THE SHAMROCK St. Patrick’s Alumni Association Newsletter Fall/Winter, 2022
HONORING FR. DON O’BRIEN The class of 1953 lost a wonderful friend and spiritual leader with the passing of Fr. Donald J. O’Brien on June 4th, 2022. Fr. Don was ordained in 1961, and served many Parishes and schools of the Grand Island Diocese throughout his career. Though he retired from the priesthood in 2015, he continued priestly service in Kearney… celebrating 61 years as a priest in May of 2022. Fr. Don remained close to his 1953 classmates his entire life… Serving not only as a friend, but also as a spiritual advisor, role model, source of advice, and always an inspiration. To honor the legacy of Fr. Don, one of his closest friends of 83 years, Bob Rea (‘53), gave a founding gift to establish the Fr. Donald J. O’Brien Memorial Tuition Assistance Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to continue Fr. Don’s legacy by providing opportunities for all students to attend the North Platte Catholic Schools. The fund will provide tuition assistance to students attending McDaid and/or St. Patrick High School. While Mr. Rea provided the establishing gift, he encourages all alumni to honor Fr. Don’s memory by supporting this fund. Mr. Rea asserts that the best way we can continue Fr. Don’s legacy is to allow and encourage more students to be just like him. An education at St. Pat’s laid the foundation for Fr. Don… just as it continues to do for generations of students today. If you would like to make a contribution to the Fr. Donald J. O’Brien Memorial Tuition Assistance Fund, donations can be sent to the Endowment at any time. Mail to: PO Box 57, North Platte, NE 69103. Or, give online at: apps.npcschools.org/donate-now, and select “Fr. Donald J. O’Brien Fund” from the dropdown menu. Several other alumni gifts are also having an incredible impact on tuition assistance at the North Platte Catholic Schools. In fact, the North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment-Trust, Inc. currently has the largest amount of funds available for tuition
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assistance than ever before. A fund created through the estate of Joe and Mary Sedlacek, the Gift of Faith Fund established by Pat (‘75) and Kathleen Keenan, and the St. Pat’s Growth Fund established by an anonymous alumni are all having a tremendous impact on enrollment and the school’s ability to make Catholic education a possibility for all. Another recentlyestablished fund, the Frank T. & Margaret M. Henley Memorial Fund also allowed the Endowment to expand opportunities for families. This tuition assistance fund, established by Henry (‘58) and Charlotte Henley, honors the memory of Henry’s parents by aiding families in the education of their children at McDaid and St. Pat’s. The first ever award from the Henley Fund was granted this fall. The Endowment is always grateful for donors who leave their legacy through the creation of named funds. These funds may be created within the Endowment or set up as annual donations. Named funds may be designated for specific school programs, NPCS tuition awards, or college tuition scholarships. Contact the office for information on establishing a named fund, or to contribute to any of the funds listed on Page 2.