Issuu

2020

IVE DA G Y T H I S I S S JA

T h is is Yo u r Schoo l . T h is is Yo u r Leg a cy.

This is SJ A. S a v e th e d at e f o r o u r a n n u a l G i v e D a y :

M ar ch 19 , 2020. w w w .s j a g i ve d a y . o r g

IN THIS ISSUE 4

FROM THE PRESIDENT

SJA COMMUNITY

ALUMNAE NEWS

ALUMS TODAY

ANNUAL FUND

PLANNED GIVING

ON CAMPUS

TRIBUTE DONATIONS

TRANSITIONS

On the Cover: St. Joseph’s Academy will induct the 2020 class into the Athletic Hall of Fame on February 8. The members of our sixth induction class are Kathy Saichuk, Linda McCall McCann ’61 and Stephanie Dellocono Osorno ’06.

Connections is published four times per year by the St. Joseph’s Academy Communications and Mission Advancement offices. It is distributed free of charge to alumnae, parents and friends of the Academy. Alumnae news, story ideas, photographs and address changes should be sent to Connections, 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-1198 or connections@sjabr.org. Call (225) 388-2258. Because of space limitations, we reserve the right to edit submitted news.

Mindy Brodhead Averitt Jennifer Menville Fontaine Erin Barrilleaux Albarado Holly Sonnier Meg Gerald Katie Jeter Valenciano Cydney Morris Donna Blanc Wendy Coniglio

Communications Director Digital Marketing & Analytics Director Media Coordinator Graphic Designer Mission Advancement Director Mission Advancement Assistant DirectorAlumnae and Constituent Relations Mission Advancement Assistant Director-Events Mission Advancement Database Manager Mission Advancement Database Assistant

FROM THE PRESIDENT

A NEW

Beginning Jan Rhorer Breen '69 As we begin a new year, we have the unique opportunity to live each moment open to new ideas filled with the promises of joy and inner peace. What often prevents us from a future of happiness is allowing our past to follow us into the new year and to fill our days with thoughts of sadness, failures and feelings that the future will be a repeat of the past. We find ourselves slipping into the darkness that surrounds us as the days develop after the chimes ring in a new year. If we stop when the emptiness is starting to enter our lives, we will discover that Christ is asking us to turn to Him, for He is the light in times of darkness. God keeps reminding us that He is here for us in readings in the Bible such as John 8:12, when Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” Even in our songs at Mass, we sing, “Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ be our light!” God is guiding us to move toward the light. We are to trust that God is with us and will give us what we most need. In theologian Henri Nouwen’s daily meditation, he notes that we are constantly facing choices. Will we choose God or our own doubting self? In choosing the voice of God, Noewen says, “God says to you, ‘I love you. I am with you. I want you to experience the joy and peace of my presence. I want to give you a new heart and a new spirit. Just trust me, and let me be your God to overcome the darkness.’” We all have choices, and if we listen to God’s voice every day, we will find that what we think and express and how we act will lead us toward the light, toward a life filled with happiness. Always remember that God loves us and that God’s love is enough. As we live each day in this new year, let us reflect on the blessings we have and those we will receive. While I was in Spain over the holidays, I had the opportunity to experience a New Year’s Eve tradition of blessings that is a part of the Spanish culture. As time was closing in to the new year, we were given a cup of 12 grapes and told that when you hear the first chime of midnight, you eat a grape and make a wish for a blessing. You do this for the 12 chimes representing the 12 months of the year. What a wonderful way to stop and reflect on the blessings you want to receive for your life, your family, your friends and your community. 4 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S From the President

As I reflect on our SJA community, I wish the following blessings for 2020.

1. 2.

That the light of Christ be with you always, especially when darkness is knocking at your door. That our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph, know how blessed we are to have their charism as part of our lives.

That we serve our dear neighbor and know we are making a difference in the lives of others.

That we live our lives with humility as our patron saint, Joseph, lived his life.

That we receive forgiveness and give forgiveness to others.

That we experience the love of family, friends and our community.

That we explore our passions and be the best versions of ourselves.

8. That we experience joy in a new experience. 9. That we find the heart of generosity. 10. That we make laughter a part of our daily lives. 11. That we have moments of kindness each day. 12. That we know that God loves us with an unconditional love. May our SJA community receive many blessings, and may 2020 be filled with the light of Christ.

SJA COMMUNITY

2020 HALL OF FAME CLASS TO BE INDUCTED F EBRUARY 8 The St. Joseph’s Academy Athletic Hall of Fame will honor its newest members with a special ceremony on Saturday, February 8, in the Academy Student Center. Kathy Saichuk, Linda McCall McCann ’61 and Stephanie Dellocono Osorno ’06 are part of the SJA Hall of Fame’s sixth induction class.

www.sjahalloffame.org or by sending a check, payable to the SJA Athletic Hall of Fame, to 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. Reservation deadline is January 31, 2020. For ticket information, please contact Wendy Coniglio at (225) 388-2336.

The evening begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and awards begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at

LINDA MCCALL MCCANN, a 1961 graduate of

St. Joseph’s Academy, was born on her dad’s birthday, so it was only natural that he put a ball in her hands at a very young age. Robert McCall dreamed that his daughter would become “a world-famous athlete.” As Linda grew older, Robert saw signs of natural athletic skill. When Linda was 10, Robert decided to let her pitch batting practice to his Little League baseball team. To his delight, none of the boys could hit her pitches. To his dismay, his request that she be allowed to play on his team was met with a resounding no. Undeterred, Robert took up coaching girls’ basketball, and Linda was his star player. So impressive were her skills that as an eighth grader, when her BREC team played a practice game against SJA, she caught the eye of Redstickers’ coach Sister Alice Marie McMurdo. Sister Alice Marie approached Robert and asked him to enroll Linda for the following year. Thus began a four-year career that put Redsticker basketball – the only organized sport of that era – on the map. As a forward playing “3 and 3 rules,” Linda led the team in scoring in 1958, ’59, ’60 and ’61. She was named the Outstanding Offensive Player and selected to the All-Star team in every tournament she played. In her senior season, Linda averaged 38 points per game. She set a Baton Rouge-area record for most points scored in a game, 52, which stood until broken by Seimone Augustus of Capitol High School. Seimone would go on to star for the LSU Lady Tigers basketball team and was the first overall pick in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx.

After graduating from SJA in 1961, Linda went to beauty school and earned an instructor’s certification. She enjoyed teaching and began to consider a career in education. She enrolled at LSU, earning degrees in English and health and physical education. She also joined the Golden Band from Tiger Land and played intramural softball, volleyball and basketball. Linda began her education career at Woodlawn High School and would teach and coach in East Baton Rouge Parish for 21 years. She also helped establish an interscholastic athletic league for junior high and middle school students. During her teaching and coaching career, Linda discovered that her students were comfortable talking with her about their problems. She decided to return to school and earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University. She worked in the SLU Counseling Center and as a guidance counselor in East Baton Rouge Parish schools from 1993 until she retired in 2017. Since then, she has worked for Baton Rouge diocesan schools in various capacities. Linda and her late husband, John, have two children, Chad and Nicki, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Linda’s oldest granddaughter, Taylor, is following in her grandmother’s footsteps. Taylor is a standout softball player at Mandeville High School and recently signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of Memphis. To honor her grandmother, Taylor wears her number 14. Linda is a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy, where she is a Eucharistic minister.

Linda also played intramural softball and volleyball at SJA, as well as CYO and independent softball and basketball in the Baton Rouge area. Away from sports, Linda enjoyed music. She sang in SJA’s choir all four years, and she and her brother, Bobby, formed a rock band and won numerous awards, including top prize in the Battle of the Bands three years running. Today, a spare bedroom in Linda’s house contains a full set of drums and a piano keyboard synthesizer. 5 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

KATHRYN “KATHY” SAICHUK was raised on

the family farm in Lewisburg, near Opelousas, with her four siblings. She loved being outdoors, competing with her brothers and, most of all, winning. Kathy learned at an early age that being tough and smart were keys to surviving raucous games of Kick the Can with the boys from nearby farms, having hay bales dropped on her head and shenanigans such as being put onto the back of a “tame pony” only to be lofted into the air and landing unceremoniously amidst great laughter. Her grandparents provided gentle guidance and instilled in her a deep commitment to her Catholic faith. Every night before bedtime, the family prayed the rosary on their knees. Kathy’s mother provided a stern hand and taught her that once she committed to something, quitting wasn’t an option.

Additionally, the SJA cheerleading program became a nationally competitive squad. Today, Kathy is the assistant director of Wellness & Health Promotion at the LSU Student Health Center. She works to educate students on a variety of health-related topics, including alcohol and substance abuse, sexual assault prevention, nutrition and fitness, personal safety, stress reduction and time management. Away from work, Kathy remains an avid sports fan and admits that her competitive fire occasionally results in “over the top” reactions when watching sporting events. Her dogs have been known to go into hiding. Kathy also loves the outdoors and being active. A lifelong learner, Kathy enjoys reading and spends her downtime researching health and science issues.

In fifth grade, Kathy enjoyed her first taste of organized athletics, beginning a lifelong love affair with sports. She was an outstanding athlete at Hanson Memorial High School in Franklin and was a standout basketball player at what’s now known as the University of Louisiana Lafayette, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in health, physical education, recreation and safety in 1974. She earned a master’s degree in administration and supervision with an emphasis in exercise physiology in 1976 and continued her education at Nicholls State University and Louisiana State University with coursework in the field of health and wellness. Kathy spent the first 22 years of her career as a health, physical education and/or English teacher at the high school and collegiate levels. She also coached basketball, volleyball and tennis. In 1987, her journey brought her to Baton Rouge and St. Joseph’s Academy. Her love of running and experience in 5K races and marathons allowed her to take the SJA cross country team to the next level. Her teams dominated parish meets and consistently finished as champion or runner-up in the state meet. The SJA Invitational became one of the largest cross country meets in Louisiana, with nearly 100 teams and thousands of runners each year. Kathy also coached SJA’s track and field team, leading the Redstickers to numerous district and regional championships and consistently sending a contingency of athletes to participate in the Louisiana State High School Track and Field Championships. Several athletes would bring home state titles. Many of Kathy’s cross country and track and field athletes would compete at the collegiate level. During the first several years of her time at SJA, Kathy also served as assistant basketball coach, working with Janie Sarradet. But when she was named SJA’s athletic director in 1988, she stepped away from the basketball program to concentrate on her new administrative role. She continued to coach cross country and track and field. During Kathy’s tenure as athletic director, the program enjoyed great expansion in a variety of areas. New athletic teams and programs were added, new events were established by each sport, top-tier coaches were hired and the Seafood Supper fundraiser was launched to enable the department to purchase first-class equipment, uniforms and travel attire. 6 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

Tickets are now on sale for the

2020 ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY INDUCTION CEREMONY Honoring

KATHY SAICHUK LINDA MCCALL MCCANN ’61 STEPHANIE DELLOCONO OSORNO ’06 Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:30 p.m. Academy Student Center Purchase tickets at www.sjahalloffame.org

The daughter of a professional football player, STEPHANIE

DELLOCONO OSORNO grew up playing sports. From swimming and softball to tennis and track and field, this 2006 St. Joseph’s Academy graduate loved to compete and win. When she was 9 years old, Stephanie’s mother, who played in a tennis league, enrolled Stephanie and younger sister Holly in tennis lessons. By the age of 11, Stephanie was playing in tournaments around the city, making a name for herself as a talented young athlete with a big backhand. When it came time to choose a high school, Stephanie followed in the footsteps of her grandmother, Saundra Samaha Dellocono, a 1956 graduate who played sports at SJA. As a freshman at SJA, Stephanie captured the LHSAA Division I Region II singles championship and qualified for the state tournament, where she finished as the Class 5A runner up. She was named to the All-Metro and All-District teams. As a sophomore, Stephanie was the regional singles champion for the second consecutive year and finished second in the state tournament. She ended the 2004 season with a 13-2 record and was again named to the All-Metro and All-District teams. She was also honored as the Star of Stars for Tennis by the Baton Rouge Advocate. Heading into her junior year, Stephanie was among the local athletes featured in WVLA-TV 33’s two-week series entitled Rising Stars. Talented high school students from the Baton Rouge area were interviewed about their accomplishments and future goals. Unfortunately, the pre-season publicity couldn’t predict that Stephanie would be sidelined for the year by injury.

