mercian - Mercy High School

A publication of the Mercy High School Alumnae and Advancement Office
The
MERCIAN
Vol. 33 No. 2
March 2009
President’s Letter
Jazz It Up Fiesta
Alum Lines
Alumnae News
Faculty Focus
Reunion Notes
P. 2
P. 3
P. 10
P. 14
P. 18
P. 19
2
Reflections
from the President
Dear Mercy Family,
In November, I submitted my resignation to the
Board of Directors, notifying them that the time had come
to search out new co-leadership for the role of president
here at Mercy High School. Since that time, much as
happened to move the process forward. The public here
in Omaha was informed by the Catholic Voice and the
Omaha World Herald, a search committee has formed and
a communication was sent to selected alumnae urging
them to nominate candidates. It is my pleasure to bring all
of you up to date.
First, the search committee: Sister Corrine
Connelly, former principal and current Board member, has
agreed to serve as chairperson for the search committee.
She leads a committee of seven which includes board
members, current parents, and former board members. I
am happy to report that, at the time of this writing, there
are three candidates under consideration. It is our sincere
hope that a new co-leader of our school will be announced
before the end of this school year.
Second, the website: you can explore the
Presidential Search process by clicking on that heading on
the front page of the Mercy High website www.mercyhigh.
org Here you will find all the information that has been
shared with anyone interested in the position.
Finally, please pray that the Holy Spirit guides us
to the right person for this position and that the transition
goes smoothly. Mercy High School is blessed with
outstanding instructional leadership in our principal, Ms.
Carolyn Jaworski ’64, who has assembled an excellent
faculty. The Board of Directors, the administration,
faculty and staff, as well as the Sisters of Mercy, are
deeply committed to our Mercy mission which promotes
accessibility to all through commitment to negotiated
tuition and to the liberal arts curriculum.
In other arenas—congratulations to our recruiter,
Ms. Anne Zadina ’00, on her terrific work in recruiting 129
test-takers for this year’s placement test. Soon we will be
enrolling the class of 2013; we are looking forward to a
total school enrollment of 375 to 385.
The Advancement Office is wrapping up Fiesta
2009, “Jazz it up—Mardi Gras a la Mercy”. Needless to
day, the work of our parent and student volunteers made
this 25th anniversary event truly successful. Even in the
face of difficult economic times, Mercy grossed between
$275,000 and $280,000. This will translate into about
$225,000 for negotiated tuition! This is a truly amazing
feat.
Once the work of Fiesta is at peace for the year,
we will dive deeply into Phonathon and planning for a
new capital campaign. I am amazed and encouraged by
the wonderful work done on behalf of our Mercy mission
by so many of our alumnae, parents, former parents and
friends of Mercy.
The last twenty-one years with the Mercy
community here at 48th and Woolworth have been such a
blessing in my life. I thank each and every Mercy girl,
Mercy parent, Mercy alum, and Mercy supporter for letting
me be part of the amazing heritage of this most unusual
institution. I am looking forward with both nostalgia and
excitement as we prepare for another May Crowning and
Graduation.
Sincerely in God’s tender Mercy,
Sister Johanna Burnell, RSM
President
Student workers L to R: Irmeida Denanyo, Calena
Morehead, Nickie Emsick and Killian Matsunami
Fiesta general chairs Veronica and Randy Wright with
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM, president.
3
Mardi Gras a la Mercy ~ FIESTA 2009
On February 22, Mercy High School was transformed for
“Jazz it up! Mardi Gras a la Mercy 2009 Fiesta” with lively
scenes on the French Quarter terrace and a host of activities
on Bourbon Street. The brightly colored decorations
of gold, green and purple, accented with balloon arches,
centerpieces, and beads for all to wear, complimented the
festive atmosphere.
The evening began with Mass in Our Lady of Mercy Chapel
said by Msgr. James Gilg, Superintendent of the Omaha
Catholic Schools and pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Parish.
After Mass, guests had the opportunity to socialize, bid on
750 silent
auction
items, 42
super silent
auction
items and
159 gift
baskets
and gift
certificates.
L to R: Anthony Vacanti, Tom and Kathy Wells, and Terri
Vancura Vacanti ’73
For the
sixth year,
John Glenn,
father of Amanda Glenn ’07, served as emcee for the
evening with live auctioneer, John Temme. Over 37 items
were auctioned, and guests had an opportunity to invest in
the Sister Johanna Burnell, RSM Scholarship, as a special
tribute to Sister Johanna.
A Cajun meal, which included a king cake for each guest,
was catered by Attitude on Food. The Mercy High School
Show Choir, The Treble Makers, performed “Brand New
Day,” words and music by Luther Vandross, from The Wiz;
“Astonishing,” music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi
Dickstein, from Little Women, the Musical; “Rhythm of the
Night,” words and music by Diane Warren.
Student Council President, Milana Jordan ’09, spoke about
the impact of diversity and the value of negotiated tuition
on her Catholic education. “At Mercy every student
gets the unique and remarkable opportunity to become
lifelong friends with young women of different ethnicities,
experiences, and socioeconomic classes,” Jordan said.
“This opportunity is made possible with negotiated tuition,
offering each of us a Catholic education rooted in faith,
knowledge and service, and giving all young women a
lifetime advantage.”
Mercy’s negotiated tuition is a morally just, confidential,
individualized covenant between Mercy and each family,
respecting family needs and income, and providing equal
access. The annual Fiesta celebration, with nearly 500 in
attendance, raised over $225,000 for negotiated tuition.
General Chairs Randy and Veronica Wright and the parent
committees prepared months for the event, making sure it
was a memorable event for all who attended.
The parent raffle winners were as follows: first place, Nancy
Rauterkaus, parent of Reid Rauterkaus ’11 (one year tuition),
second place, Patrick and Susan Lacy, parents of Cassie
Lacy ’11 (2009-2010 fees) and third place Bob and Mary
Gonderinger, parents of E.J. Gonderinger ’09 and Christine
Gonderinger ’12 ($250 book voucher). The $10,000 grand
prize went to Jackie Alberts, long time friend of Brad Mount,
Mercy parent and Raffle Chariman who sold the winning
ticket.
Kevin McCoy Honored at FIESTA
The Heart of Mercy . . . springs
from the heart, the result
of prayer and sacrifice, the
motivation for all good works,
and the gracious flower of justice.
Instituted to recognize and bless our
partners in ministry who espouse
Sr. Johanna Burnell, our mission of careful instruction of
RSM, with Kevin McCoy young women, the Cor Misericordiae
after presenting him with Award, honors our generous
the Cor Misericordiae
partners in ministry. Mercy High
award.
School of Omaha enjoys a rich
tradition and long history in Catholic
education. None of us acts without the aid, assistance
and support of our significant others. The Sisters of
Mercy, the Board of Directors, the faculty and staff, our
alumnae and our friends and donors conspire together to
make “Mercy” happen here in Omaha.
It is our honorees who enable us to serve our
girls in a true spirit of Mercy, without reference to a
family’s ability to pay. This year’s recipient of the Cor
Misericordiae Award is Kevin McCoy. Kevin served
on the Board of Directors for nine years and was the
chairperson of the Finance Committee and a member
of the Executive Committee all of that time. Kevin
has devoted countless hours of time and talent, not to
mention his donations of treasure, to the mission of
Mercy High School. It is his intelligent and diligent
assessment of Mercy’s financial status, not to mention his
tireless dry wit, that has contributed to the success our
school now enjoys.
4
“Home for the Holidays” A Young Alumnae Gathering
Nearly 45 alumnae from 2004-2008 attended the Young
Alumnae Gathering “Home for the Holidays” in January.
Alumnae came home to their Mercy family and reminisced
about their memories and the school improvements. The
evening began with dinner, catered by Valentino’s Pizza,
great conversation and door prizes for Mercy memorabilia.
Following the dinner, alumnae toured the school and
attended the varsity basketball game.
“Upon arrival, we young alums instantly gravitated towards
our respective classmates and spent the next hour squeezed
around a familiar lunch table, swapping updates about work,
school, weddings, and babies before inevitably launching
into favorite stories of our MHS antics,” Katelyn Cherney
’04 said. “I was struck by the thought that, even though I
feel as if I have grown in myriad ways since my graduation
from Mercy, whenever I get back together with the girls from
my class, I feel like the exact same person I was back then...
which is just fine, since that is probably my favorite version
of myself!” Nicole Mixan ’08 shared “The young alum
event was an excellent opportunity to see my old friends
and catch up on their lives. Sharing our stories allowed each
of us to connect our lives once again in our sisterhood of
Mercy. Reuniting with great teachers and staff was heart
warming; I could instantly feel the spirit of Mercy as soon as
I began chatting with my former classmates and teachers.”
L to R: Sr. Jeanne O’Rourke, RSM, Ashley Shrader, Theresa Neumann, Jessica
Brannen Mihovk, Katelyn Cherney, Katie Wang
Seated from left: Maria Jones, Brittany Henry, Kelsie Wright, Katie Kresl,
Brittany Schaefer, and Jessica Thiele. Standing: Heather McLain, Sarah Bender,
Nicole Mixan, and Julia Krolikowski.
(seated) Katie Wang, Meg Latka, Jessica Brannen Mihovk, Katelyn Cherney,
Ashley Shrader (standing) Ann Adams Fanciullo, Theresa Neumann
L to R: Stephanie Gradoville, Lisa Bowyer, Ms. Carolyn Jaworski, and Anne
Lavelle
Memorial Mass Honors Those Who Have Died
Over 100 alumnae, Sisters of Mercy, family and friends
joined in collective prayer and remembrance of their
loved ones during the Memorial Mass in November. Fr.
Kevin Schneider, SJ presided over the liturgy in Our Lady
of Mercy Chapel. Alumnae who served in the Mass
were: Sharon Palladino Burns, SM ’53, Jennifer Wrobleski
’91, and Marcy Harrington ’85 as lectors and petitioner,
Cathy Kessler along with her daughters, Calla and Annie
offered the gifts; Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM, Sr. Judy
Pat Healy, RSM ’60, Sr. Rayleen Giannotti, RSM, Holly
McCoy and Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff ’65 as EMHC’s;
and as servers, Megan Arens ’09 and Ana Chilcott ’09.
Bernadette Smith ’68 directed and accompanied Roz Parr
’09, the cantor, and the Mercy High School singers: Katie
Johanek ’09, Megan O’Hara ’09, Danielle Dyer ’10 and
Elyssa Sitti ’11.
Following Mass, a reception was held in the Daniel E.
Sheehan Memorial Library. The Memorial Wall, which
lists those who have been memorialized form 1980 to the
present, was viewed by those who attended. “The visual
tribute of the Memorial Wall offers reflection of those
who have left an everlasting impact on us,” said Sister
Johanna Burnell, president of Mercy.
5
Sophomore Career Fair Leads
to Mentoring Opportunities
The third annual Alumnae/Sophomore Career Fair, held
in January, provided the 78 sophomores an opportunty
to explore careers of their interest. Alumnae shared their
expertise, provided an insider’s look at careers and what
education/certifications are needed for that specific career.
“I loved the opportunity to come back to Mercy and share
my career experience with the sophomores,” said Christine
Clines Eisold ’96. “I co-facilitated with Kimberly Bujarski
’98. While both of us are primary school teachers, she went
to college out of state, I went to college in state; she teaches
in a Catholic school and I teach in a public school; two very
different angles, both with equally important perspectives we
shared with the girls.”
“The career representatives shared with me what college
classes are needed, the pros and cons of the careers, and
specifics details about each career,” said Ellen Altman
’11. “It was reassuring for me to know that Mercy is
preparing me well for any career I choose.” The career fair
provided mentoring opportunities between the alumnae and
sophomores. “Both of the primary school teachers said we
could shadow them in their classroom setting,” said Malorie
Timmins ’11. “I plan to do just that.”
