Irish Ayes - Winter/Spring 2020

WINTER/SPRING 2020 | VOLUME XLVI | NUMBER 1

FEATURE STORIES Announcing the House System Alumni Changing the World A Record Setting Gala – Again!

w w w. f a t h e r r y a n . o r g

The Big Picture: Whether it is in the classroom, the Chapel of St. James or on the athletic fields, we begin with prayer. The Lady Irish Cross Country Team did just that as they prepared for the state championship race.

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Winter/Spring 2020 | Volume XLVI | Number 1

Board of Trustees Executive Committee

Julie Shaninger Norfleet ’88, Chair Bill Stejskal ’79, Vice Chair Jack Polson, Finance Committee Chair J udy Komisky Orr ’75, Membership Committee Chair

FEATURE

Committee Chairs Carmen Mondelli Lux ’91, Advancement Brett Wesnofske ’88, Facilities

Board Members

Page 4 Cover Photo: The presentation of the Inaugural Pat Flynn Spirit of Relay Award in January, energized the student body. It’s a reminder of the change that everyone at Father Ryan and throughout Ryan Nation can make in the world. (photo courtesy of Greg Broy, American Cancer Society)

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IN THE NEWS New House System

IN THE NEWS National Award for Relay For Life, National Merit Scholars, Arts, March for Life, New Dean of Students, and Medical Advisory Committee.

ATHLETICS Father Ryan’s First Female AD, Fall Sports Report.

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SPECIAL EVENTS Legacy Gala Shatters Records. Veterans Breakfast.

FEATURE STORY: CHANGING THE WORLD Oldest Living Alumnus.

Coach Carson’s Important Lessons. Making the World Safer. The Healing Touch.

SPIRIT OF PHILANTHROPY Starting Young: Philanthropy has a New Look.

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CLASS NOTES

LOOKING BACK

HISTORICAL REFLECTION Graduation. Student achievements. Theatre accolade. March for Life.

Tom Bauer Rev. Mark Beckman Tommy Bradley ’81 John Bumpus ’78 Lee Clark Chris Fay Dave Gallagher ’88 David Glascoe Brittney Testerman Griffith ’03 Warner Hassell Judy Hoover William Krueger Dr. Robert Labadie Philip M. Mattingly, Sr. ’69 Bob Mendes Pat Nolan ’69 Matt Pietsch ’97 Ralph Schulz Thomas Turner

Ex-Officio Members Rebecca Hammel James A. McIntyre Bishop J. Mark Spalding

Life Trustees Thomas G. Connor, Sr. ’60 William H. Farmer ’65 Edward B. Gore J. Terry Hunter Vincent T. Phillips William F. Smith Edward A. Stack

Administration James A. McIntyre, President Paul J. Davis ’81, Principal Connie Steinmetz, Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Anton, Academic Dean Joe Crumby ’95, Dean of Students E lizabeth Coyle Elfers ’02, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life Rev. Mark Simpson, Chaplain Marisol Preston, Director of Admissions Brooke Reusch, Director of Advancement Ann Mullins ’03, Director of Athletics

©2020 FRHS 25518

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In the News winter/spring 2020

Our New Director of Houses

6 Houses All Irish Father Ryan Launching New House System for the 2020-2021 School Year When you hear “House System” connected to a high school, you probably think of vaulted ceilings, classical names and lots of heraldry In reality, the House System is a proven initiative that challenges students to reach their full potential and satisfy their thirst for inquiry, creativity and problem-solving. And now it’s coming to Father Ryan.

What’s the answer? The House System.

“We believe this will be a transformational initiative for our school,” said ELIZABETH ELFERS ’02, Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life.

To learn more about the House System, its benefits and what it will look like, please read some of For nearly 100 years, Father Ryan High School our Frequently Asked Questions below and then has been forming lives of excellence in the Cath- visit our website fatherryan.org/house-system olic tradition. In 2019, the school launched its new for more details. strategic plan, which inspired us to think about the Q: W hat makes a House System? next 100 years.

A: A house system is a way to make a large high school feel smaller and increase The plan challenged us to think about how we the level of mentoring and pastoral care educate students during a time of formation and provided to students while increasing the change. It also challenged us to deepen the Fanumber of student leadership opportunities. ther Ryan experience and enhance meaningful relationships through a culture of engagement and Q: W hat is the benefit of a House System? involvement.

A: Father Ryan’s House System will foster a caring and supportive environment We asked ourselves: How will Father Ryan develwhere students from all grades will have op spiritual servant-leaders with a global view and more opportunities to lead, collaborate a thirst for inquiry, creativity, and problem-solving, and contribute. This model allows for while challenging students to reach their full pomore peer-to-peer mentoring, leadership tential, in a way that doesn’t simply focus on GPA opportunities, and spiritual development. or achievements on the field?

To answer this question, we searched high and low. A single model emerged, one used at more than 50 Catholic high schools, including Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati and Bishop Lynch in Dallas. One that provides a safe environment that allows students to explore, develop and navigate experiences that will shape their future. One where students will be known, and they will be loved.

Q: W hat will the House System look like?

A: The House System divides students, faculty and staff into six houses. Each of these smaller communities will have a faculty leader called a Head of House. Houses will then be separated into smaller mentor groups, led by two faculty/staff mentors.

These mentor groups will meet daily and stay together through graduation.

Father Ryan has named Amy C. Duke as the first director of houses for the school’s new House System.

Mrs. Duke comes to Father Ryan from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, Texas, where she helped design and implement Bishop Lynch’s house system and currently serves as the dean of the Siena House. As director of houses for Father Ryan, she will oversee the formation, implementation, and daily management of the school’s new system, which will be launched in August of 2020. Mrs. Duke has begun working in concert with the administration on the system’s introduction and begins officially at Father Ryan on June 1, 2020.

“The director of houses is one of the most important parts of the Father Ryan House System introduction,” President Jim McIntyre said, “and we are very pleased to bring an outstanding educator and experienced house system leader to Nashville to direct this major initiative for Father Ryan. As a product of Catholic education and as a Catholic educator herself, Amy brings an exceptional background, in and out of the classroom, with a commitment to deepen the Father Ryan experience for all of our students, faculty, and families.”

“I have seen the positive impact this system has had on the lives of the students,” Duke said. “It enhances communication among all the students, no matter the grade, and will make the many experiences available to students at Father Ryan more accessible.

Most importantly, it will foster interaction among all grade levels.”

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Father Ryan was echoed with Mr. Reedy’s shout of “Go Irish” as he began his remarks and continued as Mr. Kean and Mr. White made plans to attend the next Relay at Father Ryan.

Father Ryan Receives National Award for Cancer Event

Students Earn Pat Flynn Award from American Cancer Society When Father Ryan’s students staged their first Relay For Life in 2009, their dream was to raise a few thousand dollars for cancer research and build some community spirit.

In October 2019, the Relay event brought the school’s total raised to a cumulative $1.2 million for the American Cancer Society and once again created the largest student-led Relay For Life, per capita, in the nation, attracting nearly 1,000 people from throughout the city to their campus.

Led by student co-chairs and Father Ryan seniors MADISON AHERN and DANNY FARONE, the Relay For Life programs facilitated by the student event committee earned the school the inaugural “Pat Flynn Spirit of Relay Award” from the national office of the American Cancer Society. The award was inaugurated this

year and recognizes volunteers who embody the same spirit of Relay that Pat Flynn—the “Mother of Relay”—inspired in Relay participants around the world. Recipients are selected for their community involvement, event activities and student engagement. Father Ryan’s Relay for Life was selected as a regional nominee and was chosen by the national organization in late November.

The award was presented to Father Ryan on January 14, 2020.

The presentation of this national award brought the top executives from the American Cancer Society worldwide to Father Ryan. CEO Gary Reedy was joined by Dr. Bill Cance, the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Jeff Kean of the ACS board, Regional President Wayne White, and Tennessee Board Chair and proud alumnus JOHN BEARDEN ’68. Their enthusiasm for

In making the announcement, Mr. Reedy saluted Father Ryan, saying, “Pat Flynn would be proud the award in her name is being presented to this school. There are outstanding programs throughout the country that were nominated for this award, and we were impressed with all of them. But from its very inception, Father Ryan’s Relay for Life has been distinctive, both in how it is run and in how much enthusiasm and spirit it creates. They are an outstanding example of Relay’s mission, and we are honored to present them this award.”

“This is such exciting news,” said Madison, “and we are thrilled with the honor. But we know this is an award shared by every Father Ryan student who has been a part of Relay over these last 10 years. I think our success is because it’s all student-led. We have four adults who are moderators, but Father Ryan students have always been the leaders. And I think that’s why the participation is so incredible.”

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American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Visits Science Classes

One of the special parts of the presentation of the Pat Flynn Spirit of Relay Award was having Dr. Bill Cance, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the American Cancer Society, visit six different classes to talk with students and faculty.

Dr. Cance visited science classes throughout the morning and discussed with students their career ambitions in the fields of science, research and/or medicine. He also got involved with some teaching, going over some technical examples of biology on the whiteboard as well as assisting students in building a 3-D model of DNA. He was also seeking guidance from the Father Ryan students on vaping, including their thoughts on why its popularity has surged, and what the American Cancer Society is doing to deter its use.

It was an informative morning of discussion, and the students were grateful that Dr. Cance took time out of an already busy day to meet with them. It was truly a memorable and blessed day to be Irish.

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Begun by then Father Ryan Dean of Campus Ministry and Student Life TIM FORBES ’93, and moderated today by MICHELLE MAST and JONATHAN MCGEE ’99. Relay for Life captured the attention of the students early on, in large measure because so many of the students had family members who had battled this disease.

Danny is one of them. When he was in third grade, his sister (GRACE FARONE ’13) was diagnosed with sarcoma in her finger. It was 2013. His family attended the Father Ryan High School Relay for Life that year and the event left its mark on Danny. He has attended every year since.

“It did a lot for my family (after my sister was diagnosed). Relay gave us hope and gave her hope. That always touched me and so I wanted to give back,” Danny said, explaining why he volunteered for what could be a considered a three-month full-time job during his senior year. “It’s not a job,” he insists though. “It’s a privilege.”

This year’s Relay for Life at Father Ryan was the largest to date.

There were 45 students serving on the Relay for Life planning committee, working on marketing, production and team recruitment. A total of 35 teams registered, all of which were led by students, except for the faculty and staff and alumni teams.

Teams were headed by students in groups such as the girls soccer team, Father Ryan drumline, and sophomore boys, and student teams from other schools such as Holy Rosary Academy, Pope John Paull II High School, Christ the King, Ensworth and others. The fundraising efforts included penny wars, a “Miracle Minute” collection during a home football game, two give-back nights with local businesses, a benefit concert and the day-of events. All were organized and carried out by the students.

“We are proud and humbled by this news,” said Dean of Father Ryan Campus Ministry and Student Life ELIZABETH ELFERS ’02. “And we are really thrilled for the students. They are the ones who have made this program such an integral part of the Father Ryan experience. From the very first year, they have embraced the experience that is Relay, and they have committed the time and effort each year to engage the student body, to plan events and to ask for contributions. They have grown as a result, both in their skills and in their hearts.”

A day to celebrate Relay for Life, Father Ryan style. Top, from left, the 2019 Relay committee gathers with American Cancer Society leadership. Co-Chairs Madison Ahern ’20 and Danny Farone ’20 accept the award from American Cancer Society CEO Gary Reedy. Survivors march at Relay for Life 2019.

Bottom left, Dr. Bill Cance speaks to a physics class during his visit, one of six visits he made that morning.

Three Seniors Recognized by National Merit Scholarship Program Exciting academic news was announced in the fall as the National Merit Scholarship Program released its list of Semifinalists and Commended Scholars for the 2019-2020 school year. Three Father Ryan seniors have been recognized.