In her sophomore season, Stephanie had an overall record of 14-6, including a dual match record of 9-3. She recorded a 15-7 doubles record for the season, winning 12 of her first 15 matches. She was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the AD Honor Roll. Again facing injury, Stephanie was redshirted for the 20082009 school year. She was again named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s List. As a redshirt junior in 2009-2010, Stephanie posted a 13-15 overall record and finished the spring season with an 11-11 record that included a 11-10 record at No. 2 singles. She and Gutterman finished with a 16-7 record in doubles competition, including a perfect 4-0 conference record. She was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, President’s List and AD Honor Roll. Stephanie concluded her USM career tied for third alltime with the most singles wins at 65. She and Gutterman would record the most doubles wins in USM history with 66. She was once again named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s List. Today, Stephanie is a national recruiter for TEKsystems, an IT staffing and services company. She finds highly specialized, niche IT consultants who help clients with new implementations, migrations, upgrades and production support. Stephanie and her husband, Chase, have two children, Harper, age 2, and Crew, 8 months. She enjoys Pilates, running and going to Saints and LSU football games.

Stephanie prepared for her senior season with resolve, determined to regain the form she displayed her first two years as a Redsticker. She would capture her third regional singles championship and led SJA to the 2006 LHSAA Division I Class 5A championship. She won her first state title with a straight-set victory in the finals. Battling the toughest draw in the tournament and food poisoning to boot, Stephanie’s grit and determination would earn her Star of Stars recognition for the second time. She was also named to the AllMetro and All-District teams for the third time. Stephanie would post a perfect 14-0 record as a senior. She caught the eye of college recruiters from throughout the region and accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Southern Mississippi. As a freshman in 2006-2007, Stephanie finished with a record of 28-5 (a .848 winning percentage), including a 17-match winning streak. She concluded fall play with an 11-3 singles record and a 10-4 doubles record with teammate Lauren Gutterman and was named to the Conference USA Third Team. 7 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

N E W C SJ A S S O C I AT ES H O N O R E D AT

Founders’ Day Mass

Three members of the St. Joseph’s Academy faculty/ staff and one recent retiree were among the 12 women and men welcomed and celebrated as Associates of the Congregation of St. Joseph during the Founders’ Day Mass and Associates’ Commitment Ceremony on October 15 in the SJA Chapel. Spanish teacher Ghedy Matus, AP art history teacher Stacy Rennhoff, Facilities Director Linda Thompson and former physical education teacher Holly Randow, who retired from SJA in 2017, have completed the inquirers process, which involves a year of monthly meetings, prayer, discussion and small-group reflection. CSJ Associates are individuals who desire to live in union with God, with one another and with all creation. In response to God’s great love and with mutual support, Associates are deeply engaged in living the Congregation’s mission of unity and inclusive love of God and the dear neighbor without distinction. Stacy traces her relationship with the Sisters to her childhood. A grandmother and great-aunt are SJA graduates, and an aunt was a Sister of St. Joseph. A 20-year member of the Academy faculty, Stacy said she has been blessed by the great-hearted love of the Sisters since 1998. “I am very thankful to the Congregation for offering the Associates program for those ready to experience this journey,” she said. “I continue to cherish and uphold the Sisters’ charism, their love of the dear neighbor and their leadership in faith with the students of SJA.”

Ghedy said she wanted to become an Associate to fulfill a deep desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus as she performs the corporal works of mercy. “I am being called to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, bury the dead and give alms to the poor,” she said. “I want to live the charism of helping the dear neighbor and learn from the generous promises.” Linda undertook the year-long inquirer process to find a spiritual purpose in which her time and talents would be used to benefit those in need. “The activities of the Congregation provide that purpose and the reward of knowing that I am helping our dear neighbor,” she said. “Not only do I have the reward of working in ministries that are important to the Congregation, it also deepens my commitment to St. Joseph’s Academy to support and uphold the mission of the school.” Holly said that becoming an Associate is truly an honor. “After 38 years as a teacher at SJA, I feel very close to the Sisters of St. Joseph,” she said. “It is a privilege to help continue their charism.” These ladies join several current and former faculty and staff members who are CSJ Associates: Principal Stacia Andricain, theology teacher Hugo Andricain, Facilities Director David James, theology teacher Dana Murray, former Admissions Director Sheri Gillio, former science teacher Vicki LaPlace and former theology teacher Judy Lavergne.

Linda Thompson, Ghedy Matus, Stacy Rennhoff and Holly Randow are among the newest CSJ Associates.

Community 8 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

Sister Joan Laplace, right, accepts a 2019 Louisiana Role Models award from Rose J. Hudson, president of the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links Inc.

Celebrating with Sister Joan Laplace are, from left, SJA President Jan R. Breen ’69; SJA board member and Links member Yolunda Johnson Taylor; SJA board member Patricia Brignac Talbot ’84; former SJA President Sister Adele Lambert ’54; Sister Joan; Sister Joan’s sister, Peggy Fernandez; SJA faculty member John Richardson; former SJA board member Sister Mary Anne Hebert; SJA board member Pat Carville Hoffman ’73; SJA faculty member Dana Murray; SJA Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald; and SJA Pastoral Care Minister Sister Chris Pologa.

Sister Joan Laplace H O N O R E D BY T H E L I N K S I N C . Sister Joan Laplace, who retired in June after 55 years in Catholic education, was honored as a 2019 Louisiana Role Model of The Baton Rouge Chapter of the Links Inc. The 2019 Role Models were celebrated at the 14th Annual New Orleans Style Jazz Brunch on Saturday, December 14, at the Renaissance Hotel. Each year, the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links Inc. selects and honors Louisiana natives to have exhibited excellence in their professional and volunteer efforts. The Links is a professional women’s service organization that, in collaboration with community organizations, contributes more than 2,000 volunteer hours yearly through work aligned to five program facets: Services to Youth, National Trends and Services, The Arts, International Trends and Services and Health and Human Services. Sister Joan began her ministry at St. Joseph’s Academy in 1964. She taught English, French and religion. From 1966 to 1968, she served as assistant principal and counselor, introducing the first formal guidance program at the high school. She was named principal in 1968, a position she held for 11 years.

Sister Joan spent 1979 as the public relations director at SJA-New Orleans, directing internal and external communications as the Sisters of St. Joseph closed the school after 125 years. She returned to Baton Rouge in 1981 to join SJA’s guidance department and establish a development program. She served as SJA’s first development director, overseeing a capital campaign in the mid-1980s that resulted in the construction of the Activity Center and renovation of the former gym into today’s library. In 1991, Sister Joan joined Brother Martin High School in New Orleans as community relations director, a post she held for 15 years before returning to SJA on August 1, 2006, to direct the development office, now Mission Advancement. She retired as the department’s associate director on June 27, 2019, after 55 years in Catholic education. Sister Joan continues to be active in the community. She has been a member of the board of directors at St. Vincent de Paul since 2012 and a committee member of the Mirabeau Water Garden project since 2008. Located on the site of the former convent and land of the Sisters in New Orleans, the project will provide for storm-water management to enhance and protect the neighborhood. Sister Joan also serves on the St. Joseph’s Academy board of directors. 9 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

SJA WELCOMES

SYBIL MORIAL Sybil Haydel Morial chronicled her life’s journey when she spoke to the SJA community on November 14.

St. Joseph’s Academy welcomed Sybil Haydel Morial to campus on November 14. Mrs. Morial is an educator, activist and author of this year’s all-school read: Witness to Change, from Jim Crow to Political Empowerment. Mrs. Morial began writing her memoir in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed her family home, forcing her to leave New Orleans. Displaced, she found herself going to bed every night in sadness, grieving her losses as she looked back over her life. But with the resolve that had marked her lifetime, Mrs. Morial knew there were countless others who were suffering greatly with nowhere to go. “I thought about those people, and I knew I had the will and the resources to recover,” she said. “I got up the next morning, turned on the computer and started writing.” Her story chronicles the tumultuous events of the American Civil Rights Movement, from desegregation to the fight for voting rights and political empowerment for African-Americans. “In my writing, I reflected back on experiences and what made me who I am as an adult,” she said. “I went to Xavier for two years and loved it, but I wanted to know another place. I grew up in segregated New Orleans, and I couldn’t go to certain places with my friends. I had two best friends, one black and one white. We didn’t give it much thought when Beverly went to another line at the movies for white patrons.” Mrs. Morial headed for Boston University and experienced a new way of life. “We could go wherever we wanted to go,” she said. “There were no restrictions on us, and that’s when it started to come together for me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew something wasn’t right.” After graduating from Boston University, Mrs. Morial pursued a career in education and became the first African-American teacher in the Newton, Massachusetts, public school system. “I was happy in the North and had a great job,” she said. “I could partake of anything 10 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

I wanted to. But it was important to me that I go home. Why would I go back South? I felt the need to get involved in change.” Returning to New Orleans, Mrs. Morial became part of the first group of African American students who applied to local universities following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling. She enrolled in two summer courses at Tulane University but was told she couldn’t stay because she was black. She applied at Loyola with the same outcome. Several years later, she was the lone plaintiff in a successful challenge to laws prohibiting public school teachers from being involved in organizations advocating integration. She also became involved in the Urban League of Greater New Orleans and the League of Women Voters. She founded the Louisiana League of Good Government, a non-partisan, interracial woman’s organization devoted to civil liberties and full participation in government for all Louisiana citizens. The organization focused on helping African-Americans register to vote in Louisiana. The mother of five children, Mrs. Morial taught in New Orleans schools during the 1950s and ’60s. In 1977, she became an administrator at Xavier University, serving for 28 years. She remained active in many community organizations, serving as a catalyst for educational programs focused on civil rights. Mrs. Morial played an integral role in the campaign of her husband, the late Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial, when he ran for and was elected to the Louisiana state legislature in 1968 and as mayor of New Orleans in 1978. He was the first AfricanAmerican to hold either office. Her oldest son Marc, who is now president of the National Urban League, also served two terms as mayor of New Orleans. Mrs. Morial is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement Award, the Women of Power Award from the National Urban League, the ALIOT (A Legend in Her Own Time) Award from the Faulkner Society and the New Orleans Legend Award from the city of New Orleans. In 2014, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Xavier University.

TWO NEW SCHOLARSHIPS ESTABLISHED The Toni Silva Kirby ’80 Scholarship and The SJA Tennis Classic Scholarship have been established in the St. Joseph’s Academy Foundation. Antoinette (Toni) and Michael Kirby established their scholarship to help make an Academy education possible for a deserving young woman whose family may not be able to afford the full cost of tuition. The Kirbys both attended Catholic schools throughout their elementary and high school years. “We believe strongly in the value of a Catholic education,” Toni said. “I personally have many wonderful memories of my 14 years – pre-K through 12th grade – at SJA and will never forget the lifelong friendships I made there.” Toni especially acknowledged the Sisters of St. Joseph who taught her and had a profound and lasting impact on her life. “Sister Joan Laplace, Sister Carolyn Brady, Sister Maria Rabalais and other Sisters helped shape my continuing journey to live my life in faith,” she said. Calling a Catholic-based education the “single greatest gift we could possibly provide a deserving student,” Toni said her hope for the scholarship is to provide the necessary tuition assistance for a young woman to attend SJA who otherwise would not have the opportunity. “I hope and pray that they will have the same positive, wonderful SJA experience that I did,” she said.

registration now open

The SJA Tennis Classic Scholarship has been established to offer needbased tuition assistance to deserving students and their families. In March of 2020, the SJA Tennis Classic will celebrate its eighth year. Begun in 2013 as the SJA & CHS Tennis Classic, the inaugural event drew 103 players, with proceeds benefitting both schools. The tournament continued as a joint event for one more year, until a group of SJA alumnae assumed responsibility for its planning and organization. The 2015-2017 tournaments benefited SJA’s STEM curriculum, while the 2018 and 2019 events, both drawing 260 players, raised nearly $30,000 for the new Academy Student Center. Indeed, these two events were so successful that the tournament’s five-year commitment to the Academy Student Center was met three years ahead of schedule. Wendy Williams Lutgring, SJA class of 1984, has been a member of the planning committee since 2015. She became committee chair in 2016. “Over the years, the tournament has grown tremendously and enjoyed great success,” Wendy said. “Now in year eight, we have continued to surpass our goals, both in terms of participating players and monies raised. After we paid off our commitment to the Academy Student Center in two years’ time, we said, ‘Okay, let’s do something more long term that will have an even bigger impact on our SJA community.’ From those discussions, the idea for the SJA Tennis Classic Scholarship was born.” The Tennis Classic committee is comprised of alumnae who know firsthand the transformative value of an SJA education. “We couldn’t think of a more meaningful way to give back to the school that gave us so much,” Wendy said. “It is so fulfilling to know that the SJA Tennis Classic Scholarship will help families send their daughters to the Academy.”