Career Field & Alumnae Representatives
Business
Nicole Hahn Jesse ’80
Caroline Hartung Thompson ’90
Culinary Arts
Jacqueline Rynes Caniglia ’89
Doctor
Therese M. Safranek, M.D. ’73
Christine Chonis Jeffrey, M. D. ’75
Musician & Music & Languages
Phyllis Beda Dunne ’67
Anne Marie Kenny ’69
Nursing
Michelle McCann Landolt ’81
Amanda M. Fulton ’98
Occupational/Physical Therapy
Shawn Donovan Frohloff ’89
Theresa K. Levy ’97
Photographer
Lara Adkins Hanlon ’99
Police
Colene “CoCo” Hinchey ’88
Psychiatrist/Psychologist
Mary Hamilton Glassman ’71
Sports Medicine
Laura Imig*
Teacher-Primary
Christine Clines Eisold ’96
Kimberly Bujarski ’98
Teacher-Middle
Laura Vacanti Thoreen ’94
Teacher-High School
Mary Ann Wieberg Tietjen ’90
(*career representative, not an alumnae)
Lara Adkins Hanlon ’93, photography representative, shares her career experience
with a group of sophomores during one career session.
Mercy Apparel Now Available on our Website
What to wear? How about some new Mercy apparel? Check out Mercy’s on-line store at www.mercyhigh.org to order
alumnae t-shirts, onesies, sweatshirts and t-shirts in adult and youth sizes.
Natalie Mawson, daughter of Chris
and Jenny Taylor Mawson ’93, models
a Mercy onesie.
Julia Krolikowski ’08
and Heather McLain
’08 model the new
alumnae t-shirts.
6
Advancement Office Update
Here are just a few things to keep in mind:
With the markets in turmoil, planning for the here and now
seems daunting enough; planning for the after-I-die is even
less appealing. Nobody likes talking about death, telling
relatives what they’re going to inherit or wading into estate
planning jargon. But if you haven’t determined the ultimate
distribution of your investments and property, you won’t
control what happens to your assets when you die—and your
family will be forced to make hard decisions without your
guidance.
This is why estate planning is so important, no matter how
small or large your estate may be. It allows you, while you are
still living, to ensure that your property will go to the people
and charities you want, in the way you want, and when you
want. It permits you to save as much as possible on taxes,
court costs and attorneys’ fees; and it affords the comfort
that your loved ones can celebrate your life and mourn
your passing without being simultaneously burdened with
unnecessary red tape and financial confusion.
Knowing that we should develop an estate plan does not
ensure that we will. The fast pace of our lives often serves
as a ready excuse for avoiding the important task of taking
stock of our resources and deciding how they can be used
to meet our objectives. Good stewardship demands that we
make careful plans and continue to review those plans as
our personal circumstances and the economic environment
changes.
Estate planning can be described as the process of
transferring assets, during life as well as at death, to
ensure that they are distributed in the manner the estate
owner wishes. Although saving taxes is a priority, most
important is one’s desire to transfer assets to the people and
organizations (s)he wants, in the proper amount and with the
proper timing. The process of creating a plan encourages
thoughtful deliberation about our resources and priorities
-- what they mean to us and our families. It can bring into
focus our personal as well as financial objectives with regard
to what is really important for us to accomplish. It can
help us realize our desire to provide a meaningful legacy to
institutions such as Mercy High School that work to serve
our society.
•
It is estimated that over 60% of Americans
die without a valid will leaving state statutes to
determine the estate’s disposition and relatives and
friends to speculate about the descendant’s wishes.
•
While tax reduction is a legitimate and proper
consideration, the benefits of estate planning are not
limited to those with taxable estates.
•
Because planning an estate can be complex, always
involve the assistance of an attorney who specializes
in this area.
•
The planning process should begin early. Death
often comes unexpectedly, and each of us needs to
give thought to how we want to distribute what we
own.
•
Charitable giving techniques in an estate plan can
help achieve personal goals and significantly reduce
taxes, as well as advance a favorite cause in the
future.
Tax Considerations
Any person who dies with an estate of more than the
current exempt amount ($3.5 million in 2009) will be subject
to federal estate tax, assuming no taxable lifetime gifts were
made. This amount is scheduled to be repealed for one
year in 2010. Unless further legislation is passed, estate tax
rates and exempt amounts from 2002 will be reinstated on
2011. Some states are increasing their estate tax to offset
reductions in the federal estate tax. Depending on the state
or states in which a person lives and/or owns property, the
person’s estate may be subject to estate taxes in one or more
states.
In spite of recent market setbacks, most people know that
the values of their estates have been rising over the years,
especially if they own publicly traded securities or real
estate—assets that have generally appreciated despite the
ups and downs of the marketplace. Although the tax laws
have become more generous, tax planning should still be
a consideration in estate planning for more people during
these years of uncertainty.
Two keys to good planning for reduction of taxes in an
estate are the marital deduction and the charitable deduction.
Married people tend to have more tax-saving options than
single people; however, regardless of marital status, if saving
7
taxes is important to you, please consider that any bequest to
a charitable organization is estate tax–free.
In Conclusion
Taking the time to create an estate plan is the best way to
ensure that your personal and financial goals are achieved for
the benefit of your family and those charitable institutions
important to you. The complexity and changing nature of
tax laws require the assistance and expert counsel of an
attorney and, in some cases, other tax advisors.
Mercy High School appreciates your interest and your
commitment to our mission. We stand ready to provide you
with information on how a charitable gift in your estate plan
can be beneficial to you and help secure the future of our
school. Please complete and return the confidential reply
card below to request further information or if you wish to
speak with someone on our staff.
CONFIDENTIAL
I am pleased to inform you that I have provided
for Mercy High School in my estate plan
Please send me more information on the various ways of providing for Mercy High School
through planned giving.
I would be interested in speaking with someone at Mercy High School about estate plans/
planned gifts.
Name ____________________________________
Address __________________________________
City, State, Zip _____________________________
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff ‘65
Vice President for Advancement
Mercy High School
1501 S. 48 St.
Omaha, NE 68106-2504
(402) 553-9424
Email: [email protected]
Home Phone ______________________________
Business Phone ____________________________
E-mail Address ____________________________
(The information contained herein should not be
considered tax or legal advice. For information
pertaining to your individual circumstances, please
consult your attorney and/or tax advisor.)
Alumnae Rock the House at Appreciation Evening
Over 180 alumnae were ushered into Franey Hall for the Alumnae Appreciation evening on October 23 despite the chillin’
cold weather and rain. But the weather didn’t dampen the spirit of the event. Cast members warmed up the audience with an
interactive teaser of the School House Rock LIVE! musical and taught dance steps to the famous tune, “Conjunction Junction.”
Alumnae rocked the house as they sang along and cheered to the performance of the Emmy Award-winning 1970’s Saturday
morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math, science and politics through clever, tuneful songs. “I loved the
production,” said Pat Schleich Kelley ’67. “It was a really fun evening and great intermission snacks.”
L to R: Shirley Sohler Mendenhall, SM ’49 and Maryann Schneiderwind
Morris, SM ’45
Jeannie Coughlin Wright ’91 with daughter, Morgan, a
future Mercy girl
8
Anniversaries
In Celebration
50th
Frank & Marjorie Ostransky Fibich, SM ’54
Weddings
Kellie Brannen ’96 and Ben Mihovk
Jayne Marie Pehrson ’98 and Gregory Paul Gentry
Elizabeth “Beth” Tiehen ’98 and Chad Kreikemeier
Lara Adkins ’99 and Christopher Hanlan
Annie Adams ’04 and Robert Fanciullo
40th
Robert & Mary Krayneski
Parents of: Melissa Krayneski Kraft ’94, Nicole Krayneski
’96, and Laura Krayneski ’00
25th
Marty & Kathleen Murnan Pflug ’81
Parents of: Molly Pflug ’04 and Monica Pflug ’09
Births
William Thomas to Mark & Jennifer Snitily Munchrath ’89
Brendan Ty to Bret & Jeanne McKenna Batchelder ’92
Gabriella Antonia to Marco & Melyssa Klaas Ritzo ’92
Bianca Christine to Kris & Michaela Kubat Valentin ’92
Thomas Guy to Marc & Kayla Thomas Haire ’93
Hayden to Aaron & Shawna Forbes Johnson ’94
Charles (Charlie) Dennis to Jeff & Karisa Robino
Riesselman ’97
Hannah Ryan to Mike & Maggie McGrath Wittland ’97
Carson Matthew to Eric & Lea Kalamaja Coffman ’98
Lincoln Danger to Lucas & Kelly Callahan Ward ’99
Augustine Joshua to David & Angela Burton Vogel ’00
Fiona Joyce to Nathan & Anna Mulcahy Magdanz ’02
Ben & Kellie Brannen Mihovk
Gregory & Jayne Pehrson Gentry
William Munchrath (center) with sister, Meghan, and brother, Zachary
Christopher & Lara Adkins Hanlan
Brendan Batchelder
9
Bianca Valentin
Carson Coffman
Thomas
Haire
Lincoln Ward
Charlie Riesselman
Augustine Vogel with big
brother Ignatious
Hannah Wittland with big
sister Madalyn
Fiona Magdanz
10
AlumLINES....another chapter in the story of our alums
The Ideal Education for All Generations
“Mercy High School has been the ideal
choice for the education of the women
in our family for four generations.”
Claire Riley Murnan, SM ’45 said.
“The Mercy Sisters and lay faculty
have been steadfast in their mission to
provide a small, Catholic community
dedicated to the faith development of
young women taught by Christian role
models who support and build on the
values instilled by parents at home.”
Her mother, Claire Coady Riley, SB
’04, made a wise decision when she
sent Murnan to St. Mary. “She knew,
that like
her, I
would be
taught
the faith
by holy
and
learned
nuns and
teachers,
who
would
Claire Riley Murnan SM ’45 with
impact
her mother Claire Riley SB ’04
my life
forever,”
said Murnan. “I am so fortunate that
she received a Mercy education at St.
Berchman.” Murnan learned from her
mother and the St. Mary teachers, who
were entirely nuns, that union with
God on earth and forever in heaven
is our ultimate and only goal. “The
spiritual values and lessons in the
tradition of Mother McAuley have
led me to a God–centered and most
fulfilling and happy life,” said Murnan.
“My mother and I, as well as my
daughters and granddaughters, have
received a solid Catholic education
in the tradition of Mother McAuley,”
said Murnan. “Mercy High School’s
nurturing environment is the place
fulfill their mission and keep their long
where all young girls are provided with
tradition for Catholic education alive!”
so many opportunities to discover
Murnan said.
her talents and build her self-esteem
through the college prep and liberal
arts programs including service
“I am very grateful that Mercy
projects, drama, art, music, clubs,
High School has made it possible
and sports.”
for every young woman who
Her daughters are: Patricia
desires a Catholic education to be
Murnan Hughes ’71, Colleen
able to afford one.”
Murnan ’77, Maureen
Murnan McGill ’79, and
“I will always support the Catholic
Kathleen Murnan Pflug ’81, and
educational mission of Mercy High
granddaughters: Molly Pflug ’04,
School and keep the traditions of the
Christina Lien ’05, Emily Lien ’07,
Mother Catherine McAuley and the
Melanie Murnan ’08, Amy Lien ’09
Sisters of Mercy here in Omaha,” said
and Monica Pflug ’09. Two more
Murnan.
granddaughters will be attending
Mercy in the future. “God willing, I
She has never missed a class reunion.
hope to someday proudly boast that I
“It’s so fun to see former classmates
have great granddaughters attending
and reminisce about the ‘good old
Mercy,” said Murnan. “The excellent
days’ at St. Mary,” said Murnan. “I still
education helped keep the Catholic
keep in touch with former classmates
faith alive and strong in our family and
Betty Delaney Watson, SM ’45,
for future generations.”
Denver, Colorado and Helen Arnold
Kauschak, SM ’45, Tinley Park,
“With the rising cost of a private,
Illinois.
