St. Pius X Magazine Summer 2013 by St. Pius X High School

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The Tradition Continues..... 3-5 St. Pius X High School runs full circle with the children’s home started by SPX alumni graduating its first Sartan, and a grandfather celebrating his 50-year class reunion as his granddaughter graduates with the Class of 2013. S u mme r VERBUM DEI 1956

The mission of the Magazine is to provide alumni and friends of SPX with news, information, and inspiration regarding the school and each other.

D e p a r tments

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The Magazine is published by the St. Pius X High School Advancement Office.

Barbara M. Rothweiler Principal

F E A T UR E

Consultative Council Representative Joe Muhlberger ’78 Alumni Council Chair Jennifer Maldonado ’91

C o n t e n t s

S P X F o u n d at i o n B o a r d o f D i r ec t o r s Member The Most Reverend Michael J. Sheehan Archbishop of Santa Fe President Ed Larrañaga ’84 Treasurer Robert Mileshosky CPA, ’69 Secretary Kara Kupper ’88 Past President Lloyd (Lonny) Hurley ’77 Directors Jim Baca Antonio Lopez ’99 Steve Palmisano ’82 Kerry Perry Allison Pieroni ’88 Joseph A. Menicucci ’98

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Around Campus........................ 1-3 Planned Giving.............................6 Donor Spotlight.............................7 Alumna Portrait............................8 Then Now....................................9 SPX Events............................. 9-10 Alumni Notes..............................12 In Memory..................................13

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A D V A N C E M E NT O F F I C E Director Steve Ross, CFRE Assistant Director Becky Montoya-Ballou Manager of Constituent Services Elizabeth Ernst ’72 Editor Melissa W. Sais

A d m i n i s t r at i o n Principal Dr. Barbara Rothweiler Assistant Principal - Academics Barbara Neff Ducaj ’79 Assistant Principal - Instruction Orlando Rodriguez Business Manager Allen Jackson Chaplain Deacon Rene Greivel Director of Activities Jeff Turcotte Director of Athletics Jim Cook ’83 Director of Community Service Alicia Eiler ’83 Director of Technology Jose Samora

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Dear Friends, Another successful school year here at St. Pius X is complete. The Class of 2013 are alumni. The Class of 2013 excelled in academics, athletics and community service. I am pleased to announce that more than $9.7 million in college scholarships was awarded to members of this year’s graduating class. The new alumni are getting ready to enter their college careers in post-secondary institutions across the nation as well as the Air Force Academy and Naval Academy. I hope you will feel the same pride as I do when you read about our outstanding seniors in this issue. Congratulations to the class of 2013! Graduation is a time for celebration and reminds us of how important education is for our future. I would like to especially acknowledge three of our own educators, Robert Lah, Beverly Lawson and Rebecca Clay, who retired this year. Their dedication and contribution to the young people they have taught and served at St. Pius are truly what make this school so outstanding. St. Pius X has been truly blessed to have had these three remarkable individuals within the St. Pius X community, and we hope the best for them in their retirement. We continue to be blessed with the current and new teaching faculty. Keep them in your prayers for a successful new year in August. Wishing you and your family a safe and enjoyable summer! Sincerely,

5301 St. Joseph’s Dr. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120-1712 (505) 831-8400 • www.saintpiusx.com

Saint Pius X High School

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Marisa Kristina Perez-Romero looks to the crowd after crossing the stage at the St. Pius X High School graduation May 22 at the Santa Ana Star Center. The 192 members of the class of 2013 earned $9.7 million in college scholarships.

St. Pius X High School proudly presented 192 students with diplomas in a graduation ceremony on May 22 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho. The class of 2013 earned a total of $9.7 million in college scholarships this year.

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See back cover for list of 2013 graduates.

SPX faculty named Brad Sedillo the Outstanding Graduate of the Class of 2013 for a life that embodies the St. Pius motto, “Teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge.” Sedillo also received the Principal’s Leadership Award, the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Company’s award for excellence in Social Studies, and the West Point Leadership Award.

2013 St. Pius X High School valedictorian Lyle Bliss will head to Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University this fall to study chemical engineering. The son of Nancy Missert and David Bliss, Lyle says he expects the work ethic he has established at St. Pius to serve him well as he begins his university studies. “Mostly I’ll carry forward from Pius how to be a good person, how to carry yourself and be respectful to others,” he says.

St. Pius X High School recognized the Class of 2013’s top ten students at the May 22 graduation ceremony. They are (left to right) Valedictorian Lyle Bliss, Catherine

Carrillo, Alan Gross, Andrew Hudson, Dreyfus Maheu, John Paul Norman, Gregory Ottino, Salutatorian Ashley Peck, David Rodriguez and Bradley Sedillo.