Tennis Classic

USTA Southern louisiana 2019 adult Tournament of the year Benefits the newly established SJA Tennis Classic Scholarship. Sponsorship opportunities available: Contact Events Director Cydney Morris at morrisc@sjabr.org. $85 player fee guarentees two matches, food, adult beverages, live music, door prizes and fun! For tournament information or to register, visit www.www.sjatennisclassic.org

March 27-29, 2020

Bocage Racquet Club Presented by

Divisions:

(Limit of 32 teams per division)

Women’s Doubles 2.5, 3.0*, 3.5*, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 Men’s Doubles – 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0

Mixed Doubles – 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 Open Mixed Doubles * Women's Doubles 3.0 and 3.5 divisions are subject to a 4 p.m. start on Friday, March 27.

Deadline to register is Sunday, March 22. Draws will be posted and emailed on Wednesday, March 25 USTA Tournament ID: 700120219 For more information, or to register, visit www.sjatennisclassic.org.

Alice Dugas Greer ’66 and Sister Thecla Kramer in 1998. Sister Thecla, a Sister of St. Joseph for 74 years, began her teaching career at St. Joseph Academy in Cincinnati before coming to Baton Rouge, where she taught at SJA for 36 years, served as cafeteria manager and was an administrator, caseworker and housemother at St. Joseph’s Children’s Home. She died on June 21, 2002, in New Orleans.

Alice Dugas Greer ’66, center, signs papers to name the Mother Alice Hall kitchenette in honor of her mentor and mother figure, Sister Thecla Kramer. Alice is pictured with SJA President Jan R. Breen and Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald.

Three-year-old Alice Dugas Greer, far left, says her bedtime prayers while Sister Judith Lipari looks on.

Graduate Honors Sister Thecla Kramer Alice Dugas Greer, a 1966 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy, and her husband, Bob, have named the small kitchen on the first floor of Mother Alice Hall in memory of Sister Thecla Kramer, CSJ. The gesture pays homage to the woman Alice calls “my mentor and mother figure for more than 15 years.”

When Alice began dating Bob, Sister Thecla welcomed him with open arms. When the couple eloped, they received Sister’s warm approval. Their subsequent Catholic wedding, as well as Itty’s, was celebrated in the Chapel at SJA. Refreshments were prepared in the little kitchen under Sister Thecla’s watchful eye.

When Alice was just 10 months old, her mother died, leaving five young children. While their maternal grandmother was an important presence in their lives, she lived more than 20 miles away in rural Arnaudville and had several children of her own still at home. “Mamon,” as she was known to her grandchildren, turned to her brother, a Jesuit priest in New Orleans, for guidance. Knowing the priest ministered to the Sisters of St. Joseph in the mother-house on Mirabeau Avenue, Mamon implored him to ask that Alice and her two sisters be accepted as residents of their children’s home in Baton Rouge. Sister Thecla was among the Sisters who agreed to the arrangement.

“We married young, and Sister Thecla helped furnish our first apartment with damaged goods from a railroad salvage store,” Alice said. “Mr. Aucoin, the handyman on campus, put together broken pieces of wood to make a table and repaired mismatched chairs. Our first bed was a mattress and box spring from different companies.”

Alice, then 2 ½ years of age, Gypsye (nicknamed Itty), 4 years old, and Faye, 12, became wards of the Sisters and thus began their relationship with Sister Thecla. Sister Thecla took the girls under her protective yet exacting wing and, over the years, assigned them responsibilities as well as special privileges. She secured part-time jobs for Alice and Itty at a school uniform shop in Westmoreland (insisting they put half of their earnings into savings accounts) and named them “housemothers” in charge of younger children in the dormitory. When Alice was a junior and Itty a senior at SJA, Sister Thecla taught them to cook and entertain. One evening, the girls assisted her in preparing a meal in the Mother Alice Hall kitchenette, then hosted a sit-down dinner in the adjacent dining room for their dates. “I imagine Sister’s ear to the wall, alternating with her granny glasses peeking through the space between the swinging doors, to be sure we were behaving,” Alice recalled. “In reflection, she probably used these type events to teach us proper etiquette. Besides planning ahead of time, we learned to correctly set the table, serve and remove plates and refill the glasses properly.”

12 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

Alice and Bob would remain in close contact with Sister Thecla, including her in family celebrations over the years. When complete, the memorial signage to be affixed to the kitchen door will read “Sister Thecla Kramer Kitchen, in loving memory, the Dugas and Greer Families.” The inclusion of both families’ names underlines the impact the Sisters had on so many lives. Alice graduated in 1966, Itty (Bryan) graduated in 1965 and Faye (Guidry) graduated in 1957. Itty and Faye’s daughters are also alumnae: Leah Guidry, class of 1983, and Kristin Bryan Casemore, class of 1990. Alice has two sons: Jonathan Kramer Greer and Robert Stephenson Greer III (Steve). Jonathan’s daughter Cassie Greer Beychok is a 2000 graduate, and Steve’s daughter Gifford is a sophomore at SJA. “I am blessed that I was born into one family, married into the other and was raised and educated in the SJA environment,” Alice said. “Sister Thecla and many other Sisters of St. Joseph made my life better and brighter.”

DORREN SCHMIT T NAMED

Georgia’s Woman of the Year IN TECHNOLOGY

Dorren Schmitt, a 1980 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy-New Orleans, is Women in Technology’s 2019 Woman of the Year in Technology in the medium/mid-size business category in Georgia. This award celebrates women technology executives for their accomplishments as leaders in business, visionaries of technology and women who make a difference in their communities. Dorren, who was recently promoted to senior director of information technology at The Weather Channel, established the Dorren Schmitt Fund for STEM at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge during the 2017-2018 academic year. The impetus behind the establishment of the fund is Dorren’s desire to help continue the mission of the Andrea Clesi McMakin ’74 STEM Lab at SJA. Since it opened in June of 2015, the STEM Lab has afforded young women the opportunity to engage in crosscurricular, hands-on activities in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math. According to a statement from The Weather Channel, Dorren is an exceptional technical leader for the company, working with its engineers in the office and the teams in the field as they report on storms and other extreme weather events. “There are many reasons why we nominated Dorren for this award, but the three biggest reasons are: Dorren has incredible technical knowledge and expertise, is always the first to respond and offer a valuable insight and she has the enviable skill of being able to work extremely well with non-technical people on technical projects.” Dorren holds a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and secondary education; a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and another in applied statistics; and a Ph.D. in applied statistics. She is the board chair for the Technology Association of Georgia DevOps Special Interest Group, an advisory board member for the Gwinnett Technical College computer science department, a leadership board member for the Technology Association of Georgia and a volunteer for several technology organizations.

A N N UA

BENEFIT TING SJA ATHLETICS AND SJA DADS’ CLUB

Monday, April 6, 2020 TopGolf Baton Rouge Shotgun start at 2 p.m.

Men’s and Women’s teams welcome All levels of skill welcome Join us! Sponsors needed! Contact Meg Gerald with questions geraldm@sjabr.org

NINTH ANNUAL STICKER STAMPEDE A SUCCESS The ninth annual Sticker Stampede 10K, 5K and Fun Runs, presented by Varsity Sports and hosted by the St. Joseph’s Academy Alumnae Association, enjoyed great success. Some 365 runners participated in the race, held November 3 on and near SJA’s campus. The morning began with Mass in the Chapel at SJA. Father Mike Schatzle was the celebrant. Runners and visitors enjoyed the Finisher Festival throughout the morning, featuring local vendors, food, beverages and live music by the students of The Real School of Music. There was also a special kids’ area with crafts and games. Drs. Elise Scallan and Jimmy Lalonde sponsored the Finisher Festival. Timing sponsor for this year’s run was MAPP. Gold Level sponsors for this year’s event were The Celtic Group; BRDP; Envoc; Bella Family Medical; Elevate Wellness Studio; The Bone and Joint Clinic; and Epic Piping.

14 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

Red Level sponsors were Ritter Maher; Bateman Law Firm; Drs. Schwartzenburg, Lafranca Guidry and Chapman; Wardlaw and Lasseigne LLC; Provost, Salter, Harper and Alford LLC; Geico; and Peak Performance Physical Therapy. White Level sponsors were Himmel’s Architectural Door and Hardware Inc.; Dr. Stephen Sanches; Postlethwaite and Netterville; PAX LLC; Kleinpeter Photography and KB Cook Weddings. Course Support sponsor was Celebrity Theatres. Water station sponsors were School Time and Williamson Cosmetic Center. Emily Shedlof Richard ’01 served as chair of the Sticker Stampede Planning Committee. She was assisted by committee members Chip Magee, Hannah Shedlof Kenny ’09, Karen Edward Styron ’01, Kate Butler Cook ’01, Kathryn Johnson Sanches ’01, Lurline Hamilton ’64, Melissa Silva ’99, Monica Valenciano Rogers ’01, Nan Murtagh and Patricia Kleinpeter Duvic ’01.

ALUMNAE SHARE EXPERTISE AT

Career Day Job Expo

The St. Joseph’s Academy Alumnae Office and Counseling Center hosted the annual Career Day Job Expo on November 12. Seventy-nine professional women gathered on campus to share their career experiences with juniors and seniors. The professionals set up tables in the Academy Student Center, which students visited during their lunch hours. Students were able to talk one on one with those who represented a field in which they may be interested. The expo also helps students narrow their choices of professionals they would most like to job shadow in the spring. The job expo was coordinated by Alumnae Director Katie Jeter Valenciano ’04.

Participating professionals and their career fields are as follows. Shelley Pearson Alexander ’89, nurse manager; Amy Andrews ’06, financial consultant; Erin Arcement, social worker; Dr. Stephanie Gremillion Babin ’05, dentist; Dr. Cynthia Baker, optometrist; Ashton Piland Benvinetto ’08, certified financial planner; Natalie Bickham, environmental specialist; Katie Staudermann Bouey ’02, technology PMO director; Dovie Brady, health information management; Robin Titone Branton ’98, teacher; Carrie Goux Braud ’90, chemical engineer; Sarah Plaisance Breckenridge ’10, nurse; Melissa Bahlinger Brocato ’89, university administrator; Lizzie Butler Broussard ’03, technology project manager; Stephanie Spielman Cargile ’88, communications; Dr. Kelly Sweeney Clements ’84, ear, nose and throat; Lisa Westmoreland Collier ’81, financial advisor; Brooke Coogan, health and wellness; Kate Butler Cook ’01, wedding planner; Dr. Kathleen Atkinson Crapanzano ’80, psychiatrist; Beth Courville Crochet ’98, nurse anesthetist/instructor; Aimee Cronan ’96, teacher; Mandy Poche Cushing ’98; teacher; Allison Davis ’07, IT consulting; Allison Brocato Dillard ’84, pharmacist; Dr. Erin Dauterive DiPalma ’00, obstetrician/gynecologist; Monique Douglas ’08, instructional design; Chrissy Dupuy, fundraiser; Tracey Everhardt, civil/structural engineer; Dr. Lindsey Richard Fauveau ’03, surgeon; Ashley Fife Fontenot ’99, physical therapist; Conchetta Graphia Foshee ’86, school counselor/administrator; Rebecca Andries Franco ’12, chemical engineer/business analyst; Deborah Gerstner-Wolf, engineer; Dr. Dana Gosserand, veterinarian; Carolyn Granade, chemical engineer; Kristin Loup Green ’03, physician assistant;

Katie Blouin Guillot ’96, dental hygienist; Elizabeth Hamilton, DNA forensic analyst; Angela Begue Hammett ’92, RN community education manager; Kendall Coye Hebert ’98, communications; Dr. Rebecca Day Hedden ’06, dentist; Ann Lightfoot Heine ’89, hospital operations; Anne Webre Hindrichs ’81, social worker/ school administrator; Mary Dedeaux Honore ’02, teacher; Elise Kaufman, speech therapist; Savannah Kellerher ’13, financial planner; Kat Kleinpeter ’09, firefighter; Caroline Donahue Kline ’03, nurse practitioner; Anna Kathryne Kronenberger ’89, attorney; Carly Lousteau ’99, engineer; Mallory Morgan Ludwig ’05, physician assistant; Amy Dunaway Marshall ’04, dental hygienist; Sarah Elisar McCann ’08, teacher; Mary McKee, social worker; Tara Nolan Messenger ’70, social worker; Dr. Patricia Minnis, speech program facilitator; Jennifer Moisant, attorney; Sara Hipwell Monsour ’93, healthcare administration; Hayden Moore ’05, attorney; Dana Morrison, education recruitment manager; Jennifer Duplechin Oberthier ’04, CPA; Stephanie Fife Parenton ’04, physician assistant; Breanna Paul ’08, communications/business owner; Ravali Polala, chemical engineer; Emily Shedlof Richard ’01, nurse; Kristy Roubique ’76, real estate; Donna Roppolo ’85, artist and designer; Deanna Ledet Saab ’02, web designer; Dr. Amanda Sandifer ’08, dentist; Kelly Schupp, engineer; Dr. Liz Dauzat Seiter ’79, pediatrician; Joanna So, mechanical/reliability engineer; Erica Sparacino, DNA manager; Caroline Adams Stewart ’06, nurse; Angelle Lavergne Terry ’03, architect; Tia Lockett Whittington ’04, boutique owner; Alexis Halloran Wilkinson ’97, healthcare administration; and Stacy Williams, DNA forensic analyst. 15 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

Graduates, Friends Donate Items to SJA Archives Several alumnae as well as friends of St. Joseph’s Academy recently made donations of school-related items to the Archives Department. We welcome and appreciate the donation of items to our collection as they help to document and personalize our history. Please contact Archivist Sara Brignac at (225) 388-2346 or brignacs@sjabr.org if you have an item you’d like to share.

