Class Notes – Summer 2022

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1960s

Walt Dull ’69 recently completed a 10-year position as a certified mentor of the state of New Jersey’s Principals and Supervisors Association. He retired after 36 years in education in three different states and overseas, with 20 years as a teacher and coach, and16 years as a high school principal. During his high school football and track coaching career, he achieved a winning percentage of 80. Walt and his wife of 48 years, Veronica, live in the Ocean City area, along with their two sons. Walt is a member of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity and was chosen as a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges in1968.

1980s

Kelly Barber lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with his wife and children. He says, “I enjoyed attending the ’80s reunion at Franciscan in 2018 with my sons Zac and Finn, and close friend Joe Hewett ’85. We flew to New York from Auckland, New Zealand, to spend a few days seeing the sights before meeting up with Joe, visiting Washington, D.C., and then driving to Steubenville. It’s always a joy to visit the University and even more special to have my sons join me halfway across the world from home and see a place that has such a special place in my heart and changed my life in so many ways. My wife, Melissa, and daughter, Abby, decided to stay back in NZ having recently returned from Europe on a mother/ daughter trip.” Kelly is in regular contact back in New Zealand with his old roommate, Mike Copeland ’88, whom he reports is in excellent health and spirit!

Dr. Annette (Jakubisin ’84) Konicki was recently appointed interim associate dean for graduate studies at the University of Connecticut.

Lisa Carmichael ’87 will retire as superintendent from the Ontario School District in Ontario, Ohio, at the end of June, wrapping up a 35-year career in education.

1990s

William Shivers MBA ’90 retired from Huntington Bank for Canton and Mahoning Valley, Ohio, after a 40-year career, having served most recently as regional president.

Lisa (Lottinger ’92) Wegmann lives in Metairie, La., with her three children, Teresa, 19, Elizabeth, 17, and Patrick, 15.

Lisa (Lottinger ’92) Wegmann with her three children, Teresa, Elizabeth, and Patrick.

Luis ’94 MA ’01 and Carolyn (Pierce ’01) Brown live in Florida with their five children, John Paul, Gabriel, Monica, Siena, and Libbie. Luis is a patent examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Bob Cunningham ’97 is the editorial and content strategist at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Paul ’97 and Mary (Garbe ’02) Doetsch live in Evanston, Ill., with their four children. Paul recently accepted a position with the town of Evanston as the vice president of Diversity and Inclusion.

Robert ’98 and Gretchen (VanHaute ’99) McCarron live in Akron, Ohio, with their 10 children, Margaret, Moira, Anne, Joseph, John, Abigail, David, Michael, Lucy, and Charles. Robert is a financial advisor with R.W. Baird, Inc., and Gretchen is a stay-at-home mom.

Aaron Piccirilli ’99 was recently named vice president at Ascension St. Agnes in Baltimore, where he will also serve as executive director of the health system’s foundation, overseeing its philanthropic initiatives.

2000s

Michael Healy ’00 MA ’02 MA ’06 recently published The Biblical Qur’an: A Christian Investigation, which develops a controversial thesis that the Qur’an should be read and interpreted in such a way that it agrees with the Bible.

Robert Standardi ’02 MBA ’04 was recently promoted to senior vice president, chief risk officer, and controller at Portage Community Bank (PCB), a northeast Ohio community financial institution headquartered in Ravenna, Ohio. Robert has been employed with PCB since 2010 and currently serves on the University Hospitals Portage Medical Center Foundation’s Finance Committee and has previously served on the Ohio Bankers League Next Generation Advisory Board, the Ohio Bankers League Accounting/ Audit Advisory Council, the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Alumni Council, and the United Way of Portage County Community Impact Committee.

In June 2021, Dr. Roland Millare ’04 became vice president of curriculum for the St. John Paul II Foundation in Houston, Texas. He also serves as the program director of Shepherd’s Heart and Servant’s Heart, which offers continuing education and formation to priests and deacons. This spring, he published his first book, A Living Sacrifice: Liturgy and Eschatology in Joseph Ratzinger, with Emmaus Academic and contributed an entry to the Ratzinger lexicon that will be published by Ignatius Press. He is an adjunct professor of theology for the University of St. Thomas and for deacon candidates in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Roland says, “I live in Texas with my beautiful bride, Veronica, and our two sweet little girls.”

Rita (Demboski ’05) Biller and her husband, Matthew, live in Alliance, Ohio, with their four children, Michael, Ellie, Ann, and Jane. Rita works as a nurse at Traditions Health.