SPXSports

Baseball State Champs Sartan Baseball upset No. 1 Piedra Vista 7-6 to take the Class 4A state championship on May 18 at Lobo Field in Albuquerque. On their way through the state tournament to the blue trophy the Sartans beat Deming, Goddard and Albuquerque Academy and finished 20-8 and 7-2 in district. The team ended its games in prayer, often with opposing teams joining in, like Deming pictured above.

Athletes Honored

Twelve Pen Intent on Signing Day

SPX honored senior volleyball and track athlete Lexi Biondi and senior football and track athlete Ryan Rosenthal with 2013 SPX Scholar-Athlete Awards for their performance as honor students and multi-sport athletes of exceptional participation and performance.

St. Pius X High School held a signing day April 25 to witness 12 senior athletes sign National Letters of Intent to play their sports for colleges across the country. The signers were Adam Baros (baseball; Doane College, Neb.); Cody Bower (baseball; University of New Mexico); Gabby Campbell (soccer; New Mexico State); Mary Carpenter (basketball; Trinidad State, Colo.); Christopher Graham (cross country and track; University of New Mexico); Noah Griego (football; Benedictine College, Kan.); Ryan Hernandez (baseball; Colorado State-Pueblo); Adrianna Naranjo (soccer; Mendocino College, Calif.); Marissa Nathe (cross country and track; Boise State, Id.); Kendrick Sanchez (baseball; N.M. Military Institute); T.J. Sanchez (football and wrestling; Benedictine College, Kan.); and Sarah Sluder (track; Benedictine College, Kan.).

Track and Field Sports Highlights SPX sports marked a successful spring season in 2013. SPX softball earned the 2013 District Champion title, going 18-8 and 9-0 in district. The District Champion boys golf team qualified in eight out of 10 tournaments during the regular season and placed third in state competition. SPX girls water polo finished third in the state and the SPX boys water polo team (pictured above) finished fifth in the state. St Pius rugby finished fifth in the state, and the SPX girls tennis team was a No. 5 seed in the state tournament. 2

St. Pius X Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ SUMMER 2013

During the 2013 track season, the SPX relay team of senior Chris Graham, junior Cal Ballou, freshman Steven Duran and junior Marcos Serna broke the 15-year-old school record in the 4x800 meter relay by 5.7 seconds with a time of 8:03.75. The SPX girls won their seventh straight district title with a 42 point margin. The boys placed second in district, beating Academy for the first time since 1993. At state the girls placed sixth and the boys seventh, with the girls medley relay team winning and Duran winning the 800m.

TopSeniors

The senior class selected Brad Sedillo and Taylor Roach to receive Senior Choice Awards for representing the allaround ideal St. Pius students. Roach also received the Marcita Marek Award for athletic leadership and service.

Mary Carpenter and Joseph R. Sanchez received Primo Contreras Awards for demonstrating joy in serving others outside the school community, a love of St. Pius X High School and exemplary character. Sanchez also received the Principal’s Special Recognition Award for epitomizing what a St. Pius student should be.

St. Pius Fine Arts faculty selected Michael Aguilar and Mikayla Sanchez for this year’s Renaissance Awards honoring students who have excelled in multiple areas of the visual and performing arts. Sanchez also received the $1,000 Art Has Heart College Scholarship.

St. Pius presented varsity letters and pins in community service to the following students for giving 120 hours or more each year to their community: Lexey Castillo, Kyle Hensley, Sarah Sluder, Jeremy Ewert, Matt Donaldson, Alan John Paul Gross, Taylor Roach, Carla Villareal, Jonathan Sanchez, Tomas Tafoya, Madeline Devlin-Wollmann.

SPXTraditions Tradition Extends to Children’s Home The promise and potential of El Ranchito de los Ninos and its children came full circle this spring as the children’s home started by two St. Pius X High School alumni graduated its first Sartan with the Class of 2013. Kathy (Witt) Mechenbier graduated from St. Pius X High School in 1974. In 2000 she and her husband Mike ’71 started El Ranchito in rural Valencia County to care for groups of siblings who need a permanent and stable home. In May she saw the first of those children - cared for at the home for the past eight years - receive his SPX diploma ready for the next chapter of his life. “Now he’s pursuing his future, like all kids do,” Mechenbier says. To preserve the privacy of children living at El Ranchito de los Ninos, the home does not reveal their names publicly, but Mechenbier says all of the SPX graduate’s friends know his situation. “He finds he’s not the only kid not living in a standard two-parent family situation,” Mechenbier says. “Some kids live with one parent, or grandparents, or someone else.” Depending on their needs, some of the home’s children attend public school, others attend elementary through eighth grade at St. Mary’s School in Belen, and some are at St. Pius. Catholic school tuitions are funded through private donations. “I went to Pius and I thought these kids could benefit from that education,” says Mechenbier, whose four daughters Jessica ’99, Abby ’01, Katie ’03 and Emily ’06 also attended. “Pius is a great school and it does have religion, which these kids need. They need the opportunity to understand that there is a God.” Mechenbier, who lives near the home, is there every day working with direct care staff helping with things like feeding the small children lunch or tutoring the school-aged children in the evenings. She also assists the administration staff communicating with teachers, donors and boards while running the private organization’s fundraising efforts. El Ranchito is completely funded by private donations, in-kind gifts, and grant funding. It receives no state or federal funds. The 7,000-square-foot home on 23 acres, can accept up to 16 children at one time. Referrals to the home are typically from family members of the children needing care. Mechenbier says about 25 children have lived there since 2000, most members of sibling groups. “Losing your parents is hard enough, but being taken from your siblings is hard on top of that,” Mechenbier says. “Usually if there are more than two children, foster care won’t take them as a group, but we will.” Mechenbier says her experiences as a student at St. Pius guided her and her husband - owners of Sundance Mechanical & Utility and 4 Daughters Land & Cattle Co. - as they set out to make a positive impact on the lives of children. “At St. Pius you have the religion that really does guide you and you do a lot of community service,” she says. “You learn that you do have to give back.” St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

