Class of 1989

Blue Class of 1989

It seems so appropriate to be writing this on St. Patrick’s Day.  Oh, the memories!  How quickly 30 years has passed.

The first to check in was Deborah D’Souza Vazarani who is also finding it hard to believe it has been 30 years since we congregated in the Marble Corridor. Deb said Trinity continues to be part of her life and she is so glad. Like many of us, she is grateful Facebook provides us an opportunity to keep in touch with each other. Being in the DC area she gets to see Maureen Blum, Sylvia Hernandez Montgomery, Maggie Boys, and Laura Shea Ciavarella a fair amount. Deb has also been fortunate to see Kellyanne Fitzpatrick Conway, Julie Evans and Marguerite Kirst over the course of the year, as well as, Pam Delaney the year before.

With reunion coming up – Deb and Ash are hosting a reunion party at their home on June 1^st and everyone coming in town for the reunion is welcome to join them.

It is always a joy to hear from Anne Rubery Moran who reports all is well with her family. Anne is still an elementary school counselor in Maryland. She has been at the same school for 26 years! Thomas (26) and Maggie (22) are both working but living at home. Eileen (8) is in third grade, and very busy. Mike and Anne will be married 30 years in July. Mike, Eileen, and Anne are looking forward to a cruise to celebrate.

Barbara Wagner reported that 2019 will be a year of major life changes for her. After 15 years in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband Josh and stepsons Jacob and Beau, they are moving to the East Coast. Barbara recently took a job as the SVP of Merchandising with Talbots in Hingham, MA. They will be relocating to the South Shore of Boston area and are so excited for the ocean and lob-stah! Beau will be starting his first year of college at the end of August in either Colorado or Minnesota. Jacob is still enjoying the Pacific Northwest. Her sister Mary Pat‘s (‘85) daughter Alyse just “matched” for her residency at her first choice…Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ where she wants to be an emergency room doctor. They are super proud of Alyse and Barbara wishes her sister could be here to celebrate with her. Angels were looking down on Alyse for sure. Josh and Barbara would love some visitors from all the NE Trin-i-trons, so please let them know if you are in the area.

It is always wonderful to hear from Maggie Boys. She and Wyatt are doing well.  She took Wyatt on his first European vacation in 2018 and it was fantastic.  Maggie kept thinking about Dr. Kinnard and everything we learned in Western Civilization as she showed him London, Paris, Naples and Rome.  One of the highlights of the trip was taking the Eurostar from London to Paris

Maggie is lucky that whenever she travels to New York for work, she stays with Barbara Mooney Reinhard and gets to play trains with her son Chip.  Barbara brought the whole family to DC last summer and they got Lynn McDermott Schasiepen to come in from Annapolis with her family and they toured DC.

Mags also started a new job as Senior Director of Events at Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT).  It is a non-profit women’s leadership organization.  She just started in February and is thrilled to be working somewhere new, meeting new people and stretching her skills.  It was terrifying to look for a new job after being at FINRA for 18 years, but Maggie reported it was all worth it.   One of the best things about Maggie’s life these days is Stuart Hovell.  They have been together for five years now and she says, “It’s the best!” In September, they went to Upstate New York to listen to music, see waterfalls and drink wine.

On New Year’s Day, Maggie went to an open house hosted by Maureen Blum. She said it was a great time to see to see Deborah D’Souza Vazarani, Gretchen Romwebber Bukowski ’88, James Granowski (Suzanne Melley Granowski’s husband) and Kellyanne Fitzpatrick Conway.

I also heard from Kate Moore Patton and Tricia Callahan. Both reported they are doing well and send their best.

I am writing this from Ohio as my daughter Rebecca keeps asking, “Why is it snowing if it’s Spring Break?” Excellent question.

We took a cruise in July.  It was a much-needed get away and treasured family time with all three of our kids.  Sarah is enjoying her second year at Miami University and is working as a Resident Assistant, as well as an intern with an education non-profit.  I am so proud of her strength and courage, and love how she jumps in and takes advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow. She was also smart enough to secure a work trip to Orlando which perfectly coincides with her spring break! Genius!

Becca is a sophomore in high school and is our actress. She recently performed in “Letters from Sala” and was honored to be inducted into the International Thespian Society.  Whether performing on stage or working behind the scenes doing a brilliant job with costumes and make-up, she enjoys every minute of it. And, much to Alex’s objection, she constantly sings show tunes. She also recently got her license and is enjoying her new-found independence.

