A publication for the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community & alumni. WINTER 2022
Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sisters Spreading the message of God’s love to our students and families
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN
O’GORMAN STUDENT Tribute to
JIM SMITTY” SMITH “
2022 CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
Greetings Alumni and Friends!
Our mission... to form a community of faith and learning by promoting a Catholic way of life through Gospel values and academic excellence.
So much has happened since the last Re-U-Knight-er issue! The biggest news I have to share is that I have recently accepted the position of Director of Development with Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. I am very excited to start this new position and all the adventures that come with it. The best part is I will continue to work with the alumni in a different capacity. My first duty was to hire a new Development and Alumni Specialist. Summer Wagner has the same passion I do for Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and it shows! I can’t wait for all of you to meet her and hear all the wonderful ideas she will share with us! Until the spring, please enjoy this winter issue of the Re-U-Knight-er. Sincerely,
President: Kyle L. Groos
Liz Myscofski Director of Development
Development & Alumni Specialist: Summer Wagner 605.575.3391 Director of Development: Liz Myscofski 605.575.3342 Executive Director Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation: Nicole R. Bruning 605.575.3362 Admissions: Jenni Struck 605.575.3358
Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools 3100 W 41st St Sioux Falls, SD 57105
www.ogknights.org
When we come together, we can do amazing things. GO>GIVE>OG day is an annual day of giving on which we rally our alumni to give to tuition
assistance with the goal of raising $50K in one day! One hundred percent of the proceeds from the day will go to help students at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. A little help can make a HUGE impact for so many. Did you know? • 44% of Bishop O’Gorman students receive tuition assistance. • We are looking for Alumni Ambassadors to inspire classmates to donate. • You can text “gogiveog22” to 76278 to make your donation anytime on May 2! • Donations before May 2 will be counted toward our goal! Every dollar counts and helps make a difference in the life of a student. Mark your calendars and get ready for another great day of giving!
www.GoGiveOG22.GiveSmart.com
www.facebook.com/BishopOGKnights
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@BishopOGKnights
Re-U-Knight-er is published three times annually by the Development Office and the Alumni Office for all alumni, Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools’ families and supporters.
@BishopOGKnights
Re-U-Knight-er Staff: Designer: Angie Halter | Writers: Liz Myscofski, Chloe Goldade ‘08
O’Gorman - Cathedral
Alumni Hall of Fame The purpose of the O’Gorman-Cathedral Hall of Fame is to recognize our outstanding alumni and former staff who: • Distinguished themselves through excellence in their profession or • Distinguished themselves through exceptional service, volunteerism or contribution to the community and/or church, or • Distinguished themselves through excellence in athletics, and • Upholds the values of our Catholic faith An awards committee will determine the 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. Recipients will be honored at O’Gorman’s Homecoming festivities and at the Hall of Fame Banquet. Please note that once someone has been nominated, they will remain in our files for consideration each year. You do not need to re-nominate unless new information becomes available.
Nomination Form Nominee’s Name: Nomination is for:
Class Year:
Distinguished Alumni Excellence in Athletics
Nominee’s accomplishments (why they deserve the award):
(provide supporting documents)
Nominator’s name: Daytime phone:
Email:
Please remember that you MUST provide supporting documentation that our committees can use to determine winners of these awards. It is difficult to research the many names that are submitted, so we rely on you to aid in this process. If names are submitted without additional information, it is unlikely that your nominee will be given true consideration for an award. Thank you!
* Nominations must be received by April 15, 2022 in order to be considered for the 2022 Hall of Fame induction. Mail to: Alumni Office, 3100 W. 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 or submit online at: www.ogknights.org/alumni/hall-of-fame
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Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sisters SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S LOVE TO OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES Meet the newest members of the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Family! Sr. Eileen and Sr. Lynn from Pro Ecclesia Sancta are here to pray, support, be present and act as a reminder to us all that we are all called to be holy. Pro Ecclesia Sancta was established in Peru to live and promote the vocation to holiness through the Heart of Jesus. Together with Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools staff and students, a beautiful partnership has been established. Sr. Eileen and Sr. Lynn work primarily with O’Gorman Junior High and High School but hope to continue extending their mission to the elementary schools and parishes. Staff have been fortunate to work with the sisters throughout the year. We sat down with the sisters for a one-on-two conversation to learn more about their experiences at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools so far and what they have learned from their new mission.