COOPER BOND ’20, a Semifialist, has brought an academic and artistic curiosity to his experience at Father Ryan, exploring math and science as well as theatre and drawing. He is a Currey-Ingram graduate who is taking five AP courses this year—in studies such as Physics 2: Algebra-based, Computer Science Principles, and Studio Art Drawing—and has previously completed three additional AP courses. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Cardinal Newman Association, recognizing those Father Ryan students who have an ACT of 30 or higher or an SAT of 1390 or higher.

LILY RUMMO ’20, also a Commended Scholar, came to Father Ryan from Grassland Middle School and immediately appreciated the environment at Father Ryan, particularly the attention that the teachers pay to their students and lesson plans. Lily loves to expand her mind and try something new that may be outside her comfort zone. It was for this reason that she began taking French. She is now taking AP French and is a member of the French language club, Cercle Francophone. In addition, Lily is taking AP Microeconomics, AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based, and AP Psychology. She plans to study criminal justice in college. Outside of the classroom, she is captain of the Girls Soccer Team.

GEORGE MANGIALARDI ’20, a Commended Scholar, is a dedicated student with a deep passion for history, the subject he intends as his major in college. An alumnus of St. Bernard Academy, George is currently taking two AP courses—Microeconomics and Psychology—and is finding the latter to be particularly interesting to him. Outside of the classroom, George loves Model UN, which combines his love of history and interest in politics, and is one of the top runners on the Varsity Cross Country Team.

Left to right: George Mangialardi ’20, President Jim McIntyre, Lily Rummo ’20, Principal Paul Davis ’81 and Cooper Bond ’20.

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The Purple Masque Players Bring the “Spooky” to November The Purple Masque Players extended the Halloween spirit into November with three amazing—and spooky­ —performances of this year’s fall play Night Chills, a collection of Edgar Allan Poe tales adapted for the stage.

An Afternoon with World Famous Musicians The Father Ryan Band was treated to a great afternoon in December, as music teacher and band instructor Mr. Jereme Frey arranged for Jeff Coffin and Roy “Futureman” Wooten to come to the Center for the Arts to perform and talk to the students about careers in music and the art of improvisation.

Jeff is known for his work as the saxophonist in the Dave Matthews Band, and both he and Roy are members of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

During the assembly, Jeff and Roy jammed on saxophone and drums, respectively, as well as went over musical structure and theory.

Also an author, Jeff has written a book about life on the road as a touring musician entitled The Road Book: A Musician’s Guide.

The play ran nightly from Thursday, November 7 to Saturday, November 9 and was a huge hit with families, theater fans and literary buffs alike. “Our students tackled the works of Edgar Allan Poe with maturity and just enough creepy to bring these tales to life!” said Mrs. Kelli McClendon, the Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department and the Director of the play.

The play was told in two acts, comprised of five Edgar Allan Poe stories, three in the first act and two in the second.

The play concluded with “The Cask of Amontillado,” which featured seniors COOPER BOND and CAROLINE MINCHEY as Vittori Montresor and Helena, respectively.

A large ensemble made up this unconventional play, and a number of other seniors got to play lead roles in their final Purple Masque Players drama.

In the spring, the Purple Masque Players will continue their tradition of putting on a musical, and this year they will be reviving a classic—Bye Bye Birdie. It will run nightly at 7:00pm from April 16-18, 2020 in the Center for the Arts.

Left to right: Roy "Futureman" Wooten, Mr. Jereme Frey, and Jeff Coffin.

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Alumnus Named Dean of Students

This fall Father Ryan welcomed experienced educator JOE CRUMBY ’95 as the new Dean of Students. Mr. Crumby comes to the school from LaVergne High School, where he served as assistant principal since 2016.

In making the announcement, President McIntyre said that Mr. Crumby’s experience, demeanor and proven record made him the choice for this position. “The Dean of Students embodies our promise that our students will be known and loved while ensuring that our policies and mission are observed,” he said. “Joe demonstrates this, both as an alumnus of Father Ryan and through his nine years of work in the Rutherford County school system. He has a calm presence and good instincts that I am confident will enhance the experience here for all of our students. We are pleased to welcome Joe back to the campus.”

Model UN Delegation with a Noteworthy Performance at State

Congratulations are in order for the Father Ryan delegation for their strong performance at Model United Nations. Thirty-three students debated foreign policy with 1,000+ other students in Murfreesboro, TN last November.

Special shoutouts go to MADDIE MCDANIEL ’22 and MAX DREXLER ’21 for being selected as Outstanding Delegates in the General Assembly. MINSAW KWAK ’21 and CLAIRE SHEPPARD ’21 did fantastic jobs challenging cases in the International Court of Justice.

A final round of high-fives go to freshmen JACKSON HARRIS, KEMI TELA, EMILY KIEFFNER, and MARK BRYANT for being selected and awarded Outstanding Resolution. Coach John Dooling and Ms. Michelle Mast, the co-moderators of Model UN, are immensely proud of the entire delegation!

Mr. Crumby expressed his enthusiasm for being at his alma mater. “As a graduate of Nashville’s Catholic schools, I know the impact, and I am passionate about providing this Catholic education to more students,” he said. “As an educator, I believe in forging partnerships with students, parents and teachers, where we hold each other accountable for our performance. Having benefited from this type of approach as a student at Father Ryan, I look forward to forging new relationships here that will benefit our entire community.”

Mr. Crumby began his career in education in 2011 as a World History teacher at LaVergne High School. After two years he became the administrative dean of students, serving in that role for three years prior to becoming assistant principal.

A graduate of MTSU where he earned his bachelor’s in Education, Mr. Crumby went on to earn his master’s in Instructional Leadership from Bethel University. He has been a participant in multiple educational conferences in his career and was featured as a speaker at conferences in Chicago and Nashville. He is a member of both the Tennessee and the National Associations of Secondary School Principals.

Irish March for Life

The Irish contingent was strong, large and vocal as more than 125 students and 15 staff chaperones traveled to Washington, D.C., in January and participated in the 2020 annual March for Life. The weather was cold, but the enthusiasm of the gathered crowd warmed the participants in celebrations and events in the nation’s Capital. The group enjoyed Mass at Saint John Paul II National Shrine, where our Chaplain, Father Mark Simpson, helped lead the ceremony, and the group joined the thousands who gathered to show their respect for life. It was another opportunity for our students to put their faith in action, championing again the message that we are #IRISH4LIFE.

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Father Ryan Inaugurates Medical Advisory Committee First Forum Held Jan. 30

Father Ryan Students Excel in Celebrating our Country

Once again, Father Ryan students led the way in the annual VFW “Voice of Democracy” Essay Contest. ELLA KOPPERUD ’21’s essay on the 2019 theme of “What Makes America Great” won the Post 1970 competition, the District competition, and finished 2nd in the State competition, earning her $1,400 in scholarships. HAYDEN ALFONSO-STURDIVANT ’21 and MATTHEW CALARCO ’21 finished 2nd and 3rd at the Post level.

Committed to providing both students and parents with information that allows them to make healthy decisions for themselves and those around them, Father Ryan is excited to announce the formation of a Medical Advisory Committee, under the direction of MR. JOE CRUMBY ’95, Dean of Students.

Members of the committee come from a wide variety of medical specialties, all with exceptional reputations as practitioners and health advocates. We thank our volunteer physicians for their willingness to offer their time, talent, and expertise in advising the school and, by proxy, for advising parents.

The Medical Advisory Committee was formed, in part, because of concern over the outbreak of lung injuries associated with vaping, which was the subject of our first Forum on January 30. Additional subjects are being developed with the Medical Advisory Committee.

The members are

Here is an excerpt from Ella’s essay: Whether you find pieces of yourself in modern heroes, the armed forces that serve for our nation, the optimists, the dreamers, the question askers, or your own kind of wonderful, you are what makes up the good in our country. Dreamers can be modern day heroes, question askers can be optimists, or anyone could be all of them together.

You can read her essay at fatherryan.org/veterans Irish essayists have a long record of achievement in this program, including several state winners. The essay writing is led by MR. RANDY LANCASTER ’83. Through his history and English courses, he continues to develop thoughtful writers who develop historical perspective and strong communications skills. The program was introduced to Mr. Lancaster by JOHN FERGUSS ’61, who is the past Commander of the VFW Post 1970.

Congratulations to Ella, Hayden and Matthew for continuing to be strong voices of democracy in our community.

Ella Kopperud ’21 shows off her State Runner-up award with teacher Randy Lancaster ’83. Hayden Alfonso-Sturdivant ’21, second from left, and Matthew Calarco ’21, at right were also honored.

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MIKE CUFFE, MD, MBA President of Physician Services HCA Healthcare ROBERT J. MANGIALARDI, MD Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician HCA Frist Clinic at Centennial Medical Center SHINDANA FEAGINS, MD Medical Director/Owner Feagins Medical Group, PLLC JOHN HOWINGTON ’81, MD, FACS, FCCP Chief of Oncology Services, Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Saint Thomas Health Medical Director and Co-Chair Oncology Service Line at Ascension

ROBERT F. LABADIE, MD, PHD, MMHC, FACS Robert H. Ossoff DMD, MD Endowed Directorship for Translational Research in Otolaryngology; Vice Chair, Chief Research Officer; Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; and Professor of Biomedical Engineering Vanderbilt University Medical Center MARK MARSDEN, MD Chief Medical Officer Ascension/Saint Thomas Health JAMES SLANDZICKI, MD Family Physician Williamson Medical Group

Top: The first forum, from left, Mr. Crumby, Dr. Feagins, Dr. Mangialardi, Dr. Labadie, Dr. Marsden and Dr. Slandzicki.

Athletics winter/spring 2020

Father Ryan,s First Female AD Ann Mullins ’03 Named Athletic Director Father Ryan has had 95 years of outstanding athletic performances and exceptional athletic, even legendary, leaders.

Now, you can add a new type of leadership to this historic legacy. In December, Father Ryan named ANN MULLINS ‘03 as the new athletic director, making her the first female AD in the school’s history.

Coach Mullins has served as the interim athletic director this school year after being named the associate director in May 2018. She will be responsible for sport oversight for all Father Ryan athletic programs in addition to athletic department support personnel. She will continue as head volleyball coach for the Irish, where she has led Father Ryan to the state semifinals three of the last four years.

Coach Mullins had an accomplished college career in volleyball at Lipscomb University, which earned her induction earlier this year into the Atlantic Sun Conference’s Hall of Fame.

In making the announcement, Mr. McIntyre said that as the school considered its options for this position, Coach Mullins’s work as interim director made it clear that she was the best candidate. “In interviewing Coach Mullins about this position, it was evident that in her short time as interim director she had demonstrated her ability to manage this department effectively,” Mr. McIntyre said. “She has the respect of our coaches, the confidence of our administration, and the commitment to our students’ development, both as athletes and people. Combine that with her coaching success and her appreciation for the Irish legacy, and we know we have a director who will enhance the experience for all our athletes. I am excited to work alongside Coach Mullins as we serve the student-athletes, coaches and families of Father Ryan.”

PRINCIPAL PAUL DAVIS ’81 added, “We are proud to welcome the first female athletic director in this school’s long and accomplished history.

Coach Mullins has had a significant and positive impact on our programs and our students since she returned to the school four years ago. We are confident that her impact will only grow in this new role.”

Coach Mullins came to Father Ryan as head volleyball coach in April 2016, after leading Ensworth to the top level in the state’s Division II-AA. She began her volleyball coaching career as a graduate assistant at Lipscomb University while getting her Master of Art in Learning and Teaching. She then coached at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro before going to Ensworth in 2012.

at UT and an appearance in the NCAA tournament, Coach Mullins transferred to Lipscomb University. Three years later, she was the all-time dig leader in school and Atlantic Sun Conference history and was named to the All-Conference team all three years at Lipscomb. Her career was punctuated by leading her team to the 2007 conference championship and another appearance in the NCAA tournament. She graduated from Lipscomb University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

Coach Mullins became the executive director of Alliance Volleyball Club in 2018 and, as head coach, led the Alliance U18 team to the USA National Division Championship in Anaheim, Calif. in April 2018, the first national title for an Alliance team. She has been coaching at the club level for the last fifteen years, beginning at Impact in 2004. While there, Coach Mullins was the assistant on the U17 team that won the USA National Division Championship in Dallas. She was a founding partner in Nashville One Volleyball, which was sold to Club West, where she was the co-director. In 2012, she became the assistant director at Alliance Volleyball. Her four Nashville One teams all qualified for nationals, and her 18-1 team in 2013 at Alliance finished 12th overall in the open division. Her club teams finished in the top 20 in the nation in 2014 and 2015.

