Gene Neri, Vic LoGrasso, Al Cattalini, Paul Desrochers
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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. |
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 luincheon — 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 Your 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.
We were sorry to learn that Gene Neri’s wife, Marlene, passed away on November 5. Here is her death notice.
Al Cattalini recently visited Vic LoGrasso in Gallatin Gateway, Montana.
Richard and Priscilla Aquino celebrated their 61st anniversary on a cruise to Hawaii.
Once again we say goodbye to a beloved classmate. Dick Woods passed away on September 24 in Phoenix. Here is his death notice.
When Tom Meschery updated his phone number in the Class Directory we also received information about his blog and his website. Check out Tom’s blog mescherysmusings.blogspot.com to read his musings on sports, literature, and life. On the website Warrior14.com you’ll find information about the next book (coming soon!) in his mystery series featuring those Italian twins in the used car business.
While you are surfing the web, why not check your listing in the Class Directory to make sure it’s up to date? If you ask, we’ll add your blog and website.
We were saddened to learn today of the recent deaths of two classmates, Dave Delgado and Jim Looney. Click/tap a name to read their death notice.
Here are your classmates who attended the Golden Gaels Luncheon on June 3. From left to right: Ron Dirito, Bill Gerth, Al Cattalini, Bob Pola, and Armando Rendon. Vic LoGrasso, Tom Meschery and Gene Neri were last-minute cancellations due to spouse health issues. Paul Forney was also coming but fell off the turnip truck. View the full photo gallery from the event.
A Southern California Golden Gaels Luncheon will be held at San Gabriel Country Club on October 14, 2023 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tickets are available now.
Jack Dold reports the sad news that George Buckingham passed away recently. He said that George had been in poor health for quite some time. We’ll publish more information when it becomes available.
We are sorry to report that Doug Bodine passed away Saturday evening, June 24. Additional information is available here.
The Golden Gaels Luncheon is just over four weeks away. It promises to be a fun afternoon with fellow Gaels from long ago. Already signed up to attend are Paul Forney, Bill Gerth, Vic LoGrasso, Tom Meschery, Gene and Marlene Neri, Bob and Rochelle Pola, and Al and Joan Cattalini. Why not add your name to the list today?
As we previously announced, it’s on Saturday, June 3. The day starts with 11am mass in the chapel, followed by cocktails and lunch in the Soda Center. Featured speakers at the luncheon will be Tom Meschery '61 and Bob Hass '62. Total price is just $50.
For more information, see our 3/31 post (below) and visit the Alumni Office website.
We lobbied for it and the Alumni Office listened. Details are now out for the first annual Golden Gaels Luncheon. Designed for us older folks, it replaces the long Reunion Weekend with a classy Saturday event. As we previously announced, it’ll be on Saturday, June 3. The day starts with 11am mass in the chapel, followed by cocktails and lunch in the Soda Center. Featured speakers at the luncheon will be Tom Meschery '61 and Bob Hass '62. Total price is just $50.
We hope you’ll support this event and look forward to seeing you there. For those of you in Southern California, there will be an comparable event in San Gabriel on October 14. Of course, you are certainly welcome to attend both events!
For more information — and to sign up — click here.
We were sorry to hear from Armando Rendon that Harvey Mead passed away on January 14 in Quebec City. A celebration of life will take place on February 18th in Quebec. More information is available in his obituary.
On November 20, the San Francisco Chronicle published a feature article in its sports section describing Tom Meschery as a San Francisco legend who has eluded the recognition he deserves. The lengthy article paints a picture of Tom for generations of San Franciscans who have never heard of this local sports legend. You can read it here.
When we established the SMC61 website in 2010, we identified 263 persons who had, at one time or another, been affiliated with the Class of 1961. Those for whom we had contact information went into our Class Directory. The others went to our Deceased Classmates page or to our Missing Classmates page.
A male born in the U.S. in 1939 had a life expectancy of 62.1 years. If you are reading this, you’ve beaten that by twenty years. As would be expected, many classmates have passed on, and our deceased list has grown significantly, almost always by moving names from our directory. Our list of missing classmates has remained rather static at about 80 names.