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Leonard Espinosa ’63 wonders when they changed the colors. “Ours were gold and white,” he tells his granddaughter Jordan Davis ’13, who graduated in May while her grandfather celebrates his 50-year class reunion in September. “We got these basketball warm-ups our junior year that were gaudy gold and white silk with a sailor bib. Now they’re black and gold.” Like many St. Pius families, during this milestone year for each of them Espinosa and Davis have compared notes on a few things. Now an Albuquerque attorney, Espinosa remembers basketball tryouts that began with running the block from the original Uptown campus down Indian School to San Pedro, up to and over Menaul and back down Louisiana. That block, which now contains Coronado Mall, was a vacant field. Pier One Imports on Louisiana stands where the Beverly Wood Tennis Courts held street dances with live bands in the summer. “The education we got at St. Pius was stellar,” Espinosa says. “But the strength of a school is its people. The people I graduated with went on to amazing careers. More than 90 percent went to college. They were a unique group of people.”

Davis, who traveled with the SPX choir program to Carnegie Hall in New York City and helped provide food to people as far away as Haiti with Kids Against Hunger, agrees that the people connected to St. Pius make the difference. “Even if you don’t know each other well, you know the people of St. Pius will be there if you need them,” she says. “Pius always comes together when there’s a need.” Many of Espinosa’s memories include athletics, as he played on basketball and baseball teams that advanced to state tournaments his senior year. “It was a big deal then to play in UNM’s Johnson Gym, like it’s a big deal for high school basketball teams to play in the Pit today,” Espinosa says. “It held about 7,000 people and when we played an entire two or three sections of the stands were filled with Pius students, the girls all in white blouses and the guys in white shirts and ties.” The 22-4 Sartans fell to Roswell High School in the first round of the 1963 tournament but found some satisfaction 50 years later as the SPX boys barreled through the bracket for the 2013 Class 4A state title.

Don’t Change “The spirit is still awesome,” says Davis, who counts attending football and basketball games to cheer on her teams among her best memories. Davis will attend New Mexico State University in the fall and is considering a degree in business or criminology. She says leaving St. Pius is bittersweet as she will miss her friends and special teachers. “(English teacher) Phil Zuber is the greatest man I ever met,” she says. “He’s so down-to-earth and understanding, and he genuinely cares. He knows exactly what he teaches and

has a great way of getting it across to us. “English this year was about stepping outside your self and looking at the direction of your life. It taught me a lot about my choices and my future.” Looking back to 1963, Espinosa considers what he took with him from St. Pius, and says, “The education, the values, the love of athletics, and lifelong friends -that’s what I brought out of St. Pius.”

SPX senior photos of Leonard Espinosa (left) in 1963 and Jordan Davis in 2013.

St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

PlannedGiving

Galassini Endowment Launched The St. Pius X Alumni Council inducted Coach Lincoln Galassini ’65 as an Outstanding Alumnus into the Hall of Honor in May, and friends of Galassini have initiated the creation of an endowment in his name. A former St. Pius X High School basketball and baseball coach, Galassini of Albuquerque, age 66, died June 4, 2013. Galassini taught and coached at St. Pius from 1971 to 1981, leading his 1977 teams to a state baseball championship and a state runnerup basketball season and earning New Mexico Coach of the Year honors in both sports. “Coach Galassini’s primary concern was always the student-athlete being successful,” said Lonny Hurley ’77. “Coach taught that no matter what you were trying to accomplish, if you worked hard, had great self-discipline and worked as a team, you could be successful.” A stellar student and athlete at St. Pius, Galassini played on the SPX 1964 state championship baseball team and was named All-State shortstop. After teaching, Galassini went on to a career in the construction materials industry, mentoring many individuals throughout both portions of his career. “Coach loved to preach that you should be proud of St. Pius and yourself; and when in doubt - shoot,” Hurley said. Galassini’s survivors include his son Joel Galassini and his wife, Lisa, of San Antonio, Texas; and three grandchildren. To join in the SPX tribute to Coach Galassini with a contribution to the Galassini Endowment, contact the St. Pius X Foundation at (505) 831-3423. Once established, the endowment will provided needed tuition assistance to St. Pius students now and in the future. 6