“We are called to be holy by doing everything with love.” - Sr. Lynn
L-R: Sr. Eil4een and Sr. ynL n
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Wo}u}S]}˘FooJTooo]'o}`R˙}(}uM Sr. Eileen: I grew up in Lima, Peru, where the order was established. But I didn’t know much about it or our call to holiness until I met the community when I was 16. Sr. Lynn: I grew up in Iowa with my older sister and my parents, who still live there. My sister joined the PES community one year before me! What are some of your hobbies? Sr. Lynn: I have always enjoyed cooking and baking; I also enjoy running, which I still love to do. I have done a half marathon before but I usually stick to a 5K. Sr. Eileen: I like to cook, read, crochet and do crafts. Also, although I don’t enjoy running as much as Sr. Lynn, I do enjoy playing volleyball with the sisters. Tell us about your calling to become a religious sister. Sr. Lynn: I started thinking about religious life in high school. I worked at a retreat center with sisters, which is where the first seed was planted. During my senior year in high school, I went to the March for Life in Washington D.C. I was really looking forward to spending time with my friends and getting out of school. There was a Mass with thousands of young people and many priests and bishops. During the final blessing, they invited all of those thinking about a religious vocation to stand up. The Holy Spirit led me to stand up in front of all of my friends and my dad, who was a chaperone on the trip. Prior to that, I had never spoken about becoming a sister so everyone around me was a little shocked. After many years, my dad still remembers that moment. Because of this experience, I knew that the grace of God was stronger than me. After lots of prayer and getting to know the sisters, I was certain God was calling me to join them. This has been the greatest gift of my life! I like to say my sister followed in my footsteps even though she joined PES first! Sr. Eileen: I grew up Catholic, went to Mass on Sundays, but was never really aware of how much God truly loved me and how much He was longing to have a personal relationship with me. When I was 16, I met some Brothers and Sisters of PES, they were young and joyful and shared the idea of holiness and real happiness. I didn’t want to be a sister, but they encouraged me to start having that personal relationship with Jesus. I went to college and lived a normal life; I went out with my friends, studied, worked and had many dreams for the future. I had everything I thought would make me happy, but I felt like something was missing. I started discerning my vocation and realized that I had planned my future but I had never really asked the Lord what His plans were. With the grace of God, I was able to say “yes” to the Lord and felt a profound peace and overwhelming joy. What is your work at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools like? Sr. Lynn: Here, we partner with the campus ministry teams in the junior high and high school as well as work with the staff and O’Gorman leadership teams. We have really enjoyed getting to know everyone and reminding them of their call to be holy. There is more to life than just going through the motions. Our faith brings life into perspective. The Lord wants to sanctify every ordinary moment of our day. We are called to be holy by doing everything with love. Our call is to be that reminder for staff, families and students.
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“...we want to show that our faith is alive.”
- Sr. Eileen
Sr. Eileen: We do many different things. We are present at the schools, pray with the students and staff, go to Mass with them, visit their classrooms and share our stories, help with retreats, have one-on-one conversations, offer spiritual formation—in all of this, we want to show that our faith is alive. Our desire is to walk with everyone in their journey of faith. We hope that through our ministry and presence at Bishop O’Gorman Catholics Schools, people can encounter God’s profound love for each of them. We want to allow the Sacred Heart of Jesus to continue to pour out His superabundant love upon each of you. If you could have dinner with anyone from history (besides Jesus) who would it be and why? Sr. Eileen: My first choice would be Mary! I would ask her how she did it; how did she live her life and what was it like to raise the Son of God? How did she remain faithful her whole life, especially at the foot of the cross? I would have so many questions for her! My second choice would be Pope Saint John Paul II since I have always admired his strength and deep interior life amidst countless external duties. Sr. Lynn: My first choice is St. Paul. He is one of my favorite saints and I admire his faith, perseverance and conversion story. He spread the message of Jesus without having met him and he really pushes us to live our faith in a radical way. He invites us to be holy! Sr. Denise
We want to thank Sr. Eileen and Sr. Lynn for sitting down with us! Recently Sr. Denisse, also from Pro Ecclesia Santa has joined our faith community. Welcome Sr. Denisse! We are so happy they are all here and can’t wait to see them continue to spread the message of God’s love to our students and families!
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CHARITABLE
BEQUESTS PROVIDING FOR THE
FUTURE
Help us provide for the future of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools through a charitable bequest; an easy way for you to help us sustain Catholic education for generations to come. Some benefits of bequest giving include: • It costs you nothing today to make a bequest. • Your bequest can be changed down the road. • You can still benefit your loved ones with specific gifts. • A bequest may produce estate tax savings. • You can leave a legacy through a bequest. To assist you with making or updating your plans, we can provide you with our FREE Estate Planning Guide. To obtain a copy, please contact us or visit our website.
Contact us at 605-575-3343 or foundation@ogknights.org.
www.BishopOGLegacy.org
A total amount of
148,203.25
$
was raised this year
#TUESDAYFOR TEACHERS A big THANK YOU to all individual donors, participating restaurants and matching gift donors ~Po M˙ Eoov C}vvoo˙ v vE K]v Huv}v for your incredible generosity throughout our Tuesday for Teachers campaign! We can’t thank our community enough for another RECORD-BREAKING year of supporting our teachers and staff! Thanks to the generous support from community members, like yourself, we are able to help provide competitive compensation to all Bishop O’Gorman Catholic School teachers and staff. We are excited to announce our 2021 Tuesday for Teachers campaign raised $148,203.25 for teacher salary endowments, which is a new record! We couldn’t have done it without YOU!