We recently found six of these missing classmates. Sadly, none will appear in our Directory. We located their obituaries and moved their names to our Deceased Classmates page. You can read the obituaries of Jim Collin, Paul Connell, Jerry Gorham, Wayne Lukens, Richard McPhee, and William Menezes by clicking their names. We have missed their fellowship over the years and pray that they have found eternal life.
Jack Dold reports the publication of his seventh novel and twelfth book. It is called Crackers and features St. Mary’s High prominently and ends in the College chapel during the Summer of Love. More information is available on Amazon.com.
For some time, we have been lobbying the Alumni Office to rethink how we older alums celebrate class reunions. We don’t need bounce houses, face painting, loud music, and late-night dancing. Simply put, the “Reunion Weekend” format doesn’t work for us. We proposed a separate “Golden Gael Reunion” where we could enjoy conversation, cocktails, conviviality, fine dining, and an opportunity to get home before dark. While attendance by all Golden alums (50+ years since graduation) would be encouraged, there would be special arrangements for classes celebrating their 55th, 60th, 65th, etc., reunions.
We are pleased to see that the College has scheduled a Golden Gael Reunion for Saturday, June 3, 2023. We’ve heard that there may even be a Southern California version in October 2023. While we are looking forward to our 65th reunion in 2026, it’s nice to know that we won’t have to wait that long for an opportunity to get together. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
You know that Tom Meschery is an accomplished basketball player, a retired educator, and a published poet, but did you know that he has never published a novel? Until now. The Case of the ’61 Chevy Impala - A Brovelli Brothers Mystery was inspired by, and features, his classmates from St. Mary’s. Who are the twins with an Italian surname that establish an auto dealership? To read more about Tom and the novel, click here.
(We have to chuckle at the review published by the College. While noting Tom’s dedication to the precise use of words, the writer calls him a “hooper” instead of a “hoopster.” We hope Tom is laughing about that.)
We mourn the passing of Father Thomas Hayes. Here is his death notice.
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Fr. Thomas James Hayes O.P.February 20, 1932 - September 10, 2022
Fr. Thomas James Fr. Tommy’s ministries included teaching positions at Saint Albert’s College, Saint Mary’s College, Moraga, and Mount Saint Mary’s College, Los Angeles. He also served as chaplain to the students at Saint Mary’s College from 1962 to 1965. He was entrusted with many positions of leadership by his Dominican brothers, including being elected Prior of communities in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and serving as pastor and superior of the local Dominican communities at St. Dominic’s, Benicia, and Holy Family Cathedral, Anchorage. He also was appointed superior of the Dominican community in Menlo Park. In addition, he served as Director of the St. Jude Shrine in San Francisco, and, later, was the Director of Western Dominican Preaching. He promoted devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus in the parishes where he served, and was a national leader in the Association of Holy Name Societies. Fr. Tommy loved telling a good story and loved hearing a good story even more. He was humorous and fiercely loyal to his family and friends — and they are many. He loved his hometown of Benicia, his biological family, and his Dominican family. He was preceded in death by his brothers Jack and Michael, and is survived by his youngest brother, Jerry, and sisters-in-law Maryellen and Susan Hayes, his nieces Casey, Beth, Patty, Katie and Kristen, and his nephew, Michael Hayes, Jr. A vigil will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, San Francisco, on Friday, September 16, at 7:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 17, at St. Dominic Catholic Church, Benicia. Burial will follow at St. Dominic Cemetery, Benicia. A memorial fund has been established to honor Fr. Hayes. Following his wishes, gifts will support the education of his Dominican brothers still in initial formation. Please donate online at opwest.org/frthomashayes or by mail to Western Dominican Province, 5877 Birch Court, Oakland, CA 94618.
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We were sorry to learn that Rich Cabrera and Tim O’Keefe recently passed away. You can view their obituary by clicking their name.
We are happy to report that the College has updated it’s reunion webpage. Somewhat. It now presents a complete description of the reunion schedule but still doesn’t provide the opportunity to sign up for the dinner. Therefore, we continue to recommend that you not register at this time. You’ll find more information, and a link to the College website, at our updated SMC61 reunion page.