Congratulations, Coach Mullins.

Coach Mullins said the opportunity to expand her role at Father Ryan is exciting. “This is a special place with a long legacy of outstanding students, and I am humbled by the trust the leadership has placed in me,” she said.

“I am looking forward to working with our coaches and the entire administration to build on our rich legacy, in and out of the classroom, to make this experience memorable and beneficial for all of our athletes.”

After being a three-year, All-State performer in high school, Coach Mullins began her college career at the University of Tennessee. After two years

Top: Coach Ann Mullins ’03 encouraging her team; above right, being inducted into the Atlantic Sun Conference Hall of Fame last fall.

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Irish Fall Season Report

By Kate McNeill ’20, Moina Staff

At the conclusion of the fall sports season, we look back to the moments that defined Father Ryan athletics, from upset victories on the course to near state championships on the fields. Just as importantly, we celebrate the athletes themselves, those who made their marks, both big and small, while carrying on the tradition of Father Ryan athletics.

As summer break came to an end, the Girls’ Cross-Country Team got off to a running start.

COACH ROBERT KENT ’74 said, “At the beginning of the season, I was curious about how our team dynamics would evolve because 14 of our 28 runners were new to our team. ABAGAIL OHMER ’20, KENDALL ROSINSKI ’20, MARY HAMPTON HAYDEN ’20, RACHEL KNAPP ’20 , and HELEN MCCALL ’20 were exceptional captains, modeling our team culture to our new runners. By the middle of the season, our team seemed to have been together for a long time. Its cohesiveness is a direct result of the example set by our captains.” Led by those outstanding seniors, the varsity girls put together one of their best seasons in years, taking 1st place at the Jesse Owens Invitational in the Silver Division, as well as 1st place at the Last Chance Invitational in Alabama. The team continued their excellent efforts throughout the season, ultimately taking home the gold at the Metro Championship Meet, beating out rivals Harpeth Hall and St. Cecilia. At the State Championship meet, the girls put in a valiant effort and took home 4th place, one of the best finishes ever for the program. GRACE FELTNER ’23 also broke the school record for the 5K. Coach Kent said, “We established ourselves as a top program this year. Placing in the top four at the state cross country meet is the equivalent of making the Final Four in basketball, volleyball, or soccer. I am proud of that accomplishment, and I am equally proud because of the major meets that we won this year. Our runners learned that no one had to be Super Woman. If each person did what she was supposed to do, the team would do well. No one had to carry the team.

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That was a key reason for our success,” he concluded.

Much like the girls, the boys’ cross-country team’s season was nothing short of a rousing success. Strong showings of courage and determination by a cohesive JV and Varsity team defined this year’s collective effort. The teams’ training started early in the summer, as the boys ran thousands of miles as a team during the months before school even began. This commitment to their goals certainly showed through their performances in the fall. The boys earned several 1st place finishes, including at the Coleman Midgett Invitational, the Jesse Owens Invitational, and the Metro Championships. These wins led to an outstanding runner-up finish at the State Championships, where COLIN KNAPP ’22, CIRO ALBAMONT ’22, and SAM DECKBAR ’21 earned All-State honors.

The Girls’ Soccer Team always puts forth an amazing showing under the lights of the Jim Carell Athletic Complex. This season proved no different, as these girls fought their way to a 13-3-3 finish. Led by senior captains HANNAH HUBBUCH, HANNAH MORTON, and LILY RUMMO, this team’s efforts spoke volumes to the character and grit of these girls.

They fought all the way to the State Championship, but fell just short in the end. Several seniors will continue their soccer careers in college, and Irish soccer fans cannot wait to see what they accomplish there.

Even though they were moving at a much slower pace than the crosscountry runners, the Father Ryan Golf Teams also put together a solid year. Girls’ coach Kate Cole said, “Our girls surprised Harpeth Hall and Ensworth this year by winning regions and then went on to play in the state tournament.” Throughout the season, the team was led by junior EVA GRAHAM, who was supported by freshmen REAGAN ROBINSON and GRACE MACLAUGHLIN. The Boys’ Golf Team also had a very strong showing, led by JACOB GARLAND ’22 who placed second in the region. Both the girls and the boys capped off their year with strong representation at state, and the coaches felt good about the solid foundation laid for the future of the golf program.

With several unexpected injuries to key players—combined with playing in the toughest division of high school football in Tennessee—it was not an easy year on the gridiron for the Irish football team in 2019. Coach Rector said, “We know it was a tough year, and never will an excuse be made for a lack of success. We will continue to work hard to build a championship program as we move forward. What I will highlight are the nine seniors and their commitment to stick with us and fight till the end. Those young men, and everyone else on the team, showed great fight as we went through the last third of the schedule, and laid the groundwork for a positive outlook in 2020.” The boys look to rebound in the fall of 2020, with players returning from injury and the Irish Pride spirit kicking in.

Inside the Catignani-Drennan Fieldhouse, the Volleyball Team put together a year full of both achievements and spikes. Coached by Athletic Director ANN MULLINS ’03, the team finished strong with a 20-12 regular season record, and an even stronger 12-2 record in the region, which garnered them a 2nd place finish. Their season was highlighted by a Gold Bracket Finish in the Showdown at the Sunset in Knoxville, as well as a 3-3 finish in the Catholic Cup Invitational in Alabama, where they competed against Catholic state champions and runners-up from Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. The Irish had four All-Region players: LUCY GREEN ’21, KENDALL BIXBY ’20, BELLA CARTWRIGHT ’20, and MARILEE HULSE ’21; as well as two All-Region Tournament players: MOLLY THOMPSON ’20 and MASON MORROW ’21. The girls finished off their killer season with a 2nd place finish in regions and a 5th place finish in state.

While the fall seasons have come to an end, the student-athletes can hopefully take the time to appreciate the practice and hard work they committed to their athletic endeavors. Whether they achieved that sought-after state championship, or their individual best they’d always looked for, they have perhaps achieved something greater—lessons in victory, in defeat, and striving to be the best they could be both personally and as a teammate.

Editor’s Note As Irish Ayes went to press, the winter sports teams were wrapping up their seasons, with Boys Basketball still in the hunt for the State title.

We’ll have reports on those teams and the full winter performance in the next issue of Irish Ayes.

Clockwise from opposite page: Cross Country led the way virtually all season; Lily Rummo ’20 extends for a goal; Lucy Green ’21 skies for a spike; Irish runners pounded the ball all season; Grace McLaughlin ’23, Reagan Robinson ’23 and Eva Graham ’21 show off their Regional Championship trophy.

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Record-Setting Gala Celebrates Legacy and Service Talk about a memorable Gala!

When U.S. Army Captain MATT MORALES ’05 took the stage to present his aunt and uncle—CHRIS and BUBBA ’69 DONNELLY—an American flag that had flown over his base in Syria in thanks for their support, countless care packages, and love, the 41st Annual Legacy Gala hit its emotional peak. And that is saying something, because the evening was filled with emotional peaks.

With glasses raised high and bids raised even higher, the more than 730 guests gathered in the Omni Nashville Hotel on February 22 saluted loudly the legacy of Chris (McCann) and Bubba Donnelly and their families’ long-standing support of Father Ryan. The outpouring of support produced an abundance of hugs, compliments and mini family reunions as the honorees stepped into the room and greeted this gathering of Ryan Nation.

That support produced a record, even before the night began, with more sponsor dollars raised and more tickets sold (800+) than any Gala ever before. It only grew. The live auction, featuring dinner donated by TOM MORALES ’72 with Father Ryan parents Jen and Mike Vrabel, the head coach of the Tennessee Titans; a dinner with Bishop Mark Spalding; and NASCAR Hot Passes provided by Hunt Brothers Pizza and Patricia and SCOTT ’78 HUNT, among others, raised the most ever. And the Stand Up for Tuition Assistance clearly touched the audience as more than $70,000 was donated.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the 42nd

The music and dancing that followed provided a festive capstone to a night of legacy and celebration, all to the benefit of Father Ryan.

Clockwise from top left: The honorees; Matt Morales ’05 delivers a surprise; Ryan Nation gathers and dances to the Music City Sound; Marty Blair leads the Stand Up where guests responded to the need for Tuition Assistance.

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FEB. 27, 2021

West Point Alumnus and 2009 Graduate Speaks at Veterans Breakfast With a packed audience of distinguished military veterans from the Father Ryan community, CAPTAIN PATRICK MARCHETTI ’09 took to the podium as the keynote speaker for the 15th annual Veterans Breakfast.

The youngest speaker in the breakfast’s history, Captain Marchetti is a 2013 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He was joined by his extended family, including his grandmother Betty Marchetti, whose husband GINO ’49 served in the military as well.

Now working in the private sector and retired from the military, Captain Marchetti was overwhelmingly humble, noting how honored he was to be selected to speak to a room full of people he considers to be true heroes. He spoke highly of the foundation and education that the United States Military Academy

at West Point provided him, and of the pride he felt in serving his country during and after his college years.

Also in attendance were numerous veterans from the Father Ryan community, including JOHN BURNS ’44, who served in World War II. Mr. Burns is one of Father Ryan’s oldest living alumni and is part of an illustrious fraternity of veterans we know as the Greatest Generation. To have him in attendance was truly special. Captain Marchetti made sure to get a photo with him when the event concluded.

The Father Ryan Alumni Association is proud to host this free annual event and wonderful salute to veterans in the Father Ryan family. The sacrifices they have made for our country will never be forgotten.

A memorable Veterans Breakfast: clockwise from top, Mark ’13 and Patrick ’09 with their grandmother Betty Marchetti; the Father Ryan Singers lead the pledge; John Burns ’44 catches up with Vic Francescon ’49; John Furgess ’61 at attention; our speaker Captain Patrick Marchetti ’09.

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Feature Story winter/spring 2020

Portrait of an Artist as a Father Ryan Man Connie Summers ’39 Still Lives a Life of Adventure and Commitment to Others

It took Connie Summers four and a half hours to get to school every day.

It wasn’t that the distance from his home to Elliston Place was such a trek. Indeed, he was just four blocks away. But every day for him started at 3:30am as he got up, dressed and began his morning paper route. From Church Street to Murphy Road and in between, he delivered the news in Nashville, arriving home around 7:00am in time to change into school clothes, eat some breakfast and head to Father Ryan. He’d repeat the route after school, and again on the weekends. “And I’d collect money at night,” he stated. Making the most of every day clearly was his goal.

But even for a man who has 99 years of experience, it still doesn’t seem possible for one person to have explored as many interests or achieved as much professionally as Connie Summers. A lawyer, WWII naval aviator, artist, civic activist, champion for mental health care, outdoorsman—could all of that describe one person?

The answer is a remarkable story of the man who, along with three other classmates, has the distinction of being the school’s oldest living alumnus.

– From New Mexico to Nashville – The story begins in Memphis on January 4, 1921, when Charles Kincaid Summers, MD, and Cecilia Roggenbuck Summers, RN, brought James Cornelius Summers into the world. His father practiced at several veterans hospitals and moved the family in 1926 to Ft. Baird in Silver City, New Mexico, where Cornelius, as he was called then, attended St. Mary’s Academy. He remembers his first Catholic school experience warmly. “My favorite teacher was Sister Mary Frances Magdalene,” he said. “She was kind and smart and really had an impact on me; so much so that when I was flying back after serving in Korea, I flew to Silver City just to see her, to show her what I had accomplished, and to thank her.”

