CLASS road to healing, but I’m doing well so far.” Thanks for the update, TJ, and our prayers and condolences to you and your family.
’12 Welcome, Keyara!
Proud grandma Terina Retzlaff sent us the following wonderful news: “Hello! Here is a new baby announcement to put in your next magazine. Michael ’09 and Laryssa Scheepers welcomed a baby girl, Keyara Lee Scheepers, on September 10, 2016. Keyara weighed 6 lbs., 15.5 oz., and was 19.5 inches long. Michael graduated from the University of Portland in 2009 and Laryssa Retzlaff (maiden name) graduated from the University of Portland in 2012. The Scheepers family is living in Washington, where Michael is a police officer and Laryssa is a middle school teacher.”
’15 Aussies Stick Together!
Marisa Barrie (now Marisa Schell) writes: “During my time at UP, I happened to participate in study abroad in Australia with a group of amazing students. Two weeks ago, I got married at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Wash., and most of that group (Australia Fall Semester
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N OT E S Paige Reynolds, Victoria Wellock, Sophia Romanaggi ’16, and Bryan Chipman ’16. Brenagh Sanford, Monique Martin ’16, Sarah Larabee,Becca Alfaro ’16, Megan Tamblyn ’16, and Tatiana Aguilar were there in spirit, since they couldn’t get time off work to make it. Thank you for having such wonderful programs!”
’13 A Note From Fr. Art
A note from the illustrious Rev. Art Wheeler, C.S.C., who shares: “I just had dinner with Noelle Niedo, who leaves soon for Samoa (her home) and then Fiji. She was a Gearhardt Award winner at UP. Now she’s going to Fiji National University to study medicine and wants to be pediatrician. She has a scholarship from American Samoa, with the understanding that she will practice there after becoming a doctor. Her sister Irene ’12 (now working in Portland as an accountant) and brother Ariel ’16 (now working as an engineer) are also UP grads. Best wishes, Art.” Best wishes to you, Fr. Art, as well as Noelle and Irene and Ariel.
’14 Don’t Walk Harder, Walk Smarter!
Sean O’Rourke ’14, ’16, Peter Chamberlain, and Nick MacKinnon ’15 sit on the board of directors for Auto-Pilot Medical Technologies. Since getting their start at the University of Portland with a lead investment from the Franz Center’s annual 100K Competition, the company settled in Grand Forks, N.D. Their mission is to bring the personalized data revolution to physical therapy, elder care, and other important areas of healthcare. They plan to do so with their Walksmart device and app, which use a simple attachment to a patient’s walker to record data about that person’s walking habits. Caregivers can use the app to make decisions based on distance walked, speed, time of day, and more. To find out more about the company and its mission, go to http://tinyurl.com/hlp7owp.
A cool note from Jim Erzen: “My daughter, Kira Erzen ’18, is in the Army Oregon National Guard. As the distinguished honor graduate at her Officer Candidate School, the Guard decided to use her in some of their recruiting materials. My niece was driving down NE Lombard and 63rd in Portland and noticed this billboard with her picture.” Hey, that’s awesome alright—thanks for sharing! I, 2014) traveled to the wedding. Some came from as close as Seattle, and some came from as far as Hawaii. My mother thought the University would like to know how wonderful its programs are at creating relationships that last a lifetime. I just wanted to thank the University again for giving me the best support group and friends a person could ask for. Our guests included Megan Murray ’16, Abbey Swanson ’16, Claire Moberly ’16, Kim Kadomoto ’16, Erin Puetz ’16,
Faculty, Staff, Friends
Rev. Ronald J. Wasowski, C.S.C., died on Monday, December 5, 2016, at the Holy Cross residence at the University of Portland. He was 70 years old and had just started a phased retirement from his teaching duties. Fr. Wasowski was born in South Bend, Ind., on March 31, 1946, to Leo and Mary (Sotkiewicz) Wasowski. He attended St. Casimir Grade School for eight years and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1964. In the fall of 1964, he
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entered the Congregation of Holy Cross Candidate Program at St. Joseph Hall on the Notre Dame campus. He entered Sacred Heart Novitiate in Jordan, Minn., on August 15, 1965, and made his first vows on August 16, 1966. Returning to Notre Dame and Moreau Seminary, he resumed studies and graduated with a degree in physics in 1970. Three years later, he received his graduate degree in theology from Notre Dame. Due to the serious illness of his mother, Fr. Wasowski was ordained earlier than his classmates on June 2, 1973, in the chapel at Moreau Seminary; his mother died four days later. After ordination, he spent one year at St. Joseph Parish in South Bend and, in 1974, spent a year teaching at Bourgade High School in Phoenix, Ariz., residing at Casa Santa Cruz. In 1975, he returned to Notre Dame to prepare for graduate work in earth sciences, and the following year began working on his doctorate at the University of California in Los Angeles. He taught at Notre Dame from 1983 until 1991, then moved to King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he was an associate professor of science until 1998. That year he began teaching at the University of Portland as an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences. He recently earned the nickname “Fr. Drone” after mastering the use of camera drones in documenting large archeological sites from the air. Survivors include his sister, Patricia Spychalski; a niece, Michele Ramachandran; a nephew, Christopher Spychalski; and four grandnieces and nephews. Memorial contributions in support of the mission and ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross may be made to: United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Office of Development, P.O. Box 767, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0765, or online at: donate.holycrossusa. org. Our prayers and condolences to Fr. Ron’s family, colleagues, and the Holy Cross community. Philip J. Faccenda, Sr., general counsel emeritus and life trustee of the University of Notre Dame, died on January 11, 2017, at the age of 87. Faccenda came to Notre Dame in 1967 at the request of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., to serve as his special assistant during the early years of national student protest. In 1970, he became general counsel and saw Notre Dame through its reorganization to a largely lay board of trustees, on which