Class Notes

Mary McMurrough Klein and Emeline Judson Synodis, BA ’27, represented 100% of their 75th anniversary class at the Homecoming Luncheon in April. They were honored with special gifts, roses and well wishes from the alumni present.

Aileen Bihl Scott Locklar, BA ’32, was able to make the mixer but not the luncheon. She had to work at the ranch before coming to Homecoming. Other Homecoming diamond alumnae and regular attendees were Jacqueline Fleming Nelson, IWHS ’34, and Margaret Nottingham Fuchs, BA ’38.

Evelyn Klecka Riebschaeger, BA ’33, celebrated her 90th birthday on July 3, 2002.

Ada Koenig Kirk, BA ’43, MA ’65, had quite a year in Cuero. First it was her 80th birthday celebration and then a gala retirement celebration with a cast of hundreds from Cuero High School after 45 years with the Cuero ISD.

Dr. Irene McCrystal, BA ’51, is the author of Sunshine in a Cup, a collection of true stories of her contact with animals and nature over the course of 50 years. A retired professor emerita of San Antonio College, she calls the Texas hill country home.

Boecker Bengele, BS ’53, had several months of travel with some important events, including a grandson’s graduation in Houston and a three-week trip to Sydney, Australia to meet her new grandson and attend his Baptism.

Lucretia Borjas Tarpey, BA ’53, wrote in July from Highland Park, IL and is on the long road to recovery after surgery but hopes to join 11 or more of her classmates in May 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation at the UIW morning commencement ceremony.

Dr. Judith Barnett, BA ’55, is busy in Corpus Christi, TX with many activities including her leadership role with the Search Retreats of the Diocese of Corpus Christi [www.searchretreats.org]. She also teaches English classes as needed for Del Mar College and laughs that she is Dr.”Staff.”

Gwen Coulter Sandefur, BA ’57, MA ’66, writes that she and her husband are building their dream house in Wimberly, TX. Gwen kind of retired five years ago and now devotes full time to her first love, oil painting. Watch for the news of an exhibition!

Dr. Carole Edland, BSN ’59, writes from Wisconsin and recalls her days as a nursing student. She was hired to set up the third School of Nursing at the Robert B. Green Hospital [1959-1960]. Carole went on to earn a degree in art, an MA in pastoral ministries with a minor in music, and the Doctor of Ministry. All of this was put to excellent use in The Butterfly Ministry she founded to help people cope with a crisis.

Margaret Hickey, BA ’63, recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as the Librarian at the US Small Business Administration’s Reference Library in Washington, D.C. She wrote with the news that her brother, Bill, and the former Barbara Reichart, ’65, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on August 25th.

Diane Barron Weynand, BS ’64, retired last May after 30 years of teaching kindergarten and first grade, and as a reading specialist. Diane plans to substitute now and then, travel more, and enjoy her four grandchildren.

Barbara Reichart Hickey, ’65, and husband of 40 years, Bill, have three children and three grandchildren and live in Swarthmore, PA.

Estella Reyna Kierce, BA ’65, MA ’69, was named to the 2002 San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. Estella is a State Farm Insurance Agent in San Antonio and national president of Women in Insurance and Financial Services. A 1998 Woman of the Year of the Castroville Chamber of Commerce, Estella is active with the San Antonio Area Council of Girl Scouts, Medina Valley VFW Auxiliary, the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce and the Mexican American Business and Professional Women.

Sister Cornelia Marie Knezek, SSCJ [formerly Sister Michael Ernest], BM ’65, MA ’70, is now a member of the general administration of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of St. Jacut. When at her home base she resides in Paris, France.

Carol Kay Kelly, BSN ’68, emailed from Oregon to ask if we knew of the death of former Chaplain, Rev. Noel Durr. Kay had been in touch with him for the past 34 years and planned to visit him in Ireland. Sadly, a card she sent for his 42nd ordination anniversary was returned noting that he had died. Kay went to Ireland and was able to spend a day with Father Durr’s sister, Patsy O’Hara, PatsyOhara@eircom.net. She was able to fill Kay in on his missionary work in Kenya and his work in Ireland. Father Durr was buried in the vestments made for him by the Incarnate Word Sisters years ago. For more information and her photos you may contact Kay at billandk@attbi.com .

