Class of 1971 50th Reunion Yearbook

De Smet Jesuit High School

The Founding Class of 1971

50th Reunion Yearbook

This Yearbook is Sponsored by the De Smet Class of 1971 50th Reunion Committee

Committee Members:

Terry Burns

Dave Bussmann

Tom Eschen

Mike Faddis

Jim Finkenkeller

John Goessling

George Hasser

Pat Hayes

Bill Holland

Larry Linkul

The Late Jake MacLeod

Rick Siebert

Mike Sawicki

Copyright © 2021 by the 1971 De Smet 50th Reunion Committee

All rights reserved. Designed, Typeset, and Produced by DBussmann Creative Productions™

De Smet Jesuit High School

The Founding Class of 1971 50th Reunion Yearbook

September 2021

September 1967

1968 Cafeteria lunch

Fall 1969

First days of class in Blazers Fall 1967  Spring 1968 PE Class

Winter 1968 – the creaky buses

Spring 1970

Fall 1969  Vs. Chaminade

First Car Rally 1970

Spring 1969 – Soccer in the mud

Fr. Arnold                         Mrs. Simpson         Ms. Dotzler

Appendix

Foreword (by Rich Grawer)

As a former history teacher, I recall always —on the first day of class— asking students to think of what are man’s basic desires or needs? The usual answers were: food, shelter, clothing, companionship, and the like. I then reminded them that man’s basic desire “to know”, “to remember the past” should be at the top of that list. That is one of the real values of life and being human. And in today’s world, where Alzheimer’s is one of the most devastating of all diseases, this desire to know, to remember becomes so more important.

It is with this background that I urge all you (us) to remember and to never forget the early days of De Smet, the early days when the school just opened and we were all part of it. Though there may be some memories that are not good or just plain forgettable, just the idea that we need to remember both the good times and the not-so-good is important to our human existence and being.

As we look around our own homes, we are reminded of our past with pictures, photo albums, videos, diaries, and other remembrances of the past. So, too, our days at De Smet. This weekend we will remember. We will refresh old friendships, recall old teachers, look at old pictures and old yearbooks, recall the experiences and opportunities that De Smet afforded us.

It will be fun, but it also may be depressing as we realize that we may not have fully appreciated those times when we were actually living them……..BUT NOW, AS WE LOOK BACK, WE DO AND SHOULD HAVE A GREATER APPRECIATION OF THEM.

Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the memories, re-live the past. I myself will never forget my days at De Smet, will never forget that first graduating class. I am reliving those days with you this weekend. We owe tremendous gratitude to the committee members from this class who have put time and effort into this weekend. A special thanks to Dave Bussmann, for leading the effort to put this memorial yearbook together.

AGAIN, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING DESMET AND THIS CLASS ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE TIMES OF MY LIFE. I WILL NEVER FORGET AND I HOPE THAT YOU DON’T EITHER!

Rich Grawer De Smet Faculty Member and Basketball Coach 1968-1981

Rich Grawer was born in 1943, and went to St. Louis University High, where he was starting point guard on the 1961 Basketball State Champions, Rockurst College where he was a contributing member to the Rockhurst 1964 NIAA National Championship team, and St. Louis University, where he obtained an MA in History. Rich began his coaching career at SLUH, coaching the freshman team to a 28-1 record, and joined De Smet two years later as head basketball coach, cross country coach, and history teacher. The first graduating class at De Smet would reach the 1971 Missouri State quarterfinals, and over the next 10 years, Rich’s De Smet teams reached the Missouri Final Four six times, winning three state championships, highlighted by the 1977-1979 era, when Rich’s team won 63 straight games, one of the top marks in Missouri high school history. During that time, over 20 of his high school players went on to play collegiate basketball. After being recruited to spend a year as assistant under Norm Stewart at Mizzou, Grawer accepted the head-coaching job at SLU. From 1982-1992, Rich resurrected a dormant program that many had labelled “brain dead.” The Bills had not had a winning season in nine years. When Rich departed 10 years later, attendance was over 7,000 per game and the team posted six winning seasons, one of which was a 27-10. Rich finished with 159 victories, second in school history behind legendary Coach Eddie Hic key. He sent Anthony Bonner to the NBA as a first-round draft pick and several more of his players played professionally overseas. More than 95 percent of his players graduated with meaningful degrees, one of the highest percentages of Division I basketball, and he brought big-time college basketball back to St. Louis, which his successors have built upon. Upon leaving SLU, Rich went back to his high school roots, serving as athletic director for the Clayton School District. He continued to run basketball camps until 2010, focusing on grade school and youth basketball. Member of six Halls of Fame: the SLU Hall of Fame, De Smet Hall of Fame, MBCA Hall of Fame, St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame, St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

Rich has always prided himself on teaching, for which he was legendary both in the scope of his preparation and clarity of his presentation. During his teaching career, Rich taught American History, World History, African History, and Canadian History. When speaking of Rich, most of his students start with the classroom experience with him – not coaching. Rich also taught at Fontbonne University in its Sports Management Department, and is continuing today in his love of teaching by educating seniors on Social Security and Medicare, working for a non-profit organization. Despite his success as a teacher, both in the classroom and on the court, Rich says the highlight of his life is his family, which currently comprises 6 children, and 19 grandchildren. He says, “Without their love and understanding, my life would not have unfolded as it has.” (Text herein was partially adapted from Rich’s bio at Missouri Sports Hall of Fame)

Editor’s Preface

On my birthday July 29 of last year, by chance and for the first time, I joined a De Smet Class of ‘71 Zoom call. I had not been in touch with the school or any classmates in 49 years, having departed St. Louis in August 1971, and living 36 of the subsequent years on the other side of the world. When I finally got the Zoom to work, up popped the faces of about 15 guys, and my first thought was “Who the heck are all these old men?”. Then … I realized that each of them was probably asking the same of me! Yet, as the conversations proceeded among all the very familiar names of five decades past, I began to faintly recognize some of the voices and faces.

The 50th high school reunion is an American “rite of passage”, which one typically experiences at age 68 as a retiree, when one is nurturing their grandchildren. Of course, any reunion can be meaningful, but a 50th reunion is special. Among other things, it reminds you that you have been a functional adult for a half century, and your high school classmates were there at the start. Unique to just about any life experience, it enables you to meet again a whole bunch of people that you shared an early life history with, but might have not have seen in five decades, which is true in my personal case.

Sociologists who research high school reunions point out that high school reunions give one the opportunity to gauge and examine one’s unfolding life biography. They enable us to put our entire life course in a context in a way that very few events do.

“The American high school reunion plays a role in the construction of self and meaning in adulthood. During a high school reunion, Americans are thrown into a room full of mirrors in which they are confronted by different visions of themselves. There they see images of their high school selves filtered through the lights and shadows cast by classmates’ memories and projected against the backdrop created by the lives of those classmates in the present day. Reunions afford people an occasion on which to reevaluate their own memories and arrive at a new understanding of self. It thus provides participants with a series of self-perceptions from which they can construct new and revised narratives of their own lives.”

A ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS: High School Reunions in Middle America, by Keiko Ikeda, Stanford University Press, 1999.

Our high school age of 14-18 years old also happens to approximately match the remaining statistical life expectancy of all of us right now (about 16 years). The 50 intervening years comprise the core our life course, so it is informative to compare what we might have thought about the future then, and compare it to the past that now lies behind us.

Our objective with this Reunion Yearbook is to create a “50th Reunion Yearbook for the Ages”, as befitting the “Founding status”1 of our Class of 1971. We trust that future “De Smet 50ths” will carry on with, or even surpass, the standard set here !

I thank my Yearbook Sub-

Committee members John Goessling, Larry Linkul, and Jim Finkenkeller for their help and support in producing this Yearbook, Frank Furlong for help in coordinating the printing, in addition to all our Classmates who provided their biographical profiles, as well as those who gave other input to this Reunion Yearbook, including particularly Bill Holland, Pat McCaffery, Dave Muckerman, Mike Faddis, Mike Sawicki, Tom Eschen, Pat Hayes, and additionally nonDe Smet individuals such as Terry Donohue, and so many others too numerous or anonymous to mention.

Finally, I want to posthumously thank the late Jake MacLeod for encouraging me to join the original Zoom call and get involved. Without him, this Reunion Yearbook might never have gotten started.

Dave Bussmann Class of 1971

De Smet 50th Reunion Yearbook Editor

1 For coining the term “Founding Class of 1971”, we thank the son of the late Dave Kosakowski, a prominent member of the Class of 1971.

Introduction

Welcome all to the De Smet Jesuit High School Class of 1971 50th Reunion Yearbook!

The purpose of this Yearbook is to celebrate and memorialize a big, formative part of our lives. It contains biography pages written by each of the 1971 Classmates who chose to submit one, sharing both the details of their lives of the last fifty years, and various memories of their experience at De Smet. Although the biography pages constitute the core of the Yearbook, it also includes a treasure trove of other ancillary material that the Committee agreed would be of interest, amusement, and nostalgic reflection.

The thirteen members of the 50th Reunion Committee (listed on the inside cover) have spent countless hours over the last 18 months in planning the reunion, organizing its events, helping gather information and stories on De Smet’s history, identifying and chasing down longlost classmates, and then convincing, cajoling and encouraging classmates to provide their contribution to this Yearbook. Information was gathered from classmates, faculty, aunts, uncles and many friends. The result we have sought is a “Reunion Yearbook for the Ages”, to accompany a fabulous 50th reunion weekend for The First De Smet Graduating Class!

As you flip through the Yearbook, take yourself back in time, and re-imagine your younger self at De Smet 50 years ago:

 As a new Freshman, you enter the school from the Ballas side, and all your classes are on the first-floor. There are no younger or older classmates. Your 14 year-old self is wearing a maroon blazer with tie from Bond Clothing that your mom bought at their downtown store. Shared lockers are mandatory, like it or not, and elevator passes are not yet available. You were soon to vote on the school colors and mascot that remain today.

 Sophomore year saw the opening of the second floor, and a doubling of student enrollment. The Entrance switched to the (now) Emerson side of the building. Serious competition began as new, younger freshmen filled the building, Monarch Notes were for sale, and when it rained, football practice had players running sprints down the 2nd floor hallway. Finnegans in the building already numbered three!

 By Junior year, enrollment was up to nearly 700, and despite lacking a senior class, we were already competing with other schools in varsity sports. New faculty continued to fill the ranks, with Jesuits on staff rising to 21, and the school infrastructure continued to be built out, with the De Smet President Fr. Jacobsmeyer at times serving as both carpenter and landscaper.

 And with Senior year, we now had a fully-formed high school with 900+ students, 27 full time Jesuits in residence, and yet more new lay faculty members. We had the chance to take courses that we never imagined would be taught in high school, such as Film Techniques, Anthropology, Black Studies, and African History.

As classmates of the first graduating class of 1971 of De Smet Jesuit High School, we all share a bond that was created and developed over the four years we attended. In many cases it has become almost a familial tie. I want to thank everyone for SHARING your bios that reveal your life course, accomplishments, tribulations, adventures, sadness, defeats, current interests, and remaining aspirations!

John Goessling Class of 1971 President – De Smet Alumni Association

1967-1971: Historical Context of the Era

As our Class started Freshman year in September 1967, America was approaching the end of the 1960s …

Globally, having in the two previous decades decisively consolidated its position as WW II victor, the USA stood as a colossus, dominating the world in economics, technology, finance, military might, and cultural impact.

At the same time, America was locked in the Cold War with Soviet Union bloc, and mired in the Vietnam War that reached its most ferocious intensity during our De Smet years. By our senior year, we faced --if we lacked a qualifying deferment-- the very real possibility of getting drafted after graduation, and sent to the rice paddies of Southeast Asia, a fate already endured by some of our older brothers and cousins.

Domestically, it was a time of youth rebellion and campus unrest, continued struggles in the Civil Rights Movement, the flowering of the environmental movement, the growth of counterculture movements (hippies, yippies, communes, etc), and the rebirth of the women’s movement that accompanied both a "sexual revolution" and changes in "family" values. We got our daily news from the conservative Globe Democrat in the morning, and the liberal Post-Dispatch in the evening, and in this pre-Cable era, TV consisted of essentially 3 dominant networks, and a few local channels. In the 1969 summer between our Sophomore and Junior years, the Space Program reached a climax, marked by the first manned Moon Landing, which took place a month before Woodstock, the most influential music festival of our lifetime.

Politically, it was a period of turmoil, with year 1968 (spanning halves of our Freshman and Sophomore years) being a particularly difficult one, scarred by the King and Kennedy assassinations. The ongoing rapid social changes fostered a backlash, bringing a new conservative majority that elected Nixon in our sophomore year. Both the media and political parties were highly conventional, generally respecting a decorum that would be lost in subsequent decades. Nonetheless, the US at times appeared to rend apart by the seemingly irreconcilable differences between supporters and opponents of a Vietnam War that dragged on throughout our high school years, and in some of our families brought great turbulence and consternation.

Culturally, despite (or perhaps because of) the social and political turmoil, it was a time of great creativity. There was the Rock Explosion, and the peaking of Soul music just before it fragmented into disparate subgenres, while Jazz music embraced fusion, rock, and electrification. New independent film directors took hold as the studio system declined, and Hollywood --influenced by the European New Wave-- entered a new era, bringing breakthrough cinematic techniques, structures, subjects, and mores, as exemplified by 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Graduate, and Bonnie and Clyde. Modern Art fully transitioned into Contemporary Art, marked by edgy and powerful new modes of expression, including Pop Art, minimalism, conceptual art, and further extension of abstract expressionism. Star Trek, one of the most path-breaking TV series ever, entered its second season in our fall freshman semester. Of all of the changes taking place, the cultural changes may have been the most impactful on us at De Smet, because they were most viscerally experienced by us as teenagers.

Quang Tri Province, Vietnam 1968

Woodstock

August 1969

The “New Nixon” 1968

Miles Davis Bitches Brew

March 1970

Economically, during most of our time at De Smet, America basked in a boom, on the back of twin spending on the “Great Society” and Vietnam War. The economy grew at nearly 5%, with muted inflation that disguised the coming Great Inflation of the 1970s. It represented the final peaking of the great postwar boom, and a golden period for the US middle class, driven by still widespread unionization, low unemployment, and growth distributed far more equitably across economic classes than today. US companies generally still lacked serious foreign competition, and thus remained globally dominant, but this would soon change. The S&P 500 (recently at 4,200) stood at 96 in September 1967, and by our June 1971 graduation it had inched up to 99 (or 635 inflation-adjusted). It was a period of unusual financial stability, both in the US and globally, but this also would soon change, as the Federal Reserve and Nixon Administration implemented a flawed monetary policy that contributed to surging inflation throughout the 1970s.

Technologically, in a realm little known to us or the general public, the microprocessor and DRAM were invented, the first supercomputers were built, Moore’s law had just been recognized, and ARPAnet, the precursor to the internet, was established. None of us foresaw then, but the combination of these would form a global information revolution that completely transformed the world in our lifetime. It begs the question as to whether and how the next 50 years may be transformed in a like manner, based on technologies of AI, quantum & neuromorphic computing, biotechnology, next-gen materials, and other propellants not yet fully appreciated.

St. Louis participated in all of the changes, although with a Midwestern response that seemed to lag the coasts.

Greater St. Louis was undergoing a decisive demographic shift of population out of the City and into the County and other outlying areas. With the fateful 1876 separation of the city and county, this had a devastating effect on commercial viability of downtown STL. The tax base needed to support services and education progressively shrank, and accelerated a downward spiral of the center of what was once America’s 4th largest city.

In sports, there were still two Cardinal sports teams. The dominant Bob Gibson-led baseball Cardinals, which went to the World Series in 1967 and 1968, contrasted with the hapless NFL football Cardinals that eventually decamped to Arizona. In our Freshman year, the newly-formed St. Louis Blues made it to the Stanley Cup, but St. Louis’ only NBA franchise, the St. Louis Hawks, would play their last games at Kiel before being sold and moving to Atlanta.

Source: Mapping Decline, by Colin Gordon

Both the timing and location of De Smet were strongly influenced by the demographic shifts in St. Louis. A huge cohort of the Greatest Generation’s postwar sons was approaching their high school years facing a shortage of Catholic high school capacity in St. Louis, particularly the county, and De Smet was founded specifically to address this need and relieve pressures on St. Louis University High, the only Jesuit secondary school in St. Louis.

With a few notable exceptions, ours was a “white” high school, probably owing to the lay founders of De Smet all being Caucasian, the center-county geographic location, and the scarcity of scholarships at the time. Yet in our senior year, De Smet offered us (98% Caucasian) seniors semester-long courses in both Black Studies (taught with honesty by Bob Christian) and African History --yes, African! -- taught ably by Rich Grawer.

I took them both.

- Dave Bussmann

Twin Towers Under Construction 1969

Intel 4004 the first Intel CPU 1971

De Smet 1971

De Smet: Now vs. Then

Now

Algebra

Studies

Computer Science

Fine Arts

Physical Education

English

Math

Social Studies

(2020)

(2020)

Then 1967-71

English

Algebra

Foreign Language

Latin

Ancient History  Religion

Typing (on manual typewriters)

Physical Education Typical Senior Curriculum

 English (Satire, or Contemporary Novels)

 Calculus (as elective)

 Foreign Language

Average daily cellphone time by a De Smet student

World Languages Offered

De

Smet Football Coach

Portfolio Project

Electives: Film Appreciation, World Religions, Forensic Science, International Studies, Modern European History, Best Novels, Computer Applications, Government, Psychology, Statistics, Instrumental Jazz, Economics, American Society, Web Design

How many hours?3

Spanish, Chinese, Latin

Also yearly immersion trips to Spain, Taiwan, Italy

Mr. Carl Reed, Jr.

Succeeded Rob Steeples, Class of 2008, who took a coaching job with the Minnesota Vikings

 Mechanical Drawing

 Religion (“Contemporary Thinkers”)

 Science electives: Physics, Physiology, Adv. Biology

 Social Studies electives: American Problems, Black Studies, African History, Anthropology

 Art electives: Studio Art or Film Techniques

 Senior Project

What’s a Cellphone?

Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Latin (“Immersion trips” would have been an unimaginable extravagance, costing multiples of the annual tuition)

Mr. Bob Christian (1970-1971)

2 There appears to be a direct connection between the cost of annual tuition and the number of Jesuits at De Smet over time. Unlike many diocesan priests, Jesuit priests are required to take a vow of poverty, meaning that they have only the possessions that they require, and any money that may be earned is shared amongst the order equally. The rationale is that humans cannot worship both God and material things, so removing luxuries sustains focus on the spiritual. Our 1971 class thus indirectly benefitted economically from the large number of Jesuits at De Smet at the time.

3 “US teens use screens more than seven hours a day on average – and that’s not including school work”, Kristen Rogers, CNN, October 29, 2019. However, it should be noted that in 2019 De Smet implemented a revised cell phone policy, under which all classrooms and study halls are equipped with hanging cell phone pouches, and when students enter an academic space during an academic time (class or study hall), students are required to deposit their cell phones in the pouches. Pouches are hung near the front of the class, and teachers are present to ensure the security of the devices. Upon the conclusion of academic time, students are allowed to retrieve their phones.

De Smet Video Broadcast Network

Inter-scholastic Sports Offered

Now Then 1967-71

2020-2021 Season

6’ 4”

6” 3”

6’ 5”

6’ 9” (Keita4)

6’ 10” (Gassama)

2020-2021 Season

6’ 1” 270 pounds (Wingo5)

6’ 1” 275 (Robinson)

6’ 3” 230 (Jackson)

5’9” 225 (Woodley)

Regularly broadcast live De Smet sporting events, assemblies, liturgies on a student-run media network, freely available to the entire world to view in real time.

Bowling

Cross Country

Football

Soccer

Swim & Dive

Basketball

Bowling

Ice Hockey

Racquetball

Wrestling

Baseball

De Smet Dress Code

Tennis

Golf

Track & Field

Inline Hockey

Ultimate

Lacrosse

Volleyball

Racquetball

Water Polo

Rugby

4 Did not play due to ACL injury.

1970-71 Season

5’ 11” Jerry West (Linkul)

5’ 8” (Faddis)

6’ 1” (Kuelker)

6’ 4” (Ward)

6’ 5” (Kohnen)

1970-71 Season

5’ 10” 189 pounds (Doyle)

5’ 10” 187 (Seyer)

5’ 9” 172 (Eise)

6’ 4” 235 (Hake)

Would have been unimaginable.

(No video broadcast network on earth had this capability, until CNN in the late 1980s.)

Cross Country

Football

Soccer

Bowling

Wrestling

Ice Hockey

Tennis

Golf

Track & Field

Chess

Debating

5 Selected 2021 Post-Dispatch All-Metro defensive football player of the year, the best defensive player in the St. Louis area.

6 You might have forgotten this, but we were required to wear blazers and tie every day, all throughout the entire school day, except for September and May, or risk being subject to Demerits and time in JUG.

Maroon Blazers with Tie6

De Smet 1967-1971: 6 Backstories

1. What is the backstory on how “Spartans” was selected as the school mascot?

In the late Fall of 1967, it was determined that our Freshman class would nominate and then vote on the school mascot. The class came up with several candidates, including “Raiders” and “Spartans”. “Spartans” happened to be relevant at the time for perhaps three reasons: (a) the Michigan State football team was ranked in the top 2 (along with Notre Dame); (b) there was a rather forgettable early 1960s sword-andsandals Hollywood film “The 300 Spartans” which many of us had seen that glorified the story of the outnumbered Spartans defending Greece from the invading Persians, and (c) many of us took Ancient History in Fall 1967 that included a class or two on the story of Sparta. The Spartan emphasis on military prowess and physical development appealed to us 14 year olds. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of "Spartans".

Note that the current Spartan Logo is differs from one that often used in 1967-71, depicted at left, which was modeled on the Michigan State Vintage “Sparty” log. A more conventional Spartan mascot was rejected by many of us students as being an “insufficiently masculine and tough” image for our new school.

- Dave Bussmann

2. What is the backstory on how “Maroon & White” was selected as school colors?

As with the school mascot vote, our Freshman class nominated and voted on the school colors. The class came up with the following candidates: green and white (since this was the same colors as the Michigan State Spartans), green and gold; and maroon and white (to match the maroon De Smet blazers that we all had, which in turn was an idea of the Mothers’ Club to distinguish the school). The only colors not eligible were blue and white, since this was SLUH’s. Maroon and white won, over green and white.

3. What is the backstory on the devout Fr. Jacobsmeyer SJ, President of De Smet, one day walking into a classroom that happened to have a live nude female standing in the middle of the room?

De Smet Jesuit High and the Class of 71 were blessed with so many talented, unique, colorful and interesting teachers in the early years. Bill Christman the art teacher our senior year was clearly no exception.

Bill graduated with an Art degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia and has worked for years in the design and production of signs, murals, billboards, exhibits, sculptures and theatrical scenery. He has countless pieces at the City Museum, and is the proprietor at Beatnik Bob's and the owner of Christman Studios. Very creative would be an understatement.

Among his many ideas at DeSmet was to do a "living rosary" (take note Jim Finkenkeller) by burying students up to their neck to form a rosary around the football and have each student recite the appropriate prayer. He also collected money to build a glider to fly off the roof of the school. I think it is safe to say he is the only teacher sent home for "dress code" violations when he wore knickers to school, and sent home from our senior prom for showing up in a zoot suit. Yes, he shot the staple gun he was certain didn't work against his temple only to find out it worked but he continued to teach class.

It has been rumored that he was caught on a Saturday by Fr. Jacobsmeyer, the first President of De Smet, with nude female models on the third floor. The line between truth and urban legend is never clear. Some alums recently met up with Mr. Christman and he says it was Mr. Sheckler, the junior year art teacher who had the models. Two faculty reported it was Bill Christman, and Fr. Jacobsmeyer was on the third floor because he like to roller skate up there.

Guess we will never know for sure, but beyond a doubt, Bill was a colorful child and free spirit of the late sixties.

- Mike Sawicki

4. What is the Backstory on Pat McCaffrey's Jug card and suspension?

Mr. Denny Dietz, our Physics teacher senior year, was pretty cool as he was not much older than us seniors. I think you might have read in my bio profile about providing a smart alec answer to “Where does Luminiferous Ether come from?” – and I blurted out “The Easter Bunny!” Anyway, I earned a demerit. I think it must have been like my 19th, or 24th demerit on the Jug card. Anyway, Denny must have been in a forgiving mood, and did not want to be the teacher who gave me the 5th demerit and therefore Jug.

So a few days after Mr. Dietz relented from giving me a rather high numbered 5th demerit, I was in his class again and did something that required another demerit. My behavior was somewhat emboldened to cross the “demerit line” because I did not have only one demerit card, rather 2 or 3 !! If memory serves, Mark Doetzler somehow absconded with extra “Clean” demerit cards from his sister’s desk or the office …something like that. If you recall Miss Doetzler was our typing teacher. So Mark scammed the system by selling “Extra Demerit Cards” to those of us that wanted to risk gaming the system. The theory being we could throw them away and use a new card prior to getting a 5th demerit & jug. Depending on our last Jug and the number of demerits that Mr. Morgan had on record as our last demerit and last jug, we could simply give ourselves the 5th, 10th demerit, etc. and continue on our merry way.

So one of the many lessons we probably all learned during our De Smet formative years and which time has taught us is that everything shady eventually comes to a bad ending. Therefore, to finish the story ... so to continue the story, when I gave my new demerit card to Mr. Dietz which now only had 2 or 3 demerits on it, he remembered my high number of demerits the previous week. Anyway, that’s how I got busted and subsequently suspended. Lucky me!

- Pat McCaffrey

5. What is the backstory on the Goat Senior Prank of Spring 1971?

I had made the decision the night prior that some sort of Senior Prank had to be done. I had access to a small herd of goats that was close to where I lived in Chesterfield. During our lunch break I drove home and loaded one goat into a stock trailer that I had hooked up to a pick-up truck. I got back to De Smet as one of the classes was on their lunch break. I don’t remember which classmate helped me, but we led that goat into the cafeteria with a lariat rope around its neck. When I took the rope off, students in the cafeteria totally freaked out, and the freaking out humans freaked out the goat. It started scampering around the cafeteria, yelping in a state of terrified agitation, and then entered the serving line.

That’s when the cafeteria staff totally lost it. The goat –squealing and bellowing and scared as hell-- then ran out of the serving area, made a left turn, and started running towards the classrooms that were in session. I ran after it, swinging the lariat. I am an expert lassoer, but the first loop I threw was too big. The goat ran right through it. The commotion in the hallway was alarming some of the classes that were underway. At full speed, I chased the animal down the entire first floor main hallway of the school, with a screaming goat and me running by all the classrooms in session, while I rewound the lariat in pursuit. This time I caught it, and it bellowed loudly just in front of the main administration office. One of the Jesuits came out, and said “Party’s over”. I took it out the front entrance. I thought I’d be in big trouble. Ironically the teachers and staff said very little about it. I hauled it back to the ranch.

of the “crime”, Spring 1971

Everything was cool until my brother told my father. All together the entire episode lasted less than 10 minutes. No damages, just a few goat droppings and a little excitement.7

- Ernie Beutenmiller

7 There were at least two stories associated with this Prank: One that Fr. Ralph Houlihan, school principal at the time, told Larry Morgan to call police to come and shoot the pig. Another that there was a call to the police to arrest the prankster.

Scene

Fake JUG card (but you get the idea)

6. What is the backstory on the De Smet-Assumption 1971 basketball game that De Smet won 16-15 in Overtime?

This was the second meeting of the year between the two teams. It was the last home game for seniors Mike Faddis, Steve Kohnen, Larry Linkul, Greg Combs, Pat Ward, and Bob Kuelker. Assumption High of Illinois was led by the All American 6’ 10” Rick Suttle, who later went to the Final Four with Kansas, and played professionally for the San Antonio Spurs. Both Assumption and De Smet were ranked in the top 10 of their respective states. We lost the first meeting on the road and Coach Grawer was wary that we did not have enough fire power to play a wide open game with the Pioneers so he devised a game plan to slow down the game.

The opening tip was one of the keys to the game as the team with the lead (or tied) could hold the ball (unlike today with a shot clock). We really wanted to get the tip so we could control the tempo. Winning the tip against a near 7-footer was going to be a tough task, so Coach Grawer devised a play on the tip for us to steal it and turn it into an initial possession, allowing us to control the tempo. My job was to read where the tip was going, make it look like they had an opening, and then to step in and steal the tip. That I succeeded in doing, and scoring a layup to give us a 2-0 lead!8

On defense we forced a funneling of the ball down one side (the right side) of the floor knowing Suttle would set up on the low post. Coach Grawer had Steve Kohnen fronting him and Pat Ward behind him. So we had him double teamed. We put both guards out front pushing the ball down their right side. We did not guard the weak side and made sure someone was in the face of the player with the ball so they could not make the long pass to the weak side. They really had trouble getting the ball to Suttle.

Every time we got possession we ran a 4 Corners offense, slowing the ball and passing -- and only looking to make back door layups. Each possession took several minutes. The game went on like this for all 4 quarters. I still remember that despite holding the ball and slowing the play, the De Smet student body was awesome and loud and wild. Everyone was into the game to see if we could make this game plan work. We had great support in the stands!

The game ended in regulation tied at 15-15. Yes, that is correct 15-15. In overtime Assumption tried to hold the ball and get a last shot but turned it over and I got fouled. I made a free throw to give us the lead with 8 seconds left. Assumption did not get off another shot and we had a 16-15 win! Our student body emptied onto the floor. It was a weird and wild night!

Larry Linkul was the leading scorer with 8 points and Steve Kohnen chipped in with 5. The Loss cost Assumption the Bi-State league championship, giving SLUH the title. Rick Suttle, the All American, scored only 2 points. the lowest point total ever by Suttle. After the game, as we were gathering in our locker room, the door burst open and it was the Assumption coach raising heck and calling Coach Grawer and all of us all kinds of names and using every 4 letter word you’ve heard. It was the perfect capper on a wild evening. It was also the spring-board to send us to the upcoming State Tournament.

-

8 This opening tip --stolen by Faddis who scored the first 2 points— can be viewed today, thanks to Dave Muckerman, on-line here: http://muckermanracing.com/desmet-jesuit-high-school-film-techniques-class-movie-project/ There is also footage of De Smet running the 4-corner offense against Assumption, footage from some other game, and Larry Linkul shooting far too many free throws. Originally shot in 8-millimeter. It is amazing that Dave Muckerman not only made this film 50 years ago, but still has a digital copy. THANK YOU, DAVE !

By Mike Faddis (Guard)

Linkul Running the 4-Corners Offense against Assumption 1971 at De Smet

Our Lives: Then and Now

1971 - Then it was:

Getting the keys to our first car

Long Hair

KEG

Rolling Stones

Trying to look like Marlon Brando

Starved for information

Parkmoors

Passing the driver’s test

Enormous sideburns

Age 30 is 12 years away

Steak n Shake

2021 - Now it is:

Trying to find the keys ... and the car!

Longing for hair

EKG

Kidney Stones

Trying NOT to look like Marlon Brando

Choked by information

Chipotle

Passing the vision test

Don’t quite match the balding head

Age 80 is 12 years away

Shake Shack

Pontiac GTO

Tesla Model S

De Smet: 31 Legacy De Smet Students of 1971 Class

1971 Graduate Son(s) Who Are De Smet Graduates

Henry Autrey

Edwin Benton, Jr.

Steve Burian

Michael Cady

Daniel Deckert

John Erker

Thomas Fitzgerald

John Fogarty

Neil Frankenberg

David Gilroy

Albert Hitt

Mark Holton

James Hummert, Jr.

Richard Johnson

Stephen Kohnen

Gary Mareschal

Douglas Patton

Michael Sawicki

Christopher Seyer

Richard Siebert

James Van Iseghem, Jr.

Mark Vinciguerra

Timothy Watters

Thomas Wortham

Frederich Autrey (2011)

Christopher Benton (1999)

Jeffrey Benton (2001)

Brian Benton (2006)

Kevin Benton (2020)

Christopher (1993)

Christopher Cady (2009)

Ryan Deckert (1999)

John Erker, Jr.(1997)

Andrew Erker (1999)

Joseph Fitzgerald (1999)

John Fogarty, Jr. (2002)

Anthony Frankenberg (2004)

Scott Gilroy (1997)

Joseph Hitt (2006)

Thomas Holton (2001)

James Hummert (1998)

Richard Johnson, Jr. (2004)

Patrick Johnson (2008)

Robert (Johnson 2009)

Alexander Kohnen (1992)

Joshua Mareschal (1999)

Daniel Mareschal (2005)

Austin Patton (2011)

Matthew Sawicki (2001)

Mark Seyer (2002)

Richard Siebert (1995)

James Van Iseghem (2001)

Mark Vinciguerra (2015)

Christopher Watters (2015)

Thomas Wortham (1997)

De Smet 1967-1971: 10 Question Trivia Quiz

1. Which team had the highest inter-scholastic winning percentage in our Senior year?

A. Football Team

B. Basketball Team

C. Soccer Team

D. Golf Team

E. Chess Team

2. How many last names were shared by two or more classmates?

A. 2

B. 3

C. 4

D. 5

E. 7

3. Who was the first soccer coach?

A. Greg Vitello

B. Ralph Carraffa

C. Hugh Kelly

D. Father DeRouen

4. Which classmate has visited the most countries in the world?

A. Larry Linkul

B. Bob Riegel

C. Bob Dittmeier

D. Dave Bussmann

5. Who scored both the first touchdown of the 1967 football season and the last touchdown of the 1970 football season?

A. Dan Deckert

B. Bill Holland

C. Dan Rooney

D. Henry Autrey

6. Who succeeded in taking Typing not once, but twice in their time at De Smet (both Freshman AND Senior year)?

A. Tom Eschen

B. Bob Kuelker

C. Bill Holland

D. Nobody

7. Who was the first student sent to “jug”9 in our Freshman Class?

A. Quinten Ganloser

B. Bob Monti

C. Ray Gilliam

D. Nobody

8. Who took their high school sweetheart to the De Smet senior Prom, married her, and is still married to the gal?

A. Nobody

B. Rick Siebert

C. Joe Luckett

D. Jim Lanzafame

9. Who directed De Smet’s first play, and where was it held?

A. Mr. Faust / the Gym

B. Fr. Tim Lawless / at JUG

C. Mr. Dempsey / Visitation

D. Mr. Faust / The Chapel

10. What two members of the class of ‘71 actually lived at De Smet after graduation?

A. The Shipleys

B. David Gilroy / Chris Seyer

C. Gary Mareschal / Bob McCumber

D. Bill Lynch / Mike Sawicki

Correct answers are located in Appendix 6 of this Yearbook.

9 JUG, sometimes mistakenly thought to be an abbreviation for “Justice Under God”, is actually a term from the Latin noun 'iugum' (as in [an] oxen['s] yoke or burden), and the full term is 'sub iugum'… roughly translated as 'under the burden’. The punished were put "sub jugum," Latin for "under the yoke" or "under the burden." From the Latin jugum (yoke) came the shortened term jug

De Smet Class of 1971: In Action (1980s-2010s)

won’t let you do this at anymore). “The notable thing about this is that I am wearing those old De

Army Colonel Jim Griese on Saddam Hussien’s Throne in Baghdad (2004)

Jeff Rola – Diving at Johnson Shut-In 1980s (they

Smet gym shorts.”

Steve Reed ready for takeoff, co-piloting a F104 Starfighter Jet.

John Lowell (right) and brother Tom (also DeSmet grad) at 2009 AllStar game in St. Louis. Rear is Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who crash landed US Airways Flight #1549 in Hudson River off Manhattan in 2009 a few months earlier, after plane struck a flock of Canadian geese and lost power.

US District Court Judge Henry Autrey, originally appointed by Pres. George Bush in early 2000s, hard at work resolving matters brought before the Eastern District Court of the State of Missouri.

The late Jack HItt in front of a major project that he worked on for many years…

Bob Riegel on an auditing assignment in Kuwait

Mike Shipley sorting out the broadcast schedule by hand at KSDK in 1980s.

Bob Marx while on deployment to Afghanistan in 2002, and in field operating room in an abandoned goat barn.

Dave Muckerman at 1990 One Lap of America - posing before the race -- one of the few 2-person teams (teammate Dukes is shown) to complete the 7,698 miles

Fr. Arnold, not long before his passing in 2020. Jim Finkenkeller, on his one and only Skydive over the Smokey Moutains. Survived it.

2017 First Day of Class (only 46 years later…) at Circle 7 in St. Louis Cardinals Game 2017 Wortham Vinciguerra Burns

Bob Riegel in Tianjin, China, with all of his Accounting Students in 2007 (Riegel has been everywhere !)

Leonard Schmitt flying the motion base simulator for the Space Shuttle, a project he worked on for much of his career.

Class of 71 is STILL being Taught by Rich Grawer?! (This time in the 2010s to members of Class of 1971 about Social Security just before enrolling in SS )

Thoroughbred Breeder Steve Sansone with a couple of his stock – Delilah and Sampson – and looking rather British …

Who the Heck Are All these Old Men?!

At Army Game: Linkul (son a West Point Grad), Kuelker, Faddis. (Accompanied as usual by a court–mandated chaperone)

Dave Bussmann, in Sichuan, China, in front of world’s largest (and possibliy ugliest) stone Buddha, while on a 1994 investment due diligence trip.

De Smet Class of 1971: Where is Everybody Now?

1971: 8 things you might do if you knew then what you know now?

1. Recognize that even if you’re drafted into the Army, it’s OK … you won’t be going to Vietnam …. except as a tourist on a Danang tropical beach holiday in your 50s or 60s.

2. Dismantle that atomic bomb shelter in the back yard.

3. Buy and hold the US S&P 50010, and sell your stocks in the following companies: Korvettes, ITT, Eastern Airlines, Chrysler.

4. Realize that sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan, and it ends up being the best thing that ever happened to you.

5. Chill out. 98% of what you fuss about as a teenager doesn’t actually matter.

6. Stop smoking. Immediately, meaning … right now this second !

7. Move to Palo Alto, buy a house, and join one of two companies that were just in the process of being founded: Sequoia Capital or Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

8. Spend more time with one’s grandparents, while they’re still around.

10 But you’ll need to wait three years until 1974 to buy into the first S&P 500 ETF launched by Jack Bogle at Vanguard. For technical and tax reasons, it would have been better to own the SP500 in Index Fund format, rather than the stocks directly. Because that first SP500 ETF IPO was greatly undersubscribed, and deemed a near-failure of an IPO at the time, you could have easily gotten into the IPO as a retail investor. Today, the largest S&P 500 Index Fund (“SPY”) has a market capitalization of about $400,000,000,000. If you invested $1000 in the S&P 500 at the beginning of 1971, you would have about $166,655 at the beginning of 2021, assuming you reinvested all dividends, and were sheltered from tax as in an IRA. This is a compound return on investment of 10.8% compounded per year over 50 years; the inflation-adjusted real return was about compounded 6.6% per year. Investment in the above-mentioned Korvettes, ITT, Eastern Airlines, or Chrysler would likely have resulted in a total loss, due to bankruptcy of each of those companies in the 1970s

De Smet 1967-71: 40 Memories from Faculty of the Era

Some anonymous faculty members of the 1967-71 era provide some memories of the time.

1. Betty Simpson getting stuck in the elevator, furiously ringing SOS on alarm bell….Teachers on first floor, looking up… And then closing their doors because of noise.

2. Class sizes, 36 desks = 36 students, sometimes 37 students

3. Student’s maroon blazers: after 4 years of wear. Question: Did they ever go home for cleaning?

4. Students in blazer could not remove them without faculty permission

5. Faculty had to wear coats as long as students. When student blazers were no longer required they still had to wear ties.

6. Vending machines for food and beverages in cafeteria. Removed when there were more slugs than actual coins.

7. 1970 or so: Freshman roller skating party in cafeteria with John Faust on skates. To protect floor for dances, put skate wax on floor as in cafeteria for roller skating. Dances great, PhysEd Classes not so good

8. Faculty dining room in cafeteria – small with one long table. Later became an office for food service.

9. One cafeteria cook served food with a cigarette in mouth. Burgers only.

10. Basketball game at Kiel against Vashon, State Quarterfinals: Place was packed and nobody had a clue as to the who, the what or the where of DeSmet… Radio announcer told listeners they would try to get info on DeSmet at halftime… Pat Ward – the Duke – flying elbows.

11. Under the Gas Light – Terry Dempsey, Fr. Dave Koesterer SJ, peanuts, Visitation theater, enraged nuns

12. Fr. Joe Sheehy and his masks

13. Complaints from residential neighbors about our students – “boys and girls” –walking in neighborhood, and sometimes leering at women. Fr. Bone: “We have only boys in blazers”

14. Green & White uniforms

15. JUG: DEAN OF STUDENTS & DISCIPLINE, LARRY MORGAN, WOULD ALLOW SENIORS WHO WERE JUGGED TO GET OUT OF JUG IF THEY COULD BEAT HIM IN FREETHROWS, OR GAME OF HORSE.

Mr. Larry Morgan

16. 1970 or so Prank – Juniors placed beer in soda machine for their lunch period, schedule was changed, Freshman lunch had a surprise!

17. Civil defense water and emergency provisions box in locker room (in the event of nuclear attack).

18. Handball courts

19. Demerit cards: Faculty given guidance on demerit cards ….. A card every quarter ….. 20 or more code violation listed on cards ….Most popular code was Z for “other”

20. 55 minute classes, 3 minutes passing time, limited locker access, no running. One demerit for being late ….. Remember students sliding into class to beat the bell, and teachers giving demerits for both being late and sliding (z for other). Faculty rule book said student had to be seated in their desk at the bell or receive a demerit.

21. Students could only go to their lockers when they arrived in the morning, before lunch, after lunch and end if day. Voliation was a demerit.

22. Teachers were told not to let students go to lockers if they forgot class material, and instead give a demerit for not having class material.

23. Film & Art festivals by Mr./Fr. Terry Dempsey

24. Sawicki’s 3 story high handmade De Smet banner

25. Bleachers only on one side of gym “that's all we need, may not ever fill those”, as one Jesuit remarked at the time

26. An original benefactor, Mrs. Campsi, wanted to visit the school to see how “her boys and girls” were doing

27. Free admission for De Smet students to sports events and plays. Free admission came to an end about 1973. Admission fees charged became income for school.

28. Fires before and after school was open

29. Carnival: Setting up, running the booths; Friday afternoon free rides & games for inner city kids

30. Carnival Coffee House – folk music, coffee and foods

31. Saturday afternoon football, then dance in gym that night

32. Every week-end hosting & dance with live bands.

33. Formal and Semi-formal & Class dances: Set up – run – take down

34. Teachers were instructed not to call other teachers by their first names in public around students. We were to call each other Father, Mister, Mrs. or Miss…Not really followed by faculty, unless administrator was around.

35. First literary magazine. Synthesis, 1970 –Jim Pollack SJ as coordinator

36. First school paper, Spartan, 1970 – Mr. McEvoy as coordinator

37. Art teacher Bill

Christman

– still alive & well St. Louis: “The staple gun is not loaded, don’t argue, look …” – as he held it to his head and shot a staple into his head…

38. Faculty meeting to discuss allowing jeans on campus after school, and at sports events. Rule was no jeans on campus at anytime, and infractions subject to demerits.

39. Midnight Mass in Library with hundreds of lights/candles/all over the place

40. Day commuter teaching scholastics –come to De Smet to teach one class and then return to SLU (while “in theology” at SLU).

Mr. Grout, SJ

Mr. Dempsey

INTERVIEW:

DE SMET FACULTY

a candid and wide-ranging conversation with seven eminent St. Louis high school educators from the 1967-1971 era

We bring you herewith an interview with eight living faculty who taught at that renowned American secondary school De Smet Jesuit, a half a century ago, during its nascent founding period of 1967-1971. They are all now in their late 70s and 80s.

Surely few high schools currently boast as high a proportion of living faculty from 50 years ago as De Smet,

“At the beginning, we at De Smet were financially really limited.

One summer, Fr. Jake said you can have either soda or beer, not both – the scholastics said, we’ll take beer!”

owing to the fact that the school was founded in 1967 and it needed to recruit new teachers to the school. Thus for many it was the start or near-start of their teaching careers.

This roundtable conversation showcases some of the most celebrated educators in the history of De Smet, on a range of subjects, including teaching, student culture at the time,

“One day, I was on the stairs going from my 3rd floor American Problems class to the first floor and then suddenly was picked up by the elbows by two Senior football linemen, Gibbons and Hake, and carried back to the 3rd floor – with me desperately intoning ‘give me your cards … give me your cards …’, and they are going ‘Haha…Haha….’ This was my first year teaching, and I am thinking….. Fr. Houlihan is surely going to fire me!”

JUG, demerits, pranks, sports, coaching, and their overall experience as skilled but young teachers of De Smet’s Founding Class of 1971.

The participants are Kevin Buckley, Greg DiBlasi, Rich Grawer,Fr.RalphHoulihan, Chris & Yvonne Fernau Mess, and GregVitello.

“I remember being called in, and Fr. Lawless saying ’We’re going to start teaching African History.’ And I said, hey that sounds really great! And then he said, ‘Well, YOU are gonna teach it!’ I didn’t know anything about African history, or Canadian history that I was also told to teach. I joked, ‘What should I do, bring in a hockey player?’ But you spend the time and effort and learn how to teach it.”

1 - How did you come to teach at De Smet, and why did you accept the offer to teach at the school?