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Catholic Schools Week For the first time in more than a year, Catholic schools from across the Diocese of Sioux Falls were able to come together to celebrate the culmination of Catholic Schools Week. The annual All Schools Mass was celebrated in Sioux Falls on Friday, February 4th after a week full of Catholic schools festivities. For many, the Mass was even more special than usual because it was the first All Schools Mass since the start of the pandemic. Students and staff alike were excited to gather together once again as one big community. “As you look around the Elmen Center, what makes this day so great is that we have the opportunity to live on our mission: to form a community of faith and learning by promoting a Catholic way of life through Gospel values and academic excellence. This symbolizes the very essence of our mission. We are so grateful we have that opportunity,” said Kyle Groos, President of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.
“We are loved perfectly and infinitely by God.” - Bishop Donald E. DeGrood Bishop Donald E. DeGrood kicked off the Mass with the annual “roll call” tradition, allowing students from each school to show their school spirit. Bishop DeGrood continued to keep students involved throughout the Mass, inviting them on stage to answer the question: Why do we love others? The winning answer: “Because my mom and dad pay the bills.” Bishop DeGrood went on to describe that paying the bills was a form of sharing God’s love during his homily: “God wants each of us to receive his love fully. Today as we celebrate this Mass, pray for the grace for all of us just to be open; to really know how much we are loved. We are loved perfectly and infinitely by God. Even when we sin, God forgives us. So we don’t want to be hard on ourselves, hard on others because of mistakes or sins in their life. No, we want to be filled with the sacred heart of Jesus. But we want to do it in such a way that God’s love fills us up. And when God’s love fills us up, all we want to do is help others.”
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Throughout Catholic Schools week, our six elementary schools, the Junior High and the High School each participated in service days, themed dress down days and special events. Each day marked a celebration for different aspects of Catholic schools, including community, students, our nation, vocations, faculty, staff and volunteers.
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This week allows us to take the time to highlight what makes our schools so unique. We are so grateful to our Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community for all they do to make our schools such an amazing place to be.
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St. Lambert Elementary had a Catholic Schools Week Variety Show.
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St. Mary Elementary students kicked off Catholic Schools Week with a service project; making blankets for nursing home residents.
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For Community Day, St. Katharine Drexel Elementary students dressed up as different types of community helpers and wrote thank you notes.
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Holy Spirit Elementary students dressed up for Sports Day.
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Fr. Cimpl was the referee for the 6th Grade vs. teachers and staff volleyball match at Holy Spirit Elementary.
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O’Gorman Junior High celebrated the end of Catholic Schools Week with a Game Day, including dribbling a basketball backward on a scooter! At St. Michael Elementary, Mrs. Zimmer 3rd grade class wrote thank you letters to parents for sending them to a Catholic School.
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a z n a g a v a r t x E
We have lots of fun events coming up and want you to join us! Here are the events and how you can get involved. These events help build our Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community and help create excitement for our vU(u]o]vouv]XOR}}o`]oov. from the proceeds of these events.
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Be sure to follow our social media pages to see the latest updates on all our events!
www.facebook.com/BishopOGKnights
Sch No ool
@BishopOGKnights
oG odiday Fr
@BishopOGKnights
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K 5 s t h g i n K
MEADOW BARN AT COUNTRY ORCHARDS
Calling all Knights! Join us as we raise money for staff salaries and tuition assistance for all eight Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. This year, our goal is to raise $170,000 and sell out our event. Space is limited and tickets go on sale in March. Be sure to follow our social media pages to see the latest updates! This event includes: • ¤URO – tickets on sale now! • You’ve Been Knighted - beginning March 19 • S]ovA}v – opens March 26 • L]A}vUD]vvvM]˙JvlFM – April 2 WWW.ALLKNIGHTS22.GIVESMART.COM
Saturday, April 30 @ McEneaney Field Join us for the 17th Annual Knights 5K! The Knights 5K will begin at the McEneaney Field on the O’Gorman campus. All ages are welcome to participate and run, jog or walk. Elementary-age children are invited to participate in a special event hosted by the OGHS Track & Field team. This community fundraiser will support 21 athletic groups at O’Gorman. More details to come. If you have any questions about the event, call 605-575-3391.
O’Gorman Golf Classic Monday, May 9 @ Willow Run Golf Course The O’Gorman Golf Classic is an all-inclusive, four-person scramble in the afternoon. A fundraising event to get your friends or co-workers together to enjoy a round of golf while supporting O’Gorman Athletic Programs. Entry fee includes: 18 holes, driving range, green fees, cart rental, lunch and dinner. Prizes are awarded to the top golfers and teams. Details on how to register coming soon. If you have any questions about the event, call 605-575-3391.