Beth Amen O’Brien, BM ’69, is now a director with Pampered Chef.

Christine (Tina) Kahn Rice, BA ’69 is a grandmother of two - granddaughter Sierra, 28 months, and grandson Gabriel, 12 weeks. Since they are in Houston, Tina has lots of fun being a grandmother.

Georgie J. Coleman McAteer, BA ’70, is the Director, Battle Command Training Center at Fort Hood, TX. It is the first in the Army to do integration and training for battle command systems. With typical Georgie humor, she said a “strange place to find an aging hippie.”

Sister M. Emilie Eilers, BA ’70, was honored at St. Joseph High School in Victoria, TX on June 16th for her years of service to Catholic education. Sister Emilie has been at the school for 17 years and now begins a sabbatical in New Hampshire and also preparing for a Master’s in Sacred Studies.

Carolyn Gleinser Meegan, IWHS ’67, BA ’71, and husband, Mike, witnessed the graduation of their youngest of three children from St. Mary’s University in May. Carolyn and Mike moved to San Antonio from St. Louis and Mike works with St. Mary’s Alumni and the annual Oyster Bake.

Jo Ducho Pollock, BS ’72, was traveling in Europe with the Texas Elite Softball Team [Netherlands and Czech Republic] with her friend’s granddaughter, Ria Hoog, and at some point must have sustained a stress fracture. Back home she fell and received two fractures. The good news is that the team came in second. More good news is that she visited all of the places later devastated by the late summer floods.

Paulette [Polly] Heinrich Harrison, BM ’73, was the subject of a feature story in San Antonio Current, August 1-7, 2002 written by a former IWC performer Bett Butler. The article traces her entire career and recordings, going back to her days at IWC when she met Kyle Keener and former student and faculty member Mark Marty at the IWC theatre. Polly and Kyle formed The Small World and have been performing together, successfully ever since. They play Sundays at the Landing on the San Antonio River and have been regulars at Homecoming and the July 4th alumni events.

Minverva G. Gordillo Maldonado, BA ’73, husband, Bill, and sons Giovanni and Gregory made their annual visit to the campus in July from Mexico City. This time they came with grandma. They were on their way to their hotel in Cancun after a stop home. The boys are in the German School in Mexico City, and Giovanni [totally tri-lingual] has declared that he is coming to Incarnate Word and will play basketball.

Peter P. Padron, III, BA ’75, MA ’80, is teaching geography and world history this year at the new Warren High School in San Antonio. Pete was one of 87 educators from across the nation to be part of the “each Vietnam Teachers’ Network” which met in Washington, D.C. in July. A Vietnam vet with 27 years of teaching experience, he said, “I want to share my personal experiences and point out some of the good that came out of the war.” And on visiting the memorial wall in Washington, “I’m not sure how I’ll feel. I have friends whose names are on that wall.”

Sister Doloretta Madigan, SHS, MA ’76, tutors young students in reading every day at St. Cecilia’s Catholic School in San Antonio.

Alan M. Craig, BA’77, and his family are now living in Bridgeport, TX. Alan is a funeral director with the Hawkins Funeral Home northwest of Fort Worth.

Dr. Frank Jacobs, BS ’78, earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry at Washington State University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary. This was followed by an appointment at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. After two years he returned home to Nigeria to establish a small-scale industry in the production of wine and juice from pineapple. He is happily married with five children. fsujacobs@yahoo.com

Antoinette [Toni] Pollock Mulvaney, BA ’78, was promoted to Full Professor in the College of Business at Lamar University. Lawyer Toni teaches business law, environmental law, legal issues in diversity, business environment, public policy and business communication. Of course she also counsels students with legal and personal problems. Her husband, Thomas F., was elected as judge in the state district court and handles family and juvenile issues in their county. Children Katy, Erin and Daniel are in 10th, 9th and 6th grades respectively, and Katy is thinking of following in the UIW footsteps of her mother, and grandmother, Jo Ducho Pollock, BS ’72.