Yvonne Fernau Mess: Sister Jane de Chantal was my teacher and mentor at Fontbonne University, and she told me this is school in West County was looking for a typing teacher (typing was my minor) with a French major, so I came out, interviewed, and got hired by father Bone on the spot. It was one of those things where life just throw something at you when you take a chance. I started in 1969.

Greg Vitello: I started in 1968, and was also hired by Gerry Bone. I'm from Chicago and knew very little about St Louis. But I went to school with a lot of guys from Saint Louis and played soccer with them, and I wanted to get into coaching and they said if you want to coach soccer you gotta go to Saint Louis.

So I came to St Louis for an interview with Hazelwood school district and they had science teaching openings but no coaching openings, so I was pretty disappointed and I thought my next step would be to go back to Chicago. But I was staying with a close friend here in Saint Louis whose sister was the Visitation Principal at the time, and she said there's a new school down the street from us, and you might want to give them a call -- so that afternoon I call and talk to Gerry Bone, and he said you know we're in the process of hiring and we may be interested. The following week Gerry Bone offered me a contract. I said wow, and when I told St. Louis friends at school they all want to know what was De Smet all about, since they had never heard of it.

Greg DiBlasi: In 1969, I had been teaching part time at Rosary High School for 3 years. I was in graduate school at SLU at the time I was also working part time at Kroger and had twin boys, so I accepted a (boring) job at McDonnell Douglas on the F-15 project. But I really missed teaching, so when I saw a teaching position open at De Smet, I applied, got the position, and came during the junior year of the Class of 71, and stayed and loved it.

Kevin Buckley: I taught at CBC from 1965 to 1969 -- great kids but they cussed a lot and I was used to kids from the South who would not cuss. I have kept in touch with several of those students to this day. In 1969, there was an opening at De Smet to teach Middle and Far Eastern History - a semester of each. Fr. Bone hired me. I left in 1980 but always loved teaching, and enjoyed teaching young men. I loved the subjects and I loved my students I taught. I hated to leave but my family was more important and the reality is with 5 children I needed to better provide for my family. I got into the insurance business with Mass Mutual and I am still with them. My 3 sons went to CBC, SLUH, and DeSmet and both daughters to St.Joe’s.

Gerry Bone offered me the job. It so happened that I signed the contract to join De Smet in the cage at De Smet in the hour before my SLUH freshman basketball team played De Smet for the first time, when we slaughtered the Spartans, coached by Larry Morgan. So the reason I came to De Smet was that offered me the chance to be the varsity coach, and I would have needed to wait a decade or more before the SLUH varsity coach position opened up. SLUH was a great situation at a fine Jesuit high school, but De Smet offered me essentially the same thing, but with the varsity basketball coaching job immediately. When I went to the SLUH Principal to tell him I was leaving, he said “If you stay here, you’ll eventually be the head basketball coach”, but for me that was a long time down the road. Fr. Houlihan: I came to De Smet because I was assigned by the Provincial. In those days, you did not interview, you were told, and then you just went. Fr. Sheehan and Fr. Paul Rienhart were the Provincial’s consultors, and they pushed him to build De Smet, because of all the complaints from SLUH alumni that they could not get sons into the U High. I was 35, and the oldest of a cohort that had joined SLUH in the years before. At the time, the Order thought they could get 20 vocations a year from the new school.

Chris Mess: Thank you Ralph, for hiring me! I was finishing my graduate degree, and made a bunch of applications to high schools, and invitations to interview came from some, one of them from Fr. Houlihan. I drove out, met with Fr. Houlihan and Jack Bergin. We're in the office having an interview and the school looks nice. Okay, let's see what they have to say, I thought. The first question I have for Ralph was “You have a question for De Smet teaching positions, asking if the applicant is left handed or not. I am left handed.” Ralph is smoking a cigar holding it in his left hand, and he said “I don't know. I just inherited the application.”

Rich Grawer: In 1968, I had been at SLUH for three years, as a history teacher, varsity baseball coach, and freshman basketball coach. My first love was baseball, not basketball. But in the 3 years at SLUH, I grew to love coaching basketball, partly because it was indoors. I was coaching baseball where we practiced and played at Forest Park, where it was windy, dusty, and cold, next to a noisy highway, and it was driving me nuts with my contact lenses.

One day, I was told about this new school that had opened up that was looking for a varsity basketball coach, and I was approached, and

Jack Bergin then comes in, and 2 things I found out: (1) Jack Bergin’s brother knew my father who was in the plumbing business, and (2) Jack wanted out of teaching Far Eastern History and Middle Eastern History. He brought in the Middle Eastern History textbook used, and it was the same one I had when taking Middle Eastern History, so Jack said “Hire him! And I’ll go back to teaching American History.”

A while later, when I went to sign the contract on the weekend, it needed to be signed by the De Smet President, and we went to find Fr. Jacobsmeyer. He was in the football bleachers, scraping them down, in overalls, preparing them to be painted. I looked at this man, with paint all over him, and said this is going to be interesting.

Greg Vitello: A side note on Jake. I'm in gym class and I have 90 guys in gym class and parent-teacher conferences are coming up I think that night. I see Jake walking into the gym with 2 chairs in his hand, sets them on the wall, walks out and comes back he's got 2 more chairs. He does this like 4 times and I'm thinking what's that guy doing? So I ask him what he’s doing, and he says I'm bringing the couple hundred chairs for tonight. Well, I got 90 guys in gym class, and say, “Jake, I think we can do that about 5 minutes.” But that's how that guy was, he was the president of the school, has a white shirt on, but I think he rarely set foot in the president's office – he was always he always doing something somewhere around building.

2 - Is there any particular memory or memories that stand out during the period within the 4-year span of 1967-71 at De Smet when you were there?

Grawer: Parents were supportive of whatever a coach or teacher needed to do. They were very into the school and that was a very special thing.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: The MacLeod’s used to have chili parties after the football games and invite the faculty.

Fr. Houlihan: The parent parties were great. It was a fairly young group of parents and the faculty was young as well.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: Mrs. Holland and the other mother’s in the Mother’s Club. They ran the whole place.

Fr. Houlihan: I remember the golf tournament and got in trouble with the Board. I was running the Stuco and we didn’t have any scoreboard or bleachers. Dottie Henscke says, “why don’t we have a golf tournament at the old Creve Couer Golf Course?” I said that was a great idea and we did it. We made enough money to buy the scoreboard and bleachers. Mrs. Kosakowski would sell popcorn outside the end zone. If there was any left over, she would buy the bags and donate the money to the fund. That is an example of the parents being supportive and that really stands out to me.

Grawer: One thing that I remember is every Friday night one of the parents would throw a party after the game. The coaching staff would go and we would get along well with everyone. I am not sure that would be the same today. The parents would give us some friendly ribbing about who we played and didn’t play. The point was that coaches and parents, and teachers and parents, got along so well. I am not sure that you could say that about parent relationships today. When I think back on that time at De Smet, the relationship with parents is what I remember the most.

Fr. Houlihan: Another thing that I remember is my first year and Bone was still here and the principal. The room at the end of the first floor was the Jesuit Rec Room. One night, it was a school night, he looked out the window and said it was snowing, implying that school might be called off next day. He closed the blinds and went to his room, and got a bottle of scotch or bourbon and came back. So we all have a couple of drinks. No one got drunk but about 1:00 am he opens the blinds and there is no snow. Oh my goodness, we have to get to bed, and teach soon. So the next day a bunch of Jesuits are walking around with dark glasses.

Vitello: I was a first year teacher and trying to figure out what to do. I remember how tigt knit the faculty was. We used to play basketball twice a week. (Pointing at Houlihan) I remember his left handed shot.

Fr. Houlihan: (laughing) It never went in.

Vitello: There was a special bond with the faculty. For the first two years when there was a Friday afternoon football game we all gathered in a 3rd floor class room that we weren’t using at the time. The Bashwinner’s and Larry Morgan would provide adult beverages for the faculty. The wives were invited also. We would just socialize and form bonds that made this faculty so unique.

Rich mentioned the parents. Back then, whatever that coach said or that teacher said, well, that’s it. I remember that last couple of years I was here. I caught a kid cheating for the third time. I called his

Mom and explained the situation and her reply was, “well, maybe I ought to get my son’s side of this.” I told her that this conversation was done. That was the difference between the parents in the 60’s and 70’s and the parents of the 2000’s. But again to me it was the bond of the faculty. We used to have parties and it was a fantastic atmosphere to be around.

We used to have “pimp” posters. Certain people would take pictures from the yearbook and but silly little sayings in them. We would then post them in the faculty room. That continued until further down the line some people began to take offense. So we had to stop them. We could laugh with each other and at each other. It was great.

I remember the date the Jim Maharnike called me and said that Gerry Bone was gone and that (pointing to Houlihan) you were the new principal. I am not sure you were ready for that.

Fr. Houlihan: Let me tell you a story about that. Father Sheehan, the Provincal, came to me when we were meeting for our annual visit. He said to me I am thinking about sentding Jake to Denver to build a new high school. Remember, I am only the third oldest Jesuit at De Smet. Bone will be President and Principal and I want you to be Superior of the Community. I stammered and he said that I have been in the Society for 13 years and knew what the drill was. I said okay but he didn’t tell me that Bone was leaving. I am not sure he knew at that time. In the spring we are having a meeting here in the library and he brings me into Betty Simpson’s office.

He told me then that Father Bone was going out of town. He wasn’t going to move Jake to Denver so he was going to stay and continue as President and Superior. I said, “great!” As I was leaving he mentioned if I ever thought about being principal. I thought it was a joke. I told him no that I wasn’t trained to do that. I went downstairs and over to the residence and went to bed.

The following Sunday morning the phone rang and it was Father Sheehan. He said to me, “we have not resolved that administrative problem at De Smet. I said that he was correct. He then told me, “Well, I have!” That was that.

Sheehan simply said that I shouldn’t do anything overtly stupid. If I had questions that I could call him, Rich Baily at SLUH or Jim Reinhardt in Wichita. I then started to keep score on the area grade school principals. I figured out who gave you good advice about kids and who didn’t.

Vitello: Those early years we had that second fire in the gym. It was right after lunch in 71 or 72. I went up there and the building was rattling. I went into the gym and Frank Schmidt was in front of the electric panel and was literally on fire. His hair was on fire. I sprinted over to him and am literally trying to put the flames out with my hands. His glasses were shattered. The whole panel was on fire. He told me to get the fire extinguisher. I ran to the other side of the gym but he said not that one but to get the one out of the kitchen. By the time I got back up stairs the fire had pretty much subsided. Now here is Frank, his shirt is burned off, his glasses are crystalized, his hands are burnt. I said to him, “Frank, we have to go to the hospital. He said, “no, I am okay.” By that time someone had pulled the alarm and the fire department was on the way.

Fr. Houlihan: Nansen was the fire chief and drove us crazy. It was only when St. John’s opened that he left us alone.

Grawer: The Province sent us two great people in Brother Frank and Brother Jim. They were really good people and worked hard. The Brothers we had were tremendous.

Houlihan: (turns to Grawer) Tell him the story about Ed Shotal and Gibault.

Grawer: The parents were very supportive and they would get on the officials. They thought it was all in good fun. But we were at Gibault High School in Waterloo, Illinois. We were playing a very good basketball team. Ed was really on the officials so much so that they came over to me and said if we didn’t do something about him we were going to forfeit the game. We went to Ed and he agreed to leave the gym but as he was walking out he threw his coat across the gym floor a la Bobby Knight. Ed then stayed outside but looked inside. I couldn’t get upset with Ed. That was so great about the parents being supportive. By the way we won the game. So that is the story about Ed.

Fr. Houlihan: Rich was extremely thorough in preparing for a game. Gibault had about five different lines of tape on their floor. In order to prepare our kids, Rich put the same number of lines on the gym floor to get them used to it.

Chris Mess: Greg said earlier how close the faculty was. I was not a coach but all of my peers coached and taught. Greg said how special it was. I felt very much a part of the camaraderie. We were all teachers first. We were all going to sink or swim together. This was very beneficial to me as a new teacher right out of graduate school. That is what made De Smet so special as we were all involved in the activities of the school. We worked games, chaperoned dances and worked with the club activities. Everyone helped out. This continued on and made it part of the reason kids and teachers wanted to come to De Smet. Everyone wanted to be here and we were all on the same page.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: When you think about it, we were not that much older than the kids we were teaching. We enjoyed their music and it was as much fun for us as it was for them.

Vitello: We didn’t have any traditions here when we started. I was 21 years old and new to St. Louis. I wasn’t aware of traditions at high schools. I had a Jesuit tell me that at the “THE High School” they did this or that. I asked him what the THE high school was and he said St. Louis University High School. The first year we had a lot of SLUH does this or SLUH does that. I finally said that this isn’t St. Louis U High, this is De Smet. We had an opportunity to formulate our own traditions. This is something that the Class of 71 did really well. We didn’t have to have other schools to tell us what to do. We had the ability to make our own mistakes. One of the things that kids enjoyed was the creativity to try new things. We didn’t 40 years of constraints put on us. Some ideas worked and others were horse crap. That was very unique.

Diblasi: I feel like an insider and outsider with this class. When I came you were juniors. I taught very few of your classes. The teaching today is a lot different with the internet. Rich and I would assign an obscure person to research and identify. We gave students

three clues and a week to figure it out. Today you would just go to Google.

Grawer: The History Department was tasked with teaching library usage. It wasn’t the English Department, it was the History Department. We would find the name of the man who drove Kennedy’s limo. We would give a clue of Dallas, Texas and tell students to figure out who he might be. At the end of the week we would give them another clue and so on until they researched it to the answer.

3 - What were some of the biggest differences between the classes of the late 60s and early 70s compared to the early 2000s, or just prior to your retirement?

Vitello: One of the differences is the emergence of the tablet computer, the IPad. It made a big difference later in the 2000s, where as a teacher you were required to use a computer tablet and smart boards in class, and we weren't brought up that way. I was still demanding that guys take notes in class, and I'm getting a lot of raised eyebrows especially from parents about how come you're not using the internet and fancy technology more. I responded that it is because I believe in my own my mind that this is how you actually learn.11 There were kids who resisted things no matter what we did. Every answer was in that computer. There was no thought process at all – “I gotta go to the computer and there is where I'm going find this answer”, when the answer was not in the computer. I used to have students in my biology class do summaries after a biology lab, it was simply “Hey what did you just do, or just find?” Well, rather than think that out, they thought the answer was just going to be on the internet. Yeah that was tough.

You're looking at here several of the best teachers that ever taught at De Smet. Year in and year out, I sat in parent-teacher conferences, and parents would tell me these are fantastic teachers. Students would tell me years after these guys had graduated that these teachers were some of my best teachers they ever had. I used to watch Rich Grawer coach, especially when I was a first year coach. In many instances I was clueless, and I watched him and Bob Christian coach to figure out how to coach because although I played baseball and soccer in college, I had not coached those sports when I was at college. I think that was part of the growing process when I got here. There wasn't that mentor that many new teachers have they come into a situation -- we had to figure that stuff out ourselves.

I'll never forget when somebody said go and put together your playing schedule with other teams, and I said, how do you do that, and was told you get on the phone you start calling other coaches. But I already was teaching 6 classes and thought I just don't have time to do that. No, you must make the time.

Chris Mess: In psychology classes, an ongoing assignment in my later years was sometimes very specific -- You need to go home and talk to your parents about what we just talked about in psychology class. I wanted to talk to them about a certain topic such as adolescent identity, and then I follow up and turns out only 2-3 students actively engaged with their parents on the topic, with others saying I'm too busy or they’re too busy, or offering excuses. If we had

11 Editor’s Note: Cognitive research in the last decade bears this out. Taking notes by hand allows one to remember material much better than typing that same information on a computer. Reason: In the case of taking notes during lectures, people are more predisposed to engage in verbatim unthinking notetaking when they type of the material. By contrast, writing down the material by hand usually involves a more in-depth processing, since people tend to give more consideration to which parts of the material they should write down, as

opposed to just transcribing everything the speaker says word-for-word.

(Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). “The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking” - Psychological Science, 25, 1159-1168.)

the same request in the seventies, it was just done. Inside households, a different dynamic emerged over time -- families back in the sixties and seventies had dinner together every night, and this has faded a lot.

The other thing was when computers came to De Smet. I confess that I am not a computer expert. The entire time I was here I wrote with a fountain pen. But when I saw that coming in, I saw that there were changes in attitudes. I would counsel kids, saying that you would do better if you paid attention in class and took notes, but many kids resisted, and were enamored with computers so much that they felt all the answers were somewhere on the computer. It shifted from the perception that the teacher knew what he was talking about, to that he doesn't know what he’s talking about in various respects.

Vitello: How many times have you heard “well you know I'm paying $18,000 for my kid go to school. You should be taking care of him. Well, you know there are some things that maybe they can get from home. Or I can't tell you how many times I've asked at a parent teacher conference, do you ask him what's going on at school, and what he is involved with daily.

Chris Mess: And study skills changed. We had to teach the kids about website reliability and veracity, and how to use them properly. They would just call up any website and say that since it on the computer, it must be true. We had to teach them what is a good website, and how you approach and use them. Parent’s expectations previously were always the same – they wanted for their sons a good education, faith based, and getting into college. By the 2000s it becomes “my son needs to go to this college or this kind of college”. Our specialist college counselor always had discussions with every parent and their child about what college or type of college would suit the student and his abilities and interests, and increasingly the reaction was “No, he must go to this top school or else.” And it is clear that in reviewing the kid’s record and test results, their target college would challenge him beyond his capabilities, and so forth.

Vitello: Another big difference is the parents and their approach to teachers and education in general. 50 years ago, it was whatever the coach or teacher said and that's it. But it changed by the time I retired. I remember in my last couple years here, for the third time caught a kid cheating. And I told his mother, and she says, “Really? Well you know maybe you ought to ask him to give his side of it.” That was a difference between the parents back in the early 70s and the parents and those of the 2000s. But again to me it was the bond of the faculty in those early years.

4 – Denny Dietz, who taught physics for a year (1970-71), mentioned to me recently that one of the enjoyable things was the comradery of the Faculty Lounge, where —unknown to us students at the time—the faculty would talk about the ways students were always looking to get at the teachers or the system, and that to catch a clever ruse would be great fun for the teachers. Did you find this to be the case? And any clever ruses that you uncovered that you can tell us about?

Fr. Houlihan: As one senior prank, students overnight got a key to the school, and somehow moved a Volkswagen Beetle, owned by the

school, in the Emerson Lobby. But Jesuits caught on when Passarelli went to say early Mass at 6 am at the chapel, so Passarelli and me and another Jesuit were able to find the key to the car, and moved it out. So we were standing around as the seniors were coming in, most of whom were expecting a Bug in the Lobby, and it was fun noticing the looks on their faces, since we ended up pranking the senior pranksters! It was sheer luck that we discovered it.

Vitello: Yeah, there were some pretty good senior pranks and some awful ones. One was when they brought geese from Des Peres Park and put them all over the school one time. Another one they filled the assistant principal’s room with shredded paper. They also got the Shoney Big Boy and marched up and down up Ballas road.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: And Ernie Beutenmiller let his goat loose. I was teaching typing on the first floor, and I could hear this strange noise in the hallway, and went to close the door, and there is this goat running and yelping down the hallway with a student chasing it. OKaaaayyy…..

Another day at De Smet !

Fr. Houlihan: And one day, students put beer in the vending machines in the cafeteria.

Chris Mess: I had a prank on me using one of the classroom podium desks that teachers used. You could roll them around. One day, there is a student who has crawled into it, and is kind of sitting there, and I pretended not to notice, and just rolled it into the wall, and went on lecturing with the student silently stuck there for the whole class.

Buckley: When I taught, I had maps on all of the walls. One day, I walked into a very quite classroom, unusually quiet, so knew there was something up. I figured that there was something on the map that would cause a stir when I pulled the map down. Usually, I would walk to the main map and then say let’s look at the map to see where such and such a place was. So I then stopped and said, “better yet, turn to a specific page in your book to find the location”. I did this the entire class and they caught on that I knew there was something posted on that big main map. Class was dismissed and the boys kept looking in to see if I was going to pull the map down to reveal what they had put up there. I did not give them that satisfaction until much later. I finally pulled the map down that revealed a picture was posted on the map, yes - that kind of picture…..

Vitello: And then one guy got himself on the intercom system and made a comment about Houli one time -- you member that? I didn’t have too many pranks in the classroom, I don't remember anything really.

Chris Mess: Another one involved me going to my American Problems class – I guess the name sums it up-- and being the only one there. On another day, going to same American Problems class and finding room empty of students and desk. The bathroom next door was very crowded on both occasions. On another day, I was going from my 3rd floor American Problems class to the first floor for next class and then suddenly was picked up by the elbows by two Senior football linemen, Gibbons and Hake, and carried back to the 3rd floor – with me desperately intoning “give me your cards … give me your cards …”, and they are going “Haha…Haha….” And this was my first year teaching, and I am thinking Fr. Houlihan is going to fire me!

Yvonne Fernau Mess: There was some problem of theft going on in the locker rooms, and Larry Morgan decided he would have student

leaders take charge of this problem and get to the bottom of it. So one day two big football players, John O’Guin and Henry Autrey, came to my classroom one day said we would like to have a “word” with so and so, and looking at these big imposing guys, I said you can have anybody you want! So they took this kid out, and he never came back

Vitello: And one time, Larry Morgan decided to put a couple guys in lockers for punishment of some kind. Those days, the student lockers were these tall lockers that students shared, but he found a couple of empty ones to use. For “a better student life” I suppose ! Remember that campaign slogan when Rooney and Rife ran for class leaders – “For a better student life, it’s Rooney and Rife.”

5 – Related to this, was there anything about the faculty at the time we were at De Smet together that we students wouldn’t know about at the time? Any “behind the scenes” faculty stories that are particularly interesting or humorous from 1967-71?

Vitello: First of all, most didn’t know what Dale Bergman was all about. That was probably a good thing ! And sliding down the stairs on cardboard on your belly, that was one of our activities. And there was Belly Busting with George Barhorst. George was a unique individual, who liked to live naturally, and so never used deodorant, but he was a great teacher.

Chris Mess: George was a naturalist, who was ahead of his time. He devised these 3rd floor Belly Busting contests by faculty members. He would stand at one end of third floor, challenger at the other end. They would run towards each other and hit bellies, winner was who was still standing. George had a large belly. On one occasion a young teacher, Denny Deitz, challenged and was knocked out cold. There was also Art teacher Bill Christman and his antics. Christman had an art exhibits, but used helium balloons to carry the art skyward. And he tried to create a living rosary – a whole group of students buried up to their necks in the football field in a rosary formation. He also collected money to create wings to fly off the roof of the school.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: And Larry Morgan sent Christman home one day, because he was dressed in knickers and had an artistic tie with a nude figure on it.

Vitello: Has anybody contacted Larry Morgan?

Questioner: We can’t find him. Last we heard he was in the Tampa area, and some guys have run into him in Florida in years past.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: You could hear Larry coming down the hall because he had these taps on his shoes… Click click click … I remember the day he was let go, I’m standing at the mailbox, and he opens the door and says, “I’m outta here.” And I said, you can’t leave!

Vitello: When Morgan was made Assistant Principal, the administration said he should not coach or run PE, so that’s one reason I was hired – to run PE.

Grawer: And that’s how I got the basketball job – he was the Freshman basketball coach, and the school wanted an experienced basketball coach, and so I was hired to replace him in role of basketball coach, and told him he could not coach.

6 - What did you think of the demerit system –pros / con?

Grawer: I think it was a very good and effective system, especially for younger teachers and female teachers. It helped protect them. I'm

not so sure that's true today. The demerit system helped both the younger faculty and the kids to the extent that it generally took 5 incidents for them to go to JUG. In the old days when I was a kid at SLUH in the 1950s, if you were talking in class or something you went immediately to JUG

Yvonne Fernau Mess: Unless you were John Faust, who would give a kid 5 demerits and write “insolence” on the card !

Fr. Houlihan: That is where the assistant principal would say, “John, you can’t do that.”

Vitello: I think it was effective at the time, and then JUG really meant something too. But later it just evolved to the point where one nobody wanted to stay after school to run the Juggees, so they tried to take them outside, asking the maintenance director to put them to work but you had to have somebody monitor it so that became a nightmare. And then JUG simply became sitting around for an hour and doing a puzzle or math problem, not memorization, and it was diluted.

Chris Mess: In the 70s, Demerit cards were given out every quarter, unlike later when it was every semester. Demerits were given liberally. Your collar wasn’t buttoned. Your tie was not tied right. You were talking in class. You were a minute late for class. Your hair was too long. It took 30 demerits and had an S at the end, when you were suspended if you got there. It was very effective system. When they instructed new teachers on use of the system, they said be sure to mark it with a pen, not a pencil, since some students might try to alter the card. And put the code underneath – there were dozens of categories, including the last on “Z”, for “other”, and use this one if you’re not sure which category to use.

Buckley: I never used the demerit system. I taught for too many years and I knew what was going and knew and understood young men. If a student acted up I would call him up after class saying I wanted him to write one sentence vey neatly from the textbook and turn it in the next day. The student would come in the next day and ask “is that all”? I explained I was on their side, wanting them to learn and was not interested in crushing them, not wanting to persecute them and they then would react appropriately. Years later I was told I was different. I was told I respected my students and commanded respect.

Vitello: Some kids were really creative in trying to game the demerit system. Like trying to get extra cards to use, or you get a guy's card and it was obvious that he tried to erase some demerits, since the card was just a mass.

Grawer: So what is JUG today?

Vitello: I don't know how it is run today. In my last year here it consisted of sitting in a room where you had to be there for an hour busy with something.

Questioner: We remember a story of Fr. Timothy Lawless, in a Far Eastern History class, where during a test he would slowly walk around and sometimes out of the classroom, and one day Gibbons is taking the test and Lawless strolls out of the room, and Gibbons suddenly asks a fellow student whats the answer to number 7? The fellow student immediately notices Lawless suddenly standing in the doorway as Gibbons is pressing him, and trying to look like he is ignoring Gibbons, and Gibbons is getting more impatient, and suddenly Gibbons turns to look back at the front and sees Lawless staring right at him, “Gibbons, your card!”.

Grawer: Fr. Lawless was really ahead of his time. He was the head of the History Department in the early years of De Smet and had a PhD, and he had a keen interest all aspects of world history. He insisted that to prepare students for the postwar world we lived in that we offer history courses in nearly every region of the world. I just noticed that Illinois passed a law, due to the anit-Asian incidents recently, requiring that Asian history be taught in schools. Well, we taught Far Eastern history back beginning in 1969, and also Middle Eastern History, Latin American History, etc. I myself taught Canadian History, and I even taught African History ! That was the Lawless’ curriculum. He wanted the student not just to learn American or European or Ancient History, which they did, but all world histories.

Chris Mess: Every semester from freshman year on was a different history course, and it went on for the full four years with different a different part of the world each year or semester.

Grawer: I remember being called in, and Lawless saying “We’re going to start teaching African History.” And I said, hey that sounds really great! And then he said, “Well, you are gonna teach it!” I didn’t know anything about African history, or Canadian history. I joked, “What should I do, bring in a hockey player?” But you spend the time and effort and learn how to teach it.

Chris Mess: Basically, I was hired because Fr. Lawless was transferred to another school in 1970. I took over his Far Eastern and Middle Eastern history courses. At De Smet, we used the same textbook for Far Eastern history that I used when I took the same course at SLU.

Grawer: In those early years, I remember how fluid some of the teaching assignments were. In addition to teaching history, one year I was asked to teach Religion, as a layman. One year I actually taught Typing, believe it or not, because whoever was the typing teacher suddenly took leave or something, so I took over a typing class. To motivate the students, I created a game called “Typewriter Football”. I drew a big football field on the blackboard, and separated the class into two groups, and selected captains, and they would each pick a student to do a round of typing in competition. I put footballs at each end and if one student typed 15 words per minute, I put it on the 15 yard line, and if his successor did 20 words per minute, I moved the ball up 5 yards, and so forth. And the kids were screaming and ranting and raving as the competition proceeded. And one day, we are playing Typewriter Football, and there is all this commotion, and the Principal comes by, and asks me, “What’s goin’ on here? This is a typing class?” My point is, back then, we taught a lot of things, and it was part of the deal of being part of the faculty. You taught what needed to be taught.

Chris Mess: My first impression of teachers at De Smet was when I went to my first History Department meeting in 1970. I walk in and see Grawer, Buckley, DiBlasi, Christian, and Bergin, and I go “Good Lord”, this is some major cranial firepower here. I sat in the corner and didn’t say a word.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: Talk about your first encounter with Larry Morgan.

Chris Mess: At my first general faculty meeting, Larry Morgan threw me out, saying, “This meeting is for teachers, not students!” I said, “But I am a teacher!” And he asks, “Just who are you?” And I say Fr. Houlihan and Fr. Bergin hired me, and he says are you sure? I said yes.

Grawer: We were all young at that time. I was 24 or 25 when I started at De Smet.

Questioner: And there was Jim Haskins, a math teacher. Who apparently was asked to leave because he mentioned in class that he had tried marijuana on weekends. It got back to the administration, and he was a goner.

7 – In what ways do you think an incoming student’s expectation of attending a private college preparatory high school is different today than it was when De Smet opened its doors in 1967?

Vitello: Your time at De Smet was a different era, and you were not expecting all the bells and whistles that kids are expecting these days. I remember driving up the entrance on my first visit to De Smet and there was only a single goalpost on the football field. The building was pretty sparse initially, and remember the biology lab did not have a whole lot of stuff that you would have today, and for PE equipment I had almost nothing when we started. I remember giving President Jake a list of stuff needed, and he came back with a budget, and turns out I could buy about $30 worth of stuff. I don’t think you students at the time were interested in lots of fancy stuff.

Questioner: We didn’t know any better. When we were freshman, if you were a football player, you had to cut the football field with push mowers, since the school did not yet have a tractor. The football and soccer fields had all this sharp-edged hay that would cut you up when you fell.

Vitello: We did not have a proper weight room or even universal machine. We finally got a single universal machine that we put in this small room for strength training. Today there is a huge weight room with all kinds of advanced equipment unimaginable back then.

Fr. Houlihan: At the beginning, we were financially really limited. One summer, Fr. Jake said you can have either soda or beer, not both – the scholastics said we’ll take beer!

Grawer: The amazing thing to me about the faculty is how long they stayed at De Smet. Many could have made more money going elsewhere, but it shows their commitment to the ideals of De Smet to stay their entire careers. I left after 14 years here, not because I was dissatisfied, but rather I had an ambition to try coaching basketball at the Division I college level. But then after a decade of seeing what it was like, I went back to high school when I joined Clayton. Something has to be said about the faculty’s commitment to the school and its philosophy. So many that came in the late 60s and early 70s stayed a very long time, and that is complementary to De Smet.

Fr. Houlihan: I think the Jesuit high schools are academically better these days, with their large lay faculty. You generally have a more diverse faculty.

Vitello: But my son who went to De Smet really appreciated the Jesuits on the faculty.

8 – To what extent should the De Smet curriculum be focused on career-oriented and narrow college prep subjects, or on a wider range of diverse subjects/viewpoints that expand the mind regardless of their impact on a student’s future work life? Are there any subjects that you think are not being taught currently that maybe could be?

Chris Mess: My philosophy is that De Smet and other good high schools should expose the student to many things, many different things, not necessarily stuff that is focused narrowly on a particular career subject. That is what college is for. At high school, you should expand a student’s horizons, be it in English, writing, poetry, history, math, science, and the like – it should be more like a liberal arts college to give a foundation to learn at the university level.

Now you see so many kids who go to college and they have declare their major early in their freshman year – I think that might be too soon for some. Parents want high schools to teach more collegelevel courses to maybe shorten the college period, and I can understand that, but they seem to want to have students take college AP courses that are very narrowly career-related, rather than a more generalist or wider in approach. In the 1970s, as mentioned we taught eight semesters of history, of all the major world histories and cultures. I remember I had former students telling me that later when, for example, the Middle East would blow up, and them saying they already understood the background and issues, since they learned that in class at De Smet, something not typical high school students would learn.

Fr. Houlihan: You can ask the question differently. What are we really teaching the students in the end? They forget a lot of details and narrow facts and the Latin and such. I think we teach students how to take a lot of data, analyze it, and draw a logical conclusion. How to write, how to use the library, appreciation of beauty, religious values, and so on. If you can find ways to do this with newer disciplines, then try it. The stuff that kids do at De Smet with robotics is amazing. But you sometimes run into issues with state accreditation in trying new approaches, so you don’t have complete freedom to change the curriculum.

DiBlasi: I think we have to be a school that teaches values, and this is a big difference between going to De Smet or another Jesuit school. Today, at a public school you are very constrained to take a position on many ethical issues. So many things are off limits in terms of saying this is wrong or this is right. That is what we do differently. If we are not doing that, I am not sure that we are doing much that is different from good public high schools.

Fr. Houlihan: If you get a chance, check out Bishop Barron on youtube on a presentation he recently made to the National Council of Bishops and he talks about how kids don’t go to church, etc., but it is broader than that – it is the culture. He has this concept of five paths to get them back, and it is very interesting.

Questioner: You guys taught us love and respect. You were tough on us, but you teachers were really respected, and it was obvious you had our best interests at heart.

Grawer: Do today’s students at De Smet talk about the faculty the way your class of 1971 does?

Vitello: I don’t think they do. I think they see the faculty in a different way. They see the faculty as someone they need something from, and if you can’t give it to me the way I want it, then I don’t care for your approach.

DiBlasi: Isnt that a reflection of how the society has changed?

Vitello: Yes, for sure. The word “values” was used a couple of times here. The term men for others is over-used a lot, but you know there are other people in the world besides yourself. I prided myself on when I was here to teach people that there's other people in the world besides me and the respect thing.

Grawer: Obviously a class of 71 had that, but does the class of 2021 say that? I don't know I think I can look at my grandkids yeah I would probably say no.

Vitello: Well that’s the way the society is now.

9 – One aspect of being a high school student in the 1967-71 period versus today is that we were taught by a lot of coaches and teachers that were “old-school”, meaning tough, demanding, and sometimes almost “marine drill-sergeant” disciplinarian in approach. Are there any ways in which you might need to modify the approach you used back then to teach/coach kids today in the year 2021?

Chris Mess: It is hard to make the comparison since it is a very different world. The norms of education changed. It is hard to express negativity now.

Vitello: You can’t tell no to anyone anymore. You can’t be negative, everything has to be positive, even if it one does not fully deserve it. It’s the same thing with athletics too.

Grawer: I always asked myself. Could I teach De Smet today the way I taught and coached back in the 70s. I don’t know. I had to make some adaptations as my career progressed, especially when coaching at the college level.

Houlihan: Rich, you would adapt if you needed to. The way you would do it, would be different. Good teachers adapt. You did it with your Typewriter Football story earlier.

DiBlasi: The lecturing part would have to change. I think also you couldn't say certain things today that you said back then. But hey, I never saw myself as a marine drill sergeant!

Vitello: But when Grawer coached, he had a style that he could bring, and get a lot out of kids in his own way. We all knew that there was one thing we had to do. To try to bring the best out of each and every individual whether we were teaching in the classroom, or as some part of athletics and you know the way you went about that obviously was different, but that was your goal, and I think right now you could adapt because you were successful at that particular time to do it the way you did and I think that you would figure it out that you can't do that anymore, can't say that anymore.

DiBlasi: In the classroom, if somebody was causing some disturbance, or was doing something to interfere with what we were doing, I might call out some student named John and simply say, “You

know, John, its sometimes it's better remain silent and not speak, and be suspected being a fool, rather than speak and remove all doubt.” And you know today that would be considered unacceptably insulting. You can’t do that today. At the time it kind of shut the troublemaker up.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: You would get an email from their parents and all kinds of complaints, if you did that. Maybe even a threat of a lawsuit!

Vitello: The Blues are going through that right now with Taresenko. The Blues coached called him out a bunch of times, and Taresenko got ticked off for things that were said to motivate him.

Grawer: When I went to the public school system, I was Athletic Director, but was asked to take over a class for the semester. So at my class, I found that kids would be strolling in late, and I got so ticked off that I shut and locked the door after class started, and kids were banging on the door, and I wouldn’t let them in, because they were late for class, and wanted to show them the price for being 10 minutes late. Well, I just ignored them. Next thing I know, the principal calls me, and said you can’t do that. I had to figure out another way to deal with kids for coming late.

Vitello: So you adapted. Some teachers can’t do that. Some coaches can’t do that. I remember first year teachers coming in here to De Smet and wanted to be everybody's friend and then when a student crosses the line and they try to discipline him, the student complains, “But I thought we were friends!” That's a difference.

10 - If you were the principal of DeSmet in 19671971, what would you have done differently, if anything?

Vitello: I was still just trying to get my coaching and teaching legs, so I really didn’t think about how things could have been done differently then. But a key thing to emphasize is that at that time nothing was set in stone at De Smet, and we were creating our own precedents and styles. There wasn’t an already established way in many matters, and I thought that was great.

All of the sudden, the students decided that green was not our color, it was going to be maroon. Michigan State green is not good enough for us, we want something different. Hey why not? You think they would have done that at SLUH? No way.

And by the way, speaking of SLUH, what is this thing with the new powder blue that is in the De Smet colors!? Come on, gimme a break!

Grawer: My son is the principal of Maplewood high school and he's been there for 10 years but it's a school of 400 hundred kids, a small school, and he just got me thinking about how he can visit every family in the school in their home during the school year. It's not a fair comparison to compare Maplewood high school with De Smet, the size of the enrollment is different. But I have thought what would be the impact if the principal visited every freshman class family each year. I know that would be a monumental task, but my son says that when the parents see the principal visit a home it makes a huge impact. There is a bond and camaraderie that emerges. But what if the De Smet principal visited the freshman homes every year? Would it be acceptable to De Smet parents? How would they react?

Chris Mess: I was on a committee a few years ago at De Smet, dealing with school identity, and a consulting company was giving a big presentation on ideas for the school, and the meeting was wrapping up and I was asked if I had anything to say. I had been sitting in the meeting, and getting madder and madder, but not yet

saying anything. So I said, not once did I hear the word Catholic; not once did I hear the word Jesuit; not once did I hear the word values. And I thought our identity was Catholic Jesuit with Values, but everything said was talking about how students succeed, and it seemed to lean towards materialistic goals. Why don’t you emphasize Jesuit traditions, customs, practices and their biggest contribution was this new seal or logo with powder blue color. The meeting was supposed to be on values and identity.

Grawer: I've got 19 grandkids and the youngest was is 8, and the oldest are in college. I don’t think I have ever heard them talk about one of their teachers. That’s sad. The good news is they don't talk about their teachers in the negative way, but they don't really mention them.

Yvonne Fernau Mess: Something else that was different about those days, in talking about visiting people's homes. We were invited to student’s family homes. We knew them on almost on an equal basis, it it wasn't like they only called when the kid was in trouble. We socialized regularly with some parents. We used to have dinner after carnivals, and people just opened their homes to us.

11 – There appear to be three headwinds that Jesuit (and other Catholic) high schools face in America currently: (1) economics (i.e., high tuition costs for non-scholarship students, compared to the alternative of free public high schools), (2) demographics (slowing population growth), and (3) creeping secularization (i.e., declining church-going by all faiths). Can anything be done to lessen the impact of such macro trends on Jesuit high schools such as De Smet in the coming years?

Vitello: Just in terms of the early years in the 1970s and 1980s, I think the president that time felt like he did not think recent grads would help us since they were very young at the very early stages of their careers, so let’s not focus on them. Guys were coming up with very small gifts, but he president said, no we are looking for something bigger.

Fr. Houlihan: Here's my opinion on what private schools need to survive and thrive. You need three things: (1) strong programs, which means you gotta pay the teachers well enough, (2) suitable facilities, and (3) a good endowment to support the teachers and facilities. And I worry about this. I'm told that the De Smet endowment is about $10 million. Regis Denver, which got on its own in 1979, is working towards $35 million. And SLUH is about $70 million now, thanks to a big effort in the last five years. I hope Dr. Zepp can make progress on this. The problem is that tuition continues to rise, and you get beyond the means of the middle class. If you raise the tuition, and have so many students on grant and aid, you have to raise the grant and aid levels, so it’s not always worth it to simply raise tuition.

DiBlasi: In looking at Catholic education in general, you reach a point where most people cannot pay that kind of money for a secondary school education. You can talk about endowments, and stuff, but I honestly think the way for Catholic to survive and thrive is through a reformed government voucher program. In a certain states like Montana now they're allowing a voucher program.

There is an opportunity right now, in that a lot of people are dissatisfied with the public school systems, and it was exacerbated by COVID. I think there has to be a concerted effort nationally to advocate for a voucher system, on the basis that it improves overall education outcomes, and it is that parents have a right to you know decide where their children go to school without incurring undue economic disadvantage. I think that's the only way that Catholic schools can really be saved. Of course, you will still have Catholic schools if that doesn't occur. But soon you're gonna have to start charging people $25 or $30 thousand a year, and so on. Then you're going to have a system that is going to be limited to a smaller group of people, not having the kind of influence you otherwise would have.

Fr. Houlihan: In the old model, I think you can still make it work. At SLUH, we have 440 kids who get help, and we have an average grant of $11 thousand that is funded by annual giving and the endowment. So for a lot of middle class kids, the effective tuition is $9,000, which is much more affordable that the headline tuition number. We also have something called Father Kellet’s closet. It’s got clothes, shoes, materials, all kinds of stuff that is free if it is needed. And if kids need more than an $11,000 grant, they can get a larger amount, so it's possible. I think you really need to focus on increasing the endowment. The issue with the vouchers is that in various states it is an issue many voters still oppose, so it would really need to be a national legislative change to be nationally effective.

DiBlasi: And I think that with some recent court decisions, things like vouchers being more widely adopted has potential for more opening down the road.

Fr. Houlihan: I hope there is. It certainly is a much better solution. Vouchers clearly would change the game in a very substantial way. DiBlasi: In fact, it is the ultimate solution.

Fr. Houlihan: An innovative thing that the Jesuit Christo Rey school in Denver does is it partners with the corporate world, and all students have an entry level part-time job,with four students sharing one job while at school. It requires 6 days a week to ensure everyone meets the required number of classes. It pays 70 percent of their coverage. That's another way of doing this.

Unfortunately, George Hasser, who really wanted to participate in the Roundtable, was unable to. Nonetheless, we did not want to leave him out, so we provide a momento of sorts – his Spanish Class Grade Book from 1969.

George Hasser’s Spanish Class Gradebook 1969

Perhaps we should see death as an opportunity, not to pass a final verdict, but to reflect on our own mortality and limitations … to quietly admire what was good in the person, and take humble lessons of our own from any mistakes made. Death should inspire in us humility and self-reflection, based on our common human fate.

In Memoriam: Classmates

The 29 Deceased from Class of 1971

Mike Gronemeyer 10/30/1971

2/4/1973

Quentin Gansloser 10/1973

Note: Both Geoffrey Meier (d. 1967) and Jack Appelbaum (d. 4/13/1967) died after acceptance but prior to starting at De Smet.

50th Reunion Events

Thursday, September 23: De Smet Hall of Fame Dinner and Class of 1971 Reception

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: De Smet Jesuit Gym 233 North New Ballas

Cost: $35.00 / head

Friday, September 24: Alumni BBQ (plus a separate optional cocktail hour & evening for spouses12)

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: De Smet Jesuit - there will be a tent allocated for our 1971 class (location TBD) – either on the Emerson Side (Parking Lot, next to the cafeteria) or north of Chapel

Cost: FREE !

Saturday, September 25: Rosary / Mass of Remembrance + Alumni Dinner / Dance (including guest - spouse, date, friend, even healthcare worker)

Time: 1 - Rosary at 3:30, Mass at 4:15 PM

2 - Dinner at 6:00 PM

Location: 1 - De Smet Jesuit Chapel (Rosary / Mass)

2 - Sheraton Westport (Dinner) 900 West Port Plaza Dr, (314) 212-2100

Cost: $150.00 / head

12 There will be an optional cocktail hour / evening for spouses at this time, to be held at Westport Social, (314.548.2876) located at 910 West Port Plaza (next door to the Sheraton Plaza) at 6:00 PM – drinks, appetizers and/or dinner.

De Smet Founding Class of 1971: 50th Reunion Toast

T’was the Fall of ‘67 when the new school opened its doors The journey had begun, but only on the first floor!

The boys were dressed in blazers, a tie … it was required Demerits were the punishment … when not properly attired

We started with two hundred twenty five, the group was quite a site Athletic teams were pre-dressed in uni’s of green and white

This group was quite independent, wanting its own identity We voted to change the colors and find a mascot for our vanity

Maroon and white it was to be for future generations And the new battle cry was “Go Spartan Nation”!

The years passed by, we grew in size and eventually had four classes Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshman now we were complete They looked to us to set the pace and it really was quite neat! Athletics grew immediately in local lore, our teams were hard to beat Traditions they were growing, the Alpha class was proud The school’s name had grown in status we were now known all around.

I know I speak for all of you when I make these next two statements The fifty years have passed quickly, the time it has flown by The men we have lost bring back great memories and a tear to our eyes

Being first was quite a thrill, we’ve all made great friends for life We persevered and had great times as well as times of strife. Your presence and your efforts were critical contributions In leading us to the fore of St. Louis secondary institutions So thank you all for being such great friends and best classmates around Your work at DeSmet Jesuit has been quite apparent as the Spartan Spirit abound

So raise your glass and have a toast with those who were originals, De Smet lives on because of you, your spirit is incredible

I’m proud to call you all my friends—your mark has been indelible!!

Cheers and Go Spartans!