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Ways a Gift Annuity Can Benefit You

Have you considered the benefits of obtaining a charitable gift annuity with St. Pius X Foundation? Here are five points to ponder:

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Attractive Rates. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, in their mid-80s, are receiving a modest income from their Certificate of Deposit. When the CD matures in two months, they plan to obtain a St. Pius Foundation gift annuity and start receiving 6.7 percent. Gift annuity rates are very attractive for older friends of St. Pius X. You can receive as much as 8.2 percent for a two-life annuity and 9.0 percent for a single-life annuity. Tax-Free Payments. Part of each annuity payment is tax-free. Mrs. Jones, age 82, contributed a check for $25,000 toward a gift annuity. Every year, she will receive $1,800 (7.2 percent). Of this amount, $1,503 will be excluded from income taxes. The tax-free portion of the annuity payment is considered “return of principal” and continues through the annuitant’s estimated life expectancy. Income Tax Deduction. Because a charitable gift annuity is partly a gift and partly an investment in an annuity contract, the donor who itemizes is entitled to an income tax deduction for the gift portion of his or her annuity amount. In the case of Mrs. Jones mentioned earlier, her $25,000 gift annuity produced a charitable tax deduction of $12,734. The deduction is available for the tax year when the gift annuity is established. If it cannot be used entirely, the donor has up to five years to carry forward the unused amount. The tax advantages with the charitable deduction make the effective rate of the gift annuity even higher than the rate used to establish the annuity. Fixed, Regular Payments. Your annuity payments remain

the same every year, and since gift annuity payments are backed by the full assets of St. Pius X Foundation, you have assurance that your check will be in the mail (or direct deposited) every payment date for the rest of your life.

Personal Satisfaction. Perhaps the greatest benefit of St. Pius X Foundation gift annuity is the personal fulfillment you receive by helping St. Pius as well as yourself. Your gift annuity enables us to provide quality values-based education.

These are just a few reasons for obtaining a gift annuity with St. Pius X Foundation. To find out more about charitable gift annuities and obtain a personalized illustration, fill out and return the form on the next page or contact Steve Ross, director of advancement, at (505) 831-8423.

DonorSpotlight Larrañagas Give to Carry Forward Pius Experience Experiencing the family that is St. Pius X High School left a lasting impression on Cynthia and Edward Larrañaga ’84 and spurs them in their active involvement with the school today. “St. Pius is a family,” says Cynthia, who experienced that connection with her children Brittany ’09 and Joseph ’11. “There’s a pride that Pius carries into the community, and whether you’re from the class of ’64 or ’99, the connection is there,” Ed adds. “Today I give so that others can experience what I have experienced.” Ed’s office sits across Louisiana Boulevard from the site of the former campus he roamed as a student-athlete from 1980 to ’84. Now a vice president and business relationship manager at Peoples Bank, Ed has spent 10 years involved with the St. Pius Alumni Council and served as its chair for the past six years. He was recently elected president of the St. Pius X High School Foundation Board and each semester speaks in Scott Howard’s theology class on the responsibilities of being a lay person in the Catholic community. Cynthia has been a driving force behind the annual Mardi Gras silent auction since 2009. “I don’t have a lot of talents, but I’m good at getting on the phone and asking for things,” Cynthia says. She has continued to share that talent, even after her son graduated in 2011. “My kids are gone, but I still want to help and give back,” she says. A Catholic education for their children was important to the Larrañagas. “We felt the need to continue focus on our Catholic faith values as they grew,” Cynthia says. “When we sent them to St. Pius it was the most important thing for us.” The Larrañagas focus their monetary support to St. Pius on tuition assistance for students who without it wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience the spiritual growth and academic achievement available at St. Pius. “Ed Larrañaga epitomizes the type of the alumnus that every school would be blessed to have,” says Steve Ross, SPX director of

advancement. “Although both of Ed and Cynthia’s children have graduated from St. Pius, they continue to serve as tireless volunteers and continuous yearly donors.” “The fact that Pius pushed us to be better in and out of the classroom, gave me confidence,” Ed says. “That pushing to excel is what I appreciate now, along with the Pius family. We learned it’s important to take care of each other. “We know from our Catholic upbringings, you can never outdo God’s generosity,” Ed says. “Because of how much the school means to me, I want to do everything I can to help.”