Mimi Quintanilla, BA ’78, won a 2002 Headliner Award from the Association of Women in Communication in San Antonio. Mimi is a member of the Smithsonian Advisory Council and the Latino Advisory Committee. Mimi’s husband, David M. Schmidt, received his Master’s in Education from UIW in 2000.

Kim Brinster, BA ’79, got herself quoted in the New York Times as manager of the Oscar Wilde Bookstore in Manhattan. Kim also went on a tour of Ireland in June with her mother.

Karen, BA ’79, MA ’86, and Richard Jones, MA ’86, have been busy touring and working in films the last few years. This summer Karen was on tour with Greater Tuna [Joe Sears and Jaston Williams] which included the Kennedy Center in Washington. They’ll be in San Antonio this fall. Richard was in Spain doing dialect coaching on a film.

Deborah Ann Benavides, BA ’83, received the MA in Adult and Higher Education from UTSA last May and plans to pursue a doctorate in higher education at the University of Arkansas- Fayetteville. Debbie has been employed at UTSA for 14 years and is currently an undergraduate academic advisor for the College of Liberal and Fine Arts.

Regina Belton Cerna, BSN ’83, and husband, Manuel Cerna, MBA ’00, are both members of the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s San Antonio chapter.

Mardi Swift Marah, BA ’83, completed office technology and office management courses and made student profile of the year.

Dr. Jo Ann Juchniewicz Stankus, BSN ’83, wrote from Fort Worth with the news that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School is growing rapidly and has 390 students in pre-K through 6th grade in their new school and there is also a waiting list. JoAnn wrote five grants last year and one (so far) came in for $2,500 for their library.

Joseph R. Booker, BA ’84, MA ’86, received tenure in the English Department at Palo Alto College in San Antonio.

Tim B. Shull, BS ’84, and his wife, Katie, were the subjects of a June 2002 Reader’s Digest article, reports Mom, Ellen Shull, BA ’72. Tim braved a North Carolina snowstorm to deliver their visas a few years ago when they adopted their first child, Steven Dmitry, from Russia. Quite an adventure to get to Russia from Raleigh, and on the way home flew with Olympian Marian Jones and husband and have a photo of them with little Steven to prove it. While in Russia they fell in love with a little girl and two years later they went back to adopt 11-year-old Angela. The four Shulls have since moved back to Victoria, TX.

Maj. Yolette M. Davis, BSN ’85, was promoted to Major in the US Air Force Reserve.

Cathy Gannon, BSN ’86, is still working in PACU at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, MD. She says she really likes it and is happy she became a nurse. She is also studying for a certification exam in Peri-Anesthesia Nursing this fall, but still has time for the guitar, baking, yoga and socializing.

Teresa M. Guajardo Jarzombek, BM ’86, had a great year teaching and her students ranked a first in the state UIL band contest. Husband Ralph P. Jarzombek, BM ’94, earned his Master’s in Music Theory this summer from the University of North Texas.

SSG Ramiro J. Jaime, Jr., BA ’89, was called up to active duty in the US Army in June.

Amy Marie Hoelscher Seebeck, BS ’89, has moved to Goodyear, AZ where husband, Peter, has been assigned to Luke AFB in Phoenix.

Sister Andrea Inkrott, OSF, MA ’90, is the diocesan Hispanic Ministry Director for the Diocese of Charlotte, NC and is in the process of updating the Hispanic pastoral plan.

Stacey Johnson, MA ’90, was named by the San Antonio Express-News as one of the 30 most influential South Texans in women’s sports on the 30th anniversary of Title IX in July 2002. The Lee High School graduate is president of the US Fencing Association, a member of the US Olympic Committee, and a member of the 1980 Olympic team.

Diane Denise Osio, BS ’90, MA ’92, has been married for four years and is now a human resources specialist with the Warm Springs Rehabilitation System’s corporate office, and assists with some of the public relations work. She is loving all of it. Diane is on the alumni networking Network.

Francisco Javier Ramirez, Jr., BBA ’90, has been working in Laredo since graduation and finished his MBA from Texas A&M University.