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G IN K TH NOSET dA ev nt Giniv g & Serveci rP ojetc s Advent was a season of service across Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. Our elementary schools, junior high and high school all took part in various service projects to give back: • Christ the King Elementary made fleece blankets for the NICU at Avera. • St. Katharine Drexel Elementary donated 189 pairs of socks, 148 stocking hats, 84 pairs of gloves and 14 scarves. • St. Lambert Elementary collected 221 canned and boxed food items for Feeding South Dakota. • St. Mary Elementary donated three carloads of items to the St. Francis House. • O’Gorman Junior High donated several boxes of baby items as part of their Advent Baby Shower. • O’Gorman High School donated nearly 250 stockings and 30 large boxes of supplies to the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House.
mentar
Ele he King Christ t
St. Lambert
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Elementary
Christ the King Elementary
High School mentary
St. Mary Ele
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lE ementary aB kes tball hgNi ts We had a blast at our Elementary Basketball Nights at OGHS this winter. Elementary school students were invited to attend the Girls Basketball Game on January 7th and the Boys Basketball Game on January 28th. Students were able to take part in a Hoop Shoot and a t-shirt toss and were also able to cheer on the Knights with the high school student section! It is one of our favorite yearly traditions sponsored by CellOnly!
Leog Competitoi n
Congratulations to the Christ the King Elementary Lego Knights on their first Lego League competition in January! The team worked together to build and create solutions to problems during the competition.
unJ oi r hcA ei ev ment
Several schools participated in Junior Achievement this winter. We want to give a big thank you to volunteers from First Premier Bank for bringing these sessions to our schools!
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What’s up at LADY KNIGHTS WRESTLING
For the first time, the Knights Wrestling team has female athletes on the mat. Juniors Avalon Brenner, Riley Buus and Sophomore Izzy Hayes all began wrestling in the girls division for the Knights this November. Brenner earned 3rd and 4th place finishes while Buus earned a 1st place finish during the season. The Knights Wrestling team competes at state at the end of February.
GERMAN AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP
KNIGHTS FOR A CURE
The German American Partnership Program has a new mascot designed by one of O’G’s own! Sophomore Lance Hoogendoorn was named the winner of their mascot design contest with his design of “GAPPY”. Hoogendoorn won a cash prize for OGHS and a gift to support his artistic talents.
A new student group is seeing success while giving back. Knights for a Cure was created to help support families whose loved one is going through cancer treatments. They have different fundraisers throughout the year to provide emotional and financial assistance. Since it started this fall, the club has added almost 100 members. This Christmas, the group created care packages with treats and donated gift cards for the oncology nurses at Sanford, Avera and the VA hospital in Sioux Falls.
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STATE CHAMPS
The Knights have already earned four state titles this year. The Boys Golf, Girls Cross Country, Volleyball and Competitive Cheer teams all earned the top spot in their divisions. They were able to add their championship plaque to the wall in the OGHS Gym alongside the Girls Track and Girls Golf team who previously earned state titles.
GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to Junior Bergen Reilly for being named Gatorade Player of the Year for the second year in a row. This isn’t her only back-to-back title. Reilly helped bring home a second state championship for the Knights Volleyball team this fall.
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A day in the life of an O’GORMAN
Student
By Elizabeth Jones
Elizabeth is a senior at O’Gorman High School where she is the editor in chief of the student newspaper The Knight Scroll, collaborates on the yearbook and is a member of the Nationally ranked Oral Interp team. High school: a whirlwind of homework, tests, grades, friendships and a bunch of teenagers trying to grow up. Looking back at my first day of high school in August 2018, I can say with certainty that time flies even when the day to day feels slow. I imagine that most high schoolers across the U.S. have a similar Monday-Friday routine of waking up, getting ready and then running out the door, sitting through classes, participating in after school activities, coming home to do homework, going to bed (but not quite getting eight hours of sleep) and then repeating it all over again and again. I’ll admit that this routine becomes monotonous but, especially as I approach graduation this coming Spring, I’ve grown to appreciate my days and routine at O’Gorman High School. There is so much more to being an O’Gorman student than first meets the eye. For me, and most of my classmates, the mornings are an opportunity to gather with friends to review last-minute notes before a test, make weekend plans or just talk about something random. Nearly everyday my friends and I will quickly touch base before the first bell rings. Just about everyone else does this with their friends, too. Talking to friends is, in my experience, a way to get into a positive mood before the school day begins. Of course, our mornings also consist of caffeine. I am not a morning person at all, so I need my coffee in order to be awake enough to take notes and pay attention to an 8:05 class. Usually I’m running late so I just grab a protein shake with coffee in it to drink on the way to school, or if I have time, I make coffee at home. But, on a good day, I leave a little early to treat myself with Starbucks (aka sugary, caffeinated loveliness). Water is the only beverage allowed during school, so if you walk into O’Gorman between 7:50 and 8:00, you are bound to see several students gulping down the last few sips of their Starbucks or Caribou drink before tossing the cup in the trash and heading to class. I find that comforting because I know, for better or worse, I am not alone in my possibly-budding caffeine addiction.
