SPRING/SUMMER 2021
Boys Soccer State Champions | Lady Tigers New Softball Field
MEMORIAL
MEMORIES
Celebrating the Tiger Spirit
SENIOR CLASS
Eucharistic Procession Celebrating four years of spiritual formation in the class of 2021
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SPRING/SUMMER 2021
INSIDE THIS ISSUE ON THE COVER
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SENIOR EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION
TIGER TALK
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT CAMPUS MINISTER’S MESSAGE JOHN BROWNING RETIREMENT
CAMPUS NEWS
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TRADITION LOTTERY
ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
5 6 8 10 11
COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM – PSYCHOLOGY CLASS THE SHOW MUST GO ON ARCHITECTURAL SCAVENGER HUNT YEARBOOK: BEHIND THE SCENES SPEECH MAKES A COMEBACK
CLASS OF 2021
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CLASS OF 2021 PHOTO GRADUATION DAY GRADUATING STATISTICS VALEDICTORIANS
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ATHLETICS
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2021 BASKETBALL HOMECOMING BOYS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONS GIRLS BASKETBALL SEASON SOFTBALL FIELD DEDICATION 2020 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES SHOW YOUR STRIPES
22 2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD — JOE RIEPENHOFF 23 THE VALUE OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
24 TARA PRASAD 25 MATT PRASEK
IN LOVING MEMORY
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26 OUR DECEASED ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
28 ALUMNI NEWS
COVER STORY
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EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION
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his May, Reitz Memorial offered a Eucharistic Procession to celebrate the faith life of our senior class. This devotional highlighted the pinnacle, the source and summit of our Catholic faith: the Eucharist. Joining Memorial for the processional was director of Vocations for the Diocese of Evansville, Fr. Tyler Tenbarge, as well as many seminarians, house of discernment residents, and SAVIO guys. Once the procession subsided, seniors and their parents shared time in prayer in the auditorium at Memorial High School. These events are to hallmark the spiritual formation received over the course of our seniors’ last four years, as well as what God has in store for them in the coming years ahead. We are truly grateful to be able to celebrate our faith and our community by means of celebrating the great gift Jesus has given us.
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TIGER TALK
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
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t was 49 years ago in June 1972, when I left Memorial for the last time as a student. I had taken my last final in the morning, cleaned out my locker, said goodbye to Br. Eugene, and walked out the front door about noon. It was a sunny, late spring day, and I was walking home for the last time. Graduation was set for the following Sunday and in a few months, I would be leaving for Indiana University (sight unseen) and the next phase of my life. The Browning family roots run deep at Memorial. My grandparents, Hiram and Mayme Browning, moved to 1665 Lincoln Avenue in 1924 when Memorial was under construction. They were active members at St. Benedicts and their five children all attended St. Ben’s and Memorial. Their name is on one of the stained-glass windows at the Cathedral. Correspondence between my grandmother and my dad when he was at St. Joe College referenced family members attending Mass daily and Benediction on Sunday. Memorial records indicate that a relative of Hiram and Mayme has been at Memorial for eighty-eight of our ninetyseven years, a respectful 91 percent. A Catholic education and the Church were an important part of their life and they passed that on to their family. When you graduate, you are not thinking much about your last four years at Memorial and how it prepared you to face the world, but you are thinking about what the world has in store for you. But as one ages, you think back on your life and why you made the choices you made. I have had a lot of time over the last five years to reflect on my Catholic education at St. Ben’s and Memorial and how it shaped my life without my awareness at that time. When I arrived at Memorial in September of 1968 with my St. Ben’s classmates, we blended in with, not only the freshmen, but every class since the odds were high that you had a cousin or neighbor in the building. Memorial was and is a community of Catholic families seeking academic excel-
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MEMORIAL MEMORIES
Spring/Summer 2021
lence and a wide range of extracurricular activities in a supportive, family-like, Christ-centered, Catholic environment where students of all faiths and abilities are welcome. As I look back, the guidance and advice I received from not only the faculty, but the families of my classmates set my moral compass and my understanding of my social responsibility for the larger community. The list of individuals I need to thank as I wrap up my time at Memorial and my career is too long for this publication, but I need to mention a few. First the support and prayers from Archbishop Thompson, Bishop Siegel, Tim McGuire, Daryl Hagan, the entire staff at the Diocese, our partner schools Pastors and Principals and the President’s Council have been tremendous. The faculty and staff at Memorial were welcoming and supportive, and the alumni and friends second to none. I will miss my interactions with everyone. So now I join a small group who graduated and then retired from Memorial as I walk away a second time on June 30. But memories will continue to be shared with a group of my classmates who gather monthly for dinner. Friendships that began in grade school and were forged in high school continue to this day. For that I am very blessed. I also need to thank my wife, Susan, who put up with my long hours, not only at Memorial, but over my entire career. I hope I made a difference in my community as the Brothers of Holy Cross taught me by example. Thank you for the prayers and support. Stay Tiger strong and God bless,
John K. Browning, MHS ’72, President
CONTRIBUTORS Laura Ackerman John K. Browning Tony Fehrenbacher Joe Paul Hayden Inter-State Studio Rachel Johnson Jeff Purdue Maria Quinton RMHS Yearbook Staff Lori Samples Aaron Schmitt Bill Vieth Jr. PUBLISHED BY Reitz Memorial Office of Communication DESIGNED BY Laura Mathis Tucker Publishing Group PRINTED BY Tucker Publishing Group GENERAL INQUIRIES Contact Lori Samples at lorisamples@evdio.org or 812-303-0005
As I look back, the guidance and advice I received from not only the faculty, but the families of my classmates set my moral compass and my understanding of my social responsibility for the larger community.
TIGER TALK
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CAMPUS MINISTER’S MESSAGE:
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s I reflect on this past year at Reitz Memorial, the institution’s 96th year and my first, I am reminded of one thing: God is in control. On opening day, Jan. 5, 1925, there was no way to anticipate the great Catholic institution that Reitz Memorial would become; only a hope with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to make this entity flourish as He saw fit. Likewise, on Aug. 6, 2020, there was no assurance as to how — or if — the school year would last in person but, yet again, only a hope with the guidance from that same Spirit were we able to be here all year. I am convinced that God’s strength, power, and glory are most prevalent when we are at our weakest, newest and most broken moments. As St. Paul tells us, “[God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” I have learned (and I am confident that I am not alone) that, through this experience of the pandemic, I have many weaknesses and that I am not in control. And although there is a temptation
to make excuses or complain, what is truly being proposed is an invitation to become dependent on God, ‘boast in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.’ And this is the invitation for all of us. What a GIFT this is — even though it might be challenging to view it as such — to once again come back to the Father and trust in His Divine plan. God IS in control. As we look ahead to what God has in store for Reitz Memorial, I hope that we never falter away from recognizing our weaknesses, our need for dependence on the Lord, and our mission, which is to allow Christ to dwell in us and love through us.
Mr. Joe Paul Hayden Campus Minister
Thank you for your many years of service!