Sharon Ourso Kleinpeter, class of 1967, donated the letter written by Mother Alice Biguenet on May 31, 1963, informing her that she would receive a four-year tuition scholarship to St. Joseph’s Academy. In the letter, Mother Alice praises Sharon for her scholastic and athletic abilities, character, disposition and love of God. Mother Alice closed the letter with, “May God and our Lady bless you and keep you always the lovely girl you are today.”

16 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S SJA Community

Barbara Magruder, a friend of the Academy, donated two items from Mother Alice Biguenet’s era: a silver framed portrait of Mother Alice and a paperweight featuring a picture of Mother Alice along with nine other Sisters who were members of the Academy faculty in 1944. The paperweight was given as a birthday gift on November 18, 1944. Barbara’s sister, Mary Hebert McCowan, is a 1961 SJA graduate. Her niece, MaryHelene McCowan, graduated in 1987.

Peggy Bahlinger Whatley, a 1975 graduate of SJA, donated the hand-embroidered linen dress worn at graduation by her aunt, Pearlie Nesser Buckner, class of 1910. Peggy also brought to be photographed the graduation pins worn by Pearlie and by her grandmother, Alta Nesser Bonnet, who graduated in 1913.

Sister Johanne Pedersen, a 1946 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy, donated the modified habit she wore in the late 1996s. She also donated a framed St. Joseph’s Academy shield embroidered by Sister Mila Sones as a gift to Sister Phyllis Manda ’58. Sister Johanne is pictured with SJA President Jan R. Breen ’69.

ALUMNAE NEWS

’58 LAUREEN HIGGINS NICHOLSON enjoyed the LSU-Texas A&M football game on November 30. She was among the LSU National L Club members invited to watch the game from the sidelines. Membership in the L Club is open to former varsity athletes, athletic trainers, equipment managers, video staff, cheerleaders, Tiger Girls and mascots. Laureen was an LSU cheerleader from 1959 to 1962. Her husband, Leslie Nicholson III, was a member of the LSU tennis team.

’90 KELLEY MARANTO MATHEWS is a writer and editor who recently coauthored her fifth book. She works at RightNow Media, a Bible study video production company, as part of its writing team. She also reviews Christian fiction and nonfiction for Publishers Weekly. Her latest book, Organic Ministry to Women, describes to church leaders how and why to implement and maintain a thriving, transformational ministry to women centered on the study of Scripture. The book explores a wide variety of additional ministry activities and events and includes leadership tips for shepherding healthy multi-generational, multi-ethnic groups. Kelley graduated from Louisiana State University in 1993 with a bachelor of art degree in history. She earned her master of theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2000. Visit her website at www.kelleymathews.com.

’61 GENIE KLEINPETER MAGINNIS, SUSIE COMEAUX HEROMAN, ANN GIBBENS FREEMAN, CAROLE HARRIS, PATRICIA RACHAL STALLMAN AND TONI POST are pictured on their confirmation day at Sacred Heart Church. At the time of the photograph, the girls were in the sixth grade at SJA.

’64 ANNE WINTZ ROBERTS, LURLINE HAMILTON, KATHY DAIGRE MEARES AND ALLEN BREAZEALE FRANKLIN pose for a picture at their SilverSneakers exercise class. Class instructor is Barrett Murphy, a former Catholic High School football coach. 18 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alumnae News

’96 MEG STEVENS BRAUD has joined CJ Brown as a residential real estate agent. She earned a bachelor of science degree in textiles, apparel and merchandising from Louisiana State University. She is a member of the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and traveling.

’00 LETRECE GRIFFIN has been named to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2019 Forty Under 40 class. They were honored at a special celebration on December 4 at L’Auberge Casino Hotel. Now in its 20th year, Forty Under 40 honors the Capital Region’s brightest young leaders, innovators and business professionals. Letrece is the owner of LetreceG Consulting and is a marketing and communications specialist. She serves as the social media manager for Knock Knock Children’s Museum. She is the author of two books, The Write Way: A 21-Day Interactive Journey to Self-Love and Awareness; and The G Code: 15 Keys to Successful Marketing & Branding. She is also the creator of The Belle Gospel Concert Series, showcasing local and national gospel recording artists in an unconventional location. She is on the leadership team for the Southwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and is the director of publicity and communications of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Metropolitan Baton Rouge Chapter. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a degree in mass communication and holds a master’s in entertainment business from Full Sail University.

’02 AMY DEJEAN AND JAMIE FREEMAN ’07 were selected as members of the Forum 35 2019 John W. Barton Sr. Community Leadership Development Program. Amy has an MBA in accounting from Pace University in New York. Continued

She is a CPA and works with Farm Bureau Insurance. She also serves as treasurer of Forum 35. Jamie is vice president of operations at The Tatman Group. She has a BFA in film production from the University of Central Florida. Leadership development program participants are active in the community with a passion for philanthropy and a desire to become leaders in local causes. Over the course of the program, young professionals are trained in nonprofit governance and matched with local nonprofit organizations to serve on their board of directors.

A L U M S T O D AY

’13 ALEX FORESTIER earned her bachelor of science degree in textiles, apparel and merchandising from Louisiana State University in 2017, concentrating in apparel design. After graduation, she moved to New Orleans to pursue a career in the film and television industry. As operations manager for Southern Costume Company, Alex styled and pulled costumes for music videos, photo shoots, television shows and movies. She also designed the new Color Guard uniforms for the Golden Band from Tigerland. While working on these projects, she discovered her passion for instructing and informing others about historical fashion and for historical costume research. Alex is currently pursuing her master’s in apparel design with a concentration in historic costume. She is interested in Louisiana historical fashion and hopes to assist in the effort to preserve Cajun and Creole culture through her research.

Alumna Named Youth Board President of Ghana Educational Collaborative When Megan Gremillion was a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, she was part of an outreach initiative working with students at Thrive Academy. Thrive, a state-funded public boarding school, was founded in 2011 to help students overcome obstacles to their academic success or find an alternative to traditional schools which were not a good fit. In teaching Thrive students how to sew, Megan stoked her passion for service, bringing her great joy. Little did she know the experience would change her life. London Moore was then principal of Thrive Academy. She was also the co-founder of the Ghana Educational Collaborative (GEC), a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and mentors for Ghanaian students who otherwise would not be able to afford an education. London encouraged Megan to apply for a GEC Youth Board position, which she did in 2017. “I fell in love with the organization’s mission, the children I supported from halfway across the world and the family that I found in GEC,” said Megan, a 2018 SJA graduate. In 2019, Megan was offered the newly created role of Youth Board president. Saying she was both humbled and honored, Megan eagerly accepted the leadership position. This summer, she traveled to Ghana to meet the children she had been fundraising for and writing letters to. Her time in Ghana was truly life-changing, and perhaps no experience was more impactful than meeting Derrick Offei, the program’s coordinator and a GEC graduate. On her second day in Ghana, Derrick gave her a guided tour of the city, ending up in a neighborhood marked by ramshackle dwellings made of scrap wood or metal and topped with makeshift roofs.

“Derrick finally stopped in front of a small home of scrap wood, the home he grew up in with five family members,” Megan said. “It was without electricity or running water. He said to me, ‘This is what you did for me.’ My mouth dropped. He didn’t say many words, but I knew exactly what he meant. Because of my involvement with GEC, I was able to play a part in improving his circumstance and breaking the cycle of poverty in his family.” Derrick no longer lives in the scrap-wood dwelling. Rather, he is a graduate of the prestigious University of Ghana with a degree in engineering. “He is the most resilient and hardworking person I have ever known, and I am proud to call him a friend,” Megan added. “He showed me the power of education firsthand and truly exemplifies the purpose of the Ghana Educational Collaborative: to make education accessible to all Ghanaian students, breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the lives of students so that they can be equipped to make a positive change in the world.” Now a sophomore at Louisiana Tech University studying biology, Megan hopes that medical school is in her future. As a student, Megan sees the beauty of and power in education and firmly believes no one should be denied the ability to acquire knowledge. “I believe education is a basic human right,” she said. “In America, no one is denied this right. In Ghana, children are denied every day. Some kids sit out of school for years, selling fruit or goods on the street to save up enough money to go back. They do not take anything for granted and are diligent about their studies, knowing it is a privilege to go to school.” Megan is passionate about her involvement in the GEC and its work to help young people follow their dreams. “Education is transformative and propels our world forward, equipping young minds to change the world,” she said. “I love this organization because I get to play a small part in changing the world for the better, one student at a time.” 19 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

Graduate Creates ‘Paintings’ from Recycled Magazine Paper Approaching her final project as an art student at Louisiana State University, Molly Perrault wanted to push her medium, find new ways to paint and expand her personal style. She abandoned the traditional method of mixing and creating colors on a palette and dove into a stack of magazines, looking for precise shades. With scissors and glue, Molly painstakingly cut and layered different textures and shapes to create the illusion of an oil painting without the use of paint. She had stumbled upon a technique that would change her approach to art. Today, Molly lives in Telluride, Colorado, where she finds inspiration for her “paintings” in the stunning beauty of the Mountain West. Molly shared her first solo art exhibit, Regeneration, at the Telluride Arts HQ Gallery in June 2018. In August, her piece in the 59th Annual Artists’ Alpine Holiday Exhibit in Ouray, Colorado, was named Best in Show. “I really enjoy the sustainability of working with recycled materials,” Molly explained. “Much of my subject matter is landscapes, so I feel like I’m able to return the paper to a state of nature, in a sense. Also, working with unconventional materials has given me a lot of personal freedom to make my own rules and experiment in ways that feel true to myself. It’s empowering. “It’s an incredibly slow and detailed process, but I feel like I’ve gained a new level of patience with myself and my artwork,” Molly added. “The hours spent cutting and pasting become so meditative that by the time the piece is finished weeks later, I can’t help but see the artwork as my unique prayer I’m able to release into the world.” Molly enjoyed art classes at St. Joseph’s Academy, crediting Sister Adelaide Williamson for instilling the fundamentals of realistic shadows, lighting and composition during her freshman year. Following Sister Adelaide’s retirement, Molly continued to develop her skills under Juliet Lockwood, then Nicole Lane. “Not only were they inspiring artists themselves, but they introduced me to a large variety of mediums and new techniques,” she said. “Looking back, I really appreciate all the different opportunities SJA provided us to learn to express ourselves. The arts have remained an important and necessary part of my life, and I appreciate all SJA did to shape that.” Graduating from SJA in 2011, Molly headed to LSU, where she studied painting and drawing. During her junior year, she and a friend (who would later become her husband) jumped into her Honda Fit and embarked upon a road trip to experience the West. They spent a few hours in Telluride, and Molly immediately felt at home. The mountains, culture and art community resonated deeply. After graduating summa cum laude from LSU with a bachelor of fine arts degree, Molly took a leap of faith, packed all of her belongings into the same Honda Fit and drove to Telluride. She landed an internship with Telluride Arts, where she now serves as the Galleries and Programs director. “I hope to one day fully support myself through my art, but in the meantime, I really enjoy being intrinsically involved in a 20 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today

local arts organization supporting fellow artists, curating and installing exhibits, planning events and more,” she said. When she’s not working or creating a piece of art, Molly, her husband and their American bulldog, Astro, head out on road trips, finding parks, forests and cities to explore. “I’ve got a bad case of wanderlust and feel a deep need to see and experience as much as possible,” Molly said. “I honestly see traveling and exploring as the first step to creating my artwork. Nearly all my pieces are directly inspired and referenced by places we’ve experienced and enjoyed. I’ve grown such a profound love and sense of patriotism for our country after encountering the staggering size, diversity and incredible coast-to-coast beauty we have in our backyards. I can’t help but try to express all my wonder and admiration through my artwork.” Back home in Telluride, Molly said she loves being part of a small mountain-town community. She skis, hikes and basks in a lively summer music scene. She’s working towards her second solo exhibit and takes commissions, especially enjoying portraits of children and pets. Visit Molly’s website at mollyperrault.com or check out her art and adventures on Instagram @molly.perrault.art or “Paper Painting by Molly Perrault” on Facebook.

