY” L. EVANS, SR. ‘41 - Father of Thomas ‘67, Terrance and Daryl ‘77 Evans.

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THOMAS A. LAWRENCE ‘07 - Son of Theresa (Neeley) and Tony Lawrence III ‘77 and brother of Rebecca ‘04 and Matthew ‘08 Lawrence.

DAVID L. LEAVER ‘64 - Brother of Roger Leaver ‘63.

JAMES MICHAEL LIEBHART ‘70 - Brother of John Liebhart

‘63, Theresa Lancaster, Melanie Sadler, Jean Ramsey and Mary Liebhart.

JOSEPH E. POWELL - Father of Cindy, Carol ‘88, Larry, David and Stephen Powell.

CHARLES LINDER - Father of Tom Linder ‘61, Mike Linder ‘67 (former faculty member), Kathy Sampson and Patty Story.

ROBERT I. LINSTROM - Father of E.J. Linstrom ‘93.

DAVID V. POWER ‘48 - Father of David Power, Jr. ‘86, Jennifer Berry ‘90 and Amanda Power. Also survived by siblings Sister Agnes Power and John Frazier Power ‘39.

LENORA R. LUKEN - Mother of Tom Luken ‘60, George Luken, Jr., Ann Mayfield, Lee Dorough and Janet Morgan.

MILDRED M. RIMLINGER - Mother of Carla Moore ‘73 (deceased), Charles H. Rimlinger, Jr. and Carol Dodson ‘73.

TIMOTHY R. LUSK - Father of Alex Lusk (junior).

DANIEL H. RIORDAN ‘56 - Brother of Pat Riordan ‘55.

DAVID A. MADDOX ‘58.

JOHN W. RIPPETOE - Father of John ‘76, Mike ‘78, Ken ‘80 and Tom ‘82 Rippetoe and Regina List ‘83.

THOMAS J. MALONE - Father of Brian Malone ‘89, Meghan Johnson ‘91 and Maureen Malone ‘94.

BARBARA ANN ROHLING - Wife of Mark Rohling ‘65.

DAVID L. MASON ‘74 - Brother of Elaine Pedigo, Tommy Mason ‘72, Melanie Phillips, Mike Williams, Mark Williams, Lisa Bailey and Charlie Williams.

NORA VOURIE ROHLING - Mother of Jean Marie Mooney, Linda Valiquette, Elizabeth Burton, Grace ‘71, Joe ‘73, Mike ‘74, Pat ‘74 and Larry ‘75 Rohling.

THELMA L. MCBRIDE - Mother of Jacque, Dennis III ‘68 and Tommy ‘70 McBride.

MARGARET B. ROTELLA - Mother of Frank J. Rotella, Jr. ‘59 and Helen Seul.

JAMES A. MCCANN - Father of Jim McCann ‘68, Chris Donnelly and Kate Morales.

KATHERINE DIXON SHELTON - Mother of James ‘64, Mike ‘65, Pat ‘67, Terry ‘69, David ‘73 (deceased) and Dennis ‘77 Shelton and Kathleen Vetter (deceased) and Dannye Higgs.

FRANCIS “FRANK” R. MCGRANAGHAN - Father of Mark, Michael, Anne-Marie, Lisa Miller, Sean ‘83 and Fran ‘84 McGranaghan.

LISA COX SMITH - Mother of Margot Cox ‘02 and former Faculty member.

JANE C. MCMAHON - Mother of Mark (deceased) and Jeff McMahon III ‘65, Susan Stahl and Sharon Baskette.

WILLIAM A. STRASSER ‘57 - Brother of Ed Strasser ‘52, John Strasser ‘56 (deceased), Tom Strasser ‘60 and Loretto Walsh.

MARGARET ANN MEACHAM - Mother of Hale Meacham, Jr. ‘79, Larry Meacham ‘80 and Lisa Berger ‘81.

MURIEL M. SUDEKUM - Mother of Bill Sudekum ‘67 and Emily Riggs.

COL. (RET.) B. JOHN MOGAN ‘61 - Brother of Mark ‘69 (deceased), Thomas (deceased), Camille Mogan and Micheleen Scull.