Many thanks to the author Mike Faddis for composing this toast !

1971 Classmates

From the 1968 Yearbook, the 1st De Smet Yearbook:

Henry Autrey

St. Louis, MO 63104

mwnrfl@aol.com

314-623-3210

Marital Status: widower Children: Emily, Fritz

Colleges and degrees: BA-Political Science, St. Louis University; J.D., St. Louis University School of Law

Main Life activities: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness. Motorcycles, sports cars, guitars. Observing how people living the dream are living the dream.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Married Mary Perkinson Jungewaelter. Raised 2 great kids, Emily and Fritz. Became U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Missouri ... it’s a life sentence

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Guitar playing and buying (I am addicted. Please save me). Motorcycle riding. Car shopping … yeah I need help there too.

De Smet Memories: Football practice in the heat and humidity of the upper field ... felt like bamboo shoots in the back. John Fischer party at the country club (anyone remember identity of the young lady sitting on my lap before we were “asked” to leave?)

Ahh yes, working the sled by the driveway with coach Cerneka … good times.

And I could never forget typing class with Miss Dotzler (Mark's sister … remember her?)

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Hoyer for Spanish. Fr. De Rouen for theology ...George Barhorst for chemistry (still can’t figure out how I made it out of that class).

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Books: Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Don Quixote.

Movies: Star Wars, Blazing Saddles, Training Day (and any other Denzel Washington movie)

TV: Breaking Bad, How to Commit Murder, Scandal, 24

Cities lived in: St. Louis Countries visited: Mexico, Canada

Favorite Cities: St. Louis, New Orleans, Washington, D.C, Nashville.

Remaining Goals in Life: Stay happy. Stay free. Continue to develop as a guitarist … maybe even drive a Formula One race car.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: No Potential. It's already set in stone ... hahaha literally

Bruce Aydt

549 Mistletoe Lane Kirkwood, MO 63122

bruceaydt@icloud.com 314-504-6721

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Lisa

Children: Two daughters: Erin Hotz, 38 and Jamie Sepich, 35

Sons attending De Smet: No sons, but son-in-law Mike Hotz was in Class of 2001. (Doesn’t really count!)

Grandchildren: Three: Hannah Hotz, 8, Ellie Hotz, 5 and Ian Sepich, 7 months (1 year by Reunion)

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri-Columbia, 1975, B.S.B.A; St. Louis University Law School, 1978, J.D.

Main Life activities: The absolute best part of my life activities has been my 40+ year partnership with my best friend and wife, Lisa. We have been blessed with 2 beautiful daughters (both strong women!) and 3 wonderful grandchildren. Lisa had a 40-year career in the nursing and health care industry and is now retired. We love being together and have re-proven it during 2020! In business, I joined my Dad’s real estate company during college. After law school, I worked in both brokerage and legal capacities with him and my sister in operating various real estate companies until his passing in 1998. I continued as General Counsel for the successor firm until 2017 when I retired from that job. In the mid-1980’s, I developed a separate real estate education business and carry that to this day. I have been involved with professional real estate associations throughout my career, serving in leadership roles with the St. Louis REALTORS®, Missouri REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: While I’ve had my share of awards and recognitions throughout my career, have had lots of “accomplishments” in my business associations, I doubt that they would have much meaning in the big scheme of things.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Starting with the DeSmet Yearbook work, I’ve had an avid interest in photography and enjoy portraiture, landscapes and architecture. While I’m not anywhere close to a “pro,” my wife will tell you I have way too much photography gear. Our kids like it because I save them a lot of money on professional photography for their kids’ photos and their Christmas cards! We also love boating and have a small boat on Table Rock Lake. We love traveling and really look forward to doing as much as we can once travel opens up again.

De Smet Memories: First days of school in 1967 with the fire restricting us, the Jesuits living in the front office areas and then the second and third floor classrooms, riding the Bi-State bus from Olivette and then from Kirkwood (you said memories, not necessarily all pleasant memories…), Fall Carnivals, and the three wall handball courts.

A “favorite” memory was the first day of tryouts for freshman football. We were paired off alphabetically to practice holding the “bag” while our “partner” blocked into it. Well, as you all know, my name is AYDT and my partner in this exercise was the gentleman who preceded me in the alphabet - a gentleman named Henry AUTREY…. Needless to say, His Honor knocked me flat on my butt in this activity and then he very politely helped me up. I decided then and there that football would not be my chosen sport!

One of my other favorite memories was of George Barhorst on the Huzzah during a float trip (I think Junior year). Nick Kuntz and I were in the canoe – we had flipped over a number of times (my first float trip), I’d lost my glasses, we were both exhausted and it was getting late in the day. We came around a

bend and there was Mr. Barhorst, literally standing in the middle of the Huzzah in his overalls with his back to us, rhyming some chemical names like “the alkynes connected to the alkenes.” He got in the canoe and more or less rescued us from our exhaustion. He literally stood up in the canoe and rowed us most of the way to the exit point. Apparently, he owned a place near there.

And the last I would mention would be the incredible fun it was to be in John Faust’s plays – particularly literally running around the set on Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. All of us were squeezed into those three brilliantly designed “houses,” scaling crude ladders and peeking out of windows during musical numbers.

Memorable Teachers: There are so many, but on my “tops” list are John Faust, Neil Kimmel, George Barhorst and Kevin Buckley. While I never had their classes, Fr. Tim Lawless has to be on anyone’s list as “memorable” and Rich Grawer is definitely memorable for our great basketball program.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Movies: Anything Star Trek or Star Wars; Butch Cassidy/Sundance Kid, epics like The Godfather(s), The Graduate, Casablanca, American Graffiti, Indiana Jones (except for Temple of Doom), Young Frankenstein, Saving Private Ryan. Books: Serious stuff sometimes (too much serious stuff in law school), pure entertainment stuff – adventure books, spy novels, anything with a good plot twist.

Cities lived in: Olivette, Kirkwood, Columbia (MO), Des Peres, O’Fallon (MO) and now Kirkwood again.

States visited: All but Alaska and Vermont

Favorites: Hawaii, Wisconsin, Montana, California and a bunch of others.

Countries: England, Scotland, Spain, Italy, France, Croatia, Greece, Canada, Mexico, Gibraltar (UK) – with Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland coming up.

Favorites: (So far) Italy, Spain, England

Continents: North America, Europe

Favorite Cities: Florence, Rome, Venice, London, Edinburgh

Remaining Goals in Life: Spend lots of quality time with my wife, children, grandchildren, family and friends. Lisa and I want to continue to travel until our bodies won’t let us anymore!

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Yikes! What a thing to ask! I guess I would hope for something like: “A good husband, Dad and BooBoo” (my grandpa nickname).

Richard (Rick) S. Barringer

15 Austin Place

Glendale MO 63122

rmbarringr@aol.com 314-477-1930

Marital Status: Married (44 years) Spouse name: Mary Children: (3) Elizabeth (SJA/Missouri), John (SLUH/Indiana), and Emily (SJA/Indiana)

Sons attending De Smet: Son attended SLUH (same class as Bill Holland’s son) Grandchildren: (4) Ann, Auggie, Louis and Amelia

Colleges and degrees: BSBA – St. Louis University, MBA – St. Louis University

Main Life activities: Right out of college (’75) worked for Mercantile Bank (3 months…those time studies were boring beyond belief), went on to The Sporting News for ~2 Years, and spent the next 42 years with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing in various program management, CFO and senior staff assignments. Retired from Boeing in January 2019.

Married in June of 1976…45th anniversary this June. We have 3 children, the youngest of which married in 2017, so we have been “empty nesters” for almost 4 years now.

Been in Mary Queen of Peace Parish since 1984 and served as President of Home & School Association, coached CYC soccer and baseball while children attended school there. Currently, serving 6:45 am mass regularly…Larry Linkul is also in the serving rotation.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: With McDonnell Douglas, was part of team establishing 2 new divisions (Microelectronics & Electronic Systems Division). I served as CFO of Laser Systems as a result. Later, with Boeing, I was part of the team which created Boeing Test & Evaluation, which consolidated both commercial and military testing….spent a lot of time in Seattle for several years. Biggest accomplishment was raising 3 children (Mary deserves most of the credit).

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, Biking, travel, attending grandchildren sporting events…it never gets old.

De Smet Memories: Locker mate for 4 years (Ed Benton), working in the bookstore Freshman year with Brother Schmidt, blazers, being upper classmen for 4 years and every day was a new experience, “taking it around” the gym floor for Bud Hensgen, weekend dances and English Leather, & intramurals.

Memorable Teachers: Dr. Buckley’s hot classroom (no A/C) and “pearls to the swine”, Father Lawless for Government (what a voice), Mr. Grawer for 3 history classes, Dave Satori for giving a demerit for my looks???...Mike Cady added “He Scores” ala Dan Kelly. Mr. Freitag using Uncle Sucker instead of Uncle Sam, French with Father Koester.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Anything related to American History or Military History.

Cities lived in: St. Louis

States visited: 20 Favorites: Wisconsin & Michigan in summers, South Carolina

Countries: 8 Favorites: England, France

Continents: 2 Favorite Cities: London

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel back to London and Rome

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He was a good husband, father and grandfather

Marital Status: Single

Robert S. Barringer

1322 Bansbach Road St. Louis Missouri Zip:63131

rsbarringer.aia@gmail.com 314-613-3969

Colleges and degrees: University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Architecture, 1976; Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Master in Design Studies, 1989.

Main Life activities: My main life activity has been the practice of architecture. You might call it a vocation. I’ve been blessed to have worked with some of the most respected architects in the world including Pietro Belluschi, Moshe Safdie, and Gyo Obata. In so doing, I’ve had the privilege of working on exciting projects in fascinating venues across America as well as in Israel and India.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: My most satisfying experience was the opportunity to create a master plan for Stella Maris, the motherhouse of the Discalced Carmelite Order in Haifa, Israel where the Order was founded in the 13th century. Located on the westernmost promontory of Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Stella Maris monastery is built above the cave of the Old Testament prophet Elijah.

Although a small project, I also derive great satisfaction in having designed the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel for my parish, St. Clement of Rome in Des Peres.

I can also boast having designed the first LEED certified building in the United States, the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise on the Monsanto campus in Creve Coeur.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I love to travel to historic places to explore the architecture and culture. My favorite sport is golf although I’ve never mastered it. For nearly 30 years, I volunteered as the chairman of the Commission for Sacred Art & Architecture for the Archdioceses of St. Louis serving under four archbishops.

De Smet Memories: There are so many memories, they are too many to recount, but I still have a distinct memory of the only time I had to report to JUG. I was forced to memorize part of an article cut out of a scientific journal. It was pure gibberish. I swore I would never go back to JUG, and I never did.

Memorable Teachers: I always liked Fr. David Koesterer whom I kept up with over the years, esp. when he was stationed at White House Retreat.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: I love books about history and architecture, such as Brunelleschi’s Dome, and Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, both by Ross King.

Cities lived in: South Bend (Notre Dame), Rome, Jerusalem, Boston (Harvard), and St. Louis.

States visited: Illinois, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Indiana, Arkansas, Texas, Nevada, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Colorado, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma.

Countries: Italy, France, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, India, Canada, Iceland, and Jamaica. Favorites: Italy and Israel.

Continents: North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Remaining Goals in Life: To visit as many important architectural sites as possible such as Petra in Jordan or the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Whatever he touched, he tried to make better.

Cliff Bauer

401 NW 127 ave Unit #5 Plantation, FL 33325

cliffjbauer@hotmail.com 954-465-7431

Marital Status: married (43 years) Spouse name: Maure

Children: Alicia Bauer lives in Madison WI, Chris Bauer lives in Omaha, Ralph Bauer II lives in Madison WI

Sons attending De Smet: n/a, but my two brothers, Matt and Andy, along with Matt’s three boys, are all De Smet Alums

Grandchildren: Sarah (7) and Clifford (2.5) (aka Ford) Cronin live in Madison WI, Julian Bauer (1.5) live in Omaha, Nebraska.

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri@Columbia, BA; St Louis University, MHA

Main Life activities: Healthcare management executive. Have worked for HCA, Tenet, Kindred and last 10 years at Miami Jewish Health. Adjunct professor at Florida International University in Miami in graduate program in Health Service Administration

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: a wonderful spouse, three great Kids and three fantastic grandkids. Still working and enjoying my chosen profession. Was Tiger mascot at UMC from 72-75 (great gig)

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Kids, Grandkids, golf, more Board of Director (non-paid) memberships than a lumber yard

De Smet Memories: the first class and a GREAT experience in Jesuit education and service for/to others

Memorable Teachers: Arnold, Houlihan, Lawless, Bergen Christian, O’Keefe, Dempsey, Grawer, Rouen

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Bible, Isaacson, Kerns Goodwin, Meacham, Robert Dugoni, Harlen Coben, and Friedman books / Blue Bloods, Cheers and Big Bang Theory / James Bond and Indiana Jones films.

Cities lived in: St Louis, Columbia, San Antonio, Waldron (Ark), Mt Carmel (Ill), Defiance (OH), Nashville, Chattanooga, Miami/Ft Lauderdale; have spent time in South America

States visited: All USA except N Dakota, and Hawaii Favorites: almost every state

Countries: at least 11 Favorites: Italy and USA

Continents: North America and Europe

Favorite Cities: Chicago, Nashville, Miami, Venice, London and Paris

Remaining Goals in Life: stay active and healthy; enjoy family and friends; when I go I pray I go quickly

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He strived to make a difference to those I loved and worked with.

Ed Benton

1116 Chatelet Dr Ferguson, MO 63135

bentonej@yahoo.com 314 255 5512

Marital Status: Married Spouse: Debbie

Children: 4 Sons

Sons attending De Smet: Chris 1999, Jeff 2001, Brian 2005, Kevin 2009

Grandchildren: Jack, 9 years old and Will, 7 years old

Colleges and degrees: St Louis University, BA History 1975, MA American Studies 1977

Main Life activities: Taught several years at Nerinx Hall for one year and Pattonville School District. Ended up in the retail car business, with the longest stints at Lou Fusz Automotive and Seeger Toyota. Retired in 2019.

De Smet Memories: Freshman book day, DeSmet-Assumption basketball game, North County bus rides, graduating at Webster, AP history with Mr. Freitag.

Memorable Teachers: Terry Dempsey, Chris Mess, Father Bone, Father Lawless, Father Arnold, Ralph Caraffa, Mr Minogue

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: enjoyed A Promised Land, Say Nothing

Douglass Prophet of Freedom

Countries visited Mexico

Favorites: Most recently Italy and Ireland, so they’re near the top of any list

Marital Status: Married

Children: Daughter - Heidi

Ernie Beutenmiller

1932 Highway 50 Union, MO 63084

ebeutenmiller@aol.com 314 808 3020

Grandchildren: Bodee and Braxton

Main Life activities:

Spouse name: Tina

Founded Clayton Meat Company St. Louis, MO in 1983 - liquidated company in 2001

Founded Beutenmiller Livestock Company Union, MO in 1986 to current

Noteworthy accomplishments:

Past President and Executive Director of National Cutting Horse Association, Ft. Worth, TX

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Union MO and Ft. Worth, TX

States visited: Just about all.

Countries: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Canada

EDITOR’S NOTE: Be sure to check out Ernie’s Senior Prank Backstory elsewhere in this Yearbook !

Mike Bowman

228 Park Charles Blvd N St. Peters MO 63376

mike.bowman1228@gmail.com 636-399-4475

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Margie

Children: Brian, Christine & Jon

Grandchildren: Hannah, Maddie, Holly, James, Quinn, Luke & Maddie

Colleges and degrees: UMSL, BS Education, Lindenwood University, MBA

Main Life activities: At this stage of my life, I continue to work. However, I no longer have a career path. Now, it’s strictly a job. I work for a company called NACM Connect and serve as a Group Administrator. This position keeps me in touch with more than 100 Commercial Credit Managers who periodically meet to discuss common interests within their industries. Accordingly, I have the opportunity to travel (when there’s not a pandemic) to 20 resort destinations a year meeting with my various groups.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: I was elected to the Board of Alderman, City of Bellefontaine Neighbors in 1978 and re-elected 3 times before moving to St. Charles. At the time, I was the youngest individual in St. Louis County to serve in an "elected" office at the age of 26. Started and operated my own business for 13 years successfully selling it 7 years ago to the company with whom I'm currently employed.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Hiking, Biking & limited Soccer

De Smet Memories: My memories from De Smet are primarily related to those cold winter days playing soccer & running endless wind sprints for Greg Vitello. I also have memories/stories of riding the North County bus for a couple of years.

As a side memory, as we all know, De Smet was new. No one from my grade school went to De Smet. One of my grade school teachers spoke to my parents and convinced them to send me to the school. I remember picking up books and gym clothes and wearing my gym shirt in the neighborhood so when people asked where I was going to high school, I could look down and see the name to help me remember where, in fact, where I was going.

Memorable Teachers: Greg Vietello, George Hasser, Chris Mess & Ralph Carrafa

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Doc Ford novels by Randy Wayne White, The new Magnum & an old movie with Peter Scofield called A Man for All Seasons (clever & witty in an English sort of way)

Cities lived in: St. Louis, St.Peters, New Orleans, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Miami & Houston

States visited: NY, NJ, OH, PA, MI, IL, AR, KY, TN, TX, AZ, NV, CA, NM, ID, WA, OR, SD, OK, CO,GA, NC, FL, AL, NE, RI, CT, MD, WI, IN, MN, KS & LA

Favorites: South Carolina, Florida Countries: Canada, Mexico Continents: North America

Favorite Cities: Charleston, SC, Jekyll Island, Ga, Sanibel Island, FL

Remaining Goals in Life: I hope to continue to work, travel and one day, decades from now, someone says "he passed away in his sleep and has finally retired".

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He was a loving Husband, Father & Grandfather. He always kept us laughing, always on the move, believed one was never too old to learn. He is finally getting his much needed rest.

Steve Burian

909 Natchez Dr. St. Charles, MO 63303

sburian53@gmail.com 314-623-1242

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Nancy

Children: 5 DOB Oldest Child: 09/15/1975 DOB Youngest: 07/05/1991

Any sons to DeSmet: 1 Grandchildren: 10

College(s): UMSL (3 years)

Main Life activities: I’ve worked in the chemical industry for 48 years (manufacturing, R&D, process improvement/optimization, regulatory, etc.).

Noteworthy accomplishments: Very happy to have been married to my high school sweet heart for 47 years - proud dad of my five children and PaPa to my ten grandchildren.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Fishing, Cardinal baseball, Blues and Blues Warriors hockey. DeSmet Memories: So many … grateful to have lifelong friends in guys like Gary Mareschal, Paul Reading, Jim Van Iseghem and Dick Johnson.

Memorable Teachers: Father Timothy Lawless who struck fear into every student but who was in fact one of the nicest guys around; Brother Frank Schmidt who once gave Myles McDonald 10 demerits for “cumulative disrespect” – Myles did both jugs in <15 minutes as I recall; I believe we were in a junior or senior level Spanish class. When Fr. Hoyer had to leave the classroom for a moment someone threw his book out the window. I’ve never seen anyone go into full meltdown mode quite like Fr. Hoyer did that day.

Fav Books / TV / Movies: Certain old TV sitcoms; westerns; anything done by Mel Brooks.

List Cities lived in: Florissant and St. Charles States visited: about half of them. Favorites: Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin

Countries: 4 Favorites: The good ol’ USA is just fine.

Continents: 2 Favorite Cities: Montreal, Toronto, Mostar

Some Remaining Goals in my Life: Exercise more, read more, weigh less!

Potential Gravestone Epithet: Thank you Lord for all you have given me.

Terence Burns

80 Alta St #2202 St Augustine, FL 32084

636-284-4595

Marital Status: M Spouse name: Mary

Children: 2 (deceased) Step Grands: Nephew: Robert Tschopp IV Colleges / Degrees: BA, Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri

Main Life activities: Worked as Respiratory Therapist at Barnes Hospital and Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Took a brief sabbatical in 1986 and then changed careers. Began working for Hewlett Packard Medical as an account manager based in St. Louis. Hewlett Packard sold medical division to Philips Electronics. I took early retirement in 2011. I then worked as a Sales Consultant at Train Town in Rock Hill, Missouri, a family owned business that I helped start. From 2001 to 2018, I lived in Chesterfield and part time in St. Augustine, Florida. In 2018 we moved full time to St. Augustine, where I work part time at the St. Augustine Distillery

Noteworthy accomplishments: Married the Love of my Life (Mary Tschopp); Member of the “Achievers Club” of HP/Philips during my sales career. Retired at an early age to enjoy Life! Have enjoyed international travel to Europe, Canada, Cayman Islands and the Caribbean Hobbies / Sports / Volunteer: Vintage Car Collector: Model A, Thunderbird, Mustangs. Toy Train Collector of PreWar Trains. Collection featured in “Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains”. Recreational Golfer, surfer and guitarist.

De Smet Memories: Ping Pong in Cafeteria freshman year; Father Lawless; Larry Morgan; Ernie Beutenmueller lassoing Paul Fusz during retreat at White House; Mike Shields going out for shotput; Larry Linkul “stalking me” to DeSmet and then Rockhurst! Making 8mm movie with Mike Bowman. Senior Walk Out in cafeteria and Larry Morgan throwing his hands up in the air! North County Bus arriving each morning during freshman year with and without police escort!

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Arnold; Michael Bashwiner; Larry Morgan; Father Lawless; Greg Vitello; Rich Grawer and Brother Frank Schmidt. Fav Books / TV / Movies: Band of Brothers; Catch 22; Huckleberry Finn; The Godfather; Schitts Creek, Blues Brothers, Justified.

List Cities lived in: Kansas City; Chesterfield, MO; Sarasota, FL; St. Augustine, FL

# States visited: 35 Favorites: Florida

# Countries: 10 Favorites: Italy, Germany, Austria, France

# Continents: 2 Favorite Cities: Paris, Florence, Salzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Some Remaining Goals in Life: More International Travel, Sit by the pool, Improve my golf game, Spend what I’ve earned!

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Loved, Lived and Laughed to the Max!

Dave Bussmann

625 South Skinker Blvd, Apt 801

St. Louis MO 63105

david.bussmann@gmail.com 314-274-9695

Marital Status: Widower Spouse name: Ada Yim

Colleges / Degrees: Georgetown University (BA-Economics & History), New York University (MBAFinance program), Hong Kong University (two Masters of Laws: LLM-Corporate/Financial Law and LLMChinese Law), and since I’ve got little else to do, University of London (MA in Art History—in process, set to graduate in 2022 at age 69)

Main Life activities: Pursued an international career, living for 36 years outside the US. Worked initially in international banking, at Bank of America (in Tokyo, as an economist, focused on country risk analysis, FX strategy, and macro-economic forecasting for Asian countries), then at Citibank (in NYC and Tokyo, which trained me as a corporate commercial banker), and then at Salomon Brothers, in Tokyo and Hong Kong, as an investment banker during the “Liars Poker” era, specializing in debt private placements, aircraft leveraged leasing, and then real estate finance/M&A. Got fired by Salomon for “not hitting my revenue numbers” in the downturn of 1992, and then drifted for couple years in the wilderness, and earned a living by setting up a one-man Asia-focused financial advisory practice that was fun at times, but not sustainable. I then moved into investment management -- first at the Asian investment arm of Prudential in Hong Kong (as a deal guy focused on originating, negotiating, structuring private equity investments in Asia), then at a boutique mezzanine fund management firm that I co-founded, doing the same damned thing. Finally, as someone fascinated with technology throughout history, I briefly worked at 2 obscure tech startups as CFO – both crashed and burned (hey, wasn’t my fault!). Along the way, served as independent director on the boards of four Asia-focused companies listed on NASDAQ, NYSE, and Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Noteworthy / interesting accomplishments: Fulfilled goal of completing, by age 21, a round-the-world trip that included crossing Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad at the height of the Cold War, but losing back-to-back evening Vodka-drinking contests with uncouth Russian marines on the 8-day ride; Learned both Mandarin Chinese and Japanese to the level of spoken and written business proficiency (still a pretty rare thing for a white guy to do); On the second try at marriage, I wed the proverbial love of my life (taken by cancer before her time). Still have my marbles?

Hobbies / Sports: Collecting Asian antiquities, relentless reading (history, of course), road-cycling throughout STL, strength training, and pushing the limits of a 68 year old body (& hopefully delaying any knee replacements!).

De Smet Memories:

 In Freshman year, chess games in the cafeteria, which prompted my interest in chess, and becoming second board on the #2 ranked high school chess team in STL (1970-71 season);

 Losing a $5 bet on the first Ali-Frazier fight to Rich Barringer;

 Mr. Christian shouting at us on the school broadcast system to “improve school spirit” (which to me already seemed OK);

 Taking so many history courses that I qualified as a mini-Toynbee;

 Bringing my carnivorous plant collection to Advanced Biology class to demonstrate how some plants can capture and eat insects;

 The “smell” of the school in Fall 1967 (like a brand new car).

Especially Memorable Teachers:

 Rich Grawer (“Bussmann, you gotta box out! -- and get a haircut!”) – learned much from him as a basketball coach and a superb history teacher (American history, African history), spurring my selection of “history” as a major in college (where I missed his precise, efficient style);

 Fr. Timothy Lawless (“Who said teachers can’t smoke in class?”) – his intimidating persona masked an intriguing intellect ahead of its time-- his course on Far Eastern History sparked in me a fascination with Asia that became the focus of my entire life and career;

 George Barhorst (Chemistry – on 1st Earth Day, 04/01/1970, had us make presentations on some environmental topic of concern, and then tore each of us apart for our faulty logic/evidence) –teacher with a keen wit who made science fascinating

Favorite Books / TV / Movies / Music:

 Books: Any book by Michael Lewis, Walter Isaacson, David McCullough, Robert Caro, Robert. Greene, or Simon Winchester

 TV: Mad Men, Breaking Bad

 Films: The Godfather, Last Emperor, Gandhi, Great Escape

 Music: Progressive Trance Cities lived in:

 Washington DC

 New York

 Honolulu

Foreign Countries Lived in:

 China-HK (24 years)

 Japan (8 yrs)

Tokyo

Taipei

Hong Kong

Saigon

London  the good ole “future great city” of STL

 Taiwan (1+ yr)

 Vietnam (2 yrs)

States visited: 30+ Favorites: Hawaii, Colorado.

 England (2021-22)

Countries Visited: 33 Favorites: Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Italy, UK

Favorite Cities: Taipei, Saigon, Tokyo, London, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Travel in Europe, Latin America & Middle East; “Healthspan” / “Brainspan” into my 90s; An MFA in my 70s?

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “A man of this Earth, who sought to experience the World.”

Tom Bussmann

Saint Louis, MO

After De Smet, graduated from Washington University’s School of Art, and settled into a life and career in the arts.

Gallery co-founder/co-owner (Philip Slein Gallery), bookstore owner (U City Used Books), published writer (fiction), contemporary art curator, and artist/musician.

Had a wife, a son (now a major in the Air Force), no cats (hate ‘em), as few cars as possible, and even fewer mobile phones -- one in my entire life, usually off, proving that there indeed can be sentient life in the 21st century without a cellphone.

Favorite author is still James Joyce, preferred musical artist is Bob Dylan, and chosen film directors are Coen Brothers, Tarantino, and Jarmusch.

Memorable De Smet teachers were Christman, Loehr, Faust, Dempsey, Grawer, and the demerit king Fr. Lawless (“Such long hair is inappropriate, young man … your card

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Amor Fati.

Michael Cady

1 Montague Ct. St. Louis, MO 63123 michaelcady1@charter.net 314-973-7475

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Mary Children: 3: Courtney-35; twins Stephen & Christopher-31

Sons attending De Smet: Christopher, Class of 2009 Grandchildren: 4 Colleges and degrees: St. Louis University BS/BA 1975; SLU Law, Juris Doctorate ‘79

Main Life activities: Law practice 1979 to present; raising a family, working with Volunteer Lawyers, traveling and finding new wines.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Volunteer Lawyer of the Year - Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Mentoring program for young attorneys focusing on trial skills. As a board member of the Affton Christian Food Pantry, I have led the growth of the organization from 1 congregation to 17, and increased the number of families we serve by 30% over a 10 year period.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Handball, racquetball and tennis, and most recently pickleball. Traveling with my family, including annual trips to Colorado and Utah’s National Parks. Hiking and mountain climbing-summited Mt. Hallet in Colorado in 2020, and many more peaks to explore. Annual trip to Key West and the Florida Keys. Member of Board of Directors of Affton Christian Food Pantry and St. John Paul II Parish Council.

De Smet Memories: Beginning the traditions of De Smet as a member of the first class. The maroon blazer and finding clothes to match.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Grawer and any class taught by him.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Books by Cormac McCarthy, John le Carre, Hemingway and Fitzgerald. / Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul Cities lived in: St. Louis States visited:

Mexico, Massachusetts, Florida, California Countries: Morocco Continents

Boston, Chicago, Santa Fe, Carmel and Moab.

Remaining Goals in Life: and be blessed with more grandchildren.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Enjoyed it all!

Jim Carmody

8719 East el Nido Scottsdale AZ 85250

jim@jcarmody.com 480-675-8697

Spouse name: Nannette Simon Carmody, St. Joseph’s Academy 1971, and Maryville College Nursing, 1981

Colleges and degrees: BA Psychology/English Literature (St. Louis); MBA (UMSL); RN Mesa Community College (2017; oldest in my class!)

Main Life activities: Formerly commercial real estate finance, currently DETOX RN at Calvary Addiction Center (part of Universal Health Services, Inc.) working with patients detoxing from opioids and alcohol; as part of Compulsive Media LLC (compulsive-music.com) compose and produce music for audio branding (websites, you tube videos, etc.); audiobook narration at jcarmody.com; music composition student at Scottsdale Community College

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Every patient whom I take through the medicated detox process, who stays clean and/or sober, is my favorite accomplishment. When they come back to the facility 6 months later and are still clean/sober, that pretty much does it for me!

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Performing & studying jazz and classical piano and performing as a jazz keyboardist; choral vocalist at Scottsdale Community College; musical theatre actor/director (received award for directing musical theatre show A Man of No Importance), enthusiastically reviewed for performing the role of The Professor in Gilligan’s Island, The Musical (Desert Stages Theatre); favorably reviewed for performing in Beyond Therapy (Tempe Center for the Arts)

De Smet Memories: Starting for varsity football junior & senior year; my first game junior year against Chaminade, for which I was singled out as outstanding defensive player; acting in Love Story.

Memorable Teachers: All were memorable in some way, but especially Fr. Koesterer, for his love of languages and his inspiration to me of classical piano, and who earned his Masters Degree in Piano at age 50!; Kevin Buckley, who was truly interested in providing guidance to young men.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Everything by historians Paul Johnson (but especially Modern Times: The World from the ‘20’s to the 90’s and A History of the American People; everything by David McCoullough, but especially 1776 and his biographies of Presidents Adams and Truman.

Cities lived in: Philadelphia, Scottsdale

Remaining Goals in Life: Finish the music composition and lyrics for an original musical The Heirloom (still looking for a librettist!)

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I TOLD you I was sick!

Thomas Cummings

1351 Rusticview Ballwin, MO 63011

stlcummings@yahoo.com 636-346-3040

Marital Status: Married Spouse: Laura

Children: 2 Grandchildren: 3

Colleges/Degrees: University of Missouri – Columbia, BA, MA Biological Sciences; SIU – Edwardsville, MBA

Main Life activities: retired

Noteworthy/interesting accomplishments: After 25 years in the computer industry, I had an opportunity at age 50 to take a completely different career path. With the support of my wife, I became a science teacher and for the next 15 years had the great thrill of showing teenagers that they could learn difficult things. Many went on to become engineers, scientists and doctors; and some still stay in touch. What a wonderful mission it proved to be.

Hobbies/Sports: tennis, biking, hiking, backpacking, canoe floating, travel, outdoor photography, rank amateur golfer

De Smet Memories:

 Mr. Freitag’s history class

 Going on Mission trip to MooseJaw Saskatewan with Billy Riley summer of freshman year

 Mr. Deitz’ physics class

 Fr. DeRouen’s religion/human sexuality class

 Playing on tennis team with my barefoot doubles partner

Favorite books: The Overstory, Unbroken, Unsettled? , Beneath a Scarlet Sky, This Tender Land, Pillars of the Earth

Cities Lived In; Prairie Village, KS Chicago, IL St. Louis, MO

States visited: a bunch

Countries visited: Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, England, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Canada

Remaining Goals in Life: watch my grandkids grow up and see as much of the beauty of this world as possible

Marital Status: Divorced

Daniel Deckert

5828 Heege Afton, Mo 63123

dan@tcrcoatings.com 314 713 0521

Children: Ryan, Kyle Sons attending De Smet: Ryan ’99 Grandchildren: Skyler, Olive, Oskar

Main Life activities:

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: in South Louisiana for 10 years working in the Louisiana Oilfie

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: number of years. Coached my son’s baseball and hockey teams.

De Smet Memories: Remembering picking the school mascot and colors in the first year. How nervous I was the first football game. The wide var developed over the four years.

Memorable Teachers:

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Cities lived in: States visited: Countries:

Continents:

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel comfortably to Europe.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph:

Chris DeGroot - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased July 7, 2016

OBITUARY

“Late in the evening of Thursday, July 7, 2016, Christopher "Chris" Paul DeGroot passed away due to cancer at the age of 62. He was surrounded by his wife and children. Services for Chris will be Friday, June 15 at 10:00 AM at St Wenceslaus Catholic Church, 630 E Davenport Street in Iowa City

Chris was born in Green Bay, WI. He was the second child and the first son of Roger John DeGroot and Mary Ann Berceau DeGroot. Chris and his wife of 33 years, Barbara, met in Kansas City at The Ramos Group Architects. The couple has four children: Maren DeGroot McFarlane married to Dan McFarlane, Analies DeGroot, Kaes DeGroot married to Abby Whittenbaugh, and Andre DeGroot -- and a black lab, Juno.

As a young boy, Chris was in Boy Scouts, earning the Ad Altare Dei Cross Award. The Latin phrase, originating from Psalm 43, means "to the Altar of God" and was part of the preparatory prayers at the beginning of the Tridentine Mass: "Introibo ad altare Dei" ("I will go up to God's altar"). His commitment to Boy Scouts led him to eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout, fulfilling all requirements except bothering to show up to the award ceremony. Attending Catholic school for most of his education, Chris enjoyed learning French at a young age. He attended De Smet Jesuit High School in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis.

Chris pursued his passion in architecture at the University of Kansas and graduated with a professional degree in architecture and an endorsement in interior design. During his time at KU, he discovered his lifelong passion of sailing at the KU Sailing Club and created many lasting friendships with other sailors at KU's Lake Perry. Incidentally, he chose this destination as the site of his first date with his wife, Barbara, on July 27, 1982. He spent many weekends working on his original 1949 Lightning Class sailboat, which was a labor of love and on which he taught his children to sail -- one of the many lessons he taught them.

A major life philosophy of Chris' was that he would rather execute a well-constructed plan once than have to do it again. During his many home improvement projects, he was known to crack open a cold lager, pull up a chair, and contemplate the best designs until he was satisfied he found the best way forward. As an architect, Chris enjoyed his passion for designing buildings around Iowa, the Midwest, and El Paso.

Chris enjoyed watching the Green Bay Packers play and often would wear his Packers jersey, have a beer, and sit in his chair that made him look as if he were at the game in the bleachers, cheering on his team loudly and offering friendly advice as if the players and coaches could hear!

In 2015, Chris was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, but though the disease slowed him down physically, he continued to work through his pain and find great solace in his architectural practice. In his 19 years with Neumann Monson, Chris was often called upon to lead rigorous projects, which he did with great focus and success -- the largest of which is the University of Iowa School of Music, scheduled to open August, 2016.

Chris spent his last year on Earth living life doing what he loved, working on his architectural projects, sharing his quick wit, laboring on his sailboat, and being with his family as he continued to show grace and humility in his walk with Jesus Christ. Chris is survived by his wife Barbara, daughters Maren and Analies, sons Kaes and Andre, brothers John DeGroot and Peter DeGroot, sisters Catherine DeGroot Roach and Mary Jo DeGroot Weiss, and parents Roger John DeGroot and Mary Ann Berceau DeGroot.

Special thanks to Dr. Yousef Zakharia of UIHC, who, like Chris, did not give up; to his nurse Jheri, who directed us to the ER; and to the Iowa City Hospice team. Also to Brian Theis and Bob Michael for showing their Iowa roots and going above and beyond.”

Reflections by Classmates & Others

CHRIS

DEGROOT: A remembrance by Dennis Moranville

I knew Chris mainly from extracurricular activities and sporting events we would attend at De Smet. We had a few classes together over the years. For the most part Chris was quiet and unassuming. That being said, the one thing that stands out to me when I think about him is Chris always had a smile. I don’t ever recall him complaining about anyone or anything which is something the rest of us would do about teachers, class and who knows what. Chris was a good friend. He was a genuinely nice guy - who made you feel good just to talk to or be around him.

Marital Status: Married

James Desloge

2325 Ashley Place Dr Saint Charles MO 63303

jimdesloge@gmail.com 314.306.6085

Spouse name: Janet (Jones)

Children: John (Kirkwood HS, Johnson & Wales University), Genevieve (Kirkwood HS, St. Louis University), 2 step-children, Devon and Katrina Jones

Grandchildren: I have granddogs and grandcats.

Colleges and degrees: B.A. - University of Missouri-Columbia

Main Life activities: I worked in medical billing and receivables (BJC, Tenet, others) for too long.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: I am still kicking.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Music, guitar / I played softball and fuzzball with Tom Eschen for many seasons / I coached my daughter in soccer and my son in baseball and basketball at St. Clement. I served on the Watlow Desloge Family Council for six years.

De Smet Memories: It is mostly ancient history unless someone reminds me of something.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Lawless, Rich Grawer

Favorite Books / TV / Movies / Music: M*A*S*H by Richard Hooker, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn / Comedies without a laugh track / Shawshank Redemption / The Beatles, Eagles, Jackson Browne, Poco, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Dan Fogelberg, the Allman Brothers, the Doobie Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Neil Young, and many others with guitars.

Cities lived in: Richmond Heights, Glendale, Des Peres, Kirkwood, Saint Charles States visited: 39 Favorites: Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico

Countries: Canada, Jamaica Favorites: Ask me again in ten years.

Favorite Cities: San Francisco

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel-I love the National Parks in the western U.S. There are still some I have not seen or need to revisit.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: No gravestone, just spread my ashes in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Robert Dittmeier

1901 Stuart Ave Richmond, VA 23220

bob.dittmeier@gmail.com 804-512-0610

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Barb

Colleges and degrees: Attended 3 different universities but never received degree

Main Life activities: Worked for the same company for 42 years. Traveled the world doing this job

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments:

 Member of National Ski Patrol for 10 years

 Crewed an IndyCar team for 2 years

 Rode across the country and across Canada many times

 Rode the Silk Road on a motorcycle from Istanbul to Xian, CN

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering:

 Motorcycling, Bicycling, Skiing, Travel

 Meals on Wheels

De Smet Memories: Filming the Senior projects. And no I do not still have the films!

Memorable Teachers: Mr Kelly

Favorite Books / TV / Movies:

 Midnight in Chernobyl

 Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Richmond, VA.

States visited: All but Hawaii Favorites: Probably Virginia, Michigan, Washington and Alaska

Countries: Canada, Cuba, Panama, Peru, Chile, England, Scotland, France, Italy, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Afganistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia (Bali), Singapore, Namibia, South Africa

Favorites: Probably either Croatia, Belgium, Italy or Scotland

Continents: North & South America, Europe, Africa, Asia

Favorite Cities: DC, New York, Montreal, Havana, Ghent, Paris, London, Istanbul, Baku, Cape Town

Remaining Goals in Life: Live overseas for 3-4 months. Maybe Paris or Dubrovnik or ???; Continue to travel extensively; Ride around the world

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: There’s just never enough time!

George Dolson

3515 Crow Valley Dr. Missouri City, TX 77459

Georgedolson@comcast.net 832 882 8242

Marital Status: Married, Bonnie

Colleges and degrees:

Children: Daughters, Leanna and Elisa

1. BS Electrical Engineering and BS Chemistry Life Science, University of Missouri, Rolla

2. MD, St Louis University, St. Louis

3. Post Grad Training Medicine, then Nephrology, University of Texas Medical Center, Houston

4. Professor of Medicine/Nephrology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

5. Chief, Renal Service, VA Medical Center, Houston

Main Life activities: Working, now part time, seeing patients at County Hospital. Still teaching renal physiology, Nephrology, General Medicine. Have Ranch with cattle, vineyard, gardens, hay fields

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: 38 year Marriage to Bonnie, married by Fr. John Arnold (as in my Freshman English Teacher); Raised two Daughters, both Physicians (Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia); Expedition back pack trips along Yellowstone River, Cascade range, and Alaska to Denali; Five Medical Missions to El Salvador; Invited speaker, Hypertension Conference, Beijing China

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Gardening (especially carnivorous plants); Beer making (since 1985); acknowledged beer snob, Wine making; Cooking (BBQ, Western smoking, bread); Ham radio (KC5BF), Astronomy (ranch is dark sky site)

De Smet Memories: School plays, hanging out with friends, working on school newsletter.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Arnold and Fr. Lawless

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Any 1940’s Humphry Bogart, Thin Man, Star Wars, 1960s Sitcoms (ME TV)

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Rolla, Houston, Missouri City now (how ironic)

States visited: about three fourths of them. Favorites: Missouri, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, Hawaii

Countries: Canada, Great Britain (England+Scotland), Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria. France, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, El Salvador, China, Australia

Continents: North America, Central America, Europe, E. Asia, Australia

Favorite Cities: Beijing (they still have records of passing scores on Confucian Exam, given before Christ was born, walked great wall in snow), York, Rome, Munich, Snowy Mountains in Australia (Snow skiing in July, Southern Milky Way, kangaroos in snow begging for pancakes, and kookaburra sitting in gum tree).

Remaining Goals in Life: Practice Medicine as long as I can, build astronomical observatory, learn to play golf, relearn to play piano, visit all national parks, figure out how to break even in ranching.

Potential Gravestone Epitaphs:

 Off to discover the secrets of the universe

 Gone to the eternal family picnic

In Memoriam

Deceased 1973 OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

TOM DOYLE: A remembrance by Bill

Holland

Tom was a guy who always had a great disposition. He had a round face, curly hair and a big smile. If you were looking for someone out of central casting to portray an Irishman it was Tom Doyle. A true gentle giant, Tom was a good classmate who seemed to get along with everyone. Tom never bullied anyone or treated them poorly.

We played football and baseball together. Tom was a hard worker in both sports. He was 5’ 11” and weighed 190 pounds. Tom played tackle in football and the outfield in baseball. When he caught ahold of a fastball it shot off his bat and went a long way. Though he had a lot of athleticism, speed was not part of the package. Alas the reason he had to hit the ball a long way.

In football Tom used his strength to hold his ground against anyone. With his barrel chest and strong forearms Tom could ward off a block and put his shoulder right into the opposing player. Tom was a role player. He started some games and came off the bench in others. Whenever Coach Christian would send him in, Tom sprinted on the field with excitement and passion. He loved to play the game and always gave 100 % effort.

Sadly, Tom passed away far too soon on February 4, 1973.

Marital Status: married

Spouse name: Pam

Children: two

Grandchildren: two

Tom Dyer

3522 Sunset Blvd Houston, TX 77005

713-203-0830

Colleges and degrees: Missouri State University, BS Geology

Main Life activities: Looking for the forest through the trees

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments:

Having great friends and family

Getting out of my way

Surviving up and downs of the oil business

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: fly fishing, painting, working

De Smet Memories: getting demerit card filled in one day by Barry somebody (French teacher Barry Lewis?).

And of course graduating.

Memorable Teachers: Dempsey, Buckley

Cities lived in: OKC, Houston, Shiner

States visited: 43

Countries: many Favorites: Italy, India, Japan, Ecuador, Turkey

Continents: 4

Remaining Goals in Life: Live a good life

Tom Eise - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 11/12/2020

OBITUARY

Thomas Eise (January 19,1953-November12,2020) has sadly departed this world after a difficult battle with the Coronavirus. Tom leaves behind his partner in life, Mary Jo Purcell.

Dear father of Eric Eise, Nicole (Dan) Armstrong and Zachary Eise; his two stepdaughters, Katie Johnson and Jessica Patterson; dear grandfather of Lilah and Cian; stepgrandfather of Evan, Colton and Jocselyn; his siblings, Barb (Jim) Finn, Denny (Jane) Eise, Cliff (Martha) Eise, Lee (Linda) Eise, Ken (Linda) Eise, Dwayne Eise and Mary Jo Eise; our dear nephew, cousin, uncle, great-uncle, and friend to many, he will be greatly missed by all.

Due to the Coronavirus family and close friends will gather in the spring to honor Tom's memory. Donations may be made to stlgives.org/covid-19-n

Reflections by Classmates & Others

TOM EISE: A remembrance by Terry

Burns

During our Junior year, we had a Film Class taught by Mr Loehr. For the class, we were supposed to partner up with another classmate, and put together a short film, on 8 mm film media! Anyway, Mike Bowman and I partnered up and we decided to make a movie using the Simon & Garfunkel song “Sounds of Silence”. It was tricky trying to sync up the video part with the audio part, and took a lot of editing time to do it. We filmed some scenes across Ballas Road in a subdivision called Runnymede. We had Tom Eise play a couple of scenes, in a misty, rainy day, standing against a light pole, smoking a cigarette. Tom looked the part of an older guy, especially since he was one of those guys who had a five o’clock shadow by three o’clock, as a Junior in high school. Tom was also able to use his beard growing talent to buy beer without getting carded, too, which rumor has it was taken advantage of from time to time as well.