Mail this form to: St. Pius X Foundation, 5301 St. Joseph’s Dr. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120

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AlumnaPortrait Wasson Earns Top Fellowship Awarded one of the country’s biggest and most prestigious fellowships for science graduate students, Elisa Wasson ‘07 heads to Virginia Tech in August to join in leading cancer treatment research. “I want to be at the front edge of that research to improve the treatments that exist and have a lasting impact on society,” says Wasson, who will seek her PhD in biomedical engineering at Virginia Tech while studying ways to treat ovarian and brain cancer on a cellular level. Wasson received the Graduate Research Fellowship award from the National Science Foundation based in part on her undergraduate research in microfluidic devices at the University of New Mexico and at an internship at University of California Berkeley. She will continue her work with the devices about the size of a camera’s SD card that allow scientists to study biological processes in a way that mimics life situations inside the body, rather than on a microscope slide. Awarded to just 2,000 of 13,000 applicants in 2013, the NSF fellowship funds three years of education at any U.S. university along providing the fellow with an annual stipend of $30,000. Wasson says the faith and educational foundation built at St. Pius X High School has had a tremendous impact on her success as a Catholic scientist.

“Once you get to college it gets challenging,” she says. “I sat in my first biology class in college and the professor said, ‘Your faith can’t get in the way of science.’ But as a Catholic, I realize that God is in creation. He’s in science; he has his hand in it. If you’re a true scientist, you have to respect what’s already been created.” Wasson says the academic preparation at SPX helped her form the work ethic and study skills needed to pursue an engineering degree. With the goal of exploring all the creativity that comes with a career in research, Wasson says she also hopes to give back to her community. “A lot of Hispanics in New Mexico don’t realize their full potential,” she says. “Sometimes there’s no one there to tell them they can do it. I hope I can make an impression on other students by being a faculty member or volunteering in New Mexico and let students know they can succeed in school.” Her advice to those students now: “Pick a goal and make a plan to achieve it. Do something you love. Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others limit you. The world is open to you.”

SPX Icon: Coach Tybor Coach Ron Tybor credits a dusty drive down a dirt road on a summer Sunday in 1955 with beginning a journey he continues to embrace after 52 years. A new transplant from Detroit with a job at a soda shop, Tybor had graduated from high school with what he calls an underwater report card every grade below C level. That Sunday’s drive led him down a dirt road to the College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande. Tybor didn’t have the grades or the $138 a semester tuition, but the nun he met at the flagpole that day told him to take the test anyway. He learned he had strengths in math and social studies, but he still didn’t have the money. Two weeks later the school gave him a grant of $100. He could afford $38, so he enrolled. A two-year enlistment after his sophomore year landed him in France and took him across Europe playing football, basketball and baseball for the U.S. Army. He returned to St. Joe’s and earned a degree in education in 1961. He visited the campus again in 1962 and met his future wife Sandy under a hoop in what is now St. Pius’s auxiliary gym. They married in August 1963 and celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. Tybor and Sandy, a retired SPX typing teacher, raised their children Blaise ‘82 and Deirdre ‘84 in Albuquerque and now have seven grandchildren, including Ben DeGuio, a junior at St. Pius. Tybor began his career at Lourdes High School in Albuquerque in 1961. 8

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He took a position at St. Pius in 1966 and has since taught history and P.E. and coached basketball, softball and golf and served as athletic director. “I attack history like a sport,” he says. “And I’ve tried to teach students about life, what to expect in living and dying. I have so much fun making it relevant.” Tybor now substitutes, runs lunchtime games and intramurals for students, and produces slideshows documenting each senior class’s four years at St. Pius. In 52 years Tybor has found that the best teaching goes on before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. “You’ve got to meet and get to know the kids outside of the classroom,” he says. “When you know kids, they react to you.” Give Tybor the standard greeting of “How are you?” and he’ll tell you he’s blessed. Despite challenges - a granddaughter’s three-year battle with leukemia, a hip surgery - Tybor sincerely feels blessed. “We can’t love God only when things are going good,” he explains. “His way must be accepted with trust.”

ThenNow

2012 1991 The Dorados of 1991 were the AAA State Champs for the second year in a row and took second place at national competition for Kick and Military. Seniors pictured above are (back row, left to right) Rhonda Nolan, Deborah Crollett, Amy Skogan and Christine Esquibel, (front row, left to right) Jennifer Herrera, Julie Gallegos, Dalia Delgado, Leslie Radigan and Kristina Cordova. Known then as a Military and Kick Drill Team, there were about 30 girls on the team.

The 2013 St. Pius X Sartan Dance Team seniors (left to right) Gabriela Garcia-Huff, Abigail Boynton, Cassidy Martinez, Kelly Urvanejo, Natasha Pineda, Cat Carrillo and Mary Lee Gutierrez and their 14 fellow dancers performed more than 40 times over the 2012-2013 school year and were named “Best Halftime Show in Albuquerque” by ABQ Sports Magazine. “Our main goals for the team are to build outstanding young women and to support the SPX community,” says SPX spirit coordinator Gina Sada Rightley ’81. “We have a philosophy that the dance team is in a unique position to serve as ambassadors of SPX. I try to get the dancers involved in every SPX event possible.”