His father moved back to Memphis before Connie finished 8th grade, so he wrapped up those studies and his freshman year in the Bluff City. Then it was off to Nashville, where the Summers settled on Lyle Street (just down the block from St. Mary’s Bookstore), and Connie started to explore his new world, which now included Father Ryan. “In Father Ryan, I found a very good academic school and really good teachers, all of them very likable," he reflects.

He also found some lifetime friends with whom he created unforgettable memories.

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“Ed Thoni was a good friend, a fellow paper boy,” he started. “And he always had an idea. Like the time he encouraged me to buy a racehorse with him. He had met a man at the Fairgrounds who had a ’good’ horse and could train him and we’d race him and make some money. Ed convinced me and I invested $100. Unfortunately, the horse never raced—that was the problem.

So Ed bought my interest and I was out of the racing business. But he and I remained close friends,” he stated.

He also discovered another world of people in Nashville that would become a lasting achievement in a long, illustrious life.

– Bread Deliveries and a War to Fight – “My father was working with the Veterans Administration and seeing patients in town, but also out at Central State Mental Hospital,” Connie remembers. “I’d accompany him some days.

There were two separate campuses and deliveries were made between them. I made friends with one of the workers, who was also a patient there, and I’d accompany him as he made bread deliveries between the two campuses. And I soon discovered that this man, whom many would have called ‘crazy,’ was a real interesting individual. I came to realize that quickly branding people like him wasn’t providing him any real assistance. That sparked my interest in mental health issues,” he said.

But before he got the chance to work in that realm, he had high school to finish, papers to deliver, a job to get, a war to fight. And a parent to bury. His father passed away from a heart attack when Connie was just 16, making the process of earning some money so he could realize

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his dream—to go to college—that much more urgent. A man on his paper route got him a job with Lowenstein’s Clothiers. Next came work for the Telephone Company, as it would have been known then. Then came Pearl Harbor.

fleet in the South China Sea in the summer of 1945 that accelerated the end of the war, and hauled bombs and torpedoes on many a mission in the Pacific. With 800+ combat hours, Connie Summers didn’t stand on the sidelines.

“I just couldn’t understand the conditions at our Mental Health Hospitals and the lives these patients lived, all because their illness wasn’t understood or accepted”

He came back to the States in 1946 and started school at Vanderbilt. But he saw something in Reader’s Digest that piqued his interest. “It was an ad for a school in Chicago—the Herman Engineering Laboratories—where they were testing young men and telling them where their job strengths lay,” he reflected. “I went up there, took two days of tests, and then they told me, ’too many talents.’ “I said to the examiner ‘I wanted you to tell me what to do.’”

After working for a short while for the telephone company after finishing at Father Ryan in 1939, Connie enlisted in January 1942 to fight the war. Deemed unfit for the infantry due to his flat feet, he was encouraged to enter Naval Aviator school by a recruiting officer who told him “you’ll be 4F for the Army because of your feet, but they don’t care about the shape of your feet when you’re flying a plane over the Pacific Ocean.” So he became a pilot and found a military role that fit him well and a love that has stayed with him ever since.

He did the college sampler while prepping for the Navy, attending the University of South Carolina, the University of Georgia and then the University of Tennessee, all in the first six months of 1942. After earning his wings, it was off to the Pacific theater, where he piloted a PBM twin-engine sea plane, served in Saipan, participated in the invasion of Okinawa, was part of the flying armada that hammered the Japanese

That wasn’t the last trip this somewhat restless and certainly peripatetic student took in pursuit of his career. He had always liked art, so he enrolled in the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago.

After three months, he was back in Nashville. I was interested in fine art, but they were directing me to commercial art. That wasn’t what I wanted to do. So I returned to Vanderbilt and pursued my business studies,” Summers stated. But remember that artistic interest. It never goes away.

– All Rise! – He graduated from Vanderbilt in 1947. While he had pursued a degree in business, he received some advice he wasn’t expecting, from his Botany professor, who saw in Connie a sharp mind.

He suggested law school, asked if Connie had any funds from his GI Bill, and Vanderbilt School of Law it was. A member of Sigma Chi as well as the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, he passed the bar exam and was licensed to practice law be-

fore he even graduated law school in 1950. He started doing some cases for other attorneys, worked as an assistant city attorney for the City of Nashville and as an assistant district attorney in Davidson County, back when the city and county were separate entities.

He worked with noted Nashville attorneys Albert Wilson, Ben West (later Mayor of Nashville), Louis Farrell, Joe Brown Cummings and Rebecca Thomas, and it was an experience with West that opened a few doors.

“I was trying my first criminal case and my lawyering mentor—Jimmy Rutherford—told me that if the other party didn’t show up by the end of the court session, I should ask the judge for a dismissal,” Connie related, “Which is what happened. When I emerged from the courtroom, Ben West was there demanding to know if I had gotten a continuance. When I said ’no’, he started lambasting me about not paying attention, that I was like all the young lawyers who didn’t do what they were told to do. Then he said, ‘well what happened?’ When I told him I had gotten the case dismissed, he paused, looked at me and simply said, ‘oh.’ From then on, we worked together a lot.”

But before starting that law career, there was a little more flying to do. He served as a Naval Aviator during the Korean War and continued to fly as a hobby. He became an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve, eventually retiring—in truth, Connie never retires; he just stops doing one thing and replaces it with another—in 1969 with the rank of Commander.

While starting a successful career in the legal world, Connie was getting the attention of many

local attorneys. He was a hearing examiner for the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibilities, president of the Young Lawyers’ Association of Nashville, and served on the board of the Nashville Bar Association. He married Janet Connelly, and they had four children: Steven, Scott, and Clint Summers and Lee Ann (Summers) Ingram, along with three grandchildren. He later married Sara Shea Davis, who died of cancer, and then, never one to believe that his days were numbered, Connie married Jean when he was 86. They remain happily married to this day.

– A Different Ride – Those rides on the bakery delivery truck never left him. Those jaunts, as well as his father’s work with the mentally ill, convinced him that more could and should be done for these citizens. He was appointed by Governor Frank Clement in 1964 to chair the Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Establishment of Community Mental Health Centers in Tennessee, traveling the state from Memphis to Bristol, from Cleveland to Union City to champion and coordinate for mental health in the state. The presence of more than 30 such centers in the Volunteer State is a testament to Connie’s commitment and love.

“I just couldn’t understand the conditions at our Mental Health Hospitals and the lives these patients lived, all because their illness wasn’t understood or accepted,” he says, “So I jumped at the chance to visit these communities and encourage the establishment of these centers.

I met a lot of wonderful, caring people, and we are still making a difference in this state.”

He has been president of the Nashville Mental Health Association, the Tennessee Mental Health Association, the Nashville Mental Health Center, the Dede Wallace Mental Health center, the Hickory Hall Day School for Emotionally Distributed Children.

Just like his devotion to mental health issues, earlier experiences keep popping up in Connie’s life, bubbling to the service when the situation warrants it.

That story about Nashville Mayor Ben West?

Connie’s insights and presence earned the mayor’s confidence, and he was appointed to serve as the executive director of a Chamber of Commerce committee promoting consolidation of the City of Nashville with Davidson County prior to their merger in 1962.

Remember the short stay at the Chicago Institute of Art? He never lost his love for art, and at the age of 65 took a painting course at Hillsboro High School and began oil painting. More than

100 works of art attest to his talent.

As a boy, he always loved the outdoors, particularly hiking and boating, so it was natural that he joined a group of friends in starting the White Water Canoe Club, which became the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association.

And there is always the Catholic community of Nashville, where he served on the boards of Catholic Charities, St. Patrick’s Shelter, and St. Mary’s Child Development Center; he co-founded the former Family Clinic of Nashville, and has been a member of St. Henry Parish and a Fourth Degree Knight.

But especially Father Ryan.

“I had such good friends there,” he says, “names that still bring a smile to my face, and experiences that I both laugh about and cherish. For example, I made the honor roll in every course I took at Father Ryan, except one. The football coach wanted me to play football for Father Ryan, but I told him that I had to earn some money for my college and didn’t have time to play. I ended up with an 89 in his class, which kept me just off the honor roll, even though it was the highest grade in the class. I always thought he was a bit mad about me saying no to football, but whether that was the case or not, he was one of my favorite teachers.”

Father Ryan was a different place in 1936 when Connie Summers set foot on the campus for the first time. All boys. Fewer subject offerings. Fewer sports. But some things remain unchanged, even after 85 years. The relationships.

Connie smiled and said, “My classmates ran the gamut. There were the smart ones, like Charlie Bibb, and [Msgr.] James Hitchcock and Robert Strobel. There were talented athletes like Anthony Davis, who was an outstanding basketball player and made the trip to Chicago for the big Catholic tournament there.

Plus the friends whom you remember for the experiences, whether it was the racehorse with Ed Thoni or the crowd of students cheering on the team against MBA. They all just mean so much to me.”

From left, Connie Summers ’39 after he earned his flight wings; his certificate to present in front of the U.S. Supreme Court; with his daughter Lee Ann (Summers) Ingram when he was honored for his work on mental health.

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Changing Lives By Making Change

Coach Carson Teaches Lessons that Last a Lifetime There is an old saying “Teachers change the world one child at a time.”

But sometimes it’s hard for teachers to know if they’ve truly changed a student’s life until years later.

That was the case with long-time Father Ryan teacher and coach, Greg Carson, who recently heard from a former student many years later in a very big way.

For those who don’t know Greg Carson or haven’t had the pleasure of taking one of his classes, he is as unassuming and humble as he is dedicated and caring.

Coach Carson began teaching at Father Ryan in 1991 in the science department, while also helping coach football as an assistant. He taught biology for seven years, but what he really loved was taking a day each semester to teach a completely new topic that he thought the students might find helpful. The topic that seemed to interest his students the most? Money.

How to save it, invest it, take care of it.

“As adults, we need to help students learn life skills,” says Carson. “We are raising a generation that will suffer without these essential skills.”

Seeing how interested students were in discussing personal finance, Carson pitched the Father Ryan administration on an idea for a semester-long class focused on protecting and growing your money. They were immediately on board.

“We have macroeconomics and microeconomics classes, focused on economic theory and the behavior of individuals or economies,” Carson said.

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“That is not my class. My class is focused on budgeting and investing – these essential life skills every child and adult should know.”

Carson’s first personal finance class began the fall of 1997, which was followed by another in the spring of 1998. These two classes were a hit from the beginning with 25 students in each of the two classes. The following year, he added three classes per semester, and now he teaches five classes per semester. Coach Carson estimates that 75 percent of Father Ryan’s student body will complete this course before they graduate.

So, what makes this class so special?

When Coach Carson first began his class in 1997, he used Dave Ramsey’s (a personal money management expert and a popular national radio host based in Franklin, TN) book, Financial Peace, as a guide. Each semester, he divides the class into five groups. Each group represents a family, and each family is given an income. For the entire semester, this family is responsible for keeping up with their money. Using their imagined income ($40K is the highest) and the number of people in their families, each group must create a budget, buy a home, go on vacation, file a tax return, and most importantly, invest.

“With this class, we have created our own economy where students can learn how mutual funds, 401ks, Roth IRAs and other investments behave, without the worry of using their own money,” says Coach Carson. “Some of these kids might be used to their parents planning everything for them, but in this class, they have to do all of the work. If my students really pay attention and employ these methods, then it will pay dividends in the end because they have the gift of time. If they start investing right now, they will be way ahead of many adults.”

4 2 1356 Coach Carson,s Financial Pick-Six

– From Teaching the Curriculum to Writing It – As Coach Carson’s classes grew and more and more students responded well to his methods of teaching, the educational division at Ramsey Solutions approached him about creating the entire curriculum for Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance High School edition.

Having never written a curriculum before, Coach Carson set to work using Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace again, along with what he knew worked in his own classroom. With these tools, he created an entirely new workbook and teaching manual for a semester-long course in personal finance. He created that curriculum in 2001, updated it again in 2008, and a third time in 2014. This curriculum has been so successful that now more than 5,000 schools worldwide are teaching personal finance based on the Father Ryan model.