Enjoy your retirement John! Memorial Memories 3
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CAMPUS NEWS
TRADITION LOTTERY IS A SELL OUT By Maria Quinton
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n 1998, Reitz Memorial and Mater Dei established a joint fundraiser called the Tradition Lottery. Twentyfour years later and the Tradition Lottery is still one of our largest fundraisers, and this year, for the first time in its history, the event has sold out. In the Evansville Courier & Press, 1998, Glenda Ossenberg said, “We are so excited. Any time you kick off something new, it is a risk. It is great to see it going so well.” This risk was one worth taking. Since its origin, the Tradition Lottery has raised more than $8 million to support a faith-forming education for the students of Reitz Memorial and Mater Dei High School. Tickets are purchased for $100 each and are entered into four monthly drawings for grand prizes of $10,000, $1,500, $1,000, and $500. Each ticket sold helps benefit the students of both Reitz Memorial and Mater Dei. We could not have reached this monumental milestone without the support and generosity of our Memorial and Mater Dei communities. We also want to give a big thank you to our super sellers. We have about 30 volunteers who help sell tickets to their family and friends each year, and they are responsible for about one-third of the ticket sales each year.
2021 Sellers: • • • • • • • • •
Ron Angermeier Steve Anslinger Randall Bauer Rita and Gary DeWeese Daniel Dick Steve Eickhoff / Paul’s Menswear Wayne Emge Andrea Fehrenbacher Matthew Folz
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Jeanne Freeman Christine Gilles Gina Goedde Marjorie Harmann Dan Horstman Randy Hupfer Kristi Raben Dennis Lamey Angela Lasher JoAnn Laugel
Jeffrey Marx Jane Ann Kiefer Dave Meyer Tom Miller Stephen Moore Daniel Niemeier Father Ed Schnur Janice Schuble Clay Sills Jim Will
Tickets for the 2022 Lottery will go on sale in October of 2021.
License #153915
Clockwise from left, Msgr. Clinton Hirsch, Robert Wehde, then president of the two schools, Kathy Hubert, Ron Angermeier, and Jack and Mary Hubert.
2021 Lottery drawing, left to right: Fr. Godfrey Mullen, John Browning, Andy Morris, and Fr. Ed Schnur. 4 Spring/Summer 2021
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ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
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COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM – PSYCHOLOGY CLASS Written by Aaron Schmitt
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n 2015, I saw a TED talk that I thought could inspire students. In the video “How to Control Someone Else’s Arm with Your Brain,” the talk begins with the need to teach neuroscience in schools. One in five of the world’s population will be diagnosed with a neurological disorder at some point in their life, which points to the need for more students to go into the areas of psychology in college. One of the major barriers is that the equipment for this topic is usually reserved for graduate students and extremely expensive. Greg Gage and some colleagues developed a company called Backyard Brains with the goal of bringing neuroscience activities to the high school classroom in a way that was affordable and simpler. The hook for me was seeing the look on the student’s face as the machine was hooked up. That initial reaction of not having a conscious thought control their arm, is always a moment that I look forward to each semester in the psychology class. From there, it’s just a few simple steps into the brain and discussing the different areas. Specialization in the left and right hemispheres, a severed corpus callosum, Phineas Gage, and the homunculus are just a few of the terms and topics that students learn about over the course of this chapter. And it is an intimidating chapter for many of the students. The vocabulary alone is enough to overwhelm most of them, not to include understanding the functions of the areas of the brain. But the intrigue they feel after seeing someone have involuntary muscle contractions brought on by someone else’s thoughts is usually enough to make them want to understand why. For me, psychology has always
represented the perfect cross section of science and social studies. Between my mother — Kathy Schmitt, middle school teacher at Holy Rosary for 37 years — and my father — Tim Schmitt, anecdotal storyteller from whom I have inherited much of my personality — I have always felt that I was geared to teach psychology. Add in my semester in Brother Eugene’s psychology class and his infectious style of teaching, and it was only natural for me to pursue my master’s degree in educational psychology. Data driven, but with a humanistic element to the science, it provides room for discussions and then giving students studies and experiments to understand the context of those discussions. Most students will tell you that they don’t enjoy looking at the numbers and data, but once we give them a few examples of spurious correlations and humorous examples of inference vs. observations, they understand the importance of not basing their information solely on a chart or graph that’s been passed around on social media, but on the methods that were used to collect that data and the way in which that data has been analyzed. At the beginning of each semester, we spend a class looking at career options in psychology. So many times, students do not see a purpose to taking a course. Teaching an elective like psychology, it’s easier, because the students choose to be in the course. But that does not mean we shouldn’t give them an understanding of what options they could have if they chose a major in psychology. We look at careers in psychology, how long they would need to go to school, where they could go to school,
and the earning potential of that job. For many students, it is an eye opener that they could see themselves doing a job in the field. I often hear students say they loved taking the course and learning about the different chapters; neuroscience, development over the lifespan, memory, personality, learning and conditioning, social psychology, psychological disorders, nature v. nurture, consciousness and sleep, addiction and drugs, and language development are some of the topics that students cover during the course of the semester. I have always felt that the material makes it easy to engage the students, as so much of it can be demonstrated through simulations or demonstrations in class. Slippery snakes, common misconceptions, Fresnel prism lenses, development experiments at St. Bens, the PTB personality test, blind tasting jellybeans, and “what color is Mr. Schmitt’s tie today?” are just a few of our demonstrations the students take part in throughout the year and remember. Hopefully, these demonstrations go beyond their time at Memorial, and students look back at them as a point that inspired them to continue learning about psychology.
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ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
THE SHOW MUST GO ON Spring Musical: Little Women
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By Rachel Johnson
he No. 1 rule of theatre (aside from safety) is that the show must go on. That was certainly put to the test with this year’s spring musical “Little Women.” It all started in January with the librettos (musical scripts) and the score, or rather without them, as they did not arrive until two weeks after rehearsals were scheduled to start. This was problematic as the musical rehearsal process almost always starts with music practice before moving on to blocking and lines. The students took it in great stride, and instead we practiced lines from a free, online version of the script, and worked on characterization. Then, February, we lost about two weeks of rehearsal and two or three set builds due to the snow and ice. Our students practiced relentlessly outside of school, and it showed because as we returned to school, students were able to pick right back up where we had left off. And finally, the obstacles of March arrived. I had thought the greatest challenge would be that spring break
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was in the middle of our two tech weeks, but I was quite mistaken. The students came back from spring break perfectly polished. Our first full run had only two dropped lines, which is quite impressive. I said to cast several times that cast-wise they were ready for opening night the week before. Tech-wise however, we were not prepared due to circumstances beyond our control. Over the summer, the auditorium was able to acquire a new sound board through the gracious donations of countless individuals. But we did not have enough microphone packs and headsets to mic each of our actors, which was made necessary through the nature of musicals as well as to be heard on the live stream. New microphones were able to be ordered with plenty of time to arrive before opening night. But the mics never came (until after the show, of course). The rehearsal before opening night was extended due to our scrambling attempt to plan how to safely share the mics while having enough
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time to disinfect between mic swaps. In the end, everything worked out. One thing I have learned in the past four years of directing is that every time something is going wrong and it seems like all is lost, it all works out in the end. This is due to the hard work of the cast, the crew, the direction team, and a little help from above. I can honestly say that “Little Women” is one of the best shows I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of working on. The cast and crew were phenomenal and hardworking. My direction team is amazing. Words cannot express how much I will miss my assistant director, Twyla Carner, and musical director, Margaret Scherzinger, as they retire this year. Next year’s season remains to be determined, but I know that these students will amaze you, as they certainly amaze me. We hope to see you next year at a show!
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ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
REITZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL ARCHITECTURAL SCAVENGER HUNT
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n just four years, Reitz Memorial High School will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. The digital photography class had a lesson on the history of the building and architecture. As part of the assignment, they were to take photos of unique aspects of the school building and the campus. We thought it might be fun to share some of these architectural designs and how they richly contribute to the defining character of Reitz Memorial High School. Can you identify where each image is located either as part the building or on campus? Photos are in random order and parts of the building or campus may be represented more than once. Test your knowledge and enjoy!