Mystery ticket identified. Many of you remembered that The St. Pius X Players presented Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” on April 22 and 23, 1961. “I was there that Sunday night and can attest to what a wonderful production it was,” says Tom Otoski ’61. Rosemary McNerney Winkler ’62 remembers that Pam Melloy ’61 and Jim Burns ’61 starred as Emily Webb and George Gibbs. Frank C. Foy ’63 says Mike Drago ’61 played the Stage Manager and that Father John W. FitzGerald and Mr. Harry Davis were faculty members in charge of the production. St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

SPXEvents

Tinnin Golf Classic Secures Catholic Education Swing Fore St. Pius Jamie Tinnin Golf Classic tees off Sept. 20 at Four Hills Country Club gathering alumni, parents and supporters of Catholic education to benefit student financial aid through the SPX Alumni Scholarship Fund and athletics through the SPX Athletic Boosters. Registration ends Aug. 16. The golf tournament is held in memory of Jamie Tinnin, wife of Tom Tinnin and mother of Megan ’06, Courtney ’08 and Robbie. Jamie dedicated most of her life to the support of her husband and children and their endeavors including Megan’s basketball achievements, Courtney’s soccer feats and Robbie’s football success. Jamie also took great interest in giving back to her community and found time to lead and become deeply involved in many civic and charitable organizations. Jamie lost her battle with breast cancer in October 2009. In honor of her great spirit Tinnin Enterprises sponsors the golf tournament to benefit St. Pius X High School. “We really are grateful for the Tinnin family’s support,” says Becky Montoya-Ballou, SPX assistant director of advancement. “It’s a great tribute to a wonderful lady who had a strong conviction for giving to the community.” The tournament begins at 7 a.m. with registration, Twisters breakfast burritos and range balls. The four-player scramble begins with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The awards lunch is held at noon. Ballou says a highlight of the tournament is the participation of former National Football League players, in past years including Dallas Cowboy Ron Fellows and Los Angeles Raider Dokie Williams. To register or provide a sponsorship for the tournament, contact the SPX Advancement Office at (505) 831-8406. 10

St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

2012 Quality by DiLorenzo team: David DiLorenzo ’85, Vince DiLorenzo ’87, Jim Schuyler and Charles DiLorenzo ’61.

Legacy Art In Action SPX student Joshua Jaramillo presents an art piece during the 13th Annual Legacy Art Albuquerque Fine Art Auction and Benefit on May 11. Thank you to our event sponsors: Frontier Restaurant Golden Pride BBQ, Chicken and Ribs United Freedom Associates, Inc. Kirk A. Clark Galles and Davis Dennis Chavez Development Corp. Cowboys and Indians Magazine Loretto Chapel Rio Grande Gallery Without the photo

AlumniGatherings Attention: Phoenix Alumni St. Pius X High School’s Phoenix area alumni will gather in October. Watch your mail for details. The SPX Alumni Council and the SPX Foundation have sponsored alumni gatherings across the country since last fall, inviting alumni living in major metropolitan areas to connect and hear the latest on the school. Gatherings were held in Atlanta, Denver, Houston, San Diego and Washington, D.C., with help from Amy ’81 and Doug Cordova ’81, John Cordova ’76, Toby McPhail ’90, Dr. Michael Olivas ’68 and Terry Taylor ’92.

2013Reunions Sartan e

travaganza Fun

Mark your calendars for 2014 Sartan eXtravaganza on June 7 and 8. SPX graduating classes ending in four are encouraged to consider planning their reunions for the eXtravaganza weekend and including the event in their activities. This year Sartan eXtravaganza brought together alumni, teachers, families and friends of St. Pius X High School from across the years on June 8 for a barbecue, campus tours, fun and games.

1963 •

September 6-8

See Facebook at SPX Class of ‘63 or email Sartan63@yahoo.com

1973

Contact Becky Ballou at bmontoya-ballou@spx.k12.nm.us to organize a reunion

1983 •

August 9-10

1988 •

August 1-4

1993 •

July 26-27

2003 •

September 27-28

See Facebook at St. Pius X Class of ‘83 or contact roxanne.burgos@gmail.com

Contact Lydia Lucero at lalanmike@hotmail.com

Contact Sofia Marrufo at sofiamarrufo@hotmail.com (tentative)

Contact Kristin Burger at Kristen_burger@timeline.com

Reunion classes of 2014 Consider planning your reunion for Sartan eXtravaganza Weekend on June 6-9, 2014. Contact Becky Ballou with the SPX Advancement Office at bmontoya-ballou@spx.k12.nm.us to start or join your Reunion Committee.

St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

AlumniNotes

SCRAM Systems recently promoted Stephen M. Leddy ’07 to account manager. He has relocated to Seattle. Upon arrival there he connected with an art gallery that sold his painting “Entangled Muse,” pictured on the right, within 24 hours of its display in the gallery’s front window.