It is hard to believe Tim and I have another senior, but Alex will be graduating in May.  He got into all the colleges to which he applied but is still waiting to hear from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy before making a decision.  His dream has always been to go into the military either via an academy or ROTC.  However, he contracted a horrible, cornea melting infection in November which threatened his vision. We are forever grateful to God and the amazing team of medical professionals at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center who worked aggressively to save his vision.  Unfortunately, there was some permanent damage and we are still waiting for word from the Department of Defense to see if his vision meets their standards. Alex has been so strong through this entire ordeal and we know things will turn out as they are meant to be.

2Eyes.JustDrive received it’s 501C3 status this year and Sarah and I continue to work to bring awareness to the growing problem of distracted driving in our country and around the world.  We are heartbroken by the stories people from around the world share with us regarding how distracted driving has impacted their lives.  We are also inspired by their conviction to join the fight and help spare another family the heartbreak of losing a loved one to distracted driving.  Please my Trinity sisters, put your phones down while driving and encourage your family and loved ones to do the same.  It truly does just take a second for things to go terribly wrong. Please take a minute to like our Facebook page.

As for Tim and me, we are celebrating our 25^th Anniversary this year. We are still working on our silver jubilee plans, but I know it will be fun.

Thank you to everyone who sent updates for this year.  It is appreciated.

May 2019 bring you many blessings and fabulous adventures. Take time to enjoy the things in life that really matter and to tell those near and dear to you how much they mean to you.

Until next year-

Kathleen Sevilla Strack

KathStrack@gmail.com

The first person to call with their update was Laura Shea Ciavarella. What a treat to get to catch up.  Laura is teaching in Montgomery County and is nervous, but excited to be switching from third to second grade.  No doubt those students will adore her.  Lucky kids! Tony and Laura keep busy with their sons. Last summer they traveled to Massachusetts to see Laura’s mom and family. Laura often sees Deborah D’Souza-Vazirani and Maureen Blum often and has recently has lunch with Mo, EJ Collins, Suzanne Melley Granoski, Sylvia Hernandez Montgomery and Maggie Boys. How fun!

After begging and pleading, I was delighted to hear from more 89ers, many for the first time.

Debra Corso Gray reported she is living in Warrenton, VA (about 50 miles from DC) and was getting ready to celebrate her 17th wedding anniversary. Her daughter Nicole is a freshman and her son, Jack is in grade school. Debra keeps in touch with Julie Evans and says Facebook keeps her in contact with many of her Trinity sisters. Debra stays home with her kids, but works part-time a few days a week as a personal assistant. Her father passed away last September from pancreatic cancer. Debra said, “This has left quite a hole in our family, but we are slowly healing.” Our prayers are with you.

Christine Giacoponello Whiteman went back to work part-time five years ago and is now full-time. She is a marketing and communications manager for American Investment Planners, LLC.  Full time status came just in time as all three of their children are now in Catholic school and as of this writing ames is a junior, Nicholas a freshman and Elizabeth is in 7^th grade. All three play on lacrosse traveling teams  and their travels often allow them to visit with Alyson Stretch Simmons and her family. To celebrate their 20^th wedding anniversary, Ed and Christine were planning a quick weekend getaway to a winery.

Last September, Sylvia Hernandez Montgomery and Norman celerbated their 13^th anniversary. Sylvia says things are hectic as always . Her parents moved in with her and Norman and they turned their basement into an apartment for them. Lauren and her husband Drew live close by and they have lots of fun getting together.  They also have three dogs and two “grand dogs”. Sylvia works for Hinge and Norman is with Deloitte. They also like to travel to Costa Rica. Sylvia and Lauren are trained for their first 5K last fall. She would like to remind everyone she “hates running.” Sylvia sees Deborah and Mo quite often and they have developed quite the ‘foodie’ habit thanks to all the yummy restaurants in DC. She also saw Tricia Callahan Pearce, Suzanne, EJ and Maggie for a wine tasting experience. She also said she was by TC last April and the new Academic Center was “shaping up impressively.”