CHARLES L. SUTTLE - Father of Lisa Hartman, Jennifer Reeves ‘88 and Megan Suttle ‘12.

DR. J. TUCKER MOORE, JR. - Father of Jesse Moore III, Colette Balmer, Greg Moore, Nichole Batey and Claudine Allen ‘89.

NANCY TAYLOR - Sister of Tyler Taylor ‘65.

MARIE G. MORRISSEY - Mother of Loftus A. Morrissey III ‘68 (deceased), Pam Kennedy, Kevin Morrissey, James Morrissey, Marcia Newman and Gina Miller.

MARY ELAINE VALIQUETTE - Sister of Al ‘66, John ‘68, Richard ‘71, Kathy Edry, Loretta ‘75, Ginny Gilliam ‘77, Johanna ‘79, Christine Valiquette and Thomas ‘80 and Luke Valiquette ‘93 (both deceased).

PAUL H. MURPHY ‘47 - Preceded in death by siblings Mickey, Dan ‘48 and Catherine Bradley.

PAUL W. NELSON - Father of Ken Nelson and Teresa Weatherly ‘89.

DEBBIE SULLIVAN OLDHAM ‘79 - Mother of Brittany ‘06 and Brooke ‘06 and sister of Jimmy ‘67, Michael ‘68 and Gary ‘77 Sullivan and Becky Singer ‘84.

DENNIS NOLAN OSBORNE ‘61 - Father of Sid Osborne ‘87 and brother of James (deceased), Jerry ‘58, Robert ‘60, Frank ‘64, Mike ‘66, David ‘69, Timothy, John and Kenneth Osborne and Marlea Hardin.

STEPHEN N. PELTIER - Father of Christine ‘09 and Catherine ‘12 Peltier.

PAUL A. PICKNEY ‘45 - Father of Mike Pickney ‘74 (deceased), Cynthia Katopodis ‘75, Cheryl Edwards ‘77 and Monica Bostleman ‘81.

JOANNE E. PIETSCH - Mother of Josh ‘93 (deceased), Matt ‘97 and Becky ‘00 Hite.

DAVID E. TATE ‘58.

EVERETT TEMPLETON - Father of Tim ‘69 and Barry Templeton and Penny Richardson.

THOMAS A. WARNER ‘52 - Brother of John Warner ‘43 (deceased).

JAMES C. WEBB ‘66.

WILLIAM “BILL” E. WEHBY, SR. ‘47 - Father of Bill Wehby, Jr. ‘83, Teresa Wrenn, Stephanie Page, Diane Carter, Jennifer Lewis, Jane Stuart, Denise Baker and Leslie Arkenberg; brother of Jack ‘44 (deceased), Mickey ‘50 and Sam Wehby, Shirley Welsh and Delores Young.

HARRY J. “JOHN” WILSON, JR. ‘62.

ARMER “BUSTER” WOLFE, SR. - Father of Buster ‘68 and Don ‘70 Wolfe, Rose Mines, Anita Lester and Patricia Nicholls.

CHARLES “CHARLIE” WOLFE - Father of Neil Wolfe ‘96.

EDWARD J. WOODFIN, SR. ‘50.

GERALD WRIGHT ‘73.

JOHN “BUDDY” JOSEPH YORK, JR. - Son of the late John J. York, Sr. ‘48 and brother of Marty ‘77 and Christopher York.

CYNTHIA DAVIS ZIMMERLE - Wife of Edwin Zimmerle ‘73.

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NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

NASHVILLE, TN Permit No. 22

770 Norwood Drive Nashville, TN 37204 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Save the Dates for Reunions May 31-June 2, 2013

From the All Alumni Reception on Friday to the Lou Graham Alumni Golf Tournament and your own class’s celebration on Saturday to the touching induction of the Class of 1963 as Golden Grads on Sunday, Reunion Weekend 2013 will be a time for remembering and celebrating.

Classes ending in the 3s and 5s will celebrate Reunions.

Invitations will be mailed this spring.

To ensure you receive your reunion invitation, visit www.fatherryan.org/alumni and click on the Alumni Update Form link to send us your contact information.

It will be an unforgetable Irish Weekend!

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