Catholic education, it has been
increasingly difficult for young
families to afford the tuition,”
Murnan said. “I am very
grateful that Mercy High School
has made it possible for every
young woman who desires a
Catholic education to be able to
afford one.” Mercy’s negotiated
tuition program is a morally
just, confidential, individualized
covenant between Mercy and
each family, respecting family
needs and income, and providing
equal access. Negotiated
tuition has made it possible
Back row L to R: Kathleen Murnan Pflug ’81, Colleen
for Murnan’s granddaughters
Murnan ’77, Claire Riley Murnan, SM ’46, Patricia Murnan
to receive the same wonderful
Hughes ’71 and Maureen Murnan McGill ’79
religious instruction that she
and her mother received. “I
Front row L to R: Molly Pflug ’04, Christina Lien ’05, Emily
feel compelled to help Mercy
Lien ’07 and Melanie Murnan ’08
11
Passion for Learning Leads to Career as Physician
“Mercy High School offered me
everything I was looking for in a high
school -- a small, Catholic, all-female
high school, deeply rooted in tradition
yet completely ready for the future,”
Katherine (Katie) Connelly Carroll
’94 said. “Mercy High School prepared
me for the rigors of medical school
and residency by teaching me the value
of hard work, the importance of time
management skills and above all else, a
love of learning.”
residency were very high. However,
I learned a tremendous amount and
because of that I would not change
anything about my training,” Carroll
said.
Carroll regularly volunteers her time
in the neurology clinic which serves
underprivileged patients. While there,
she supervises residents and medical
students.
“Mercy is a part of me, it is a part of who I
She treats patients
with neurological
am and of what I have done, what I come
diseases, such as,
from and wherever life will take me.”
epilepsy, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson’s
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, migraine
My sister, Kelly Connelly Lawler
headaches, stroke and other diseases
’92, who I always looked up to,
Her passion for learning led her to
of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and
made me want to attend Mercy,” said
pursue a bachelor of science degree in
muscles and has a special interest in
Carroll. “Kelly was very involved in
psychology from Xavier University in
women’s issues, particularly women
class activities and extra curriculars
Cincinnati, Ohio and a medical degree
with epilepsy. “Helping my patient’s
and I saw how much she enjoyed
from Creighton University Medical
feel better is very rewarding,” said
and learned from them.” Carroll
School, in Omaha, Nebraska. Carroll
Carroll.
was also fortunate to have shared the
completed her neurology residency
Mercy experience with aunts; Mary
in July of 2007 at Northwestern
Carroll is now on the faculty at
Jean Connelly Harrington ’57,
University School of Medicine, in
Northwestern University Feinberg
Sr. Corrine Connelly, RSM ’58,
Chicago, Illinois. Her residency
School of Medicine as a clinical
Marcella Connelly Peterson ’64,
involved 80 hour work weeks and
instructor teaching medical students
Tish Connelly ’65, Priscilla Connelly
regular 30 hour shifts at the hospital.
and residents. In the office-based
Quinn ’68; and cousins; Mary Beth
Her time was spent evaluating and
setting, when Carroll meets with
Harrington Stanek ’80, Maureen
treating patients with neurological
patients, she frequently has medical
Harrington ’84, Marcy Harrington
diseases and studying for the board
students and residents who shadow her
’85, Michaela Harrington ’87,
exams. “Overall, the demands of
during the day. “I was in their position,
Monica Harrington ’91, Erica
not too long ago. I am very
Peterson Bush ’92, and Nora
aware of the importance
Herrley ’99.
of good teachers and role
models,” Carroll said.
“Mercy was a part of my family, even
before I attended the school,” Carroll
“Sister Jeanne O’Rourke,
said. “However, now I realize that
campus minister at Mercy,
Mercy is a part of me; it is a part of
was one of my role
who I am and of what I have done,
models,” said Carroll. “She
what I come from and wherever life
was always so supportive.
will take me.”
No matter what, she always
had a smile on her face,
When Carroll is not at the hospital, she
and she encouraged me to
enjoys spending time with husband,
give of myself to others.”
John, and their two children, John
“Because of my experience
(Jack), 4, and Brendan, 2. She also
at Mercy, service to others
enjoys reading, traveling and running.
has become a way of
life; it’s just what you do,
Katie Connelly Carroll ’94 with husband John and sons Brendan
without questioning why.”
(left) and Jack.
12
AlumLINES....another chapter in the story of our alums
Works of Mercy Form Ministry
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Sr. Sally
Smolen, RSM ’61 and her brother,
John, witnessed their parents, who
both worked full time, put their
Catholic beliefs into practice though
active involvement in church and
school activities. “They were pillars
of our church and school community
and showed us in countless ways how
Christians were to live,” said Smolen.
“I believe their example helped me see
the value of service with others in the
church,” said Smolen.
She discovered those values affirmed
at Mercy High School. “Catherine
McAuley became more real to me
each year, as I learned more about her
through the Mercy Day plays,” said
Smolen. As a senior, Smolen was the
historian for her class production of
the Mercy Day play. “The greater
awareness of the history of the Sisters
of Mercy and Catherine’s writings had
a great impact on me,” said Smolen.
Sr. Sally Molen, RSM ’61
Smolen witnessed Catherine’s vision
and mission of ministering to young
women and children, the sick and
poor, lived out in the Sisters of Mercy
whom she saw every day. “The Sisters
affirmed my giftedness and encouraged
me to do and be my best,” Smolen
said. “I felt they respected us and
affirmed us as a young women with
boundless potential.”
Smolen’s professional practice has
taken her to experiences in the Yucatan
Peninsula, Mexico, where as part of a
hospital team, she made an on-site visit
to the places where Mercy physicians
held pediatric clinics twice a year for
Mexican children who, once diagnosed
with cardiac problems, were brought to
Des Moines, Iowa for surgery. “Seeing
their poverty and their extremely
limited health care resources made a
life-altering impression on me and lead
me to discern my own call to work
directly with the poor,” said Smolen.
For almost 30 years, Smolen practiced
as a professional nurse in acute care,
critical care, cardiac rehabilitation,
health care for the homeless, health
and housing, civic community
assessment and initiatives for unmet
needs. She was instrumental in
initiating health care programs —
cardiac rehabilitation at
Mercy Medical Center in
“The greater awareness of the history
Des Moines, Iowa; health
care for the homeless at
of the Sisters of Mercy and Catherine’s
SOME (So Others Might
writings had a great impact on me.”
Eat) in Washington, DC;
linking unmet health and
housing needs with Mercy Housing at
Decatur Place in Denver, Colorado;
Most recently, as a part of a Mercy
NEW STEPS for addicted pregnant
team, she traveled to Guyana in South
women and their infants with PSRI
America, to assist families in two
(Poverty & Social Reform Institute) in
small villages whose lives had been
Detroit, Michigan.
traumatized by random violence and
killings. “These two weeks opened my
In the last 12 years, Smolen has earned
eyes again to the extreme poverty and
a PhD in clinical psychology with
limited health care resources people in
special emphasis on loss and grief
another country must endure and the
issues across the life span. She has
marked contrast with how much we
a private practice and also serves as
Americans have and consume on so
liturgist and cantor with the Capuchin
may levels,” Smolen said.
Friars at the Solanus Casey Center in
Detroit, Michigan. She volunteers in
Sally has participated in loss and
the mental health area at the Frances
grief seminars in Ireland as part of
Cabrini Clinic for the uninsured in
her studies. One of those seminars
Detroit. She is a board member
attended with Carol Ann Cooney
with INTEGRA (Association for
Pitzer, SM ’53 included the highlight
Integrative and Transformative Grief),
of celebrating Mercy Day with Sisters
a member of Michigan Women
of Mercy from around the world at
Psychologists, Michigan Psychological
Mercy International Centre in Dublin.
Association, and the National Pastoral
Musicians.
13
Steadfast Curriculum Aids Business Owner
The fabric of life, woven with colorful
material and a variety of stitches,
creates a uniquely patterned cloth
for any individual. Mary Maschka
Gottula, SJ ’50, business owner of
Empire Table Pad and Linen, has
a great understanding of uniquely
patterned cloths. For 36 years, she
has managed a successful home-based
business, increasing her customer
base by collaborating with interior
designers in Nebraska and surrounding
territories and building reliable supplier
relations.
Gottula credits her success to the
excellent Catholic education she
received from the Sisters of Mercy at
St. John High School. “We had a very
broad curriculum with a combined
liberal arts program,” said Gottula.
“The practical business classes,
bookkeeping, typing and shorthand,
stood me well in my business and in
my personal life.”
“With the school rooms in the
basement of St. Johns Church and in
the upper
floors of the
“I am grateful for the core faith
Her customer
St. John grade
I
received
during
my
education
base comes
school, we
from a
were able to
at St. John.”
multitude
get outdoors
of settings:
walking
individuals, corporations, churches,
back and forth between class. With
synagogues, retirement homes and
no physical education facilities, it was
nursing homes. “Each customer is
a healthy schedule,” said Gottula,
distinctively different, wanting to
“although we didn’t appreciate the
incorporate their personal style with
schedule during the winter months.”
the interior design of their dining
space,” Gottula said. “I offer them
“We always had fun during the lunch
choices in the table pads and vast
hour dancing with each other to music
options of linens.” On any given
and practicing new dance steps,”
day, according to her schedule, she
Gottula said.
meets with customers to discuss the
essence of their room, from French
She fondly remembers being involved
or traditional style, to contemporary
in clubs and activities. Gottula enjoyed
or modern style. They also discuss
the chorus club, led by Sr. Georgina,
specific details on dishes, stemware,
who taught choral and voice. “Sr.
china, napkins and centerpieces. Once
Georgina really took an interest in her
the product is selected, she measures
students,” said Gottula. “I remember
the table for both the table pad and
her choral directing skills and beautiful
the linens, places the orders with
soprano voice.” She recalls Sr. Rose,
the supplier and follows up with the
who taught biology and algebra, as
customer to ensure their satisfaction
very interesting and a wonderful
with the table pad and linens. The
teacher. Gottula participated in the
ebb and flow of business varies for
Claver club, which promoted interracial
Gottula, with the fall season as her
understanding. She volunteered her
busiest time due to the Thanksgiving
time at Children’s Hospital and the St.
and Christmas holidays.
Martin de Porres Center in Omaha,
Nebraska.
Gottula was a member of the Sodality
of Our Lady and recalls the lessons
learned from Fr. A.J. Wilwerding, S.J.,
the Sodality mentor and theology
teacher. He shared the importance of
apologetics, to search for the reason
behind the meaning of the Catholic
teachings. “He taught us to question
and reassured us it was good to
question,” said Gottula. “I am grateful
for the core faith I received during my
education at St. John.”
Her core faith has stood her well
during times of trials in her life.
Gottula was widowed, with two
children, in her early years, after her
first husband died of a heart attack.
She was a single parent for a few years
before she met and married Charles
Gottula. Gottula is also a survivor of
breast cancer.
She and Charles have been married
for 39 years. They are active ballroom
dancers and have a community of
friends who share their interests.
During the Nebraska winter months,
they head south to Mesa, Arizona and
enjoy the warm weather with friends.
Mary Mashka Gottula, SJ ’50
14
Alumnae News
1920s
Matlida Sturek Dargy ’29 was
chosen Queen of the Valentine
dinner at Mission Springs Assisted
Living in Mission Kansas, where
she has lived for the past 4 years.
She enjoys playing cards, bingo,
the chimes and board games. On
Sundays, she goes to church with
her daughter, Judy Dargy Vohs
Matilda Sturek Dargy ’29
’57. Dargy has 12 grandchildren
and 24 great grandchildren. In July,
she will celebrate her 97th birthday.
1950s
Sharron Kudym Hood ’64 has 5 children and 10
grandchildren. She has lived all over the east coast, Iceland
and Japan.
Jane Turner Schumaker ’64 is the associate dean for
administration at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Sr. Carolyn Coffey, RSM ’57 was honored as Mercy
Housing announced that the Learning Center at their Mason
Apartments location (24th & Mason) will now be called the
Sister Carolyn Coffey Learning Center.