But, to ask Coach Carson about this amazing accomplishment? He is as humble as ever. He doesn’t think too much about his global impact; he’s only thinking about what we can do to help others.

“I’m just glad I can help these students plan for the future. It is really gratifying when a former student reaches out to

me and says they remembered something I taught, or even better—reaches out with a question or a need and that I can still help them now.”

The list of students who point to Coach Carson’s class as a life-changer from a financial planning standpoint is long, and it includes lawyers and bankers, teachers and engineers, even professional athletes. Some comments include: “I am so incredibly grateful for Mr. Carson and his finance class! Probably impacted the direction of my life more than any other course I took!”

“My son absolutely loved his class as well. It really sparked his interest in business and economics.”

“Still credit card-free thanks to Mr. Carson’s course.”

“Thank you for instilling great financial sense into my daughters!”

So it is safe to say, yes, Coach Carson, you have changed the world.

On the football field the pick-six—an interception returned for a touchdown—has a big impact. It changes the momentum of the game, the spirits of the players, and often the very outcome of the game.

So in keeping with Coach Carson’s football pedigree, and drawing on the information he has developed with Dave Ramsey and teaches in the classroom, he offers you his six most important financial recommendations, all designed to build your own momentum and ultimately have you dancing in the end zone of financial success.

Here’s to you celebrating your own pick-six.

1. Never finance anything 2. Pay cash for everything 3. Use a broker when investing 4. N ever get insurance from your savings provider...and never get a savings plan from your insurance provider 5. Savings is for less than five years 6. Investing is for five years or longer

Coach Carson offers valuable life lessons to the students in his Personal Finance class.

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Dr. Adam Stratz ’09 at work in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

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A Decade for the Record Books How Dr. Adam Stratz ’09 is Already Improving the Safety of the World

If one was to review the resumé and accomplishments of Dr. Adam Stratz ’09, (and, of course, not knowing that he is just 10 years out of high school) it would be understandable for them to assume that he is a much older man. After all, in the short time since he has graduated from Father Ryan, he has already earned his degrees from Tennessee Tech, with a B.S. and an M.S. in Civil Engineering, in addition to receiving his PhD from the University of Tennessee in Nuclear Engineering. He has also been awarded fellowships through the Department of Homeland Security, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Now living in Washington, D.C., Dr. Stratz is putting his intellect, degrees and perseverance to work as a Foreign Affairs Officer for the U.S. Department of State.

If you think this job sounds equal parts fascinating, intimidating and important, you’d be correct. “I work international nuclear forensics issues,” says Dr. Stratz, “as the resident nuclear engineer in the Office of (Preventing) WMD (Wepons of Mass Destruction) Terrorism.” In layman’s terms, Dr. Stratz and his team are helping the U.S., and their allies, “increase their capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to illicit smuggling of nuclear materials.” In even more layman’s terms, he’s working to make the world a safer place for all of humanity.

Still south of 30 years old, Dr. Stratz has obviously accomplished a great deal in life already, and while his success is entirely thanks to his determination to better not only himself but the world, he admits he would be “remiss” if he did not mention a few courses at Father Ryan that had a particularly important impact on him. “MR. [DOUG] JONES, MR. [DOUG] BONTRAGER ’81, MR. [MIKE] MASCARI ’96, and MR. [STEVE] HARDEN, who aside from being talented and enjoyable instructors, were essential to my high school experience and later success through three engineering degrees,” says Dr. Stratz. He also noted that although he was “never particularly adept with literature or the arts,” he truly admired the talents and personalities of MS. [CAROL] BREWER and MRS. [KELLI] MCCLENDON.

Surprisingly, however, the classes that he says wound up having the greatest impact on his life and career were MS. [LEE ANN] LOCKMAN’S Spanish courses. “I always knew I’d pursue science after graduating, but her classes, enthusiasm, humor, and teaching style instilled a true and enduring desire to work with other cultures.”

Since his job is truly a global one, and he’s frequently working with international engineers, scientists and politicians, having a fondness and interest in foreign cultures is certainly a beneficial prerequisite. And Dr. Stratz made sure early on in his career to broaden his worldview by traveling every chance he could get. He spent his sophomore year of engineering school at Thammasat University near Bangkok, Thailand, and later spent around three weeks in the Marshall Islands.

On the islands, he and another scientist collected more than 3,000 environmental samples at legacy U.S. nuclear test sites to help monitor the state of radiation on the islands. “Weirdly,” he adds, “the London Natural History Museum holds a butterfly sample I caught on a remote atoll in the Pacific, documenting it as the first known presence of butterflies on Rongelap Atoll.”

With a thriving career that keeps him more than busy, one might assume that Dr. Stratz would enjoy weekends as a chance to rest up and perhaps catch some extra sleep, yet when interviewing him, it’s clear that his zest for life, travel and science is simply insatiable.

“I turn 30 this year and plan to travel to Uzbekistan,” he says. “It will be the 50th country I will have visited, and it’ll be really special to be there on my 30th birthday, accompanied by close friends and family.”

If one decade removed from high school has brought Dr. Adam Stratz this much success, it’s mind-boggling to imagine what he will have accomplished 30 or 40 years from now. But patting himself on the back is not in his DNA. When asked what he enjoys most about his work, he says that the impact he knows he’s making to better the world is most important to him. “I do feel that my team [and I are] making a measurable difference,” he says, “and I do feel that difference is positive.”

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The Healing Touch

Dr. Kerri Woodberry ’81 Lives Her Childhood Dream For someone who makes a living changing people’s lives, Kerri Woodberry’s life goals have remained consistently constant since she was eight years old.

As a daughter of two college professors, Dr. Woodberry ’81, knew from a very young age the importance of education, which is why it came as no surprise when her parents enrolled her in St. Vincent de Paul Elementary school for an “enhanced educational experience.”

Around this same time, young Kerri became ill and was rushed to a local hospital with a near ruptured appendix. This was a time of racial unrest in Nashville, and Kerri and her father sat uncomfortably in the hospital emergency room waiting to be seen while white patients were taken care of first.

So, Kerri’s father did what any caring parent would do: he picked her up and hurried to another hospital, where one attentive surgeon realized the peril she was in, and rushed her immediately to the operating room.

“That doctor saved my life that day,” Dr. Woodberry said, “and that’s when

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I decided I wanted to be a surgeon. Everything from that day forward, my education, my activities, everything was focused on one goal: medicine.”

Even before she knew what she wanted to do with her life at the mature age of eight, it seemed as though life was preparing Dr. Woodberry for each step along the way. As a child, Dr. Woodberry had a “puzzle brain.” She loved the challenge of a new puzzle and figuring out how to fit pieces together. In addition, she loved her math and science classes and jumped at the chance to take on more.

As a student at Father Ryan, Kerri was an officer in the Mu Alpha Theta math honors society and a member of the Explorer’s Club (which visited local medical organizations to learn more about those careers) in addition to many other activities, including being a cheerleader and an actress with the Purple Masque Players. She was also Salutatorian of her class, and fondly remembers her teachers, especially, MR. JOHN GORHAM ’54, who taught her favorite subject, math.

the medical students visited a gross anatomy lab.

It was the first time Dr. Woodberry saw a cadaver, and she was hooked.

“When we had the chance to study the cadaver and see how all of the bones and organs fit together, I thought this is for me,” she recalled.

“It was an affirmation of everything that led me to this point and of everything that lay ahead in my future.”

Of all her activities at Father Ryan, two experiences stand out. During one trip with the Explorers Club, they visited Vanderbilt Medical Center, which was across the street from Father Ryan at that time. The group toured the burn unit and listened to a lecture given by a neurosurgeon. She was fascinated by the hospital and video of brain surgery, and knew she needed to learn more. Later that summer, she applied for a position working with a Tennessee State University professor in an agricultural research program studying behavioral modifications in patients. She worked all summer knocking on doors asking strangers about their nutritional habits and other personal questions. Although it was a daunting task at the time, Dr. Woodberry can point to that experience as one that prepared her for her future career by truly honing her bedside manner.

“In med school, some students can find talking to strangers about their personal lives intimidating.

And it was for me in high school,” she said. “But, by med school, I was older and more mature so it was so much easier for me. I’ve always been grateful for that opportunity all those years ago.”

– Calling Dr. Woodberry – After her visit to Vanderbilt Medical Center, Dr. Woodberry knew her next steps. She applied early decision to Vanderbilt with plans to eventually attend medical school and was accepted. With all she had done to prepare thus far, her transition to Vanderbilt was seamless. She majored in chemistry, and to complement her coursework, she minored in mathematics because “I loved it and needed something fun to balance out all the work in my chemistry classes.”

During her summer breaks from Vanderbilt, Dr. Woodberry continued to look for opportunities to advance her studies along her chosen career path, so she applied for a pre-med enrichment opportunity through the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In this summer class, pre-med students prepared for the MCAT (the medical school entrance test) together, did research, and took tours of hospitals and other medical facilities throughout the state. On one of these tours,

Everything from that day forward, my education, my activities, everything was focused on one goal: medicine.

With her MCAT scores and experience, Dr. Woodberry received multiple acceptances from medical schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, and Johns Hopkins. After falling in love with Baltimore during a visit there, she decided on Johns Hopkins for medical school—a fortuitous decision, because while in medical school, she met her husband Michael Rabb, a pharmaceutical sales representative.

While at Hopkins, Dr. Woodberry thought she wanted to become an Orthopedic Surgeon, but at the time there were very few women in the field. She changed her mind during her first year internship where she studied General Surgery and had her first introduction to Plastic Surgery.

She grew to love both practices, which led to five years of General Surgery where she served as Chief Resident at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, followed by two years of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Ohio State University Hospital. She then completed an additional Fellowship in Orthopedic Hand Surgery at The University of Pennsylvania.

It was during her time at Union Memorial and Ohio State that Dr. Woodberry discovered her love of hand surgery. It was a combination of many of her interests—Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery and, harkening back to an earlier age, puzzles.

“The hand is such a small part of the body, but a large part of what we use every day,” she said.

“There are twenty seven bones in the hand, and if the bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves are injured, you lose function of the hand. “

After years of study, Dr. Woodberry began to think of her parents’ experiences as college professors, and decided she, too, wanted to return to the teaching atmosphere. Therefore, she accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery and Orthopedics at Saint Louis University.

“I loved working with the medical students and residents. Being in the operating room and giving them the clinical background on what they were learning in med school, reminded me of my years studying and preparing for medicine,” she said.

Dr. Woodberry stayed in St. Louis for six years, gave birth to three daughters, and shared her knowledge of hand surgery with others. However, the pull for her children to be near their grandparents was too great, so she and her family moved back home to Nashville. Never one to rest on her laurels, in 2003, Dr. Woodberry joined the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, and later earned her Executive MBA from Vanderbilt. She later opened her own practice, The Macourlyn Center, named after her three daughters, Mikaela, Courtney, and Kaitlyn.

In her new private practice, Dr. Woodberry focused on breast reconstruction and hand surgery, and was particularly passionate about giving breast cancer survivors a new start at life with breast reconstruction surgery. The practice also gave her flexibility to be there for her daughters during their formative years, and be a part of all the sports and other activities of busy teenagers.

But, after her youngest graduated from high school, Dr. Woodberry wanted to get back to teaching, so last May, she accepted a position at West Virginia University, where she serves as an Associate Professor, conducts clinical research and is the Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. It’s an opportunity to combine all of her passions—teaching, operating, and treating patients.

When asked why she chose West Virginia University, Dr. Woodberry’s response was simple.

She says it was the beauty of the mountains, the people, and “a feeling and a calling from God that this is where I needed to be.”

Since she was eight years old, Dr. Woodberry has known what she wanted and where she needed to be. Why would this be any different?

Opposite from left: Dr. Kerri Woodberry; Presenting her Salutatory Address in 1981 and returning for her Reunion; strong family bonds.

