Xavier Catholic Schools Foundation Welcomes Three New Scholarships
Alumni Siblings Honor Late Mother In memory of Joan M. Streck an endowed scholarship has been established to support tuition assistance for students attending Xavier Catholic Schools. Catholic education and Xavier were very special to Joan and her late husband Don. All four of their children were Xavier graduates: Debra (Streck) Wilz ‘69, Steve ‘72, David ‘76, and Stacy ‘83. Xavier is truly blessed by the generosity and support of the family for creating the Joan M. Streck Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will help provide the gift of a faith-filled education to many deserving students in the years ahead. Joan’s zest for life and her passion for golf also serve as true examples to the Xavier Community. Her years as a teacher of dance and an active volunteer for the Salvation Army made a difference in the lives of others as will this scholarship. Please remember the Streck family in your prayers.
Remembering Xavier's #1 Fan Many alumni and benefactors would describe themselves as “lifelong Xavier fans,” but few can rival the level to which Arnie VandenBoomen H'16 embodied such a description. From his days as a Xavier dad to his decades of support for Xavier student-athletes, Arnie never hid his allegiance. Arnie passed away on December 11, and the Xavier community mourns his loss while celebrating his extraordinary life. Arnie and his wife, Joanne, were married for almost 60 years. Their three sons Michael '68, Rick '72 and Dave '75, all graduated from Xavier. In those years, Arnie was running his own business (Appleton Vault Works) while also supporting Xavier in any number of ways, from his founding of the Booster Club to finding bleachers to use for football games each week to helping with concessions. Arnie even drove a school bus for a while so that students from Little Chute and the north side of Appleton could get to Xavier. If there was work to be done, Arnie was always there to help. Over the past 50 years, Arnie was in the stands for countless sporting events. His spot in the top corner of the bleachers in the Torchy Clark gym is reserved with a plaque and has been adorned with flowers and a candle since his death (photo top right). Arnie was generous in his support of the teams; it was common for him to show up after a game with ice cream or burgers or Mr. Reynebeau’s cookies for the student-athletes as a treat, regardless of the outcome. He became Xavier’s “#1 Fan” and he will be sorely missed by students, alumni and staff. Arnie with his sons at the 2016 Xavier High School Graduation
Arnie VandenBoomen was named an honorary alumnus of Xavier in Ceremony where Arnie was named Honorary Alumni 2016. From 2016 and a scholarship fund has been established in his name. left to right: Rick' 72, Arnie H'16, Dave '75, and Mike '68. 46
X, The Xavier Magazine
• Summer 2020
