2 minute read
Whatever Happened To
Whatever Happened
Evo Alberti
DLS Faculty 1966 - 2002 DLS Assistant Principal
“I enjoyed every day - up to the last minute.” So says Evo Alberti, a teacher and administrator at De La Salle for 37 years, until his retirement in June 2002. The 1957 Detroit Austin graduate attended the University of Detroit, but did not immediately enter teaching. He earned his Master’s at Wayne State University, and took over his father’s commercial knife-sharpening business, before stepping into the classroom. While teaching French, as well as Spanish, Evo continued his sideline business. For several years, the late Brian McGinnis, a fellow DLS faculty member, worked for him, delivering sharpened knives to commercial customers after school. Evo sold the business in 2001. Evo has fond memories of his time at DLS, which included time as an Assistant Principal from 1973 - 1979. His former students have fond memories as well, including dozens of students who joined Evo and his wife Carmen, also a Foreign Language teacher, on summer trips to Europe. Carmen
1973 - 1979
retired in 2003. “The kids were always good, and enjoyed seeing the sights and practicing their language skills on the trips. Spain. France. Italy.” One trip also included a side trip to Algiers. “Only one time did I have a student who wasn’t quite behaving as he should. So I called his parents, and told them that if he didn’t behave, I was putting him on the next plane home. That took care of the problem!” Always an avid fisherman and hunter, Evo now enjoys deep-sea fishing during a spring trip to Florida each year, as well as hunting and fishing here in Michigan. He owns a cottage at Higgins Lake, in northern Michigan, just a few blocks from a cottage owned by Br. Patrick McNally’s family. “I see Br. Pat up north in the summer. It’s great to catch up with him.” Evo is also busy with his own home in Clinton Township, which is located on three acres. Evo’s son, David (‘89), is an attorney based in San Francisco. “I was the luckiest guy. I never took many days off. I retired happy. ”
Remembering Evo
“He introduced me to French. I became a French “Mr. Alberti taught us 20 years ago. I teacher. So many memories. In senior year, prepping still remember it like yesterday. Next to us for Camus and Sartre, he talked about Kafka and AP English, the absolute best La Salle Kant. He tried to explain how they were reacting to offered.” traditional western philosophy, then stopped in his Larry Ruehlen, ‘98 tracks, saying ‘But you wouldn’t know any of that “Our trip to Europe was the trip of a because you haven’t read anything.’ Awesome. But I’m lifetime. I still remember it like it was fluent in French, and I have a degree in philosophy. I’d yesterday.” say he set me on a great path. Great teacher!” Greg Kelly, ‘98 Joe Gerardi, ‘86
