Holy Family
Alumni News

    Volume 2, Issue 1
March, 2000


From the top....Fr. Bill Bigelow

Dear Friends,

Greetings from South Park and Tifft Sts. Good things happening here remind us that we are alive and well! The great spirit of Holy Family School continues to light the way for our young students today as it did for you in years past,

Some notable "firsts" happened this school year; our first alumni All Years Class Reunion held just before Thanksgiving - it was a great evening and in the midst of the fun and laughter were clear calls - "Let's do it again next year" (it's fine with me if Tom Brinkworth '49 will organize it again next year); the efforts of our first real Development Committee have bode well for our school; our first use of the new computer lab and computers secured through Oshei Foundation. Good things are happening at our first Alma Mater.

In January 2000, we celebrated the funeral mass of Joe Keeves, Jr. who is a 1956 graduate. His brothers and sisters were also graduates and, while they have not lived in the area for a number of years, they requested to have Joe's funeral here. In talking to the family, it was wonderfully evident how much they all valued their years at Holy Family School. They spoke joyfully and lovingly about their teachers, classmates and memories. It is my hope that we can continue to provide the kind of Forever experiences for the class of 2000 and beyond.

One of the ways we are trying to provide the HFS experience into the future is to develop a "tuition assistance" program for those families who may not be able to afford the full payment of the annual tuition. This year it is $775.00 per student and it will surely increase in the years ahead. Our Development Committee is working on ways to establish a fund which will provide monies for this most worthwhile and necessary effort. Please read the newsletter carefully, rekindle the rich memories you have and be alert as to how you might want to be a continuing part of sharing a rich future with our present students. May God bless you all!

Martin Byrne
Helen Brown Zeck
Jeanne Ford Cross
Nancy Mahoney Doherty
Marcia McCarthy
Pauline Szarlella
Sr. Catherine Karick
Sr. Mary Agnita
The Millennium
Celebration!
Need help planning
Your 50th?

Call Pat Crowley
(716) 662-3268
For info and
Class list
Good things are
Happening at our
First Alma Mater!
Together
We can continue
To provide
"Forever" Experiences
For the class of 2000
And beyond

"HAPPY DAYS" REMEMBERED

About fifty members of the class of '49 and their spouses gathered at Romanello's South on September 18th, to share many memories and a lot of laughs. Some came from as far as California to renew friendships and get caught up on the "news" of fellow classmates. After dinner, class president, Dan Berry, who came in from Rochester, recalled some of the highlights of his class's days at HFS, followed by the recollections of Kay Kearns and Joan Klipfel Lillis.

On Sunday morning, the Class gathered for mass at Holy Family (they all sat on the boys side.) After mass they shared breakfast in the school and Sister Pat Collins, principal, led them all on a "tour". Stories were flowing fast and humorously in every classroom they entered.

In addition, the class donated $1600 to the school! ... a testimony to their affection for a time and place that had a profound affect on their lives.

$1600 super gift! Thanks class of '49 From all the students Of HFS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Alumni of Holy Family School,

We recently celebrated Catholic Schools Week and have been very busy. All had a very enjoyable week filled with many activities.

Father Bill celebrated a beautiful liturgy with all parents, children and faculty. Children from each class participated and the Folk Group helped with the music. Mr. Brian Higgins, Erie County Legislator visited Holy Family School and proclaimed Catholic Schools' week. He spoke to all our students and encouraged them to follow their dreams. General Mills provided the cereal and all students enjoyed a healthy breakfast. Pajama Day and Crazy Hat Day provided fun for children in K-4. Career and Casual Day was a big success for students in 5-8.

Elections were held by the class of 2000, with the following results:
President, Laura Goodfellow,
Vice President, Michael Reyes,
Treasurer, Valerie Lenk and
Secretary Jessica Quinn.

Buffalo News Spelling Bee contest was held during the week. Michael Reyes, 2000, is our Champion and Andrew Potaczala, 2000, is runner-up. 6th, 7th and 8th graders participated while 5th graders cheered them on.