We’re still trying to get a head count of who’s coming. If you haven’t already responded to our informal email survey, please let us know if you are planning to attend, can’t make it, or are uncertain. Just send us an email.
You should have received an email yesterday from St. Mary’s announcing Alumni Reunion Weekend 2022. It has links for the schedule of events and for RSVPing. Unfortunately, because of significant errors on the SMC website (including omission of the dinner from the list of events), we recommend that you not register at this time. Instead, visit our updated SMC61 reunion page for the latest information.
And, if you haven’t already responded to our informal survey of who’s coming, please answer our April 23 email right away. We need this information as we work with the College to arrange the special reunion event we are expecting.
Our big “61 for 61” Reunion on July 16 is just three months away. If you’re coming from out of town, it’s time to think about hotel reservations. The Alumni Office has saved a limited number of rooms at the Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa (3287 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette) for a special rate of $230. (Regular rate is $415.) You can reserve a room, while they last, by calling (855) 382-8632 and asking for the special rate available for the St. Mary’s College Classes of 1961 and 1962.
There are many other hotel options in the area. Here are some rates for available rooms on July 16 found on a recent computer search:
Walnut Creek: Renaissance Walnut Creek $251, Embassy Suites $238, Walnut Creek Marriott $215, Holiday Inn Express $208, Renaissance Inn by Marriott $188.
Pleasant Hill: Residence Inn by Marriott $239, Homewood Suites by Hilton $220, Hyatt House $206, Sonesta Select $159, Extended Stay America $135.
Concord: Hilton Concord $149, Days Inn by Wyndham $144, Clarion Hotel Concord $142, Best Western Heritage Inn $140, Crowne Plaza $139.
You’ll be receiving more Reunion information from the College in the coming weeks. You can always find the latest information at the SMC61 Reunion Webpage. Looking forward to seeing you on July 16th!
If you were watching last night’s Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO you would have seen a familiar photo.
Maher was critiquing a futuristic vision of what airline service would be like. Let’s stop pretending this is what airline cabins are going to look like in the future. . . . You want to see the future of flying? It’s this!
You should have received an email from the St. Mary’s Alumni engagement Office today announcing their big Gaelebration
reunion weekend. Our 61 for 61
reunion on July 16 will be a special, discrete subset of this big event. If you missed the message you can read it
here.
Our special 61 for 61
Reunion webpage is available here. Always check it for the latest reunion information.
Covid-19 derailed plans for our 60th Reunion last summer. But your SMC61 Reunion Committee has been working to make sure we have a great one this year. It’ll be 61 years for the Class of ’61 and we’ll be celebrating it on Saturday, July 16. Working closely with the College, your committee has arranged for a private cocktail party and private dinner for our class that will follow a special reunion mass in the chapel. Since our reunion will take place during a gala reunion weekend on the campus, there will be other events available earlier in the day if you are interested.
We’ll have more information, such as discounted hotel rates, available before long. You’ll be receiving mailings from the College as well. If you are not currently on the College mailing list, let us know and we’ll get you on the list. You’ll always find the latest information on our website including a link to the College reunion page when it becomes available.
Your Reunion Committee (Paul Desrochers, Jim Bahan, Bob Pola, Paul Forney, Tom Uniack, Pat Sweeney, Dick Woods, and Al Cattalini) looks forward to seeing you in July.
In anticipation of a 61 for ’61
reunion later this year we’ve been working with the Alumni Office to update our class information. Sadly, their records added another twelve names to our listing of deceased classmates. Here are the names along with reported date of death:
With one exception these classmates were listed in our Class Directory. Does anyone recall Keith Mora? We have no record of him in any of our records and will have the College confirm his status. We will leave the other eleven names on our directory for a few weeks should you wish to contact family members. When we remove the names from the directory we’ll add them to our Deceased Classmates page.
With hopes for a 61 for ’61
reunion this year, we’ve worked on updating our email list. We tracked down Len Poli who now resides in Santa Rosa. He sent us this photo showing him and his wife, Lori, visiting what appears to be a European cathedral.
For earlier Bulletin Board items, click here.