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2020 DIGITAL PHOTO STUDENTS •
Ja’Kiah Bell
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Bennett Gallentine
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Zora Parchman
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McClain Britt-Nellis
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Preslee Gander
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Grace Patterson
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Kinsey Callahan
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Chloe Gonzales
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Aaliyah Puckett
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Marylouise Campbell
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Katie Jo Hirsch
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Kathryn Schadler
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Abrianna Carey
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Lucas Hoffman
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Carmen Schaefer
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Anna Clark
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Emma Holt
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Taylor Schuler
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Nicholas Coleman
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Abigail Lowery
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Julia Stark
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Macy Decker
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Abigail Melendres
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Annabelle Summers
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Barry Duff
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Jack Muehlbauer
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Emma Tempco
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Wyatt Fulkerson
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Kinsley Nobles
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Eva Word
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ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
YEARBOOK: BEHIND THE SCENES
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ave you ever wondered what it took to put together a high school yearbook? We spoke with this year’s yearbook class to get the ins and outs of the yearbook! Each year it takes approximately 12 students to complete the yearbook. The committee isn’t a class that you simply sign up for, but one you have to apply for. Applications are accepted annually, and students may apply starting their sophomore year. At the beginning of the school year, the class collaborates on breaking the yearbook into sections with each student taking responsibility for a variety of spreads and topics to cover. The class works closely and strategically to choose the design, elements, and cover of the yearbook. All students cover photography for the yearbook, giving them ample opportunity to learn the art of taking action shots, as well as good, quality photography. The various skills learned throughout the class, will definitely carry The 2020-21 yearbook committee.
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over into college and perhaps the workforce. Time management, photography, editing, group projects, and journalism are just a few skills these students learn. Some students from this year’s yearbook committee are eager to use their knowledge learned for their future college’s newspaper, as well as for photography in general. When asked what they enjoyed the most about this class, we received a lot of heartfelt answers - “explore our school spirit,” “learning different aspects of the school,” “experiencing new events and sports,” “learning more about people,” “seeing events through the lens of a camera,” “creating something that people like and look forward to,” “great feeling of accomplishment,” and “recreating history of a student’s 4-year high school experience.” “Yearbook class allows students to demonstrate their creativity and develop time management and leadership skills,” says yearbook advisor
Mrs. Browning. “This year’s staff has done a great job of getting creative with photography and new page topics to work around the COVID-19 roadblocks they’ve faced.” Students on this year’s committee did speak about the challenges of the COVID year but said that it provided them opportunity to learn more and be more innovative. Thank you to the yearbook staff from this year and all the years past. We certainly appreciate their dedication and enthusiasm for the school and will always treasure the memories documented from each year.
ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
SPEECH MAKES A COMEBACK
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By Tony Fehrenbacher
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emorial’s speech program has always had a reputation for swinging above its weight. “When I competed at Mater Dei, I remember that Memorial never had the largest team, but it always seemed to have high-end talent that was more than capable of winning big at a meet or tournament,” said coach Tony Fehrenbacher. The same could be said of the current state of the speech program. A year after having a mere five freshmen in the program, Memorial’s 2020/2021 team exploded onto the local and state competition scene fielding a team of 17 underclassmen (six sophomores and 11 freshmen). What the team lacked in experience, they more than made up for with impressive results. Memorial took 2nd at its own annual Memorial Invitational in November and then began rolling. Memorial speakers took five individual Top-five finishes at the highly competitive Munster High School and Fishers Forensics Festival tournaments. Locally, Memorial finished with 37 individual Top-three finishes. Memorial’s young team also served notice in the post-season with three SWIFA Tournament Champions, four Quarterfinalists at State, two Semi-finalists at the State Tournament including a Top-10 finish by freshman Katelyn Fehrenbacher, and Memorial’s first National Tournament qualifier in more than 12 years, sophomore Elias Beardmore. There were many factors at play in the speech program’s resurgence. Obviously, it starts with the students. “We have a very talented young core. They worked hard honing their speaking skills against some of the top talent in the state. But, just as important, they had so much fun together and really embodied a team spirit,” said coach Jessica Fehrenbacher. The coaching staff of RMHS English Teacher Beth Browning and the Fehrenbachers have also made working with the wildly-successful RMHS’ Middle School speech programs a high priority. Not to be overlooked, however, is the support of RMHS. “Memorial’s administration — starting with President Browning and Principal Sternberg — have gone out of their way to promote and support our kids’ efforts. They
Speech team members celebrate their successes after the Southwestern Indiana Forensics Association district tournament. Front row (l-r): Paul Folz, Katelyn Fehrenbacher, Josie Collins, Hannah Bauer; middle row (l-r): Emerica Hunter, Isaiah Hillenbrand, Hanna Nathan, Kayla Keating; back row (l-r): Jack Douglas, Elias Beardmore, Jackson Memmer, Blake Hershberger, Sam Thompson, Nathan Raben.
Freshmen Jackson Memmer and Blake Hershberger were very successful in the Duo Interpretation category this year, making it all the way to the state tournament with their humorous piece Luigi and Mario.
Freshmen Emerica Hunter, Katelyn Fehrenbacher, and sophomore Elias Beardmore show off their first place ribbons from the Reitz Memorial Invitational Tournament.
created an environment where our intelligent and talented speakers can thrive,” said Tony Fehrenbacher. So, what does the future hold for Memorial Speech? The team looks to add to its young core with talent from the incoming freshman class. The coaching staff wants to bring back past successful Memorial Speech alumni and further build upon relationships with RMHS’ Middle Schools. Of utmost importance, however, is the development of a life skill — public speaking — that team members can use with confidence in college and in their future careers.
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CLASS OF 2021
Congratulations to
Laith Abushalback Mia Abushalback Olivia Anderson Ryleigh Anslinger Max Ante James Baer LeAundrea Baltzell Matthew Becker Ja’Kiah Bell Isaac Bennett Kelly Bersch Jenna Biggs Joseph Biggs Emily Bonenberger Nicolas Bordfeld 12 Spring/Summer 2021
Caroline Brackett Max Brasseale Lily Braun Madeline Breivogel Sydney Breivogel Abigail Burger Morgan Carr Misty Cifuentes Anna Clark Nicholas Coleman Alyvia Collins David Creech Jackson Cutrell Maeson Damin
Zachary Deeg Azalea Diaz Isabelle Drake Dawson East Ava Edwards Callie Elpers Lilynan Epley Joseph Fields Jonah Fish Avery Fisher Jacob Flittner Brian Flores Wyatt Fulkerson Drew Fuqua
Sophia Gabaldon Bennett Gallentine Abigael Garner Andrew Garrison Samuel Gerteisen Lauren Gibbs Madison Gicale Anna Girten Chloe Gonzales Luke Greder Nathan Greder Theodore Gries Maria Hadjisavva Garland Hall
Abigail Hamner Seth Hansen Andrew Hargis Andrew Helmerich Maxwell Hermann Katherine Hirsch Lucas Hoffman Adelyn Holt Allison Jacobs Raul Jasso Stevenson Jean Allison Jewell Alayna Johnston Erin Kelly
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Jake Kessler Emma Kifer Marshall Knight Maria Lasher Keegan Lehman Dayton Lenning Hope Lensing MaKaylee Lindauer Maren Logan Abigail Lowery Erich Lutterbach Elise Lynch Elias McCleary Hope McGuire
Omar Millan Colin Millsap Andrew Mitchell Bethany Morrison Peyton Murphy Alexander Murrell Abigail Myers Lilia Newkirk Kinsley Nobles Tierney O’Daniel Edwin Ortez Seth Pauli Colton Pence Jake Purdue
Evan Quick Cadence Rasche Lilly Reising Joseph Ripke Payton Roberts Abigail Roscoe Octavia Ross Jamie Russler Taylor Schuler Margaret Schulten Alyssa Schulz Sadie Schulz Morgan Schymik Jacob Sermersheim
Riley Shaw Elijah Slocum Priscela Smith Stefanie Springer Kayla Srinivasan Connor Stahl Caleb Stewart Derek Stofleth Kennedy Stratman Meredith Stratman Patrick Stratman Aryiana Swope Samuel Syroney Emma Tempco
Abigail Thompson Margo Throop Cherish Vasquez De’Marko Vaughn Audrey Vonderahe Justin Waiz Savannah Warren Benjamin Weikert Catherine Werthmann Drew Wigger Mekhi Williams Eli Wuerth Michael Zenni Samuel Ziemer
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PHOTO BY INTER-STATE PHOTOGRAPHY
o the Class of 2021!