This past year Karima Aniba Davis renovated a beautiful old building on Main Street in Roanoke, IN and turned it into a two bedroom boutique hotel and ladies clothing boutique called The North End. Running two small businesses is a huge endeavor for her as the kids begin to fly the coop! Her two oldest boys live in Denver and love their jobs and outdoor lifestyle. Her third son is at Indiana University and their fourth son and daughter are in high school along with her nephew who is living with them during his high school years. Last summer Karima and Dee celebrated 26 years of marriage, as well as, his 50th birthday! Their summer lake home is a great gathering spot for their big family and their greatest pleasure is being together wherever and whenever possible! Karima misses all her Trinity friends. She wants them to know “Midwest lifestyle is great” and they should all come visit.

From the Lone Star State came greetings from Denise Dilley Boll! Her oldest, Elizabeth, was planning to play her last year of high school golf.  She has been working at Target as a cashier and enjoys seeing people that she knows. Hayley has been playing beach volleyball and loves it. She had a great summer playing in California, Virginia Beach and Florida. Tony and Denise are doing great and will be married almost 19 years. She hopes to see everyone at the next reunion.

Amy Catalano Marmora checked in from the Jersey Shore, and like so many, enjoys being able to keep up with her Trinity sisters via Facebook! She enjoys seeing the pictures and getting to share in the milestones. Last year she celebrated her 25th wedding Anniversary with her high school sweetheart, Paul, and they were excited to travel to Italy to celebrate, as they have never been there before.
Her oldest son Sean graduated college last spring and her youngest son Christopher is still in college. Her 12 year-old golden retriever, Shelby, fills the void when her boys are away and is her angel. As an empty nester, Amy has been volunteering at Paul’s father’s non-profit organization called Interfaith Neighbors located in Asbury Park. She explained, “We help with Meals on Wheels, rental assistance, and help families who still do not have their homes from Hurricane Sandy. We just opened up a new Restaurant in Asbury that trains young kids off the street and places them in local restaurants in Asbury.” It is called Kula Café and she urges everyone to come visit when they are in the area.
Barbara Wagner says, “It’s so wonderful to be able to connect with Facebook and see how far we’ve come since our Trinity days. Believe it or not – this is my first write up into the Trinity Journal.” Barbara is living in Madison, WI and is married to Josh. She has two stepsons and Josh and she have a “furby” – a 5 year old Golden Retriever named Scooby. Her oldest stepson Jake went off to college last September in Olympia Washington and her youngest stepson entered high school. She is working as the Vice President of merchandising for an amazing, growing apparel brand located in Madison, WI. The job entails a lot of travel to open new stores, to shop NYC and work with vendors in Asia. Josh and Barbara also love to travel for fun and returned from a beautiful week at the beach on Block Island, RI where they saw fellow Trinitrons Kate McCabe and Mary McCabe ’87. They were talking about another Trinity friend, Tara Heery ’89, and wanted to know if anyone knows where she is.

Alyson Stretch Simmons transferred to a new school to continue in the regional autism program in her county. She is moving down from 3rd-5th to K-2 and isn’t sure how she feels about it yet.  I predict the kids will adore her. Her kids are doing well and she is elated her granddaughter, MaryJane, just moved to her county from North Carolina. Stu and Alyson were camping in PA with 3 of their children when she checked in. She said, “Pardon the spell check as I type in the RV without wi-fi.” Now that’s roughing it! Alyson said they love to get together with the Whitemans, but it is never enough time. Christine echoed that sentiment in her update.

Maureen Blum declared, “Catholic guilt prevails as this is the first journal submission as I always relied on friends to post my shenanigans for me.” Mo continues to “ping-pong” between DC and NYC for living and working. She is trying hard to transition her food and wine passion into a working reality with her blogging at (Twitter @MoWino_com) and her Facebook Page as she attends and hosts numerous wine events where several Trons are regulars. Her company SCI (Strategic Coalitions & Initiatives, LLC) is in its 15th year – a small but active strategic impact firm which has been entrenched in many of the school choice battles. She went to New Hampshire for the GOP Presidential Education Summit and she planned to stay with Tricia. She is also in regular contact with EJ, Kellyanne Fitzpatrick Conway, Laura, Maggie, Sylvia and Deb. With her NY work, an added treat and blessing has been connecting with Christine who she planned to see often because she has a client contract for Long Island work. Mo’s mom retired and moved in with her in DC which is a lovely blessing and fun as she is still young and healthy enough to enjoy her new city. Mo stays in touch with our dear beloved Cathy Hart‘s nieces and nephews who are all doing great and have beautiful families and still consider themselves members of our Tron family.