STEPHANIE SPIELMAN CARGILE NAMED SJA’S

Distinguished Graduate for 2019-2020 Stephanie Spielman Cargile, a 1988 graduate of St. Joseph’s Academy, will be among the Catholic school graduates honored at the 2020 Distinguished Graduates Awards Dinner, hosted by the Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The celebration will be held Monday, January 27, at The Renaissance Hotel as part of Catholic Schools Week 2020. Stephanie is the public and government affairs manager for ExxonMobil Baton Rouge. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she earned a master’s degree in mass communications in 1998. As a graduate of LSU’s Manship School, Stephanie began her public relations career at Catholic High School in 1993 and then began her career with ExxonMobil in 1999. Since then, she has worked in a variety of public affairs roles with the company. In her current position, she leads a team that oversees governmental, media, community and neighbor relations, corporate charitable giving, communications activities, crisis communications and issue management. In 2019, Stephanie and her Baton Rouge team were recognized with an ExxonMobil Public Affairs Global Excellence award. During her career at ExxonMobil, she has also been recognized with two national Responsible Care® awards for outreach projects and a national Telly Award for a local ad campaign. Stephanie was among the 10 female leaders honored as winners of the 2019 Business Report Influential Women in Business Award. A native of Baton Rouge, Stephanie is committed to giving back to the community in both the non-profit and professional arenas. Currently, she serves on the board of directors for the Public Affairs Research Council, the LA Research Park Corporation, the City Club of Baton Rouge and New Schools for Baton Rouge. She is the secretary of the Baton Rouge North Economic Development District and secretary of the Catholic High School Mothers’ Club. She serves on the Louisiana Chemical Association communications committee and the Capital Area United Way Marketing Committee. She received the Louisiana Chemical Association’s Most Valuable Player for her contributions in 2014 and 2016. Stephanie has chaired the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association Communications Committee and the LSU Manship Hall of Fame Committee. She served on the boards of directors for HOPE Ministries, St. Joseph’s Academy and LSU Manship School Alumni. Throughout her career, Stephanie has also consulted for the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, BlueCross BlueShield of Louisiana, Coca-Cola Distribution and Bottling Company and the Iowa Scholastic Press Association. She has written freelance articles for the Baton Rouge Business Report, inRegister Magazine, Baton Rouge Parents Magazine and Corridor 1012 Magazine. Stephanie is married to John Cargile. They have three children: Josh, a senior at Catholic High; Caroline, a junior at SJA; and Patrick, an 8th grader at St. Aloysius.

REUNIONS AND OTHER HAPPENINGS

Dallas Reunion

On November 21, graduates living in and around Dallas gathered at Bar Louie Arlington-Highlands for a Redsticker Reunion. Pictured standing, left to right, are Sister Joan Laplace, Dona Nastasi ’86, Grace Morrison ’19, Addison Bruce ’19, Chelsea Colomb ’07, Caroline Matthews ’16, Mary Terhoeve Gardner ’76, Peyton Klemm ’13, Alexis Patin ’09, Shannon Cocreham ’00 and Sandra Doyle Kelly ’79. Seated are Alumnae Director Katie Jeter Valenciano ’04, Kitty Arbour LeBlanc ’64 and Mary Lou Verges Barron ’71. Photo by Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald.

Members of the class of 1985 enjoyed visiting at the Redsticker Social. They are, from left, Allison Carriere Harris ’85, Donna Roppolo ’85, Monica Gautreau Hadlock ’85 and Rachel Drago Wall ’85.

Save the Date:

ALUMNAE TRIP

to Italy

June 15-26, 2021 Stops in the Amalfi Coast, Rome and Florence

Washington D.C. Reunion Alumnae living in the Washington, D.C., area gathered for brunch at the home of Laureen Higgins Nicholson ’58. Pictured top row, left to right, are Inola Walston ’83, Margaret Deavers ’98, Frances Seghers ’70, (bottom row) Lauren McQuiston Martinez ’01, Avril Soon Garcia ’02, Laureen Higgins Nicholson ’58 and SJA Alumnae Director Katie Jeter Valenciano ’04. Also pictured, front row, is Beaux. Photo by Mission Advancement Director Meg Gerald. 22 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today

Contact Meg Gerald at geraldm@sjabr.org or (225) 388-2244 for more information.

1950s

Christmas Luncheon

Alumnae from the classes of 1950 through 1959 gathered in the community room of Mother Alice Hall on December 18 for a special Christmas luncheon in their honor.

Enjoying the festivities from the class of 1957 were Janice Calabrese Evans, Elise Gauthier Fryou, Faye Dugas Guidry, Janelle Colligan Hanna, Jo Ann Blouin O’neal, Mary Ann Odom Nelson, Gretchen Kirsch Fairbanks, Susie Danna Harlan and Carol Smith.

Enjoying the 1950s Christmas luncheon were, from left, Gay May Town ’54, Sister Adele Lambert ’54 and Patsy Lambert Brignac ’51.

From the class of 1958 were, from left, Errol Lill McRae ’58, Merle Martin Dooley ’58, Alice Gianelloni Pate ’58, Connie McCarty Cangelosi ’58 and Mary Jane McKeever Locklar.

Members of the class of 1956 enjoyed reconnecting over lunch at SJA. From left, they are Jeanelle Bercegeay Saia, Anna Vince Forshag, Janeth McCarron Moresi, Rose Saia Piper, Sara Campagna Jacobs and Leslie Dunlap Nickels.

23 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

Graduates from the classes of 1960 through 1969 enjoyed a Christmas luncheon on December 17 held in the community room of Mother Alice Hall.

Among the graduates in attendance were, from left, Lorna Bourg ’60, Joyce Viccinelli Maggio ’60, Patricia Viccinelli Brunet ’66, Mary Beth Schneider Matthews ’60 and Foy Matthews Crary ’60.

Members of the class of 1962 enjoying the Christmas luncheon were, from left, Inda Watkins, Cissy Donaldson Poret, Meredith Kayser Truesdale, Patricia Funk Hubbs, Susan Johnson Thayer, Cherry Foret Riggs and Judy Hamilton Yuslum.

Classmates from 1964 in attendance included, from left, Gayle Waggenspack Kimmit, Kathy Daigre Meares, Anne Wintz Roberts, Lurline Hamilton, Barbara Allen Franklin, Joann Vince Levatino, Mary May Stelly, Dorothy Bowers McCaughey and Karen Tuminello Fawley.

Representing the class of 1966 were, from left (front row), Barbara McManus, Gail Gaiennie, Dyra Culotta Hughes, (back row) Suzanne Day Bassett, Lory Froechtenicht Donahue, Suzette D'Amico, Louise Kyle, Mary Bennett Lindsey, Edith Didier Mitchell, Mary Ricca Allen, Kathleen Plaisance Balhoff, Kay Miceli Ewing, Charlotte Bileci Mahfouz, Alice Dugas Greer and Cheryl Talbot Macaluso. 24 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Alums Today

Enjoying the Christmas luncheon were members of the class of 1967, including, from left (front row), Mary Dardenne Michel, Sharon Ourso Kleinpeter, (back row) Beth Terito Cannon, Judy Kleinpeter Caponegro, Rikki Wintz, Kathy Raymond Broussard, Rebecca Bello DeJohn, Kaye Kleinpeter Brignac, Chris Dornier House, Brenda Manda Bordelon, Lynn Lacy Perez-Frederick, Karen Isaminger Cross, Lillian Dunlap, Peggy Stewart Packard, Vickie Viger and Bridget Zeringue Plauche.

Members of the class of 2019 returned to campus on December 20 to celebrate their six-month reunion. The event, hosted by the SJA Alumnae Association, was held in the SJA Dining Hall. SJAâ€™s most recent graduates enjoyed pizza by SAGE Dining Services. They visited with one another and members of the faculty, staff and administration. They picked up their 2019 yearbooks and posed for a group picture. The six-month reunion is held each December, when the alumnae are enjoying their Christmas breaks from college. The popular tradition allows former students to return to campus and encourages them to become active members of the SJA Alumnae Association.

6- MONTH R E UNION

Enjoying the six-month reunion are classmates (kneeling) Carly Williford, Anne-Marie Dizor, (standing) Hannah Grace Vautrot, Kelsi Landry, Kate Landry, Grace Wisdom and Courtney Lawrence.

Tori Crockett, Morgen Nunnery, Danielle Jones and Maddie Toler enjoyed catching up during the six-month reunion.

25 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

SJA ANNUAL FUND

Every day, we cross the threshold of countless doors: Doors to our homes, doors to shops, doors to offices. Behind each door is a new adventure, a new path to pursue. For more than 150 years, St. Joseph’s Academy has been preparing young women to open doors as responsible and unifying members of the world community. Your support of the SJA Annual Fund is key to helping our students open doors full of opportunities that stretch their minds and imaginations so they may develop confidence and new abilities. To uphold the mission of St. Joseph’s Academy, we rely on the generosity of our donors. Alumnae, parents and friends, like you, can impact the lives of students with a gift to the SJA Annual Fund. Each gift helps enrich our programs, including academics, arts, technology, athletics, campus ministry and facility upgrades. Your gift makes an immediate difference in the day-to-day lives of students.

Participation is key to the success of the 2019-2020 Annual Fund. If you have not yet done so, you can make your donation today by visiting www.sjabr.org/giving or send a check to the SJA Foundation, 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808. If you have any questions, please contact Meg Gerald at (225) 388-2254 or geraldm@sjabr.org.

26 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Annual Fund

PART ICIPATION BY CONSTITUENCY

Thank you for continuing to support our work, which is driven by the spirit and charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Please consider a gift that will send a message of support to the families and young women who choose St. Joseph’s Academy for an education that truly provides a lifetime advantage and prepares our graduates for a world of full of possibility. Together we can ensure that the tradition of an Academy education remains strong and continues well beyond 150 years.

PLANNED GIVING

A FEW SIMPLE SENTENCES

Can Go A Long Way

By including a charitable gift, called a bequest, in your will or living trust, you can make a plan to support St. Joseph’s Academy after your lifetime and after you have used your assets to support you and your loved ones. Other advantages of bequests: • A few sentences in your will or living trust complete the gift. • Until your will or trust goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans. • You can bequeath an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate to St. Joseph’s Academy. If you are interested in giving to St. Joseph’s Academy through a bequest, you need official bequest language.

Easy.

Revocable.

Versatile.

We strongly recommend that you speak to a qualified legal and financial advisor in the preparation of your will. Share the sample bequest language for St. Joseph’s Academy with your advisor: “I, (name), of (city, state, zip code) give, devise and bequeath to St. Joseph’s Academy (written amount or percentage of the estate) for its unrestricted use and purpose.” We understand this is a private and personal matter, but if you would kindly let us know of your plans to remember St. Joseph’s Academy in your will, we would greatly appreciate it. Doing so allows us to thank you and recognize you as a member of The Legacy Society. Your name will appear in recognition materials, with your permission, and you will be an honored guest at special events. If you have any questions about including us in your will or living trust, please contact Meg Gerald at (225) 388-2254 or geraldm@sjabr.org.

