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CLASS BULLETIN BOARD. These are items submitted by your classmates with the most recent on top. To submit information for the Bulletin Board just send us an email. |
Tom Meschery has completed the latest in his series of Brovelli Brothers Mysteries. Here’s a teaser:
Merriam was last seen driving away in her canary yellow Volkswagen transporter bus with Peace signs, Grateful Dead and flowers stickers on it. Victor and Vincent have promised to find her. Among hippies, Deadheads, anti-Vietnam War activists and criminals, it won’t be easy and probably dangerous.
The Case of the 1950 Volkswagen Hippy Bus is available from Amazon and other booksellers.
Again, we have learned of the deaths, many years ago, of two classmates, Bill King (in 2014) and George Vennemeyer (in 1996). We have moved their names from the Missing Classmates page to the Deceased Classmates page. Links to more information on Bill and George may be found there.
A while back we asked for your input for planning our 65th Reunion. Here are the responses we received:
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Thanks much for the update. Sorry to hear about Bob Milano. I will be unable to attend the 65th reunion as I’ve got a bit of a heart problem. It makes it tough to travel. I hope you all have a great time. Go Gaels! Jack Queen Yes, the class is getting smaller! The planned 2026 event, with all the others, looks overwhelming. I like the way we've done in these past few years. I just wish more would come! Yes, I'd love to go to the all-day event, but I'd need a nap time about every few hours!!! The celebration should be on campus. The Chapel and grounds of the school are forever in my memory; no school can match it! While we’ve had great dinners off campus, the real treat is celebrating with our classmates on campus. The Chapel and surroundings really bring back memories that no other place can. Mass in the Chapel is important for the gathering. The Bells again are key! Like our past Golden Gaels events, dinner and social hour are again an important part of the celebration. Finally, how do we get more of us old guys and our wives to attend? We need at least fifteen grads. I realize we're old but there should be at least that number that can come to the event. Paul Desrochers |
While the minimal response is hardly an overwhelming display of enthusiasm for any reunion, my sense is that there is little, if any, support for a day-long event culminating with dinner and loud music on the lawn. I will pursue hitching our 65th Reunion to the Golden Gaels Luncheon on May 30, 2026. I am sure that, if we come up with some attendees, the College would provide us with a private dining room near the chapel. This would be an ideal situation for us old geezers: mass, cocktails, lunch and conversation, minimal walking, and back home (or to the hotel) before dark.
Mark your calendars for May 30 and I will work to make our 65th Reunion a reality.
Thanks to information from Justin Kielty we have learned of the deaths, many years ago, of Matthew Carberry (in 2007) and John Tryforous (about 1995). We have moved their names from the Missing Classmates page to the Deceased Classmates page, which now lists 90 names. Links to more information on Matthew and John may be found there.
Our 65th Reunion is coming up next summer, and the College has announced its reunion plans. If you are on their email list you have learned that the former Reunion Weekend has been compressed into a long Saturday (July 18, 2026) beginning with, if you choose, 8am breakfast in Oliver Hall and ending with 7pm dinner and dancing on the Chapel Lawn. Designed for alums from 2021, 2016, 2011, 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1971, 1966, and 1961, the day is filled with activities.
The College has also announced that next year’s Golden Gaels Luncheon will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026. This annual event, for alums who have already celebrated their 50th Reunion, consists of 11am mass, followed by cocktails and lunch.
I don’t believe that either of these options offers what my classmates are looking for in what will be, for many of them, their last big reunion. Many have health issues that limit mobility or restrict travel. We are survivors (there are 88 deceased classmates on our memorial page) looking to get together one more time.
I have not volunteered to serve on the Reunion Committee. Before I speak up, I’d like your input, ideas, and thoughts about what would be your perfect reunion. Please email them to me. I’ll publish them here and, hopefully we’ll get some discussion going.
Al Cattalini, your devoted webmaster
We were saddened to learn that Bob Milano passed away on September 15. His death notice is available here.
Paul Desrochers, Al Cattalini, Vic LoGrasso, Gene Neri.
Some 70 alums, including the four classmates smiling above, attended the June 28 Golden Gaels Luncheon. More photos from the event are available on the Golden Gaels Photo Album.
It’s just three weeks until the Golden Gaels Luncheon — our 64th Reunion. It’s Saturday, June 28 and starts with mass at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel. After mass we’ll have cocktails, lunch, and lots of conversation. To purchase your $65 tickets (or see who’s coming) visit the Alumni Office website.