7227 2nd Ave NW

Seattle, WA 98117

Stepelliott2@gmail.com 425-780-8243

Marital Status: Committed Partner name: Kathy Ann Children: Simone and Sofie Colleges and degrees: Southern Illinois University - Environmental Science; University of WashingtonLandscape Architecture

Main Life activities: Eating, Sleeping, Adventure Seeking, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Camping, Hiking in the Mountains (Member of the 6000 Ft Plus Club), Cycling, Designing the Built Environment both Living and Hardscape; Writing (Creative and Technical); Drawing, Cycling, and Playing Soccer up to my 63rd year.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Good fortune to be a member of three (3) soccer teams that had National Championship Final Births - 2 wins and 1 loss by penalty kicks. One at age 19, one at 30, and one at 51. Spent a whole summer during college working back-stage security at the Mississippi River Festival in Edwardsville, Illinois. Was in Munich with my college soccer team in the summer of 1972 to witness the 1972 Summer Olympics. Snuck into the Olympic Village to visit friends who were on the US Olympic Men’s Soccer Team (a rare occasion that the US Men made it to the final 16). I spent the night with friends in the Olympic Village that night, which is also the night a Palestinian terrorist group, called Black September, abducted and killed nine (9) Israeli athletes in their rooms in the Village.

Lived in a Teepee for 3 years while working on a “Fire Crew” for the US Forest Service. Have summited Mount Baker, and all but the last 500 feet of Mount Rainier. Have two (2) beautiful daughters (inside and out), who oddly enough both now live in the Bavarian region of Germany where I had been while in college. In 1981 rode (my bicycle) down the coastal highway (US west) with a friend, starting in Aberdeen, Washington and ending in San Francisco, California (an 8-day journey).

While working in Kauai, sitting on the clay tile roof of a South Shore island resort I was working at, I had the honor of chatting with a few Spartans and Mr. Greg Vitello as he was retiring after an amazing run at De Smet. Beating Terry Burns 18 of the 19 times that we played ping pong in the cafeteria!!

De Smet Memories: Wow - there are a lot. May have to at some point stop and work recall!! Going on a double date (Christmas Caroling), a disastrous blind date for me, with Sawick. Bad date, but great memory! Driving in the countryside west and south of St. Louis with Mike Sawicki, with a bottle of wine, wondering at the amazing and perplexing world we live in, and indeed solving most its most urgent problems. Sneaking back into a movie theater to re-watch “2001 A Space Odyssey” with Mike Sawicki.

Memorable Teachers: I remember most all of them. And to this day am grateful to have been in their care during my formative high school years. Who said this? “If you can’t wow them with your intelligence (as in correctly written essays answers), baffle them with your bull sh##”.” (Slight paraphrasing in process) (clue sophomore year chemistry). Who was the advocate for using “NB” when marking up key passages in school books as a tool to help learn the material ? (Nota Bene)

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Edwardsville, Ill. Randle and Seattle, Wa. States visited: Most (missing Maine, Connecticut, the Carolinas)

Remaining Goals in Life: Ride 40 to 50 miles a week till I’m 80; Continuing hiking above 6000 ft regularly till I’m 80 while tent camping; Reestablish connections with extended family; Kath and I plan to visit a Bucket List of 20 different National Parks where we can get away from the car and do some travelling on foot; Beat Terry Burns at “Table Tennis” one more time!

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: If you want me to go willingly, just know I’m not ready.

Marital Status: COMMITTED

John Erker

1013 MISSISSIPPI AVE UNIT E ST LOUIS, MO 63104 ERKERS@STUDIOOPTYX.COM 314-973-5414

Spouse name: CELESTE HALPERN

Children: 5 JACK III, TONY, ANDY, ERIN AND ABIGAIL

Sons attending De Smet: JACK ERKER III AND ANDY ERKER

Grandchildren: 14

Colleges and degrees: PSYCHOLOGY – ST LOUIS UNIVERSITY AND UMSL

Main Life activities: RAN THE FAMILY OPTICAL BUSINESS – 4TH GERNERATION. CELEBRATING 140 YEARS IN BUSINESS WITH TWO OF MY SONS, - 5TH GENERATION. FORTUNATELY, OR UNFORTUNATELY DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO, I AM A TRUE, OUT OF THE DICTIONARY, WORKAHOLIC. IT’S WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: BUILT AN INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR DESIGN HOUSE WITH MY TWO SONS, JACK AND TONY, AND SELL OUR EYEWEAR THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: BUSINESS AND TRAVELING; MANY TRIPS TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA IN MY YOUNGER DAYS DONATING EYEGLASSES TO THE POOR

De Smet Memories: POLE VAULTING – TRACK TEAM, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, FIRST CAR, GREAT FRIENDS

Memorable Teachers: ALL OF THEM – ALL UNIQUE IN THEIR OWN WAYS, BUT OF COURSE THE MOST STRANGE OF THEM ALL, FATHER LAWLESS. JUST REMEMBERING THOSE WORDS, “ERKER, YOU WILL WRITE”, AS HE FLICKED HIS ASHES WITH HIS NICOTINE STAINED FINGERS OUT THE WINDOW.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: I WAS ONCE STOPPED AT AN AIRPORT CARRYING SEVERAL BOOKS UNDER MY ARMS AND A MAN APPROACHED ME AND ASKED WHAT I WAS READING. I TOLD HIM I ENJOYED READING BOOKS ABOUT BUSINESS. HE IN A STRANGE WAY LOOKED AT ME AND SAID “OH, I’M SO SORRY”. I GUESS HE DIDN’T APPROVE OF MY LITERARY INTERESTS. GUESS HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAPPIER IF I TOLD HIM I WAS READING “CATCHER IN THE RYE”.

Cities lived in: ST LOUIS, MO AND JONESBORO, AR

States visited: 49 OF 50 STATES, YET TO MAKE IT TO ALASKA

Favorites: TOO TOUGH TO CALL

Countries: CANADA, MEXICO, PUERTO RICO, ARGENTINA, PERU, VENEZUELA, GRAND CAYMEN, ARUBA, HAITI, JAMAICA, GRENADA, ST LUCIA, MARTINIQUE, ANTIGUA, BARBADOS, BAHAMAS, BELIZE, HONDURAS, COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, NICARAGUA, GUATAMALA, FRANCE, ENGLAND, ITALY, SPAIN, GREECE, SWITZERLAND, CHINA, VIETNAM, JAPAN,

Favorites: ITALY

Continents: NORTH AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, EUROPE, ASIA

Favorite Cities: HONG KONG, LONDON AND ROME

Remaining Goals in Life: ENJOYING MY FAMILY, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND TRAVELING TO PLACES YET GONE.

Tom Eschen

3

Personal: Married (1978) to Chris (Swearingen) / Two daughters; Natalie (Matt Berkley, De Smet, ’99) and Stephanie / Two grandchildren; Jack Berkley (5 years old) / Ava Berkley (2 years old)

College: BA in Broadcast Journalism from University of Missouri School of Journalism / Teaching Certificate in K-12 Social Studies from UMSL / MA in Communications from Saint Louis University

Career: Entirely in education, primarily higher education advancement / Taught (barely survived) 5th to 8th Grade Social Studies & Religion at St. Justin the Martyr Grade School and Social Studies & Journalism at Bishop DuBourg High School / Hired by Fr. Tom McQueeny to succeed Mike Sawicki as De Smet Alumni Director / Worked as KWMU’s (St. Louis Public Radio) first Development Director while teaching communications courses at UMSL / 13 years at Washington University (Associate Vice Chancellor) / ten years (three jobs) at UMSL (Vice Chancellor) / ten years at Maryville University (Vice President) / Consulted nationally on Public Speaking & Media Relations / Consulting on fundraising and marketing I had the great fortune to work with amazing people at wonderful places that allowed/encouraged extraordinary work. We accomplished great things. Personal/ team achievements inexorably intertwined:

Honored as the 2019 Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals St. Louis Regional Chapter / Assisted in management of and direct fundraising in The Campaign for Washington University, which raised $1.5 billion / Helped create/manage Washington University’s Regional Development Program, considered one of the best in the country / Led Maryville University’s Institutional Advancement program, recognized with the CASE WealthEngine Most Improved Fundraising Performance Award in 2010 / Co-founded Kids Rock Cancer, which won a 2017 “What’s Right with the Region!” award / The “Kids Rock Cancer Documentary” (narrated by Bob Costas) won the 2015 Aurora Gold Award / Started Maryville Talks Books, which received the 2015 Aurora Platinum Best of Show Award and the 2015 Telly Award / Helped start Maryville University’s e-Sports team, which has won numerous championships / Received the Quest Award for communications excellence from the National Federation of Press Women / Received President’s Award and Catfish Award from the St. Louis Press Club / Received the Kids Rock Cancer Founders Award from Maryville University in 2020

Major Accomplishments: My family; wife, daughters, son-in-law, grandchildren, two brothers, two sisters, extended family, plus wonderful friends and a gaggle of assorted cats and dogs

Other Stuff: Eye-opening international travel / Met dozens of extraordinary leaders, thinkers and doers through Maryville University’s St. Louis Speakers Series / Played 11 years on “Being & Nothingness” softball team / Founded Mike Duffy Fuzzball League and won the coveted Rob LaBarge Championship Trophy with teammate Jim Desloge / Threw a “first pitch” at a 2018 St. Louis Cardinals game / Served on many nonprofit boards (including two stints on De Smet’s) / Currently on the Friends Board of St. Louis Public Radio

Through De Smet: I received a great education / I discovered the joy of learning / I was exposed to the wisdom & beauty of the world’s diverse religions / I began running / I met some of my best friends / I indirectly met my first wife (43 years and running) / I started a new career (41 years and running)

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer, Terry Dempsey, Chris Mess, Jack (“Flash”) Renaud

Gravestone:

Thomas Michael James Eschen

World’s oldest living human Survived nine years coaching Girls Soccer and Softball at Mary Queen of Peace Grade School

Michael Faddis

755 Graeser Rd St. Louis, MO 63141

Faddis755@gmail.com 314-971-3462

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Linda Children: 3

Colleges/Degrees: Saint Louis University, BA: University of Missouri, KC, Doctorate in Dental Surgery (DDS)

Main Life activities: I own a large general dental practice in Brentwood. Have practiced dentistry for 42 years. The other main activity was raising 3 children. All were very active and, as many of you, we were great chauffeurs! Youngest son currently plays soccer for SLU. Daughter is a Broadway actress who spent a year in the Chicago chorus of Hamilton. My oldest is married, works in advertising, lives in KC. Noteworthy accomplishments: for the last 15 years I have been voted by my peers as a Top Dentist in St. Louis. I have been fortunate enough to have been elected into the DeSmet Hall of Fame.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I loved doing Triathlons until my knees would no longer support it (around 40). I currently love watching my son play soccer, my daughter perform in Musical Theater and playing golf. Some of my most enjoyable times were coaching the kids athletic teams. What a great way to get to know your kids friends and their parents.

De Smet Memories: The memories are too many to recall, however the summation for me is the feeling of being part of something greater than myself. Having 175 other graduating classmates in the same boat, steering this new journey down an uncharted river. We have left a lasting legacy which has now become 50 years of Spartan graduates! Like it or not we are part of something special and history will show that we took our responsibility seriously. I am proud to day that I am part of the first, alpha, class of DeSmet Jesuit High School.

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer stands out as a mentor in my life. I still see Rich today and will never be able to thank him enough for what he gave me as a young student at DeSmet. Still see Ralph Houlihan from time to time. He and other Jesuits were influential in my moral and spiritual growth. The Jesuit tradition is something that must be continued at DeSmet.

Fav Books / TV / Movies: My new favorite book is “Liar’s Poker” because I now know Dave Bu

List Cities lived in:

States visited: Countries:

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Germany where I was born.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph:

EDITOR’S NOTE: Assumption Game Yearbook !

Richard Fahey

1690 William Henry CT Los Altos, CA 94024

richardfahey4@gmail.com 650 888 1693

Family: Married to Sonia for nearly 37 years. We met in Brazil. Bridget, our daughter lives near us with her boyfriend and attended a Jesuit university, Santa Clara University. Millie is our newest family member. She is Bridget and her boyfriend’s Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. College and degrees: Georgetown University, BA History/Economics 1975; University of Chicago MBA 1979

Main Life activities: What did I do during the last half century? A couple months ago I stepped away from working 4 decades split pretty evenly between two employers. First, 23 years in various finance-type roles with Hewlett-Packard. Then I leveraged my education and experience to join a start-up philanthropy, the Skoll Foundation for the last 17 years. Since 1979, I have been living and working within a few miles of where I landed in SF Bay Area. Earlier, I spent a couple years at the Federal Reserve Board in D.C. between college and grad school. I’m a trustee of a small St. Louis based foundation, directing grants to various St. Louis non-profits. Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments. I’ve been fortunate with family, friends and colleagues. I worked with and supported great social entrepreneurs working across the world. I’m proud of some success in nudging managers of multi-billion $ endowment to direct investments toward benefiting people and planet. I proudly wore my Cardinal gear among tens of thousands of Giants fan at great NLCS games in 2012 and 2014. Coached my daughter’s youth soccer team for a couple years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I’m an avid walker, averaging 5-6 miles a day while listening to books, podcasts or music. We bought a second home in the Sierra Nevadas, near the North Shore of Lake Tahoe a couple years ago. We enjoy hiking through the forest, looking for lake vistas and wandering through alpine meadows in the spring.

De Smet Memories: four years a senior. All my outstanding multi-sport athletic accomplishments (haha).

Memorable Teachers: they were all equally memorable.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies / Music: George Orwell’s works. Strong recency bias…Mare of Eastwood and No Sudden Move. Films of Terrence Malik. Music of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.

Cities lived in: D.C, Arlington VA, Chicago, Palo Alto, Sao Paulo

Countries visited: England, Scotland, China, Argentina, Venezuela, Singapore, Taiwan, France, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Australia. Favorites: pick em, all the above

Favorite Cities: London…a great walking city.

Remaining Goals in Life: Whitman poem: “ filled them and emptied them, And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.”

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: give me a bit more time to think about this.

Mike Fallert - deceased In Memoriam

Deceased 6/8/1980

At right: Believed to be the last photograph of Mike Fallert before his passing.

OBITUARY

Mike Fallert was murdered, robbed, and then buried in a shallow grave, by two brothers who did not know Mike, while he was on a crosscountry trip in Idaho in 1980. His body was not discovered until early 1981. In a plea agreement, the two robber-murderers later pleaded guilty to seconddegree murder and sentenced to respective 13 and 20 years in prison.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE FALLERT: A remembrance by

Alan G. Schmidt

I remember Mike as a deeply thoughtful, kindhearted person who had a lot on his mind and was committed to finding answers to deeply serious questions. We connected through our mutual interest in music. From the beginning, whenever our band played music at a school event or party, Mike was there. There is a picture in one of the yearbooks of us playing at a school dance in the gym, and Mike is right down front on the floor hanging on every note and offering encouragement, which was what he always did. I played for a party at a classmate’s house – just me with an acoustic guitar – and with partygoers dashing around everywhere Mike sat on a bench across from me, listened to every song intently, and gave me his thoughts about what he had heard.

Whenever we talked, one of two topics came up: what we then called “current events,” and contemporary music. Eventually the conversation would encompass both topics, and how they related to each other. Mike seemed to admire most the artists who were speaking out and taking a stand, questioning the way things were and searching for a better way. I learned a lot from his shared thoughts on both topics.

I spoke recently with Henry Autrey about Mike, and he related that Mike “was an easygoing guy with a great sense of humor and good insight into who we were for the time.” That describes the person I knew exactly. Mike had a deep insight into “the time,” and he was constantly seeking answers to big questions, often through music.

The late British singer/songwriter Nick Drake wrote the following lines: Do you find things are moving just a little too fast?

I think about Mike when I hear those lines. It would have been fascinating to hear Mike’s response.

Mike Feeney - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased September 27, 2008

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE FEENEY: A remembrance by Jim Hummert

Mike was a close friend who passed too young at the age of 54. He was very funny and always good to be around. My family loved it when he would come by the house. He was a great chess player and loved to play the board game Stalingrad. He was into music and that was a big part of his life in those days. I always thought he would become a big-time record producer. Everyone who knew Mike misses him and will always have good memories of a great friend and father.

Marital Status: Married

Larry Fiedler

22 Hidden Creek Irvine, CA 92620

sir-lawrence@msn.com

714-293-1418

Spouse name: Jan Children: Julie, Kristen

Colleges and degrees: Rockhurst College, B.S. B.A.; University of Notre Dame, MBA

Main Life activities: Raising two well-adjusted and lively daughters and keeping Jan happy! Jan is retired after 40 years in the defense and electronic industries. Julie works for an “essential service” company called Total Wine. Kristen is married and she and her husband, after living 3 years in Boston, moved back to Los Angeles in May, 2021. Both Kristen and her husband work for consulting firms.

Occupation outside the home: Banker, controller, credit manager, regional sales manager for a commercial collection firm.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Daughters and Jan still want to hang with me. Maybe it’s my sparkling wit and personality! Or, it could be the fine wine I serve.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Traveling, wine tasting, grilling/barbequing, ballroom dancing, gardening / ND Football / Knights of Columbus, Right to Life Volunteer

De Smet Memories: Football, Senior Project

Memorable Teachers: Terrence Dempsey for English; provided “cheap date” ideas that were so lame I can’t remember what they were—something like take your date to the library. The entire class would groan.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Young Frankenstein, Three Amigos, Overboard, The Godfather

Cities lived in: St. Louis, MO; Tulsa, OK; Kansas City, MO; South Bend, IN; Fountain Valley, CA; Westminster, CA; Irvine, CA

Countries Visited: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, Montenegro, Croatia, France, Spain, Martinique, St. Lucia, Canada, Mexico

Favorite Cities: Laguna Beach, CA; Napa Valley, CA; Wellfleet, MA, Orvieto, Italy; Paris (Sacre-Coeur), France where Kristen became engaged.

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel, volunteer, and dance with some semblance of timing and style.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: A life well lived shared with great friends and a loving family

James Finkenkeller

2301 Bluffview Court

Arlington TX 76011

jim.finkenkeller@gmail.com 817-874-3374

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Eileen Children: 3 Grandchildren: 7

College/Degree: St. Louis University, BSBA Accounting and Finance 1975

Main Life activities: 1975 CPA at Ernst & Ernst (now Ernst & Young) in St. Louis; 1985 The Associates (consumer and commercial lender) in Dallas as senior officer; 1991 Partner at The Investment Marketing Group (boutique marketing and consulting company); 2016 Executive Director of Guardian for Heroes (Charitable organization serving combat veterans founded by Chris Kyle – American Sniper).

Noteworthy accomplishments: Married way above my pay grade for 45 years; Raised 3 beautiful children who are wonderful adults (my wife raised them – I just got in the way); Figured out I was not cut out for the corporate world; entrepreneurial efforts allowed me the flexibility to be there for all of our kids’ activities and events and to coach both of our daughters in volleyball, basketball, and softball.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunt: Hobbies: Children and Grandchildren: we spend as much time as we can with them either in Texas or St. Louis; Annual family vacation with everyone together; Slide show set to music for each grandchild for each birthday; Christmas lights (set to music – Griswold!). Sports: Volleyball (indoor and sand); Enjoy golf but not any good; Powerwalking. Volunteer: The Highlands School – Board of Directors; Girls High School Coach –Volleyball (17 years), Softball (6 years), Basketball (7 years) Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church: Stewardship Committee; Prayer Committee (Chair); Welcome; Exodus 90 and Day 91; Editor of quarterly newsletter. Guardian for Heroes – Executive Director; managed charity concert featuring Jeremy Camp. De Smet Memories: Freshman year all packed into the first floor; English Class – Symbolism!!; English Satire Class – Dr. Strangelove; Terry Dempsey’s Rambler stories; Denny Dietz – “Denny Gets a Date”; German lab class – Tobacco Road in German; Chemistry with Mr. Barhorst – “Are there any questions?” … “Yes?” (looking and pointing in two different directions).

Memorable Teachers: Many, many really good teachers. Coach Grawer was my best teacher, but it was on the basketball court (didn’t have him in class). He taught a skinny, uncoordinated, and inexperienced kid how to properly play the sport. Coach instilled that teaching can change people’s lives.

Fav Books / Songs / TV / Movies: Books: Lord of the Rings (movies good, books better); All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott; Discworld by Terry Pratchett; audio on Formed.org; Songs: Pachelbel Canon in D; Adagio for Strings – Samuel Barber; Verde Requiem; Country Music (hey, I’ve lived in Texas for 36 years!). Movies: Young Frankenstein; Princess Bride; Dr. Strangelove; Blues Brothers; Marx Brothers Movies.

List Cities lived in: St. Louis, MO (University City, Olivette, Crestwood, Ballwin); Arlington, TX

States visited: 46 (not AK, ME, NH, VT) Favorites: Texas, Hawaii, Utah (Arches National Park)

Countries: 6 Favorites: Australia/Tasmania (Koala Bears, Dingoes, Kangaroos and Wallaby’s)

Continents: 3 Favorite Cities: Rome, Italy; Melbourne, Australia

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Walk my younger daughter down the aisle; be there for grandchildren weddings; be there for great grandchildren births; hang gliding; walk the Camino de Santiago and the Camino di Francesco; get myself, my family, and all I can to heaven.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He held to objective truth.

Frank Finnegan

1522 Jonquil Dr. Webster Groves MO 63119

FrankFinnegan1@gmail.com (314) 952-2432

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Judy

Children: Shawn Heather Finnegan married to Andy Lowes (SLUH) Grandchildren: Hollis, DOB June 24, 2020

Colleges and degrees: BA - University of Missouri 1976, Masters Public Administration - Golden Gate University

Main Life activities: Primarily worked in the field of Social Service.

 Arizona Boys Ranch, Chandler AZ

 Maryville Youth Center, Glendale AZ

 Rainbow Retreat residence for abused women and children, Phoenix AZ

 Senior Services, City of Phoenix AZ

 United Way of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis MO

 St. Louis Area Food Bank, St. Louis MO

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Married the High School Prom Queen; Spent 30 years as CEO of the St. Louis Area Food Bank overseeing its growth to one of the largest Not for Profit Organizations serving St Louis and the surrounding area.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering:

 Travel, photography, cooking. Coached daughter’s grade school basketball team 4 years.

 Served on the Board of Directors with the following organizations: Illinois Food Bank Association, Missouri Food Bank Association, Feeding America National Food Bank Network, National Commodity Service Food Program, St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Jefferson County FEMA programs.

De Smet Memories: Picture at right taken senior year with my three brothers attending De Smet. Mike and Pat (Juniors) and Terry (Freshman) each of us wearing a De Smet Letter Jacket.

Cities lived in: University City, Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Webster Groves

States visited: Most

Favorites: AZ, CO, MI, KS

Countries: Ireland, England, Wales, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece, Iceland, Egypt, China, Turkey, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Carribean and West Indies, Israel

Favorite Cities: Lisbon, Paris, Florence, Prague, Shanghai, Jerusalem, Vienna, Rome, Venice, Istanbul.

Remaining Goals in Life: To keep my wife happy

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He came, He left, overall, he did good.

John Fischer

1919 Wilson Ave. Chesterfield MO 63005

jfischer@fandfhomes.com 314-550-3500

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Kari Children: 5 Grandchildren: 10

Colleges: Arizona State University

Main Life activities: Semi-Retired and enjoying all the blessings that have come my way in life.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Raising and blending two families. Continuing our family homebuilding business into its 76th year. Having four of my children enter the business as the 3rd generation.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering:

 Hobbies/Sports: Golf, Duck & Quail Hunting, Cycling, Working Out, Fishing & Cooking

 Volunteering- Fold of Honor, Habitat for Humanity, St. Judes Children’s Hospital, March of Dimes, St. Louis Carpenters District Council Pension Fund Trustee

De Smet Memories: Football, Friends & Fun; The experience of being the 1st class was very special and helped in development of life attitudes.

Memorable Teachers: Coach O’Keefe & Coach Christian

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Lonesome Dove, Magnificent Seven

Music would be a great addition to this category: Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, and Contemporary Country

Cities lived in: Phoenix, AZ, Bluffton, SC

States visited: Many Favorites: South Carolina/Arizona/Northern California

Countries: Italy, Germany, Spain, Jamaica, Virgin Islands, Other Caribbean Islands, Mexico

Favorites: Italy, Germany, Austria

Favorite Cities: Rome, Florence, Cabo San Lucas

Remaining Goals in Life: Don’t worry, be happy and Don’t grow up

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: What a blessed life I was given. Thank you all!!!

Tom Fitzgerald

413 Bramblett Hills O'Fallon MO 63366

(remove prior to printing)

Family: My ex-wife, Kathy, and I produced and reared Joe (a De Smet grad), Patrick, and Annie, and we have a lovely granddaughter, Janey.

Work: I kicked around in the car business for many years, often with my friend and fellow De Smet classmate Ed Benton. I truly enjoyed selling cars—it was the not selling cars that kind of got me down.

I decided to settle down and turn a hobby that I had been practicing into my livelihood. Thus I became an itinerant boomerang salesman. Since nobody really needs a boomerang, I had to create the desire, putting on shows for schools, scouts, home shows, sports shows, farm machinery shows all over the Midwest and South.

After saturating the boomerang market, I joined the action-packed, fastpaced world of overnight baking. Working alone, I find myself in bad company.

Blessings: In January of 1999, my then two-year-old daughter Annie and I stood on the parade route to welcome Pope John Paul II to St. Louis. Where Annie and I were standing there were more cops than people, more porta-potties than people. When the Pope sped by, he looked right at Annie and made the sign of the cross. Annie’s life has been blessed ever since.

In the early seventies, Russ Smith and I went to the Royal American carnival. There we saw Grady Stiles Jr., the Lobster Boy. He wished he could do flip-flops on the trampoline or play the “gee-tar” for us, but the Lord had other plans for him. He served the Lord by selling Bibles the size of a postage stamp for one dollar. He swore that every word was in this tiny tome. I declined, lacking the requisite dollar. Russ bought one. His life has been blessed ever since.

Pastime and Related Gravestone Epitaph: In my mid-50s, I took up road cycling. By the time this is published I will have again been smoked by the other geezers at the Senior Olympics.

Here Lies

Tommy “Papa Wheelie” Fitzgerald I Had the Right of Way

Richard

Fitzgibbon - deceased In Memoriam

Deceased 4/11/2003

OBITUARY

Dick Fitzgibbon, his father, and Fr. McQueeny. Dick Fitzgibbon’s father was instrumental in the formation of De Smet.

In Memoriam

Deceased 11/5/1993

OBITUARY

Jon pursued his interest in math and science at Washington University's School of Engineering, where he received a BS in Chemical Engineering in 1975. He worked for several years at Monsanto in Florida, where he also did graduate work in Applied Mathematics. He returned to St. Louis in 1979 to join the family business. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1985, but continued to work until 1990.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

JON FORSHAW: A remembrance by Jim Finkenkeller

Our lockers were really close to each other and we became friends through proximity. Jon was a very mild and easy going classmate and we really got along well. One time he invited me on a weekend trip to the family’s summer house about an hour or so from St. Louis. It was an A-frame and I remember there was a loft on the top floor where we slept overnight. He took me horseback riding (the first time I had ever been on a horse). He was a really good rider and I bounced around the entire time having no clue what I was doing. He was very gracious and made sure the horses went slowly enough that I wouldn’t fall off. Jon was a really great classmate.

Jon Forshaw - deceased

Marital Status: Married

Children: Emily and Anthony

Neil Frankenberg

9317 Cinnabar Dr. Saint Louis MO 63126

nffrankenberg@gmail.com 314-348-0333

Spouse name: Diane

Sons attending De Smet: Tony Graduated from DeSmet in 2004

Grandchildren: November

Colleges and degrees: Missouri University of Science and Technology (Fomerly - University of Missouri Rolla), Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Main Life activities: Marriage to Diane in 1977. Children were born in 1983 and 1986

After college worked in blast furnace operations at Granite City Steel for 4 years. After the steel mill, I went to work for MSD. Employed at the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District for 39 years. Retired in 2018

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Served 30 years as plant manager of the MSD Lemay Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Woodworking, home improvement projects, golf

De Smet Memories: Classes restricted to first floor during freshman year due to a fire in the gym just before school started. Bi-State cross-country champions during our senior year.

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer, Greg

Vitello, Dale Burgman, Fr. Tim Lawless, Larry Morag, George Hasser, Robert Kelly, Chris Mess, Fr. William Snyders

Frank P. Furlong

438 Nantucket Drive St. Charles MO 63301

furlongprinting@sbcglobal.net

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Carol Gander

Children: 2 Step-Children: 2

Grandchildren: 1 Step Grandchildren: 5

College: Florissant Valley Junior College

Main Life activities: My brother and I are the owners of F.P. Furlong Printing Co. Inc. It is the oldest printing company is St. Louis that has not changed hands. Our Great-Grandfather, Frank P. Furlong started the company in 1902. My brother and I have been running it since the 1980’s.

Noteworthy/interesting accomplishments: Held a golf tournaments for 8 years and raised money for various charities. Married my beautiful wife Carol 8 years ago. Have 2 fantastic and beautiful daughters and 1 granddaughter, 1 year old. I also have 2 wonderful step daughters and 5 step grandsons.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunt: I love to play golf and watch my grandsons play soccer and hockey.

DeSmet Memories: Starting the golf team with Russ Smith. Going to DeSmet football, basketball and wrestling matches. One of the greatest games I ever saw is when DeSmet won 16 to 15 in basketball (against Assumption High)

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer, Mr. Keene, Dale Bergman, Greg Vitello

Fav Books / TV / Movies: The Arkansas Traveler, Arnold Palmer biography, The Jackie Gleason biography, The Masters, the series Shameless, the series Breaking Bad, NCIS, FBI

List Cities lived in: St. Louis

States visited: A lot Favorites: Missouri & Florida

Some Remaining Goals in my Life: Enjoy my grandchildren, play more golf and retire someday.

Potential Gravestone Epithet: He had a lot of FUN and finally got out of the printing business.

Paul Fusz - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased October 20, 2003

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

PAUL FUSZ: A remembrance by Tom Dyer

Paul Fusz was a good friend of mine. Paul was always fun to be around, had a quick smile, and blushed easily, very easily. We were friends since grade school at Holy Redeemer in Webster. It was always fun at the Fusz house. There was never a dull moment with Paul. Paul was one of 12 kids so at times he would fly under the radar, although his mother kept a good eye on him.

Paul had a lot of energy and could be quite mischievous. We managed to get into and out of many untenable situations. The Fusz family moved to Clayton around the 6th grade into what seemed like a castle. One day Paul found some shovels and we started digging a foxhole. The only trouble was the foxhole was in the middle of the clay tennis court! At the time I had never heard of a clay tennis court. There was hell to pay.

Paul’s family moved to Spain for a year so he started at DeSmet sophomore year. It was great to see him and get reconnected at DeSmet. We had many good times in high school. We kept up through college, and him getting married. Paul couldn’t wait to get married. Now that I think about I don’t think I’ve seen anybody more ready to get married. He must have great kids. Unfortunately, we lost touch after I moved to Texas

Writing this has brought back a lot of good memories. Paul was quite a character and great guy that I do miss. I really regret not knowing that he passed away until a few years ago. He will not be forgotten.

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Deborah

Robert (“Bob”) Gastorf

3303 Village Oaks Dr. Kingwood TX 77339

rgastorf@hotmail.com 713-253-2401

Children: Peter Muniz, Theresa Green

Grandchildren: Taylor, Bryce and Maycee Green Talia Muniz

Colleges and degrees: CBC in Memphis (1971-1973); University of Missouri, Columbia (1973 –1975)

B.S. Math Education; University of Missouri, Columbia (1978-1980) M.S in Medical Physics

Main Life activities: High School Math Teacher and Baseball Coach in Miami, Florida (1975 –1978); Medical Physicist (Radiological Physics Center (RPC) (1980 – 1984) MD Anderson Cancer Center; Director of Radiation Oncology Memorial City Hospital Houston Tx (1984-1986); Senior Medical Physicist in charge of QA, Medical Dosimetry & Mold room activities (1986-1998) at MD. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX; Medical physicist. At Northeast Medical Center Hospital (1998 – 2008); Senior Medical Physicist MDACC Regional Care Centers (2008 – 2019)

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Taught radiation oncology residents, medical physicists & dosimetrists basic medical dosimetry; Published numerous papers relating to medical physics with the most important being one on Ngas/Nx for cylindrical chambers to be used with the AAPM TG21 calibration protocol. Survived 2 divorces (both annulled) before marrying a wonderful woman after dating her for 19 years. Because of her I was able to enjoy being father to her 2 children and grandfather (Papa) to 4 wonderful grandchildren that are the joys of my life

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: In my younger days I was an excellent racquetball player and won numerous racquetball tournaments. I was an excellent softball player as well and was on a softball/baseball diamond either coaching or play 5-6 nights a week. I was a decent golfer shooting in the low 80’s from the white tees with a mulligan per nine. I loved to ski but was only fair. I loved to camp and would organize camping trip with many of my friends and their families twice a year along with the golf trips I would organize. I took up bass fishing when I was about 50 and got to a point on my favorite lake that I would catch 20 largemouth bass per day on average in February and 30 bass/day in March. I also ran two marathons – one when I was 30 and finished at 3 Hours 36 minutes and one when I was 40 at 4 hours and 9 minutes. For years I would run numerous 10K races with my best time just over 38 minutes. I love to go on cruises. I love to tell jokes.

I was very involved in a young adults group at St. Cyril’s of Alexandria. We played softball, football, volleyball, camped, skied, had dances, and were very active in the community with volunteer work – the Leukemia society, MD Anderson Christmas Cards, Beautify Houston, Summer Olympics, All-star Games for baseball and basketball, charity golf tournaments, Casa De Esparanza, Habitat for Humanity, The Houston Food Bank, The Houston Marathon, Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, Centers for Abused women, Knights of Columbus as well as just volunteering to help anyone in the group with projects. We had a very close knit group and have remained friends for over 40 years) I also joined the Methodist church for a few years and did a number of mission projects with them including helping flood victims in both Houston and Missouri on 2 separate occasions due to the floods in that 1990s.

De Smet Memories: I was a nerd while at DeSmet. I was involved in the chess club, math club and track my freshman year. I was on the wrestling team my sophomore year and lost 26 pounds going from 145 – 119 just to compete. I enjoyed that time but never wanted to have to eat like that again. I played 3 years of baseball and lettered. I was not a good hitter but I played a pretty good defense in the outfield. I ran cross country my senior year and got very close to Brother Jim Marheineke and won the 1st Jim Marheineke award for the senior who through his dedication and determination helped the team the most. That award meant a lot to me then and through the years and I was able to get back in touch with Jim in later years and through him got to know his wife and his sister, who was a nun here in Houston. Coach Grawer was a joy to learn under as well.

Memorable Teachers: Coach Grawer and Jim Marheineke (see above).

Favorite Books / TV / Movies:



Books: The Pond, Dandelion Wine, Ben Hur, Harry Potter Series, Louie L’amour books, Huck Finn, Water for Elephants, and so many others. I enjoy reading books we had to read in high school but I enjoy them so much more now like All Quiet on the Western Front. I hated reading in high school because I was a very slow reader.

 TV/Movies: I love any and all westerns TV shows and movies. I like action movies and dramas and though I am not a big fan of romance movies I watch a number of Hallmark movies especially Christmas because those are the movies my wife loves.

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Memphis, Columbia, Miami, Houston, Kingwood States visited: A lot especially in my years with the RPC where I traveled all over the country

Countries: USA, Canada, Mexico (Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Nevis, St. Kitts

Favorites: Whichever one I was in at the time

Continents: North/Central America

Favorite Cities: Vancouver, Canada, Seattle, Miami

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel, fish, golf and spend time with my grandkids

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I will answer it this way:

“3 men are at a mutual friend's funeral and witness a really beautiful eulogy. At the reception afterwards, the three of them are sitting together and talking about the funeral when one of them says "Wow, that was really beautiful. What would you guys like to be said about you when you die?" The first says "I devoted a lot of my life to my medical practice. I really hope they talk about what a great doctor I was and how many lives I saved". The second says "I spent a lot of time with my family and really raised my kids well. I hope they talk about how great of a father and husband I was." The third says "I hope they say 'LOOK he's moving!' "

Norm

In Memoriam

Deceased 6/23/2003

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates &

Others

NORM GERMANESE: A remembrance by Alan G. Schmidt

50 years later, just the thought of Norm, or the mention of his name, brings a smile to my face. He was a master of dry, sarcastic humor who applied his skill to every situation imaginable with very little filter and no regrets. He was part Huck Finn, part Holden Caulfield, and part Eddie Haskell, and he did not suffer fools. No doubt this put him at odds with those in authority, but it never changed his core attributes. His comments, his jokes – his whole being – made the journey toward such unknown places as “maturity” and “adulthood” a little less burdensome for those around him. He gravitated toward our group of like-minded music fans and musicians, listening intently and offering unfiltered commentary about the subject at hand, but he always did it with humor and thoughtful insight. I think the key to his wisdom – make no mistake, he was wise beyond his age - was his complete lack of pretentiousness.

I cannot speak to the mundane details of his life; I never met his family or even went to his house. What I know of Norm is simply that he had a generous soul and a big heart. He found a way to make a part of the journey smoother and more enjoyable. May we all carry a bit of Norm’s spirit with us as we continue the journey without him.

Mike Gibbons – deceased

In Memoriam

Disappeared around 1980 and presumed deceased

OBITUARY

Mike graduated with us and went on to play football at Northwest Missouri State College. Mike started numerous games his freshman year as he was a great linebacker. However Mike developed substance abuse and drug issues that year as well. He subsequently was released from the Northwest Missouri State football team. Though he tried to he never did play football at the college level again.

Mike eventually entered into treatment programs, but was never the same. After losing track of him, I heard he went to Florida where he had several issues with the legal system. Mike then just dropped out of sight. His family made several trips to Florida to try and locate him but none were successful.

In speaking with his brother Tim, it was the feeling of the family that Mike was gone forever and presumed dead. They had never had any official notice but that is their presumption.

- Bill Holland

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE GIBBONS: A remembrance by Larry Linkul

During our senior year, Steve Kohnen and I were drafted to be the chain gang for the football games. I loved that job that put us right on the field and near the action. We also had the chance at half time to be in the locker room when Christian, Vitello and Cerneka “analyzed” in rather strong words how our Spartans were performing.

The game against CBC was a pivotal one for our Team as the newest member of the Bi-State league. We all knew the legacy of the Christian Brothers football program that would culminate each year at Busch Stadium with their game against SLUH with 20,000 fans in attendance. This home game was our chance to gain respect in the Bi-State league and it was a hard-fought contest on a muddy field. Mike Gibbons was everywhere, and he was brutal in his tackles. Late in the game, Mike tackled a shifty CBC running back near the CBC sideline and not only took the running back off the field but nearly ran him into the CBC bench. The Coach for CBC, Bill Gerdemann, was furious and was ranting at Gibbons as Mike gathered himself and started back to the playing field.

As Mike just returned to the field, I saw him slightly turn his head to a side to get his bearings on where Gerdemann stood and picking up a glob of mud he tossed it backwards and it hit Gerdemann squarely in the face! I nearly fell over and had to suppress my laughter as Gerdemann wiped the mud from his face. Gerdemann was now charging onto the field after Mike. Arms waving and calling Gibbons every name in the book.

Immediately after the game, Gerdemann confronted Christian as the Teams left the field. The next thing I noticed was Christian calling Mike over and giving him a tongue lashing…. I wanted to believe that while Bob was not “pleased” with Mike’s action, Bob understood that Mike had sent the message that there was a new Team in town, and we play to win….

Mike Gibbons next to Bick at the end of the De Smet-CBC Game Senior Year 1970, up from the mud, with CBC players in background.

Children: 3 (Scott, Pam, Janet)

Any sons to De Smet: 1 (Scott)

David Gilroy

425 N. Taylor Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122

feathergill@hotmail.com

Grandchildren: 4 - Caydence (15), Jensen (13), Donovan (7 mo.), Ryder (4 mo.)

College and Degrees: B.A., Construction Management, Florida International University

Main Life activities: 40-year career as an estimator for commercial construction project, currently retired.

Noteworthy/Interesting accomplishments: Vice President of Pre-construction at HBE Corporation for 15 years, and Clayco for 12 years. Owned my own construction firm for 8 years in St. Louis.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Boating on the Mississippi River and Lake of the Ozarks. Travelling in my vintage GMC Motor Home. Restoring old boats.

De Smet Memories: Managed to persuade the project senior supervisors to let me and Mark Holton go around filming other class members working !!

Memorable Teachers: Father Lawless chain smoking while teaching class.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: River Horse / Breaking Bad / Silverado, Animal House, Caddyshack. Cities lived in: Houston, Miami.

States visited: Most Favorites: Florida, Michigan.

Countries: France, England, Spain, Germany Favorites: France (Nice) – my brother Tom lives there

Favorite Cities: Shanghai, China; Amsterdam

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Playing with my two new grandsons, now 7 mo. And 4 mo. Old.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Die with a smile !

John Goessling, III

14340 Bramblewood Ct

Chesterfield MO 63017

goessling@archexpress.net

314.267.1402

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Anna Children: 2 Grandchildren: 1

Colleges/Degrees: University of Missouri – St Louis, BA

Main Life activities: After UMSL graduation, passed CPA and worked as Controller / CFO in the private sector industry that included: building materials, manufacturing, movie, fantasy sports/internet, printing and transportation. For the last 21 years, my wife Anna and I have owned Arch Express that provides same day delivery service.

Noteworthy accomplishments: Married for over 30 years to my lovely wife, Anna Bowers of Houston, TX. We have two kids, Kelli (husband Kyle) and Jake (wife Mattie), both CPAs and both with infant sons. Chairman of UMSL Accounting Advisory Board for three years, President of DeSmet Alumni Board – 2 years, VP of DeSmet Alumni Board – 2 years, Chairman of DeSmet Hall of Fame Board – 2 years, member of the Missouri Society of CPAs – 31 years and committee member of the Fisher House Foundation - 9 years. Incarnate Word Parish Committee Director for Annual Catholic Appeal for the last two years and a Temple Tabulator for 28 years with Bob Kuelker (’71) and Rick Vogel (’72).

Hobbies/Sports/Volunt: Try to play golf, started the “longest day of golf” with the American Cancer Society, and always enjoy watching high school/college/pro sporting events.

De Smet Memories: Serving as basketball student manager for Coach Grawer was an education by itself as Coach was the Best as he was a perfectionist! Very much enjoyed being part of the team! Working with Pat Hayes as assistant student manager just added to this adventure! Locker partner Frank Furlong owes me many Twinkies and Hostess Cupcakes he borrowed from many of my lunches!!

Memorable Teachers: Coach Grawer (best teacher in high school and college), Fr. Lawless (fascinating smoking professor), Mr. Keene (help me with my math), Brother Jim – a true men with / for others, Coach Burgman (always prepared and enjoyed his class) and George Hasser as his classes were a little more enjoyable than most!!

Fav Books / TV / Movies: The Firm – John Grisham, Open – John Feinstein, Money Mischief-Milton Friedman, Basic Economics-Thomas Sowell, The Sting, Caddy Shack, and Raiders of the Lost Ark

List Cities lived in:

# States visited:

Pebble Beach, CA (played scenic course with Dr. Mike Faddis)

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Potential Gravestone

Epithet: Share your blessings

Marital Status: Married

Jim Griese

135 Turnberry Road

Anderson, South Carolina 29621

jim.griese@charter.net 864-430-0545

Spouse name: Nancy

Children: 2 Boys (Bill 1984, David 1988) Grandchildren: 4 (plus one due in May ’21)

Colleges and degrees: Missouri S&T (formerly UMR) - BSME

Main Life activities: 37-year career with Michelin North America (engineering /management / sales); 31 years combined active/reserve service as an officer in the US Army; 5 years of happy retirement (and hopefully many more to come); 41 years of happy marriage and all the good stuff that goes with it!

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments:

 Civilian Career: Promoted to and served in three different Director-level positions at Michelin.

 Military Career: First assignment: Served with US Army in Korea. Subsequently, commanded at Battery, Battalion, and Brigade levels with Army National Guard Field Artillery units.

Achieved rank of Colonel. OIF veteran.

 Personal: In partnership with wife Nancy, we raised two happy and successful sons.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Travel. Golf (still a work in progress!). Boating/water sports. Active in variety of parish ministries, including current President of our Men’s Club. Serving as an officer in our community HOA.

De Smet Memories: the smell of fresh paint in the new DeSmet in the fall of ’67; the eccentric teaching style of Fr.Robert DeRouen; two-a-day football practices in August; the 0.8 mile walk, carrying my DeSmet book bag, on cold mornings to catch the “Delmar-Olive (Rt.91)” Bi-State bus; sophomore year - the reckless running style of my lifelong friend, Mike McCullough.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Timothy Lawless (world class chain smoker, “You, Mr. Griese, must write.”); Tom O’Keefe (The guy had class. He got a raw deal when Bob Christian took over.); Terry Dempsey (He took a personal interest in making me a better writer.)