Bridget Bomersbach, BA ’92, is a content mastery teacher and campus technology coordinator for the ISD in Victoria, TX.

Amy Ritthaler Gilmour, BA ’93, has accepted a full fellowship to study for her Ph.D. at UTSA. The new doctoral program in English will focus on Rhetoric and American Literature with a specialization in Latino Literature. Amy earned her MA at St. Mary’s University in 1997 and since then has been a National Endowment for the Humanities Faculty Institute participant, contributor to the San Antonio Express-News education page, and has been an adjunct faculty member at both UIW and St. Mary’s. Amy sends special thanks to UIW faculty, mentors and friends who have supported her along the way. Amy is married to UIW philosophy professor Dr. Doug Gilmour and they have two children, Sophia, 4, and Noble Emerson, 1.

Dr. Jody Griswold, BS ’93, DO, is working in internal medicine in San Benito, TX and has offered to help UIW pre-med students prepare for medical school.

Maj. Caterina E.M. Lasome, MSN/MBA ’93, MHA, RN, US Army Nurse Corps, is due congratulations on her recent election to the Capitol Area Roundtable on Informatics in Nursing (CARING) Board of Directors. CARING is an organization whose mission includes the advancement of the delivery of quality health care through the integration of informatics into practice, education, administration, and research with a focus on nursing. The organization was developed and organized by nurses in 1982 as a non-profit undertaking to provide a forum for the advancement of automated healthcare information systems. Maj. Lasome just completed a two-year term on the Board of Directors and was re-elected to a three-year term. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland-Baltimore.

Laura Lopez Macias, BBA ’93, is the Human Resources Director/Contract Oversight Lisencing Compliance Officer for L.H.S., Inc, Crystal City. She has served on the Middle Rio Grande Workforce Board since 1999 and is currently a City Council member. She is also working on a law degree. Laura would love to hear from old friends.

Chris Sauter, BA ’93, was one of ten contemporary San Antonio artists featured at the San Antonio Museum of Art this past summer.

Rev. David T. Szatkowski, BA ’95, SCJ, was ordained a priest in the congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart this summer and has been assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Houston.

Jennifer Brewster, BS ’96, husband Matt, and daughters Hannah, Lillian and Margaret, are now living in Seoul, S. Korea.

Ricardo Antonio Chavira, BA ’96, visited the campus last May with news of his new continuing role in the FOX television series, The Grubbs, playing the role of Coach Garra. The co-stars are Randy Quaid and Carol Kane. Ric previously had roles on JAG, NYPD Blue, and Six Feet Under.

Jack Lozano, BA ’96, is working on his second bachelor’s degree at Portland State University, in electrical/computer engineering and hopes to be finished in 2003.

Ned R. Meneses, BA ’96, is the vice president of the San Antonio chapter of ACM Siggraph and exhibited two of his works at the 29th annual conference of Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques meeting in San Antonio last July. The works were Unbound: The Uncertainty Principle and Schema. Ned’s sister, Diana Marina Meneses, received her BA from UIW last May.

Amalia L. Ortiz, BA ’96, appeared on Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry on HBO last July. For more information on Amalia’s performances see http://www.puroslam.com/other.htm

Dr. Ana Maria Rojas, BS ’96, MD, received her Doctor of Medicine degree from UTHSC San Antonio on May 25, 2002.

Scott A. Black, BBA ’97, earned his MS in Information Systems Technology from the University of Maryland. He works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] headquarters in Washington and is the Lead Program Analyst in the CFO’s office. Scott oversees the Office of Biological and Physical Science Research (OBPR), which manages all the research currently being done and planned for the International Space Station, as well as other related research conducted by NASA. Scott and his wife, Janette, recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary and both were looking forward to son Kalin’s first day in kindergarten.

Rev. Joseph Thien Dinh, BA ’97, SCJ, was ordained a priest in the congregation of Priests of the Sacred Heart this summer and has been assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Houston.

Manuel Esquivel, Jr., BBA ’97, is a senior financial analyst with Intel Corporation in Phoenix.

Brian B. Brady, BBA ’98, works for an energy trading company in Houston.