LEAVING A LEGACY AT ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY I am/We are pleased to inform you that I/we (check all that apply):  Have already included St. Joseph’s Academy in my/our estate plans.  Would like a personal call or visit to discuss a planned gift.

 Am/are considering a planned gift to St. Joseph’s Academy.

 Would like to receive information about how to include SJA in a will.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Name(s): _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ State: ______________________________________________________ Zip :_______________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________ Email: _______________________________________________________________________ St. Joseph’s Academy, 3015 Broussard Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

CHALLENGE DAY Friday, March 20, 2020 Bogies | 705 East Boyd Drive | Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Doors open at 3:30 p.m., | competition begins at 4 p.m. For more details or to RSVP, contact Assistant Director of Advancement Cydney Morris at morrisc@ sjabr.org or (225) 388-2270 Must be 18 or older to enter. No current students please.

ON CAMPUS

Members of the cross country team and coaching staff hold up fingers representing the number of state championships they’ve been part of.

Members of the swim team pose with the 2019 state championship trophy.

Members of the volleyball team celebrate a point in their quarterfinal round matchup against Dominican.

Fall Sports Teams Add Hardware to Trophy Case St. Joseph’s Academy’s cross country, swimming and volleyball teams put bows on their fall 2019 seasons with two state championships and a quarterfinal appearance in the state playoffs.

The cross country team won the Class 5A state championship for the fourth year in a row and for the fifth time in six years. With a pre-race roster shakeup caused by illness, along with losing a runner to illness during the race, SJA managed to place its six remaining runners in the top 20 to score 49 points in the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Cross Country meet on November 19. The order of finish and times for SJA’s runners are as follows: sophomore Maddie Kate Gardiner, 3rd place, 19:20.1; junior Sophie Martin, 9th place, 19:44.2; sophomore Lillian Leonard, 10th place, 19:48.9; senior Mary Claire Saia, 12th place, 19:53.4; junior Anna Camille Eagleton, 15th place, 20:01.1; and junior Lydia Poche, 19th place, 20:29.2. “Today was the day that truly showed the toughness of this team,” head coach Mark LaHaye said. “With all the injuries and illnesses that this team battled these past few weeks, plus a few more hitting us on race day, coming out on top in a dominating manner was a testament to the depth of this team and their commitment to each other. Our mental toughness and physicality came through as we finished 3-910-12-15 defeating the two team by 44 points.” The swim team captured its ninth consecutive Division I state championship, scoring 295 points to finish ahead of Mandeville (238), Mount Carmel (233), Northshore (200) and Dominican (159). There were 24 teams in the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA swim meet held November 22 and 23 at the SPAR Aquatic Center in Sulphur.

28 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus

Without a single individual or relay victory, the team relied on depth to capture the title. First-year coach George Newport said it was a total team effort. “On a team made up of primarily freshmen and sophomores, the young ladies made sure no one from Mandeville or Mount Carmel placed or scored significant points in the top eight finals or consolations,” he said. “Every girl who swam was needed to make this remarkable event happen.” Placing in the top three of their events were CeCe Werth, second place 200-yard freestyle and third place 500-yard freestyle; Amanda Andrews, 2nd place 100-yard butterfly; Julia Brinson, Anna Webre, Caroline Munson and Amanda Andrews, third place 200-yard freestyle relay; and Caroline Munson, third place, 100-yard backstroke. The volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA state volleyball tournament. The sixth-seeded Redstickers fell to Dominican, the number three seed, in three sets: 21-25, 21-25, 15-25. The match was played November 14 in the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. The Redstickers ended the season with a 29-19 record. Head coach Sivi Miller said despite the team’s early exit from the playoffs, she considers the season a success. “Our team fought hard,” she said. “We went up against some great competition this season, as we do each year, and we strived to improve our game from match to match. We achieved an undefeated district championship; we achieved a quarterfinal finish; and we grew as individuals and as a team in the sport. I’m proud of each of these girls for the hard work, dedication and commitment they have given to their teammates, coaches and school. They represented SJA with so much pride.”

LATIN STUDENTS ENJOY UNIQUE Inspired by an article in Time magazine that discussed the disparity between the representation of women and men in statues and memorials, students in Leigh Grace Rouyer’s Latin II class worked in St. Joseph’s Academy’s Innovation and Design Lab and STEM Lab to create digital statues of historical female figures from ancient Greek or Roman literature. The statues were then imported into a virtual reality 3D museum for all to enjoy. “Working in groups of four, the students researched the women, then decided on one who they felt was worthy of recognition,” Rouyer said. “They developed a plan for what the statue would look like and which group member would be the model. They had to be intentional with everything from what the woman wore to the pose she held. They also had to make some allusion to the male figure who historically figured more prominently in that woman’s story.” Claire Luikart is the director of the Andrea Clesi McMakin ’74 STEM Lab. While she has worked with the Latin II project in the past, this year’s collaborative effort put a new twist on the results. “In the past, students have made plaques or small statues of their historical figures,” she said. “This year, we decided to pilot something new. Students created costumes and, using the equipment of the STEM lab, we scanned their likenesses into digital form. From there, students retouched, edited and polished their 3D classical models to create statues that were then imported into a Roman temple 3D environment. Using Unity, we rigged this environment to work with an Occlus Rift, allowing students to create a virtual gallery walk of their statues in a museum-like setting.” The students then pitched their statue proposals to a panel of judges, making the case for why their chosen historical figure was worthy of memorialization. Brisea, whose story was overshadowed by her forced role as Achilles’ concubine, was named the winner. Sophomores Rosie Tate, Emily Ordeneaux, Isabel Bacas and Grace Fabre called their winning statue “A voice for the voiceless” in hopes of inspiring victims of slavery or trafficking. “They were really able to bridge the ancient story to a modern purpose,” Rouyer said. Brianna Sommers, director of the Innovation and Design Lab, said this year’s statue project was an important step forward for SJA’s Innovation and Design/STEM initiatives. “The students were in awe of what their statues looked like in virtual reality, and I think it sets a wonderful precedent for where they take their projects in all disciplines in the future,” she said. “I loved seeing how the girls collaborated and then split roles to accomplish a mutual goal: Some girls were the creative directors who designed the statue poses and props, while others took on the challenging role of combining their scans in MeshMixer and working with Ms. Luikart to place the statue in a VR environment. All students worked diligently and stepped outside of their comfort zones to make this project a game-changing reality for our school.”

29 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

Mothers’ Club Hosts Mother-Daughter Brunch & Style Show Approximately 1,200 St. Joseph’s Academy students and mothers enjoyed the 2019-2020 Mother-Daughter Brunch & Style Show hosted by the Mothers’ Club on November 17. The theme for this year’s event, held at Raising Cane’s River Center, was My Fair Lady. SJA seniors, accompanied by their moms, modeled fall and holiday fashions. Participating boutiques were Hemline Towne Center, Hemline Highland, NK, Chatta Box, Edit, Vertage, Aria, Eros, Blu Spero, Head over Heels, H Kyle and Love. Door prizes were provided by Ace Enterprises, The Big Squeezy, Blu Spero Boutique, Candace Vallery, Catholic High School Bookstore, Chatta Box Boutique, Coco Lash Beauty Bar, Crystal Hubbard - Mary Kay, Dry Bar, Creations by Calm LLC, Feeney LeDoux, The Green House Salad Co., H Kyle Boutique, Kendra Scott, Kristi Waldrop, La Belle Salon - Shanna Dixon, LaRhonda Daigle - Mary Kay, LD Linens & Décor, Love, Melissa Bahlinger - Mary Kay, Michelle Matherne - @Sugar Kettle Cookie Co., Mimi Plauche, Messengers Gifts, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Paige Colby - Spray Tan, Rachael B Photography, Salon Eden, Sephora (Inside JC Penny), St. Joseph’s Academy Sticker Shop, Style by Soho, Suzanne LeBlanc - Mary Kay, Tina LaHaye, Dr. Mark Ventress (Cosmetic Dentistry of Baton Rouge), Vertage Clothing and Z Aesthetic Dermatology. In-kind sponsors were the River Center, Premier Sound Services and Tina LaHaye, who provided silver charms to commemorate the event. Eva Ventress was chair of the planning committee, and Ashley Bateman was co-chair. They were joined on the committee by Vanessa LaFleur, Mimi Plauche, Marsha Bruce, Holly Dekeyzer, Shauna Jatho, Liz Hebert, Shannon Lewy, Kathryn Rothkamm, Janay Giblin, Kelly Lee, Cherie Hardouin, Katie Cheatham, Joanne Harvey, Lissa Weston, Corrie Hester, Aimee Walker, Stacy Hebert, Piper Wilson, Gretchen Campesi and Regina Leonard. Katie Jeter Valenciano is the moderator of the Mothers’ Club.

Members of the Mother-Daughter Brunch & Style Show planning committee posed with their daughters after the style show. They are (top row, from left) Regina Leonard, Piper Wilson, Gretchen Campesi, Stacy Hebert, Katie Cheatham, Joanne Harvey, Shauna Jatho, Marsha Bruce, Jordan Simoneaux, Ashley Bateman, Liz Hebert, Eva Ventress, Mimi Plauche, Janay Giblin, Shannon Lewy, Kelly Lee, Corrie Hester, Kathryn Rothkamm, Cherie Hardouin, Katie Valenciano, (front row) Lilly Leonard, Riley Wilson, Cecilia Campesi, Catherine Hebert, Madison Cheatham, Alexis Harvey, Sophia Jatho, Avery Bruce, Rebecca Bateman, Ava Ventress, Anna Plauche, McCall Matt, Ashleigh Lewy, Hailey Lewy, Mary Kate Lee, Blake Hester and Catherine Hardouin. Not pictured are Lissa Weston, Millie Claire Weston, Lila Weston, Holly Dekeyzer and Olivia Dekeyzer.

30 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S On Campus

SJA Hosts Breakfast for

Josephine Bahlinger Award Finalists The finalists for the 2020-2021 Josephine Bahlinger Award gathered on campus on January 17 for a special breakfast in their honor. The eighth graders were accompanied by their parents and elementary school principals or administrators. The merit-based award is named in honor of St. Joseph’s Academy’s first graduate, Josephine Bahlinger, class of 1877. It provides $4,000 toward their freshman-year tuition to five incoming 9th grade students based on outstanding academic performance in elementary school; a history of standardized test scores in the 90th percentile; service to school and/or community; exemplary conduct record; active participation in co-curricular activities; and an essay and interview. This year’s finalists are Emma Bonney, St. Theresa; Kourtney Brown, Our Lady of Mercy; Natalie Cavalier, St. Theresa; Clara Cole, St. Luke’s Episcopal; Maci Daigrepont, Holy Family; Adeline Fields, St. Thomas More; Berlin Gomez, St. George; Jacelyn Keller, Most Blessed Sacrament; Elizabeth Kessler, St. Aloysius; Samantha Landaiche, St. Theresa; Sarah Lieux, St. George; Morgan Massey, Sacred Heart of Jesus; Isabelle McDermott, St. Thomas More; Lauren Quebedeaux, St. George; and Madelyn Wilson, St. George. The visitors heard from Director of Admissions Meredith Smith, President Jan R. Breen and Principal Stacia Andricain. The five award recipients will be notified in their acceptance packets in late February.