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I don’t think you can blame us high schoolers for our love of lattes, though, because we need our energy since we’re usually very busy. Once school starts we go from class to class until 3:20, when most then go to activities. For me, it’s oral interp practice or competitions, rehearsal for one of O’Gorman’s plays, an Environmental Awareness Club meeting or working on the next issue of the The Knight Scroll. Some days, I also get to school early to attend Students Against Destructive Decisions/Teens Against Tobacco Use or Scroll meetings. For other students, it’s band rehearsal, knitting club, choir, practice for their sport or another activity. O’Gorman offers a bunch of ways to get involved in extracurriculars; these activities are fun, but they’re time consuming too. By the time we get home we need to eat dinner and then work on schoolwork. A lot of high schoolers also have jobs which just adds to the workload. Sometimes, before you know it, it is 10:00 p.m. and you haven’t even started studying for an Algebra test you have the next day. Not that I’ve been there… too often.
High school: a whirlwind of homework, tests, grades, friendships and a bunch of teenagers trying to grow up. I know that high school in any setting would have its stressful moments, sleepless nights and busy times. That is why, even when I’m complaining about a long day or school in general, I am thankful for O’Gorman; it is a school that cares. So, when I graduate in May and continue on to the next chapter of my life in college, I won’t remember my days as a high schooler as being monotonous, too busy or stressful. Instead, I will remember the friends I spent time with, the teachers that guided me and the fun memories I made. When it comes down to it, spending four years, or a total of 1,460 days growing up in the whirlwind of homework, tests, grades and friendships that has come to define life at O’Gorman hasn’t been so bad. I’ve had a lot of good days (and a lot of good coffee).
So, as a student, days at O’Gorman are busy and even a little stressful. Yet, they are also fun. I connect with my friends all throughout the day. We see each other in class and at the clubs we’re in, plus we also text and connect through social media (but not during school, of course, as we would never break the rules). I also know that O’Gorman has my back. If I’m stressed to a breaking point or not doing well, stopping into the guidance counselors’ offices always helps. If I’m confused about a lesson in one of my classes, I know I can email my teacher for help and they’ll always agree to schedule a time to help me. If I need a moment to pray, I am always welcome to go to the chapel. The staff knows that we’re busy and/or stressed, so they take care of us which is appreciated by us students and our families.
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‘44 Jeanne Amacher and Dolores Norberg enjoyed a reunion together! Rææ Co~D˙'E enjoys winters in Arizona, playing pickleball and would love to hear from classmates at crsnowbird@clareserod.com ‘55 Lorraine Young Snyders retired from Sanford Health after 34 years. She recently moved to Ft. Pierre and is engaged to Dr. Dean Bryson. lorrainesnyders816@gmail.com ‘63 William Roche and his wife, Teresa, have five children, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. After high school, he received his AA in Applied Meterorolgy. He served 23 years in the Air Force, 20 years with the USPS and 25 years with Fire/Rescue. Currently, he is enjoying one day at a time. ‘77 Michael Parezo and his wife, Brenda, spent nearly 30 years in Sioux Falls, moved to Des Moines, IA for another 30 years where they raised their family and built a good life. Last year, they moved to the South West Suburb of Kansas City to be close to Brenda’s family and closer to their place at the lake. Now they enjoy golfing ten or so months of the year! “We have been very blessed with great family and friends and plan to spend the next 30 years here.” mparezo@outlook.com
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‘88 Nick Early canoed down the entire Missouri River from Three Forks, Montana to the Arch in St. Louis! It was 2,336 miles and took 112 days! ‘01 Paul Sanchez has been nominated for a Grammy for his work on Dreams of a New Day album. The nomination is in the category of Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. Paul is a classically trained pianist.
‘10 Elizabeth Bunkers and Michael Fagerness were married November 27, 2021 on her parents, Mary (Stanton) ‘76 and Jerry Bunkers’ 40th wedding anniversary. Over 30 fellow O’G alumni were in attendance!