1960s

HarperCollins will release Spider Woman’s Daughter, a first novel by Anne Hillerman ’67, on Oct. 1. The book follows the trail of the Navajo detectives her father Tony Hillerman created. Other non-fiction books by Anne include Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn, Gardens of Santa Fe, and Santa Fe Flavors: Best Restaurants and Recipes. The SPX Classes of ’61 and ’68 held reunions on July 6.

1970s

work over a weekend. Materials were donated by Tom Riccobene ’76 at Riccobene Hardscape Innovations and Scott Lardner ’79 at Rocky Mountain Stone. Other alumni provided monetary donations for the project, meals and drinks for the helpers. Other alumni participants included Kevin Keleher ’75, Charlie Burwinkle ’78, Al Vincioni ’75, Roger Brothers ’72, Phil Pettit ’83, John Reyes ’75, Paul Clifford ’75, Dennis Candelaria ’85, John Mechenbier ’74, David Vincioni ’79, Bruce Bell ’76, Donna Eldredge ’79, Mike McCollum ’77, Joe Lujan ’79, Mary (Goodwin) Jury ’79, John Menicucci ’70, Patrice (Miller) May ’75,Vicki (Vincioni) Brothers ’73 and Kristin (Powell) Crosby ’98.

1980s

Allison P. Pieroni ’88 announced the opening of her Albuquerque law firm, Pieroni Family Law L.L.C. Pieroni Family Law L.L.C. helps families and children by offering experienced, caring and costeffective legal services in family law, adoptions and Guardian ad Litem cases. Allison has been a member of the SPX Foundation since 2007 and served as its president from July 2010 to June 2012. Coach Ron Tybor formed Tybor’s Happy Helpers to get St. Pius alumni together to have fun together while serving the community. The Happy Helpers turned the tables on Coach this spring surprising him and his wife Sandy with a complete remodel of their backyard landscaping. More than 35 former and current St. Pius X students — from Joe Chiado ’71 and the Class of ’72’s Roger Brothers, Mike Beel and Kevin Purtell to the Class of 2014’s Sean Lardner, Conor Brown and Andrew Givens — turned out to move 100,000 pounds of materials to and from the Tybor’s backyard and logged over 400 hours of 12

St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

Jessica Enciso Varn ’87 has been appointed as a judge for the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.

2000s

Valerie Armijo ’02 and Luke Hopkins ’03 are engaged to be married. Gerald Bourguet ’09 graduated magna cum laude from Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University in May with both a bachelor’s

degree and a master’s degree in mass communication and journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Broadcasting. A National Hispanic Scholar and continuously named on the Dean’s List, Bourguet has been the NBA writer and analyst for Reupssports.com, Fansided.com and HoopsHabit; and a guest contributor to the Official Phoenix Sun’s Blog. He also covered high school sports for the Arcadia Daily News. Angelia Haynes ’08 married Anthony Sanchez on June 1 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mesa, Ariz. Alyssa Michael ’09 graduated cum laude from Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University in May with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a minor in Spanish. Her honors requirements included a thesis, which she researched and wrote on “The Use of Alternative Medication in La Cultura Latina: Home Remedies and Curanderismo.” During her years at Arizona State she was included on the Dean’s List from 2010 to 2013, and was a Sun Devil Scholarship recipient, a member of Order of Omega Greek Honors Society and of Delta Zeta Sorority.

2010s

The National Young Arts Foundation named Savannah Martinez ’12 a winner in the 2013 Voice/Popular Voice category. She is one of 687 national winners selected out of 10,000 applicants who represent the country’s most outstanding students in visual, literary and performing arts. She is a student at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

FacultyNotes This year four St. Pius X High School faculty members are retiring: Michael Knight, fine arts; Robert Lah, science; Beverly Lawson, math; and Becky Clay, counselor. Combined they have given over 80 years of service to St. Pius X High School. Three teachers will be moving on to other endeavors: Patrick Carey, Robert Shields and Catarina Torres ’03.

Share your news We’re looking for the latest news about you. Send us information and photos about accomplishments, new jobs, fun experiences, engagements, marriages, new additions to the family, and retirements. We’d love to feature you in the Alumni Notes or the Alumni Profile. Send your news and photos to spxeditor@outlook.com.

Paul “Paulie” Ayala ’04 of Albuquerque, age 27, died April 30, 2013. He is survived by his mother Sheila Ayala; father Patrick Ayala; brother Leonard Ayala; sister Karin Cordova. AnnaMarie Dobbins of Albuquerque, age 94, died April 8, 2013. She is survived by three children, Maureen ’62, Steve ’65 and Rosemarie; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Rose Ortiz Flucher of Albuquerque, age 90, died June 10, 2013. She is survived by her four children, Joan Bradley ’70, Michael Lee Fulcher ’72, Leslie Cylke, Charles Fulcher ’79; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Ross Jose Garcia of Albuquerque, age 77, died March 31, 2013. His survivors include his wife of 50 years, Vi (Viola); son, Alexander Marvin Garcia and wife, Danette; and grandchildren Kody Garcia ’07 and Brionna Garcia ’10. Michael “Ski” Kaminski, age 70, died May 4, 2013. His survivors include Ms. Jo Cito and her children Michael, Marc ’00 and Joseph Cito ’02; his children, Michelle, Kimberly and David Kaminski ’97. Christopher E. Keene ’73 of Owings Mills, Md., age 57, died March 28, 2013. He retired last year after 32 years of service to AT&T. He is survived by Nancy Owsley; his parents, Frank and Joanne Keene; and brothers Pat ’70, Jerry ’71, and Bill Keene. Michael Jude Kehoe ’74 of Albuquerque, age 56, died June 14, 2013. He is survived by his children