Mary Pat Smola McCormick
’58, a third term board member
at Mercy High School, also
serves on the board of trustees
at Regis University and the
Denver Zoo in Colorado. She
enjoys spending time with her
eight grandchildren.
1960s
Pat Knutson Nordick ’63 was diagnosed in August 2008
with Mylodysplastic syndrome that required a bone marrow
transplant. In September, 2008, she received the bone
marrow transplant. Nordick writes: “The transplant has
been successful and I am no longer suffering from the
syndrome. My sister, Shelley Knutson ’71, was my donor
and I am very grateful for her willingness to help me. I
am now in recovery and getting stronger everyday. They
say it takes a year for full recovery. Prayers for a complete
recovery are deeply appreciated!”
Carol Keefover ’65 was honored with a five-year service
award on December 14, 2008 from the Omaha Assistance
League for the number of volunteer hours she has
contributed to the organization.
Priscilla Fowler Lueders ’65 writes: “Our grandson
Christopher, and his wife, Lisa, are proud parents of a little
girl, Tori Jane. My husband, Dennis, and I are now great
grandparents. My parents are still living so we now have a
family of five generations.”
1970s
Mary Pat Smola McCormick’s
grandchildren. Top Row: Emily and
Sr. Judy Pat Healy, RSM
Anne Marie; Middle Row: Andrew,
’60 was honored for 15 years
Will, Matthew; Bottom Row: Jack,
Erin, Christian
of service as interlibrary
loan/reference librarian at
the College of Saint Mary’s Celebration Weekend Mass
on October 5, 2008. During those 15 years, it has been
calculated that Sr. Judy Pat filled over 22,750 interlibrary
loans; answered almost 2,000 reference questions; taught 21
bibliographic instruction classes. Between library directors,
she filled that position on the Nebraska Independent College
Library Consortium (NICLC). She served a three-year
rotation on the executive board of ICON, a consortium
of Nebraska medical libraries. She is currently serving her
10th year on CSM Safety Committee, which formulates
policy and procedure for the health and safety of the college
community.
Susan Godek Little ’71 has two adult children, Jon, 36, an
information technology manager for Wageworks in Phoenix,
Arizona and Sarah, 22, a part-time student who is employed
at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo in the information
technology department. Little has traveled to London,
Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and Barcelona
as well as New York on business trips. She is currently a
Helpdesk specialist with Midwest Eye Care in Omaha,
Nebraska.
Rev. Joan Saniuk ’72 completed her thesis and received the
degree of doctor of ministry from the Episcopal Divinity
School in May 2008. She plans to keep working in the area
of congregational studies.
1980s
Kathleen Rashid Forsgren ’81 writes: “For the last ten
years, I have been fortunate to be able to be an at home
mom. My husband, Robert, and I have three teenage
children. With two children in high school, I often think
15
back to those ‘good old days’. Throughout the years, I
have been an active volunteer at their schools. One of the
most exciting opportunities I had was being part of the
first Parent Teacher Organization President for Gretchen
Reeder Elementary School upon the opening of the school
in August 2005. There I met staff members who were Mercy
girls! Recently, I was appointed to a seat on the Millard
Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors. Education
and service have been an important part of my adult years. I
have been blessed to be able put my time and energy into the
lives of my own children as well as other children along the
way.”
Kathleen “Kathy” Murnan Pflug ’81 and her husband,
Marty, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in October,
2008. They met at Mercy when Kathy was a freshman and
Marty was a senior. They were both in the school musical,
The Music Man, directed by Carolyn Jaworski ’64. They
married in 1983 and had their wedding reception in the
auditorium at Mercy High School. For their 25th wedding
anniversary, they celebrated with a Mass in Our Lady of
Mercy chapel.
Angela Wieberg Maynard ’83 recently accepted a position
in the Center for Health and Counseling at Creighton
University in Omaha, Nebraska. Her husband, John, stays
very busy with his private law practice. Their three children
keep them very busy. Jack, Elizabeth, and Meg attend
St. James/Seton School. Maynard writes: “Meg will be
attending Mercy in the fall. She will be the third generation
to attend Mercy. Her grandmothers, Ann Bendon Wieberg
’57 and Rosemary Litton Maynard, SM ’44, are Mercy
alumnae too. Meg will walk the same halls on 48th and
Woolworth as we did! How many families can say the
same?”
Jeannie Cunningham Ketelsen ’86 and her husband,
Bart, have been married for over 21 years. They have two
daughters, Nicole, 21, who is attending nursing school, and
Kayla, 18, a senior in high school.
Michelle Joy Avilla ’88
traveled to Ireland this past
summer with some of her
relatives. Avilla writes: “We
traveled all around the country
and saw many beautiful sights
and laughed a lot. We stayed
in Navan, Ireland for 10 days,
where there was a primary and
Michelle Joy Avilla ’88
secondary Mercy School. It was
fun touring the school. At the
Catholic church in town, there was a beautiful statue donated
by the Sisters of Mercy that sat in the flower garden.”
Julie Meyer Dickey ’88 and her husband, Richard, have
been married for 13 years. She stays home and cares for
their three children, Kaitlyn, 11, Ethan, 7, and Lauren, 4.
1990s
Jeanne McKenna
Batchelder ’92 is a
critical care nurse in
an adult ICU setting at
various hospitals in the
Dallas-Ft. Worth areas
of Texas. She and her
husband, Bret, have
four children, Haley, 6,
Brenna, 4, Preston, 2
and newborn, Brendan
Ty.
Back row: Haley, Brenna
Front row: Preston and Brendan Batchelder
Kellie Brannen ’96
wed Ben Mihovk on November 21, 2008 at Holy Cross
Church in Omaha, Nebraska. “It was a beautiful day,”
Brannen said. “Since my bridesmaids were my Mercy
friends, we went across the street to Mercy and had our
picture taken on the new Mercy plaza.”
Daena Schweiger ’87 was recognized at the Omaha
Entertainment and Arts Awards, Inc. (OEA) as the best
director of a musical theatre production category for “The
Great American Trailerpark” musical and the best musical
production theatre category for the same musical. The OEA
Awards, Inc. seeks to enhance the metropolitan Omaha
community by planning and producing an annual awards
event that uniquely recognizes the performing arts, visual
arts, and live music in the area.
L to R: LiAnn Kreifels Smith ’96, Colleen Brannen ’98, Kellie Brannen Mihovk
’96, Kara Lubischer ’96, and Melissa Batko Gaffney ’96
16
Alumnae News
Christie Woodrich Fulton ’96 and her husband, Matt, have
two children, Matthew, 4, and Emily, 15-months. Matthew
will be in kindergarten
in the fall of 2009.
Emily has a very active
vocabulary and is always
into something or
climbing on something.
Rachelle Hood Reilly
’97 is the district
manager of Victoria
Secret. Her husband,
Michael, is the fitness
director at YMCA.
As a hobby, Reilly
Clockwise from top: Matt, Christie, Emily and
Matthew.
teaches yoga and is an
avid runner. Reilly is
training for the Lincoln
½ marathon. They belong to St. Charles Parish, where
they help with the youth group. They have two daughters,
Isabella, 6 and Anna, 3.
Lara Adkins ’99 married Chris Hanlon on October 10,
2008. She owns her own photography business. Chris is
employed with Google. “With my mother, aunts and sisters
all in attendance at the wedding, it was a mini-reunion of
Mercy girls!” said Lara.
Back row, l-r: Anita Velez Horn ’74, Jenna Adkins ’02, Erin Willis
Broderick ’99, Aleisa Lewis ’99, Kimberly Adkins ’06, Vanessa
Quevedo ’06, Isabel Yang ’06. Front row, l-r: Carolyn Nussrallah
’79, Ann Nussrallah Adkins ’74, Lara Adkins Hanlon ’99, Theresa
Nussrallah Fuller (attended ’72-’76), Mary Jo Nussrallah Riley ’78
Briana Duffy ’99 teaches elementary gifted students for
Blue Valley Public Schools in Kansas City. In August of
2010, she will graduate with a masters in special education
with an emphasis in gifted education from Emporia State
University. Duffy is an active member of the National
Education Association which has led her to attend
conferences on the local, state, and national levels, be an
advocate for the students that she serves and stay informed
about the latest developments in our country’s educational
and political systems. She credits teachers such as Miss Sherri
Hoffman and Mrs. Maureen Losee for inspiring her work
with young people. In her spare time, she volunteers as a
collegiate advisor for the Alpha Omicron Pi chapter at the
University of Central Missouri.
Jennyie
Adams Inich
’99 and her
husband,
Mark,
recently
bought
a home.
They and
their three
Austin, Tye and Baylor Inich
children,
Austin, 7,
Tye, 3, and
Baylor, 2 keep them busy. This past summer they took a
trip to Disney World. “I am looking forward to our 10 year
reunion this summer,” Inich writes. “I hope this year brings
good health and happiness for everyone.”
Kelly Callahan Ward ’99 and her husband, Lucas,
celebrated the birth of their son, Lincoln Danger, on
December 19, 2008. She now stays at home with Lincoln.
Prior to that, Ward worked
as a speech-language
pathologist with a deaf
education coop. In June
of 2007, they moved to
Houston, Texas as her
husband took a job with a
NASA contractor. “Lucas
and I recently celebrated our
fifth anniversary and took a
trip to Ireland last spring as
an early celebration,” said
Ward. “We made a stop at
Baggott Street. The Mercy
Kelly Callahan Ward ’99
International Center was
closed, but I was still able to
get a picture with the statue of Catherine McAuley!”
17
2000s
Stephanie Flegg ’01 wed Samuel Watson, a native
Australian, on November
29, 2008. They will reside in
Australia. Another Mercy gal,
Gabe Raduchel Palomino,
also resides in Australia, and
will be neighbors to Flegg. In
2006, Flegg graduated from
Bellevue University with a
bachelors degree in liberal
arts. She worked for a fortune
500 company as a staffing
coordinator before moving to Samuel & Stephanie Flegg Watson ’01
Australia. “I can’t wait to see
what the future holds!” said
Flegg.
Molly Brennan ’02 moved to New York for graduate
school at New York University (NYU). She created
her own masters program at the university called EuroMideast Studies which will focus on areas of overlap and
commonality between Europe and the Middle East. “I’m
having a great time living in the middle of it all, as NYU is in
Lower Manhattan and I’m only a 20 minute walk away,” said
Brennan.
Katie Bradley ’03 is the deputy
associate director in the Office of
Management and Administration
for President Obama. Bradley
handed out BlackBerries, laptops
and ID cards to incoming staffers
and even reviewed White House
floor plans to help make room
assignments. She got her start
with Barack Obama in 2007, when
she moved to Des Moines and
volunteered for his presidential
Katie Bradley ’03 with
campaign. She has a bachelors
President Barack Obama
degree in journalism from
Creighton University.
Kelli Yost ’03 graduated
from Clarkson College
School of nursing with
a bachelors degree in
December 2008. She
accepted a position with
the Nebraska Medical
Center as a full-time
staff nurse on a medical- Kelli Yost ’03 (center) with brother, Brian,
surgical telemetry floor.
and sister, Julie Yost ’05.
In addition to her new career, Yost is busy planning the
details for her October 2009 wedding to Steven Rudol.
Annie Adams ’04 married Bobby Fanciullo on July 5,
2008 at Holy Name Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Adams
completed her bachelor of science degree in nursing and
is working at Lakeside Hospital. Her husband works for
Omaha Public Power District.