T R I B U T E D O N AT I O N S The following tribute donations were made between October 1 and December 31, 2019. Please remember in your prayers those who are being honored as well as those who honored them. In Honor of Mrs. Jill Abadie Ms. Adele Jacobsen In Honor of Mr. Ernest and Mrs. Lynette Adams Ms. Emma Durnin In Honor of Ms. Lucy Ainsworth Ms. Kaylyn Ainsworth In Honor of Mrs. Stacia Andricain Ms. Molly Blouin In Honor of Mrs. Erika Angarita Ms. Victoria Funes In Honor of Mr. Cody Arceneaux Ms. Sophia Stuart Ms. Nhan Tran In Honor of Ms. Stephanie Armond ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Armond In Honor of Mrs. Rhonda Baird ’87 Ms. Catherine Hebert In Honor of Ms. Brette Bankston ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Gary Stovall In Honor of Dr. Frances Barbera Ms. Emma Gary In Honor of Mr. Stephen Barrios Ms. Amelia Cave In Memory of Mrs. Angelina Lombardo Barthel ’58 Mr. and Mrs. Darren Esteve In Honor of Mrs. Sybil Bateman Mr. and Mrs. David L. Bateman In Honor of Mrs. Katherine Benoit Ms. Susan Ragusa In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory K. Bernard Ms. Kaelie Bernard In Memory of Mrs. Colette Larson Berryhill ’56 Shannon Berryhill Palombo In Honor of Mrs. Jenny Betbeze Ms. Haleigh Shelton In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. David J. Boneno (Kimberly Smith ’87) Ms. Sydney Boneno In Honor of Ms. Sydney Boneno ’20 Mrs. Frankie Levy In Honor of Ms. Abigail Lee Bordelon ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Kent J. Bordelon In Honor of Mrs. Patricia Bordelon Ms. Abigail Bordelon In Memory of Mrs. Juliette Melancon Bourgeois ’42 Louis and Jackie McHardy

The Josephine Bahlinger Award finalists for 2020-2021 are (bottom row) Isabelle McDermott, Clara Cole, Berlin Gomez, Emma Bonney, Kourtney Brown, (middle row) Adeline Fields, Elizabeth Kessler, Jacelyn Keller, Maci Daigrepont, Sarah Lieux, (back row) Madelyn Wilson, Morgan Massey, Lauren Quebedeaux, Samantha Landaiche and Natalie Cavalier.

In Memory of Sister Carolyn Brady, CSJ ’48 Mrs. Shirley LeBlanc Mrs. Edna Earle Mattei Nelson Mr. and Mrs. Wesley T. Werling In Honor of Mrs. Patricia Lambert Brignac ’51 Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ 31 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

In Honor of Ms. Braelyn Brown ’20 Mrs. Sandra Brown In Honor of Ms. Isabelle Brown ’20 Dr. and Mrs. Quentin Falgoust In Honor of Mrs. Mackenzie Brown Ms. Catherine Martinez Ms. Claire Saia In Honor of Mrs. Sandra Casemore Brown ’62 Ms. Braelyn Brown In Honor of Mrs. Amy Azar Brunet ’88 Ms. Allison Brunet In Honor of Mr. Brad Buras Ms. Natalie Scioneaux In Honor of Morgan Burke ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Tom Stanley In Honor of Mrs. Mari Whatley Buzbee ’78 Rachael Buzbee Bellone In Honor of Ms. Julie Cacioppo ’75 Ms. Joy Cacioppo In Honor of Mrs. Gretchen Campesi Ms. Cecilia Campesi In Honor of Bryan and Tracy Casebonne Ms. Allie Casebonne In Honor of Ms. Amelia Cave ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cancienne In Memory of Ms. Kathryn Champagne ’57 Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Honor of The Class of 1958 Mrs. Errol McRae In Memory of Ms. Allison Clement ’81 Mr. and Mrs. John A. Clement In Memory of Mrs. B.C. McHugh Collins ’40 Mr. Robert Collins In Honor of Mrs. Katie Comeaux Ms. Madeline Broyles In Memory of Mrs. Natalie Thibaut Comeaux ’64 Ms. Chanelle Thibaut In Honor of Ms. Anne Cooper ’12 Ms. Claire Cooper In Memory of Mrs. Roxane Rodriquez Cooper ’86 Mr. and Mrs. George Bell In Memory of Ms. Amy Counce ’75 Mr. Mike Aaron Mrs. Jeanine Allen Ms. Lisa Boudreaux Ms. Katherine Counce Mrs. Amey Shortess Crousillac Ms. Karen Downs Ms. Wendy Edwards Mr. Dean Esposito Jamie Fontenot Mr. Scott Gaspard Ms. Nancy Sue Gregorie Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry Joyce Shore Harvey Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Hatcher Mr. Paul Hebert Mr. Tommy Hessburg Ms. Melanie Jones

Ms. Laurie Marien Mr. Brian Prendergast Ms. Lisa Prater Mr. and Mrs. Don Ristroph Mr. Vincent Saffiotti Dr. Christopher Thacker Mr. Don Thomas In Honor of Ms. Caroline Creech ’20 Mrs. Kay Elliott In Honor of Coach Charlie Daigle SJA Cross Country Team In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Daniels Ms. Mary Catherine Daniels In Memory of Mrs. Eunice Landry Darrow ’46 Louis and Jackie McHardy In Honor of Ms. Noelle DeFee ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Guerrero In Honor of Mrs. Aubrey DeJohn Ms. Shreya Reshamwala Ms. Caroline Webre In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart L. Dietrich Mr. Daryl Dietrich In Honor of Ms. Meg Doabry Ms. Chrisann Gboloo In Memory of David L. Doherty Ms. Elizabeth Ourso In Memory of Mr. Greg Dole Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Memory of Mrs. Judith Langridge Donaldson ’57 Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Honor of Ms. Madison Douget ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Scott C. Douget In Honor of Mrs. Krysia Sherburne Duplessis ’12 Ms. Madison Roy In Honor of Ms. Savannah Esteve ’16 Mr. and Mrs. Darren Esteve In Honor of Ms. Laura Flandez ’12 Ms. Kendall Willard In Honor of Ms. Elizabeth Fontenot Ms. Meredith Gauldin Ms. Bella Moushleb In Honor of Ms. Victoria Funes ’20 Mr. and Mrs. John W. Jewell Ms. Catherine Smith In Honor of Ms. Riana Gaudet ’16 Mr. Drew Gaudet In Memory of Mrs. Mary Lou Gautreaux Gaudin ’57 Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Honor of Mrs. Meg Gerald Mr. and Mrs. Scott F. Roussel In Memory of Mr. Joseph Gerdes Ms. Kate Cochran In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Jay C. Gomez Ms. Olivia Gomez In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Gremillion Ms. Aldyn Gremillion In Honor of Mrs. Lorie Labbe Gross ’80 Mr. and Mrs. Gainer H. Nissen

32 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Tribute Donations

In Memory of Mr. David W. Hall Mr. Phillippe Carter and Mrs. Constance Hall-Carter In Honor of Ms. Madison Hasenkampf ’17 Ms. Melanie Hasenkampf In Honor of Ms. Madelyn Helm ’20 Dr. and Mrs. Boyd E. Helm In Memory of Mrs. Amy Cutrer Heroman ’46 Ms. Amy Andrews In Memory of Mr. Donald Hetzler Ms. Caroline Ritchie In Memory of Mr. Jerry Hidalgo Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Memory of Mrs. Susan Hill Hoffmann ’77 Mr. Bruce Hoffmann In Honor of Mrs. Leigh Dazzio Holder ’89 Ms. Caroline Dazzio In Memory of Ms. Allison Honeycutt ’12 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Centola Mr. and Mrs. Travis Chaney Dr. R. Clay and Heidi Gould Mrs. Errol McRae In Honor of Mr. Byron Honore Ms. Peggy Milligan In Memory of Ms. Kirstin Honore ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Byron Honore In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Houser Ms. Grace Houser In Honor of Ms. Brocklynne Hunt ’20 Mr. and Mrs. James A. Smith In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Brady Hurdle (Tracia Major ’92) Ms. Maggie Hurdle In Honor of Ms. Evalyn Jackson ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lank In Honor of Ms. Maisie Jones ’21 Mr. and Mrs. Theodore W. Jones In Honor of Dr. Carolyn Phelps Kergosien ’79 Mr. Don Phelps In Memory of Mrs. Earline Bercegeay Kidder ’57 Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Memory of Mr. Joseph W. Kinamore Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Memory of Mrs. Eleanor Dixon Kleinpeter ’54 Mrs. Lane Chenevert Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ In Honor of Ms. Lisa Knotts Ms. Faith Woods In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Kronenberger (Anna Campbell ’89) Ms. Sophie Kronenberger Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ In Memory of Mrs. Jacqueline Billeaudeau Labat ’64 Mr. and Mrs. Errol Labat The Family of Sally and Stephen Pastorek Mr. Adam and Dr. Rachel Tyler In Honor of Ms. Sydney LaFleur ’20 Ms. Laura Caston Mr. and Mrs. John LaFleur

In Memory of Mr. Joseph Lafranca Mr. Robert Handy and Dr. Ann Lafranca

In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Martin Ms. Lily Martin

In Honor of Ms. Camille Nyboer ’20 Ms. Virginia Raffery

In Honor of Mr. Mark LaHaye SJA Cross Country Team

In Honor of Ms. Catherine Martinez ’20 Mrs. Ann Garrett

In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Michael O'Connor Ms. Brianna O'Connor

In Honor of Ms. Adrienne Lambert ’16 Mr. and Mrs. Brent Lambert

In Memory of Ms. Carmel W. Mask Mrs. Claire Waggenspack Hayes

In Honor of Mr. Patrick O'Hara Ms. Megan Hodges

In Memory of Mrs. Aline Broussard Lambert ’28 Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ

In Honor of Mrs. Barbara Richard Mayeux ’59 Ms. Greta Marionneaux

In Memory of Mrs. Lauren Savoy Olinde ’02 Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Balhoff

In Memory of Mrs. Jerre Regan Mayeux ’39 Dr. and Mrs. James A. Taylor Jr.

In Honor of Mrs. Amy Panepinto Parker ’98 Ms. Erin Michel

In Memory of Ms. Marjorie Claire McAnelly ’95 Mr. and Mrs. Donald Balhoff Mr. and Mrs. John David Dawes

In Honor of Mrs. Emily Peavy Ms. Flora DeMoss

In Honor of Ms. Amelia Lambert ’21 Mr. and Mrs. Brent Lambert In Honor of Mrs. Nicole Delaune Lane ’96 Ms. Morgan Burke In Honor of Sister Joan Laplace, CSJ Tena and Mike Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry Dr. Helen Healy Mrs. Shirley LeBlanc Sister Sharon McCauley, CSJ Ms. Mary Ellen Orth Mrs. Britney Myshrall Piner Mr. and Mrs. Larry Pippins Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Sherburne In Memory of Mr. Thomas A. LaPorte Mrs. Lynn LaPorte Samuels In Honor of Mrs. Brenda LeBlanc Ms. Anna Barreneche In Honor of Ms. Madeleine LeBoeuf ’22 Mrs. Jeanne Forman In Honor of Ms. Adeline Ledoux ’20 Mrs. Glenna Ledoux In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Lee Ms. Mary Kate Lee In Memory of Ms. Mary Ellen Leeper ’69 Mr. and Mrs. Donald Balhoff In Memory of Mrs. Stephanie Murray Lemoine ’85 Mrs. Shawn Bone In Memory of Ms. Clara Lewis ’58 Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Guidry In Honor of Ms. Hailey Lewy ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Webb In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Lewy III Ms. Hailey Lewy In Memory of Sister Beth Lieux, CSJ Mrs. Shirley LeBlanc In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Rob Ligon Ms. Abby Ligon In Honor of Ms. Claire-Scott Lynch ’18 Ms. Mary Margaret Lynch In Honor of Mr. Connor Lynch Ms. Mary Margaret Lynch In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Lynch II Ms. Mary Margaret Lynch In Honor of Mr. Peter Mai Ms. Simone Muir In Honor of Ms. Angelle Mall ’21 Dr. and Mrs. Gary Mall In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Marino Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dauzat

In Honor of Mrs. Dorothy Bowers McCaughey ’64 Dr. and Mrs. John Cowan In Honor of Mrs. Janet McCormick Ms. Angelle McCormick In Honor of Mrs. Mary Hebert McCowan ’61 Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hebert Jr. In Honor of Mrs. Jade McCune Ms. Lilly Chastain In Honor of Ms. Lily McGill Ms. Nicole Mann In Honor of Mr. Cord McKeithen Ms. Erin Shea In Honor of Mrs. Valarie Miller Ms. Kathryn Miller

In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. William Pecue (Dannie Bourgeois ’58) Mrs. Errol McRae Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shields In Honor of Ms. Emma Perrault ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Perrault In Memory of Ms. Anne Peterson Ms. Anna Leyrer In Memory of Mrs. Francesca Phelps Mr. Don Phelps In Honor of Ms. Laura Phillips ’94 Ms. Beth Phillips In Honor of Mrs. Leea Pittenger Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Pittenger In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Eric V. Pizzalato Ms. Lauren Pizzalato

In Memory of Ms. Jeanne Lambert Millet ’53 Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ

In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard W. Pizzalato Ms. Lauren Pizzalato

In Honor of Ms. Madison Moreau ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Al Moreau Jr.