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A Spirit of Philant hropy Starting Young

Philanthropy has a New Look One of the major goals of the new Father Ryan Strategic Plan is to create a culture of philanthropy and sustainability, and many members of the Father Ryan community are already helping make that goal a reality. In this issue of Irish Ayes, we focus on two younger alumni whose giving and leadership are having an impact on our students today, and who are inspiring others to be philanthropic themselves. We are proud to showcase their support.

To read more about the scholarships at Father Ryan, visit fatherryan.org/scholarships.

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For most people, the picture of a philanthropist shows a man of advanced years who has built success and is now ready to leave a legacy.

It’s time to change that picture.

Today’s philanthropists aren’t just the old guard. Increasingly, they are Gen Xers and millennials who are reinventing what it means to do good. They want more than just their name on the donors’ wall; they want to see real and measurable results.

In Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving, authors Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody said the members of Generation X and millennials, both men and women, will be “the most significant philanthropists in history” because of the estimated $59 trillion in wealth that is currently being transferred to them from their aging baby boomer parents and grandparents.

This is affirmed by the Case Foundation’s Millennial Impact Report: 2015, which showed that 84 percent of millennial employees gave to charity and 70 percent of them donated more than an hour to a charitable cause.

Father Ryan is seeing that as well. The Class of 2019 last year made its graduation class gift to the Annual Fund, continuing a tradition begun by the Class of 2009. In addition, more and more younger alumni are responding with their generosity, none more tellingly and enthusiastically than KIRSTEN (GMITTER) and JEFF ROLLINS ’94.

– A New Generation of Irish Supporters – Meet Jeff and Kirsten, inseparable since high school and focused today on their family, their businesses and their philanthropy. Both graduates of the Class of 1994, Kirsten Gmitter (pronounced “gruh-MEET-er) was part of the band, with all the commitment it required and all the excitement you could have. Jeff remembers his days on the campuses, starting at Elliston Place and then participating in the move to the new campus. They both remain struck by the connections they established, the education they received, and the impact it had on them both.

“MR. JEFF SCHLETZER was such a gift for us as students and musicians,” Kirsten said, “and MR. GREG CARSON’S class was memorable and enjoyable. I treasure those times.”

Jeff played football and tennis as a freshman and remembers always being involved.

His teacher memory? MR. BOBBY HUDDLESTON, who taught him Latin for two years, and MR. ROBERT KENT ’74. “Both of them made education enjoyable and the subject matter understandable, in their own unique ways,” Jeff said.

Four years at Father Ryan only proved to be the beginning for this couple. They both attended Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, graduating in 1998 and marrying soon after. They returned to Nashville, where they remained until 2010, raising two children and establishing their business paths.

“I am an entrepreneur, it’s all I’ve ever done,” Jeff says. “Ever since college, I’ve built companies that,have been successful and others that have failed. You have to be a risk jumper to do this. But I now know how to create businesses in this environment.” His interests have ranged from pharmaceutical to food and beverage to real estate development and beyond.

They remain active supporters of the school, visiting the campus, meeting with the faculty and staff, and bringing their philanthropy to the school and to the attention of their classmates.

By 2010, they were looking for new experiences, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi, a Gulf Coast town just east across the Highway 90 causeway from Biloxi, was the answer. “We wanted to be near the water but still in a smaller com-

Kirsten has worn a number of entrepreneurial hats herself, most recently adding residential real estate to her business card. She obtained her license in October of 2019 and now handles home sales as an agent for Coldwell-Banker Alfonso Realty.

“Father Ryan has been the foundation for everything that has happened in life.”

A few years ago they responded to Father Ryan’s Annual Fund mailing with a gift.

munity,” Jeff said. “We found Ocean Springs to be like Franklin, Tennessee, just relocated to the beach. It’s a great place to raise the family, and my business can be done anywhere, all across the country.”

Along the sunny Gulf Coast, they welcomed their third child as Jeff worked in sales for Alvix Laboratories, also in Ocean Springs, and Kirsten took care of the now-larger family. By 2017, Jeff was drawn to the growing business of pharmaceutical manufacturing and co-founded Levins Pharma in Ocean Springs, which makes nutraceuticals. The business has been open three years and is quite a success, with its commitment to manufacturing higher quality, more effective pharmaceuticals for patients’ health. He’s now working with Ole Miss on developing additional natural products in partnership with the university’s renowned botanical gardens.

According to Jeff, “What nudged us in the Annual Fund was the school’s year-end eblast sent by friend and Father Ryan’s Annual Fund Manager ANGIE (JACOBSON COFFEY ’95) with a challenge, and Kirsten and I took up that challenge. We felt it was important to answer the call.

It was always ingrained in us as children to give back. About 10 years ago I became chair of the board of the South Mississippi Humane Society and started giving in a bigger way. Giving starts to spread and our support grows. You have to have a heart to be a giver. And I believe that the more you give, the more you receive.”

Giving to Father Ryan was natural and heartfelt, but making a gift to the Annual Fund was just the start. Based on that experience, and as they got more connected with the school, they wanted to rally their friends and the younger generation.

“We responded by extending our own challenge in 2018 to encourage others of our generation to give,” Jeff said. “The response was strong and invigorating for us. It’s one of the reasons we give now, at our age, so we can see the benefits.”

Why Father Ryan? To Kirsten, it’s an easy answer.

“Catholic schools solidify the students’ faith. We see it in our daughter, who is a year and a half away from college. She is in one of the most pivotal times in her life, going out into a big scary world, and we believe what we and her Catholic school experience have taught her will provide the foundation she needs to deal with whatever she faces.”

Jeff recalls, “Father Ryan has been the foundation for everything that has happened in life. We’ve received friendships and the pleasure of knowing that we are helping the school and other students experience Catholic education. We’re helping out other people in their education and in their faith.”

It is a changing philanthropic world, and thanks to supporters like Kirsten and Jeff, the spirit of philanthropy continues to grow among the Father Ryan community.

“Twenty-two years of marriage, and Father Ryan is something we both share,” they reflected. “We give to other charities that are important to each of us, but this is important to both of us.”

Opposite: JEFF and KIRSTEN (GMITTER) ROLLINS ’94; above with children Virginia, Joey and Marina.

MAKING A

DIFFERENCE YOUR 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE GIFT to the Father Ryan Annual Fund helps us carry out the tradition of Faith, Knowledge and Service that continues to guide our students today.

To make a gift visit fatherryan.org/giving Irish Ayes |

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Class Notes winter/spring 2020

1945 The Town Hall in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, was dedicated on Saturday, November 30, to, and named for, the late EUGENE F. “GENE” STROBEL, a former mayor credited with supporting the rebuild of the town’s business district during the late 1970s and 80s. Gene’s wife, Kathy, daughters Amy, Jane and Mary Ann, and his sister Joan gathered for the celebration and to hear Mayor Ronnie Lokey say, “Mr. Strobel served the Town of Bell Buckle admirably, both as mayor and as a member of the Park Board.”

1955 JUDGE J. RANDALL WYATT, JR. was recognized in November for his 43 years in Davidson County Criminal Court in Nashville with a portrait unveiling in his former courtroom at the Justice A. A. Birch Building’s Courtroom 6B. Judge Wyatt, who retired in 2017, celebrated with his family, friends and colleagues.

1976 LESLIE BARRETT KINKEAD, the longtime coordinator of the Tennessee Court Improvement Program at the Administrative Office of the Courts, was recognized for her decades of service recently at a statewide conference for juvenile court professionals.

Leslie, whose dedication and influence in the field has led some to refer to her as the godmother of juvenile courts in Tennessee, was presented with the 2019 Meritorious Award at the joint Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges/Tennessee Juvenile Court Services Association Conference in Franklin. That award is given each year by the TJCSA to “an individual deserving honor for significant contributions towards the field of juvenile justice.”

1978 BILL GREEN and his wife, Susan, have retired and have happily relocated to Nashville after calling the New Orleans area home for 37 years.

Bill looks forward to reconnecting with his Father Ryan friends.

1962 BILL SOVINE hosted the 57th 1962 Class Reunion in Gulf Shores, Alabama in November. Pictured (l-r) are Clark Luster, Bill Sovine, Bob Musgrove, Michael Gallagher, Ralph Seta, Jim Hughes, Phil Kincaid, Jack Hughes, Pat McRedmond, and Joe Kincaid. The guys enjoyed several songwriters’ nights and a day at the Pensacola Naval air museums and, an air show with The Blue Angels.

1976 BOB BRACKMAN was named the interim director of the American Horticultural Society (AHS) effective October 1, 2019.

Bob has a long and distinguished career in horticulture, including leadership roles at several prominent botanical gardens. Early in his career, he directed the horticulture program at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and went on to serve as vice president and director of Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in Nashville, Tennessee. He then became executive director of the San Antonio Botanical Garden in Texas, overseeing its eight-acre, $22 million expansion before retiring in January 2019. Most recently, he has served as interim vice president of horticulture at Holden Forest and Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio.

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1983 MARY GRIFFIN was awarded a Master of Laws in Litigation Management during the February 8, 2020 commencement ceremonies at Baylor University. During her time in the program, she performed specialized research regarding the strategic use of litigation management tools to maximize state resources in governmental opioid litigation. Mary, who works for the Tennessee Treasury Department was the only government attorney to be selected for the inaugural LL.M. in Litigation Management cohort. She says her husband, Father Ryan teacher Steve Harden, Steve should be given an honorary LL.M as a spouse who supported her through this journey.

1987 MICHELE JOHNSON, Executive Director of the Tennessee Justice Center, attended the 2020 State of the Union address as the guest of Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05). “At the State of the Union Michele will represent hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans who do not have health coverage due to our state’s refusal to expand Medicaid.” Rep. Cooper said.

1990 PHILLIP SHARPE was promoted to Superintendent, 88th Inpatient Operations Squadron for the Air Force, where he is the senior enlisted advisor to the commander on all matters concerning the morale, welfare, health, and professional development for 149 personnel. This includes comprehensive medical, surgical, obstetrical/gynecological, and intensive inpatient care services to 39,000 beneficiaries.

2001 MICHELLE PEÑALOZA’S debut poetry collection, Former Possessions of the Spanish Empire, explores grief and violence, the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, and the complications of desire. The book, available on Amazon, won the 2018 Hillary Gravendyk National Prize, awarded by Inlandia Institute.

2001 JOHN RODGERS was promoted to partner at the law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. John works in Bradley’s Nashville office and primarily helps employers solve their employment-related problems. John originally joined Bradley in 2011 after graduating summa cum laude and Order of the Coif from the University of Tennessee College of “Of this I am certain: I’ll be celebrating this poet for many Law. years to come." - Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of Lucky Fish and Oceanic

2004 MICHAEL FUNK, PHD, is an Associate Editor for Science magazine, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). His areas of responsibility are biochemistry, geomicrobiology, and environmental science. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science at 1 Vanderbilt and his PhD from MIT. 2011 DOMINIC ROTA has joined Patterson Intellectual Property Law as an Associate. He is a registered patent attorney who practices in the area of patent prosecution and litigation.

Dominic is a 2015 cum laude graduate of Belmont University with a B.S. in physics and a magna cum laude graduate of Belmont University College of Law, where he was the Executive Development & Technology Editor of the Belmont Law Review.

2013 KATIE CLAIBORNE coordinates the Bike MS: Bike to Jack & Back event every October that benefits the National MS Society. This is a two-day bike ride that starts in Franklin and ends at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg. If you are interested in joining Irish alumni in their ride to end MS or getting involved with the National MS Society, reach out to Katie at kathleen.claiborne@nmss.org.

Tanner Dieterich Drafted to Nashville SC TANNER DIETERICH, a member of the class of 2016, is coming home!

The son of Father Ryan’s Hall of Fame Boys and Girls Soccer Coach, ROBIN DIETERICH ’73, was drafted #28 overall in the Major League Soccer (MLS) draft in January by his hometown Nashville Soccer Club.