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CLASS OF 2021
CONGRATULATIONS
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2021 GRADUATES!
CLASS OF 2021
GRADUATING STATISTICS:
140 students $11 million
Olivia Anderson
Valedictorians
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Kelly Bersch
Allie Jewell
Margo Throop
Audrey Vonderahe
awarded in scholarships
90% college
bound
31 colleges and
universities in 16 states
Kayla Srinivasan
1% will serve in
the military
7% will enter the
workforce
6 valedictorians Memorial Memories 15
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ATHLETICS
2021 BASKETBALL HOMECOMING
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2021 Basketball Homecoming Queen and King Elise Lynch and Justin Waiz 2021 Basketball Homecoming Court. Top to bottom, left to right, Chase Boyer, Ryan Morris, Greta Diehl, Jacob Scholz, Brady Kandul, Emily Wittmer, Blake Anderson, Emily Mattingly, Kyle Broeker, Lilly Hiester, Brianne Allen, Ray Brodie, Caroline Brackett, Garland Hall, Abby Burger, Patrick Stratman, Margo Throop, Dawson East, Olivia Anderson, Ben Weikert, Elise Lynch, Justin Waiz, Lilia Newkirk, and Max Ante.
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Seniors Dawson East and Margo Throop
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Juniors Lilly Hiester and Kyle Broeker
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Seniors Elise Lynch and Ben Weikert
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Juniors Brianne Allen and Ray Brodie
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Seniors Lilia Newkirk and Max Ante
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Sophomores Chase Boyer and Ryan Morris
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Seniors Olivia Anderson and Justin Waiz
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Seniors Abby Burger and Patrick Stratman
Sophomores Emily Mattingly and Blake Anderson
Seniors Caroline Brackett and Garland Hall
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Freshmen Emily Wittmer and Brady Kandul
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Freshmen Greta Diehl and Jacob Scholz
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ATHLETICS
A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER By Bill Vieth Jr.
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s the 2020 Boy’s Soccer players assembled in early July to begin their summer workouts, it was obvious this season would be like no other. Gripped in the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety protocols changed nearly every aspect of what the coaches and players had come to know as normal. It would be a season of “firsts” in many respects. Still, there was a sense of optimism and belief amongst the players and coaching staff that, despite the ongoing pandemic, a potentially great season lay ahead. Buoyed by the teams 2019 State Championship and a strong group of returnees that had balance and depth, the coaches and players focused on training and preparing for the season rather than allowing the uncertainty of the pandemic to overshadow what lie ahead. The season began with three hardfought SIAC Conference victories over Jasper (4-1), Mater Dei (7-0) and first-time foe Vincennes Lincoln (11-0) before the Tigers hosted Floyd Central, where they fought hard to earn a tight victory (2-1). Returning goalkeeper senior Ben Weikert, along with newcomer goalkeeper senior Derek Stofleth, led the defensive organization. Returning defenders seniors Andrew Hargis and Wyatt Fulkerson; juniors Evan Harding, Isaac Robertson, and Grant Frasier; as well as sophomore Kole Stratman began to find their places and build what would be the foundation of a strong team. After convincing victories over Central (9-0) and Reitz (7-0), the Tigers hosted a much-changed Indiana versus Kentucky Challenge. With the pandemic postponing the start of Kentucky High School sports until after Labor Day, the Tigers hosted Lake Central (St. John, Indiana) and battled
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hard but eventually lost to the highly ranked Indians (0-1). Senior Garland Hall, junior Evan Hudak, and sophomore Alex Fisher were partnering well with seniors Henry Baer and Drew Garrison to form a strong midfield contingent. Junior Tyler Beeler and sophomores Ryan Morris and Evan Dean were gaining valuable playing time, experience and confidence. The depth of the midfield would prove to be crucial for the Tigers all season long. Two SIAC Conference victories followed, a tough 4-1 away victory over North and a sensational 4-3 overtime home victory over Castle. The latter, another traditional nail biter, was a tight battle with the Knights that proved pivotal in the Tigers claiming the SIAC Conference Championship. Hit by a “close contact quarantine” to Weikert, Stofleth deputized for his first career start and played spectacularly. The Tigers raced to a 2-0 lead; the Knights rushed back to force the game to overtime before taking the lead. Senior Isaac Bennett scored two goals in the last two minutes of overtime to earn the victory. The annual Tiger Invitational followed (although much-changed as well due to Illinois High School sports delaying fall activities to spring) with Louisville St. Xavier and Daviess County visiting the Tigers. The Tigers played to an impressive victory against Daviess County (4-1) before falling to Louisville St. Xavier (0-3). Tough competition for sure but it was hardening the Tigers for what lay ahead and filling them with the belief they could compete with any team on any night. After a victory over SIAC Conference foe Bosse (13-1), the Tigers travelled to the 2020 River Region
Rumble in Paducah, Kentucky. In an event completely re-arranged due to the pandemic, the Tigers travelled, played two games back-to-back then travelled home. Another first for the Tigers! A victory over Marshall County (2-1), who was previously unbeaten and highly ranked in Kentucky was followed by a tough loss to the host, McCracken County (0-2). It was a day that tested everything and everyone. By now, the forward line had started producing goals led by veteran Bennett, seniors Max Brasseale and Stevenson Jean as well as sophomore Oliver Theby. A victory over Harrison (4-0) wrapped up the City & SIAC Championships and ended the regular season on a high. With everyone healthy and quarantines completed, the post season lay ahead. As sectionals began, the Tigers were well prepared and believed they could win in the post season no matter who they played. Travelling to the Heritage Hills Sectional, the Tigers cruised past the host Heritage Hills Patriots (7-0) ranked No. 17 in the Sectional Semi-Final and then fought off the Mt. Vernon Wildcats ranked No. 15 in the Sectional Championship by a score of 2-0, with Jean and Bennett collecting the goals. The Heritage Hills Regional was up next, and the first-round foe was Gibson Southern. The Titans were fresh off a program-best season (17-0-1) and ranked No. 3. The Tigers were primed for a tough game and put forth a great effort — eventually overwhelming the Titans by a final score of 4-0. Brasseale led the offensive charge with two goals and Bennett and Theby capped off the performance with the final goals. In the Regional Final against the No. 20-ranked Scottsburg Warriors, the Tigers continued their quest and sharp play. Memorial ran past the Warriors, 4-1, as four different Tigers scored the goals. The victory had propelled the Tigers to the Seymour Semi-State.