Most of the eighth graders have received their acceptance letters for High School. Michael Reyes and Alex Miklos are winners of the Crowley Scholarship Award to Bishop Timon-St. Jude. Andrew Potaczala won a scholarship to Canisius and is named an Ignatius scholar. Kandance Hurysz won a Scholarship to Villa Maria Academy. Congratulations! We are very proud of you.

Holy Family School will be represented at Mt. Mercy, Immaculata, Timon-St. Jude, St. Francis, Canisius, Hutch, McKinley and South Park. Good luck to all and thanks to their teachers.

Our Computer classes are going quite well. We always appreciate any help in our Technology Program. So if you have some time and talent to share (or software) please do not hesitate to call me at (716) 826-6017. Our thanks to Jay Diggins who will be sharing his expertise in this field. Your support of our school and our Children is truly a blessing!

Sincerely, Sr. Patricia Collins

Join us Sunday, June 4th
(after 11:30 Mass)
"Change" for the Future
(line the church steps with coins)
Followed by a great
Chicken Bar-B-Que

Every little bit helps: Save your Tops Tapes, Box tops from General Mills products for Education, labels from Campbell soup products... . send them to Fr. Bill at the Rectory. The school will benefit greatly!

HOLY FAMILY ALUMNI

The following people have joined the newly formed HFS Alumni Association. THE STUDENTS OF HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
If you have not joined the Alumni Association and wish to do so, please send the following information along with $10.00 to the Rectory and your membership card will be mailed to you:
Name.... Maiden Name...... Full address.......... Year graduated
Telephone number........Spouse's name
CLASS OF 1923
Neary, Al

CLASS OF 1926
Broderick, Evelyn (Ridge)
Jackson, Clara (Kelly)

CLASS OF 1928
Bigelow, Vincent
Dietzel, Margaret (Caulfield)

CLASS OF 1929
Corcoran, William

CLASS OF 1934
Bacco, Julia

CLASS OF 1935
Eddy, Jim
Scofield, Harold

CLASS OF 1936
Hammond, Helen
Kingston, Eileen (Harrigan)
MacFarlane, Betty (Lucitt)
Meegan, Mary (Hourihan)
Pigeon, Roger
Reidy, Fran
Walterich, Charles

CLASS OF 1937
Craven, Norine (Clouden)
O'Brien, Bill
Thompson, Marion (Ryan)

CLASS OF 1938
Barrett, Anne Marie
Colwell, Betty (Beeny)
Conrad, Monica (Dietrick)
Curry, Jean (Eggleston)
Long, Iris
Phelan, Grace (Ridge)
Pigeon, Clarence
Spengler, Virginia (Sansen)

CLASS OF 1939
McCracken, Margaret
Pigeon, Roland

CLASS OF 1940
Dauer Loraine (McCracken)
Gehrman, Edna
Lalley, Rosalind
Smith, Regina (Colwell)
Sullivan, Doris (Murphy)

CLASS OF 1942
Bigelow, Regina (Schamann)
Lalley, June and Red
McDonald, Jack
McNamara, Betty (Healy)

CLASS OF 1943
Booth, Patricia (Murray)
Sullivan, John

CLASS OF 1944
Cullen, Eugene
Maher, Joyce (Nichols)
McDonald, Norine (Rogers)
Moebius, MaryLou (Walsh)
Quinn, Jean (Ryan)
Walker, Marilyn (Strong)

CLASS OF 1945
Engel, Joan (O'Connor)
Kumpf, Shirley (McKay)
Newton, Estelle (Hayes)

CLASS OF 1946
Klipfel, Margaret
Neenan, Anne
Tracy, Robert

CLASS OF 1947
Foy, Carole (Halliman)
Hall, Sheila (O'Neill)
Kless, Pat
Malloy, Janet
Stark, MaryLou (Reilly)

CLASS OF 1948
Flowers, Jean (Perring)
Marth, Mildred (Cullen)

