Class Notes Spring 2009

Ken Breitschopf ’36, who retired as a 747 captain in January, 1979, has remained active with the Palo Alto Elks Club, including serving as captain of its golf association. “Now pushing 90,” he writes, “I golf with the Sunnydale Senior Golf Association, and for the past 35 years I have been the head usher at St. Nicholas Church.”

Dorothy Hart Fabian ’50, a retired Red Cross nurse, has been a member of the Powder Puff Clown Club for 43 years. She also volunteers in a reading program at a St. Paul, MN, elementary school and at Dorothy Day.

Paul Zerby ’51 reports that his novel, The Grass, was published in March, 2009.

Jim Hanzel ’52 has retired following 15 years as the first executive director of the Winona (MN) Area Public Schools Foundation. Jim’s wife, Shannon, retired from home-bound teaching for the district in June, 2008.

Marie Heim Emmer ’54 has lived in San Lucas Toliman in Guatemala for eight years. She says she doesn’t play golf or bridge, and she doesn’t need to go to a club to exercise. Her days are spent traveling from village to village in the back of a pickup truck visiting the poor, the sick, and the terminally ill—adults and children alike—and offering support and friendship. She can be reached at marieemmer@yahoo.com.

William J. Cutting ’55 is retired and enjoys bird hunting with his dog. He lives in Webster, WI.

David Mahmood ’56, founder/chairman of Allegiance Capital Corporation in Dallas, TX, celebrated his 70^th birthday in 2008 and still enjoys working. 

Robert Christensen ’58 and his wife, Nancy, enjoyed the 50-year anniversary class reunion very much.

Sue Barcelow Bury ’60 is retired and living in Hilton Head, SC, where she spends her time reading, walking the beach and playing bingo. She and her husband, Bill, have four grandchildren.

Bill Morrissey ’62 has retired from a career that included stints with the US Army, the University of Minnesota, 30 years with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and two years with the Wisconsin DNR.

Ray Kotowski ’63 owns two businesses in Carmel, IN, and credits his Cretin education for his many blessings.

Congratulations to Gen USA (ret.) Thomas Schwartz ’63 who was recognized in February, 2009, by his alma mater, West Point, with a 2009 Distinguished Graduate Award.

Pat Curley White ’64 founded Arizona Victims of Valley Fever to raise awareness and support for those afflicted with Valley Fever.

In 2009 Ron Hofmeister ’64 will complete his term as chairman of the board of trustees of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy in St. Louis, MO. He is looking forward to another year of involvement with the United States Tennis Association Davis Cup team, which allows for global travel opportunities.

Jim Hamburge ’66 has returned from Salt Lake City, UT, to continue his 39 years of commitment to Catholic education in his new role as President of Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria, MN.

Congratulations to Jim Scheuring ’68 who was included among an elite group of financial advisors who ranked in Barron’s magazine’s “Top 1000 Advisors; The Top Ranked Advisors in America State-by-State.”  Advisors were evaluated based on their assets under management, revenues, the quality of their practice and their regulatory records. Scheuring is with Merrill Lynch.

In December, 2008, Kevin Von Feldt ’68 produced and directed A Christmas Carol at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, CA, with Christopher Lloyd as Scrooge, John Goodman as Christmas Present and Jane Leeves as Mrs. Cratchit. “Charlie Berg would be proud,” wrote Von Feldt.

Jack Gleason ’70 asks members of the CDH community to keep Br. James Miller, FSC, in their prayers. Brother James, a former teacher at Cretin and Jack’s mentor and dear friend, was murdered in Guatemala in 1982.

Pat Wicker ’74 and his wife, Evelyn, have three children: Pat, Jr., who graduated from St. John’s University and is with Target Corporation; Christine, who is a senior at Gustavus; and Amanda, who is a senior at Apple Valley High School. The Wickers live in Burnsville, MN, and spend their summers at their lake home in Ottertail, MN.

John Reinartz ’81 reports that he and Paul Miller ’81 recently visited classmate, Joe Carruth ’81, at Joe’s home in Milwaukee, WI.

Donald Vidal ’81 teaches music at Northern Lights Community School. Over the years he says he has had the opportunity to perform with a number of famous musicians and singers, including Wayne Newton, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Big Walter Smith and Richard Street of The Temptations.

Jim Craig ’82 has retired after nearly 21 years in the Army. His career included overseas tours in Turkey, Honduras, Korea and Wales. Jim completed multiple deployments to Kuwait and two to Iraq. Other travels included Egypt, Israel, Germany, France,

Afghanistan, Demark and Japan. His most memorable assignment was an exchange to the British Army for two years where he was the only American in a British regiment, including the UK's 1st Armoured Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He now works for the Department of Defense as a civilian and can be found sailing his 30-ft. sailboat on Chesapeake Bay.