ATHLETICS
Above, 2020 State Champion team. Below, “threepeats” Max Brasseale, Garland Hall, and Ben Weikert.
With all their State Tournament games away from Evansville, the Tigers had become “road warriors” and were full of confidence as they would now face the No. 2-ranked Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles in the Seymour Semi-State. It was the first-ever match in Seymour for the Tigers and a rematch of the 2019 Evansville SemiState between the two teams. That game became an instant classic with the Tigers prevailing in a Penalty Kick Shootout. Who would have predicted another instant classic but it certainly happened. The Tigers started out the game on the defense, giving up an early goal, but roared back with goals from Hudak, Bennett, and Hall to go into the halftime break with a 3-2 lead. The Golden Eagles responded as a top team does — excellent play — and pushed back with a goal in the second half to force the game into overtime at 3-3. Both overtime periods were full of shots and saves but the Tigers critical execution proved the game winner.
As the Tigers pressed the ball into their attacking end, Bennett picked up a turnover 30 yards from goal and found Hudak streaking into the Golden Eagles penalty box. A perfectly weighted pass from Bennett and an equally perfect trap and shot from Hudak ended in a goal for the Tigers. Tigers 4, Golden Eagles 3. As the second overtime ended, Weikert was forced into two spectacular saves as the Tigers denied the Golden Eagles their tying goal. Both exhaustion and delirium as the final whistle sounded. The Tigers opponent for the State Championship Game would be the Fort Wayne Canterbury Cavaliers ranked No. 19. A long-time rival, the Cavaliers were on a dreamlike run to the Championship Game. Overcoming a slow start to the regular season, the Cavaliers got hot at the right time. Led by a stingy defense, a hot goalkeeper and a team dominated by Seniors, the Cavaliers were hoping to win their first State Championship since 2017 Class A. The Tigers, with a
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fully healthy squad and a great week of preparation, headed to Indianapolis with head of steam. In another first, the Tigers played their Championship Game on Friday night in an indoor venue at Grand Park in Westfield. The extraordinary facility was the perfect host and because of its sheer size, the team was cheered on by a raucous crowd of Blue and White supporters. It was the largest crowd of the season because COVID health and safety protocols had relaxed due to the sheer size of the venue. The Tigers started the game well, constant pressure on the Cavaliers defense by a clean passing game from the Tigers led to chances to score. In the 33rd minute, a fantastic passing sequence between Theby and Harding finished with Hall rocketing the ball past the Cavaliers goalkeeper from 12 yards out. Then, literally on the stroke of halftime, with 1 second left on the clock, Bennett made it 2-0 with a goal resulting from scramble in the Cavaliers penalty box. Halftime score: Tigers 2, Cavaliers 0. The Cavaliers charged to start the second half, but the Tigers controlled the game. Depth and experience showed as the Tigers kept the ball, wore down the Cavaliers and pushed towards victory. With three minutes left to play, a Brasseale cross found Garrison for the final goal. Tigers 3, Cavaliers 0. The program’s 16th Indiana State Championship had been captured and the Tigers final record read 18-3-0 — STATE CHAMPIONS. For the Tiger Seniors, 10 of them, it had been quite an incredible journey that culminated in three State Championships (2017, 2019 and 2020) during their four years at Memorial High School. Brasseale, Hall and Weikert were members of the Varsity team all four years and joined an elite group of past players that were three-time State Champions. It was a surely a season like no other… Memorial Memories 19
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ATHLETICS
WHEN THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH Girls Basketball 2020-2021 Season
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ertainly, we all know how challenging the 2020-2021 school year was. Not only for the classroom, but also for sports, extracurricular activities, and anything school related. Despite these challenges, the expectations were still high all around. As student athletes anxiously awaited to hear the fate of their high school sports season, they were also preparing for what the season could possibly look like. This was certainly no exception for the girls’ basketball team. They knew given the opportunity to play, the standards would be high this year. Previously under Coach Dockery, the girls’ basketball team had been to 13 IHSAA Sectionals, six Regionals, two Semi-State championships and won the State Championship in 2011. The team wanted to carry on their legacy, and they did just that under their new Head Coach Lee Auker. “This team and this season will be remembered for several reasons; the challenges of the pandemic, the difficult decisions that were made, and the team that has set high standards for the Lady Tiger basketball program,” said Auker. “I hope the players remember all the good times spent with good friends. I will remember a senior class that was an amazing group of student athletes, and left
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everything on the court.” Despite the challenges from the pandemic, expectations were still high for the lady tigers. They were 22-3 last year and returned four out of five starters, seniors Ryleigh Anslinger, Peyton Murphy, Savannah Warren and Hope Lensing. There were seven who earned their varsity letter that returned as well. Needless to say, it was a highly talented team. “We were looking forward to playing in the summer months, but weren’t able to because of COVID, so our incoming freshmen didn’t have the time to acclimate right away. Despite the setback, we started the season out strong, beating teams by 20 plus points,” said Auker. It certainly was a great start for the girls’ basketball team where they were 13-0. The next couple of games were tough, but the Lady Tigers played one of the best all-around games they have played despite losing in overtime to Linton-Stockton. Sometimes those are the games that you learn the most from and discover what needs to be improved upon. By this point in the season, the team was two weeks from sectionals and COVID-19 was not letting up. Tough decisions had to be made. This would be the last season for the seniors, and they needed to decide, would they take the risk of being in close contact and not having the opportunity to play in their last sectionals? After discussions with their parents, the seniors decided to sit out until sectionals. The Lady Tigers played the last five games of regular season without their
This team and this season will be remembered for several reasons; the challenges of the pandemic, the difficult decisions that were made, and the team that has set high standards for the Lady Tiger basketball program. starters. They went on to win three out of the five games. The whole team was back entering into sectionals with an impressive 16-4. The Lady Tigers won both sectional games by an overwhelming 30 points. They advanced to Regionals, and unfortunately were defeated by Silver Creek, who went on to win the State Championship. Despite COVID, the protocols and all the challenges the year brought, the girls’ basketball team played their hearts out, they learned invaluable lessons and they advanced past the regular season, showing their tremendous character. Sports not only builds athletes, but it also builds the foundation for so much more.
ATHLETICS
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SOFTBALL FIELD DEDICATION
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he Lady Tigers softball team officially has a new home field as of spring 2021. Last spring, the field was completed but unfortunately due to COVID-19, the season was unable to happen, and the dedication was postponed. However, we are excited to say that the softball field dedication was able to take place on April 6, 2021 and the Tigers were able to start their 2021 season at their new home field. The field is located on the Holy Rosary Campus at 1303 S. Green River Rd. We are truly thankful to Father Bernie Etienne and the entire Holy Rosary community for opening their campus to our softball program.