In Honor of Ms. Angelle Plauche ’16 Ms. Ainsley Plauche

In Memory of Ms. Rose Morgan Ms. Margot Forbes

In Honor of Sister Chris Pologa, CSJ Ms. Madelyn Helm

In Honor of Mrs. Laurie Scallan Morrison ’75 Mr. and Mrs. Austin Gaffney

In Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Rabalais Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dauzat

In Honor of Mrs. Kayla Moscona Ms. Isabelle English Ms. Julia Hazlip Ms. Sara Mayeux

In Memory of Sister Maria A. Rabalais, CSJ ’42 Mr. and Mrs. Scott Brown

In Honor of Ms. Dana Murray Ms. Jeanne Brierre In Memory of Ms. Courtney Myshrall ’95 Mr. and Mrs. John David Dawes Ms. Sharon Myshrall Mrs. Britney Myshrall Piner In Honor of Ms. Emily Nash ’20 Mrs. Willie Scott In Memory of Mrs. Laurel Trahan Navailhon ’85 Ms. Sarah Levraea In Honor of Ms. Laura Nissen ’15 Mr. and Mrs. Gainer H. Nissen In Honor of Ms. Rachel Nissen ’13 Mr. and Mrs. Gainer H. Nissen In Honor of Ms. Mackenzie Noonan ’14 Ms. Mikala Noonan In Honor of Ms. Mikala Noonan ’20 Ms. Ryn Lakvold

In Memory of Mrs. Camilla Rachal Mrs. Camilla Pugh In Honor of Dr. Steven Ragusa Ms. Susan Ragusa In Honor of Ms. Frances Rhodes ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Bennet Rhodes In Memory of Mr. Antoine Richard Mrs. Faye Crawford In Memory of Mrs. Jewell Richard Mrs. Faye Crawford In Honor of Mr. John Richardson Ms. Brocklynne Hunt In Honor of Ms. Kaylee Rogers ’20 Mrs. Mary Parker In Honor of Mrs. Sara Tomeny Rounds ’99 Ms. Madelyn Quebedeaux In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Danny Roussel Ms. Lauren Pizzalato In Honor of Ms. Lillian Roussel ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schonberg 33 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

In Honor of Mrs. Elise M. Routier Ms. Emma Routier

In Honor of Mrs. Stephanie Lambert Vicari ’76 Sister Adele Lambert, CSJ

’10 Morgan Desselle: daughter, Lainey Claire, born 10/01/2019

In Honor of Mrs. Leigh Grace Rouyer Ms. Anna Montanio Ms. Jolan Taylor

In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. H. Charles Viccinelli Mrs. Pat Brunett Mrs. Joyce Maggio

’12 Alyssa Cagle Kauffman: daughter, Kennedy Paige, born 3/25/2019

In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Trae B. Russell Ms. Kate Russell

In Honor of Mrs. Marie Vukovics Ms. Casey Tran

In Honor of Mrs. Amy Purpera Samaha ’90 Ms. Sadie Samaha In Honor of Mr. Miles San Soucie Ms. Rhianna San Soucie In Honor of Ms. Sophia Sanders ’20 Mr. and Mrs. James Greco In Memory of Mrs. Audrey McGuire Ellis Santos ’37 Mr. and Mrs. Randall J. Ellis Jr. In Honor of Mrs. Leticia Sarkodee-Adoo Ms. Chrislyn Gboloo In Honor of Mrs. Jacqueline Barker Savoia ’02 Ms. Mary Salmon In Memory of Mrs. Eloise Selig ’42 James and Candyce Arbour Mr. and Mrs. Peter Arbour Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Arbour Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dupont Jr. Mrs. Maureen Feeney Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Iobst Dr. Gary and Dr. Allyson Mayeaux Mrs. Julia Arbour McClanahan Mr. Warren McNeely Mary Grace and Ray Miller Mr. and Mrs. Peter Olyniec Dr. James Randolph South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association In Memory of Mr. Steve Shehane Crescent Bar & Package Liquor Store Inc. Mrs. Darlene Shehane Mr. and Mrs. Frank Young In Honor of Mrs. Brianna Pettijohn Sommers ’06 Ms. Katelyn Duhe In Honor of Ms. Jade Spears Ms. Liza Jackson In Honor of St. Joseph’s Academy Faculty and Staff Ms. Caroline Colby Ms. Delaney Tabony In Honor of Ms. deLynn Stelly Ms. Kaitlyn Darensbourg In Honor of Mr. Jamal Tajdaran Ms. Brette Bankston In Honor of Ms. Shannon Tate Ms. Claire Tate In Honor of Mrs. Angelle Terrell Ms. Jeanne Theriot In Honor of Mrs. Kelley Thompson Ms. Mae Thompson In Memory of Mrs. Laverne Vaughan Mrs. Sharye Atchison

In Honor of Ms. Ingrid Wagner ’23 Mrs. Christine Wagner In Memory of Dr. and Mrs. Myron Walker Mr. and Mrs. Myron A. Walker Jr. In Honor of Mr. Neil Weller Ms. Suzette Weller In Memory of Katherine Downey Whatley ’40 Mrs. Rachael Bellone In Memory of Mrs. Emma Melancon White ’45 The Family of Mark and Laura White In Honor of Mrs. Mary Perrault Williams ’79 Ms. Emma Perrault

TRANSITIONS

IN MEMORIAM We make a sincere effort to publish any close alumnae family connections with the names of the deceased. With more than 10,000 alumnae, however, please note that our database does not include all possible SJA relationships. We appreciate receiving this information from family whenever possible. Notices which appear in this issue were received by January 6, 2020. Nellyn Carias Aguilar Mother of Noryn Aguilar Ward ’82 Grandmother of Erin Noelle Aguilar ’10 Margaret Louise Earhart Armstrong Grandmother of Katelyn Marie Armstrong ’05, Kristen Leigh Armstrong ’10 and Ashley Armstrong ’13

’04 Elisa Claire Gibbs to Adam Michael Morgan 11/2/2019

Ethel Maraist Babin Mother of Phyllis Babin Hartlage ’77 and Linda Babin ’79 Grandmother of Aimee Hartlage Kuhlman ’99 and Elena Hartlage Legendre ’04

’04 Amy Lynn Burford to Ryan Carrico, 11/2/2019

Mary Helen Bates ’68 Sister of Anne Bates Taylor ’75

’04 Mary Kathryn Wendt to Michael Layne, 10/25/2019

Michael John Belanger Sr. Grandfather of Annalise Elizabeth Belanger ’18 and Ashlan Louise Belanger ’19

WEDDINGS

BIRTHS ’00 Lauren Beieler McIntyre: son, Thomas Deamon, born 9/04/2019 ’02 Jessica Alleyne Erwin: son, Henry Neil, born 10/5/2019 ’03 Emily Gaudin Magee: son, Bates Alexander, born 1/6/2020 ’03 Casey Boudreaux White: son, William Cooper, and daughter, Spencer Annmarie, born 9/16/2019 ’04 Ashley Duffy Breienbach: son, Parker Gray, born 10/22/2019 ’04 Ashley Minsky Mitchell: daughter, Emma Catherine, born 12/18/2019 ’04 Rachael Merey Simms: son, Gary Thomas, born 11/5/2019 ’05 Caroline Cooper Ching: son, Michael Joseph, born 12/8/2019 ’05 Juliana Rome Meyers: daughters, Sophie James and Miller Alane, born 6/21/2019 ’05 Carly Sylvest Sills: daughter, Cornelia “Neely” Gaudin, born 9/23/2019 ’06 Megan Gassie McArdle: son, Shep Everson, born 9/7/2019 ’07 Jordan Villa Barbay: daughter, Emerson “Sonny” Grace, born 9/26/2019 ’09 Rachael Buzbee Bellone: daughter, Katherine Downey, born 4/24/2019

34 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Tribute Donations

Michael Thomas Berlinger Father of Katie Berlinger Davis ’05 Juliette Melancon Bourgeois ’42 Mother of Becky Ann Bourgeois Bulger ’66 Robert Charles Brocato Sr. Son of Pietra Bologna Brocato ’48 MaryJo Walsh Butt Mother of Samantha Butt ’85 and Rachel Butt Feller ’90 Verna Mae Birckel Clouatre Mother of Renee Clouatre Trusty ’78, Michelle Clouatre Harris ’80 and Joelle Clouatre Castille ’84 Elizabeth Chustz Darensbourg Mother of Wilma Darensbourg Carson ’74 and Celeste Darensbourg Ellis ’77 Eunice Landry Darrow ’46 Gregory Edward Dole Son of Renee Maginnis Dole ’57 Alan Michael Dominique Husband of Kristen Esnard Dominique ’92 Carl Glenn Ferguson Father of Mindy Ferguson Traylor ’00 Doris Butler Flowers Mother of Cathy Flowers Raziano ’66 and Rebecca Flowers Bradley ’69 Great-grandmother of Ella Rose Fife ’23

Helen Madelon Lucas Gassie Mother of Janice Gassie Warren ’72 Grandmother of Megan Gassie McArdle ’06 and Hannah Elyse Gassie ’11 Mary Lou Gautreaux Gaudin ’57 Verdye Chaze Gauthier Grandmother of Elke Hirschey Ellzey ’86, Heidi Hirschey Smith ’87, Erika Hirschey Gragg ’91, Gretchen Hirschey Ferachi ’93 and Leslie Lauren Lacoste ’04 Kevin W. Goewert, MD Husband of Karrie Camallo Goewert ’93 Abraham Metz Kahn Father of Lori Kahn Actor ’79 Earline Bercegeay Kidder ’57 Sister of Jeanelle Bercegeay Saia ’56 Kevin Paul Kress Brother of Kelly Kress Clower ’97 Hilda Sanchez Krousel Mother of Marlene Krousel Allgood ’74, Marie Krousel-Wood ’79 and Elizabeth Krousel Simmons ’83 Grandmother of Allie Katelyn Krousel ’20

Mattie Louise Lauter Grandmother of Lara Catherine Lauter ’09 Daniel Joseph Lorio Jr. Grandfather of Mary Catherine Lorio ’18, Michelle Margaret Lorio ’20 and Marie Grace Lorio ’23 Ferdinand Walter Nodier Grandfather of Samantha Estelle Eysink ’11, Adelaide Elizabeth Eysink ’15 and Anna Kathryn Nodier ’23 John J. O’Neill III Father of Julie Catherine O’Neill ’86 and Laurie O’Neill Linehan ’89 Grandfather of Grace Marie O’Neill ’19 Elizabeth Scott Rabalais Mother of Ann Rabalais Cohen ’73, Carol Rabalais James ’75 and Susan Rabalais Nelson ’79 Grandmother of Anna Claire Blanche Rabalais ’19

Steven Arthur Shehane Father of Shelley Shehane ’98 and Lindsey Shehane Short ’03 Melvin Arthur Shortess Father of Amey Shortess Crousillac ’77 Grandfather of Anna Bechtold Shortess ’18 Karen Kennedy Smith ’77 Daughter of Charlene Comeaux Kennedy ’55 John William Starring Father of Renee Starring Furr ’81 and Stephanie Starring Hodges ’83 Jeanette Donellan Stephens ’42 Gregory Scott Sumrall Son of Carolyn Bergeron Sumrall ’54 James W. Taylor Son of Helen Stander Taylor ’63 Brother of Victoria Taylor Percy ’90

Eloise Arbour Selig ’42 Daughter of Julia Bahlinger Arbour, 1910 Sister of Gertie Lee Arbour McNeely ’33 (dec.), Katherine Arbour Hannaman ’34 (dec.), Sister Jane Louise Arbour CSJ ’41 and Virginia Arbour Tomeny ’47 (dec.) Mother of Jane Selig Andre ’74

SAVE THE DATE FOR SJA’S

Grand Reunion WEEKEND July 10-11, 2020 Details to come this spring Honoring the classes of 2010, 2000, 1995, 1970, 1960, 1950, 1945 and 1940.

35 | S J A C O N N E C T I O N S Winter 2020

3015 Broussard Street Baton Rouge, LA 70808 sjabr.org

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Baton Rouge, LA Permit No. 50

FO LLOW SJA ! Parents, if your daughter no longer lives at home, please send us her address. If you would like to continue to receive Connections, please call Katie Jeter Valenciano at (225) 388-2244 or email her at valencianok@sjabr.org.

1991 • 1996 • 2002 • 2016