L to R: Lindsay Rosonke ’04, Annie Straka ’08, Katie Adams
’07, Annie Adams Fanciullo ’04, Katie Starman ’04 and Theresa
Neumann ’04
Jesse Gonderinger ’05, a senior at Creighton University,
was inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of
Jesuit institutions of higher education for her commitment
to the ideals of Jesuit higher education. Students must
rank accademically in the top 15% of the University to be
considered. Gonderinger is majoring in accounting and
finance in the college of business administration. She is
the president of Beta Alpha Psi, a member of the Anna
Tyler Waite Leadership program and of Beta Gamma
Sigma and Alpha Kappa Psi. She serves on the Accounting
Department Student Advisory Board and is captain of
the Creighton University Dance Team. Gonderinger is
a Decurion for the Ratio Studiorum Program and has
volunteered with Youth Leadership of Omaha, Welcome
Week, Summer Previews, and a number of charity
fundraising events.
Are You on Facebook?
Come Join Our Group!
Social neworking has been growing and now Mercy is
taking part. If you are on Facebook, or want to be, come
join the Mercy High School Alumnae group. Simply log
onto facebook.com, search Mercy High School Alumnae,
Omaha, Nebraska, and become a member of the group
along with more than 250 other alumnae. You will be
able to chat with alumnae, post photos, get the latest
news on what’s happening at Mercy and maybe even
rekindle an old friendship.
since 1
18
F
aculty
ocus
...on a current or former faculty member
Circle of Prayer…Cue Lights…Open Curtain…and Action are the words voiced by Angela M. Dashner,
theatre director at Mercy High School. Dashner is responsible for all production aspects, script
interpretation, management of cast members, collaboration with the production team, and theatre
curriculum. A new course, mechanical drafting, will be offered in the fall 2009 theatre curriculum.
The course will cover drafting procedures for architectural drawings as well as set construction, using a computer aided
drafting (CAD) software, with multi-view drawings and computer 3-D object models.
Center stage…the students. “My overall goal is for each student to be exposed to all types of theatre, acting and technical areas
at Mercy High School, while incorporating faith and respect,” Dashner said. During her nine years at Mercy, Dashner has
promoted the awareness of the theatre program to include 50-70 students in the extra-curricular program, and 45-60 students
in stagecraft and acting. Dashner serves as vice president on the state board of officers for the Nebraska State International
Thespian Honor Society Chapter (ITS). She reinstated ITS at Mercy in 2005. Currently there are 30 current members, adding
10-15 new members each year.
Mercy Spring Play
Mid Summer Nights Dream
March 27-28, 2009
Among the most popular of all Shakespeare’s comedies, this play humorously
celebrates the vagaries of love. With its
several pairs of lovers, on-again, off-again
romances, magic spells, fairies, and a bumbling troupe of would-be actors, the play
continues to enchant audiences.
Former student Hannah Menzel ’06 writes: “During my four yeas at Mercy,
Mrs. Dashner played an instrumental role in my success. As both as a teacher
and director, she was a wonderful mentor to me. Whether it was in the
classroom, working on a set, directing a show, or just giving personal advice,
Mrs. Dashner always seemed to make the time to be a solid foundation and
be a good listener. She put in countless hours of work (many times after the
cast and crew had gone home) making sure everything was just right for a
play or musical. For me and others, Franey Hall was our ‘Home away from
Home,’ Mrs. Dashner
was our ‘Mom away
from home’--she
constantly held us
to a high standard
and challenged us,
as young women, to
(female version)
make our mark on the
world.”
by Neil Simon
Behind the Scenes. Dashner begins her day running errands in search
of specific props and costumes for a production. She teaches the
theatre curriculum, which includes stage craft, acting, and advanced
theatre classes in the afternoon. After the school bell has rung,
Dashner can be found in Franey Hall as she directs rehearsals
until the late evening hours. She also works with students on their
performances, and coaches students for auditions/competitions.
Off Stage from Mercy High School, Dashner has been the company stage
manager for The Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre Company in Omaha,
Nebraska for the past 11 years, and directs at least one show every
other year at Brigit Saint Brigit. She serves on the Nebraska Speech
Communication and Theatre Association (NSCTA) as a District
II representative . She is currently completing her masters degree
in educational theatre with an emphasis in production & design at
Southern Oregon University.
Alumnae Performance
THE ODD COUPLE
Dust off your stage shoes,
warm up your voice, and
prepare to act!
Auditions to be held May 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Rehearsals will begin in mid-June.
Performance Dates:
June 26 at 7:00 p.m.
June 27 at 7:00 p.m.
June 28 at 2:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Angela Dashner at
[email protected] or (402) 553-9424.
990
19
2009 Class Reunion Information
1959 – 50th Reunion
The 50th class reunion is scheduled for August 14 & 15,
2009. Additional information will be sent to you soon.
In the meantime, please look for old photos of your high
school years (Prom, outings, classes, etc.) A slide show will
be made of the pictures and would appreciate your help.
Please send a copy of the photo (not originals) to Connie
Orsi Crouch, 8715 Franklin St., Omaha, NE 68114-1360.
Members of the Class of ’59 meet on the first Wednesday
of each month at a different restaurant. If you care to join
us, please contact Connie Orsi Crouch at (402) 393-2970 or
[email protected].
Reunion Notes
St. John Class of 1953
In October, 2008, classmates celebrated their 55th reunion
with a luncheon at Anthony’s Restaurant. Of the 39
remaining members, 24 classmates were present at the
reunion. For the past six years, members of St. John class
of 1953 have met for breakfast on the last Saturday of the
month.
St. Mary Class of 1950
The class meets three times throughout the year at a local
Omaha restaurant to reminisce about their high school days
and catch up on family, children and grandchildren.
1979 – 30th Reunion
Reunion details to be determined. Please contact Barbara
Bogatz Healey at (402) 333-5690 or healey_barbara@
yahoo.com with any questions.
1989 – 20th Reunion
If you are interested in doing some of the reunion
legwork for the reunion or you’d like to be on the reunion
committee, send Kelly Kennedy Tracer an e-mail at
[email protected].
1999 – 10th Reunion
Class of 1999! Time to Celebrate our 10 year Reunion.
Saturday, July 25th, Girls night out, location TBD
Sunday, July 26th, Family Event, location TBD
Please watch for a mailing in the next few weeks for more
details. Contact Elizabeth Derry Watkins at (402) 614-8084
or [email protected] or Kristen Owen Velazquez at
(619) 820-2142 or [email protected].
Members of St. Mary Class of 1950
Begin Reunion Planning Today
Reunions are great way to reconnect with classmates and
reminisce about your unforgettable high school years.
Leadership is needed to plan and organization these
reunions:
Start thinking about when you may want to get together.
Contact your classmates. Meet and begin planning your
reunion today.
1949 St. John - 60th Reunion
1949 St. Mary – 60th Reunion
1954 St. John – 55th Reunion
1954 St. Mary – 55th Reunion
1964 – 45th Reunion
1969- 40th Reunion
1974 – 35th Reunion
1984 – 25th Reunion
1994 – 15th Reunion
You may want to consider having a Mass in Our Lady of
Mercy Chapel and/or taking a tour of the school. Do you
want to plan a whole weekend of activities or just a simple
evening get-together?
Access reunion details at www.mercyhigh.org, the alumnae
section. You can request a class list and utilize the reunion
planning/liturgy planning forms.
Please contact Mary Emmer, alumnae relations at (402)
553-9424 or [email protected] with any questions.
20
Student Life
by Kathryn Wright
Dear Mercy Alumnae,
It’s hard to believe that second semester is well
underway and the Seniors are already starting to feel the
queasy symptoms of senioritis. We’ve made some wonderful
memories during our senior year thus far and I am happy to
share a few of them with you,
our Mercy community.
Spirit Week took
place during the week of
November 12. The school
came to life with the
contagious Mercy spirit as
we celebrated the legends of
rock and roll. On Monday,
each class was assigned a
different color. Then just like
the buttons on the famous
video game “Guitar Hero” we
played along to some classic
Senior Sarah Harvey (front) and
songs. The festivities of Spirit
Sophomore Jimena Galvan (behind)
Week also included a “Dress
during spirit week.
like your favorite rock star”
day, which featured costumes
from Hannah Montana to
the Village People. Next was
“Favorite Band T-Shirt Day”
followed by the traditional
dress-up day. Finally the week
reached its climax on Friday
with “Wacky Spirit Day” when
the halls seemed to erupt with
fireworks of blue and gold.
As much as the spirit
of Mercy shone through
our wacky spirit and crazy
costumes, the Mercy tradition
of service was perhaps even
more illuminating. During
Seniors Kathryn Wright and Shalea
Cotton
Spirit Week the classes took
part in a competitive food
drive. Cans of beans and corn were worth one point each
while non-perishable boxed food items were worth five
points. The classes’ competitive spirits were tried and tested.
Secret plans were put into place and more than a few loddies
were exchanged on the subject. We Seniors thought we
had it in the bag. We had
over four thousand cans by
Thursday evening and were
fully expecting to win the
grand prize: a half day off.
However, Seniors shouldn’t
count their chickens before
they hatch, as we learned
very well when the Juniors
blew us out of the water and
beat us on the last day by
over 1,000 points. Any bitter
feelings the Seniors may have
had toward the Juniors soon
evaporated, though. We were
Senior Katie Johanek during the canned
comforted by the fact that
food drive.
we helped to feed the hungry
families of Omaha over the
Thanksgiving holiday, and that’s the real spirit of Mercy in
action.
Nocturne was celebrated at the conclusion of a very
successful Spirit Week. The theme was “Rock ‘N Roll All
Night,” which we definitely took to heart. Being crowned for
this year’s Nocturne court were Sophomore Princess Mary
Gudenrath, Junior Princess and German exchange student
Jana Last and Senior Queen Anna LaHood. Mary said being
chosen for Nocturne court was “a fun experience and a great
honor.”
(from left) Junior Jana Last, Senior Anna LaHood and Sophomore Mary Gudenrath
Our classmate and Student
Council President, Senior Milana
Jordan was in a car accident the
week before Spirit Week. Milana’s
absence during Spirit Week and the
rest of the semester was hard to
bear. We are forever grateful for
your prayers, which surely sped up
her recovery, for she is now back
at school.
21
The National Honor Society (NHS) induction, held in
November, witnessed a huge number of inductees, pictured
below.
Members of the National Honor Society. First row: (from left) Brenna Prem, Rachel
Westwood, Emily Wessling, Kris Hanus, Caitlin Boadwee, Michelle Hall, Jen
Kotulak, Ruthie Markey, Kathryn Wright, Kathleen Griffith, Ana Chilcott, Michaela
Burns, Rachel Brannen, Beth Meisinger. Second row: Susan Davis, Kathryn Kinsel,
Dana Kucirek, Janice Riesberg, E.J. Gonderinger, Erica Sampson, Shalea Cotton,
Katie Aiello, Holly Wheeler, Amy Lien, Megan Keenan, Monica Pflug, Amy Slater,
Brittany Walker. Third row: Jessica Swiniarski, Abby Deats, Elizabeth Dunn,
Paula Sweeney, Jamie Garcia, Katie Johanek, Katie James, Roz Parr, Alex Liekhus,
Stephanie Nelson, Cora Dietzschold, Kelsie Colson, Patty Sobetski, Julia Rawnsley.
Fourth row: Jennifer Kelly, Emily Frevert, Jirapa Jadecharoonviwat, Christina
DiSomma, Tess Farris, Allie Schulte, Susannah Meng-Frecker, Kelly Stillmock.
This year’s pick for district competition was
“Godspell,” Stephen Schwartz’s famous musical based on
the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Mercy hosted the
district competition, which took place on December 6.
The cast and crew were thrilled to receive the coveted first
place trophy. Seniors Anna LaHood, Clara Dzodzomenyo
and Megan O’Hara received Outstanding Actress awards
for their portrayals of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and
Judas Iscariot. Anna, Clara and Megan went on to win
Outstanding Actress awards at the State One-Act Class B
competition along with Junior Emily Frevert and Sophomore
Madison Hoge. Anna said that more than anything, “God
found a place in this show. All of our lines are based on His
teachings. Where else would we better belong than on stage
with Him?”