2020 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Date: Sat., Sept. 11, 2021 WE ARE HAPPY to announce a new date for the 2021 Reitz Memorial Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Obviously, the pandemic affected the 2020 Hall of Fame event,
Jeff Anderson, 1990
Paul Barton , 1992
Coach Bruce Dockery
but as of now the committee feels comfortable that the new date will be acceptable. Once again, this year’s honorees were exceptional student athletes and have represented Reitz Memorial at the highest level. We are proud to induct these individuals into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Jason Edwards, 1990
Joh Greif, 1979
Ken Mills, Sr., 1964 Memorial Memories 21
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SHOW YOUR STRIPES
2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD — JOE RIEPENHOFF
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eitz Memorial High School has proudly stood on the foundations of faith, family, and service for more than 96 years. Since 1986, the Distinguished Service Award has been presented to a member of our Memorial family who demonstrates exceptional Sarah Agler and Joe Riepenhoff generosity of spirit and a commitment to our Church, Catholic education, and Reitz Memorial High School through service. This year’s Distinguished Service Award recipient, Joe Riepenhoff, was recognized at the class of 2021 commencement ceremony on May 23, 2021. Joe is originally from Lima, Ohio and has been married to his wife Nancy for 45 years. They have three daughters who all graduated from Memorial — Kelly Nolan (Class of 1998), Jennifer Seekely (Class of 2000) and Megan Thomas (Class of 2002), and six grandchildren. Can you imagine working for a company for more than 38 years and after retirement feeling like you have more to give; you have a dream to do more? Then in that moment you ask God to lead you to an opportunity to fulfill that dream. This is the story of Joe Riepenhoff. He worked for Alcoa for 38.5 years as an industrial engineer, and when he retired, he had a dream of using his God given math talent to help others. He asked God through prayer to lead him to that opportunity, and God did just that. Joe met, as he refers 22 Spring/Summer 2021
to her as, “a math teacher lady who is an outstanding, dynamic person and highly qualified math teacher.” He approached this teacher and said, “I want to come into your classroom and help you teach math and help students.” She may have looked at him like he was crazy but said, “let’s make this happen!” This teacher gave Joe the opportunity he had been praying for. We know this “math teacher lady” as Mrs. Sarah Agler. The pair started working together at St. John the Baptist four years ago. When Mrs. Agler became part of the Memorial faculty, Joe asked if he could assist her here as well. He has been volunteering his time in the classroom at Memorial for three years. Joe is extremely grateful to God for his math abilities and for putting Sarah in his path so that he could fulfill his dream. Between his time at St. John and Memorial, Joe dedicates every school day helping students learn math and most importantly, enjoying it. The time he gives is as much as a full-time faculty member. Joe is an exceptional example of what it is like to follow God’s calling and to pursue the dreams that He has laid upon you. When speaking with Joe you can see his excitement for what he does by being able to share his faith and help students at the same time. His joy is contagious and will bring a smile to your face. He says his greatest memories during his time at Memorial are working with people like Sarah Agler and watching students get so excited that he is there helping and making math fun. The desire to learn more is present in Mrs. Agler’s classroom and the students agree that Joe’s assistance plays a major role in that.
“Even though precalculus covers difficult material, whenever anyone has a question, Joe is always there to help answer it,” says Lauren Folz. “There have been times when we would have to start at square one and he would gladly talk us all the way through it. I think I can speak for my whole class when saying that Joe is a big part of our learning journey.” Joe takes time to invest in the students and truly cares about how they are doing. “Joe always says hi in the hallways and ask how sports is going,” says Penelope Perkins. “He is always in a cheerful mood, making jokes and is very positive.” While Joe likes to brag on the students, they like to return the favor. “Joe is awesome!” adds Kyle Echert. “He goes out of his way to make sure we understand and is always willing to help.” Not only has Joe given so much of his time helping students with math, but he has also devoted a lot of additional volunteer time with Junior Achievement, as well as the softball and volleyball Memorial feeder programs. When asked what receiving the Distinguished Service Award meant, Joe responded, “I am honored and privileged, and it reaffirms that doing God’s work by serving others is very important.” It is because of his continued dedication and desire to serve Memorial that Joe Riepenhoff was selected as the recipient of the 2021 Reitz Memorial Distinguished Service Award. On behalf of the entire Memorial community, thank you Joe for your dedication, sacrifice, and love of Reitz Memorial High School.
SHOW YOUR STRIPES
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THE VALUE OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION “Quality Catholic education is as essential today, to be sure, as it was in 1925 and 1950, because only the Catholic school can provide for the total development of the individual — body, mind, soul, and spirit. When you educate half a child, who is shortchanged? It is important to learn how to make a good living, but it is even more important to learn how to make a good life. It is important not just to the child, but to you, to God, and to society. The choice is one that can make a lifetime difference.”
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he above paragraph was written in the program of the 50-year celebration of Reitz Memorial. Still 36 years later, it could not be more true. Not only do Catholic schools take responsibility for providing the best education possible by offering challenging classes and rigorous course selections, they also take responsibility for instilling Christian morals, service, and leadership. Students spend, on average, eight hours a day during the school year in the school environment that is chosen for them. When you think about it, that is almost the amount of time each day that is spent at a full-time job. Why would you not want to give every student the best environment to thrive and succeed in life? An environment where students attend mass, pray regularly, and are a part of a faith-based community. An environment where students learn civic duties and service to others. An environment that provides academic excellence as well as numerous extracurricular activities and sports. An environment that welcomes all and prays for all. This environment is found within the catholic schools. “In a Catholic school, Jesus Christ is the true teacher,” says Father Godfrey. “Everyone else works within Jesus’ mission of bringing light to darkness, food to the hungry, freedom to captives. Strong Catholic education is one invaluable tool in the Church’s work of spreading the gospel. Catholic schools have for centuries formed
young people in the sciences and arts, all within a Catholic Christian context. Catholic education helps young disciples know Him more. What could be more important?” This past year has certainly provided its challenges for all schools, but we are extremely proud that our students started school on time and stayed in school throughout the entire school year, still receiving the best Catholic education. We know through all the ups and downs in life, God is with us, and we believe through these challenging times we have been able to witness more drawing closer to our Lord. “Catholic schools in collaboration with parents as the primary educators, seek to educate the whole child,” says Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Evansville Dr. Daryl Hagan. “Catholic schools are centered in the Person of Jesus Christ and are shaped by communion and community. The profile of a graduate from a Catholic school includes instilling service to others, strong moral development, and self-
discipline; a nearly 100 percent graduation rate, high academic achievement, and so much more. Catholic schools are clearly a value-added education for our young people.” We are honored parents have entrusted Memorial with their student’s education for more than 97 years — where God inspires, we educate, and students thrive.
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ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
TARA PRASAD
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spearheaded placement and press strategy for Markarian. Her team leads communications, celebrity/VIP relations, and more globally for Markarian. It was through Markarian that her team was first approached by Jill Biden’s team in December to discuss the opportunity to design her Inauguration dress. From that conversation, Alexandra O’Neill, the designer and founder of Markarian, put together a series of sketches with different fabrics they could offer, and the look evolved from there. Additionally, Alexandra took note of the tone that Jill set out to convey with her look and turned to a beautiful ocean blue for both the dress and the overcoat, which symbolizes trust, confidence, and stability. Jill’s team approached a few other designers as well. “The process was extremely collaborative; however, we didn’t know that our designer was chosen until she walked out the morning of the Inauguration,” said Tara. “It was an incredible honor to dress Dr. Biden, and to be even a small part of American history. As a small American brand, it is exciting to have this kind of support. We were all extremely humbled to have been chosen and to represent emerging designers.” Tara said that she has always been passionate about fashion and about the creative industries. Her jump-off point for turning her interest into her career was when she started to pro-
duce large scale events in college for a non-profit that supported scholarship funds for the University of Kentucky School of Architecture and when she also studied abroad in London at Central Saint Martins for Fashion Communication. “I have been extremely lucky and worked so hard to be put in a number of situations where teams have trusted me to do the work behind the scenes to create massive visibility behind brands that have positioned the companies I’ve worked for and myself at the nexus of culture,” she said. “I have consistently exceeded goals and dreams that I wouldn’t have thought were even possible to be a part of, especially coming from a background where I had to manually fight for and build every contact, client, and more from scratch through hard work and hustle. I can’t wait to continue on and see what happens next!” As she has moved forward in her career and personally, Tara said over time she has realized her past has shaped her future in so many ways that she couldn’t have imagined. “I did not always appreciate my time at Memorial when I was there, because that age is really tough to maneuver through, but looking back, all things considered, I gained invaluable insights which helped shape me and my ambitions in the past seven years since I was at Memorial, which have been extremely formative,” she said.