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: “The Greatest Generation” (T. Brokaw) / “WKRP in Cincinnati” / “Band of Brothers” / “Bevis & Butthead Do America”

Cities lived in: Ft. Sill (Lawton) OK, Camp Pelham ROK, Ft. Bragg (Fayetteville) NC, Baghdad Iraq, Anderson SC

States visited: All of them, except SD, ND, MT, ID, VT, CT, ME

Favorites: Hawaii, Florida

Countries: Mexico, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bahamas, Taiwan (RoC) , China (PRC), Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Iraq, Kuwait, Jamaica, US VI, UK VI, Aruba, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Israel, French Polynesia, Egypt, St. Lucia, Martinique, Spain.

Favorites: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea), Jamaica, France

Continents: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania

Favorite Cities: Paris, Taipei, Key West

Remaining Goals in Life: Simplify. Celebrate. Be a better friend & brother. Continue to grow in faith. Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Keep the faith! Rejoice! Never, ever, ever…quit.

Mike Gronemeyer – deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 10/30/1971

OBITUARY

Died in an automobile accident near Platte City, Missouri as a freshman at Rockhurst College.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE GRONEMEYER: A remembrance by Larry Linkul

I don’t think I ever saw Mike without a smile on his face. He was such an outgoing, fun-loving personality. He always made me feel welcome.

Three neighborhood friends of Mike’s were Mike Faddis, Tom Butler and Steve Wilcutt. The group would often show up for 3 on 3 games at DeSmet in the he at of the summer. They were a close group and the camaraderie from their neighborhood escapades would carry over to the court. There was always plenty of trash talk and if you called a foul, you better be bleeding to qualify as a foul or be ready for an argument.

Mike was part of the DeSmet group of Burns, Patton and myself that choose Rockhurst College for further education. Mike’s dormitory suite at Rockhurst was down the hall from mine in Loyola-Xavier Hall and his room was always crowded with fellow freshman as Mike knew how to entertain. On that fateful morning of Saturday, October 30th, 1971, as Mike was leaving the dorm for a rugby game at St. Benedict’s, he knocked on the door of my room, threw me the keys to his room and knowing I did not have a TV set, told me if I wanted to watch any football games to use his room.

I wished him best of luck for the game and later that afternoon took him up on his offer and laid down on the floor of his room tuning into a Big 10 football game. As I was watching the game, I had an uncomfortable feeling and got up off the floor and looked out of Mike’s picture window that faced west. I could see some threatening thunderstorms and had an unsettling feeling. About 2 hours later, we received the word that Mike, along with 6 others, were killed in a 2-car head on collusion. I was devastated. I found a pay phone in the Xavier-Loyola dorm to call DeSmet and pleaded to speak with Brother Jim Marheineke. Jim tried to calm me down and just listened as I retold this story. How was it possible for such a promising young man to have his life cut short so tragically?....

Later in the week, the Gronemeyer’s traveled to Rockhurst to reclaim Mike’s possessions. It was a difficult time for all of us to try and understand how this was all possible, particularly for his Mother …

I am forever grateful to Mike for how he made me feel welcome to his inner circle of friends. His friendship was unconditional. His smile radiated a room. He was an integral part of our class. May he rest in peace…

Kevin Harrison

4590 South Ridge Meadows

St. Louis MO 63128

hansccs12@aol.com 314-973-3302

Marital Status: married Spouse name: Karen

Children: 2 boys

Grandchildren: 4 -- 1 boy; 3 girls

Colleges and degrees: Monmouth College, and Washington University. BA (Asian Studies), and mostly finished a Masters

Main Life activities: Work and travel

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: President of IAPSV 3 years. Earned the Silver Beaver from the Boy Scouts of America. Highest award a council can give a volunteer

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Played 3 years soccer in college (Div. 3), volunteer in the Boy Scouts 29 years and counting, watching both sons swimming careers

De Smet Memories: Not achieving what I was capable of doing.

Memorable Teachers: Chris Mess, Kevin Buckley (good) George Barhorst (bad)

Favorite Books I TV I Movies: Roots/Star Trek

Star Wars (all); any Monty Python

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Monmouth, ll (college)

States visited: 49 Favorites: Alaska, New Hampshire, Vermont, North Carolina

Countries: England, Scotland, Wales, No. Ireland, Ireland, France Favorites: Scotland

Continents: NA/Europe Favorite Cities

Edinburgh Paris Boston

Remaining Goals in Life: To continue as Scoutmaster as long as I can to help influence our next generation watch my grandchildren grow

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I told you I was sick.

Patrick J. Hayes

1206 Moorland Dr. St Louis MO 63117

patrickjhayesstl@gmail.com 314.477.9966

Marital Status: Single Children: Bryan (40); Timothy (37); Steve (35) Sons attending De Smet: Two Chaminade, one Parkway Grandchildren: Benjamin & Yoshi, with # 3 due in August Colleges and degrees: B.S. Business Administration - UMSL Main Life activities: Father of 3 great sons, and 2 (soon to be 3) grandchildren. Buyer for Stix, Baer, & Fuller (STL), Buyer for Venture Stores (STL), National Account Manager for WestPoint Stevens, International Home Furnishings Textile Conglomerate (STL & Dallas), Business Manager for West Point Stevens (NYC), Financial Advisor for Edward Jones & First Bank Wealth, and now last few months a Banker at First Bank (STL).

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Buyer of the Year Award (SBF), various awards Ventures stores; Numerous Sales awards (WPH); Triple Crown Winner & KYC Top Performer (Edward Jones).

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Table Tennis, bicycling, swimming, gardening, pickle ball, Yoga, hiking, card games and board games, attending theatrical events. Some current activities include: Member of Immacolata’s Men’s group, Manresa Group (DeSmet chapter), Chess with Homeless & Incarcerated, DeSmet White-House Captain – 13 years Retreatant, Lecturer, Eucharistic Minister, PSR teacher (8th Grade), Parish Rosary Groups, assist with a couple of mentally challenged parishioners. Previously: St. Vincent de Paul, C.H.R.P., Baseball coach, WCBL Rep, Athletic Board member, C.P.O.P. Pres. of Baseball program, Parish Play. De Smet Memories: Grateful for meeting and keeping friendships with so many tremendous people –students as well as faculty. Being a student manager to the first DeSmet basketball team – our first Varsity year – our Jr. year. Wrestling team Freshman year. Playing Bridge in a side room of the Library (Thanks Betty Simpson) with Bobby Kuelker, Jim Allen, & Steve Kohnen. Participating in Love Story directed by John Faust. In Love Story’s last rehearsal, Faust found a bottle of champagne Kreutz brought. A big debate ensued as to what to do with us all, including EXPELLING us then and there. Never in jug & have attended All of reunions.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Minogue, Mr. Frietag, Denny Dietz, both Fr. Lawlesses, George Hasser, Dr. Buckley, Mr. Keene, John Faust, Padre Hoyer, “Big” Bashweiner, Mr. Santizo, Fr. Gerry Bone, Fr. Snyder, Mr. John Arnold.

Favorite TV / Movies/Theatre:

Man for All Seasons, Dick van Dyke

Wicked. So difficult to choose favori

Cities lived in: KC, STL, Atlanta, New York States visited: (47) all but Idaho, Montana, N Dakota

Countries: (10) France, England, Japan, Thailand, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Canada, Mexico

Favorites: France, Thailand, and Austria

Cities: Paris, NYC, S.F., Bo and Providence of Nova Scotia

Remaining Goals in Life: will get me to Heaven and to possible, especially my children, friends, and family members.

Potential Gravestone

Epitaph: Generous of Heart, Constant of Faith.

Marital Status: M

Steve Heberer

101 Little Creek Way

Boones Mill, VA 24065

sheberer09@gmail.com 908 894 4084

Spouse name: Lisa

Children: 2 Boys … Michael, Graham

Grandchildren: 1 Weston

Colleges and degrees: BS Webster University

Main Life activities: Supply Chain Manager … Anheuser Busch

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Worked 40 years for a single employer (Anheuser Busch)

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Traveling the US in our RV

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Lawless

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Anything written by David Baldacci

Cities lived in: Ft .Collins, CO., Glen Gardner, NJ

States visited: CO, WY, MT, SD, UT, NM, AZ, ME, SC, NC, AL, FL

Favorites: CO, UT, WY

Countries: Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, England, France, Italy

Favorites: Italy

Favorite Cities: Rome

Remaining Goals in Life: T0 drive to Alaska via the Alaskan Highway

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He gave it his best

Henry Heck - deceased In

Memoriam

Deceased November 11, 2016

OBITUARY

Henry George Heck passed away suddenly on November 11, 2016 at the age of 63. Resident of Lake Jackson, Texas. Married to Jan Heck (nee Hightower). Stepfather to Joseph (Mary) Free and grandfather to four grandsons. Son of the late Henry and Joyce Heck and brother of Mary (Fred) Wohlschlaeger, Paul (Lydia) Heck, Robert (Debra) Heck, Nancy (the late Bill) Cortner and Judy (Tim) Weber. Member of the first graduating class at DeSmet Jesuit High School, 1971.

Graduated with a degree in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1975. Member of the MIT crew team all four years. Henry worked for Dow Chemical for over 25 years before his retirement in 2006. What Henry loved the most was the 26 acres he and his wife bought in Industry, Texas. They moved a small 100-year-old house onto the property. It was a beautiful place.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

HENRY HECK: A remembrance by John Goessling

“Henry sat behind me in many classes as our names were very close alphabetically. Didn’t know Henry very well, but was always a very nice guy! God rest his soul.”

HENRY HECK: A remembrance by Gary Mareschal

Henry and I first met in probably the second or third grade at St Lawrence the Marty grade school in the newly developed subdivision of Carrollton. Although we didn’t live all that close to each other, we were able to visit periodically for several years. Henry had a grandmother in St Charles, and I had one in Hazelwood so that entailed a lot of bicycle rides across the old St Charles Rock Road Bridge and in roundabout ways and backroads to Hazelwood. Henry’s family moved about sixth grade, so we were less frequently in touch but still got our bike rides in to Babler Park. His home was always a great place to visit, and he had a wonderful family. He had a trampoline in the backyard that got a lot of use, and his mom loved to cook leg of lamb or lamb chops ………..yummy!

We stayed in contact over the years at De Smet though not as frequently and did get in a few card games on occasion with some of the other De Smet students. Henry went to MIT after graduation and although I’m not entirely certain of his exact profession I believe it was something along the line of a chemical engineer. He moved around the country a bit in conjunction with his work from the east coast to California, and eventually wound up in Texas where he met his wife and was married and eventually retired. I do know that while he was at MIT he was a member of a crew team and apparently was pretty good at it. I know he also hiked a good portion of the Appalachian Trail.

Henry really was a smart guy but there is one memory of him that I will never forget. I grew up next door to my grandparents who still raised livestock including milking cows, mostly Jersey and Guernsey’s but also one black cow. One time early in our acquaintance, Henry asked a few questions about the milk and cows and somehow after a lot of back-and-forth discussion about the subject, I convinced him the black cow produced chocolate milk. He did not believe it since he knew he used cocoa at home to make chocolate milk, but I convinced him that was fake chocolate milk. The real chocolate milk came in bottles just like the other milk. Fortunately, his dad picked him up before it was milking time that day. He and his parents reminded me of that story every time I saw them over the next 30 years.

And believe it or not, after retiring in Texas, Henry began to raise cattle.

Albert J. "Jack” Hitt III

Memoriam

Deceased February 18, 2015

OBITUARY

Hitt III, Albert J. "Jack'” of Defiance, MO, died on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, at the age of 61. Loving husband of Jean M. Hitt; beloved son of Dorothy and the late Albert J. Hitt; loving father of Elizabeth (Matt) McClure, Nick (Lee) Hitt, and Joe (Christine) Hitt; cherished grandfather of John, Evelyn, Jack, Charlotte, Nathan, and one on the way; dear brother of Mary (David Evans) Hitt, Anne (Curt Wilkerson) Hitt, and Bob (Theresa) Hitt.

Jack was a Boy Scout for life, perpetual student, and engineer. He loved to travel with his wife and visit his kids and grandkids. He was always working on projects. He enjoyed sailing, spending time outdoors, and reading.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to Siteman Cancer Center or Boy Scouts of America.

William Holland

12825 Pointe Drive St Louis MO 63127 wpholland79@gmail.com (573) 803-8316

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Angela Children: 3 Grandchildren: 7

College(s)/Degrees: Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University) 1975

Main Life activities: I retired in 2018 after a 42 year career. I worked for Southwestern Bell for 18 years, the Volpi Italian Foods for 12 years and Southeast Missouri State University for 12 years. I was primarily in Sales and Marketing, Human Resources and University Advancement

I have been blessed to have been married to the love of my life, Angela for 42 years. We have two sons, Gregory and Garry, and a wonderful daughter, Gabrielle. All of our children live in St. Louis and have blessed us with seven grandchildren. We have been active in our Parish and other school related activities. Now our focus is being the best grandparents that we can be.

Noteworthy accomplishments: My most memorable accomplishment is that whenever I changed jobs people always told me that I was going to be missed and were grateful for what I had done for them. I guess it was that “Man for Others” concept that we were taught at De Smet.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunt: My primary hobbies are playing golf, home improvement projects, being with family.

De Smet Memories: There are too many to list. Our freshman year was special. It was only our class then and we were confined to the first floor during the fall semester. It forced us to bond in a special way. I do remember the first football game against Mercy and the last one against Jeff City Helias. I remember baseball against SLUH. Homeroom with Mr. Morgan and the quiet of the library with Mrs. Simpson who was always so kind. The individual stories are best left unsaid because there still may be a statute of limitations or JUG if they were written down.

Memorable Teachers: All our teachers were memorable. They were so dedicated to making sure we received a great Catholic education. Christian, Mess, Vitello, Grawer, Father Lawless, Father Houlihan, O’Keefe, Keene, Morgan, Hasser and all of the others had a profound influence on me. They taught me lessons that served me well throughout my life. I am grateful to them all.

Fav Books / TV / Movies: Big Jake, Apollo 13, the American President, and Open Range are among my favorite movies. I am a big fan of historical documentaries and biographies. I read newspapers, magazines and newsfeeds constantly.

List Cities lived in: St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri States visited: 40 Countries: 3 Favorites: Italy Favorite Cities: Florence, Rome, Montreal, New York and Washington, DC

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Be as active and healthy as I can be, get at least one hole in one, learn to be a be to resume travelin

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Loving husband, father and grandfather. He worked hard and gave it his best.

Jim Hummert

439 Conway Meadows Drive

Chesterfield, MO 63017

jimhummert@gmail.com 314-308-2874

Marital Status: Married 42 yrs Spouse name: Patty Hummert

Children: Jimmy

Sons attending De Smet: Jimmy Hummert Class of 1998

Grandchildren: my son says they are working on it

Colleges and degrees: BS Geological Engineering, Univ. of Missouri Science and Technology

Main Life activities: Worked at several Anheuser Brewery expansions first ten years and then focused on large dams throughout the US and internationally for over 30 years. Still working with the original legacy consulting engineering firm I joined after college ~44 yrs.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments:

 Chair, USSD Dams Monitoring Committee for 8 years-several ICOLD presentations

 Member, Eyecrossers Bass Club since 1992

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, Fishing

De Smet Memories: Earthquake during early football game in freshman year. Long bus rides. Jug. Good times.

Memorable Teachers: Fr Houlihan, Fr Arnold and Mr. Grawer

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Books by Chernow, Samuelson, Ambrose, McCullough, Hiaasen, Suarez and Larry McMurtry

Cities lived in: Tampa, FL, Williamsburg, VA, Los Angeles, CA, Houston, TX Ft. Collins, CO, Cambridge, MA

States visited: all but Alaska Favorites: MA, NC, CA, CO and MT

Countries: Mexico, England, New Zealand, Australia, China, Malaysia, Canada, Italy

Favorites: enjoyed working and vacationing in all of them

Continents: see above Favorite Cities: Melbourne and Rome

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel and visit friends and family.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: So long for now.

David Jaegers

745 Wayne 224A Greenville, MO 63944

djaegers@hughes.net 573-707-3413

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Catherine Grace (Porter)

Colleges and degrees: BS Biology Marquette University 1975; MS Technology and Human Affairs Washington University 1980; Teacher Certification SEMO 1991; AD Nursing Three Rivers Community College 2009

Main Life activities:

 1980's Managed the construction of apartment complexes in St Louis area.

 1990's Married Catherine, and began applying the DeSmet born pioneering spirit to homesteading land in Southeast Missouri, taught Eighth Grade Science in public school.

 2000's Switched from Teaching and sheep to Nursing and sheep.

 2010's Nursing, farming, writing fiction.

 Retired 2019 to commune with Nature in a beautiful, albeit "wild" setting.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Modern Day homesteader; Transformed a valley, designed and built farm and home; Published two novels relating Christianity to Astrology; Never stopped trying to be a better Christian.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Farming, gardening, music, Great Pyrenees dogs, swimming.

De Smet Memories:

1. Being a 13 year old, 95 pound runt when I started.

2. Listening to Eric Burdon 'Spill the Wine' while painting the bleachers.

3. Father Arnold twisting my ear off because of my first semester grades.

4. Manning the switchboard for the Jesuits after school until 9 PM every Monday.

5. Studying, studying and more studying. Importance of achievement.

Memorable Teachers: Father Lawless, Mr. Dempsey, Mr. Caraffa.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Cities lived in: St Louis, Milwaukee, New York, Hiram Favorite Cities: None

States visited: Almost all. Favorites: Missouri

Countries: Jamaica, Mexico, Peru. Favorites: Jamaica

Remaining Goals in Life: Writing Non-fiction, philosophy, spiritual development, World religions.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Do It Yourselfer

Robert Johans

62695 NW Mt. Thielsen Drive Bend, Oregon 97703

rjohansjr@gmail.com 541-610-2292

Fifty years. Holy cow…

Since 1971, I’ve added 15lbs, kept the marriages below three, the daily pills at two, and the OBP above .750.

Proud west coast, creve coeur liberal (see what I did there) and card-carrying atheist. Still a Cards fan.

No jail-time to speak of. Therapy? Plenty.

Favorite De Smet-era memory: Donna.

Despite 68 years of banal disasters and a few hardscrabble, yet happy successes, I’ve managed to retain my liver, all ten fingers, most of my hair—and some of the wits that have resided there under.

I have a fine son. A good wife. Some fine friends. A good life.

All in all, I’ve been very lucky. — RJ

“There is no such thing as an average life.” — Mark Twain

Marital Status: Married

Children: 3

Richard

Johnson

1202 Sweeping Oaks St Charles MO 63304

rjohnson@stchas.edu 636 926 3483

Spouse name: Michele Linhoff Johnson

Sons attending De Smet: 3 (graduated)

Colleges and degrees: BFA, Washington University; MA, Washington University; Ph.D., Washington University

Main Life activities: I have been teaching English at St. Charles Community College for the last 27 years. I am now retired.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: In the winter of 1994, published an article, “The Politics of Publication: Misrepresentation in Milton’s 1645 Poems” in the literary quarterly, Criticism. Not much after that, I am sorry to say. Currently working on two writing projects.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Reading and writing

De Smet Memories: De Smet track team, Senior year English class, Mr. Faust and the “Love Story” production, getting a demerit for running in the hallway, almost getting suspended Senior year for not getting my hair cut, Mr. Lehrer’s Senior year film class, Mr. Bashweiner, Art teacher Donald Scheckler, that menacing stare of Father Lawless (who was a very nice man off school grounds) and Mr. Richard Minogue, who taught Freshman English.

Memorable Teachers: See above.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: all of Shakespeare and Milton’s Paradise Lost; the Dick Van Dyke Show; Citizen Kane and North by Northwest

Cities lived in: Seattle and Los Angeles

States visited: Very nearly all of them Favorites: Washington and California

Countries: British Columbia Favorites: None

Remaining Goals in Life: to “leave something so written to after-times, as they should not willingly let it die.”

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “Look above, Not below.”

Bob Karleskint

6791 Kley Lane

House Springs, MO 63051

woodbbob@aol.com

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Peggy

Children: Michael, Marissa, Mary

Grandchildren: Jason, Evan, Robley, Aleah, Charlie. Julia, Emma

Main Life activities: Carpentry, rock & fossil collecting

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Made it to 68 years old!

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Fishing, boating, rock & fossil collecting, lapidary, carpentry

De Smet Memories: Jug. Watching Father Lawless smoke cigarettes in class

Memorable Teachers: Father Lawless, Mr. Arnold

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: 1984, Independence Day, Armageddon, 2001 Space Odyssey

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Columbia, MO

States visited: IL, KY, TN, FL, NY, GA, AL, IN, OH, VA, WV, MD, TX, AR, OK, NM, AZ, CA, HI, WA, WY, CO, MT, ND, SD, IA, NE, KS, MI, MN, WI, UT, ID

Favorites: SD, MT, HI

Countries: Canada, Mexico, Jamaica Favorites: Mexico

Continents: North America

Remaining Goals in Life: Accomplished

Mike Kelly

4347 South Weller Ave #4

Springfield MO 65804

mike.kelly19@att.net 314-749-5482

Marital Status: Divorced Children: (2) daughters Nephew attended De Smet: John Fischer class of ’91. Grandchildren: (1) granddaughter plus another grandchild due in October 2021 Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri – Columbia: Bachelors of Science in Forest Management; Masters of Business Administration in Production – Operations Management (Major emphasis on Information Systems)

Main Life activities: Drafted into the US Army in 1972 through 1974. Served as a military policeman in South Korea. Started college in 1974 with one year at Meramec Community College in St. Louis then transferred to the University of Missouri – Columbia to study Forest Management. Graduated with a BS in Forest Management in 1979 and immediately entered the MBA program. Graduated with an MBA in Production Operations Management in 1981.

My career was in business application development. I enjoyed building complex business applications throughout by entire career. Below is a list of employers over the years.

 US Department of Commerce in Columbia, MO.

 University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.

 McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO.

 US Postal Service in St. Louis, MO.

Now retired in Springfield, MO.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: My greatest accomplishment are two wonderful daughters. The oldest is an Occupational Therapist; youngest is in her last year of medical school.

For my tour of duty in South Korea, I was attached to the United Nations Command - Joint Security Area at Panmunjom Korea. My duties were to provide security and escort services to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission members. In my role as security/escort, I attended all the Armistice meetings between the US Army, South Korea, North Korea and China. It was a great life experience. In the MBA program at the University of Missouri, I was a teaching assistant in the university computer lab who assisted students writing programs in Cobol, Fortran and Assembler.

While at the US Postal Service, I was the technical lead for the international Customs pre-advisement project. The project interfaced with IT departments in Homeland Security, US Treasury, Universal Postal Union (an international postal entity) and multiple foreign postal services such as England, France and China. The project was the last ten years of my career and is still growing as additional foreign posts join the project.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: My main hobby is fishing. I was able to spend three and a half months fishing all over Alaska over the summer of 2019. For sports, I hike, bike and swim.

De Smet Memories: Too many great memories to mention so I just say “all the great people and the positive affect knowing them, had on my entire life”.

Memorable Teachers: Too many to list.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Premier League Football and Blues Hockey Cities lived in: Columbia, MO; Springfield, MO; Austin, TX.

States visited: All but seven Favorites: Colorado

Countries: Canada, Mexico, South Korea Favorites: Canada

Favorite Cities: Seoul

Remaining Goals in Life: Plan to travel throughout the US.

Keith Kissane

5927 Pennbrooke Dr St. Louis, Mo 63129

keithkissane@mac.com 314-277-2708

Marital Status: Happily Married Spouse name: Brenda

Children: Three, one daughter, one step-daughter and one step-son

Grandchildren: 5 total: 4 Girls, 1 Boy

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri, St. Louis, BS in Business Administration; USAF NCO Academy

Main Life activities: Owned and operated small business for the last 30 years, semi-retired at 55, shared a tandem bicycle for many years with my wife and daughter, laughed a lot. Enjoyed life.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Lived past 30, worked as an Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist on fighters, F-100 Super Sabres, F-4 Phantoms and F-15 Eagles. Retired from the USAF Reserves and Missouri Air National Guard after 22 years, Spoiled children and grandchildren.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Bicycle touring, founding board member Bicycle Fun Club, Spent 22 years in the Missouri Air National Guard,

De Smet Memories: The massive snowball fight after the first snowstorm Freshman year on the lower parking lot while waiting for the North Bus. The next day’s announcements informed us of a new rule about snowball fights on school grounds

Memorable Teachers: Father Koester, Father Lawless, Mr Dietz,

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Neal Stephenson, Spider Robinson and W. E. B. Griffin

Cities lived in: Saint Louis, Spent the Winter in Key West for the last 5 years

States visited: 45 Favorites: Florida, Montana, Maine, Arizona

Favorite Cities: Key West

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel 6 months of the year in our coach, spend the winters in the south, summers in the north, meets lot of interesting people and see lots of interesting places. Never shovel snow again.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He laughed long and often.

Stephen J. Kohnen

50 Calverton Park Lane

St. Louis, MO 63135

sjk@kaybeeelectric.com

Marital Status: Married (Happily for 48 years to same woman)

Spouse name: Jean Helen Pezold

Children: Alexander Michael, US Naval Academy ’96; Angela, Washington University ’98; Meghan, Fontbonne University ‘06

Sons attending De Smet: Alexander ‘92

Grandchildren: Colton 22, Zachary 21, Elizabeth 19, Samantha 17, Sydney 17, Cecelia 13, Adelina 10, Dominick 12, Annabelle 10, Gretchen 8

Colleges and degrees: Many, never graduated

Main Life activities: Electrician, Electrical contractor (Kay Bee Electric); St Louis Chapter NECA

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Left company in as good a shape as when I took the reins, Left the industry in better shape (my opinion) than when I entered it.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Travel, as long as it’s reachable by auto; Golf; Time with grandkids

De Smet Memories: Learning about teamwo via Rich Grawer … any success that I have had I owe to both my father and Rich.

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer, Larry Morgan, Former Father Bone, Father McQueeny, Father John Arnold

Favorite Books: Any Clancy, Clavell, Herman, Flynn

TV: Any sporting event Movies: Let It Ride

Remaining Goals in Life: Shoot my age in golf! Every year I get closer! Another 10 and it is possible.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Most of my time was extremely enjoyable.

David Kosakowski – deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 2/24/2017

Reflections by Classmates & Others

DAVID KOSAKOWSKI: A remembrance by Bill Holland

Dave Kosakowski was a great guy. He had Hollywood l ooks and a smile that matched. Dave was a smart guy who always got good grades. I remember he took Japanese which I thought was one of the hardest courses taught at De Smet.

Dave ran track and was fast as lightning. His real forte was football. What a running back he was! He was tough, strong and fast. Our senior year he and Dan Rooney, probably the best all round natural athlete in our class, were the backfield. There was not a better tandem in St. Louis that year. They were the Paul Hourning and Jim Taylor or the Jim Kiick and Larry Czonka of the Bi-State Conference.

I can still seeing him sprinting down the field on the first play from scrimmage against Jefferson City Helias. It was a 32 trap play and he ran it for 80 yards down the left side of the field. I nailed the inside linebacker and Mike Gibbons kicked out the end. I was on the ground and saw #24 leaving everyone in a cloud of dust or on that day mud. That was a record that stood for over 40 years. Dave was always proud that he was the leading rusher on the team.

After college Dave settled in the Fort Lauderdale area and owned a Chevrolet dealership. Prior to our 15th reunion I called to the dealership and asked to speak with him. The person on the phone asked to what the call was in regard to. I told them that there was an audit of De Smet football records and that Dave was really five yards less than Dan Rooney.

One minute later Dave is on the phone and wanted to know who this was. I started laughing and told him of the prank. Dave called me every name imaginable. That was the last time I spoke with Dave. I understand that he encountered problems and really was unreachable. I hope and pray that Dave found peace and is resting in the arms of Our Lord.

Roger Kreutz – deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased March 5, 2008

OBITUARY

Died heroically on March 5, 2008 trying to stop a robbery attempt in St. Louis South County. As reported in the Post-Dispatch at the time:

“He (Roger) stands in line behind a young man and woman at the coffee shop (Starbucks), where he’s a regular customer. A young man (in front of Roger) fiddles with items on the counter while she orders a coffee, pays and heads out the door. The young man swipes the tip jar, and Kreutz, in the spur of the moment, gives chase.

What happened next is not caught on tape. Police say the two suspects, with the young man behind the wheel of a 1990s white Ford Taurus, ran over the Good Samaritan in the parking lot.

Kreutz, 54, died at the hospital, two days after he was struck.”

Reflections by Classmates & Others

ROGER KREUTZ: A remembrance by a Classmate

I got to know Roger a bit as we shared a couple of classes together - How Roger’s life ended encapsulates how Roger lived his life - for others and thinking of others. Roger was a fun, bright, and a bit lazy guy, a good guy who enjoyed life. R.I.P. Roger

ROGER KREUTZ: A remembrance by Patrick Hayes

Roger was a great friend to be with at DeSmet. He was always positive and had a fantastic wit that was often laced with a perfect sarcasm. He was always welcoming and frequently invited several of us to his home just to hang out or to have a party.

After DeSmet, we didn’t keep in close touch. But Roger eventually came to run the Viking Hotel at Lindbergh and Watson (owned by his family?). No matter when or how long it had been, whenever I would go there, usually for a real estate or other fu nction, Roger would also be as gracious as always and make it a point to spend a bit of time visiting and catching up.

When I read of Roger’s tragic passing, I could only think of how “Roger” it was that he was trying to stop someone from stealing and make something right. It embodied the big heart and decent spirit of Roger. Rest in peace, Roger.

Marital Status: Married

Children: Matthew

Bob Kuelker, Jr.

13243 Windygate Ln St Louis MO 63146

americancommission@att.net 314.799.4419

Spouse name: Vicki

Colleges and degrees: BS from Benedictine College

Main Life activities: President of American Commission

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: One Wife, One House, One Job, One Kid

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: golf, betting on the horse races, Temple Tabulating De Smet Memories: Lettered in football, basketball and baseball all four years

Memorable Teachers: Larry Morgan, Tom O’Keefe, Bob Christian and Bob Kelly

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: No books, any TV or Movie

States visited: ALL Favorites: Nevada

Countries: Spain, Scotland Continents: Europe Favorite Cities: Las Vegas

Remaining Goals in Life: Hope to see my grandchildren

Lawrence Linkul

13 Algonquin Wood Pl St Louis MO 63122

llinkul@gmail.com 314-650-7699

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Mary Children: 2 Grandchildren: 2+

College(s) / Degrees: Rockhurst College (BA- Political Science, History), University of Missouri, Saint Louis (MBA-Management), University of Bath, England (MSc Business Management)

Main Life activities: Traveled to Perth, Australia to start a teaching and coaching career. Taught Economics and American History at SLUH and coached B-team Basketball and Football. Worked in International Sales for 36 years: 5 years at Sigma Chemical managing the export department, 11 years at St. Louis Music, as Director of Purchasing and responsible for creating an Export, 20 years at Peavey Electronics in International Sales and retired as General Manager of International Sales at the end of 2018. In January 2021 started working with Rich Grawer at Infinite Educational Strategies (IES), which provides education on Social Security and Medicare. Also preparing individual tax returns at Strategic Tax, which is an affiliated company to IES.

Noteworthy accomplishments: Married for 36 years and blessed with 2 sons that are now married and have started their own families. Received a Rotary Fellowship to study in England, completing MSc Business. Initiated Saint Ignatius Cup – a friendly golf match between De Smet and SLUH raising donations for each school. Over the 8 years since initiated, the match now stands at 44. Faddis and I finally defeating Kuelker/Kohnen in golf match… Record now 1-25…

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, volunteering as Academic Advisor (Boys Hope/Girls Hope), volunteering as a tax-preparer for AARP, and substitute teacher at Mary Queen of Peace.

De Smet Memories: one-on-one basketball sessions with Bro. Jim Marheineke. 3 on 3 pickup basketball games with faculty after school. Creating friendships with Classmates that last to this day!

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer as a Coach, Teacher and Mentor. Dempsey’s American literature class. Fr. Bergin’s history classes.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: William Manchester’s books, Law and Order Jason Bourne Series

List Cities lived in: Saint Louis, Fermantle (Australia), Bath (England)

Lived foreign: Fermantle (Australia), Bath (England) States visited: 30 Favorite US Cities: Washington DC, Destin, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago

Countries: 65 Favorites: Australia, France, Italy, England, Germany, Jamaica, Israel, Argentina.

Continents: 6 Favorite Cities: Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Florence, London, Paris,

Some Remaining Goals in my Life: travel the USA, particularly Mountain and Northwest regions

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: illegitimi non carborundum, Don't quit!

Marital Status: Married (29 yrs)

John J. Lowell

20 South Covington Meadows St. Louis, MO 63132

jlowell@lowellmfg.com 314-724-1493

Children: 2 Boys, Jarret (25) and Alex (23)

Spouse name: Grace (Gai)

Colleges and degrees: St. Louis University, BS, Marketing, 1975

Main Life activities: I’ve been involved in the family business since college, first in retail sales, and then in 1977 I joined the manufacturing side of the business at Lowell Manufacturing Company

Founded by my late Father in 1947, the Company manufactures a wide variety of products in the audio/video and data/IT infrastructure markets, including 19” electronic equipment racks and accessories, in-ceiling loudspeaker systems and power distribution units (PDU’s). Lowell is also a resource for custom- fabricated metal products for customers from a variety of industries.

I manage the business as President, along with my brothers Wilhelm and Tom.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Meeting, dating and marrying my lovely wife of 29 years, and raising two great sons; Managing a family business & being part of its growth for 44 years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Member of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Annunziata Catholic Church; enjoy cooking and cooking classes. Italian food is a favorite; favorite sports are baseball and golf.

My hobby is collecting, restoring and maintaining vintage automobiles from the 1920s – 1930s era. I also collect automotive artifacts from the same period, an area of collecting within the hobby known as “automobilia”. In high school I drove a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Hardtop which today is much sought after by collectors……wish we had kept it. We also had a WWII era Willys Jeep that my brothers drove to DeSmet.

De Smet Memories: Senior year basketball playoff games; the everwelcoming face of Brother Schmidt in the bookstore; Fr.DeRouen driving our bus home one afternoon (another time he got a bus stuck under a low-hanging bridge); remembering Fr. Jacobsmeyer, 1st President of De Smet, who in the early days could have been mistaken for a groundskeeper, tilling the soil and planting tree seedlings around the campus grounds which are now huge oaks; the Senior prank; best of all: being a member of the 1st De Smet graduating class with a great group of guys and starting the traditions that exist today.

Memorable Teachers: Bob Kelly, Mr. Bashwiner, Rich Grawer, Fr. Lawless, Fr. Snyder, Mrs. Betty Simpson, Brother Schmidt. Fathers Jacobsmeyer and McQueeny were close friends of my parents.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Enjoy reading books on history and historical figures. Favorite movies are Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon Cities lived in: St. Louis States visited: All but Montana and Wyoming Favorites: Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Texas

Countries: Canada, Netherlands Favorites: Canada (provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island)

Favorite Cities: Petoskey, MI; Vero Beach, FL; Montreal, Quebec; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Fredericton, New Brunswick; Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Remaining Goals in Life: To enjoy Grandchildren some day Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I hope I made a difference

Bill Lynch – deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 10/30/1971

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

BILL LYNCH: A remembrance by Bill Holland

Bill Lynch and I had a number of classes together. We were very similar in that we weren’t the smartest guys in the room but we were clearly in the middle of the pack. Bill played baseball and was the starting 3rd baseman. He had a very good senior year and was given the Spartan Award which given to the player who exemplified outstanding hustle and commitment.

Bill played basketball as well. Bill had the distinction of being the only player to break his wrist on a layup during warm ups. He could jump like someone much taller than he was. He went in for the layup and banged his wrist against the backboard. He was in a cast for 6 weeks and never played basketball again.

Years later I worked with Bill’s wife, Barbara. I would see him periodically and could tell his health wasn’t that great. He suffered fr om diabetes as did his Dad. Bill had gained a lot of weight as a result and his knees were bad. I asked him if he wanted to show me his great vertical leap again in a layup contest. Bill said he would try and get out of the chair first.

Bill was a great guy and devoted family man. He had a number of careers and was a real estate agent at the time of his death. He passed away in July, 2010 of complications with pancreatitis.

God bless you my friend!

Michael R. MacDonald, DDS

1360 Silver Sands Ave. Naples, FL 34109

drmikemac@comcast.net (239) 290-0235

Marital Status: married

Children: 2

Grandchildren: 2

Spouse name: Mary

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri-St Louis, BS. University of MissouriKansas City, Dental School DDS

Main Life activities: Work out 4-5 x a week. Restore old muscle cars. Enjoying my grandchildren.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Practiced Dentistry for 40 years. Celebrating 38 years of marriage this year !

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Old cars, racquetball

De Smet Memories: My 4 years of soccer were great. Didn’t realize till later what a great education I received

Memorable Teachers: Fr Lawless and Coach Vitello

Cities lived in: Kansas City, St. Louis, Naples, FL

Remaining Goals in Life: Making memories with my family and friends. Stay healthy !!

Jake MacLeod - deceased Memoriam

Deceased 1/8/2021

OBITUARY

On Friday, January 8, 2021, John Stephen “Jake” MacLeod, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and son was welcomed into the arms of his Lord and Savior after a brief but valiant battle with Covid-19.

Jake was born on December 30, 1952 in Kansas City, Missouri to Thomas Daniel and Marie (O’Brien) MacLeod. The fourth born of six children, he joined an active and loving family. Their mom and dad created an atmosphere of Christian values and instilled a tremendous work ethic which all the children carried into their adulthood. Jake learned to tag along with the fishermen, becoming quite adept at it. He also tagged along on duck hunts with his dad and became a dead-eye marksman, outshooting his brothers to this day.

There was hardly a stick of wood left unaltered from his never-ending desire to make and create. He developed his skills as a woodworker, gifting so many with beautiful treasures. He loved to make family heirlooms. Those blessed by the work of his hands received everything from fly fishing and bagpipe boxes, to baby cribs, beds, jewelry cases- practically anything someone might ask for.

Jake loved to work on cars and could engineer most anything. Jake also loved sharing his knowledge of fixing, making, and growing with anyone who cared to learn, calling on his teaching skills from the past. He often quizzed a grandchild on a subject he felt was important and challenged them always in their thinking

He absolutely adored having family and friends over for a meal of his smoked meats (pheasant, turkey, chicken, steak and salmon were his specialties) or a massive bonfire out back. During the summer months, he was usually found in the pool with grandkids, tossing them high for a big splash or dramatically “falling in” when a sneaky child would come behind and give him a push. Games were also such a favorite part of his when family or friends got together. He loved to challenge his children or a grandchild or two to a game of Chess and enjoyed beating Connie at a game of Rummy or Aggravation.

He loved our MacLeod family history, always researching and sharing interesting facts with us. He made sure to send reminders to everyone when there was a birthday, anniversary, or other important information he had unearthed that needed to be told.

Jake was everyone’s helping hand. Whether you needed work done or your spirits lifted, he was there to offer a huge hug, his hardworking hands, or a listening ear. Jake was a scholar of the Word and shared with all who would listen. His life reflected his commitment and connection with the Lord. He was the epitome of a family man. He loved and cherished his wife, supported and advised his children, and adored and played with his grandchildren.

Jake grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and attended DeSmet Jesuit High School, where he was elected to be their first class president. He played football and wrestled, with wrestling being his love. He graduated from DeSmet in 1971. Jake first attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He then later transferred to Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, and finally attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1976. He then proceeded to teach and inspire 7th and 8th graders for two years before deciding to jump into his long and successful career in telecommunications.

Jake was in on the “ground floor” of the wireless/cellular communication industry, learning and then developing it from its infancy to the behemoth it is today. In San Angelo, Texas he designed the first cellular system for the state of Texas. Eventually, Jake became the head of the Wireless Communications division for

Bechtel Corporation as Principal Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He was viewed as a major asset to Bechtel and to the entire industry. Jake was awarded the esteemed title of “Bechtel Fellow”, an honor bestowed on few.

One of his most challenging ventures was his assignment to Iraq, after the major fighting stopped towards the end of the Gulf War, to consult with the Iraqi government on the rebuilding of their national communications network.

Jake served on numerous industry boards over the course of his career. He was semi-retired and formed his own consulting company, “Graybeards Consulting.” He enjoyed continuing to guide industry peers and companies into excellence by giving his highly sought-after advice and experience.

Jake and Connie worshipped with the Frederick Church of Christ in Frederick, Maryland for twenty-two years where Jake served as head of the mission’s team, deacon and later as an Elder. After moving to Texas in 2013 and searching for a church home for almost two years, they found Southside Church of Christ and have called it “home” ever since. Jake has served in many ways at Southside, including head of the mission’s team, working with the homeless and the church pantry effort and as a deacon. Jake’s heart was in mission work around the world and he devoted countless hours working with the mission teams and organizing trips to the Philippines. Jake was incredibly involved with the fundraising and building of a new worship center for the church in San Fernando, La Union, Philippines. He quickly grew to love the church members there and called them family. Jake served wherever the Lord placed him and always did so with an eagerness and joy.

John Stephen “Jake” MacLeod was a man’s man – full of integrity, honesty, hardworking, strong and bold. Yet he was a gentleman first and loved his wife with total devotion and admiration. He called Connie his “bride” for forty-six years. Jake taught his sons and sons-in-love how to truly love and honor a woman by example. He took the advice given to him by his beloved father-in-law, Papa “NL” Tim McLeod, and never stopped “courting” Connie.

Jake loved smooth Jazz and would jump at the opportunity to play it for whatever captive audience he could get his hands on, whether they be friends poolside or the wayward grandchild working out in his shop. He also loved Celtic music, wearing his kilt, winning the “Bonnie Knees” contests, caber tosses, and a good, old fashioned Scottish Ceilidh. His Highlander roots ran deep.

Jake adored travelling the world, and in his semi-retirement years, his bride was able to adventure around with him. Seeing old friends, making new ones, and exploring everywhere he could brought him much joy. His favorite places on this Earth were Banff, Canada, the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and anywhere with the love of his life.

While the hole in our hearts cuts deeper than any ocean abyss and wider than the biggest expanse of sky, Jake would want us to carry on, day by day. To remember him with much love and lots of laughter. To absolutely put God first in everything we do and to live each day as if it is truly our last.

John Stephen “Jake” MacLeod is survived by his wife, Constance Ann “Connie” McLeod MacLeod; his children, Lorrie Ann MacLeod Dickerson and husband Aaron Dickerson; Zachary Thomas MacLeod; Heather Lynn MacLeod Goodman and husband Adam Goodman; Sean McLeod MacLeod and wife Sarah MacLeod; his eleven grandchildren; Elizabeth, Ella, Anabelle and Hudson Dickerson; Miles MacLeod; Sage, Ari, Maple, and Wilder Goodman; and Iris and Jeremiah MacLeod. He is also survived by sisters, Linda Seveland and Marianne Pruitt, and brothers, Thomas, Michael and Patrick MacLeod. Jake is also survived by sisters- and brothers-in-law and many, many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.

JAKE MACLEOD: A remembrance by Kevin Harrison

I will always remember a Saturday at wrestling practice. We had done something that did not endear us to our coach. His version of wind sprints was to crab walk as fast as you could. After awhile someone noticed blood on the gym floor. Someone else realized it was from Jake. Not a word from him. Coach looked at his hands and the skin was beginning to peel from his palms. He was told to go down to the locker room. His reply, "We are not finished. I'm done when my team is done." I will remember that spirit as long as I live. I can not tell you how many times when things in my life became difficult that I didn't think about that Saturday morning in the De Smet gym. Jake did not give up then and he hasn't given up now. He has just moved on to fight on a different level. Rest in Peace in the house of the Lord my friend.

Gary Mareschal

540 Timberidge Dr

St. Peters MO 63376

gmareschal@hotmail.com 3144-609-9403

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Theresa

Children: Joshua, Lauren, Daniel

Sons attending De Smet: Joshua-1999; Daniel-2005

Grandchildren: 7

Colleges and degrees: St. Louis University, BA

Main Life activities: Department of the Army, 1974-1975; Social Security Administration, 19752002; United States Department of Agriculture, 2002 –present; Vacations throughout much of US and Canada

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: 1953-1972: My family and friends; 1973-1976 Meeting my future wife, her family and friends; 1977 to present: Our children, Our grandchildren, Our family & friends.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Watching grand kids whenever the opportunity presents, Gardening, Hunting, and Travel

De Smet Memories: Senior Year Prom; and chipping golf balls towards the football field not realizing football practice was going on below-Not quite Animal House; Joe Scanlon's handiwork in the student lounge; and the urinal blast

Memorable Teachers: Father Arnold, Father DeRouen; Father Koesterer, Father Tim Lawless, Mr Ralph Caraffa, and Mr Denny Dietz, Brothers Marheineke and Schmidtt.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Last book nearly completely read was probably something in 1971 as required reading at DeSmet. Movie: Paint Your Wagon. TV: Seinfeld. Music: I owe a debt of gratitude to John Wertzberger and his 4 track tape player (as we car pooled to DeSmet junior year) for an introduction to Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and more................ resulting in an appreciation of almost every type of music: past, present, and future: Bach to ZZ Top, with a heaping helping of the Grateful Dead in between. Cities lived in: St. Louis Metro area; Kansas City; Manhattan KS

Favorites: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming (in July), but Missouri most of all.

