Rock News Spring 2022

16

Ed McGurren '55 Leaves Legacy of Alumni Stewardship Rockhurst High School, like all charitable organizations, is strengthened by leadership volunteers. One of the Rockhurst High School National Alumni Association’s most respected representatives was Edward McGurren III '55. As efforts continue to recruit alumni support, reflecting on the qualities of this servant leader is timely and important.

McGurren’s father was Jesuit educated (high school and college) in St. Marys, KS. He and his wife, Margaret, were proud to send Ed to St. Ignatius College Prep while they lived and worked (Skelly Oil) in Chicago. Sadly, Ed’s father died suddenly in March of 1953, and the family moved back home to Kansas City. McGurren arrived on Rockhurst’s 52nd and Troost campus in 1953 where he instantly found a second home and connection to the rhythms of the Society of Jesus. McGurren graduated from Rockhurst High School in 1955 and then continued his formation at Rockhurst College (now University) where he received his degree in 1959. He often commented that “Jesuit ideals make sense to me.” So, he put them to work,

serving two years in the United States Army, and then devoting himself to a successful 33-year career with Bendix/Allied Signal/Honeywell from 1961 until his retirement in 1994.

Although McGurren passed away on December 19, 2019, his legacy of commitment and achievement lives on in the volunteer ranks of the Alumni Association. The current Alumni Board is seeking these same qualities in today's ambassadors for The Rock.

“Ed McGurren was one of Rockhurst High School’s most dedicated volunteers,” said Laurence Freeman '82, who helped coordinate alumni activities for the school from 1994 to 2021. “When Ed was in charge, you knew the job would get done. He was a model of how we hoped alumni would commit themselves to our common goal of keeping Rockhurst High School’s mission strong and proud.”

The McGurrens are a Third Generation Rockhurst family, and Fourth Generation Jesuit educated. Ed and his wife, Nadine, sent their sons, Steve '80 and Mark '84, to Rockhurst, and now the McGurren grandsons have received their Jesuit educations.

The McGurren Family Endowment is one the school’s most generous, supplying multiple tuition assistance grants each year.

Finally, McGurren’s work with his classmates for 64 years developed into a system for accurately maintaining a class database; appealing for charitable gifts; and growing reunion attendance (and memories). He co-founded an annual All Souls Mass and Brunch for his class, which still draws large groups of alumni and their spouses.

“We are seeing so many old and new alumni leaders step forward to be involved,” commented Frank Allen '05, president of the Alumni Board.

“We need more men to actively share our mission in creative ways.

A class year never expires – we are Rockhurst alumni for life! I invite all my fellow alumni to join in our good works and experience the joy Ed did while giving back to The Rock.”

While Rockhurst High School is grateful for and misses Ed McGurren, his spirit of giving back lives on in his family and the many alumni leadership volunteers who devote themselves to The Rock today. To learn more about the Alumni Association, visit www.rockhursths.edu/alumni.

To learn more about alumni engagement and how to get involved, please contact Meredith Suarez, Director of Alumni Engagement, at msuarez@rockhursths.edu.

FORMER TEACHER TAKES

Br. Bob Macke, SJ, pronounced his final vows on Feb. 2, 2022 on the Feast of the Presentation.

The special ceremony took place in the Church of the Gesú in Rome and Mass was celebrated

by Fr. Arturo Sosa, SJ, Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

Br. Macke spent some of his formation experience, from 2002-03, at Rockhurst High School teaching physics alongside Dr. Fred Campisano.

He joined the Vatican Observatory in Rome in 2013 and has worked there since, studying meteorite physical properties in the observatory’s meteorite laboratory. In 2014, Br. Macke became the curator of the Vatican collection of 1,200 meteorite specimens.

FINAL VOWS