Bonnie Stokes ’82 and her 16-year-old son, Mario, live in Woodbury, MN. Bonnie is a recreation director for the city of St. Paul, MN, and reports that she is happy to work with a few of her classmates from Derham Hall and Cretin.

Chris Averill ’84 has been retired from the United States Air Force for more than two years. He is a deputy sheriff with the Meade County (Sturgis, SD) Sheriff’s Office working in patrol duty and as an evidence technician and crime scene investigator. He and his wife, Denise, have been married for 22 years and have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Wendy Benz Dimatteo ’85 and Brian (Kasson) Dimatteo ’86 have been married since 1993 and have two daughters, Francesca and Gabriella. Brian is the Director of Web Development for Peoplenet Communications and Wendy is Program Coordinator for the Hopkins Early Development Center.

Gina Mancini-Samuelson ’86, chair of the Chemistry Department at the College of St. Catherine, was one of four professors selected by the college to receive the Myser Award for Teaching Excellence. The Myser Award was created by Pat O’Connor Myser ’52 and her husband, John, to honor and reward the invaluable influence of teachers on students and alumni/ae. Also honored was John Christine Wolkerstorfer, CSJ, professor emerita of history and a former CDH Board member.

Rick Gallatin ’87 is the Coordinator for Police Staff Services for the Webster, NY, Police Department. 

Claus and Ingrid Clark Freyinger ‘90 welcomed the birth of their daughter in January, 2009. They also have a 2 ½ year-old son. Ingrid had been working for the San Francisco Symphony as an event manager when she recently relocated with her family from San Francisco, CA, to Miami, FL.

Anne Picard Rodenberg ’91 is the Communications and Marketing Manager at the Catholic Community Foundation. She encourages classmates to find her on Facebook.

Heather Wilson Grack ’92 and her husband welcomed their second son, Dane Charles, to the family. Dane joins big brother, Trenton, 4.

Hugh Hawkins ’93 and his wife, Joan, welcomed their daughter, Maya Grace, on October 30, 2008. Maya joins sister, Jazmine, 4, and brother, Ezekiel, 3.

Congratulations to Andy ‘94 and Katie Haugh Staples ’94 who welcomed a daughter, Jane Helen, on September 21, 2008. Jane joins big brother, Jack.

Peter ‘95 and Quincy Sawyer Flowers ’97 welcomed daughter, Rowan Berg, on December 14, 2008. The family lives in Layfayette, CO.

Vince Kelly ’97 co-founded Life Line Resources in 2006. The organization, based in Des Moines, IA, provides numerous statewide services, including individual and family therapy, psychological assessments, skill development services and outpatient substance abuse treatment. In February, 2009, Kelly and Life Line Resources (lifelineresources.health.officelive.com) were featured in the Juice section (dmJuice.com) of the Des Moines Register newspaper.

Molly Mattessich ’97 is the general manager of the new online networking community, Peace Corps Connect, for the Peace Corps Volunteers Worldwide at the National Peace Corps Association in Washington, D.C.

Sarah Walsh Kromrey '96 and her husband, Chad, welcomed their second child, Elliott Eldon, on June 13, 2008.  The family lives in Hammond, WI.

Monica Anderson Stark ’97 and her husband, Gary, welcomed the newest member of their family, Vincent Edwin, on January 29, 2008. He joins big brother, Robert, 2.

Katie Morin ’97 and her husband, Kevin Sullivan, welcomed their first child, Anne Louise, on November 25, 2008.

Megan Beattie ’05 is an intern with Cargo Mission Contract in Huntsville, AL, where the NASA space program began. The company designs and manufactures space flight hardware for the space shuttles. Megan is also working on some of the propulsion features of the new Ares rocket. She was thrilled to witness the launch of STS-126 in November, 2008, with astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper ’80 aboard. 

Congratulations to Ian ‘05 and Camille Brandt Grundhauser ’05 who were married on January 3, 2009.

Ben Kinne ’06, son of Mike ’83 and Carrie Tschida Kinne ’80 played in the NCAA Division I “Frozen Four” with the Bemidji State Beavers hockey team. The contest was held on April 9, 2009. “We are proud of his accomplishments,” wrote Mike. “Many people in the CDH community have helped shape Ben’s character and talents.”

Current parents Betsy Slattery and her husband, Dan Riley, are grateful for the support they have received in educating their five daughters!

Maselino and Fa’autu Tavale report that their sons, Napoleon ’03 and Ned ’05, are doing well. Napoleon is starting a Master’s Degree program at the University of Virginia and is taking some theatrical training. Ned is working on a BA degree in business communication at the University of Minnesota and plans to graduate in May, 2009.

Members of the CDH Alumnae Association (below right) teamed up with CDH students and staff at a Habitat for Humanity site in January, 2009.