M e m o r i a l
Set in Stone B
ob Spisak left his imprint all over Gilmour Academy. Now his indelible mark will be seen by everyone in the Gilmour Community. One rainy day last April, his family, friends, colleagues and students remembered him at the dedication of a stone placed over a time capsule near the entrance of the new Athletic Center. The time capsule houses items documenting Gilmour’s history for more than 50 years. Spisak, Gilmour’s maintenance technician, joined the Academy in 1984 and remained an employee until his death last year. Gilmour Headmaster Brother Robert Lavelle, C.S.C., recalled that “Bob was always steadfast and calm despite any problem on campus,” and that “he was an integral part of the Gilmour Community and was essential to our journey.” Bob Spisak was able to repair any lock and navigate the intricacies of telephone systems, computers, equipment and just about any mechanism on campus. He also was a liaison with the outside contractors who erected the new Leah Spisak and buildings at Gilmour over the last quarter century. Br. Richard Keller, C.S.C.
Father John Blazek ’58, C.S.C. blessing the stone
68
“I asked Brother Robert about dedicating the time capsule in Bob’s memory shortly after Bob passed away,” says Dan Kohn, Gilmour maintenance director. “As a long-time member of the Gilmour Family, I thought it was appropriate to have a lasting reminder of his presence.” The 28-inch diameter stone is made of thick green granite to match the paving stones by the Athletic Center. The polished stone is offset with engraved letters dedicating the stone in memory of Robert A. Spisak. Those words stand out against a frosted natural background with a matte finish. The stone also features the phrase: “The man who walks with God always gets to his destination,” a verse on a marble plaque Spisak kept on his desk at work and that his wife, Leah, had on hand at his funeral. During the blessing, Campus Minister Father John Blazek ’58, C.S.C., noted that “Even though Bob was a behind-the-scenes person, he always walked with us.”