(from left) Seniors Megan O’Hara, Anna LaHood and Roz Parr
The Monarch Speech Team, with tournaments
nearly every weekend, has had many opportunities to make
Mercy proud. Seniors Kelsie Colson, Roz Parr, and Liz
Connealy have all broken to the final rounds at every single
tournament in which they have competed, and the team has
won a total of four sweepstakes trophies. In addition, the
following girls have all taken home 1st place awards from
various tournaments: Claudia Brock, Maria Caskey, Kelsie
Colson, Christina DiSomma, Danielle Dyer, Kris Hanus,
Liz Kinzer, Adrienne Macchietto, Megan O’Hara, Roz
Parr, Merelyn Price, Elyssa Sitti, Andrea Sobczyk, Jessica
Swiniarski, Michelle Tighe, Briar Watson, Ryann Woods, and
Kathryn Wright.
(from left) Megan O’Hara, Kelsie Colson, Liz Connealy, Kathryn Wright, Brenna
Prem, Claudia Brock and Danielle Dyer
Second semester started on January 4. “I like
second semester, maybe even better than first,” said Senior
Erin Dougherty. “There’s PA and prom and Easter break to
look forward to, not to mention graduation!” January also
means the middle of the basketball and swimming seasons.
As always, our athletes are making us proud. Thanks to the
MESS club, “Monarchs Encouraging School Spirit,” every
basketball game is a show of school spirit.
Mercy welcomed 129 eighth grade placement testtakers, a record number! Ms. Anne Zadina, the recruitment
director, along with the Student Ambassadors and the
Recruitment Team are to be congratulated on all of the
hard work they put forth during first semester. Sophomore
Student Ambassador Rebekah Menzel said, “I feel good
when we go on school visits to talk to the eighth graders.
Honestly, I can’t wait to brag about Mercy – in a very humble
way, of course. I’m glad so many eighth graders took our
message to heart.”
Catholic Schools Week is important at Mercy. It’s
nice to have an excuse to really dote on our teachers and
parents and thank them for all they have done for us. The
activities that took place during Catholic Schools Week
2009 included a special Mass for the parents and lunch out
and a surprise movie day on Student Appreciation Day. We
rode buses down to Westwood Cinema 8 where we had
our choice of seeing “High School Musical 3,” “The Secret
Life of Bees,” or “Eagle Eye.” Sophomore Elyssa Sitti said,
“They actually announced it on Monday that we would see
22
the movies on Friday, so we had time to sign up for the
movie we wanted. I, of course, chose ‘Eagle Eye’ and it was
fantastic!”
On February 12, the student body assembled in
Franey Hall for a presentation about the importance of
knowing all about credit. A woman from Wells Fargo (whom
we later learned was the sister of Ms. Newville, our Science
teacher) set up a Power Point and began to educate us on
how to use credit wisely. To the delight and surprise of the
Senior class, the fourth slide in her show didn’t teach us that
FreeCreditReport.com was a scam, but that P.A. was upon us
at last! The Senior class erupted into cheers and screams and
after lunch, we settled back into our pink chairs to watch P.A.
2009, “The Wizard of Oz”.
The Juniors delighted the audience as they danced
their way down the yellow brick road. Senior Abby Behr
said, “I loved the way they stuck to the story but also added
in modern twists, like when the Lion and Scarecrow started
singing ‘Lumberjack Man’!” “The Juniors put on a great
show,” said
Senior Kara
Bramhall.
“We really
should give
them credit!”
Prom will
be held on
April 25 at
the UNO
Alumni
Center. The
prom theme
L to R: Amy Slater as the Lion, Abby Deats as Dorothy,
is Emerald
Michelle Hall as Scarecrow, Elizabeth Dunn as the Tinman
City and
and Rachel Brannen as Toto.
the colors
are emerald
green, black and silver.
As I came back to Mercy for my last semester of
classes, all I could think about was Bon Jovi’s hit song. The
lyrics played in my head over and over, “Whoa-oh, we’re
half way there! Whoa-oh! Living on a prayer!” This is the
final stretch and even though May seems like it will never
come, especially with this obscenely cold weather we’re
having, I know that it will be over before I know it. I plan to
appreciate every single day, no matter how queasy I’m feeling
with the symptoms of senioritis.
8th Grade Scholarship Winners
$6000 / $1500 per Year Scholarship
JOHN J. FRANEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Abigail Culp - Home School
$4000/ $1000 per Year Scholarships
CLIFFORD J. MILLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Ella Hart - St. Joan of Arc
$3200 / $800 per Year Scholarships
TUPPER CUNNINGHAM SCHOLARSHIP
Abigail Berg - St. Margaret Mary
SMOLA-McCORMICK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Erin Artz - Holy Cross
MARY RONCKA URZENDOWSKI MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP
Emily Janda - Our Lady of Lourdes
SR. MARY BRENDAN O’MALLEY MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP
Taylor Johnson - Beveridge
$2000 / $500 per Year Scholarships
OJESKI FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Rachel Bedrosky - St. Thomas More
MSGR JOHN A FLYNN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Christina May - St. Vincent de Paul
JOSEPH & HELEN CLARE MURPHY SCHOLARSHIP
Mary Pflaum - St. Patrick-Elkhorn
KUTILEK-MAYER SCHOLARSHIP
Jill Sobczyk - St. Mary-Bellevue
CHARLES & RENE GARVEY SCHOLARSHIP
Emily Dyer - St. Patrick-Elkhorn
CAROL KASTL MEMORIAL MATHEMATICS SCHOLARSHIP
Jennifer Meisinger - Mary Our Queen
SR. MARY JUSTINE EVANS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Erin Moore - Holy Cross
ADELAIDE & RUTH O’KEEFE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Jennifer Novotny - St. Thomas More
SR. MARY CALLISTA TAKES SCHOLARSHIP
Shannon Moore - Holy Cross
CURNYN FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Shannon O’Connell - St. James/Seton
$1200 Mercy Alumnae Association Scholarship
Margaret Maynard - St. James/Seton
23
Sr. Mary Ellen Quinn, RSM
1929-2008
A Sister of Mercy for 60 Years
Mary Ellen Quinn’s life is a beautiful profile of a
woman of Mercy. The eldest child and only daughter of
Edward and Mary Frances Graham Quinn, Mary Ellen
moved to Omaha around the age of 10 and enrolled at
Our Lady of Lourdes parish
school. Upon leaving Lourdes,
she matriculated at St. Mary’s
High School, where she became
a member of the Class of
1947, always recognized for her
academic achievements.
It was St. Mary’s Class
of ’47 who instituted the revered
“Mercy Day Play,” honoring the
Sisters of Mercy and depicting
the life of Mother Catherine
Mary Ellen Quinn, SM ’47
McAuley. The Mercy Day play
has been passed down through
the ages and is still a vibrant and meaningful part of Mercy
High School tradition, sixty-two years later. At that very first
play, Mary Ellen gave the dedication:
“Oh dear, dear Sisters of Mercy
Oh, women of tender grace
Do you think we will ever forget you,
When we leave this wonderful place?”
Mary Ellen attended Duchesne College for one year,
prior to her entrance to the Sisters of Mercy in September
of 1948. She received the habit and the name of Sister
Mary Roselle just six months later. It was as Sister Mary
Roselle that Mary Ellen earned
her bachelors at the College of
St. Mary in 1957, but as Sister
Mary Ellen when she received her
masters and PhD, at Notre Dame
and Michigan State University,
respectively, in 1965 and 1972.
It was Sister Mary Roselle
who taught at Mercy High School
from 1957 through 1964. She
served the Mercy High School
Sr. Mary Roselle Quinn, SM ’47
community is many, many ways
and will be remembered as an
outstanding teacher and excellent administrator. Upon
leaving MHS, she became academic dean at the College of
St. Mary.
During the tumultuous years of early Vatican II,
Mary Ellen was elected to leadership in the Sisters of Mercy,
where she served as President from 1973 through 1979. In
1980, she was elected to the leadership team of the Sisters
of Mercy of the Union in Silver Springs MD until 1984.
Upon leaving these demanding
leadership posts, Mary Ellen
migrated to the Southwest where
she served for eighteen years as an
educator, a parish administrator
and, for many years, as the
chancellor of the Diocese of Las
Cruces NM.
These dates and
accomplishments, roles and
responsibilities do not really
Sr. Mary Ellen Quinn, SM ’47
define the gracious lady that so
many Sisters, students, clergy,
family and friends knew as a pillar of strength and dignity
that influenced our daily lives. Mary Ellen was a daughter,
sister, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher, leader, Sister, role model,
challenger, thinker, prayer—so many things to so many of
us. She is remembered as a woman of integrity, prayer,
humor, and loving friendship.
She died quietly and unexpectedly in her sleep on
December 1, 2008. Her death took us all by surprise; we
were not ready to let her go. Her life exuded the essence of
life, as she stepped from one day’s activities, relationships
and commitments into the astonishing presence of her God.
At her Sixtieth Anniversary of her religious profession, just
last spring, she noted the following:
“I am in love with my God and
My God is in love with me.”
Now we repeat to her the words she spoke to the Sisters at
St. Mary’s back in 1947, “Oh, dear, dear Mary Ellen, Oh,
woman of tender grace; do you think we will ever forget you
as you leave this wonderful place?”
Save the Date!
Driving for Excellence
Golf Classic
A benefit for Negotiated Tuition
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tiburon Golf Course
24
In Memoriam
The Mercy High School community extends sincere
sympathy to the families and friends of those who have died.