Countries: Bahamas, Canada, Ireland

Favorites: All of them

Favorite Cities: Augusta and Ste Genevieve, Missouri, and Amelia Island, Florida

Remaining Goals in Life: Trips to Newfoundland and Labrador summer of 2022 (I hope); visiting as many U S National Parks as possible; Scotland and Wales.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph:

I am a pilgrim and a stranger

Traveling through this wearisome land

I've got a home in that yonder city, good Lord And it's not not made by hand

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Jane

Mick Markway

330 Dickson

Kirkwood MO 63122

Mickmarkway@sbcglobal.net

314 541 5222

Children: 3 (Caitlin, Mairin, Michael)

Marital Status: married Spouse name: Carol

Children: 2 boys. Glenn and Ben

Sons attending De Smet: zero (but great nephew Mac Markway currently)

Colleges and degrees: 2 years USNR stationed at Naval Magazine, Guam with a side trip to Okinawa. Four years Reserve.

Main Life activities: 40 years with Norbert Markway Construction (retired). Raising our two boys. Skiing, fishing, golf and travel. Assisting my wife Carol with Markway Strong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and their families facing blood cancers. This organization was established in 2013 when our oldest son Glenn was diagnosed with AML. After a two and half years Glenn lost his battle August 1, 2015 at the age of 23.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Help raising our two boys and staying married to my wife for 30-plus years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Fishing, golf, skiing, support activities for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church DesPeres, Comfort Dog Ministry at Jefferson Barracks spinal injury unit. Markway Strong.

De Smet Memories: Shagging golf balls for Larry Morgan during my many jug appearances.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Lawless and Mr. Kelly

Cities lived in: St. Louis

States visited: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Florida, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Utah, Ohio, California, Nevada, Iowa, New York, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. Favorites: Colorado

Countries: Egypt, Guatemala, Ecuador, Galapagos, Spain, Gibraltar, Canary Islands, Moroco, Japan, Guam

Favorites: Galapagos

Remaining Goals in Life: Break 80

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Lived life to the fullest

Marital Status: married

Robert Joseph Marx, D.O.

334 Gray Hawk Trail

Clarksville, TN 37043

robertjmarxdo@hotmail.com 931-551-0135

Spouse name: Becky

Children: Anna Grandchildren: Andrew and Charlie

Colleges and degrees: Westminster College: BA Biology and Psychology, University of Missouri

Columbia: BS Human Nutrition and Dietetics; Northeast Missouri State: MS Microbiology and Immunology; Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine: Doctor of Osteopathy

Main Life activities: Work, surgery, Army

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Many all-expense-paid vacations in very austere, sandy locations. Numerous military honors and awards to include Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, 8 Army commendations; recognized for outstanding surgical service to cancer patients in Youngstown, Ohio by American Cancer Society; recognized as outstanding surgical resident educator at multiple hospitals. Deployed twice to Afghanistan as surgeon with forward surgical teams and combat surgical teams, to Kosovo as Deputy Commander for Surgical Service, first to Iraq during the surge as hospital commander and senior surgeon and again to Iraq as Deputy Clinical Commander for Healthcare working to close Army hospitals during the drawdown and to set up Department of State hospitals for use during reconstruction. Retired Colonel US Army. Now Senior Surgeon for Army at FT Campbell, KY. Inducted as Fellow in the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. Still finding time to be the best husband I can be to my wife, Becky, for 43 years and still going.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Want to go back to gardening, fishing and hunting and to travel more; served as volunteer faculty for a school for surgical technicians and as volunteer instructor for American College of Surgeons Trauma section teaching Advanced Trauma Life Support to surgeons, nurses, medics and EMTs.

De Smet Memories: Something new every day, letters from Fr. McQueeny while deployed overseas.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Koesterer

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Sabiston’s Surgery / hunting, fishing, cooking and home improvement shows.

Cities lived in: Fulton, MO; Columbia, MO; Kirksville, MO; Chesterfield, MO; Youngstown, OH; Clarksville, TN.

States visited: All except VT, SC, SD, ND, MT, ID, OR.

Favorites: wherever I wake up in the morning.

Countries: US, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iceland, Kyrgyzstan, Aruba, Antigua.

Favorites: Germany

Continents: North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

Remaining Goals in Life: Hopefully retire someday and have more time to pursue hobbies I’ve enjoyed in the past. Learn how to type and use a computer.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Tried to make the world a better place and learn more each day.

Patrick McCaffrey

5838 La Gorce Circle

Lake Worth, FL 33463

hpatrickmccaffrey@gmail.com (417) 725-5555

Marital Status: Married 44 Happy Years!! Spouse name: Ellen Children: 3 Great Kids !!! Grandkids: 4 Colleges and degrees: BA Psychology, Education UMSL , 50+ Graduate Hours from University of Nebraska, Missouri State, Economics, Business Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Main Life activities: Territory-District Sales Manager Hunt-Wesson/Con Agra Foods 22 Years, Eastern Regional Manager – Mihlfeld & Associates, Logistics Management 19 Years; Retired 2017 – Currently Trusted Real Estate Advisor with Corcoran, Delray Beach, FL.; Advisor from Boca Raton in the South, up to Jupiter, FL in the North, C’Mon Down! No State Tax!

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Road the Gravy Train of calling on Wal-Mart Hdq. out of Springfield, Mo., late 80’s early 90’s in grocery sales for Hunt-Wesson. Opened up 8 new states with new clients for logistics management services (Good & Bad was lots of travel). Built custom homes & apartments with my wife in Nixa/Fremont Hills Missouri while working as a sales manager for Con Agra in Springfield, MO. NISOA Soccer Ref for D1 NCAA soccer. MO State & FL State High School soccer referee 30+ Years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Hunting, fishing, golf, cruising & travel, soccer referee, director of lectors, and Eucharistic minister for Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Lantana, FL. Still an avid Cardinals Fan with Season Tix to Spring Training in Jupiter. (Call me! We’ll catch a spring training game; you buy the Beer!!) Volunteer each Wednesday morning at Carlisle Senior Living facility to read that day’s scripture, pray, distribute communion, tell jokes, foster Catholic Fellowship with seniors, both in independent living and memory care.

De Smet Memories: So, coach Satori invited a handful of his seasoned wrestlers to his private health club/spa in South St. Louis as incentive to help us get in shape, work out, and most important … LOSE WEIGHT prior to district finals.

He made the mistake of sharing his club membership #, and leaving us in his club for an hour or so. Unbeknownst to coach, we ended up in the clubs’ restaurant; drinking protein smoothies and shakes, and running up what I assume was a fairly significant bill. To make matters worse, and put the icing on the cake…most of us GAINED WEIGHT! He was super perturbed off and needless to say, we culprits ran stairs in rubber sweat suits for several days thereafter.

Memorable Teachers: Obviously Coach Satori, dry sense of humor. I also remember Mr. Denny Dietz Does anyone remember our beloved physics teacher Mr. Dietz, asking the class where Luminiferous Ether came from? …….Well, It was in April, so I blurted out “The Ether Bunny”! … the next 2 words I heard were ….“Card - McCaffrey”.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Anything “Jack Reacher’ by Lee Child, or Matthew Kelly; Michael Crichton’s Harry Bosch series. TV: Yellow Stone, Outlander, Burn Notice Movies: Godfather, Avatar, Jason Bourne Series. Cities lived in: Springfield, MO., Omaha, NE., Fremont Hills (Ozark), MO. Atlantis & Lake Worth, Florida. States visited: All except Oregon, Idaho, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, & Connecticut

Favorites: Colorado, Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, Arizona, Florida.

Countries: Visited 17 Favorites: Ireland, Germany, St. Martin, & Bahamas. Favorite Cities: Springfield, MO., Destin & West Palm Beach, FL.

Remaining Goals in Life: More Travel…My recent Matthew Kelly books indicate that I should seek the “Best Version of Myself”, so I am a work in progress, with many faults and setbacks, but I’m working on it!

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “My Life is Better for having you as my Father.” …both from my children, and from me - to our Lord at the Gates!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Be sure to check out Pat’s JUG Card Backstory elsewhere in this Yearbook !

Bob McCumber - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 5/28/2008

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

BOB MCCUMBER: A remembrance by John McGauley, Chaminade Class of 1971

My best friend at SLU, Bob was a wonderful guy, whom I have thought a lot about since he passed. A handsome guy, who all the girls wanted to talk to whenever we went to a bar.

BOB MCCUMBER: A remembrance by Joe Scanlon

Bob and I helped one another navigate the crowded halls of DeSmet and some potentially turbulent times for many years. I recall during the "mysterious" appearance of a goat in the hallowed halls, I ran into Bob during the chaos and asked him what was going on. Bob's answer was short and to the point, "there's a goat in the hallway and Morgan just called the cops. Get in the car!" Lat er in life we were both part of our wedding parties. Unfortunately, Bob and I lost touch when I went into the Air Force and he moved to Boston. When he passed, his loving family honored me to be a pallbearer and a reader at his Mass. At his funeral I met his wonderful children and shared some great memories of our friendship with them. What a great legacy! Miss you buddy.

BOB MCCUMBER: A remembrance by

Gary Mareschal

I first met Bob at DeSmet and got to know him ever so slightly as a member of the freshman track team. I really did not get to know him well until bumping into him freshman year at Busch Memorial Center at SLU, which seemed to be the common gathering place for those of us that commuted to school. I believe all of us that commuted had parents with the same intent. We had al most all taken 1818 courses at DeSmet, and I think the common parental theme was get in and get out since we all had brothers and sisters younger than us.

Bob enjoyed baseball, music, and reading. During his years at SLU we attended a good number of ball games. As luck would have it, several of us loved liv e music and since that was the heyday of the Mississippi River Festival, Bob frequented SIU……frequently carting about 6-7 folks in his VW bug back and forth. During that course of time, he often read Mark Twain, and for a period got hooked on Carlos Castaneda. And as I recall during one semester, he decided to consume homemade peanut butter as his primary sustenance.

About 1975 Bob decided that he wanted to be a river boat pilot, so I took him down to West Helena, AR where he enrolled in the National River Academy to become a barge pilot. I believe he stuck with that for several years, subsequently transitioning out of that career to sales of maritime insurance in the Chicago area, and later moved to Kingston, Massachusetts where he died.

He is survived by his wife and three wonderful children.

Charlie McNamara, III - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased November 19, 2014.

OBITUARY

Charles "Charlie" McNamara III of Tucson, AZ passed away in his home on November 19, 2014.

Charlie was born in St Louis, MO to proud parents Charles Jr. and Rosemary McNamara. Charlie was an only child who excelled in both sports and academics. After graduating from The University of Missouri-Rolla with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Charlie and his then wife to be, Carol S. McNamara (deceased 2008) moved west to Los Angeles. Charlie began his career working as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry in Redondo Beach, CA. Charlie and Carol were wed on June 20, 1981 in Las Vegas.

After eight years in Southern California, Charlie and Carol moved to Tucson where Charlie continued his work in aerospace engineering. It was in Tucson where Charlie began his love for U of A sports, specifically the basketball team. Along with being a U of A sports fanatic, Charlie loved to play softball and coach his sons' sports teams. Charlie was also a lifelong fan and supporter of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team and could always be found with the newspaper's sports page by his side.

Charlie was preceded in death by his father, Charles Jr. of St. Louis and wife Carol S. McNamara of Tucson. Charlie is survived by his mother, Rosemary McNamara of Tucson and sons, Charles IV of Seattle, WA and Kyle of San Diego, CA. All family and friends of Charlie, Carol, Rosemary, Mac and Kyle are invited to join a 10:30 a.m. Mass this Sunday, November 30, 2014 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 5090 N Valley View Rd., Tucson, AZ 85718. Following Sunday mass, all family and friends are invited to join the McNamara family at their home for a celebration of life memorial. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOME, Avalon Chapel.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

CHARLIE MCNAMARA: A remembrance by Dennis Moranville

Charlie, also known as "CZ the 3rd", was a great guy. As I recall his middle name was Ziegler - from time to time we would give him a hard time about being the third. We had a lot of fun together at and away from De Smet. We didn’t have many classes together. We were part of the group from West County. Most of our time was spent just hanging out with some of the other guys at a wide variety of events that ranged from school activities/sports to Grateful Dead concerts. The good thing about Charlie was even though he could be a bit quirky (and who wasn’t at that age) he always had your back. I still remember when he got his first car. His BMW became the ride that got us in and out of all kinds of adventurous (sometimes questionable) situations. After De Smet Charlie left for Rolla, and as happens, we seemed to go our separate ways. I’m glad he was my friend. He was part of what made being at De Smet such a memorable time in my life.

Marital Status: N/A

Dennis J Moranville

11715 Serama Drive Des Peres, MO, 63131

Moranville.dj@gmail.com 314 518 8580

Children: Daniel, Christine, Julianna

Grandchildren: Tigerlily, Maximus, Apollo, Lennox

Colleges and degrees: Associate Degree - Humanities – MCC; Bachelor of Arts - Political Science – UMSL

Main Life activities: Spending time and getting out and about with my Children, Friends and Family - Keeping up with Grandchildren – Working at taking each day as it comes.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: After De Smet I worked full time as a Journeyman Carpenter while finishing my degree at night school and starting a family. Along the way I left the Building Industry for a career in Sales. Through it all I raised 3 fantastic children and am really proud of each one. At 62 I discovered I no longer had to work to support myself. I’m still trying to decide if I’m retired or on hiatus.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Wood working, home remodeling / 5k, 10k and half marathon walks, hiking, golf on occasion. / Volunteer staff and awards for the St Louis Sports Commission and the US Olympic Committee during the ‘94 Olympic Festival – which led to a multitude of sporting and charitable volunteer activities for myself and family over the years.

De Smet Memories: I had a great time at De Smet and would not trade or change the experience of being a member of the first graduating class for anything. There are more memories than I can count or accurately remember. Seems events have a different version every time I get together with classmates. Luckily I graduated

Memorable Teachers: George Hasser, Dr Buckley, Fr DeRouen, Denny Dietz, Chris Mess, Larry Morgan, Fr McQueeny, Fr Snyder.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Biographies, Business, Economics / Live Sports – Baseball, International Futbol / M*A*S*H was my first.

Cities lived in: St Louis County States visited: Around half and counting Favorites: Gulf Coast States, Colorado

Countries: Mexico, Jamaica

Remaining Goals in Life: To stay healthy, independent and self-supporting / Keep on Truckin.

Marital Status: Married

David Muckerman

7724 4th Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34209

dmuckerman@yahoo.com (678) 642-3044

Spouse name: Cathi

Children: 2 Girls - M’Lissa Catherine (1982) and Anna Elizabeth (1984)

Colleges and degrees: BS Civil Engineering University of Missouri – Rolla; MS Civil Engineering University of Missouri – Rolla; Professor Emeritus Norwich University (School of Graduate Studies, Master of Civil Engineering Program Instructor and Course Developer)

Main Life activities: Married my best friend, Cathi Seidler, in 1975 and raised two girls M’Lissa and Anna. Worked on interesting drinking water, wastewater treatment and environmental restoration engineering projects. As one of my hobbies, taught civil engineering in a Master of Civil Engineering program.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: I had my 15 minutes of fame being interviewed three times on ESPN SportsCenter in April 1990 during the One Lap of America Race as Owner/Lead Driver in the Number 21 Porsche. I wrote in an article in 2006 for the Norwich University Master in Civil Engineering Director’s Corner titled ‘Racing and Porsches’. A link to that article is on my website at http://muckermanracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Racing-and-Porsches-for-PDF.pdf

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I love automobiles and especially automobile racing. I have owned a total of 70 motorized vehicles including 46 cars, 6 pick-up trucks, 7 SUVs, 4 vans, 3 motorcycles, 2 Class A RVs, 1 Class C RV and 1 golf cart.

My favorite dozen of these 70 motorized vehicles that I have owned so far are:

1. 1987 Porsche 924S – the car that I drove the fasted – on ovals (Atlanta Motor Speedway, Pocono Motor Speedway, Saugus Speedway), drag racing (Houston International Raceway), road courses (Road Atlanta, Sonoma Raceway), two road rallies and two hill climbs (Pikes Peak, Chimney Rock). I drove this car in the 1990 One Lap of America.

2. 1999 Porsche Boxster – the only car that I drove to a first place victory. This is also the only car that I won my class in a concour event (Porsche Club of America).

3. 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible – purchased in January 2019. Cathi’s daily driver a seven speed manual. This is an awesome car!

4. 2010 Jeep Wrangler Sahara – with a hard top. This is Dave’s daily driver and we pull it

behind the Forest River Sunseeker motorhome.

5. 2008 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT

6. 2006 Chevrolet Corvette convertible –Cathi’s former daily driver and sold to buy the 2017 Corvette.

7. 1986 Jeep Cherokee

8. 1975 Chevrolet El Camino

9. 1993 Chevrolet Corvette convertible

10. 1989 Jeep Comanche

11. 2005 Jaguar X-Type 3

12. 1974 Fiat 128 (nicknamed the “slime mobile”) – my only car that could easily get airborne going over a hill on a city street, but it sure didn’t look like Steve McQueen’s Mustang in Bullitt.

I have volunteered for Big Brother in Houston, Junior Achievement in Kansas City and as Vice President of the Midway Water District in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

De Smet Memories: I remember being at a De Smet football game and feeling my first earthquake. Memorable Teachers: My most memorable teacher was our Film Techniques class instructor, Thomas Loehr. He started me on a lifelong love of movies and how they are made. You can watch the

movie I made for the Film Techniques class on my website at http://muckermanracing.com/desmetjesuit-high-school-film-techniques-class-movie-project/ Favorite Movies: Star Wars

Cities lived in: Here is a list of the cities I have lived in and the consulting engineering firms where I worked in each city. The cities I have lived in make a spiral around the US starting in St. Ann.

 St. Ann, Missouri – Birth to high school graduation

 Rolla, Missouri - 4 years and one summer for BS degree in Civil Engineering

 Dodge City, Kansas – 3 years as Assistant City Engineer for Dodge City, Kansas

 Rolla, Missouri – 16 months for MS degree in Civil Engineering

 Overland Park, Kansas – 3 years at Black and Veatch (Kansas City office)

 Cypress, Texas – 6 years total at Winslow and Associates (Houston office) and Roy F. Weston (Houston office)

 Santa Clarita, California – 3 years at Roy F. Weston (Woodland Hills office) and Brown and Caldwell (Pasadena office)

 Boise, Idaho – 4 years with Brown and Caldwell

 Roswell, Georgia – 12 years total at Brown and Caldwell (Atlanta office), CH2MHILL (Atlanta office) and a side gig of teaching in the School of Graduate Studies at Norwich University (Northfield, Vermont)

 Gulf Breeze, Florida – 4 years with CH2M Hill (Pensacola office) and a side gig of teaching in the School of Graduate Studies at Norwich University (Northfield, Vermont) until full retirement 8 years ago

 Bradenton, Florida – last 4-1/2 years

States visited: Would have been all 50, but last year’s travel plans to Alaska and Hawaii to celebrate our 45 wedding anniversary were cancelled. In addition, I purchased a new Class C motorhome in 2017 and have re-visited 44 states during the last 3 years. Our plan for the summer of 2021 is to visit 3 more states to bring our motorhome travels to 47 states.

Favorites: Florida, California and Utah

Countries: My favorite countries to visit were Australia and Belize.

 Australia

 Mexico

 Canada

 Belize

 Guatemala

 Honduras

 Nicaragua

 Costa Rica

 Bahamas

 Haiti

 Dominican Republic

 Puerto Rico

 Aruba

 Bonaire

Continents: North America, Australia

 Curacao

 Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix)

 British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda)

Favorite Cities: New Orleans, Key West, Orlando (Disney World)

Remaining Goals in Life: Stay Happy and Healthy

Favorite Company Motto: From CH2M HILL (A Fortune 500 Company and 100 Best Places to Work) Our Goal is to Do Good Work, Make a Profit, Enjoy Life

 St Kitts

 Nevis

 Barbuda

 Guadeloupe

 Martinique

 Barbados

 St. Vincent

Marital Status: Married

Children: Ben and Bryan

Patrick Murphy

3603 Founders Club Dr. Sarasota, FL 34240

PCMURPH@gmail.com 314-954-0139

Alternate Address: 503 Dickson St. Kirkwood, MO 63122

Spouse name: Carol

Sons attending De Smet: Sorry they were SLUH boys

Grandchildren: We have two grandchildren. A boy who is 13 and a girl who is 12.

Colleges and degrees: Bachelor in Business, Saint Louis University

Main Life activities: After college, I purchased the family electrical contracting business from my siblings. The business grew through acquisitions for the following 21 years. After the death of my son Bryan in 1999, the opportunity arose to sell the business and it was too good to pass up. Since then most of my time has been spent on golf courses, gardening, traveling and doing home maintenance. Covid has eaten in to the travel thing so there’s some catching up to do. We spend the summers in St Louis and the winters in Florida.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: 4 Holes in one were fun.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Gardening, wine collecting, golf, golf and more golf. Ping pong with my grandson is always a good time.

De Smet Memories: It was such a unique experience to be the first class. So few people ever have the chance to set the direction of a school for future generations.

Memorable Teachers: Father Hoyer was probably one of the most memorable to me. They just don’t make them like that anymore.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Not surprising is that my television time is spent on either golf or business programs. Most of my reading time is spent on the Wall Street Journal. When I’m not reading the paper spy novels are a favorite.

Cities lived in: St Louis and Sarasota take turns depending on the season.

States visited: Most of them. Favorites: The west coast is fun and beautiful.

Countries: Pretty many. Favorites: Love Ireland for the people, scenery and pubs. South Africa on safari is a highlight for sure.

Continents: Europe, Africa and our own North America

Favorite Cities: Depends on the situation. Carmel, Edinburgh, New York and Paris all have their own places in my memories.

Remaining Goals in Life: Continuous improvement as a husband, person, parent, grandparent and friend.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I’ll leave that to others. Might be a dicey choice.

Marital Status: Married

Tom Murray

1596 Greenfield Crossing Ct. Ballwin, MO 63021

qy8man@att.net 314-707-0853

Spouse name: Stacey Sagan

Colleges and degrees: A.B. M.A., St. Louis University

Main Life activities: Chairman, Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Director of Theatre, Christian Brothers College High School 1979-present; Professional Actor, Director and Singer; President, Missouri Valley Local SAG-AFTRA 2014-2019 Board Member 2002present; President, Insight Theatre Company Board of Directors 2016-2020; Member, National Council: Actors’ Equity Association 2005-2010; Member, Central Regional Board: Actors’ Equity Association 1992-2010; St. Louis Liaison: Actors’ Equity Association; 19912002, 2004-2006; Regional Arts Commission: Community Advisor

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: CBC High School Hall of Fame; Joe Pollack Award; Judy Newmark Award; Critics’ Circle Award; Local Emmy Award Nominee; St. Louis Magazine’s Most Popular Local Actor Award; Director of over 200 theatre productions

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Cooking, Antiques, Softball, Cycling / St. Louis Blues Season Ticket Holder 1986-present

De Smet Memories: Being a part of the first years of the Theatre Program; Founder and CoEditor of DEPRESSION (our alternative newspaper)

Memorable Teachers: Terry Dempsey (then Mr., now Father Dempsey), John Faust

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Films: The Quiet Man, Casablanca

Cities lived in: New York, St. Louis States visited: 46 Favorites: Countries: 6 Favorites: Continents: 2 Favorite Cities: Francisco

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel, Keep my health

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: hearts of thousands of students

Marital Status: Married

Children: Connie, Emma

Jim Nix

129 W. Sarah Ave. Kirkwood, MO 63122

jnix01@sbcglobal.net

Spouse name: Donna

Grandchildren: Benjamin, Luke

Colleges and degrees: Saint Louis U., one year

Main Life activities: Auto mechanic 10 years, Carpenter 30 years

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Grateful to still be around, mostly intact

Sports/Volunteering: Bicycling, Canoeing / Red Cross, Election Judge, Missouri Dept. of Corrections

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Buckley, Mr. Grawer, Mr. Christman, Fr. De Rouen

Cities lived in: St. Louis

States visited: Most of them Favorites: Maine, Washington, New Mexico

Favorite Countries: Morocco, Thailand, Czech Republic

Favorite Cities: New Orleans, Prague

Remaining Goals in Life: Make every day count

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Those med students must have had fun.

John O’Guin - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 12/21/2010

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

JOHN O’GUIN: A remembrance by Bill Holland

The first time I met John was when we all gathered at De Smet to buy our books. I remember walking up the Ballas driveway and noticing that he was African American. It surprised me a bit as I went to an all-white grade school in Clayton, St. Joseph’s. Little did I know that John and I would form a friendship that was very special and is dear to my heart to this day.

John became a dear friend. It wasn’t a black or Caucas ian thing, we were just friends. We were truly color blind. John and I had a lot of classes together and I remember his wonderful sense of humor. We played football and baseball together. John was a great athlete who worked hard. This work ethic came from his parents just like so many of us. He was tough but gentle at the same time.

The only time we had a cross word was when he wouldn’t let me use his bat after I broke mine. He said I was going to use up the hits in it. I said that was the silliest thing I ever heard. John gave me that big smile of his and still refused to let use the bat.

John had class. He was always well dressed and treated everyone with great respect. If John felt prejudice, he never let on about it. He was our friend, pure and simple.

About 20 years ago I had a business trip in Seattle. I knew John lived in the area so I called him and we got together for breakfast. He was slightly heavier but nothing else had changed. We talked for three hours. We had the best time, it was like we were in the cafeteria at De Smet during lunch. At the end we hugged each other and he promised to come back for a reunion.

Fast forward to 2010. It was Christmas time and I was reading the morning Post Dispatch. I glanced at the obituary column and saw John’s picture. I was stunned and couldn’t believe that my good friend was listed there. I was so sad and wondered what happened. A group of us went to John’s funeral. We went to the front of the chapel in the funeral home and I reintroduced myself to Mrs. O’Guin. She jumped up and gave me a big hug and thanked all of us for coming. She introduced us to John’s son and daughter. The both looked just like John. They said they had heard all about us from thei r Dad and how special De Smet was to him. We also emphasized how special their Dad was and how he made a huge difference in each of our lives.

John passed away from complications from late onset adult diabetes. God bless you my friend.

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Jane

Frank O’Malley

1535 Caper Wood Court

Ballwin MO 63021

mfomalley@gmail.com 314-608-0079

Children: 3 (Caitlin, Mairin, Michael)

Grandchildren: 3 (Lou 3, Etta 2, Eliza 1)

Colleges and degrees: UMSL

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Woodworking, Home Remodeling, Photography

De Smet Memories:

 Latin American History study session with Fr. Lawless

 First day 0n the north side bus as it snaked across north county and finally DeSmet

 First day of class in 1967

 Jug with Mr. Morgan

Memorable Teachers:

 Fr. Tim Lawless, S.J.(Latin American History and Far Eastern History)

 Fr. Robert DeRouen, S.J. (Spanish and Religion)

 Mr./Fr. Terry Dempsey, S.J.(English or as he preferred to call it Humanities)

Countries visited: Ireland, Italy, Switzerland

Favorites: Galway, Florence

Guy Ostermeyer

1004 NE 11th Ct

Battle Ground WA 98604

gostermeyer@gmail.com

360.606.8114

Marital Status: M

Children: 3

Spouse name: Jennifer

Grandchildren: 4 going on 5

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri, 1974 BS plant physiology/genetics; OHSU, 1981 BS RN

Main Life activities: worked on a dairy farm in Norway 1975, 1982; Co-owner Native Plant Nursery in Oregon; RN, NICU 1981-2016

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: RN, NICU working with extremely ill and premature infants. PICC team, PAIN management team.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: fly fishing, motorcycles, gardening, bicycle racing, church

De Smet Memories: lots of homework, ha.

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Lawless, nightmares :)

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Bible, John Wick (in that order)

Cities lived in: Newport, Corvallis,Lake Oswego, Portland, Dayton, OR; Yacolt, Battle Ground, WA.

Favorite States: Mo, Oregon, Washington

Countries: Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, France, Ireland

Favorites: Norway

Continents: Europe Favorite Cities: Fjaerland, Norway (village)

Remaining Goals in Life: stay active, help others, enjoy God's creation

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He died in motion

Douglas Patton - deceased In

Memoriam

Deceased 9/2/2017

OBITUARY

Born in St. Louis, MO on September 18, 1952

Departed on September 2, 2017 and resided in St. Charles, MO

Reflections by Classmates & Others

Remarks below taken from https://missouricremate.com/obit/douglas-e-patton/

Steven Sansone September 29, 2017

I knew Doug. He always had a smile on his face. The phrase “good guy” was coined for him.

Dawn M Hull September 10, 2017

Doug and I started working at the Court on the same day, in November 1978. We continued to work together at the Juvenile Office for well over 35 years. Many good memories…especially from our younger years. I last had contact with him in August. He was so proud of all three of his sons, Austin, Hunter and Carson. He spoke of them often. I am so sorry they have lost their father at such a young age. I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

Shea O'Toole & Darrell Davis September 10, 2017

Doug helped train me when I started working at the Juvenile Office and I knew nothing. We ended up working together for the next 30 years. It is hard to believe he is now gone. Our heartfelt sympathies for his family and friends.

Marital Status: Divorced

Michael Potts

1200 Yale Ave. St. Louis MO 63117

mjpotts71@hotmail.com 314-239-5432

Children: Katie Lane and Ryan Potts

Grandchildren: Ryan Lee and Ellie

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri, St. Louis - 1982 – BA Political Science and Social Work

Main Life activities: Raising my children and working for a living.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: United States Air Force Veteran. Raising children and working for a living.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Photography.

De Smet Memories: Father Lawless’ Latin American History class, Rich Grawer’s African History… African History was much more interesting. The wonderful carpool rides from University City to DeSmet on a daily basis. My father attended and graduated valedictorian from Spring Hill College in 1934 – he took it much more seriously than I did. My niece also attended Spring Hill College.

Memorable Teachers: Father Houlihan, Rich Grawer.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: “I prefer to participate in real life.”

Cities lived in: St. Louis, Denver, Phoenix.

States visited: Many Favorites: New Mexico

Remaining Goals in Life: Watching my grandchildren grow-up.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: You can’t go back and you can’t stand still. If the thunder don’t get you, the lightning will.

Marital Status: married

Bob Powers

5001 18th Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55417

robertpowers9141@comcast.net (612) 803-3447

Children: Colleen, Tom, Sean

Spouse name: Lucy

Sons attending De Smet: none but both my brothers went: Paul & Tim

Grandchildren: none yet!

Colleges and degrees: BA, UMSL (Psychology/English); MA, Saint Louis University (philosophy)

Main Life activities: Freelance writing, reading, yoga, gardening, dog walking, hanging out in my outdoor sauna, riding my scooter, hiking, travel.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Not worrying about things like this : )

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: yoga (although not so much during the pandemic), watching my daughter’s D1 softball team at St. Kate’s compete.

De Smet Memories: See Terry Burns! My trip to Guadalajara, Mexico second semester senior year was influential.

Memorable Teachers: Terry Dempsey, Chris Mess

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: I read a lot of fiction. Currently: Klara & The Sun.

Cities lived in: Chicago, St. Louis, New York, Minneapolis

Favorite States: I like Arizona in the winter.

Countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, South Africa Favorite: Guat

Continents: Europe

Favorite Cities: Barcelona

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Ageless

Marital Status: Married

P. Steven Reed

310 SW Midden Reach Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

pstevenreed@yahoo.com

Spouse name: Diana

Colleges and degrees: Denver University, BSBA Building and Real Estate Construction Management

Profession: Real Estate Broker/Investor

Main Life activities: Traveling, skiing, boating, river rafting, Jeeping

I got to fly a F104G Starfighter trainer from the backseat. This is the first Mach 2 jet fighter in the world. Come fly with me (check out the video)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1C9o0iwtQ4

I enjoy Horseless Carriage Touring in our 1915 Ford Model T, Snow skiing, and boating. For volunteering, I worked as a dental assistant with a dentist friend in Belize, Honduras, Peru, Bolivia, and on a Russian research vessel: Academic Ioffe/ tourist ship at the Antarctic.

Memorable Teachers: Father Robert DeRouen S.J.

Favorite Books: (recent) RED ALERT by Bill Browder, SHADOW STATE by Luke Harding

Cities lived in: San Francisco, St. Louis, Denver

Favorites Countries: FIJI, ITALY, PORTUGAL, USA Continents: All 7

Favorite Cities: JERUSLEM, LONDON, EDINBURGH, FEZ,

Remaining Goals in Life: Live with Diana, my wife, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: APOSTATE

Political & religious affiliations: none

Larry Repovich - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased 5/11/2003

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

LARRY REPOVICH: A remembrance by Alan G. Schmidt

Larry and I met on the North County bus to De Smet at the beginning of freshman year. The first conversation we had was about guitars and guitar players, especially Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. We established that we both played guitar, and we soon learned that fellow passenger Jerry Roberts played bass. The three of us began getting together to play music, with Larry on electric guitar, me on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Jerry on bass. It became clear very quickly that Larry had an amazing gift; he could figure out any guitar part on any song just by listening to the record a few times. I can’t think of any time he ever heard something he couldn’t replicate. I started writing songs of my own, and he crafted beautiful accompaniments and solos to compliment the lyrics. Whenever we had 12 or iginal songs worked up, we would record them. We made 3 “albums” this way. We also began performing for others, under the name Fresh Air. In the fall 1970 we added a drummer and a keyboard player and became Eldon Earl. We played school dances, parties, and even some concerts for local park districts. It was Larry’s amazing playing that kept us growing as musicians and distinguished us from countless other “garage bands” of the time. We could cover Crosby, Stills and Nash and Merle Haggard in the same set, and add original songs that held up beside the best songs on the radio. All of it was possible because of Larry’s talent and dedication.

Larry was much more than a bandmate, though. The three of us were like brothers during our time at school. Jerry also played sports, so I spent more time with Larr y. I knew his mom and dad and older brother; they took me on family vacations, fed me, let me spend the night whenever I wanted to, and took an interest in me that was way beyond what any kid could expect. They also let us rehearse in their basement, which was asking a lot from them when we became a five-piece band. They showed me genuine kindness, and made it possible for me to spend time with my extremely talented friend.

We all drifted apart eventually, but nothing can diminish the memory of those wonderful times together. I was shocked and saddened to learn of his tragic death. I often wonder if his children were aware of his great gift. I truly hope so. And I miss him every time I finish a new song and wish it had that extra “something” his talents always provided. I am proud to have known him. Play on, my friend.

Robert C. Riegel

cia,cisa,crisc,cfe,crma,cdp,cfsa,csp,flmi,ma 364 Charles Place, 30075 Roswell, GA

Alternative address is in Gulfport, FL rcriegel@gmail.com 470-234-0742

Marital Status: married 1980 Spouse name: Sharon Stephens, KC (Mizzou Journalism)

Children: 3 (2 daughters, 1 son)

Grandchildren: 6 grandkids (4 boys, 2 girls)

Colleges and degrees: UMSL, Florida Bible College, STLCC, Webster University; BS Accounting, MA Finance/International Business

Main Life activities: Chief Auditor (Fortune 100, Fortune 500); Lead Instructor - Emory University Continuing Ed (Atlanta), Professor of Finance & Accounting – Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, Tianjin, China.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: 72 countries (6 continents) – audits and travel. Flown around the globe 3 times. US Naval Reserve, 1972-1977 (USS Rodgers DD-876); San Diego. Sailed the seven seas. Visited all 50 states.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: boating, camping, hiking (AT), travel, motorcycles (b/4 2006). Assurance consulting engagements include Boeing, United Nations, Siemens, Kuwait Petroleum, International Monetary Fund, General Motors, Saudi Aramco, Gov’t of Ghana, UN Development Banks (Islamic, Asian, African, Latin), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, State Bank of India, Dubai Holdings, Dell, and 100+ others (all industries).

De Smet Memories: smoking in the bathroom, JUG, bus rides from U. City.

Memorable Teachers: Buckley (pay attention or stand reading); Barhorst (a good man)

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Bible, Forensic Files, Passion of Christ (Mel Gibson). Military history sites visited: WW1 France, Belgium, (Ypres, Somme, Verdun), Hiroshima, Bastogne, Waterloo, D-Day Beaches, Dunkirk, Auschwitz, Dachau, Korean DMZ, all major Civil War battlefields, Corregidor/Bataan, Cu Chi tunnels, Pearl Harbor, Puebla, Mexico, Little Bighorn.

Cities lived in: San Diego, CA; Hollywood, FL; Pittsburgh PA; Atlanta (twice); Bloomington, IN; Santiago de Chile; Mexico City; Clearwater, FL; Tianjin, China; Gulfport, Florida

States visited: all 50. Favorites: Florida

Countries: 72 Favorites: Israel, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Croatia, Viet Nam

Continents: 6

Favorite Cities: Jerusalem, Dubai, Munich, Split, Da Nang

Remaining Goals in Life: travels to Iceland, Berlin, New Zealand, Istanbul, maybe Antarctica. Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Romans 1:16-17

Marital Status: M

Children: Sam, Lily

Jeff Rola

Tumalo, OR 97703

jprola51@aol.com

Cell #: If you need me, I’ll call you.

This is not the first Salmon I’ve caught, but it was one of the most fun..

Spouse name: Susan

Colleges and degrees: 5 and 1

Main Life activities: Since leaving DeSmet, I bought a good guitar. Went to CA in ’72, then Europe in ’73 where I found my first wife. Moved to Santa Barbara in ’75. Graduated from UCSB in ’77. Broke up with first wife in ’80 and found my current wife, Susie. Moved to Tumalo in Central Oregon in 1982. Raised two children who are both thriving and good people.

Workwise, there isn’t enough room here. In a small market you have to be flexible. I’ve made a living as a mechanic, making donuts, mail carrier, radio news director, public relations officer for a community college, campaign manager for several candidates, producer of local television, bicycle races, concerts and festivals. I’ve edited and published community newspapers. More recently I have been managing and serving on the board of my local conservation district, started and exited a used cooking oil recycling business for biofuel production.

Currently developing a start-up based on cell phone app. (who isn’t these days) and restoring a 1961 MG Midget. I still have that good guitar and play it occasionally.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Sang in the Santa Barbara Mission Choir, including a nationally televised Easter mass for President Reagan and Queen Elizabeth. Started a non-profit to address climate change and sustainable economies in remote communities. Trying to develop a major project in Fiji.

Celebrated my 37th wedding anniversary with Susie. Robert Johans was the best man at both of my weddings. He lives here in Central Oregon, we have coffee on Wednesdays, COVID permitting.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Farming, Fishing, Environmental activism.

De Smet Memories: Wrestling Team and Senior Theater Project, Ran into Mr. Keane while working at an ice cream shop in Santa Barbara, circa 1976. Small world.

Memorable Teachers: Lawless, Faust, Haskins, Baby Bash

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Caste, by Isobel Wilkerson, Catch 22/Shameless/Lawrence of Arabia

Cities lived in: Also spent time in London, Oxford, Suva

States visited: Most of them Favorites: OR, AK, HI,

Countries: Several Favorites: New Zealand

Favorite Cities: Kihei HI, Bandon OR, Queenstown NZ

Remaining Goals in Life: Sing a duet with Emmylou Harris

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Never teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

Daniel Patrick Rooney, Sr.

A1430 Spillers Lane

Houston, TX 77043

slrdprlmr@hotmail.com 713-449-9646

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Lynneece Rooney

Children: Shannon Plakos, Heather Day, Daniel, Shane and John Rooney

Grandson attending Strake Jesuit: Ryan Plakos

Grandchildren: Ryan Plakos - 15, Patrick Plakos - 12, Kaitlyn Plakos - 6, Hannah Rooney -5 and Erin Rooney – 3 (Daniel’s girls)

Colleges/degrees: University of Houston-BBA Accounting & Taxation, South Texas College of LawJD

Main Life activities: Work, work, work. Sleep, sleep, sleep. Play, play, play. Family time.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Living past the age of 35. Being married 42 years. Having five healthy, happy, loving children and five healthy, happy, loving grandchildren.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Snow skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, boating, diving

De Smet Memories: Nothing specific

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Read too many books to have a favorite. Watched too many movies too for a favorite.

Cities lived in: St. Louis and Houston States visited: 48 Favorites: Colorado Countries: Canada, Philippines, Vietnam, Guam, Malaysia, China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico

Favorites: USA Continents: North America, Asia Favorite Cities: Miami, Seattle, New York

Remaining Goals in Life: then ship my cabin cruiser to cruise Europe’s riverways for a year with my wife.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: have an Irish wake.]

Steven

A. Sansone

142 Jaffrey Road

Malvern, PA 19355

Steven.Sansone@aol.com

678-428-1513

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Cynthia Macaleer Sansone

Colleges and degrees: Westminster College; Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Main Life activities: I was in the ad valorem tax field for over two decades. I successfully worked and achieved in many positions. Then, I turned a hobby into a business by going into Thoroughbred breeding and racing.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Married a wonderful woman over 28 years ago. Won the International Hunter Futurity with two different horses that I selected.

Campaigned many good show dogs – Giant Schnauzers. We owned the number one in 2014 named, Skansen’s Havannah. We bred the number one in 2020 named, Long Grove’s Saint Louis, the Mascot of the Class of '71.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Trivia, dogs, politics, and horses.

De Smet Memories: First Class of the School, Wrestling Team, Cast as a Protean called “A Real Roman” in the play A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Countless friendships.

Memorable Teachers: John Faust, Rich Grawer, Chris Mess, Dave Satori, Fr. Houlihan, Fr. DeRouen.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Movies = Arsenic and Old Lace, Shane, Bird Cage, The Candidate. Chinatown. Books = The Present and The Jungle. TV = Law & Order reruns.

Cities lived in: Saint Louis, MO; Atlanta, GA; and Willistown, PA

States visited: 48 Favorites: Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky

Countries: 12 Favorites: England, Hong Kong, and Italy

Favorite Cities: Florence, Italy and London, England.

Remaining Goals in Life: I want to keep loving, learning, and laughing.

Potential Gravestone

Epitaph: Time Does Fly!

Michael Sawicki

1498 Royal Spring St. Louis MO 63122

msawickigolf@aol.com

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Michele Children: Matthew (Erin), Megan (Eddie Pfund). Maura (Robyn Williams)

Sons attending De Smet: Matthew 2001 Grandchildren: Elizabeth & Michael Sawicki , Charlie & Claire Pfund Colleges and degrees: BS in Economics from St. Louis University

Main Life activities: After graduating from college I opened and ran a custom fitting and golf club repair shop, Precision Golf, Inc. Served the local community and did work for touring pros- Larry Ziegler, Bob Rosburg and top local amateurs Jim Jackson, Jim Tom Blair, Bob Cochran, Jim Holtgrieve and the Mason boys. In 1977 one of my partners thought we should buy a Winnebago, put a small workshop in it and follow the tour. A thought way ahead of its time -- just look at the eighteen wheelers decked out with full repair shops following the tour today. Spent the majority of my adult working career in the not-for-profit sector: De Smet as the first Alumni Diector, Villa Duchesne as Business Manager and Operations Director, LaSalle Retreat Center (some time on the darkside with the Christian Brothers) as President and currently at Nerinx Hall High School as Director of Physical Plant.

Served as an Alderman in Sunset Hills for 8 terms and still remain active on the Finance Committee of the City. Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Married forty one (41) years to my lovely wife Michele and at least in my mind successfully navigated raising three wonderful children . Other things I would consider interesting but not particularly noteworthy include caddying for Maurice Bembridge in the 1971 Ryder Cup at Old Warson. I believe it was the last year local caddies were used. I enjoy organizing the class of 71 to work the De Smet Alumni Christmas Treelot every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Varying crowd, great sharing stories plenty of adult beverages and pretty good bratwurst.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, golf and golf - In enjoy playing in the Ignatian Cup and Tradition Golf outings and getting to catch up with friends and alums.

De Smet Memories: 16-15 overtime basketball victory over Assumption. Ping pong marathons in the cafeteria after school. First “Old Newsboy Day” at De Smet with Rick Siebert, I still drive by Ladue and Ballas and get my copy from the De Smet students. Midnight Mass on the third floor.

Memorable Teachers: Most of them. . . Rich Grawer was the best teacher I ever had. Chris Mess helped me find my way and taught lessons outside the classroom. George Barhorst never gave the same kind of test (one we couldn’t use words on). Rev Thomas McQueeny married Mchele and I and baptized all our kids. Favorite memory was Sunday Mass around the coffee table in the family room followed by dinner and the most interesting discussions, no issues off limits. Rev. John Arnold married two of the kids and was definitely a hit at the wedding and especially the receptions. I also enjoyed taking him (when his eyesight got bad and he couldn’t drive) to various De Smet events especially HOF dinners.

Favorite Books- Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw; The Boy,the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charles Mackesy / TV - Masters on Sunday Afternoon / Movies: The Godfather I and II, Miracle on Ice, Bull Burham Cities lived in: St. Louis States visited: Many Favorites: Colorado and Washington Countries: Spain and Canada Favorites: Canada Favorite Cities: Boulder, CO and Frisco, CO

Remaining Goals in Life: Ski A-basin, meet all my grandkids, Play The Country Club, make a hole-in-one, see part of the Iditarod (Dog sled race) in person

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “Lived life, loved life and enjoyed it”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Be sure to check out Mike’s Fr. Jacobmeyer Backstory elsewhere in this Yearbook !

Marital Status: 48 yrs

Children: 2

Sons attending De Smet: 1

Grandchildren: 1

Colleges and degrees: 3

Joseph Scanlon

12000 Deutschmann Ln Des Peres, MO 63131

Spouse name: Jo Ann

Main Life activities: Married a wonderful girl that I had known since 5th grade in 1973. Sidestepped army draft by joining the United States Air Force (served four years). Among many, many blessings, two wonderful boys (now ages 40 and 47).

Coached both boys in soccer and baseball through grade school years. Coached “select” soccer for a number of years. Both boys enjoyed winning city/county-wide championships.