‘14 Erica Schumacher and ‘08 Libby (Ball) Aaron Gaspar were Scoular and her married September husband welcomed 25, 2021. Erica is in her a son in September! third year of teaching James joins big ELL at Colman-Egan. sisters Stella, Grace Aaron is a farmer, and and Katherine. is working at Avera Hospital in Dell Rapids ‘08 Jordan Thornton received a Master of doing maintenance. Science in Medical Illustration degree from Augusta University and the Medical College ‘14 Erin (Vogel) and Bernardo da Costa of Georgia in May 2021. She is continuing welcomed their son, her focus on surgical simulation as an Benedict Harold da Associate Medical Illustrator for OssoVR, a company that builds innovative VR training Costa on November 15, 2021. and assessment platforms for healthcare professionals. In her own studio practice, ‘20 Macy LeGrand she will also design patient education recently graduated solutions for healthcare clients and create from Stewart’s and is fine art pieces for healthcare environments. working at Signature www.youngandgreenart.com Hair Salon in Sioux jethornton.artist@gmail.com Falls. Make your appointment now! She would love to see fellow O’G Knights! 605-362-1154
Class of 2011 – 10 Year Reunion
The Class of 2011 gathered at Da Da Gastropub on Friday, August 27 for their ten year class reunion. The evening was filled with catching up with old friends and a casual night out. Check out the class picture to see familiar faces! (Pictured) Back Row: Ashley Rieger, Michael Promes, Zack Mount, Ryan Soukup, Liz Hakl, Mackenzie Holm-Moffitt, Mitchell Moe, Nick Ullom, Cole Hollinger, Zach Dresch, Phil Dagostaro, Keaton Moffitt, Patrick Petersen, Michael Weaver, Sam Jacobsen, Hunter Winklepleck, Ian Williams Third Row: Zach Cole, Abigail Erickson, Rachel Osterberg, Jarvis McCoy, AJ Haverly, Noah Pierce Second Row: Ryan Burke, Amanda Evans, Dani Stene, Maria Barnett-Maria, Katrina Ruff-Haukom, Emmy Sommervold-Kasch, Cassie Tomac, Kae Januschka, Samantha Kappenman First Row: Emily Adcock, Anna Carrell-Boscaljon, Rhianne Amman-Greenlee, Tiffany Hooten-Reaves.
Class of 1970
Upcoming
We are the Class of 1970 turning 70! Please check out our O’Gorman Class of 70 Facebook group for reunion updates!
Class of 1971
50th Reunion is rescheduled for September 9-10, 2022. For updates and more information, please visit www.ogknights.org/alumni/alumni-happenings. You may also update your contact info: ogclassof71@gmail.com or friend/follow Oggie Gorman on Facebook for more information and updates.
Class of 1972 – 50 Year Reunion
50th Reunion is scheduled for September 9-10, 2022. Friday, September 9: Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Sioux Falls. Saturday, September 10: El Riad Shrine (the former Arkota Ballroom) cocktail hour, dinner and live entertainment with the Hegg Brothers. Please watch your mail for a registration form and check out ogknights.org/alumni/alumni-happenings or our Facebook page: O’G Class of ’72. Any questions contact Peggy Hayes: farmerhaze@icloud.com, 605-321-0682; Jim Severson: jimbon@sio.midco.net, 605-941-4296; Suzanne Miller: LIBRN411@hotmail.com, 917-929-7873.
Class of 1977 – 45 Year Reunion
Our 45th reunion will be the weekend of July 29-July 31, 2022. Contact Ray Brooks, 605 231-0689 or Kathy Phillips, 605 940-2448 with questions. We will plan a social on July 30 at Great Bear Lodge. Other events for the weekend will folllow.
Class of 1980 – 40, 41, 42 Year Reunion
Mark your calendars now: the Class of ‘80 rescheduled reunion will be held July 29- 31, 2022. More details to follow. Please contact the Alumni Office to update your email and phone information as this will be our primary communication method.
Class of 1982 – 40 Year Reunion
The ‘82 class reunion committee has met and has selected the date of our 40 year class reunion. Save the date of June 10 - 11. Details are still being worked on. Please refer to O’Gorman High School Class of 1982-40 Year Reunion for updates on Facebook. If you have any questions, you can reach out to Mike Hauck, mhauck@theaccordteam.com; Steve Bolger, bolgersteve02@gmail.com; Kevin Kunkel, tdadc2324@gmail.com.