E. Yvonne Cantu, BA ’98, completed a term as a school board member and chair of the Extended Day Program for Ascension School in Oak Park, IL. Yvonne is beginning her fourth year as the Director of Before and After School Program for District #401 in Elmwood Park, IL [both Chicago suburbs]. The program focuses on families that need a safe, supervised, educational environment for their children before and after school and providing role models as well as social development tools for them. The program has been well-received and reviewed as outstanding by Chicago Public School Systems and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Kimberly Johnson, BS ’98, is teaching history and coaching basketball and softball at Temple High School in Texas.

Dr. Lilane J. Reifenberg, BS ’98, started her medical residency in May 2002.

Roland A.Trevino, BBA ’98, must surely be proud of his IWHS alumna wife, Diana Barrios Trevino, ’81, on the publication of her book, Los Barios Family Cookbook: Tex-Mex Recipes from the Heart of San Antonio. Random House sold out the first edition of 15,000 copies and is now in the second printing.

Cesare Andreotti, BBA ’99, is working in marketing and sales support in Genova, Italy.

Andrea Barrios-Cantu, BA ’99, earned her MA in School Psychology from Southwest Texas State University in May, and in June married Fidel Pena. They are living in San Antonio and she is working for the Northeast ISD as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology.

Rebecca Esparza, BBA ’99, and her fiancé, Robert Moreno, joined alumna Judith Barnett, BA ’55, and the UIW faculty and administration retreat this summer in Corpus Christi for the Mass celebrated by Bishop Edmond Carmody, Hon ‘96, and dinner at the Oyster Bay Seafood restaurant. Robert sat across a graduation classmate from Boerne High School, UIW Comptroller Edie Cogdell. Rebecca moved back home from Virginia and is recuperating from cancer treatments.

William R. Carbonara, BBA ’01, is one of only 29 spring sports athletes to receive a 2002 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A first baseman on the UIW Crusader baseball team, Will was notified that his $5,000 grant is for his graduate studies in accounting. The Cuero native, who already started graduate school at UIW, is one of only three athletes in the nation from the NCAA Division II to receive one of the scholarships. At the end of the baseball season, Will signed a professional contract with the Baltimore Orioles and is currently with Florida’s Gulf Coast League.

Sister Mary C. Eriken, MA ’01, has been assigned by the Holy Rosary Sisters to do missionary work in Africa and is now in Levubu, Republic of South Africa.

Jordan B. Kahn, BA ’01, is a writer for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, has a weekly column, and each Friday has a full page in the sports section for his fishing coverage.

Rita Ann Martinez, BA ’01, was appointed to the faculty of the Gallup Catholic School in New Mexico. She is head of the department and campus minister.

Monica Velasquez McIlwain, BA ’01, is a consumer-lending specialist with USAA and has started online graduate work for the MA in organizational management. Monica, husband Randy, and their three children moved into a new home this year.

SPC Chris Ruggles, BBA ’01, wrote from Schweinfurt, Germany where he is assigned to HHC 1/77 Armor Battalion (AR BN) under the 2nd Brigade of the Infanty Division [Big Red One]. Chris is a former UIW financial aid counselor who joined the military before graduation and left for basic training in January 2002. He graduated with honors from AIT Training in Fort Huachica, AZ and qualified as a Military Intelligence Analyst. As he wrote, he was waiting to be deployed to Kosovo. He is excited to be in Germany learning a new language and culture. He likes the US Army policy on student loan repayment, but misses San Antonio and the great food.

Zabrina Rodriguez, BA ’01, and David John Ropozo were part of a San Antonio Express-News feature on financial planning before marriage. They were married on July 6, 2002 in San Antonio.

Leon F. Bedolla, BA ’02, works for Digiservices, Inc. in San Antonio. This company creates web pages.

Justin Laughlin, BA ’02, had a leading role [Nick] in San Antonio’s San Pedro Playhouse Cellar Theatre production of Over the River and Through the Woods this summer. Also in the cast were UIW’s past performer/director Sidney Burnette [Aida} and student Amiya Brown [Caitlin].