Tanner played on the 2013 State Champion Boys Soccer Team at Father Ryan before joining the national U15 U.S. Soccer Team in Florida. From there he attended Clemson University, where he played four years for the Tigers in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Welcome back to Nashville, Tanner. The Dieterichs will have many more meals together.

2015 ANDREW TRIPLETT is a first-year law student at Cumberland Law School at Samford University. Last May he graduated cum laude from Birmingham Southern with a major in history and a minor in political science. He helped the Panthers Track & Field Team win two Southern Athletic Association Championships. Andrew is a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, St. Stephen Council, and is a historical interpreter and duelist at The Hermitage when he’s home.

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Weddings winter/spring 2020

2015 DONNELLY WOLF is the Marketing and Communications Manager for The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour.

He will be handling social media feeds, photography, blog, email marketing, and videography.

Donnelly graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing with a specialization in PGA Golf Management.

2016 TREY CHALIFOUX was named the first Army West Point Athletic Association Athlete of the Week for the new year after scoring three victories at the West Point Duals in January. Competing at 125 pounds, Trey was among three undefeated Cadets, but the only one to compete and win in all three matches.

2017 ETHAN WILSON, a junior on the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s soccer team, was named to the First Team All-Gulf South Conference (GSC).

He was also named a GSC All-American for being a significant contributor with a GPA of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for his entire academic career.

2019 CAROLINE SIMPSON and her fellow University of Tennessee, Knoxville Cheer Team earned first place in the 2020 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship. This is the team’s first-ever Cheer Game Day title in the Coed Division IA. #GBO

Philip and Julia Becker

Etienne and Maria Bouchard

Bethann and Justin Guidry

Kate and Kyle Kidwell

Kimberly and John Norfleet

Sophia and William Peebles

Mekenzie and Alexander Pittard

Alex and Emily Nackenoff

Susan and Jonathan Griffith

JULIA SHARP ’10 and Philip Becker were married on November 30, 2019 with Anna Sharp ’12 as her maid of honor and her cousin Kirsten (Sharp) Shelton ’10 as a bridesmaid. The couple lives in Chattanooga, TN. CATHERINE LEVINS ’01 and Phil Bohannon were married on June 29, 2019.

The couple lives in Louisville, KY. MARIA RIGBY ’09 and Etienne Bouchard were married on April 27, 2019 at Camp Marymount in Fairview. Ryan (Rutledge) Fuerst ‘09 was the matron of honor.

Bethann Anthony and JUSTIN GUIDRY ’08 were married on July 27, 2019 at The Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. The couple honeymooned on the island of Mo’orea in the French Polynesia and live in Nashville.

KAYLA HOWELL ’10 and William Hucke were married on October 26, 2019. Four of her fellow Father Ryan classmates were bridesmaids: Jennifer Travis, Emmy (DiGiovanni) Banks, Katie DePriest, and Katie Townsend.

KATE ROLMAN ’13 and Kyle Kidwell were married on October 12, 2019.

KIMBERLY ARK ’00 and JOHN NORFLEET ’00 were married on May 18, 2019 at The Barn at Spring Lake Farms in Portland TN. SOPHIA MANUEL ’12 and William Peebles were married on September 1, 2019 at Warren Chapel Monteagle Sunday School Assembly in Monteagle Tennessee. The couple

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honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and they call Franklin, TN home.

MEKENZIE BROWN ’11 and Alexander Pittard were married on May 4, 2019 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. The bride’s parents are Bridget (Stangline) ‘83 and Sam (Faculty) Brown and the groom’s parents are Barbara (Sinnott) ‘76 and Robert Pittard.

EMILY WEHBY ’08 and Alex Nackenoff were married on October 12, 2019 at Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett in Nashville, TN. AMELIA NORMAN ’11 and Joshua Wood were married on September 14, 2019 at Bruntwood Hall in Manchester, United Kingdom. Amelia graduated from Vanderbilt University with an MSN and is a Nurse Practitioner at Tennessee Oncology in the Gynecologic Cancer division. Amelia and Josh live in Nashville.

SUSAN STEFFENHAGEN ’12 and JONATHAN GRIFFITH ’12 were married on June 29, 2019 at St. Henry Catholic Church. The couple lives in Nashville, where Susan is a Senior Air Quality Planner at the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and Jonathan is an Athletic Trainer at Middle Tennessee State University.

Births winter/spring 2020

In Memoriam winter/spring 2020

THOMAS M. ALLEN: Father of Jill Allen ’93 and Chris Allen ’97.

Paul Thomas Beavin

Sally Louise Blystone

Ailis Anne Burns

Daniel DeBoer

WILLIAM N. “BILL” ARCHIE III ’51: Father of Pam (Archie) Stockard, Kim (Archie) Cherry ’73, Rob Archie ’76, Bud Archie ’78, Mia (Archie) Sadler ’82, and Kay (Archie) Grigg ’84.

WILLIAM C. BAIRD, JR. ’46: Father of Mark Baird and Will Baird III ’84.

ELIZABETH BALTZ: sister of Joseph, George, Bernard ’43, Lawrence ’44, Frank ’54, and Alfred ’55 Baltz, Anna Marie (Baltz) Harrigan, Bernardine Baltz, and Margaret (Baltz) Taylor (all deceased), and Catherine (Baltz) Corbitt.

Beau Russell Denson

Samuel Lee Fuerst

Anna Estelle Huck

Elizabeth Dawn Kane

JEAN BARRETT: Mother of Brooke (Barrett) Hale (deceased) and Michael Barrett ’87.

DUANE L. BROWN ’60.

FRANCES J. BURNS: Wife of the late James T. Burns ’42.

JOHN A. “JACK” BUTLER, SR. ’44.

Evelyn Grace Patterson

Lucía Elida Johnson

Molly Nolan and Josephine Grady Thomas

Paul Thomas to KATIE (GRIFFITH) ’03 and WILL BEAVIN ’03, born on April 25, 2019. Tommy joins big brother, William.

Elizabeth “Liddy” Dawn to SUZANNE (DUNNING) ’06 and Greg Kane, born on October 18, 2019.

Sally Louise to ELLEN (CORBY) ’06 and Tyler Blystone, born on October 2, 2019.

Maya Ruby Lewis Laczko to KATIE LEWIS ’04 and BRIAN LACZKO ’04, born on July 24, 2019. She joins big sister, Aviva Rose.

Ailis “Ailey” Anne to Eleanna and MICHAEL BURNS ’01, born on December 29, 2019. Granddaughter to Martin R. Burns ‘71 and great-granddaughter to Martin J. Burns ‘46.

Daniel to SARAH KATE (HUTCHISON) ’11 and Tyler DeBoer, born on June 15, 2019.

Beau Russell to PAIGE (FRANCESCON) ’05 and RUSTY DENSON ’06, born on August 8, 2019. Beau joins big sisters, Summer (4) and Savanna (2).

Amelia Rose to Amanda and BRENT FERNANDEZ ’99 (FACULTY), born on December 19, 2019.

Samuel Lee to RYAN (RUTLEDGE) ’09 and PAUL FUERST ’07, born on March 19, 2019.

Anna Estelle to Juliana and TONY HUCK ’04, born on October 6, 2019.

Evelyn Grace to MARNEY (LOW) ’97 and Brian Patterson, born on June 4, 2019.

Evey joins big brothers, Will (13) and Drew (10).

Lucía Elida to ANDREA (ROBLETO) ’10 and Ethan Johnson, born on January 17, 2020.

Molly Nolan and Josephine Grady to Bridget (Nolan) and ADAM ’98 THOMAS, born on August 16, 2019. Molly and JoJo join big sister, Lucy (2).

ERNEST J. CARPENTER, JR. ’70.

PATRICIA CLEMENTS: Mother of Marvin ’86 and Scott ’90 Clements.

PATRICK CLEPPER ’72: Brother of Christi (Clepper) Scherrer, Jan (Clepper) Jaffe, Mary Ann (Clepper) Burns ’75 (deceased), Tim ’67 (deceased), Mike ’70, Rick ’73 (deceased), John ’75, Paul ’78 (deceased), Tom ’80, and Teresa Clepper ’80.

MICHAEL CROW ’71.

MARY DACRI: Mother of Chris (Dacri) Wantz ’88.

PHIL DAVIDSON (Former Softball Coach): Father of Allison Davidson, Brooke (Davidson) Dill ’95, and Carrie Davidson ’07.

MARY DEEGAN: Wife of Jack Deegan ’47.

LARRY J. DEMATTEO: Brother of Bobby (deceased) and Tony ’56 DeMatteo and Dianne (DeMatteo) Howle.

TOM DEWEESE: Husband of Beth (Wallace) Deweese ’74.

SANDY BERRYHILL: Mother of Laurie Dismuke (Faculty).

CHARLES G. “CHICK” DONALDSON: Father of Randy Donaldson ’76.

REBECCA DOYLE: Wife of the late Joseph Doyle ’42.

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In Memoriam winter/spring 2020

A Sudden Loss in the Father Ryan Community The Father Ryan community was dealt a shocking blow right after Christmas, when Kathy (Wilson) Moseley ’83, devoted and respected Advancement Events Manager, passed away suddenly following a brief illness. From both a spiritual and operational standpoint, Kathy’s passing was heartbreaking.

Her tireless energy and Irish enthusiasm were evident at every event she planned. From the Legacy Gala to the Veterans Breakfast to our Homecoming’s Pride in the Pit BBQ Contest, she added a welcoming spirit to all Father Ryan events.

Kathy’s work was always appreciated and celebrated, even though she was less recognized, which was fine with her. She preferred to help make the events memorable for Ryan Nation, for campus guests, for parents, students, and alumni. If you enjoyed the Pride in the Pit BBQ Contest, the meal and the festivities at the Legacy Gala, the music and fun of the Parent-Student Dances, the decorations at Christmas, or at Open House, Kathy was the one to thank...if you could find her. She was happy away from the spotlight, taking pleasure in the enjoyment she was able to bring people because they were spending time at Father Ryan.

Kathy was born on October 8, 1965 to Patsy (Krenson) Hibbett and the late Thomas B. (Sonny) Wilson ’50. She is predeceased by her daughter Shelby Lauren and survived by her most loving husband, Glen Moseley, and beloved children, Cole ’12 and Emily ’14, and future son-in-law, Patrick Carr. She will be dearly missed by her sister, Mittie (Wilson) Hale ’74 and brothers, Tommy ’70 (Jodie), Bobby ’72 (Molly), Chris ’78 (Cathy) and Scottie ’80 (Laurel), all of Nashville, her many nieces, nephews, dear friends, and beloved co-workers.

Kathy graduated from Father Ryan High School in 1983 and the University of the South-Sewanee in 1987. A fierce competitor in all games and sports, women’s soccer was the place she excelled as a player and a coach. Dedicated to her family and friends, she nurtured all of us with food, laughter and her beautiful spirit.

She is already greatly missed, and the Father Ryan community sends its prayers out to Glen, Cole, Emily and all of Kathy’s family.

May she rest in peace.

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JOSEPH E. DYER, JR. ’89.

JOANN EDELEN: Mother of Suzanne (Edelen) Patterson, Dennis Edelen ’75 (Cheryl, Faculty), and Sherri (Edelen) Simpson ’79.

MICHAEL K. ELDER: Father of Theresa (Elder) Mascolo ’82, Mickey Elder ’85, and Christie Elder (deceased).

LYNN (LANGDON) FLAMER ’75: Daughter of David Langdon ’43 (deceased) and sister of Andrea (Langdon) Dearman and Marc Langdon ’76.

PATRICK G. “PAT” FORTE ’70: Brother of Earleen, Sonny ’52, and Mike ’67 Forte (all deceased).

MICHAEL GALBRETH ’74: Brother of Bill ’73 and Joe ’79 Galbreth and Patty (Galbreth) Stephens ’75.

JIM J. GALVIN, SR.: Father of Lynn (Galvin) Odell, Jim Galvin, Tim Galvin ’82, and Lori (Galvin) Martini ’84.