INAUGURAL PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES
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ara Prasad, a Henderson, Kentucky native and Memorial alumnus, said when she first moved to New York four years ago, she never would have fathomed her career would have flown by this quickly. After graduating from Memorial, Tara continued her education at the University of Kentucky where she graduated in three years with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a minor in mathematics. Tara boasts an impressive resume in the public relations industry with more than five years of experience in brand strategy, narrative marketing and communications, talent plus brand alignment, strategic development, and more than seven years in events, production, and project experience in a variety of cross-functional roles. She is currently the senior communications manager at Savannah Engel Public Relations. Her most recent accomplishment is perhaps one that little girls may dream of, being a part of the design team that brought to life a beautiful dress for a historical event. “As an agency, we specialize in working with emerging designers, and my mentor, Savannah Engel, whose namesake company I work for launched her agency with Markarian as her first client less than four years ago,” said Tara. “This was a huge personal win for all of us and we were honored to be a small part of such a huge moment in American history.” For the past three years at Savannah Engel Public Relations, Tara has led the rebrand of Diesel in the entertainment marketing space and additionally
ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
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MATT PRASEK
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att Prasek is a 2011 graduate of Reitz Memorial. Both of his parents and his sister also are Memorial alumni. Matt enjoyed his high school years at Memorial, especially wrestling under Coach Mattlingly. After attending Memorial, Matt continued his education at Ball State University where he studied Entrepreneurship and was also a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. It was at Ball State that he got the idea and opportunity for his own company, SafeKeeping. “I was fortunate enough to be the 2015 winner of Best New Venture Plan and Bird Cage (Ball State’s version of Shark Tank),” said Matt Prasek. The entrepreneurship program at Ball Stated helped lay a solid foundation for him to start building his company. The idea for SafeKeeping came to fruition with Matt seeking to solve a problem inspired from a real-life experience he had while in the Entrepreneurship program at Ball State. His grandfather, Joe Scott was traveling with the Evansville Ski Club and unfortunately suffered a traumatic brain injury from a collision on the slopes. After multiple surgeries, Matt’s grandfather resided in a Signature Facility in Evansville before passing. During that time, Matt became familiar with long-term care and some of the challenges families and nurses faced each day. Matt was inspired to build a better experience for families who have loved ones in long-term care while also driving operational efficiencies in long-term care. Shortly after graduation, he was able to bring one of the
first Patient Portals to market in a long-term care facility. “While unfortunate, the pandemic shined a light on families getting information on their residents and has propelled us to have contracted subscriptions of our platform in over 33 states,” said Matt. The “How’s Mom” app is available on both Android and iPhone stores. To be able to have access to the app you will have to be an authorized family member in one of their client’s buildings. Through the app you can quickly access real-time information such as vitals, conditions, active medications, progress reports, and more. As a family member, you can also rate your facility and give feedback. “We are very excited to release our newest feature Visit Planner,” said Prasek. “This is functionality so that families will be able to request visita-
tions to see their loved ones and allow the facilities a better way to manage the visitations. I’m incredibly blessed to help families, such as mine who have loved ones in long-term care.” “How’s Mom” has been one of the fastest-growing apps in long-term care since the pandemic. Matt said he has been focused on building his team the past five years and has been able to attract tremendous talent. You can still catch Matt around Evansville as he is an avid boater and still has a residency on the West Side, where he can be seen out on the river. In his free time, he enjoys going on fishing trips with friends and family and has been known to enjoy a nice bourbon from time to time! To learn more about SafeKeeping and the “How’s Mom” app, please visit safekeepingapp.com. Memorial Memories 25
IN LOVING
Memory
James Heinrich 1993 September 4, 2020
May our dearly departed alumni rest in the peace of Christ. Please remember them and their families in your prayers.
Annabelle (Goedde) Helfrich 1939 February 14, 2020
Betty (Ennis) Alvey 1948 December 20, 2020
Helen (Fox) Dauby 1941 May 17, 2020
Mary (Summers) Appler 1945 April 25, 2020
Francis Durchholz 1951 October 23, 2020
Carl Hirsch 1953 April 21, 2020
James Atherton 1961 July 23, 2020
Evelyne (Mercker) Eickhoff 1947 January 1, 2020
Paul Baronowsky 1948 October 26, 2020
Thomas Faith 1968 August 22, 2020
Gerald Bauer 1955 November 1, 2020
Mary (Orth) Flake 1941 March 28, 2020
John Berry 1997 September 14, 2020
Betty (Dugan) Folz 1951 November 2, 2020
Jennifer (Rayburn) Blake 1966 October 3, 2020
Robert Folz 1951 October 14, 2020
Ronald Britt 1954 September 24, 2020
Daniel Garrison 2001 June 21, 2020
Michael Brown 1967 February 20, 2020
Michael Gerard 1960 December 11, 2020
Mary (Huff) Buchanan 1944 December 22, 2020
Lynn (Knabel) Gold 1963 August 1, 2020
Gilbert “Bud” Childers 1968 September 29, 2020
Frances Donald Gore 1950 August 19, 2020
Cheryl (Hassel) Chinn 1979 February 20, 2020
Jerry Griese 1960 October 25, 2020
Marilyn (Scheessele) Cox 1950 July 19, 2020
Judith (Seiler) Gunn 1964 January 22, 2020
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Donna (Cody) Henderson 1960 December 12, 2019 Linda (Reeves) Hillenbrand 1967 September 2, 2020
Michael Hirsch September 15, 2020 Carolyn (Schu) Hoefling 1950 August 11, 2020 Bernard Hudson 1943 June 29, 2020 Joan (Pate) Hupfer 1952 November 30, 2020 Elorde Irwin 1978 October 19, 2020 Kenneth Jacobs 1948 December 6, 2020 Gregory Johnson 1975 December 20, 2020 Laura (Woodard) Kerstein 1981 March 10, 2020 Margaret (Purdie) Kinsey 1958 April 24, 2020 Bettye (Vogel) Kissel 1943 March 12, 2020 Bettye (Mooney) Koressel 1943 June 11, 2020 Rita (Halbig) Koressel 1947 December 30, 2020
Linda (Ash) Kurz 1965 September 22, 2020
Thomas Quinlan 1968 May 12, 2020
Bettye (Beck) Stevenson 1951 March 13, 2020
Loryl Lackey 1960 December 9, 2020
Charles Redding 1965 August 24, 2020
Wanda Tenbarge 1950 December 19, 2020
James Lancaster 1960 December 18, 2020
Allison Reising 2012 June 28, 2020
Dennis Thomas 1965 February 19, 2020
Mary Laval 1946 February 16, 2020
Betty (Broerman) Reising 1949 February 24, 2020
Philip Thomas 1960 September 10, 2020
Sandra (Drury) Lee 1960 June 2, 2020
Paula (Power) Ritzau 1954 October 11, 2020
Donald Titzer 1954 July 2, 2020
Rebecca (Jacobs) Leonards 1969 October 11, 2020
Patricia (Cassidy) Ross 1966 September 4, 2020
Joan (Haag) Lord 1950 June 30, 2020