Alumnae
Mary Tracy Kane, SJ ’29
Gertrude Martin Pedersen,
SM ’34
Dorothy Miklas Evans, SJ ’39
Margaret Dunn Rogers, SJ
’39
Dorothy Hess Pokorny, SJ ’41
Dorothy Peter Faulk, SJ ’42
Mary Margaret Hogan
O’Hearn, SJ ’42
Cora Schlote Larsen, SM ’44
Mary Daley Maher, SM ’45
Sr. Mary Ellen Quinn, RSM,
SM ’47
Mary Kaye Miller O’Donnell,
SJ ’49
Mary Cullen Earlywine, SJ
’50
Ruth Burke Tracy, SM ’52
Beverly Sonzini Leonardo,
SJ ’54
Mary Driscoll Hand, SM ’54
Jeanette Korytowski
Bidrowski, SM ’55
Darlene Zuber ’63
Susan Estey Scheerer ’67
Husbands
Mary Manhart Gurnon, SJ ’45
Dolores Grzywa Lessing,
SM ’48
Marianne Swircin Heavey,
SJ ’49
Lois Abboud Mitera, SM ’51
Patricia Casey Krance, SJ ’54
Mariclare Napravnik Rezek,
SJ ’54
Mary Jean O’Brien Sims,
SM ’55
Mary Anne Cavanaugh
Lucas ’60
Maureen Danahy Parr ’60
Pauline Lorentzen Bingham
’62
Betty Trout Eckley ’63
Susan Gorup Ward ’69
Mothers
Betty DeMarco, SM ’53
Rozanne Skradski Klug ’59
Maureen DeCabooter Halpin
’60
Patricia Markesi Moran ’64
Kathy McMahon Norman ’64
Geraldine Cieslik Szuberla ’65
Suzanne Liebentritt Garcia
’66
Anne Pedersen Mahoney ’66
Colleen Gaughan Yowell ’66
Gina DeMarco ’67
Madeline DeCabooter Josoff
’67
Linda Barry Stoesz ’68
Barbara Koory Goodrich ’69
Deborah Pokorny Lhotak ’69
Joanne Gaughan Hilderbrand
’70
Sharon Gaughan Grant ’71
Elizabeth Koory Vogel ’71
Katherine Pokorny Lechowicz
’74
Mary Egan Drexel ’75
Mary Anne Fochek North ’76
Pamela Spellman Barnes ’78
Christine Cappellano
Rasmussen ’78
Debra Orduna-Estrada ’79
Step-Mother
Leah Hollister Parkinson ’92
Mother-in-Law
Rose Folino Markesi ’57
Mary Jo Miller Pedersen ’62
Bonnie Casey Culhane ’64
Susan Smith Tefft ’67
Fathers
Virginia Koziol Graniewski ’59
Diane Andrews Whitney ’65
Karen Glyn Saucedo ’69
Kathleen Rogers Batko ’70
Claudia Perdue ’70
Jean Rogers Lund ’71
Elizabeth Perdue Brazil ’72
Susan Kleine Calabro ’72
Mary Rogers Krobert ’72
Mary Zenk McHugh ’72
Christine Zenk Rix ’73
Anne Gurnon Chandler ’74
Cindy Glyn Kelley ’74
Janet Perdue Olechoski ’74
Carol Borcyk Orand ’75
Joan Gurnon Ewalt ’77
Deborah Leas ’77
Eugenia Sumnick Smith ’99
Rachel Andreasen ’12
Gabriella Sylvester ’12
Step-Father
Kathryn Jackson Urzendowski
’81
Father-in-Law
Marjean Lubeley Lynch ’60
Kate Danahy Powell ’63
Theresa Ringo Gruber ’74
Kelly Dutch Sobetski ’82
Tricia Jonyka Eckley ’93
Joan Silknitter Kruntorad ’93
Daughter
Helen Tomasiewicz Matras,
SJ ’41
Judith Minor Kaufmann ’59
Daughter-in-Law
Dolores Brennan
Haniszewski, SM ’54
Brother
Virginia Stolinski Dikmen,
SJ ’39
Frances Manhart Gibbons,
SM ’41
Helen Tomasiewicz Matras,
SJ ’41
Mary Stice McAndrews,
SJ ’41
Sr. Denise Stolinski, OSF,
SM ’44
Phyllis Stolinski Glogowski,
SM ’45
Mary Jane Abboud, SJ ’46
Eleanor Sobetski McCown,
SJ ’48
Theresa Sobetski Widhalm,
SJ ’49
Sr. M. Clare Mahart, RSM,
SM ’51
Mary Blankenship AllberryHorn, SM ’52
Catherine Sobetski Weiss,
SJ ’52
M. Catherine Manhart
Hogan, SM ’54
Rita Blankenship Reynolds,
SM ’54
Joan Lucas Bieker, SM ’55
Sr. Michon Roxmajzl, RSM,
SM ’55
Judy Abboud Doukas ’56
M. Judith Manhart ’58
Mary Ordway Baker ’64
Mary Jo Eckley Rump ’65
Cathy Schafer Brisby ’66
Judith Lucas Peszulik ’66
Therese Schafer Comyns
’71
Ellen Heng Davis ’71
Carolyn Andreasen Taylor
’71
Patricia Carnazzo Lauritsen
’86
Brother-in-Law
Rose Manhart Jacobsen,
SM ’50
Mary Joan Pupkes Jansen,
SJ ’51
Marge Mangen Scarpello,
SJ ’51
Eileen Anderson Kinsel, SJ ’53
JoAnne Manhart Lonsway ’57
Claire Manhart ’58
Sharon Staroski Abboud ’63
Virginia Johnson Cap ’64
Joyce Trout Green ’68
Carol Novotny Heng ’68
Jane Burson Heng ’70
Grace (Chris) Trout Wulff ’71
Mary Trout Rosburg ’73
Kathryn Marshall Andreasen
’76
Lynda Caniglia Turnquist ’83
Sister
Teresa Peter Bredar, SJ ’33
Margaret Mary Martin Slattery,
SM ’38
Margaret Peter Egenberger,
SJ ’39
Catherine Hogan Spiers, SJ
’43
Clare Hogan Cholet, SJ ’48
Camilla Cullen Hamsa, SJ ’52
Laurraine Albers Zike ’59
Anne Sonzini Carter ’65
Margaret Estey Schmitz ’66
Margaret Matras Hoehn ’70
Sister-in-Law
Ruth Kalamaja Hogan, SJ ’40
Mary Ann Cieslik Flaherty,
SJ ’48
Mary Claire Kasparek
Janssen, SM ’49
Carol Weston Vacanti, SM ’50
Lorraine Wees Danoff, SJ ’54
Marlene Noonan Drey ’58
Patricia Podraza Allgeier ’66
Priscilla Connelly Quinn ’68
Grandmother
Lisa Gaughan Eldrige ’84
Amy Gaughan McAuliffe ’86
Michelle Barry Vandenberg ’87
Shannon O’Donnell Reinard
’91
Lori Norman Irwin ’95
Angela DeMarco Leise ’96
Kelli O’Donnell Swift ’96
Dara Burnside ’97
Jennifer Fochek Ozenbaugh
’98
Sarah Conry ’00
Sarah Janiak ’00
Katie Burnside ’02
Kathryn Janiak ’02
Whitney Bradley ’04
Stephanie Janiak ’05
Kayla Swain ’09
Madeline Brush ’10
Grandfather
Melissa Batko Gaffney ’96
Maria Scarpello ’01
Jennifer Koziol ’02
Korina Gruber ’03
Michelle Shea ’06
Kathleen Griffith ’09
Patty Sobetski ’09
Kathryn Kinsel ’10
DeAndra Richardson ’10
Kelly Kinsel ’11
Anne Griffith ’12
Ana Huber ’12
Mae MacLennan ’12
Rose Vankat ’12
25
Memorials
The following have been entered into our Memorial Association from September 1, 2008-January 16, 2009
Kathy McMahon Alexander
The Hoegermeyer Family
Sr. M. Damien Ammatelli,
RSM
Paul & Susan Greenawald
Ammatelli
Margaret Berendzen
Irene Green
Carmelo & Rose Guastello
Elizabeth M. Parrish
Carol Ann Cooney Pitzer
Sr. Sally A. Smolen, RSM
Mrs. Sally V. Smolen
Barbara Tigges Stewart
Peg Andreasen
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Gerry Andreasen
Holly McCoy
Lucille Schmitt Beckman,
SM ’33
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Smilie
William T. Bevins
Tim & Mary Coyle
Carolyn Jaworski
Holly McCoy
Jim & Nancy Tanner
Rosenthal
Mercy High School Faculty
and Staff
Joy Neneman
Carol Ann Cooney Pitzer
Lorray D. Smith
Gene & Marilyn Spence
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
Dan & Julie Vankat
Ann Bendon Wieberg
Sr. Rosalima Wilkinson,
RSM
Skip Brehm
Geri Hughes Brehm
Robert Brigham
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Sr. M. Josette Carroll,
RSM
Sr. Sally A. Smolen, RSM
Dr. Michael Collins
Denise Matya Barrett
Debi Ricceri Henderson
Kathy Daley Jones
Julie Shymkwich Matya
Mike Matya
Marian Dartman Nebrigich
Kathleen Connolly
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Jeanette Korytowski
Bidrowski, SM ’55
Gary & Marlene Thell Machal
Lucy Buda Marasco
Joe & Jean Ward Nekola
Trudy Murphy Perrone
Sam Rudy Cosentino
Carm Cosentino
John Blankenship
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Mrs. Louise DeMarco
Sr. Catherine Marie Franey,
RSM
Margaret (Mickie)
Blessington
Sr. Jean Marie Adam, RSM
Kate Janca Adams
Sr. Marie Angele, RSM
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
Bob & Laura Caniglia
Callahan
Kevin & Kate Doyle
Mike & Mary Beacom Emmer
Tom & Maureen Becka
Falcon
Nancy & Gary Flanigan
Jo Marie Guastello
Holly McCoy
Jon & Richelle, Beth, &
Jenny Meisinger
Ted & Cindy Menzel &
Family
Janet Brudny Crase ’67
Kevin Martin & Meghan
Matthews
Ellen Downey
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Nancy Enis
Mrs. Barb Moffatt
Frank & Mary Jane
Forman
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Bob Fowler, Jr.
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Joan Frans
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Marie Rakowski Gallagher,
SJ ’38
Mr. William J. Gallagher
Catherine J. (Kitty)
Gaughan
Jeff & Jane Green Alseth
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff
Eileen Byrne
Terrence M. Connelly
Al & Carol Dvorak
Barbara & William Gaughan
Mike & Marge Gaughan
Helen Micek Ireland
Dr. & Mrs. Everett N. Jones,
Jr.
Ursula Kalinowski
Thomas M. Kiefer, DDS
Patricia A. Kuper
John & Mary Tighe Longo
Roy & Joyce Murphy
James Niemeier
Msgr. Edward C. O’Donnell
Susan R. Tast
Mark & Robin Micek Taylor
James & Margaret Yowell
Mrs. Evelyn P. Yowell
Grace Haniszewski
Goldman, SM ’50
Rich & Cari Goldman
Tokheim
Philip Duffy, Jr.
Kate Janca Adams
Mary & Tim Coyle
Carolyn Jaworski
Holly McCoy
Mercy High School Faculty
and Staff
Kathleen Redding
Jim Graves
Mrs. James A. Lavelle
Lawrence (Larry) J. Eckley
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff
Peg Poffenbarger Neumann
Kate Danahy Powell
Janice Rashid, Ed.D.
Dean Haskell
Les & Kathleen McKenna
Horton
Jerry Grubb
Jan & Gerry Haney
Paul Gudenrath
Gary & Pam Smith
Mary Jo Burnell Hedges
George & Rose Marie
Bendon Basque
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff
Cathy A. Brizeno
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
Bob & Laura Caniglia
Callahan
Mike & Mary Beacom
Emmer
Tom & Maureen Becka
Falcon
Nancy & Gary Flanigan
Carmelo & Rose Guastello
Jo Marie Guastello
Jerry & Rita Gubbels
Carolyn Jaworski
Holly McCoy
Ted & Cindy Menzel &
Family
Joy Neneman
Carol Ann Cooney Pitzer
Gene & Marilyn Spence
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
Jim & Nancy Thompson
Dan & Julie Vankat
Ann Bendon Wieberg
Sr. Rosalima Wilkinson,
RSM
Catherine A. Heese
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Jo Russo
Edward & Marcia Thiele
Bob & Nancy Voboril
Mildred Walsh
Joe Walsh
Mary Tracy Kane, SJ ’29
Shirley Kane Wicks
Steve Kastl
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
David A. Kielty
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Jo Russo
Don Kohout
Beth Kohout Oubre
Amil Kubat
Jan & Gerry Haney
Allen Kubat
Jan & Gerry Haney
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Bernice Labedz
Mr. Bernard Scherr
Ruth Hicks
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Beverly Sonzini Leonardo,
SJ ’54
Frank & Trudy Murphy
Perrone
Jo Russo
Katherine Thomas
Dorothy Hug
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Walt & Teresa Marchese
Lori & Mike Marchese
Edith Hulvey
Bob & Nancy Nystrom
Sarah M. Markesi
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Leslie Irvine
Elsie Hubrecht Irvine
Bill & Margaret Jancik
Mr. Gerald Jancik
Josephine E. Janiak
Carol Anderson
John & Bev Chunka
Frank & Betty Coppola
Luella Hahn
Daniel & Sheila Hoffmann
Sr. Kathleen Janiak, RSM
Margaret Janiak
George Jonaitis
Frank & Joanie Kolar
Charles & Marian Mach
Tim & Diane Mohatt
Omaha Public Power
District Employees
Doug & Rose Roberts
Chester & Virginia Stefanski
Marvin McCoy
Kate Janca Adams
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
Bob & Laura Caniglia
Callahan
Sr. M. Cabrini Camel, RSM
Sr. Marian Camel, RSM
Sr. Corrine Connelly, RSM
Mrs. Leone Coyle
Tim & Mary Coyle
Julie & Jason Crimmins
Ric & Betty Darrell
Kevin & Kate Doyle
Chris & Bob Dunn
Mike & Mary Beacom
Emmer
Tom & Maureen Becka
Falcon
Sr. Catherine Marie Franey,
RSM
26
Sr. Pat Guziec, RSM
John & Ruth Gross Harre
Cathy & Tom Kessler &
Family
Dr. Matt & Laura Maggio
Lori & Mike Marchese
Delores McCoy
Holly McCoy
Bill McNamara
Dan McNamara
Mrs. Fred McNamara
Mike McNamara
Ted & Cindy Menzel &
Family
Mercy High School Faculty
and Staff
Joy Neneman
Sr. Jeanne O’Rourke, RSM
Kathleen Redding
Amy Michalski Schultz
Rosie & Wes Seaver
Mary L. Skupa
Lorray D. Smith
Mark & Teresa Tusa
Stillmock
Dan & Mary Ann Wieberg
Tietjen & Family
Bill & Ann Godek
Tomcykowski
Dan & Julie Vankat
Sr. M. Kateri Vojir, RSM
Joan Weber
Dave & Kristi Walters
Wessling
Ann Bendon Wieberg
Edie Hraban Winkelmann
Rob McCoy
Lori & Mike Marchese
Thomas McElligott
Sr. Corrine Connelly, RSM
Sancha Gloden Corrigan
Sharon Van Ackeren Fulcher
Mary Jean Connelly
Harrington
Judy Jurek
Jeannie Rashid McElligott
Margie & Howard Nelsen
Peg Poffenbarger Neumann
Don & Kay Schuyler
Oberdin
Loretta Kearney Siegele
Peg Wagman Stoysich
Carol Longmore Wessling
Beulah McMahon
Jim & Nancy Tanner
Rosenthal
Bernadette Mernin
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Sam Monaco
Carmen Monaco Messineo
Mary Margaret Hogan
O’Hearn, SJ ’42
Joan Fitzgerald Obarski
Jo Russo
Mary Ann Koraleski
Wessling
Gertrude Martin Pedersen,
SM ‘34
Charles & Frances Addy
Baird Holm McEachen
Pedersen Hamann &
Strasheim - 16th Floor
Employees
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff
Dr. Michael & Mrs. Janet
Brannen
Joseph & Catherine O’Brien
Casey
William S. Ellis
Mark & Katie Elsener
Charles & Frances Filipi
Rene Wilfong Garvey
Tom & Margaret Hoarty
Elizabeth Hug
William & Kathy Baines
Kizer
Gary & Karen Klein
Marge Koenigsman
Zita Kohanek
Dan & Nancy Kuhl
Amy L. Longo
Gernon A. Longo, M. D.