JEFFREY T. “JEFF” GRIMES ’89: Son of Richard Grimes ’64 and brother of Lori (Grimes) Sells ’84 and Nathan Grimes.

JAMES C. “JIM” HAILEY III ’85: Son of Karen and Jimmy ’67 Hailey and brother of Christopher ’87 and Eric ’92 Hailey.

ROBERT V. HAILEY, JR. ’73: Son of Robert V. Hailey, Sr. ’49 (deceased) and brother of Mary Lee (Hailey) Payne ’74, Martina Hailey ’75, Steve Hailey ’78, and Amy Hailey ’80.

RICHARD J. HEHNEN ’64: Father of Michael Hehnen ’89 and Stacey (Hehnen) Wakefield ’92 and brother of Tom Hehnen, Gary Hehnen ’68, Joanne (Hehnen) Wells (all deceased), and Lisa (Hehnen) Wright.

HELEN MEIERS HENKEL: Wife of Sylvester Henkel ’50 (deceased) and sister of Henry ’48 and Ed ’50 Meiers (both deceased), Sister Mary Ann Francis, RSM, and Jannis (Meiers) Hackney.

SALLIE HICKS: Mother of Judy (Hicks) Ison, Catharine (Hicks) Obolensky, George Hicks, Susan (Hicks) Thetford, Sallie (Hicks) Talley ’74, and Robin Dahl Owens.

SHIRLEY HOGAN: Mother of Ron Hogan ’78, Chris (Hogan) Bryant ’80, and Andrea Hogan ’87.

MICHAEL T. “MIKE” HORROCKS ’94: Brother of Brian Horrocks ’96.

AMY R. HOSTETTLER: Wife of Tony Hostettler ’71, mother of Chase Hostettler ’16 and stepmother of Shannon (Hostettler) Davis and Kenzie (Hostettler) Barth.

ERLE W. “HAP” HUDSON, JR. ’61: Brother of Mike, Pat ’72, and Steve Hudson.

MILDRED N. HUMBRECHT: Stepmother of Msgr. Al Humbrecht ’64; mother of Libby (Humbrecht) Clifton; and sister of Tom Northern ’45 (deceased), William Jones ’58 (deceased), and Joe Jones ’59.

KAREN D. JACKSON ’76: Sister of Debra Jackson ’73, Donna (Jackson) Moreland ’78, Donald Jackson, Jr. ’78, and LaTrice (Jackson) Sherrell ’82.

FRANCES JONES: Mother of Paceda (Jones) Petrone, Tony Jones ’71, Angela (Jones) Wolf ’73, Steve Jones ’74, Patrick Jones ’77, and Cathy (Jones) Nutt.

WILLIAM F. “BILL” LANGDON ’52: Father of Barry ’79, Maria (Langdon) Rippetoe ’80, Karen (Langdon) Bateman ’82, Patrice (deceased), Brian ’85, and Chad ’88 Langdon, and brother of alumni David ’43 (deceased), Joseph ’47 (deceased), Jim ’54, Pat ’58, and Patricia Langdon (deceased).

GEORGE LARGAY: Father of Kerry (Largay) Bauchiero ’96 (Ryan ’97).

SHONDA Y. LEWIS ’79.

PEGGY LONG: Widow of Lawrence V. Long, Sr. ’50 and mother of Lauria (Long) Hale ’73, Lisa (Long) Mayo ’74 (Mark ’72),

Leah (Long) Morgan ’75 (Lamar ’75), Leslie (Long) Franklin, Lorraine (Long) Bauscher ’84, Bubba Long (Colleen ’84), Luke Long ’88, and Lance Long ’88 (Beth ’88).

SUSAN MOGAN ’74: Mother of Chelsea (Eason) Stabler ’02, Shannon (Eason) Cordell and Valerie (Eason) Rachal; daughter of Thomas Mogan, Sr. ’46 (deceased); and sister of Paddy ’72, Melissa, Thomas Mogan, Jr. ’76 (deceased), Kevin Mogan ’78, and Joey Mogan.

DEBBIE (SERFASS) MORALES ’85: Wife of Jeff Morales ’77, and sister of Karen (Serfass) Stamps ’76 (Joe ’78), Donna (Serfass) Wolfe ’78, and Ron Serfass ’80 (deceased).

F. ELIZABETH “LIZ” MURPHREE ’84: Sister of Jack ’79 and Janice ’81 Murphree and Lynn (Murphree) Rocco ’82.

RUBY PEWITT: Mother of Debbie Pewitt, Diane Pewitt, and Tammy (Pewitt) Holmes ’81 (Jeff ’81).

DONALD PICKEL: Father of Kirk ’84, Ken ’87, Kevin ’89, and Kelly ’01 Pickel.

CHRISTOPER PORTER: Brother of Liz (Porter) Fox ’96.

THOMAS J. “TOM” POWELL: Father of Julia (Powell) Mulherin, Thomas ’85, and Kevin ’85 Powell.

REV. JAMES L. PUGH ’59.

BERNARD “BERNIE” RICHARDS: Father of Jennifer (Richards) Sapka ’97 (Mikey ’97), Amanda (Richards) Pharr ’99, and Victoria Richards.

PATRICIA “PATSY” ROWAN: Wife of Manson Rowan ’54 (deceased); mother of Kipp Rowan ’74, Karen (Rowan) Pilkerton, Pat Rowan ’79, and Dana (Rowan) Griscom; and sister of Gloria Knoch, Jane Odum, Jack Evans and Don Evans ’52 (all deceased).

ANNA GRACE RUSHING: Daughter of Allison (Hagan) Green ’90 (Staff).

DIANE SERFASS: Mother of Karen (Serfass) Stamps ’76 (Joe ’78), Donna (Serfass) Wolfe ’78, Ron Serfass ’80 (deceased), and Debbie (Serfass) Morales ’85 (deceased) (Jeff ’77).

ROBERT H. SHAUGHNESSY: Mother of Bob ’79, Thomas ’80, and Christopher ’82 Shaughnessy.

JOSEPH R. SIMKINS ’67: Brother of Mark Simkins ’71.

JOHN L. SNEED ’74.

HOWARD J. STEELE, JR. ’39: Father of Larry ’65, Mike, and Howard Steele.

MARGIE STOLT: Mother of Emily (Stolt) Wayne ’93, Matt, Ben ’99, and Kelly ’05 Stolt.

JOHN STURDIVANT ’71.

GRADY R. WARNER ’66: Son of Alice and R.G. ’42 Warner III (both deceased).

ANTHONY “TONY” WELLS ’72: Father of Ashley (Wells) Heun ’95, Anthony “Chip” Wells ’98, and Connor Wells.

THOMAS B. “SONNY” WILSON, SR ’50: Father of Tommy ’70, Bobby ’72, Chris ’78, and Scottie ’80 Wison, Mittie (Wilson) Hale ’74, and Kathy (Wilson) Moseley ’83 (deceased).

Chuck Meriwether ’74: Safe at Home Not all of us get the chance to live our childhood dream. Chuck Meriwether ‘74 did.

From his days on the Father Ryan baseball team to umpiring games at Centennial Park as a teenager to being behind the plate when the Boston Red Sox broke their 86-year-old World Series drought, till his passing from cancer last fall, Chuck embraced and revelled in the nation’s pastime. His 23-year Major League Baseball (MLB) umpiring career was marked by two World Series—the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox sweeps. Perhaps more special and certainly rarer, he umpired not one but two of the 23 perfect games in MLB’s 150-year history.

“Chuck Meriwether was an accomplished umpire on the field, a role model for our staff and a true gentleman in life,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Julius Edward “Chuck” Meriwether was born on June 30, 1956, in Nashville and after Father Ryan, he graduated from Athens State College in 1978 in Alabama, with a degree in physical education and health. He then attended the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School and started his umpiring career in the Midwest League in 1979.

“I just love the game,” he told the Hartford Courant in 1980, while he was umpiring in the Eastern League. “Can you think of a better place to watch it?”

TIMI (HUEY) WINTER ’84: sister of Lynn (Huey) Crowell ‘80, Dani (Huey) Willard, and Jeff Huey ‘83 (deceased).

After working in the minors as an umpire, Meriwether made it to the majors in 1987. He was promoted to the majors full-time in 1993 and worked through the 2009 season. In Meriwether’s MLB career, he worked the 1996 and 2002 All-Star Games, eight Division Series, two League Championship Series and those two World Series. After retiring from the field, he worked as an umpire supervisor for nine years.

EUGENIA “JEANIE” WYNNE: Wife of Thomas “Tom” J. Wynne III ’55 and mother of Thomas J. “Joe” Wynne IV ’78 and Mike Wynne ’80.

Nashville honored its native son multiple times after his retirement. The officials’ dressing room at Father Ryan was named for him in 2010 and the umpires’ dressing room at First Tennessee Park was named after him in 2016. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in June of that year.

MARY YORK: Wife of Rudy York ’48 (deceased); mother of Buddy (deceased), Marty ’77 and Chris York; and sister of Tom Murphy ’51, Ann (Murphy) West, Jeanne (Murphy) Samuelson, and Edna (Murphy) Sloyan.

Father Ryan was blessed to have him as part of this community, benefiting from his wife Curleen’s time as a teacher and their two children, Jeremy ’04 and Chris ’06 who are following their dad in athletic careers. Jeremy is an executive with the NHL’s Nashville Predators and Chris, who played basketball for the Irish and at Vanderbilt, is in charge of sports recreational activities at Vandy.

GEORGE ZIMMERMANN ’85: Brother of Tony Zimmermann ’83 and Catherine (Zimmermann) Simpson ’87.

Gone from here, he may be, but truly safe at home.

Irish Ayes |

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A Look Back: True Friends

No matter how things change in Nashville and at Father Ryan, some things never do; like the friendships that start on the campus, stay intact even when friends are separated by war and distance, and last across generations.

Irish Ayes discovered one such story recently, shared by Father Ryan Board of Trust Member PAT NOLAN ’69, about his aunt and her husband and how their connection was made. It was the focus of a 1934 Nashville Tennessean story.

It was 1941 and LOUIS MURRAY ’34 was serving in the Canal Zone. Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into World War II were only months away. Wanting to make the birthday celebration back home special for his then-girlfriend Margaret Ann “Maggie” Nolan (Pat’s aunt), Louis contacted his classmate and good friend, BILL VERCHOTA ’34. Louis wired some money and made the plans, and Bill agreed to be the escort.

You can imagine the rest: Bill and Maggie hit it off and ultimately became husband and wife, and he and Louis remained good friends. But not to worry about Louis. A civil engineer from Vanderbilt, he returned from the service, met his true love, Patricia, and they raised a family of girls and boys who all graduated from Nashville’s Catholic schools: Marilyn and Colleen from St. Cecilia and ANDY ’68, STEVE ’72 and CHRISTY ’75 from Father Ryan. The family was active in Cathedral parish and throughout the Catholic community in Nashville. And Colleen and Pat Nolan ended up students at Cathedral Grade School, still chuckling today about the birthday plans of their relatives that led to marriage.

It’s another example of how Father Ryan students, no matter how circumstances change, are friends and truly Irish for Life.

Friday, June 5, 2020 LOU GRAHAM ’56 ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT

REGISTER AT FATHERRYAN.ORG/GOLF 32

| Irish Ayes

Ryan Nation has been showing its

Pu r ple Pr i d e this winter!

Our social media feeds are packed full with arts activities, athletic triumphs and student service projects—each one showing why it is always a great day to be Irish! Follow us on social media to see our Irish community in action.

#Irish4Life Irish Ayes |

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770 Norwood Drive Nashville, TN 37204 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

REUNION WEEKEND IS JUNE 5-7, 2020 Friday, June 5: Lou Graham ’56 Golf Alumni Tournament and Alumni Reception Saturday, June 6: Class Reunions • Sunday, June 7: Golden Grad Mass and Brunch For more information visit fatherryan.org/reunion