Bounced around several telecommunication companies for 45 years. Rediscovering and reaffirming my Catholic faith.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Somehow convinced the love of my life to marry me and stay married for 48 years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Music, bass, guitar, drums/soccer and baseball coach/church life teen band

De Smet Memories: Painted infamous mural on student lounge wall. Played bass in a band called Journey at a dance in the DeSmet Gym. Lettered in Soccer and track.

My four years at DeSmet are dedicated to my parents that worked so hard, scrimped and saved to pay my tuition. Thank you and God Bless you.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. (now Fr.) Dempsey, Mr. Dietz, Fr. DeRueon, Fr. Lawless

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: The Bible, The Quiet Man, The Commitments

Cities lived in: San Antonio, Biloxi, Aurora, Denver, Chicago, Saint Louis

States visited: Many Favorites: Colorado

Countries: 1 Favorites: 1

Continents: 1 (although I have had several Continental breakfasts)

Favorite Cities: Saint Louis, Denver

Remaining Goals in Life: Find a cure for cancer, Covid and achieve world peace. Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “Grateful”.

Marital Status: Married

August (Auggie) Schlafly III

993 King of Prussia Rd. Wayne, Pa 19087

aschlafly@schlaflyaugust3@gmail.com 610-9648155

Spouse name: Jeannie

Colleges and degrees: Rockhurst University, BSBA Marketing/Management

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Colorado Outward Bound-Vail

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer, Bob Kelly, Dale Burgman, Fr. Derouen

Cities lived in: Kansas City, Mo. & Philadelphia, Pa

States visited: Many

Countries: Greece, Croatia, Italy, Canada. Mexico

Gerry Schulter - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased December 13, 1995

OBITUARY

Reflections by Classmates & Others

GERRY SCHULTER: A remembrance by Bill Holland

Gerry was a kind person. We first met on the bus our freshman year. The central bus would meander from the St Louis City line through Clayton, Ladue and Creve Couer. Gerry got on the bus at McKnight and Highway 40. He was quiet and stayed pretty much to himself. Gerry would engage in conversation when you asked him something.

Gerry wasn’t an athlete but did always come out for the games. He was very active in other parts of the school. He was part of the first cheerleading squad and the News Staff. Gerry was part of the Poster Club, a group of unheralded guys who made posters and long banners that the football team would run through. Dances in the gym always were special when they were decora ted. The yearbooks that we had would not have been possible without a lot of our classmates like Gerry.

After we graduated, Gerry went onto Mizzou like a lot of guys. He later received an MBA from Notre Dame. Gerry worked in marketing and advertising in St. Louis. Later on Gerry moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and got very active in the Gay Rights Movement and Democratic politics. Gerry passed away from complications from AIDS in 1995.

May he rest in peace!

Alan G. Schmidt

1070 San Ramon Dr. Chico CA 95973

aschmidtchico@yahoo.com

530 828-9224

Marital Status: 46 years and counting Spouse name: Diane, my Warrior Princess, who is responsible for all the good that has come my way since we first met. Children: Casey, 37, Jonathan 28 Colleges and degrees: BA from SIU Carbondale, 1992; JD from Cal Northern School of Law, 2007. Online minister’s degree (2015) so the wedding can go on if the preacher doesn’t show up.

Main Life activities: Everyone said, “Have something to fall back on if the music doesn’t work out,” so I worked in the book business for about 20 years. I passed the California Bar Exam and became an attorney in 2007. Most of my law career has been with the California Department of Child Support Services, in eight different counties. I have taught History of Rock ‘n’ Roll (as an undergraduate assistant) at SIU Carbondale, Introductory Writing at the University of Hartford, and Legal Writing, Civil Procedure, Professional Responsibility, and Remedies at Cal Northern School of Law in Chico. But there was always lots of music through the years. In addition to performing solo as a singer/songwriter/guitarist, I’ve been a member of famously-unheard-of bands such as Buck Naked and The J-Birds and Old Wire Road Folk and Blues. For what it’s worth, never played at a wedding ending in divorce. Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: I produced & hosted a weekly radio program (“Folksounds”) and produced several TV documentaries for SIU Broadcasting Service. I published a chapter in a writing manual while at University of Hartford (title: “Elvis Presley: Any Way You Want Me, That’s How I Will Be.”) At SIU I provided instrumental guitar music under a narration by Studs Terkel on Illinois Labor History used in a documentary.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Collecting musical recordings of all styles / formats from old 78s to digital, reading both the classics and contemporary writing (including graphic novels.) I follow the St. Louis Cardinals, much to the annoyance of Giants fans in my area. I re-watch Game 6 of the 2011 World Series every Spring, and David Freese’s home run still moves me. When my son was young, I was his Cubmaster; for their Music merit badge, I taught the boys how to play blues harmonica.

De Smet Memories: Playing music with my classmates Larry Repovich and Jerry Roberts in our band Eldon Earl at De Smet dances and parties, and especially performing “The Last Prom” at De Smet with our honorary members “The Eldonaires” – Henry Autrey, Mike Fallert, and Norm Germanese. RIP Larry, Mike, Norm. Memorable Teachers: Fr. Lawless, Mr. Dempsey, Mr. Faust, Mr. Renard, Fr.Koesterer, Mr. Freitag, and Mrs. Simpson, who as much as anyone got me interested in books.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies taught me so much about how to approach life as an adult; it’s my favorite set of books. Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ‘N’ Roll Music changed everything I thought I knew about music. Wendell Berry, Jack Kerouac, Annie Dillard, John Steinbeck, and James Lee Burke are favorite authors. Can never get enough Irish poetry. Favorite TV shows: Twin Peaks; Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Favorite movies: O Brother, Where Art Thou, Lonesome Dove, Secret of Roan Inish.

Cities lived in: after 1988, Carbondale, IL, Hartford, CT, Springfield, MO, Chico CA (since 1998)

States visited: Most of the lower 48 and Hawaii Favorites: CALIFORNIA

Countries: Netherlands, Germany Austria, Ireland. Favorites: Ireland

Favorite Cities: Amsterdam, Dublin, Belfast, San Francisco

Remaining Goals in Life: #1 songs on Billboard charts, soldout arena tours, Grammy awards, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and White Castle and IMO’s Pizza in California. I’d also like to live long enough to see the day when no child anywhere in the world goes to bed hungry.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph:

“When I lay me down to die They will know me not by the big things I never did to change the world. It will be my belongings, my quirks

And one-off acts of foolishness that will make them weep.”

(from The Celtic Wheel of the Year by Tess Ward)

Marital Status: Married

Leonard Schmitt

15730 PARKSLEY DR

Houston TX 77059

LSchmitt@sbcglobal.net

Spouse name: Rhonda

Colleges and degrees: BS from Parks College, St Louis University (now known as SLU’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology)

Main Life activities: Worked on the Space Shuttle guidance, currently working on Space Station, maintaining software that controls the solar panels and radiators.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Received a Space Flight Awareness award from NASA in 2019.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Bowling, collecting vintage Lionel HO trains.

De Smet Memories: Getting thumb dislocated in PE class.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Kelly, Fr Lawless.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Tom Clancy books. Lord of the Rings movies, 2001 movie.

Cities lived in: St Ann, MO, Houston, TX

States visited: Most of them. Favorites: Alaska

Countries: Holland, England, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Greece, Luxemburg, Japan, Russia, Mexico

Favorites: Italy, Japan

Continents: Great Britain, Europe, Asia.

Favorite Cities: Paris, Munich, Rome

Remaining Goals in Life: Would like to see Australia.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Peace at last

Marital Status: Married

Christopher Seyer

1819 Cheswick Place

Kirkwood MO 63122

cseyer@seyerind.com 314-780-5288

Spouse name: Pamela Ann (Walsh)

Children: Christopher W., Mark, Caroline

Sons attending De Smet: Mark (’02)

Grandchildren: Henry (10), Louie (10), Charlie (7), Maxwell (4), Luke (7), Fiona (4), Charlotte (2), and one on the way, approximately 5-2-21.

Colleges and degrees: Colorado State University, St. Louis University, B.S. Business Administration

Main Life activities: Grow family business and prepare for third generation succession

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Analog Vinyl Audiophile; Ponding and Water Gardening; Automobiles; Pickleball

De Smet Memories: Two-A-Day Football Practices; Rich Grawer’s Punishing African History Class Senior Year

Memorable Teachers: George Barhorst (“I’m a day old avocado?”) Fr. David Koesterer (Emerson Lake & Palmer in the Language Lab}

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Yeager, An Autobiography

Remaining Goals in Life: Learn to play the piano (somewhat)

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Vertical is good, Horizontal ain’t!

Tom Shadley

125 Stanhope Circle

Naples, FL 34104

capttomshadley@gmail.com 239-398-7321

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Christine (Chris)

Children: Christopher – 40 Cody - 31

Colleges and degrees: Tom – Graduate of Regis University – Denver, CO 1975; Christopher – Graduate – UCF Cody – Graduate - UNF

Main Life activities:

 Mangrove Outfitters Fly Shop, Inc. – President – 30 years

 Professional Fly Tyer

 FFF Casting Instructor

 Capt. Tom Shadley – Fly-Fishing Guide in Southwest Florida

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments:

 St. Louis – Real Estate Broker

 V.P. – Clayton Fire Protection Systems

 7 Trademarked Flies

 Scuba Diving - Dive Master

Current Hobbies/Sports: Fly-fishing, Hunting

De Smet Memories: Great Baseball and Wrestling Memories

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Keane and Father Lawless

Cities lived in - Denver, CO; Dijon, France; Naples, FL

Favorite Places: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii

States visited: Most of them

Countries Visited: Europe, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Tortola, St. Thomas, Nassau

Remaining Goals in Life: Taking time to enjoy family and relaxing.

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Sally

Children: Laura and Jim

Mark Sherman

768 Magnolia Garden Cove Collierville TN 38017

sherman8791@gmail 901-860-1088

Colleges and degrees: BS Business, University of Missouri (Logistics Major)

Main Life activities: Yellow Freight - Dock supervisor and dispatcher ( 2 years) ; Monsanto - Corporate Logistics ( 2 years) ; Chemcentral Corp - Sales, Senior Sales, Account Manager ( 37 years)

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Various sales awards and career recognitions that would be just damn boring to list here.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, skiing (though those days are mostly behind me), Sporting Clays shooting (my new passion). Past Director of Rules and Coaches for city baseball and softball. Past President of the Mens Club at my church. Current Board Member at Windyke CC.

De Smet Memories: DeSmet vs CBC soccer game at CBC our senior year.. I think that the teams were ranked 1 and 2 (I think CBC was #1?). Drew thousands of fans and made the evening sportscast.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Dempsey (English)

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: With Malice Toward None by Stephen Oates; Downton Abbey; Lawrence of Arabia

Cities lived in: Kansas City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Memphis

States visited: Many Favorites: North Carolina, Colorado

Countries: Spain, France, England, Canada, Italy

Favorites: Spain

Continents: Europe Favorite Cities: Sevilla, London

Remaining Goals in Life: A hole in one. A 90 plus out of 100 on a sporting clay course.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Like as the waves do make towards the pebbled shore, so do our minutes hasten to their end.

Mike Shields, Jr. - deceased

In Memoriam Deceased February 14, 1978

OBITUARY

Mike Shields was injured in a car accident on Highway 70 near Lambert Airport, and later died in the hospital on Feb 14, 1978.

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE SHIELDS: Remembrance by Joe Scanlon

Mike was the best friend anyone could have. He was completely selfless and would help anyone in need without judgement or hesitation. We were so blessed to have him as a classmate and friend. I have so many great memories of Mike but one does stand out. I was a few days away from going in the the USAF and Mike threw me a wonderful going away party. He even took the time to learn Jo Ann and my favorite song on the guitar. He pulled us away from the rest of the party and performed "our song" just for us. Mike I miss you and pray we meet again.

MIKE SHIELDS: Remembrance by Terry Burns

Mike and I attended grade school together at St Ferdinand Catholic School in Florissant, Missouri. Through those years, Mike and I didn’t really hang out with the same group of friends, but we knew each other nonetheless. Back then he was kind of shy and quiet. He did not participate on any of the sports teams, ie, soccer, baseball, basketball, during our grade school years together. Fast forward to our 8th grade year, my dad came home one night following a Men’s Club meeting at St Ferdinand, and said he had talked to Mike Shields, Sr, in detail about a new all boys Jesuit high school in Creve Coeur, right off the “new highway” (at the time it was Interstate 270/244), opening next year. At the time, my dad was planning on “sending me” to Chaminade, since it was the nearest all boys high school closest to our home in Florissant. So, kind of as a result of my dad talking to Mike’s dad on that fateful night at St Ferdinand’s Men’s Club meeting, I was going to enroll at DeSmet Jesuit High School, take the entrance exam down at SLUH (due to fire/smoke damage at DeSmet) and sit right next to Henry Autrey during the entrance exam! I carpooled with Mike and Mark Tisius during our freshmen year. Mike’s mom was Nancy Shields, a substitute teacher at St Ferdinand grade school, with flaming red hair, and a desire to drive a sports car. She would even wear Racing Driver Gloves, too! A wonderful lady for sure.

Later during our freshman year, (as each season began a new athletic team at DeSmet for the first time), Mike decided for some reason unknown to me, to go out for Shotput on our freshmen Track Team. Mike was not of the physique that you would typically see for most “shot putters” but he gave it his “best shot” (pardon the pun). A fellow shot putter (Mike Knapp) started calling Mike “Shot Put” jokingly, and it was shortened to “Shot”. He seemed to accept the nickname and it stuck, and Mike was known to all for the rest of his years at DeSmet simply as Shot. Shot’s mom

bought a new Ford Cortina later on and drove it like the sports car she was meant to have. Through our high school years, Shot and I would put his family cars to the test, out in rural areas in North County, just to see how they would perform. His family also had a ‘66 Ford Galaxy sedan, pretty much a “Plain Jane” family sedan, except it had a 390 ci V8 engine, and “3 on The Tree” manual transmission. On this particular day, we were trying to see how short of a distance we could get between burning rubber in 1st gear, then shifting as fast as possible into 2nd and continue the burnout with as little distance between the burnouts. Shot went first and did admirably, but I knew I could best his effort. So I took over, and started my 1st gear burnout with a vengeance, smoke billowing all around us and then went to slam it into 2nd gear to continue the burnout. That’s when we heard the worst possible sound, a lot of metal grinding noise, with no 2nd gear burnout at all. We had to push the big old Ford off the road and walk to the nearest pay phone, which was miles away, and call his dad to tell him the car simply broke down. Thankfully, his dad did not notice the multiple black tire stripes on the road that sort of led right to where the car was sitting. That was the 1st car of Shot’s that experienced a bad outcome with me at the wheel. On a day further in the future, while Shot was taking the extra-long AP English exam, he “willingly” gave me the keys to that Ford Cortina (mentioned earlier), as a few of us wanted to drive out to Babler Park where several of the all-girls high schools were having their “senior skip day” and we wanted to simply participate. Going through the old intersection of Ladue Road and 141, we were “T-Boned” by a girl in her parents huge Chrysler New Yorker, spinning that poor Cortina in several circles before it finally came to a stop. Fortunately no one was hurt except the Cortina which unfortunately did not survive. Thankfully it was the last car of Shot’s that he allowed me to drive. We were ALL happy with that decision!

After graduation from high school, I went to Rockhurst in KC, and Mike went to SLU. I’d lost touch with Mike once we graduated from DeSmet, but I knew he went to SLU. Fast forward 6-7 years later, on my wife’s 21st birthday, we decided to celebrate at the old Loading Zone bar down near SLU. As we saddled up at the bar, who is sitting right next to me was Shot! Along with his younger sister Maura. We had a great conversation (details of which will remain unshared at this point), and we parted ways. I did not see Shot again, and years later when we returned home to St Louis to visit family (we were living in Sarasota, FL, at the time), I learned of Shot’s tragic death, and was able to attend his wake and funeral at that time, and was able to see his family for what turned out to be the last time. Mike was a gentle spirit, had a great laugh, and left us way too early. God bless you, Shot, and may you Rest In Peace.

MIKE SHIELDS: Remembrance by Gary Mareschal

I met and finally got to know Mike in the fall, 1971 at St Louis University. I recognized him from DeSmet but really didn’t know much about him. During our years at SLU I got to know him much better and we became very good friends, with him later being groomsman in my wedding. He had an extremely outgoing personality, and I’m not sure he ever met someone he didn’t like.

After securing an undergraduate degree he continued on at SLU and obtained a master’s degree in history and entered Law School there. He was near the conclusion of law school at the time of his death.

Mike loved music and attended a lot of concerts. He enjoyed playing guitar……and attempting to sing. He became darned good at foosball at a variety of St Louis venues, having had a fair amount of practice at Muddy Waters on the Landing, and possibly Humphrey’s near SLU.

With his Ford Cortina we would occasionally attend some auto races in the St Louis Area. On a couple of occasions, I remember riding back with him when the hood would fly up and obstruct all view as we were travelling down the highway. Curiosity of a race fan, or prank? Either way, quite the experience!

Mike had a wonderfully gracious and welcoming family.

He was gone far too early, and his companionship is truly missed.

Michael Shipley

23 A Lemp Rd. Kirkwood MO 63122

mkshipley@sbcglobal.net 314-402-3294

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Kathleen Neuenschwander Colleges and degrees: Mizzou: 2 years Main Life activities: After a shortened college career, accented by two years in ROTC (our draft lottery number was 47!) and two summer basic training camps at Ft. Knox, KY. and Ft. Riley, KS., I started my broadcasting career as a country DJ in Jefferson City, MO. I worked AM & FM stations there before moving in to the News Department and was appointed News Director of Mid-Missouri’s two most powerful radio stations in the state capital. There I got to cover and know the “Holy Trinity” of republicans who would control politics in the state for the next 25 years…John Danforth, Kit Bond and John Ashcroft. I transitioned to TV in 1981, joining KSDK-TV “back home” in STL where I worked “behind the scenes” in the news department through the 80’s and 90’s covering such stories as the family crime wars of the 80’s, the bizarre Paula Sims case, the departure of the Football Cardinals, the great flood of 1993, the coming of the Rams and the Super Bowl victory of the “Greatest Show on Turf”, and was privileged to lead the effort by the local TV stations to provide pool coverage to the world of the visit of Pope John Paul II to St. Louis.

I was appointed News Director at KSDK in 2000 and had the privilege and honor of working with a gifted cadre of journalists covering the news in my home town for fifteen years including many Cardinal post seasons, the “Missouri Miracle” discovery of Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby, and many, many more historical moments for the Gateway City. I retired after 42 years in broadcasting in 2015.

My wife Kathy and I met in Jefferson City and married in1982. We lived in Soulard until moving to Kirkwood on Christmas Eve in 1993. We’ve enjoyed ski trips to Colorado and sailing charters in the British Virgin Islands as well as the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior. These days you may find us biking along Grants’s Trail when we’re not caring for Kathy’s 95 year old Mom at home.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Personal interviews with Henry Kissinger, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Maria Von Trapp; 1989: On-site producer for KSDK coverage of 100th Presidential Inaugural of George H.W. Bush, Washington, D.C. 1996: On-site executive producer for KSDK coverage of 100th Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, GA. 1998-99: Chairman of St. Louis Broadcast Pool coverage of the visit of Pope John Paul II to St. Louis. 2000-2015: News Director at KSDK-TV, among the top regional EMMY winning stations in the market including the 2013 Mid-America EMMY for News Excellence and winners of 44 regional Edward R. Murrow awards including 7 for Overall Excellence. 2008: Recipient of Virginia Betts White QUEST Award for high standards of ethics and excellence in the Communications professions. 2015: Induction into the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle, MidAmerica Chapter, for significant contributions to television for twenty-five years or more.

Hobbies/Sports: Running, Biking, Sailing

De Smet Memories: My role in the senior musical: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” After “tricking” me into an audition with Nick Kuntz (Thanks, Nick, it changed my life!) Mr. Faust cast me as Senex which changed my career goal from print journalist to broadcasting setting me on my career path. The camaraderie and lessons learned from managing the football team with Pat for four years. (That frigid night at Fox of Arnold when we played on a frozen field that was just miserable!) Getting the opportunity to keep score during basketball games and, senior year, to be the Announcer during the games. Pat and I were tasked with the honor of raising and retiring the American flag on the pole outside Emerson lobby entrance every school day. Writing weekly DeSmet sports coverage for St. Louis Suburban Journals.

Memorable Teachers: John Faust, (Mr); Fr. Jim Keene, Fr. Richard Buhler, Fr. Robert DeRouen

Favorite Movies: Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Dr. Zhivago, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Martian Cities lived in: Jefferson City, MO; St. Louis, MO. Favorite Cities: Abiquiu, NM, San Francisco, CA. States visited: 43 Favorites: Idaho, California, New Mexico Countries: 3 Favorites: US, Canada, British VI

Remaining Goals in Life: More travel!

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: There are only two things in life: To love and be loved. He did.

Marital Status: Married

Patrick L. Shipley

17526 E. Dickenson Pl. Aurora CO 80013

shipleypat@comcast.net 303-601-8080

Spouse name: Dianne

Children: Christopher (43); Brian (40)

Sons attending De Smet: Both attended Regis Jesuit in Denver

Grandchildren: Eleni (7) Savannah (6) Daphne (4) Violet (3 going on 23)

Colleges and degrees: University of Missouri- Columbia, BA; Baylor University, MHA; Main Life activities: Still working assisting veterans with health care; visiting kids and grandkids on each coast; trying to contribute where I can.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Marrying the most talented woman I know; Raising two sons who have their own successful families; Retired Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army; Leading Soldiers; Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives; Administering two Army hospitals; serving Veterans; hiking to Havasu Falls; skydiving (1); Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Cycling; Hiking; Fly fishing; Health Fairs; Habitat for Humanity

De Smet Memories: Supporting the athletic teams as sports manager; learning to learn.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Keene, Mr. Arnold, Fr. Bone, Fr. Koesterer, Fr. VanDel, Mr. Barhorst

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Count of Monte Cristo; Star Wars and Star Trek franchises; Gone with the Wind; Top Gun;

Cities lived in: St. Louis; San Antonio; Seattle; Barstow, CA; Arlington, VA; Seoul, S.Korea; Aurora, CO; Leavenworth, KS; Manhattan, KS; States visited: All except Connecticut and Vermont

Favorites: Something in all of them

Countries: U.S., Canada, Germany, S and N Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, PRChina,

Favorites: The People

Continents: N. America, Asia, Europe

Favorite Cities: Seattle; Denver; Munich; Hanoi; Rothenberg ober der Tauber

Remaining Goals in Life: Flying a helicopter; SCUBA certification; Watching my Grandgirls grow up; family genealogy; guitar (Maybe piano);

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Husband, Father, Servant, Man for Others

Richard Siebert

14229 Manderleigh Woods Dr St. Louis, MO 63017

siebert.rick@yahoo.com

341-578-8084

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Vicki

Children: 4 Any sons to De Smet: Y

Grandchildren: 7

Colleges/Degrees: University of Missouri - Columbia (BA - Economics), University of Chicago (MBAFinance)

Main Life activities: Being tolerated, supported and loved by my wife of 47 years while I was immersed in my career, first at Arthur Andersen until its demise in 2002 and then at KPMG until retirement in 2012. While at KPMG I served as the managing partner of the Cincinnati office, the Detroit office and then the region encompassing the industrial Rust Belt. This career enabled me to travel internationally and work with talented people around the world. During retirement, I served on the board of a small cap NYSE public company.

Noteworthy accomplishments: We have four children (none of whom live in or near St. Louis) who, despite their own idiosyncrasies, are wonderfully good people and loving and caring parents. Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I relish reading, but would rather be outdoors than indoors. I spend a great deal of time puttering in my garden doing exactly what I am not sure, spending a fair amount of time puttering around golf courses and testing my ability to add large sums, and recently blasting holes in the sky while watching sporting clays fly by. Vicki and I also enjoy traveling although that has been curtailed of late. In 2000, I served as chair of the board St. Patrick’s Center, and I currently serve on the board of St. Francis Community Services, a Catholic Charities agency.

De Smet Memories: Being thirdstring on the football team but enjoying the camaraderie; Latin class with Fr. Jerry Bone and trying to convince him that winning two out of three games in contract bridge was called a rubber; German class with Fr. Dave Koesterer; the early years of some enduring friendships.

Memorable Teachers: All of them in their unique ways. It was a timeless, collaborative collection of talents and personalities.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Far too many to list but: Books: Sapiens by Yuval Harari, Origins by Dan Brown, The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult; Movies : What Dreams May Come, Meet Joe Black , The Game , The Devil Wears Prada Cities lived in: St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit States visited: 46 Favorites: Hawaii, Colorado and Arizona

Countries: 23 Favorites: Italy, New Zealand Favorite Cities: Lyon, Florence, Rome, Melbourne

Some Remaining Goals in Life: Travel to spend time with my grandchildren and travel to enjoy the world.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: I intend that the Rocky Mountains be the gravestone for my ashes.

Gregory Steiner

1621 Bella Vista Dr. Jackson, MO 63755

analog353@gmail.com 573-204-1286

Marital Status: married 41 years Spouse name: Carol Anne Children: David (36) and John (34) (both born and live in Memphis)

Colleges and degrees: UMSL and UMC, BS Business Administration (unused) studied Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Archeology, Engineering and after 4 years and 15 different declared majors, in desperation of a degree, turned to Business and got out in 5 years!

Main Life activities: After college, I got a job at Olive Electronics selling electronic components. I left this job to attend a dam fighters conference in Washington DC. I was working to end the Meramec Dam. When I got back home after the conference, one of my previous customers hired me where I built and designed corona treaters and ozone generators for the plastic film industry for 1 year.

One of my fellow cavers was a seismologist at SLU and after 2 unsuccessful tries, hired me and brought me to Memphis as project engineer for the newly established Tn Earthquake Information Center. After 5 years I was promoted to technical director at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis when it became one of the governor’s centers of excellence. We started as a staff of 4 people and built an organization of over 80 people at its high point. We eventually offered MS and PHD degrees in Geophysics and had over 20 students from all around the world. After 30 years there I retired (my first retirement!) and returned home to Missouri. I found life in a small town to be very friendly and relaxing and currently live on a lake in an unincorporated portion of Cape Girardeau County.

During my time at CERI many of our research partners expressed interest in the designs I did at CERI and so I started my own business, VLF Designs. For 42 years I have been designing, modifying, selling and repairing custom earthquake monitoring hardware nationally and internationally. While the business has not been highly profitable it has produced welcome income for all those who have been a part of it over the years. The business basically operates for the benefit of its employees. Three years ago I retired (second retirement!) from the manufacturing part of the business and gave all the parts inventory and manufacturing tooling to my sole employee. He operates VLF Manufacturing and al I do is take orders, customize our products and handle sales. I will continue in this until my third and final retirement (death!).

I’m also currently, president of an HOA (nobody else would take the job) where I get to drive a snow plow and listen to complaints for free. Seriously we have a lot of good folks in the neighborhood and we are slowly turning a neighborhood into a community.

I was elected Vice president of the new local sewer district (CGRCSD) where I found out that it not only flows downhill, but that with a big enough pump it can be made to flow up hill! Currently building a sewage treatment plant and laying over 50 miles of sewer pipe. Some local folks don’t like the idea of a sewer bill, but when population density increases, septic tanks and leach fields are less practical. Since we moved here we have been members of St Vincent De Paul Church and I joined the Fish Fry team as a fish cutter and worked my way up to basket loader during the Lenten Fish Fries. Some day they may trust me to actually fry the fish!

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: I have never sought for success, fame, or money but take great satisfaction in leaving everywhere I have been a little better than I found it. I learned this at De Smet and the The Newman center at UMSL formed me into the person I am, and for this I’m eternally grateful. My boys were educated by the Christian Brothers as there are no Jesuits in Memphis. I did inform the brothers that Jesuits held them in high evolutionary regard; higher than a blue-green algae & lower than a lawyer!

While at CERI I designed and helped build the current Seismic monitoring arrays for the New Madrid and the East Tennessee Seismic Zones, with over 120 monitoring sites. I designed and built using student labor the first 40 station and 20 station portable seismic networks that were deployed locally and internationally in support of multinational seismic monitoring projects in New Zealand, Argentina, Taiwan, Hawaii and Arkansas and Tennessee. I specialize in high accuracy, low cost, low power, analog, telemetered monitoring systems and all the hardware used with them.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Caving, float tripping, hiking, photography, wood working, electronics, fixing pre 1950 radios.

I spent 2 months as a missionary in the Frontier Apostolate in Chetwynd. B.C. where I learned more than I taught, and got a great life lesson from a priest there, concerning the inadequacy of my faith in god. We were on our way into town with a car load of the indian kids from camp. Father pulled out to pass a truck into oncoming traffic, which he then passed on the opposing shoulder of the road. He never even blinked and then turned to me and said “you have little faith my son” . What can you say?

I started the St Joseph Society at St Michaels Catholic Church in Memphis to help with infrastructure maintenance of an aging parish. Fixing boilers, ac systems, church lighting, roofs etc and even installing a fiber optic computer network for the grade school.

Active in fund raising for Educational, and Religous groups. Currently Building a new Newman Center at SEMO in Cape.

At age 50 found that I liked college football after being taken to a Tiger Game in Memphis by a coworker, Now I live for the college football season. My wife does also, so it must be contagious! I have been working on a HO model railroad themed from the 1880’s as a desert mining railroad De Smet Memories: Being picked on a lot, which made me who I am today. Spending a lot of time in the darkroom developing and printing memories for the yearbook. Working in The Chemistry Lab after school. Taking part in the Dionysian players where I learned that “if you can’t bedazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bull shit!” Also that it was ok to ad lib once in a while as the audience does not have a copy of the script, (although Mr Faust did!). DeSmet-SLUH football game when the M5.1 Centralia, Il Earthquake occurred during the game about 15 minutes after telling John Von Brecht that the only thing that would save us from defeat was if we had a large earthquake and the field opened up and swallowed the SLUH team. I remember being jostled in the stands and seeing the electric lines wiggling on the poles. This might partially account for my career choice

Memorable Teachers: Fr Lawless, Fr Van Del, Fr Pasarelli, Fr Hoyer, Mr Arnold, Mr Bishop, Mr Kimmel, and Mr Barhorst

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Life on the Mississippi, Don Quixote, Clive Cussler novels, NCIS, It’s a Wonderful Life, Lilies of the Field, Bridge over the River Kwai, Fiddler on the Roof, Casino Royale (original) and Blazing Saddles and Music by John Fogarty, Styx and Jethro Tull Cities lived in: Cool Valley,Mo. Memphis, Tn , Germantown, TN. and currently, Fruitland, Mo.

States visited: All But Alaska and Maine

Favorites: Utah and New Mexico

Countries: Mexico, Canada, New Zealand

Favorites: New Zealand

Favorite Cities: Albuquerque, NM, Moab, UT, Austin, Tx , Victoria, B.C., Wellington, N.Z.

Remaining Goals in Life: To listen for the whisper of the spirit in my ear and to do as best I can the will of him who made me. To continue to fulfill my pledge to be a man for others.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Death is not the end, only the beginning!

Stephen J. Stelfox

1837 E. Lake Crest Drive Gilbert, AZ 85234

Prmfox1@aol.com 480-236-1935

Marital Status: Married, 43 Years Spouse name: Kathleen

Children: Two---Kristin & Rebecca

Colleges and degrees: Bachelors, St. Louis University

Main Life activities: Sales, Medical Records & Radiology Departments. Raising two wonderful daughters. Coaching girls soccer for 12 years. Playing beer league hockey for the last 26 years.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Drafted into the Army July 1972-July 1974. Stationed in Darmstadt, Germany for almost two years. It was Germany where I learned about foreign trade and currency exchange rates. “Foreign Trade” always revolved around trading, coffee, sugar & Campbell’s soup for free rent with our German landlady. The most profitable “Foreign Trade” was always “exchanging” cigarettes & whiskey with our best friend Johan, who owned a gas station on the autobahn. As Charles Dickens said, “It was the best of times….”, too many stories for so little space.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Scuba diving, skiing, traveling & still playing ice hockey

De Smet Memories: As a 4’11”, 97 lb freshman, walking out to football field, standing near Henry Autrey & Mike Hake, I realized some people were meant for football. I wasn’t. I lasted 3 days and headed for the ice rink. Being a part of Faust’s first play, Stalag 17. Little did I know that two years later I would be drafted as real US soldier & living in an Army barracks in Darmstadt, Germany.

Memorable Teachers: Ms. Dotzler & typing class. During basic training I took a typing exam & the Army made me a Personnel Specialist. God Bless Ms. Dotzler! Typing class kept me out of the infantry. In second & third place come Jim Keene & Ralph Carafa both sent me to summer school in 1968 & 1969 in order to stay academically eligible at DeSmet. I’m probably the only Spartan required to attend summer school two years in a row.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Tale of Two cities, Count of Monte Cristo and The Prize, by Daniel Yergin.

Cities lived in: St. Louis; Darmstadt, Germany & Gilbert, Arizona

States visited: All 50 Favorites: Arizona & California

Countries: All of Europe Favorites: Norway, Holland

Favorite Cities: Oslo, Norway; Grindelwald, Switzerland; Alicante, Spain

Remaining Goals in Life: Staying Alive

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: “I Didn’t Do It Her Way!”

Marital Status: Married

Timothy Travers

400 W Cedar Tree Ln

Hartsburg, MO 65039

tjtravers@gmail.com 573 818 4309

Spouse name: Ann

Children: Katie, Peter, Max

Grandchildren: 0 but hopeful

Colleges and degrees: BS Social Work; Masters in Counseling, Specialist in Educational Administration

Main Life activities: Travel (before Covid); visiting national and state parks; visiting kids; home projects; spending time with friends; spending time with my dog

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Principal, Frederick Douglass High School, Columbia, Missouri (16 years); Administrator, Taipei American School, Taipei, Taiwan (2 years); Director, International School of Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar (5 years); Director, International School of Yangon, Yangon, Myanmar (2 years); Superintendent, American International School of Lagos, Lagos Nigeria (3 years); Retired 5 years.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Tennis, golf, pickle ball, woodworking, dog owner

De Smet Memories: Butch Luckett releasing a mouse in French class. Being punished by walking around the soccer field bent over holding my ankles. Playing on the soccer team. Walking down the hall the first day of school feeling self-conscious. Having 29 demerits and being on my best behavior in order to avoid being suspended.

Memorable Teachers: Father Bone, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Frytag, Bill Christman, Cities lived in: Saint Louis, Columbia, Taipei, Yangon, Lagos.

James Van Iseghem

187 Hutchings Farm Dr South O’Fallon MO 63368

jim.vaniseghem@gmail.com 314-488-0904

Marital Status: Divorced Children: Michelle & Jimmy

Sons attending De Smet: Jimmy Van Iseghem class of ‘01

Grandchildren: 2 boys & 1 girl; Avery attended Incarnate Word Academy and is currently a freshman at UMSL majoring in education, Evan is a sophomore at Duchesne & Brady is in kindergarten.

Colleges and degrees: UMSL class of 1975 BS in business administration with a concentration in accounting

Main Life activities: I have really only had 3 jobs in my lifetime. Out of college I went to work for Venture stores as a management trainee. I went through several job titles culminating in my position as the store manager of the Kirkwood store in 1985. I was the youngest store manager in the company’s history at that time. I left Venture in 1989 to pursue my dream of entrepreneurship and invested in a Hallmark store. I grew that business to 5 stores by 2001 but the economic downturn of 2008 was extremely hard on our business, so I pivoted to a position as the Director of Global Retail for a division of Solutia in 2009 while my wife at the time managed the Hallmark stores. That job lasted a little over 2 years, at which time I returned to the Hallmark business (because no one wanted to hire a 58 year old bald man). After some major cost cutting and some help from our bank, we began to turn things around and today we are thriving again. One of my major accomplishments is navigating through the financial disaster that was the previous decade. In 2000 there were over 5000 Hallmark Gold Crown stores, today there are less than 2000. St. Louis alone has lost half of the store fronts in that time, however we only had to close 1 store and that was due to a market overlap. Currently I am still working full time in the Hallmark stores, however I am starting some succession planning in the business and hope to cut back to just the back office functions while leaving the warehouse component to someone younger.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: President - Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce 1997; Business Person of the Year 1997; North County YMCA Board of Directors

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Golf, golf and more golf. Do some bareback sailing in the Caribbean one week/year. Love trivia nights and do them regularly. Love the Cardinals and follow them religiously.

De Smet Memories: Probably the only person to get cut from both the soccer and baseball team for 4 consecutive years. De Smet carnivals were the best.

Memorable Teachers: Barry Lewis managed to get me through 4 years of French but would be horrified to know I went to Paris and could barely understand a word. Norbert Freitag but I can’t remember why except he always said “algeBRA” with the accent on the last syllable.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Anything about WWII or baseball

Cities lived in: Decatur, Chicago and the Lou Countries visited: Scotland, England, France, China, Phillipines Favorites: China

Favorite Cities: Paris

Remaining Goals in Life: Get my handicap to single digits

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: He lived his life with character and integrity.

John Stephen “Steve” Venker

2396 West Shannon Street

Chandler, AZ 85224

jsvenker@gmail.com

480-612-3905

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Cindy

Children: 3; our daughter is an epidemiologist; one son is an attorney; and one son was a restaurant owner until 2020 when the pandemic shut everything down. Grandchildren: 6

Colleges and degrees: Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture from Kansas State University; emphasis of both degrees was historic preservation.

Main Life activities: Professional career in the public sector as a university campus planner (8 years) and city planner (32 years). My interest in campus planning started during graduate school when I worked for the University Architect at Kansas State University. There were numerous projects, varying in scope and complexity, involving historic campus buildings as well as new ones. Immediately after that I worked at Fort Hays State University where I was able to use my skills as architect and landscape architect. That experience led to a position at Arizona State University at a time when it was beginning to expand to a multi-campus system and I helped develop the first phase of ASU West in northwest Phoenix, AZ. While coordinating several aspects of that campus development I had many interactions with the City of Phoenix Planning Department and that sparked my interest in city planning.

I accepted a position with the City of Tempe Community Development Department in 1988 and stayed through most of 2006. During those 18+ years I had many roles focusing on development review of new projects throughout the city, primarily as Design Review Manager. I was able to work collaboratively with Mom & Pop start-up businesses and major projects including residential, commercial, and institutional developments. I facilitated an annual program for architectural awards for new development. Over the last several years of my time in Tempe I served as Planning and Zoning Manager, Hearing Officer, and for a short time I served as Deputy Director

In late-2006 I accepted a position with City of Scottsdale Planning and Development Services Department, and retired in December 2020. I continued to focus on development review while serving as Development Review Board Coordinator. I worked collaboratively to improve existing and create new zoning regulations; improve & create design guidelines; and created an annual program for architectural awards for new development in the city. During final 7 years of my employment my responsibilities also included Historic Preservation Officer & City Archaeologist. Through my city planning experiences I learned that work in the public sector is focused on customer service to the community. As a city planner I had to improve my abilities of persuasion, negotiation, and public speaking, for implementation of community standards. One experience that I never anticipated was serving as the facilitator at a couple of public meetings about the local implementation of the Arizona State Law that allowed medical marijuana.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Professional Accomplishments - Registered Landscape Architect; Registered Architect; LEED Accredited Professional

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Activities - spending time with family / road cycling, swimming and walking / reading, movies, gardening / I volunteer for the Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) as Co-Liaison for the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS).

De Smet Memories: I drew the original plans for the concrete D that is at the southwest corner of the football field. My father John and brothers Paul and Bob helped with the construction.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. Caraffa; Mr. O’Keefe; Mr. Dempsey; Mr. Loehr, Mr. Buckley, Mr. Grawer; Mr. Christman, and Mr. Robert Kelly - I knew Mr. Kelly from my childhood when he was my neighbor.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Books - non-fiction including A History of God; America Aflame; October 1964; “Shakespeare” by Another Name; / TV - Saturday Night Live; sport including MLB St. Louis Cardinals; NFL Arizona Cardinals; NCAA Kansas State Wildcats; Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee for good laughs and fantastic cars / Movies - James Bond; Star Wars; Lord of the Rings; Bullitt; The Great Escape; Hondo; Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House; Love Actually Pride and Prejudice; Ferris Beuller’s Day Off Cities lived in: St Louis; U City; Manhattan, Kansas; Hays, Kansas; Scottsdale, Arizona; Chandler, Arizona States visited: 34 Favorites: AZ, CA, HI, Wisconsin Countries: Canada, Mexico Favorites: Canada

Favorite Cities: La Jolla; Madison WI; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Portland OR; Saint Louis; San Francisco; Santa Fe; Scottsdale

Remaining Goals in Life: Travel in US, Canada, Europe Potential Gravestone Epitaph: None -- opting for cremation.

Mark Vinciguerra

St. Louis, MO

Martial status: Married to Lori Vinciguerra

Children: Carmelina & Marko Vinciguerra My son Marko graduated De Smet in 2015

College: Benedictine College, 1975 Bachelors in Psychology

Main life activities: spending time with family, playing golf, and wine tastings

Accomplishments: jewelry business for 44 years and retired in 2018

De Smet memories: Playing soccer, meeting friends that have lasted a lifetime!

Memorable teachers: Greg Vitello, Soccer 101-104

Countries visited: Italy, Mexico

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Once a Spartan, always a Spartan

Marital Status: Married

Jerome (“Jerry”) Vogel

44 Lake Front Point Perryville, MO 63775

vogeljvev@gmail.com 314-920-2189

Spouse name: Elizabeth

Children: Daughters, Cheryl McKenna and Tiffany Root

Sons attending De Smet: none that I know of

Grandchildren: Tianna and Alex. Great grandkids, 7

Colleges and degrees: BS in Accounting, University of Missouri - Columbia; BFA in Theatre, Webster University; MFA in Acting, Lindenwood University

Main Life activities: Raising kids; Acting, mostly for the Stage but some film, commercials, industrials; Now enjoying semi-retirement in our cozy house on a lake in southern MO.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Feature film credit in the Oscar nominated UP IN THE AIR (look for me near the end with Anna Kendrick). I have acted at the MUNY, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, The Black Rep, The New Jewish Theatre, Upstream Theatre, Insight Theatre, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Riverside Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, and others.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: I stay busy with my guitar, exercising, Spanish Lessons, exploring the pleasures of craft beers and volunteering for our Lake Association activities.

De Smet Memories: My fondest memories are of the brand new drama dept. beginning with the arrival of Mr. Faust. I got involved because there were going to be girls cast and I wanted to get over being shy. The plays did not disappoint.

Memorable Teachers: Mr. John Faust

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Anything by Kurt Vonnegut, John Irving or Stephen King; Anything written by Aaron Sorkin for TV or Film; Any Film by Stephen Spielberg

Cities lived in: St. Louis, L.A., Louisville, KY, Spokane WA.

States visited: Lots

Continents: Just the one Favorite Cities: St. Louis, Spokane

Remaining Goals in Life: Live happy and healthy to 100 Potential Gravestone Epitaph: Jerry’s bones fed this tree, enjoy the shade.

John Wertzberger

6405 Cascades Dr. Columbia, MO 65203

johnw@mediacombb.net 573-356-7004

Marital Status: Married Spouse name: Janet

Children: Michael and Daniel (deceased)

Colleges and degrees: BS in Business from Lindenwood University and Physical Therapy from University of Missouri.

Main Life Activities: Not a helluva lot!

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Marrying the best woman on earth and having the two best sons any man could ever ask for. VERY noteworthy and interesting to me! Aiso, raised some award winning Alpacas with my family. Very special to me. Also amazed I got through PT school and started a PT company with some Therapists I worked with at Healthsouth.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: No real hobbies except reading, can’t play any sports, volunteer to explain back surgical procedures when asked, exchanging emails and talking to Stelfox, Gary Mareschal, Keith Kissane, Steve Sansone and others occasionally.

De Smet Memories: Best DeSmet memories are Fr. Hoyer's Spanish class with Steve Sansone and Mike Potts! Potts used to make me cry laughing! Also, the awesome bond our Class seems to maintain even after more than half a century! This class has been with me through the best and worst times of my life. I'll never forget it. So many really wonderful old friends!! Oh, and in our senior year, Bob Dittmeyer and I entering my motorcycle in the custom motorcycle show at Keil Auditorium and winning!

Memorable Teachers: Fr. Hoyer, Fr. Lawless, Greg Vitello (for passing me even though I screwed up my senior biology assignment so badly!)

Favorite Books / Movies / TV: Love Nelson Demille, Rex Stout, Elmore Leonard, Dean Koontz , many others. Favorite movies are Devil’s Rejects and the John Wick movies. States visited: many Favorites: Colorado, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida

Countries: USA Favorites: USA

Remaining goals in life: Stay alive long enough to enjoy some fun with my wife and son. At the end of my run, I want to see my youngest son more than anything again !

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: You can leave your hat on, With a Little Help from My Friends (yes I know these are Joe Cocker songs but the messages are quite apropos !)

OBITUARY

Mike White - deceased

In Memoriam

Deceased February 7, 2014

Reflections by Classmates & Others

MIKE WHITE: A remembrance by Bruce Aydt

Mike and I were friends during our time at DeSmet but became much better friends in college and after. Mike was, simply put, one of the nicest, kindest, most decent people I have ever known. Mike was always there if you needed something, particularly if it was mechanical or tech related. When we were at Mizzou, Mike famously bought a VW bug for a ridiculously low price (I think it was like $50) because the car didn’t run. But Mike was able to fix it himself for a very small amount, drove it around for a year or so and then sold it for $400! A LOT of cash back in 1972 or 73! After the VW bug, he bought a Chevy Chevelle, fixed it up and drove it for several years.