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* Full obits available at www.ogknights.org/alumni/in-memoriam ‘39 Alan Engler passed away February 20, 2019 in De Pere, WI. He is survived by his children, Don and Linn White. He is preceded in death by his wife, Patricia; brother, Robert ‘37. ‘44 Jean (Bassing) McMunigal passed away June 28, 2019 in Sioux Falls, SD. Her husband, John, passed away March 6, 2020. ‘47 Joan (Oster) Bassing passed away October 17, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, Joseph ‘47; children, Barb Kelley, Nancy ‘72, Tim ‘74, Shirley “Anne” ‘76, Steven ‘79, Theresa ‘82, Michael ‘83; 11 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; sibling, Bob ‘52; siblingsin-law, Charlotte Oster ‘52, Gale Hart ‘57 and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; infant daughter, Mary Ellen; granddaughter, Claire Bruggeman; sisters, Sharon Hart ‘57, Peggy Ullery and Betty Gile. R R}M]~N`PB}lR}+ passed away August 14, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her son, Gerald; siblings Joan Thill and James Newberg. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon; and children, John, Andrew and Karen. ‘48 Patricia (Dargen) Garry passed away January 3, 2022 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, Thomas ‘48; her children, Steve, Diane, Bill, Sheila and Susan. She is preceded in death by her siblings, Kay ‘48, Jack, Jim ‘51 and Dennis ‘53; great-grandson, Adam. ‘51 Faye (Rea) Green-Hill passed away January 5, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV. She is survived by her husband, LaMarr; children, Pamela, Laura, Jerry, Marcie, Angela and Fred; grandchildren, great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; her siblings Carlyle, Kathy. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister Donna and first husband Jerry. Ræ J}v~F}'M]v}+
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passed
away November 4, 2020 in Medford, OR. She is survived by her children, Gary and Tony. She is preceded in death by her husband, Cotty. ‘52 Con Toohey passed away October 5, 2021. He is survived by his daughter, Nicole; two grandsons; siblings, Mary Margaret Delorenzo ‘48, Richard Toohey ‘54, Catherine Handzlik ‘57. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Jeanne Green ‘40, Bob ‘42, Pat, Jerry ‘50 and Alice Huewe ‘56. ‘54 Teresa Jane (Lammers) Thraen Van Hove passed away July 12, 2020 in Sioux Falls. She is survived by her children Theresa, Robert ‘78 and Katherine ‘85. She is preceded in death by her husbands Pete Thraen ‘52 and Cliff Van Hove. ‘56 Roy Fisher passed away December 29, 2021 in Elmhurst, IL. He is survived by his wife, Lucille; his children, Michael, Thomas, Robert; his siblings, Ann Aslin ‘54, Regina O’Gara ‘56, William Fisher ‘66. He is preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Helen and his sister, Mary Jirschele ‘58. ‘57 William “Bill” B. Brown passed away November 29, 2021 in Excelsior, MN. He is survived by his siblings, Bernadette (Bebe) Shutts ‘43, Robert Brown ‘51 and Beverly Crangle ‘60; children and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by wife, Annette Brown; parents; siblings, Mary (Betty) Elliott, ‘43; Leo (Bud) Brown, Jr. ’45 and Barbara Jenkins ‘53. ‘62 Barbara (Buysse) Klovanick passed away October 10, 2021 in Lexington, NC. She is survived by her husband, Ted; children, Ted, Kristine and Tara; siblings Mary Lou ‘49, Richard ‘53, Joan ‘61, Linda ‘65 and Kathy ‘69. ‘62 Judy (Friedbauer) Wilson passed away January 28, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her children, Stephanie Gunn, Stacie Long, Cindy and Chad; eight
grandchildren; brother, Alan Friedbauer ‘61. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Tom Friedbauer ‘57. ‘63 Anne (Peterson) Frankman passed away December 24, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, William ‘62; her children, Angela , William III ‘91 and Melissa ‘95; several grandchildren; siblings, Lauren ‘55, Gerry, Mary Lou ‘59 and Teresa. ‘65 James Soyer passed away October 15, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. He is survived by his wife, Lonnie; brother, Tim ‘74. Memorials have been designated to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. ‘66 Bernard Boos passed away November 30, 2021 in Big Stone City, SD. He is survived by his son Tony; siblings Barbara ‘64, George ‘69, Kathleen Satterlee ‘72, Paul and Joan Schueller ‘79. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, John. ‘68 Bridget (Bechtold) Van Veen passed away October 8, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, Andew; son, Jordan; brothers, Dan Bechtold ‘65 and Michael Bechtold ‘70. She is preceded in death by her parents. ‘69 Gail (Bolinger) Kennedy passed away November 21, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, Clint; her children, Robyn and Troy; and grandchildren. ‘70 Jim Denevan passed away October 27, 2021 in Glacier National Park, MT. He is survived by his wife, Marianne; children, Matt and Jenni; siblings, Coni Wolf, Kari Kannenberg, Tom Denevan and LuAnn Grossman. ‘70 Cindy Walsh passed away September
26, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her siblings, Tom ‘66, Pam ‘68, Debbie ‘69, Sr. Meg ’76, John ‘78; stepsister, Sandy; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mary Jo and Beth ‘72; and stepbrother, Bill. ‘74 Sandy (Schnider) Ackerman passed away October 23, 2021 in Mound City, SD. She is survived by her husband, Rodney; children, Jami and Brooke; four grandchildren; sibling, Valerie Leapaldt.
FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF
’77 Warren Vick passed away September 24, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. He is survived by his siblings, Jacque Callis ‘74, Karen McKee ‘81. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Deanna Mau ‘70. R SR}v~CvH}]ov passed away December 13, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. She is survived by her husband, Mark; siblings, Linda ‘68 and Maureen ‘75. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Brian ‘67, Bruce ‘71, Rex ‘74 and Paul ‘81. ‘95 Jason Boehrns passed away May 8,
2021. He is survived by his daughters, Madeline, Elizabeth, Lydia and Caroline; his parents Lyle and Anna Boehrns; siblings Lynn Gillette, Brenda Retterath, Julie McGraw, Shelley Hart, Jeremy Boehrns; and many other loved ones. JuSSu]'˙_Su]R passed away November 14, 2021 in Sioux Falls, SD. He was the Band Director of O’Gorman High School for 27 years and retired in 2009. Memorials have been designated to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. Marilyn “Mickey” Lipetzky, former employee of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and mother of John, Robert, Susan Schaunaman, Edward , Neil ‘80, Dean ‘81 and George ‘83.
FAMILY & FRIENDS OF ALUMNI:
MP]'B U mother of Richard Barrett ‘58 and Jane Schavee ‘59. Ronald Carlson, husband of Susan (Valkenaar) Carlson ‘67.
Steven Dvorak, husband of Debroah (Shultz) ‘69. Graydon Kickul, father of Kory Kickul ‘91, Heidi Condon ‘93 and Taylor Funke. Marilyn Larson, mother of Terry ‘65, Jean Hunt ‘67 (deceased), Mary Beth Axlund ‘72 and Laurie Riss ‘74. Mona Reed, mother of Kaye Huber ‘65, Denise Iglehart, Keryl Erickson, Pamela Dannelley and Renae Reed. Richard Sabers, husband of Ellie (Lammers) ‘60; father to Steven ‘85, Susan ‘88 and Michael ‘93. Geve Sechser, brother of Carole Baumgardner ‘57 and Catherine Larson ‘57. Dennis “Eli” Whitney, husband of former Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools teacher Valerie; father to Andera ‘95, Lindsay, ‘96, Shawn, Derek ‘02 and Katie ‘09. Ethel Zimmer, mother of Jack ‘67, Dan ‘69, Kathy Navrkal ‘69, Rick ‘72, Greg, Terri Becker and Lisa Blankman. She was preceeded in death by her sons, Jeffrey and Larry ‘68 and her husband.
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LOVINGLY KNOWN AS
“Smitty”
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“I’m completely in awe of the life and impact Smitty had, and will be eternally grateful that such a man lived.” - Dane Andersen
Jim, lovingly known as “Smitty” by his students, built the competitive marching, concert and jazz bands at O’Gorman, spearheaded the magazine sales for many years and lent his talents as music theatre conductor. According to his obituary, Smitty’s philosophy was to use band participation as a vehicle to teach the importance of life lessons such as hard work, striving for excellence, cooperation, service and caring for each other. “The thing I remember most about Jim was that even though he loved music and took his craft and the performance of his bands very seriously, he loved the students themselves even more,” said Ben Koch, ’04 graduate and current Director of Bands at O’Gorman High School. “He built a band that performed well, but it was more important to him that band was a place where students felt safe, felt affirmed, felt loved. The music connected us, and our love of music grew from his passion.” The comradery he fostered became the hallmark of his program. Ask any former band student what their favorite memories from high school are and many will answer the summer months spent on the football field with Smitty conducting at the helm. Despite the painful sunburns and sore feet, the drive to live up to his expectations kept them moving every day and the feeling was mutual. “Probably like most freshman kids, I was terrified of Smitty going into band. And, to some extent, his intimidating presence was still felt through all four years. But oh, how he loved us all. More than we can possibly fathom. He came alive as our music did. Smitty had that unique ability to take a bunch of teenagers and form them into a cohesive unit that created music and moved in sync with each other,” remembered Dane Andersen, class of ’07.
“That is what made him, him,” explained Tammy (Burfischer) Mason ’87, “He never talked down to us, he didn’t treat us like kids. When my graduation came, I was $300 short of paying my tuition. I was devastated. Somehow Mr. Smith knew and paid off my balance. That meant more to me than I think he knew.” This was just one of the amazing memories shared after his passing. Alumni flooded our social media pages with more stories than we can possibly feature in just a couple of pages. Each one illustrated the personal impact Smitty’s actions had on each one of his students. “The day of Christmas break my senior year, I was all packed up for the semester, heading to the band room to collect my trumpet. He caught me and said, “Rachael, check your trumpet shelf.” There was a shiny, red, bowtopped package sitting atop my trumpet case: a trumpet stand that I had wanted so badly; and he got me a nicer one than the one I was planning to save up for,” shared Rachael (Hoogendoorn) Kramer ’07. Many shared that the lessons they took from Smitty’s classroom stuck with them long after they left O’Gorman and that they are so thankful for his support and guidance. “For everyone he knew, they are in his debt. Mine is one that I can never fully repay. I’m completely in awe of the life and impact Smitty had, and will be eternally grateful that such a man lived,” remarked Andersen. As for his philosophy of using band to teach the importance of hard work, striving for excellence and caring for each other, after reading these stories, there is only one thing to say: Mission accomplished, Smitty. Our community is forever grateful for sharing your gift with us.
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