Father Joseph Gill ’05 was recently named pastor of St. Jude Parish in Monroe, Conn. He also serves as high school chaplain at a small classical Catholic high school, the Cardinal Kung Academy, in Stamford. He is active in media evangelization and leads a young adult podcast called Restless on local EWTN radio, has recently released his second novel, The Shores of Heaven, based on the true story of four early-Church martyrs, and his fourth album of Christian praise music, Until Eternity Dawns, now available on iTunes and Spotify.

Adam Rust ’05 has been named head of Sacred Heart of Jesus High School in Jackson, Tenn., where he previously served as teacher and vice principal.

Sean Foster MA ’07 has been named the first president of Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, Ill.

Jen Yasho ’08 was recently selected as one of eight Ohioans who were nominated as heroes in their community for their work in supporting local children and families to receive the Everyday Ohio Heroes Award. She is an intake caseworker for Job and Family Services, Children Services Division, in Jefferson County.

2010s

David ’11 and Amanda (Dichtl ’12) Griswold welcomed Benjamin Isaac in September 2021. David still works as a police officer, and Amanda stays home with their children, Joseph, 8, George, 7, Peter, 5, Veronica, 3, Edward, 2, and baby Benjamin. Amanda says, “Homeschooling keeps me busy, and with so many boys, there is rarely a dull moment at home.”

Ian ’11 and Katie (Van Lieshout ’10) Ladner welcomed their fourth child, Abigail Virginia, in December 2021. Abigail joins her three older siblings, Felicity, 6, Isaac, 4, and Gemma, 3.

Luke-Rajan Iyengar ’15 MA ’18 was ordained to the minor orders of candlebearer, cantor, and reader for the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy (Archdiocese) of Pittsburgh on December 11, 2021.

Emily Smith ’15 is a second-year student in the doctor of psychology (PsyD) program at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, Divine Mercy University, in Sterling, Va.

Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC ’17, was ordained to the priesthood for the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy on December 27, 2021, in Stockbridge, Mass.

Nicole (DeCarlo ’18) Cardone is a graduate student at the National University of Natural Medicine.

Kristina Frandson ’18 was recently named curator at the Museum of Idaho. This follows earning her master’s degree in human osteoarchaeology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Katie (Irvin ’18) Herrmann recently joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC in Wheeling, W.Va., as a professional liability attorney. She earned her law degree from Duquesne University School of Law.

Megan Luiso ’18 teaches upper school religion at the Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati.

Prudence Robertson ’19 was recently named host of EWTN’s weekly current affairs program Pro-Life Weekly.

Listen to Legends from the Hill

In celebration of the 75th Jubilee of Franciscan University, alumni from all eras share candid stories of life on campus and the impact the University has on their life today. Join host, Alumni Director Christie Fleming ’10, and Meghan (Bartnick ’10) Coen for our new Legends From the Hill podcast. Listen on all major podcast platforms or through the website.

In Memoriam

Jacquelyn “Jackie” (Spence ’54) Conn died October 30, 2021.

Richard “Gub” Davison ’57 died November 19, 2021.

Edward Punke ’57, Alpha Chi Rho brother, died March 26, 2022.

We have just learned Richard Daugherty ’59, Omicron Alpha Kappa brother, died January 16, 2021.

We have just learned Adam Goykovich ’60, died January 2, 2016.

Frank Kuchan ’65 died December 4, 2021.

Gay (Hauber ’67) Bossetti died February 17, 2022.

We have just learned Nancy (Linney ’67) Schendel died December 5, 2020.

James “Jim” Carroll ’68, Alpha Chi Rho brother, died November 23, 2021.

Donna Ardito ’70, Delta Zeta sister, died January 20, 2022.

Peter Cola ’70 died January 12, 2022.

Esther (Musgrave ’71) Harris died March 14, 2022.

David Timko ’71, Alpha Chi Rho brother, died February 12, 2022.

Gary Nader ’73, Alpha Chi Rho brother, died February 6, 2022.

William E. Reed II ’73 died February 11, 2022.

Betty Ruggieri ’77 died January 3, 2022.

Ralph Villers ’77 died December 2, 2021.

John Davis ’83 died January 21, 2022.

Dwight Ensley MBA ’86 died March 5, 2022.

Janet (Lynch ’89) Irvin died unexpectedly March 27, 2022.

James “Jim” LaPrath ’91 died December 11, 2021.

Kathleen (Everson ’92) McCusker died unexpectedly November 17, 2021.

Ann Zmuda ’94 died April 19, 2022.

Dr. Geertruida de Moor MA ’01 died August 15, 2021.

Larry Bossell MSA ’08 died November 10, 2021.