Joe Knipper

Post date: Jun 7, 2011 3:06:42 AM

First I, too, want to thank the committee for the endless time that they have put in for the upcoming event.

Upon leaving the Hive in '71 I spent then next 4 years at Stonehill College in Mass. I graduated with a degree in elementary education and was the senior class president and played all four years varsity soccer. I then had two stints of teaching and working for Sunshine Biscuits. I have three daughters from my first marriage. The oldest, Jaimie, who is an OBGYN in the the Air Force completing her residency at Penn State Medical in Hershey Pa. She was one of 45 students accepted 6 years ago where the Air Force has paid for three years of her education. She also had the first and only grandchild, Carter Joseph, who is now 18 months old. The next, Melissa, graduated from Quinnipiac and teaches in an autistic school in Eatontown. And the youngest, Heather, just graduated from Lafayette and will be attending Seton Hall Law School. Thank god I have written the last college check.

Currently I now work for ADT Security as a sales manager in the office in Edison, NJ. For my leisure time I have been a state certified wrestling official for 30 years and have been ranked high enough to have been selected as one of the six officials to officiate the state finals. I also am a state certified high school soccer official for 25 years and have done many state playoff games. I also am the commissioner for a 30 team softball league in Freehold for the past 16 years and still currently play and pitch for two modified softball teams. I have been married for the last nine years to Sharon and live in Freehold.

I look forward to seeing many familiar faces next week as it seems incredible it has been 40 years since we left. I still remember the days of walking down to Broad St to catch the bus and the morning bus which was loaded with many St Benedict's kids. Also who can forget Mr. K. In health class, Father Basil making you squat in the aisle for talking, Father John throwing those recorders when you weren't paying attention, Father O'Leary's detention classes standing completely still, and Dick Tapp's English vocabulary quizzes. And the battle of German, French and those Latin classes. I'm sure we all have so many memories. Looking forward to next Saturday.

Joe Knipper