CLASS OF 1949
Bachman, Betty (Dreyer)
Barrett, Kevin
Brinkworth, Tom
Crowley, Joe
Dubois, Ron
Ellis, Marge (Orlando)
Lillis, Joan (Klipfel)
Maloney, Sister Sally
O'Donnell, Sheila
Tracy, Helen (Williams)

CLASS OF 1950
McCarthy, Marcia
Szarlella, Pauline

CLASS OF 1951
Dalton, Nelson, Jr.
Farrell, Noreen (Kremer)
Foley, James
Gannon, Joseph
Kelleher, Barbara (Massett)
Luckino, Joan (Griffin)
Sullivan, Kathleen
Watz, Nancy (McMahon)

CLASS OF 1952
Fitzgerald, Joseph
Gehen, James
Karnath, Mary (Nash)
Kent, Mary Jane (Ring)
Kurek, Lorraine (Minor)
Strong, Charles

CLASS OF 1953
Stevens, Joanne (Martin)
Williams, Theresa

CLASS OF 1954
Abate, Mary Ann (Gern)
Dickman, Paul
Foote, Donna (Neil)
Mullins, Madelyn (Mahoney)
Paluch, Virginia (Skrip)
Schwartz, Virginia (Minor)
Takac, Kathleen (Dietzel)

CLASS OF 1955
Curran, Paul
Gugliuzza, Rita (Buckley)
Nash, John
Steck, Jerry

CLASS OF 1956
Banko, Jim
Buckley, Joseph
Kelly, Margaret (Berner)
Kennedy, Patricia (Walsh)
Lynch, Jon
Maher, Phil
Schreier, Ellen (Keany)
Walh, Patrick

CLASS OF 1957
Joseph, Ray
Wilson, Charles
Barrett, Sheila

CLASS OF 1958
Bigelow, Jane
Connley, James
Denecke, Nancy (Roesser)
Massari-Alfrets, Judy (Dickman)
Murray, Kathy (Milligan)
Nash, Diane
Romeo, Betty (Kimaid)
Sullivan, Anne (Nash)

CLASS OF 1959
Carey, Robert
Connolly, Patricia (Maloney)
Gern, Theresa
Harmon, Kevin
Mahoney, James
O'Connor, David
Ryan, Terry
Talty, Dennis
Walh, Michael
Wilson, Karen (Kollmar)
Zern, Mary Lou (Broderick)

CLASS OF 1960
Banko, Steve
Bigelow, Joyce
Brown, Helen (Barrett)
Harmon, John

CLASS OF 1961
Marlow, Maureen (Shanahan)
Martin, Michael
McIntyre, Lina (D'Amor)
Pugh, John

CLASS OF 1962
Kimaid, Ronald
Martin, Luanne (Emhof)
Poniatowski, Frank
Poniatowski, Joseph
Sweeny, Kathleen (Martin)
Walh, Mary Lou (Upton)
Wilson, Robert
Banko, Sharon

CLASS OF 1963
Beisiegel, Lea (DiCenzo)
Lyons, Bud
Nightengale, Martin
Parisi, Joseph
Wirth, Sheila

CLASS OF 1964
DiCenso, Dino
Long, Maureen (Meegan)
Martin, John

CLASS OF 1965
Craven, Charles
Mulvaney, Donna (Sullivan)

CLASS OF 1966
Hayden, Ann (Wilson)
McCarthy, Colleen (Craven)
Walh, Jerry

CLASS OF 1967
Walh, Eileen (Upton)

CLASS OF 1968
Burke, Kathleen (Sullivan)
Inglut, Joan (Craven)
Kimmott, William
McMahon, Frances (Nash)

CLASS OF 1969
Kelley, Thomas
Mayer, Nancy (Nickle)
O'Brien, Ruth

CLASS OF 1970
Sullivan, Mary
Williams, Nancy

CLASS OF 1971
Cannan, Beth (Craven)
Myers, David
Myers, Robert

CLASS OF 1972
Hoffman, Joseph
Kelley, Kevin

CLASS OF 1973
Borgesi, Angela (Caruan)

CLASS OF 1974
Guzzo, Rose (Parisi)
Nigrelli, Joseph
Ramsford, Ruth (Borgesi)