Tom & Jean Rogers Lund
Terrence & Mary Kay Maher
Dr. Patrick & Anne
Pedersen Mahoney
Gary & Mary Tuttle Marasco
Jean M. McGill
Cecilia Engel McQuade
Pat & Peg Gassman
O’Malley
Marcy Connelly Peterson
Bernard J. Scherr
Dr. Michael & Mrs. Cheryl
Schuster
Frank & Alice Stanek
Stephen & Deborah Titus
Robert & Katherine
Townsend
David & Carol Van Metre
Mrs. Jeanne Marie Pingree
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Jo Russo
Dorothy Hess Pokorny,
SJ ’41
Sr. Corrine Connelly, RSM
Patricia (Tish) Connelly
Warren Powell
Peg Poffenbarger Neumann
Sr. Mary Ellen Quinn,
RSM, SM ’47
Albert & Carole Lankas
Angele
Sr. Marie Angele, RSM
Margaret Berendzen
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff
Marilyn Kawa Brennan
Sr. Corrine Connelly, RSM
Patricia (Tish) Connelly
Mary Jean Connelly
Harrington
Geri Higgins Langenegger
Holly McCoy
Mary Cvetas Munshaw
Marcy Connelly Peterson
Caron Ann Cooney Pitzer
John & Priscilla Connelly
Quinn
Sr. Susan Severin, RSM
Pat Shea
Lorray D. Smith
Mrs. Sally V. Smolen
Sr. Sally A. Smolen, RSM
Deb Radik
Joe & Jean Ward Nekola
Corwin Rogers
Tom & Ann Connelly
Brannen
Mrs. Gerry Rogers
Evelyn Thell Ross
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Greg & Maxine Thell Vinardi
Frances Rosso
Helen Micek Ireland
Paul Rozmajzl
Sr. Michon Rozmajzl, RSM
Pierrette D. Ruetz
Dr. Robert G. Ruetz
Subby Salerno
Joseph & Larri Smejkal
Caniglia
Mrs. Terri Ganapini
Don Shea
Jo Marie Guastello
Jan & Gerry Haney
Gary & Marlene Thell
Machal
Joe & Jean Ward Nekola
Edmund J. Sobetski
Jo Russo
Donald D. Starks
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
Sr. Jeanne O’Rourke, RSM
John Sylvester
Holly McCoy
Irene Thell
Bridget A. Garland
Scott Martin
Rev. Thomas R. Ward
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick O.
Ricketts
Bill Thommes
Mary & Tim Coyle
Tyler Watson
Mrs. Margaret E. Lavelle
Mary Beth Lavelle
Janet Lavelle Stracke
Gregory Turnquist
Joseph & Larri Smejkal
Caniglia
Mrs. Terri Ganapini
John J. Wieberg
John & Mary Ann
McDermott Dobrovolny
Rosemary Litton Maynard
Jo Ann Vacanti
Jim & Susan Franco
Louise Battaglia Franco
Mike & Ann Franco Laughlin
David & Mary Franco Levy
Bob & Cathy Franco Van
Haute
Jim & Theresa Franco
Wingender
Joe & Chris Franco Zadina
Marlene A. Wilwerding
Jo Russo
Mary Ann Koraleski
Wessling
Jack Vankat
Tim & Mary Coyle
Carolyn Jaworski
Holly McCoy
Kathleen Shaffer
Vincentini ’57
Maureen E. McGrath
Frances Biga Wrobleski,
SM ’40
Mary Frances Wrobleski
Korach
Cathy Wrobleski Lane
Frances Biga Wrobleski
Family
Jennifer Wrobleski
Darlene Zuber ’63
Nadine Dillon
Peg Poffenbarger Neumann
Kate Danahy Powell
Janice Rashid, Ed.D.
The MERCIAN
Published 3x yearly
by the Mercy High School
Alumnae/Advancement Office
Ingrid Kalinowski Borghoff ’65
Vice President for Advancement
Mary Beacom Emmer ’84
Alumnae Relations/Special
Events Coordinator
Maureen Becka Falcon ’85
Communications/Publications
Amanda Fulton ’98
Alumnae Association President
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
President
Carolyn Jaworski ’64
Principal
(402) 553-9424
FAX (402) 553-0394
www.mercyhigh.org
27
Living Memorials
Scholarship Memorials,
Scholarship & Tuition Awards
September 1, 2008-January 16, 2009
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
(in honor of her birthday)
Holly McCoy
Sr. M. Annette Knight,
RSM
Sr. M. Cabrini Camel, RSM
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM,
Carolyn Jaworski, Ingrid
Kalinowski Borghoff
(in honor of Christmas)
Holly McCoy
Sr. M. Camille Prodzinski,
RSM
Sr. Elaine Delaney, RSM
Leo J. Taylor
(in honor of Christmas)
Mark & Robin Micek Taylor
Sister of Mercy Jubilarians
50th
Sr. Jean Sitter, RSM
Sr. M. Janet Daul, RSM
Sr. Elaine Delaney, RSM
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Sr. Monica Marie Reichmuth,
RSM
Dr. Michon Rozmajzl, RSM
Jo Russo
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
60th
Sr. M. Virginia Daly, RSM
Sr. Adele Mondragon, RSM
Sr. Mary Ellen Quinn, RSM
(dec.)
Sr. Marian Camel, RSM
Sr. M. Charlene Ross, RSM
Sr. M. Cabrini Camel, RSM
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea,
RSM
Sr. Monica Marie
Reichmuth, RSM
Sr. Dorothea Turner, RSM
Sr. M. Janet Daul, RSM
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Dr. Michon Rozmajzl, RSM
Jo Russo
Sr. Susan Severin, RSM
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
75th
Sr. M. Ernest LaForge,
RSM
Sr. M. Cabrini Camel, RSM
Sr. Marian Camel, RSM
Sr. M. Janet Daul, RSM
Sr. Elaine Delaney, RSM
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Sr. Adele Mondragon, RSM
Sr. Monica Marie
Reichmuth, RSM
Dr. Michon Rozmajzl, RSM
Jo Russo
Sr. Susan Severin, RSM
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
September 1, 2008-January 16, 2009
A.L.U.M. Scholarship
Ann Louise Urzendowski
Micek, SM ’49
Archdiocesan Tuition
Award
Archbishop Elden F. Curtiss
Callone Family Tuition
Award
Pat Callone & Bill Flynn
Carol Kastl Mem.
Mathematics Scholarship
Jo Kastl Henely
In honor of John & Dee
Pearson’s 50th wedding
anniversary
In memory of the following:
E. Dean Hascall
Craig Holley
Steve Kastl
Dan Sims
General Scholarships
In memory of Margaret
Knudsen Hoody, SM ’45
Anonymous
Joan Jaksich Cimpl
Kutilek-Mayer Family
Scholarship
Tom & Annette Mayer
Kutilek
In memory of the following:
Daniel Belford
Joe Kenney
Barb King
Dan Sims
Mary Jane Smith Gerst
Memorial Scholarhsip
Marilyn Smith Havel
Renae C. Von Tersch Art
Scholarship
El & Rita Wagner Pitt
Rev. Thomas R. Ward
Educational Scholarship
In honor of Priesthood
Sunday
Christ the King Parish
Sr. Jeanne O’Rourke
Cross Country
Scholarship
Anonymous
Joan Jaksich Cimpl
Tuition Award
Sr. Johanna Burnell
Tuition Award
In memory of Mary Jo
Burnell Hedges, Margaret
(Mickie) Blessington, and
Johanna’s nephew
Marj Kastl Krawczyk
Wendy O’Rourke
Leadership Award
In honor of John & Lisa
O’Rourke’s wedding, in lieu
of gifts:
Sr. Johanna Burnell, RSM
Irene Green
Jerry & Rita Gubbels
Mary Therese Gubbels
Mr. Richard G. Gubbels
Rev. Charles J. O’Rourke
Mr. Donald F. O’Rourke
Sr. Jeanne O’Rourke, RSM
John & Lisa O’Rourke
William & Patricia Stanek
Dworak Family Tuition
Award
In honor of Robert & Mary
Krayneski’s 40th wedding
anniversary:
Bill & Pat Stanek Dworak
Sr. M. Joel Torpy, RSM
Sr. Elaine Delaney, RSM
Sr. M. Marcellus Valdez,
RSM
Sr. Monica Marie Reichmuth,
RSM
Sr. M. Paulita Van Cleave,
RSM
Sr. M. Janet Daul, RSM
Sr. M. Jude Graham, RSM
Dr. Michon Rozmajzl, RSM
Jo Russo
Sr. Susan Severin, RSM
Sr. M. Agnes Tamisiea, RSM
70th
Sr. Damien Amatelli, RSM
Sr. Adele Mondragon, RSM
Sr. M. Corita Holmes, RSM
Sr. Marian Camel, RSM
Mercy Volunteer Corp Opportunity
The Mercy Volunteer Corps (MVC), a full-time lay volunteer program for women and men,
sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, provides opportunities for people over the age of 21 to
give a year of service, communiuty and prayer. MVC offers placements in the continental U.S.
and Guyana, South America. Volunteer opportunities include teaching or nursing on Indian
reservations or inner cities, working in homeless shelters, social service agencies, clinics, etc.
Mercy Volunteers receive housing, medical insurance, transportation, food and personal
stipends, and school loan deferments. U.S. volunteers may be eligible for the AmeriCorps
Education Award, an educational stipend worth $4,725.
For more information contact Janet Gary at [email protected].
Mercy High School
1501 S. 48th Street
Omaha, NE 68106-2504
Non Profit
Organization
US Postage
PAID
Omaha, NE
Permit NO 879
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Help Support Negotiated Tuition
Donate to Phonathon
www.mercyhigh.org and click on the
donate now button