Mike was the first person I knew to work remotely. He had taken a year off of college and worked for a company that designed wood trusses. As an engineering major, the design work was right up his alley. When he came back to Mizzou, he brought along a “Telex” machine (I think that’s what it was called), hooked it up in his apartment and worked for the company designing trusses via the Telex.

Mike and I were good friends after college as well. Eventually, Mike bailed me out on some computer programming and ultimately, we became work colleagues. Mike was Director of Operations for the real estate company I was with for several years and did a phenomenal job of handling virtually anything in the operations of the company.

A very “famous” Mike White rule of technology is one I still use to day – and I call it the “Mike White Rule.” If you called Mike with a computer or tech issue, the first thing he would say is “Turn it off and turn it back on….”, along with the next “rule”….”Unplug it, give it 5 minutes and then plug it back in and turn it on….” And the Mike White Rule actually works many, many times!

I was very sad at Mike’s passing and remember him frequently today. Rest in peace, Mike.

MIKE WHITE: A remembrance by Rick Siebert

Mike White, also known as Kelly, was a tremendous friend and one of the best problem solvers I knew. He was insatiably curious and was always tinkering with his VW Beetle or some other mechanical device. During the summer after freshman year when the space race was at a frenzy, he was launching model rockets. In his quest for greater altitude, he decided to use a box kite as an airborne launching pad to get an additional fifty or so feet of height. To delay ignition, he used a cigarette as a fuse; it worked !

The summer after sophomore year we worked together at Burger Chef in Kirkwood manning the grill. It was there that he introduced me to a girl he knew from grade school who worked the counter. That girl eventually became my wife.

We attended the University of Missouri and roomed together for several years. He studied engineering where his natural curiosity and innate mechanical know-how enabled him to flourish.

Sadly, I failed to remain in close contact over the years. I do know firsthand that he was devoted to his brothers and sister and to his wife and step-daughter. He was a fantastic father as testified to by his step-daughter in her moving eulogy at his funeral.

Kelly is sorely missed by many. The world is diminished by his passing.

Tom Wortham

7 Legacy Estates Ln

St. Peters, MO 63376

Retiredrrtgcs@gmail.com

636 279 0700

Marital Status: Married

Spouse name: Sherrie (High School

Sweetheart and Love of my Life)

Children: Liz, Tom Jr. and Pam

Sons attending De Smet: Tom Jr., class of 1997. Grandson Charley will be a Freshman at De Smet Fall 2021

Grandchildren: Tristan, Isabelle, Tom III, Charley, Gus, Scout and Reese

Colleges and degrees: St. Louis University, BA; St. Louis Community College, AS Respiratory Care

Main Life activities: Work: Respiratory Therapist, Hospital Management, Global Clinical Specialist for Smiths Medical, Raising Children and watching them raise their children

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Managed multiple Ancillary Health Departments at DePaul Health Center until 1999. Finished my career as Global Clinical Specialist for Tracheostomy at Smiths Medical. Retired in 2020.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Unlike myself, my Grandchildren are very athletic and I enjoy watching their games. We have a home at Lake of the Ozarks and my wife and I enjoy having the family at the lake.

De Smet Memories: Who can forget the North County Bus. Too many stories and when I tell them to others no one believes me!! Spent way too much time in JUG.

Memorable Teachers: Rich Grawer. One of my hardest teachers…ever. He told my Mom and Dad that He thought I was a really nice kid but “Nice kids don’t come in first”.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Not a big reader…not enough patience. Only books read cover to cover were related to Respiratory Care and Hospital Management. TV is getting harder to watch but I do enjoy the Chicago Med, Fire and PD series as well as Tucker Carlson. I like old movies…To Kill a Mockingbird.

Cities lived in: St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Peters, O’Fallon and Osage Beach

States visited: All but Alaska Favorites: Osage Beach, MO

Countries: Mexico, Brazil, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand, Japan

Favorites: Japan: Luckily I was there after my Dad passed (Iwo Jima Marine)

Favorite Cities: Tokyo Japan, Sao Paulo Brazil and Honolulu Hawaii

Remaining Goals in Life: Watch my Grandchildren grow older

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: His Greatest Accomplishment was his Family

George Zimny

1100 E Cedar Tree

Hartsburg, MO 65039

gzimny@socket.net

Marital Status: Married 41 years Spouse name: Denise Doyel Zimny

Children: George Ray Zimny, Jon Zimny

Grandchildren: 3 girls, ages 8, 6, 2

Colleges and degrees: 5 years at SLU – no degree there. Went to SLU in Madrid Spain. Spent 14 months there.

Columbia College – Bachelor in General Studies 2002, Master of Art in Teaching 2004. Got certified to teach social studies and Spanish.

Main Life activities: Started working with Pat Ward in construction. That evolved into owning my own general contracting business for 40 years. Also bought rental property. Retired a few years ago except for managing the rentals.

Noteworthy/Interesting Accomplishments: Taught high school Spanish after retiring, but for only one year. Didn’t feel like putting up with the disrespectful behavior of the kids, many of whom were only in the class because there was nothing left to take.

Hobbies/Sports/Volunteering: Was a Boy Scout leader for 12 or so years. Organized and went with my kids (usually) trips to Philmont, Sea Base, Northern Tier.

Coached youth soccer for 12 years, sometimes coaching up to 3 teams at a time.

Spearheaded the effort to get soccer adopted as a high school sport here in Southern Boone Co. Coached the boys and girls teams the first two years.

Spent 28 years as an elected member of the board of directors of our local Fire Protection District. Served as treasurer those 28 years.

Spearheaded the construction of our local public swimming pool.

De Smet Memories: Running to the bathrooms between classes to wet down our hair so it wouldn’t cover our ears. Unknowingly cussing out Tom Bashwiner in Spanish language lab and getting 39 demerits (40 was suspension). Getting pounded by Jim Maloney at a dance at Visitation.

Favorite Books / TV / Movies: Longmire mysteries. Deadwood. Game of Thrones. Star Wars

Cities lived in: San Francisco. Madrid

Favorite Cities: Madrid

States visited: Many Favorites: Many

Countries: Many Favorites: Spain, Costa Rica

Remaining Goals in Life: Continue living life with my wonderful wife Denny and be around as my grandkids grow up.

Potential Gravestone Epitaph: no gravestone

Appendix 1: The 2 Classmates Lost Before We Started

John Applebaum and Geoffrey Meier in 1967 took and passed the De Smet entrance exam, but died before our classes began in September 1967.

They were named for two awards given annually at De Smet, beginning in 1968. Their pages follow.

OBITUARY

In Memoriam

Deceased April 13, 1967

John Joseph “Jack” Appelbaum, Jr.

Geoffrey E. Meier In Memoriam

Born December 3, 1952

Deceased April 29, 1967

Introduction

This page is dedicated to the memory of Geoffrey by members of the De Smet Class of 1971 who were classmates of Geoffrey at Barat Hall, Class of 1967. Geoffrey was enrolled at De Smet and would have joined our Class in the Fall of 1967, but sadly lost his life in a tragic accident at Grant’s Farm riding horseback with a member of the Busch family. He was only 14 years old.

We share these reflections and memories of Geoffrey in the hope that you will learn a little more about his life and come to know him as we did. It is no coincidence that Geoffrey’s initials spelled the word GEM, for that is what he was, and more. Without a doubt, you would have liked him…….Rest in Peace, Geoffrey.

- John Lowell

Reflections by Classmates

GEOFFREY MEIER: A remembrance by Cliff Bauer, Barat Hall, Class of 1967….De Smet 1971

Remember Geoff every day as he was a close friend at Barat Hall. His death really taught me how fragile life can be when a 14-year old friend and classmate dies suddenly. You remember Geoff died from a horseback riding accident with Adolphus Busch at Grant's Farm.

Geoff was a very funny guy, always up to talking and goofing around as we did back then. He was one of ten children of George and Sally Meier. All the male Meier kid’s names began with a G and female Meier kids names began with an S. Geoff's Mom was devastated by his death. I learned then that losing a child is the WORSE tragedy a person can experience. Pray every day Maure and I don’t have to experience that tragedy in our Family. I was a pallbearer and his parents gave me a holy medal and chain that I still wear every day. ….. May his soul rest in peace as I am sure it is. Thanks for asking for us to remember!

GEOFFREY MEIER: A remembrance by Steve Reed, Barat Hall, Class of 1967 ...De Smet 1971

I have Geoffrey to blame for my interest in poster collecting. I believe his brother came back from Europe and gave Geoffrey a "Vote Communist" poster from Spain I think. He brought it to school and I had to have it. To me it meant something sinister and foreboding. I can't remember what I traded him for it. I remember Geoffrey as a fun-loving, happy guy. Seemed always upbeat. His service with his coffin in the chapel was my first experience with death. It made me very sad for days.

My poster collection now consists of mainly 1960's Psychedelic era works by Stanley Mouse, Rick Griffin, Wes Wilson, and Victor Moscoso. Thanks Geoff.

GEOFFREY MEIER: A remembrance by John Fischer, Barat Hall, Class of 1967 ...De Smet 1971

At Barat Hall, our class was a small but close group of boys who had plenty of fun together at school. Geoff’s accident was an early life lesson to us about loss. I have thought about him often through these years and how great it would have been to have him as our classmate during our years at De Smet. We will see him again one day!

GEOFFREY MEIER: A remembrance by John Lowell, Barat Hall, Class of 1967 ...De Smet 1971

I first met Geoffrey in Kindergarten and we were classmates through the 8th grade at Barat Hall. I remember him as having many friends in school…..he was a red-headed, fun-loving guy with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. I recall an incident after gym class one day as we were walking back to class. I was walking alongside Geoff when our gym teacher, Mr. Beth, called out to him for some reason………“hey Meier, come here!” Now Geoffrey, who could be very spontaneous, stopped in his tracks, turned toward Mr. Beth, and showing no regard for Mr. Beth’s position of authority blurted out…..”what do you want, Beth”, addressing him not by “Mister” out of respect, but simply by his last name. We all lost it!

In the Spring of the year, we played baseball every day after lunch. Some of us would run down to the playing fields to grab a spot to play ball, while others ran inside school to get our bats, balls and gloves out of the lockers. I don’t know why, but to this day I can still see Geoff’s brown, well-worn baseball mitt in my mind’s eye.

I remember serving Mass with Geoffrey on the day before his accident, a Friday, and facing one another prior to Communion holding our Communion plates which were used in those days. I could never imagine then that in the coming days he would be called home by God. All through high school, the 8th Grade picture of Geoff shown above was tucked in the corner of a mirror in my bedroom at home as a constant reminder of him. He enriched my life, and so many others, and I miss him dearly even after 54 years….Rest in Peace, Geoffrey.

Appendix 2: Full 1971 Graduating Class

Source: 1971 De Smet Commencement Program

Appendix 3: De Smet: Notes on Its Founding 1962-1967

The definitive history of the founding of De Smet remains to be written. Unfortunately, the school never established a proper archive in the decades following its founding, so after fifty years, almost no documentary evidence remains of its founding.13 Nonetheless, we herewith provide some summary historical notes, in additions to recollections by Bill Holland below.

A - Summary Notes on the Founding

1. On August 15, 1962 - Fr. John Choppesky, SJ, was appointed rector of SLUH, with a mandate to build another Jesuit high school in St. Louis. The plan was endorsed by then Archbishop, Joseph Cardinal Ritter, who at the time ambitiously stated he would like to have two or three more Jesuit high schools in his archdiocese, since by the early 1960s, over 800 boys were applying to SLUH for the 230 available seats. SLUH was traditionally a feeder of vocations to the diocesan and religious priesthood. It was hoped the new school would do the same. (And in fact, De Smet has s been a significant source of vocations, although obviously not the 20 per year that was hoped for.)

2. The name chosen for the new school was De Smet in honor of Fr. Pierre Jean De Smet who was one of the chief founders of the Missouri Province and of the Society of Jesus in mid-America. The building of De Smet Jesuit was the first time SLUH called on its friends and alumni for financial aid for new construction. In addition, it was decided that SLUH would give De Smet $500,000 - "it is given solely and exclusively for setting up a scholarship fund for students attending De Smet Jesuit High School, but only as long as De Smet is a Jesuit sponsored high school.”

3. Early planning for De Smet in the 1963-66 period took place on Friday afternoons in booths at a neighborhood Irish tavern down the street from SLUH on 6400 Oakland at McDermotts (now known as Pat Connelly’s), attended mainly by those Jesuits involved in the planning.

4. The plan was to build the school on a 30-50 acre tract in St. Louis County (the original location was on Weidman Road but changed to the North New Ballas Road location). The school facility would consist of an academic wing, cafeteria, auditorium-chapel wing, gymnasium, and faculty residence. The academic wing was to be built first and the others added as funds became available.

5. Total cost of the new school was estimated to be $3,000,000. In 1964, a fund-raising drive was initiated, focused on alumni, parents, and friends of SLUH, to raise the remaining monies beyond the SLUH $500,000 grant, and by January 1966 pledges had reached $1.2 million.

6. The fathers of 20 incoming freshmen agreed to serve on an provisional Board of Trustees. They advised the school administration in matters of public relations, school policy, operations, budget, and the solicitation of future gifts (corporate and individual). Bill Holland, SLUH 1943, was the chair of the Board. Fr. Greg Jacobsmeyer, SJ, was the first president of De Smet and Fr. Gerry Bone, SJ, was the first principal. Both sat on the Board as ex officio members. Groundstone was laid in 1966.

7. On September 5, 1967, De Smet Jesuit celebrated its First Day of Classes. The initial faculty in Fall 1967 comprised 71% Jesuits, including 6 priests, 4 scholastics, 2 brothers, and 5 laymen. The course of studies was modeled after that at SLUH with minor exceptions. The freshmen took a modern foreign language (French, German, Spanish, Japanese); chose an elective from Latin, a second modern foreign language, or geography/government; English, algebra, ancient history, typing, religion, and PE.

8. A permanent Board of Trustees was formed with Fr. Greg Jacobsmeyer, SJ, as chairman. The school was formally dedicated on February 25, 1968. With each new year, De Smet added another class to the student body, so that the initial Freshman class of September 1967 had the unique experience of “being seniors” for four years in a row.

13 The Reunion Yearbook editors sought any and all information and documents related to De Smet from both the school and the Jesuit archives in St. Louis, but alas almost nothing was forthcoming. There were no financial records, board minutes, board memoranda, letters, photographs, or other documentation that might have otherwise enabled us to write a proper history.

Original Design Schematic of De Smet, circa 1964

9. In July 1969, Jesuits finally moved into their residence. Up to this time they had been living in the school building itself, and there were 27 Jesuits at De Smet at the time of the school’s First Annual Commencement on June 2, 1971.

B - Further recollections of Classmate Bill Holland14

1. Fr. Gerald Sheehan was the principal at SLUH in the early 1960’s. SLUH was receiving far more applications that it could accept. Many of these applications were from legacy alums who wanted theirs sons to go to SLUH. It was causing quite a problem with the alumni. Like Cardinal Ritter and Fr. Choppesky, Father Sheehan saw the need for a second Jesuit high school and helped Fr. Choppesky begin the process of forming committees to raise the funds and identify and secure a site.

2. As we all know, the demographics of St. Louis were changing in the 60’s. Expansion into the suburbs was exploding in all directions. North County was growing very rapidly but so was South County. West County was just starting to pick up its development as well. Several noted institutions were leaving the City of St. Louis and relocating to the County. One of the most prominent was the Sisters of Mercy who were moving their hospital from Grand and Chippewa to Ballas and US 40. Highway 40 was still a four lane highway and I-270 was just being built, and was call I-244 at the time.

3. As I remember it, Father Sheehan took an airplane and flew around the area where the new St. John’s Hospital was being built. He saw a farm located to the north of Ladue Road on Ballas. That farm was chosen as the ideal site for the new high school. The original site was larger than what was finalized as there was a disagreement between the two sisters that owned the land. Included into the sale was the land to the north of the handball courts. In order to keep peace with the sellers and move forward the original plot site was amended to what we knew in 1967. (Later, De Smet did buy the land and that is where the new fields are located as well as the house which is now used for offices.)

4. In 1962, my Dad came to me and told me he wasn’t going to be able to be home for my birthday, February 18th. I was nine years old and pretty upset. He told me he had a very important meeting to go to and that meeting would be impacting my future. I found out later that is what the initial meeting that Father Sheehan had called to form the fundraising effort for De Smet Jesuit High School. My Dad, along with Frank Finnegan, Ed Nestor, Dick Fitzgibbon and others that I can’t remember, all started the tough job of raising the $2.5 million was going to take to complete the project. The SLUH alums from ’42-47 took the lead in this effort, but SLUH alumni from classes from the 1930s also participated in the effort.

5. We were all set to take our entrance exams at SLUH in the spring of 1967 for the opening in September, 1967. I remember sitting next to John Goessling and remember how smart he must be because he finished every section before anyone else.

6. During August there was the spontaneous combustion fire which caused smoke damage on the second and third floors and in the gym. We were in Chicago on vacation and my Dad received a telegram telling him about the fire. The City of Creve Couer wasn’t going to grant an occupancy permit. My Dad, Father Jacobsmeyer and others pleaded to let the school open. They agreed to the first floor only and that is how we started De Smet, all crammed in the first floor. The Jesuits lived in the front offices.

Emerson Entrance, September 1967

7. In April, 1967 the school started to get organized. A Mother’s Club was formed. It was the Mother’s Club that thought it would be nice if we would wear blazers. There was a concern that De Smet would not have a unique identity and to wear a blazer was a way to differentiate it. Bond Clothiers downtown was where our mothers bought the blazers.

14 whose father was the first chairman of the De Smet Board of Trustees in 1967, and one of about 20 SLUH graduates form the 1930s and 1940s who played instrumental roles in the founding of De Smet. A significant number of these men had sons in our Class of 1971.

Appendix 4: De Smet - Selected Faculty & Staff 1967-1971

1971 Faculty Position Deceased

Fr. Greg Jacobsmeyer 1st President

Fr. Thomas McQueeny 2nd President 3/6/2002

Fr. John Arnold 5th President 11/15/2020

What happened to them after 1971

Went to Trinidad Parish in Colorado to serve as Pastor.at Holy Trinity Church.

President of De Smet 1971-1981, then director of Missouri Province Development Office. In 1991, returned to DeSmet as assistant to the president until 1997.

After completing his theology studies, he returned to De Smet as a priest and served as principal from 1974-77. He was then moved to Fusz Memorial, where he was a floor superior for Jesuit scholastics and also taught religion at St. Louis University High School for a year. After earning an MBA at the University of Chicago in 1980, he returned to St. Louis to serve as assistant treasurer and revisor for apostolates in the former Missouri Province Offices. In 1988, he was appointed province treasurer. In 1992, he returned to De Smet as rector and teacher of mathematics, and named president of the school in 1998, serving in that role until 2006. In 2006-18, Father Arnold served in the province office as an assistant to the treasurer. During that time, he also served as either acting superior (2011-13) or superior (2013-17) of Ignatius House community. Failing eyesight made necessary his retirement and move to Jesuit Hall in May 2018.

Fr. Gerry Bone 1st Principal 4/28/2015 Left priesthood to marry.

Fr. Ralph Houlihan 2nd Principal

Fr. John Bergin Social Studies

11/30/2014

Mr. George Barhorst Chemistry 3/14/2014

Mr. Tom Bashwiner Dir of Devt., Spanish

Fr. Richard Buhler Anthropology

Mr. Dale Burgman Mech. Drawing/Coach

Mr. Kevin Buckley History

Miss Linda Clemons French

Mr. Robert Christian AD, Social Studies

Mr. William Christman Studio Art

Mr. Terrence Dempsey English

Mr. Dennis Dietz Physics

Mr. John Faust

Engish, Drama, Speech

Mr. Gregory DiBlasi History

Mr. John Gibbons Math

Miss Yvonne Fernau Typing

Mr. Richard Grawer

History / Coach

Mr. George Hasser Spanish

Fr. Bernard Hoyer Spanish

Mr. James Grout Religion

Mr. Vernon Heinsz Religion

Mr. Robert Kelley Math, Asst Principal

Mr. Thomas Kelly Treasurer

Mr. David Koenigs Biology, Adv. Biology

Fr. Patrick Lawless Religion

Went to SLU in 1974 and then in 1979 went to Regis High School in Denver. Currently Retired at Jesuit Hall.

Continued to teach at De Smet (history and religion), and was ultimately was teacher or otherwise associated with the school for over 25 years. Also taught at Regis in Denver.

Later taught Physics and outdoor education at John Burroughs High School.

Later became Rector at SLU and now at Coventry, Louisiana.

Succeeded Rich Grawer as Varsity Basketball Coach; Retired to Lake of Ozarks

Taught at De Smet for many years.

6/12/2009 Left De Smet in 1984, and worked in private sector.

Left De Smet in 1971 and pursued career in the arts.

Entered Jesuits; became Director of the Jesuit Museum in St. Louis

After De Smet, got a PhD, worked for Johnson & Johnson, then started a medical technology company in Denver, ran it for years, then sold it, and is a private aircraft pilot, and flight instructor in Denver.

Left De Smet to join John Burroughs as drama instructor.

4/12/2012

Taught at De Smet for many years.

Married Chris Mess / taught at Chaminade after leaving De Smet in 1974.

After coaching De Smet to its 3rd State basketball title in 1981 hired as assistant coach at Mizzou, then in 1982-1992 was Basketball Head Coach of SLU, followed by AD of Clayton High School until retiring.. (see also bio accompanying the Forward)

Taught at De Smet until retiring in 2004.

Taught at De Smet for many years.

Became Spiritual Director at Rockhurst. Retired at SLU.

3/2/2019 Remained at De Smet until the late 1980s.

Went to SLU.

Served as Principal at Rockhurst. Taken by cancer.

Fr. Timothy Lawless History

Fr. David Koesterer German

Mr. William Jelinek English

Mrs. Pat LaPresto Secretary

2/16/2004 Taught at Regis Jesuit in Denver; spent several years in Himalayas.

3/11/2020 Went to serve at White House Retreat after De Smet.

Bro. Jim Marheineke Groundskeeper; Coach 3/12/2012

Mr. Thomas Loehr Engish, Film Tech.

Fr. James McFarland Counseling

Mr. Barry Lewis French

Mr. Larry Morgan Assistant Principal

Mr. Christopher Mess Social Studies

Mr. J.J. Mueller English, Religion

Fr. James McMullan Religion

Mr. James P. Neill English

Mr. Gerald McMahon Asst. Principal, Math

Mrs. Mabel Nordstrom Secretary

Mrs. Nancy Knieja Secretary

Mr. James O'Hagan English

Mrs. Cathi Ott English

Fr. Ralph Passarelli Religion, Spanish

Mr. Jim Pollock Various

Mr. Jack Renard Religion, Latin

Bro. Frank Schmidtt Maintenance

Fr. Joseph Sheehy Math

Mr. John Polizzi Band

Bro. Robert Synder Treasurer

Fr. William Snyders Head Counselor

Mr. Joseph Snyder Math, Religion

Mrs. Betty Simpson Librarian

Mr. Douglas Timm Physiology, PE, Coach

Mr. Patrick Travers Math

Fr. Curtis Van Del Religion

Mr. Ken Suzuki Japanese

Fr. Jack Zupez Math

Mrs. Elizabeth Ward Secretary

Mr. Richard Weiman English

Mr. Gregory Vitello Physiology, PE, Coach

Left the order and married a widow who was the mother of a student who he coached in cross country.

Left as a scholastic, and currently teaching at Tulane University.

Worked at a parish in California.

Continued to teach at De Smet until retiring in 2004. Married Yvonne Fernau

Went to Gonzaga U to teach.

Scholastic who was transferred to Denver, then left the order, and currently in DC

Went into theology at Berkeley, but died in a canoeing accident on river in California.

Stayed at De Smet many years, then went to Trinidad Parish in Colorado.

Scholastic who was later ordained and ran the parish at the iconic Holy Trinity Church in Old North St. Louis

Became Islamic scholar and taught at SLU.

Ordained as a Jesuit priest

Taught for many years at De Smet.

Went to SLU

Went to Regis High, became Principal, then Rockhurst, then left order to marry and became a school administrator.

Went to Concordia in Kansas, eventually retired to Jesuit Hall, where he is nearing 90.

Went to SLU and wrote on theological topics.

Left as a scholastic, but continued to teach at De Smet for two decades.

Coached and taught at De Smet. Currently retired.

Appendix 5: History of De Smet: Historical Timeline

We thank the right honorable George Hasser for providing this timeline, which unfortunately only extends to 2003, the year he retired. Surely a future Reunion Class will find someone to bring it up to the present !

19641968

 5/4/64 – Creve Coeur approves DeSmet plans

 5/15/66 – Groundbreaking ceremony

 9/5/67 – 1st day of class – 245 freshman

 2/25/68 – Dedication Ceremony

 StuCo formed

19681969

19691970

19701971

 Jesuits move into Jesuit Residence on DeSmet Campus

 Hasser & Vitello come to DeSmet

 Cernecka & DiBlasi arrive at DeSmet

 1st Varsity CC meet – beat Cleveland

 1st Pep Rally

 1st Varisty Football game – loss to Rosary

 1st victory was Duchesne

 Dedication of Beirne Memorial Field (Football Field)

 Faculty Pep Rally

 1st DeSmet Car Rally

 1st Wrestling District Competition

 Spartans meet & discuss with Pentecostals

 Fr. De Jaeger discusses Vietnam

 1st DeSmet Film Festival

 1st Varsity Baseball game

 1st DeSmet ring

 1st Prom

 Spartan becomes 1st newspaper

 Synthesis became 1st literary magazine

 Yvonne Ferneu arrives

 Stalag 17 – Dionysian Players perform 1st show under Faust

 Old Newsboys Day

 1st Queen of a Dance crowned –Christmas

 Jacobsmeyer leaves DeSmet – Builder & 1st President

 McQueeny becomes President

 1st Senior Retreat

 1st Model UN

 Art show by French artist Georges Rouanlt

 1st Senior Projects

 1st Graduating Class

 Mr. Mess arrives at DeSmet

 1st Carnival

19711972

 1st victory over SLUH in Football and BBall

 Gym Fire

 St. John’s Disaster Drill

 Final Vows – Houlihan, Koesterer, Bill Synders

19721973

 1st Debate Team

 Hockey wins City Championship

 Mirror established as 1st newspaper

 1st JV Baseball Team

 Berns & Bick start at DeSmet

 1st Frosh Field Day

 Mock Election (Debates & Election)

 First ever perfect season @ DeSmet – C Football

 Christmas Midnight Mass moved to gym due to size

 1st Jesuit Cup hockey game @ Arena

 Basketball wins State Championship

 “Communications Night”

 1st Junior Retreat

19731974

19741975

 1st State Appearance for CC

 Last of the Original Four Classes

 1st group of Men of the Year (naming or citation??)

 Nighttime Mass of the Holy Spirit concelebrated by Jesuits & local Priests

 Creation of the Advisory Board

 1st Student directed play “David & Lisa”

 1st Mission Week

 Loss of Jerry McMahon S.J. & Tom Kelly

 Frank Hawkey arrives @ DeSmet

 “D” installed in Stadium

 1st year without Blazers & Ties

 Fr. Arnold names Principal

 “The Sting” in the Advisory Board - $200 to Sr Class

 1st Water Polo team

 1st Swim team

19751976

 Basketball & Football wins 1st Bi-State Championship outright

 Christian named Coach of the Year

 “Dirty Thirty” finished 2nd in State Football

 DiBlasi begins coaching B Soccer

 Chistmas Dance on Jan. 3

 Hockey wins Championship under Coach Bick

 Introduction of the Maroon Trunk (Cheer Cone)

 Evola & Luecke arrive @ DeSmet

19761977

19771978

 Bro Snyder takes Final vows in DeSmet library

 Fr. Craig comes to DeSmet as Pastoral Director

 1st Racquetball team

19781979

 1st official Girl Cheerleading Squad –Grawer, Burgman, Vitello & Berns Girls

 Hockey State title

 Basketball 31-1 (lost 1st game, start 63-0 stretch) State Champs

 Cohen arrives at DeSmet

 1st Sophomore Retreat

 Mess takes over Activities Department

 Yearbook officially named Spartan Olympiad

 Faculty vs Police BBall game

 1st ever Parade All-American Soccer Team takes Bill McKean

 2 soccer players drafted to professional teams

 Basketball – undefeated State Championship 32-0

 1st Freshman Tennis team

 Bosher, Stevinson & Doughty start

 1st and only outdoor football field graduation

19791980

 10th Graduating Class

 Creation of the “Animals” (Maroon Platoon)

 Press Box was built

 Spartans see John Paul II in Des Moines for his first visit

 1st Freshman Night of Recollection

 Formation of Peer Counseling Group > Big Brothers

 Burning of DeSmet’s Mortgage

 Fr. Craig takes over Theater program

 Soccer wins District with 7-12-4 record

 Basketball ends 63 game winning streak

 Hockey wins title (Chura goalie)

 Hasser retires from Baseball

 1st Faculty member gives Birth – Mrs. Jerry (Richard Timothy)

19801981

19811982

 1st 4th BBall team

 Vitello takes over Baseball Program

 Dinner served @ Prom for 1st time

 1st organized group of Cheerleaders

 Creation of Men’s Club

 Kelemen takes over Bowling Club

 Death of Junior Doug Klump

 1st Graduation @ New Cathedral

 Kelemen & Kramer arrive

 17 New teachers

 1st Freshman Orientation Overnight

 Addition of Junior Projects on Tuesday afternoons

 Football Playoff berth

 District Titles – Soccer, Wrestling

 First Freshman Soccer Team – Coach Jim Gummels

 Burgman takes over Basketball from Grawer

 Basketball State Championship over SLUH

 DeSmet Cheering section – “The Horde”

 Wrestling Program – 2nd in State as a Team

 Rich Weiman takes over Activities

 Creation of StuCo w/Pres, Sec, Treas & Com (Soc, Pub, Past, & Spirit)

 Fr. Harrison takes over Yearbook

 Creation of the Jazz Band

 Berns creates the A/V Club (now known as Media Club)

 Seniors sweep Senior/Faculty VBall, BBall, & Softball games

 Wheelchair Basketball

 Cerneka becomes Athletic Director

 Hawkey takes over Golf Program

 Donahue, Walsh & OB arrive

19821983

19831984

 1st Homecoming Week (Carnival)

 Golf State Title

 District Titles – Football, Soccer, Wrestling, Basketball, Golf

 Durham begins coaching Frosh Wrestling

 Creation of the Band as a class

 Evola takes over Mirror

 First time Senior projects done as they are today

 Fr. Curt Van Del S.J. leaves – last original teacher to leave

 Densberger becomes Principal

 Densberger & Durham begin

 “Challenge for Excellance” – 1st new capital campaign since opening – Fr. Boian

 Phase 1 – Building Emerson Lobby, Wrestling Room, weight room & old band room

 Phase 2 – Chapel started

 Cross Country State Championship –Coach Horas

19841985

19851986

 Hockey State Champs

 Golf State title

 Create Science & Engineering Club

 Karpowicz takes over Band

 NHS recognized for its work

 JCL wins title

 DiBlasi forms Thinktank

 Addition of 7th class to schedule

 1st Fr. DeSmet Birthday Mass

 Sothers takes over CC program

 Hockey State champs

 Tennis State champs

 Golf State champs

 JCL wins State again

 Fr. Francis Ryan takes over Pastoral Dept

 “Men for Others” song written & put to music by Dan Kriss & John Blank

 Chapel dedicated by Archbishop May

 DeSmet named school of Excellence in Private Education by state of Missouri

 1st Computer class

19861987

19871988

19881989

 Jack Buck speaks to students at Father/Son Banquet

 Cerneka takes over football program

 1st Volleyball team (built by Pat Chura)

 1st Spartathalon

 1st Spartanfest w/o Carnival

 Football introduces Pollcat Football offense to beat Vianney @ Stadium 28-27

 Students added to Iron-Lung Chain

 1st Full Speech team

 Cycling Club formed

 “Church Lady Mixer” – Pastoral fundraiser mixer

 Spartan Service work in Honduras

 Bunny Bash ‘89

 Hockey wins State title

 Sothers takes over Swim team from Vitello

 Skate Club

 Fr. Ryan’s last year in Pastoral

 Mr. Kelly retires after 21 years @ DeSmet

 Schulte & Weiss invited to tryout for World Cup Soccer Team

 Luecke takes over Activities

 1st 2nd generation student

19891990

 Royal Lichtenstein Circus @ DeSmet with Fr. Weber

 Fr. McMahon (current provincial) & Mr. Olmsted take over Pastoral

 Opening of Guidence Center

 Iron Lungs incorporates Students

 Sr. Margaret takes over NHS

 Football takes out Vianney @ Busch to end season with 1st win

 Hockey wins State

 Hicks wins State in 400 Track

 El Salvador Martyrs

 Boian’s last year as President

19901991

 450th anniversary of Jesuit order

 Fr. Bailey becomes President

 SLUH & DeSmet perform “The Fifth Sun” together

 Emerson Parking Lot becomes Beach Volleyball Court

 Creation of 2nd floor computer lab

 1st Spring Arts Festival

 Creation of BBA (organization for Black Awareness)

 Science Club created under Mr. Walsh

 Challenge prayer group formed by Fr. Pione

 Environmental Awareness & Recycling Club formed

 Kendrick takes over VBall team

 “Spirit Brigade”

19911992

 25th Anniversary

 1st State Soccer Championship (CoChamps w/ Vianney, 0-0 tie after 4 OT’s

 Lights put in Stadium - 10/5 v SLUH

 Track opens

 McKeon named Gatorade National Soccer Player of Year

 Maroon Platoon resurrected

 Return of Winter Dance

 Student Awards Assembly moved to DeSmet

 1st Lacrosse Team

 1st Frosh Baseball

 Amnesty International formed

 Burtelow wins State High Jump title

 Walsh takes over StuCo/Activities for Luecke

 Luecke takes over Athletics for Cerneka

19921993

19931994

 Formation of Glee Club

 Formation of Senior Leaders

 1st MCC Track title

 Walsh – Wrestling State Champ – 140 lbs

 1st ASC teacher – Rotello

 2nd Frosh Soccer Team

 Secret Service Spirit team

 Smallest Graduation Class (146)

 Largest Frosh Class (280) at that point

 Creation of the “Maroon Lagoon” at Spring Dance

 New Art Rooms opened

 DeSmet wins 1st Bishop McNicholas Award (Pro-Life Act)

 1st Belize Trip

 Separation of StuCo & ActivitiesKendrick 1st full StuCo Mod & Walsh Activity Director

 Largest Mirror Newspaper – move to 12 pages

 Running Club formed

 OBA becomes MSC (Minority Students for Change)

 Macro takes over Challenge Prayer

 Soccer wins State Soccer outright

 Miller takes over Hockey program

19941995

19951996

 Last Spartatholon Spartanfest

 Valentines Mixer

 Fr. Ruhl challenges us to be “Mission Men”

 Kairos #1 held @ White House for Seniors & 12 Juniors

 Video News Magazine formed under Mr. Berns

 Water Polo returns to DeSmet under Fober

 1st Spartaned Out” Dating Competition

 DDP perform “Wild Oats” @ Missouri State Thespian Competition

 Last play in Theater (RM 1002)

19961997

 Soccer wins State title

 1st Volleyball State title

 1st Lacrosse State title

 1st MCC All-Sports trophy

 DeSmet hosts Pro-Life Youth Convention & wins 2nd consecutive Bishop McNicholas Award

 1st All Senior Kairos - #2

 Soph Day of Rec moved to Kenrick

 1st AMEX printed

 Art Club forms

 Football – 1st winning season since ‘86

 Fober takes over Swim team

 Lose Jim Gummels & Fileen Begin in September

 Opening of LaBarge Stadium (bleachers in stadium)

 Opening of Hunter Theater

 Hockey State Title

 Lacroose State Title

 New weight room/Band Room/Locker room

 Internet installed @ DeSmet

 Bro Lee takes final vows

 Callahan takes over StuCo for Kendrick

 1st Roller Hockey team

 1st Rugby team

19971998

 FCA formed @ DeSmet

 Glee-Club becomes a class

 Separate Junior & Senior Proms

 Rowing Club

 Soccer State Champs

 Hockey State Champs – 10th title

 Steiner takes over Basketball (from Chaminade)

 Lacrosse State title

 DeSmet hosts MCC track meet – 1st time

 Hour Class added to schedule

 DeSmet begins work in Pruitt-Igoe Development

20002001

 Pete Musso takes over StuCo for Callahan

 1st Magis retreat

 1st Pilgrim retreat

 Institution of Mid-quarter report cards

 Hockey State Title

 Foy eats fire @ Talent Show

 1st Career Night

 Ott wins State Wrestling 130 lbs

 1st SJLS workshop

 1st (& only) DABS Mixer (DeSmet Association of Black Students)

 1st Baseball State title

 Keppel taken in draft by Mets in 1st round of draft

 DiBlasi retires from coaching

 Mrs. Durham retires

 30th Graduating Class

 Return of Spartanfest Bonfire

 Weiman retires

 1st Manresa retreat

 Outdoor Club created

 Football goes to playoffs – 1st since ’85, best record since ‘75

 Ott wins 2nd consecutive State Wrestling Title – 130 lbs

 Lacrosse State title

 1st Rugby Western Championship – finish 6th in Nation

 Chura returns & takes over Volleyball

 1st annual Sophomore Midnight Ski trip

 1st Christmas on Campus

20012002

19981999

19992000

 1st overnight Odyssey Days

 Fr. Arnold takes over as President

 Expansion of Band program

 Friars earn #1 rating in a row @ State

 Pope visits St. Louis – Schoemehl gives Pope hockey stick, Karpowicz plays in band for rally

 Alonzo scores 1600 SAT

 Hockey State title

 Basketball State title

 Lacroose State title

 Computers begin to be used in classrooms

 Juniors begin receiving rings at Mass w/Mom’s

 Return of Spartanfest Carnival

 New Pastoral office opens

20022003

 Spartans join in prayer on 9/11/01

 StuGo changes to StuCo ( for 1 year)

 IHS forms

 Speech & Debate become 1 club

 Chinese Buffet Club reborn

 Hawkey takes over Sports & Spirit for Walsh

 1st Special Olympics

 Mahoney takes over Football for Cerneka

 Hockey State title

 1st Swimming State title

 Lacrosse State title

 Blechle wins Golf State title

 Musso takes over Activities for Walsh

 Hawkey takes over StuGo for Musso

 Activities Leadership Project

 Formation of Archery & Paintball Clubs

 Mission Week returns after 1 year off

 1st Senior vs Alumni Basketball game

 Formation of ASLSLC

 Return of Mission Week Arcade

 1st MCC Football title & beat SLUH (1st in 14 years)

 Durham takes over Wrestling for O’Brien

 Golf wins State title

Appendix 6: Answers to “De Smet: Trivia Quiz”

Question 1: Correct answer is a tie between E, the Chess Team, which had an 83.33% winning percentage (7-1-1), and D, the Golf Team (which had an identical 83.33% winning percentage on basis of a 10-2 record). Football was 75% (7-2-1), Basketball was 71% (22-9), and Soccer was 67% (16-6-8).

Over the 1970-71 school year, many of De Smet’s varsity teams posted very strong performances.

In the city that would emerge in the early next century as America’s top chess city, De Smet’s Chess Team was ranked #2 in the St. Louis Metropolitan Chess League (behind perennial powerhouse U City), the Golf Team finished second in the 6-team Bi-State Tournament, and the Basketball Team went to the State Quarterfinals, losing at Kiel to ultimate state champion Vashon. The Football Team was 7 points shy of a 9-1 record, and a run for the state championship. The Soccer Team advanced as far as the Final Four in the Missouri state tournament, losing 1-0 to Rosary, which De Smet had beaten handily earlier in the year, but won State in 1971. In all of the above cases, the seniors (our Class of 1971) played multiple key roles in their respective sports.

Question 2: Correct answer is E, seven. Barringer (Richard, Robert – brothers); Bussmann (David, Tom – cousins), Fitzgerald (John, Thomas); Murphy (John, Patrick – unrelated), Murray (Joseph, Thomas); Roberts (Jerry, Richard), Shipley (Michael, Patrick)

Question 3: Correct answer is C. Hugh Kelly

Question 4: Correct answer is B. Bob Reigel, who has been to 72 countries. Larry Linkul is #2 (45) and Dave Bussmann and Bob Dittmeier are tied for #3 (33 countries)

Question 5: Correct answer is B. Bill Holland.

Question 6: Correct answer is C. Bill Holland, who on his second try at Typing, soared to 13 WPM on his final test.

Question 7: Correct answer is C. Gilliam, who went elsewhere to graduate.

Question 8: Correct answer is B. Rick Siebert. You can see a younger version of Vicki on Rick’s bio page.

Question 9: Correct Answer is C. Mr. Dempsey / Visitation. Under the Gaslight was directed by Terry Dempsey. A melodrama that turned out poorly as some of the audience was given popcorn and peanuts to throw at the villians, so everyone could tell who the villians were. Under the Gaslight was held at Visitation and the nuns were AGHAST that their theater had been trashed . . . imagine high school boys with permission to throw popcorn and peanuts. . . in old fashion melodramas the audience would "politely toss" popcorn and peanuts at the villains . . . kind of audience participation . . . Mr. Dempsey's idea was to make it as realistic as possible. . . idea gone bad you might say.

- Mike Sawicki

Question 10: Correct Answer is D. Bill Lynch / Mike Sawicki. For a period of time in 1971, Bill Lynch and Mike Sawicki served as night watchmen and locked the school up. Fr McQueeny needed somebody to lock the school up at night. In exchange for room and board we would lock up the building each night. We lived in the administration wing at the Jesuit residence. So we served to make sure all the lights were off, windows closed and doors locked. You would be surprised to know how many students tried to get in the school after hours.

- Mike Sawicki

Appendix 7: Rich Grawer’s Philosophy of Basketball

The essay at right was first published in the 1969-70 De Smet Varsity Basketball Yearbook in the Spring of 1970. It remained Coach Grawer’s Basketball Teaching Philosophy throughout his entire coaching career, and had an influence on the hundreds students who were his players.

Appendix 8: Classmates Not Participating in the Yearbook

The following 54 Classmates were either not reachable or declined to submit a biographical profile for the Reunion Yearbook:

Charles Baumgarten

John Beard

Charles Behrens

Michael Belli

Gary Bellinger

Dennis Braun

Thomas Casey

Patrick Chenot

Gregory Combs

John Fitzgerald

John Fogarty

Donald Fraser

Mike Hake

Mark Holton

James Houska

Joseph Huber

Michael Halloran

Daniel Huenneke

James Huggins

Robert Janes

Joseph Klitzing

Henry Kramer

Michael

Kryzanowski

Nicholas Kuntz

James Lanzafame

Joseph Luckett

John Macheca

Robert Monti

William Mooney

James Mueller

John Murphy

Joseph Murray

Dennis O’Loughlin

Gregory Pais

Kevin Quigley

Paul Reading

James Richter

Gerald Rickhoff

Daniel Rife

Jerry Roberts

Richard Roberts

Don Roth

Timothy Ryan

Joseph Schrader

Stephen Sell

Mark Shocklee

Russell Smith

Roosevelt Stewart

Mark Tisius

John Tulley

John Van Brecht

Michael Walk

Patrick Ward

Timothy Watters

The following Classmates were confirmed to have died but there was no obituary or other information available:

Steve Schulte

Quiten Gansloer

Appendix 9: Other Selected Photos from De Smet

Yearbooks of 1967-71

The Start: Freshman year, early October 1967, in the permitted 180 seconds between classes in the school

The Finish: Senior year, First Graduation Ceremony, June 1971

Steiner

MacLeod

Burns

Bussmann

Kramer

Stelfox

T. Fitzgerald

McNamara

Bond

Erecting the first goal posts on the football field, circa 1967

Cafeteria Ping Pong 1968

De Smet Entrance Exam 1970

Selected Homeroom Pics 1969-1970

Faculty Montage - Selected Teachers 1968-1971

Br. Schmidt SJ Bergman

Fr. Timothy Lawless SJ (with the ever-present Pall Mall)

Haskings & Barhorst

Fr. Koesterer SJ Mr. Loehr SJ

Mr. MinogueSJ

Mr. Pollock SJ McEvoy

Mr. RenardSJ

Conlan

Kelley

Vitello

O’Keefe

Fr. Gerry Bone SJ

Mr. Passarelli SJ Fr. Patrick Lawless SJThe OTHER Father Lawless

Fr. Hoyer SJ

Fr. Van Del SJ

Fr. DeRouen SJ

Caraffa Faust

Bashwiner

Bro. Marheineke SJ

Fr. HoulihanSJ

Fr. McMullenSJ

Satory

Koenigs

Fr. Buhler SJ

Mr. Halloran SJ

Mr. Mueller SJ

Sheckler

Dempsey (now Fr. Dempsey SJ)

O’Hagan

Grawer Fernau (now Fernau Mess)

Mess

Dietz Buckley

DiBlasi Hasser

Fr. Arnold SJ

Lewis Grawer

Boehm

Grawer’s Classroom on the Court 1969 Diagramming next play on the hardwood High Tech “Language Lab” 1969

BBall Game 1971

Appendix 10: A Final Take on Graduation Year 1971

The following article, published in early 2021 in the Wall Street Journal, argues that our graduation year of 1971 was one of the most consequential years in the the history of the 20th Century.