If you can’t attend, but want to share the day with your classmates, just send us a note. Tell us what’s new with you and we’ll share it at lunch. Looking forward to seeing you, or hearing from you, soon!
It’s time to book your reservation for the third annual Golden Gaels Luncheon. It’s Saturday, June 28 and starts with mass at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel. After mass we’ll move to Haggerty Lounge (you’ll remember it as “De La Salle Lounge”) for cocktails, lunch, and lots of conversation. You can purchase your $65 tickets on the Alumni Office website.
What’s a Golden Gael? Alums who have already celebrated their 50th Reunion are Golden Gaels. They get a fun reunion every year without loud music, bounce houses and face painting. And they can get home (or back to their hotel) before dark. What a great way to celebrate your 64th Reunion!
Tom Meschery’s daughter, Janai Meschery, lives in Petaluma and teaches school in Marin County. Recently, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat published a feature article about how Janai and her dad teamed up to teach schoolkids about critical thinking and conspiracy theories. You can read the article here.
Tom’s autobiography has recently been published. The Mad Manchurian is available from Amazon and other booksellers.
Joan and Al Cattalini pose with Father Tom after the mass.
The March 16 mass was a beautiful tribute to Russ. Father Tom McElligott mentioned Russ several times during the mass including references to Gael basketball, Eire Oge, and the Class of 1961. The College President, Dr. Roger J. Thompson, was at the mass and, at its conclusion, expressed his condolences for Russ.
Thanks to the efforts of Ted Tsukahara ’62, Russ Meskell will be remembered at a mass in the College Chapel at 11:00 a.m., Sunday, March 16. Not only is this the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, a special day for Gaels, it is Selection Sunday when the Gaels basketball players learn their spot in the NCAA brackets. The mass will be said by Father Tom McElligott (an Irishman, of course!), the College Chaplain. He’s the nephew of Liz McElligott who was the nurse at the dispensary during our days in Moraga. What an amazing confluence of things coming together to honor Russ!
Later that day you can join the Gaels as they watch the Selection Sunday spectacle on the giant video screen in UCU Pavilion. It’s free; the doors open at 2:30 p.m. with the show starting at 3:00 p.m.
We were saddened to learn that Russ Meskell passed away in April 2024. Additional information is available here
Registration is now available for the June 28th Golden Gaels Luncheon. Click here for more information and to sign up ($65) for the luncheon. Looking forward to seeing you there!
We were saddened to learn that Bob Geary passed away on January 26 after a seven year battle with Multiple Myeloma. Services are next week. His death notice is available here.
The College has announced that the 2025 Golden Gaels Luncheon will be held on Saturday, June 28. Mark your calendar and check here for more information in the coming months. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Gene Neri, Vic LoGrasso, Al Cattalini, Paul Desrochers
Gene, Vic, Al and Paul enjoyed getting together at the June 22 Golden Gaels Luncheon. We're sorry that health issues kept several other classmates from attending. We are looking forward to the 2025 luncheon — and more classmates. Stay tuned for details. More photos from this year’s luncheon are available here.
It's a bit gloomy with all these death notices, so here's another photo of Richard and Priscilla Aquino, apparently in Alaska. These folks do get around! Send us your photo and we'll publish it. We're not fussy.
We have just discovered that Gary Yazalina passed away in January, 2020. His death notice is available here.
We have just discovered that Frankland Banks passed away in January, 2020. His death notice is available here.
We also discovered that a Ronald Abajian passed away in Downey, CA in 2003. Although the information is sketchy, we think he was our classmate, Ronald Abajian, and have moved his name to our deceased classmates page. More information is available here. Ronald, if you are still alive, please let us know and accept our apologies!
The Athletic, the sports component of the New York Times, published a feature article on Tom Meschery today. You can read it here.
Building on the success of last year’s event, the College has scheduled the second annual Golden Gaels Luncheon for Saturday, June 22. Mark your calendar now for this fun day on campus which starts with mass at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel. After mass we’ll move to Haggerty Lounge (you’ll remember it as “De La Salle Lounge”) for cocktails, lunch, and lots of conversation.
More information — and the opportunity to purchase your $65 tickets — are available on the Alumni Office website.
For earlier Bulletin Board items, click here.