Sharon (Kasey) Russell 1960 July 1, 2020
Patricia (Bender) Tornatore 1950 September 22, 2020
Charlotte (Buckwinkel) MacGregor 1952 March 15, 2020
Mark Schaefer 1971 April 9, 2020
Todd Mazzier 1991 July 1, 2020 William Mazzier 1959 October 29, 2020 Bridget McGannon 1962 October 14, 2020 Dennis Mehringer, Jr. 1968 October 18, 2020 John Meyer 1969 March 12, 2020 Bruce Miller 1964 June 19, 2020 Greg Minton 2007 March 7, 2020 Bill Muensterman 1949 August 3, 2020 Marcia (Tillman) Nicholson 1948 December 15, 2020 Harold Orman 1949 April 15, 2020
Mary Lou Schapker 1954 May 11, 2020 Oliver Schapker 1948 November 22, 2020 Lawrence Scheller 1956 January 22, 2020 Rita (Hisker) Schick 1958 July 9, 2020 Gary Schneider 1966 May 7, 2020 Theodore Schneider 1951 July 5, 2020 Susan (Mooney) Schuble 1971 January 22, 2021 William Schuster 1963 November 11, 2020 Mary (Honnigford) Shaul 1945 April 16, 2020 Ronal Sills 1969 April 17, 2020 Joseph Steinback 1944 February 27, 2020
Chris Tucker 1985 April 8, 2020 Gerald VanMeter 1954 March 7, 2020 Gene Wagner 1945 December 1, 2019 Edward Walsh 1961 May 14, 2020 Stephen Walton 1960 November 2, 2020 Roberta (Huelsman) Waninger 1962 July 9, 2020 Dorothy (Millay) Weigele 1940 December 27, 2020 David Whitmore 1979 June 23, 2020 Mary (Fenwick) Wilcoxen 1945 December 2, 2020 Elizabeth (Basham) Williams 1952 March 11, 2020 Mae Beth (Emge) Williams 1962 January 21, 2020 James Wuerth 1949 July 7, 2020
Memorial Memories 27
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CLASS NOTES
ALUMNI NEWS 1948 — MARY (JETTY) CHOMISTEK Mary made a big move this year from the condo she lived in for 28 years to an independent living facility, which gives her all the help she needs to live a functional life. She is blessed by her four children, 14 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren! 1951 — PETER HILLENBRAND SR. Peter has enjoyed being a West Sider since 1972. He sent five kids through Mater Dei and is happy to have a grandson at Memorial this year! 1954 — JIM & JANICE HUMMEL Jim and Janice have three little great-granddaughters; Maddie (5); Cora (2), who is the granddaughter of the late John Hummel class of 1983 and niece of Jane Hummel class of 1981; Olivia (6 months old). 1955 — TOM HULAN Tom and his wife Mary are celebrating their 61st wedding anniversary this year! 1957 — DR. JOHN D. KIEFER John is now 81 years old and retired. He and his wife Marty are wearing masks and staying safe from the virus until they can get the vaccine. They have five children, four grandchildren, and they and their families are doing well. Unscathed by the Coronavirus, they always remember Memorial with pride — great school! 1959 — JANIE (SCHNEIDER) NEUFELDER Janie and her husband Dan have been homeschooling their younger granddaughter Jenny (12) because of the pandemic. They hope for her to attend Memorial one day. Once a week Dan and Janie go for a ride to the State Forest to bird watch and hike. Janie only hikes a little with two hiking poles. They still dance some in the kitchen finding joy wherever they can! 28 Spring/Summer 2021
1960 — MARY ANN (HILLENBRAND) SIEBEL Before COVID-19 Ann volunteered at three hospitals, two museums and is a member of Mensa Daughters of the American Revolution and the Bourbon Women’s Social Club. She also mastered bridge, playing twice a week and walked 9 miles a week. She now walks at LA Fitness and lifts weights, etc. Ann is proud to read one book a day and is excited for the pandemic to be over! 1963 — E. ANN (STUMPF) CLEM E. Ann Clem is the co-sponsor of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, Associates Candidate for Providence, Associate of Sisters of Providence. Visit AUSCP.org to learn more. 1966 — DAVID CHEANEY David and Catherine Cheaney’s granddaughter Catherine Grace Shaffer recently accepted a Naval Academy scholarship after finishing a year of prep school from 2021-2022. 1967 — BARBARA CASON Barbara has been Chaplain to Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 427, and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary for 13 years. For 19 years she has belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Art Fellwork No. 1114, where she is a life member. She is also a life member of the St. Vincent’s Ascension Hospital Auxiliary. She is a member of St. Joseph’s Nursing & Rehab and a member of Ladies of Charity here in Evansville. 1968 — BILL AND PATTY (O’KANE) WEINERT Bill and Patty have been happily married for 49 years and are looking forward to their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2022!
1969 — DENEICE HENDERSON Deneice and her husband Stan have six grandchildren — three boys and three girls. Deneice babysits the grandkids during the summer and picks them up three times a week from Good Shepherd after school. Stan works as a part-time shuttle driver for Kenny Kent Lexus and still plays competitive baseball, winning his 3rd world series championship at the 2020 Roy Hobbs world series in Ft. Meyers, FL. 1969 — KATIE MCDONALD Katie and her husband René-Ouellet will be moving to central Maine this summer for a new life adventure. New Hampshire has been home for more than 30 years, so she is trained in snowshoeing and warm mittens. 1970 — BARBARA BROWNING Both Barbara’s son Matt and daughter Myra recently married. She and her husband are looking forward to becoming grandparents for the first time in June 2021! 1977 — BARBARA (HENNING) GUDGEL Barbara is living in the Villages during the winter and loving it! Wonderful lifestyle for one in their 60’s! 1977 — RALPH AND ANGIE (PAPARIELLA) ANDERSON Ralph and Angie’s son Phillip Anderson (class of 2009), was awarded Nurse Practitioner of the Year for Deaconess 2020. Their daughter Dr. Maria (Anderson) Strobel (2012) was married on May 9, 2020, and graduated from Indiana University Medical School on May 15, 2020, and started her residency program with Vanderbilt University. 1988 — DANIEL ZIEMER Life is good — God is good. Our two oldest boys are in college at the University of Southern Indiana & Indiana University. We have a senior and a freshman at Memorial.
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Our 8th grader is at St. Bens. My wife Jennifer and I continue to serve Evansville at Ziemer Funeral Homes and our boys at Ziemers Pet Memorials. 1988 — TAMMY (WINIFIELD) PARTEE On May 6th, Tammy and her husband Greg celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary. Tammy is the manager at Studio H hair salon in Birmingham, Alabama. 2008 — MICHAEL AND LORI (LECLERE) ISAACS Michael and Lori live in Indianapolis and have three sons, Andrew (5), Matthew (2), and Leo (1). 2008 — FREDERICK MAJORS Frederick is working on a master’s degree in business administration. 2010 — FRANK MATTINGLY Frank and his wife Emily welcomed their son James into the world this year. James is the first grandson of Larry (1987) and Kim Mattingly! 2012 — LINDSEY AND ANDREW LASHER Married in 2017, Lindsey and Andrew welcomed daughters Lucy and Veronica in 2018 and 2020 respectively. 2018 — DAVID FUNKE “Living your dreams is already within you, so keep doing what you do best.” CHRIS AND GAIL WOLKING Chris and Gail are proud of their three Memorial graduates: Daniel Wolking (2007), manufacturing & industrial engineer, Ft. Mill, South Carolina; Gretchen (2010) civil engineer project manager, Greely, Colorado; and Clair (2014) aspiring professional dancer, New York.
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