CLASS OF 1975
Williams, Elaine (Kelley)

CLASS OF 1976
Biddie, Lorine (Craven)

CLASS OF 1977
Moore, David

CLASS OF 1978
Beauchamp, Maureen (Conmy)
Brightman, Grace (Gibbons)
Clymer, Judy
Danahy, Susan (Nigrelli)
Dasta, Jo (Parisi)
Horrigan, Doreen
Kelly, Karen
Rozeski, Mary Pat (Foley)

CLASS OF 1979
Schwartzott, Eileen

CLASS OF 1980
Moran, Anne (Kelley)

CLASS OF 1981
Bigelow, Regina

CLASS OF 1983
Vivian, Kristin (Parisi)

CLASS OF 1989
Eagan, Colleen

CLASS OF 1995
Moores, Sue (Pettitt)

CLASS OF 1999
Long, Maureen

"Development Committee" Encouraged by Your Support

Almost a year ago, a small dedicated group of alumni and friends of HFS began researching and planning for the future development of HFS - dedicated to finding ways to support and encourage the needs and growth of a school you know to be rich in tradition and excellence. To date, a number of positive results have occurred thanks to their efforts and your support.... a very successful "all Classes Reunion", (thanks to all who helped) attracted almost 250 alumni to a great gathering and launched the formation of an HFS Alumni Association... . a brochure about HFS was created to be distributed in the community in conjunction with school registration for the year 2000... letters sent out seeking support from area businesses and corporations has thus far resulted in a $5000.00 donation from former graduate, Frank McGuire... . the annual "sweepstakes" which supports the school, had its best response thanks to your support and the growing alumni data base ... research continues on such programs as "Adopt-a-Student", "Adopt-a-Class", locating and applying to school funding foundations and the possible formation of an Endowment Fund earmarked for tuition assistance for HFS students.

The committee was encouraged by the Diocesan Development Director, Larry Carroll, who attended the last meeting. He remarked that the committee was a role model for elementary schools and pledged his support.

A special thanks to all of you ... your interest and enthusiasm has been terrific! If you care to support any of the programs mentioned above or have any ideas, talents or gifts to share, call Father Bill, (716) 822-0308. He's a good listener! Holy Family SChool is blessed by your encouragement and generosity.

Where are those pictures?

To those of you who attended the "All Classes Reunion" in November and ordered pictures from the event, It saddens me to report that the photographer has not fulfilled his obligation to you and to Holy Family School.

Father Bill, Tom Brinkworth and myself have made every effort to contact him and find out where the pictures are. Unfortunately we can't find the pictures or the photographer. This is a very serious matter that we are continuing to pursue with the proper authorities. We will make every effort to resolve this situation as quickly as possible and ask your cooperation in this regard. If you paid for a picture, please call the rectory and leave your name, address and phone number. This will help us determine the dollar amount involved in this Issue and will give direction toward resolving this matter. It is truly a shame that the spirit of such a great event is dampened by this misfortune. Your patience is greatly appreciated and I pray that we will see positive results in the very near future. Pat Crowley

COMING ATTRACTION

GOLF TOURNAMENT
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2000
BYRNCLIFF
TEE TIMES STARTING AT 10:30 AM
CALL 716 822-0308 FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER
GET A FOURSOME TOGETHER FOR A FUN TIME

Always Searching

As part of the new Development program at Holy Family School, we are working on a data base of all past graduates, (if you received this newsletter, you're in it.) But we need your help (again)
.....If you have the name, address and date graduated of any former students, we would appreciate your filling out the following form and mailing it to:
Development Program
Church of the Holy Family
1885 South Park Avenue,
Buffalo, NY, 14220

Don't worry about duplicating what we already have. We will check each form that comes in against the current data base..

Graduates currently living out of town are particularly hard to find.

Thanks again for all your help!
HOLY FAMILY GRADUATES

NAME_________________________

ADDRESS______________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

YEAR GRADUATED______________

MAIDEN NAME__________________

______________________________