InMemory Dr. Michael G. Maher Retired St. Pius X High School math instructor Dr. Michael G. Maher, 78, of Pocono Pines, Penn., died April 24, 2013. Dr. Maher left a lasting legacy at St. Pius, inspiring students from 1994 to 2006 through his courses including Honors Math II and AP Statistics and through his commitment to the school. “Students loved him because he was passionate about the subjects he taught,” said Barbara Ducaj, SPX math instructor and assistant principal for academics. “And he was very giving of his time, always here before and after school working with his students.” Dr. Maher and his wife, JoAnne, also a teacher at St. Pius from 1984 to 2006, were avid sports fans, attending every game they could and even supervising student bus trips to away games, Ducaj said. Dr. Maher earned a bachelor’s of science from Texas A&M, master’s degrees in science and business administration from Arizona State University, and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of New Mexico. He was an engineer with Honeywell before beginning his teaching career at St. Pius, Ducaj said. Surviving family members include his wife JoAnne Lucey Maher, children Ryan Maher, Maureen Gray, Colleen Maher, Shannon Morgan, Sean Maher, and R. Patrick Maher; and nine grandchildren. Sean Michael Kehoe, Siobhan Marie Kehoe and Brendon Patrick Kehoe; granddaughter Autumn Lynn Kehoe; and siblings Timothy ’75, Dennis ’77, Susan ’78, Matthew ’79, Gerald ’81, Moira ’82, and Patrick ’84.

Evelyn S. Muro, age 83, died March 26, 2013. Her survivors include her children Michael F. Muro and Donna Carlino, nine grandchildren including Anthony Carlino ’95, and nine greatgrandchildren.

Daniel “Don” Edward Mallak Sr. of Albuquerque, age 90, died March 16, 2013. His survivors include three children, Mary Jo Strong, Le Anne Lynch and Dan Mallak ’76; and four grandchildren including Taylor Mallak ’10.

Loretta Marie Nazzarett of Albuquerque, age 57, died April 7, 2013. Her survivors include her children Deanna Marie ’99 and Daniel Arthur.

Baltazar Martinez died June 10, 2013. He is survived by his children Daniel ’75, Michael ’76, Ruben ’77, Robert ’79, Mary ’80, Victor ’82, Vincent ’82, and Annie ’83; and numerous grandchildren. Linda Gerken Maybury ’65 of Albuquerque, age 66, died June 19, 2013. She earned graduate degrees in education and human resources at Incarnate Word College in Texas and served her country in the United States Army. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Rick Maybury; brothers, Gerry Gerken ’62, Mark Gerken ’70 and Matt Gerken ’83; sisters, Jan Wood ’64, Carol Henry ’68 and Jean Bussemeier ’75; and stepdaughter, Stephanie Maybury. Celeste Melloy of Albuquerque, age 92, died November 18, 2012. She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Robert Melloy of Albuquerque; children, Pam Shumard ’61, Joe Melloy ’64, Steve Melloy ’66, Nick Melloy, Guy Melloy, Dan Melloy, Michael Melloy ’84; 18 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren.

Donaldo “Don” Ortega of Albuquerque, age 77, died March 19, 2013. His survivors include his wife of 54 years, Yoko; and his daughter, Anna Marie Lambe ’84. Nicolas S. Sanchez of Albuquerque, age 86, died April 24, 2013. He is survived by Lila, his wife of 65 years and children S.J. ’66, Nick ’69, Anna ’71, Alfred ’74, Lila ’77, Ricardo ’77, and Lorraine ’79 and 17 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Anthony Arthur Sirco of Albuquerque, age 87, died March 20, 2013. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Kay, his daughter, Vicki Power (Don ’67), son, William Sirco, daughter, Trish Lake (John) and daughter, Annette Knipfing (Trey ’91); grandchildren Ian Power ’96, Megan Diercks ’98, Laura Burkett, Kevin Power ’02, and Jenna Ramos and eight great-grandchildren. Deloris Marie Smith of Albuquerque, age 73, died April 3, 2013. Her survivors include her spouse, James Smith; her daughters, Kelly Ann Seis ’80, Karie Jo Smith ’82, and Karla Marie Smith ’86; and five grandchildren. St. Pius X Magazine • SUMMER 2013

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