Peggy Tuite Metcalf and Kurt are into their 25th year of marriage. Their oldest, Daniel, graduated from college and has headed off to start his career in the Army Special Forces. Brendan is in his third year at the Naval Academy. Patrick is at Texas A&M and Brian has one more year left at home with Mom and Dad. After 17 great years in Texas, they relocated back to DC. Kurt is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and Peggy finished her masters in history last year and landed her dream job teaching American history at an all boys high school

Marguerite Kirst Colston was appointed Chief Development Officer at Operation Homefront, a military family charity, last June. She lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband Ron and children, Theresa and Camden. She is now going through the college application craziness with her daughter. She got to spend time with Pam Delaney in Cape Cod, and had a mini reunion with roommates Bridget Honan Loughney (who lives in London with her husband Mike and two children) and Julie Evans (just across the river in VA).

It was also wonderful to hear from Maggie Boys Glennon. Her last couple years have been filled with positive change. She said, “I finally got the courage to leave my husband in 2013 and the divorce was final on her son Wyatt is with Mags 50 % of the time. He’s a really cool kid. Loves to read, ride bikes, skateboard and ask lots of questions. He also loves video games and you tube videos about the video games. Maggie has been working at The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for close to 16 years. Maggie explained, “I was not myself as I was trying to gain control of my life and I nearly lost my job. Through a lot of introspection, a few TED talks, the power of Yes (Jeanne Stafford ’88) and unconditional love from friends I finally let help. I pulled it back together and I’m now more myself than I can ever remember. My job is going well and I have hope for the future. Something I truly didn’t have for nine years.” Maggie would like her Trinity sisters to know she’s always there if they need an ear and she is looking forward to celebrating many more reunions with her amazing class.

Mary-Ellen Pearce Tremblay says she often has to turn to her daughters for help with technology.  No doubt many of us can relate to that. She is grateful for the gift of time, sharing in the daily growth, exciting opportunities and many life challenges with her three daughters, Emily, Abigail and Lydia.  Her two oldest, Emily and Abby are in high school and her youngest, Lydia is in grade school.  They are busy, busy with sports and social lives and every day is different and full of surprise!  Mary Ellen, her husband, Chris, and the girls spend a lot of time on sports fields watching games and cheering on teams. Last summer they enjoyed boating and relaxing at the lake which is always so peaceful. Mary Ellen works as a Geriatric Social Worker. She enjoys her work, though navigating the ever changing health care system can be a struggle.

It was so wonderful hearing from a record number of 89ers. Please keep it coming.  Many have expressed a desire to reconnect with “lost” friends.  If folks want to email me current contact info, I will put together an updated list that can hopefully help us “find” each other.  Please be sure to give Trinity your updated info too.

Out here in Ohio, Tim and I celebrated 21 years of marriage and Sarah go her license and celebrated her Sweet 16 with a dance party which Tim and his co-workers referred to as the “the pre-wedding.”  Sarah plays basketball, softball and is very involved in a multitude of activities including Relay for Life.  She’s looking at colleges and is trying to decide which path to pursue.  Alex is in high school and is on the Track and Field team, pursues his passion for photography as part of the yearbook staff and is working towards his Eagle Scout designation.  Becca is in junior high and is on the volleyball team and hopes to play basketball.  I am the PTSO president at the junior high and work daily to find the secret to motivating others to volunteer.  In addition to volunteering at the kids’ schools, I am also involved in several district-wide initiatives that keep me busy.

While we count our blessings, this has also been a year of tragedy and heartbreak.  My brother Mark was tragically killed on January 29, 2015. Mark was driving his brand new truck to the marina where he kept his boat and then was planning to go visit my sister, Libby, before coming to see me.  He never made it to any of those places. A semi-truck driver who was texting hit a broken down car which was pulled off to the shoulder of the fast lane.  He lost control, careened across the very large median and hit Mark head-on at over 70 MPH. He was killed instantly and our hearts were broken forever.

Mark had been my best friend for almost 46 years and delivering the eulogy at his funeral was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

Many of you will remember Mark from his many visits to TC. He loved his Trinity family, named his adorable dog after Maggie and put his fake Trinity ID (the maker of this shall remain nameless) to very good use in his youth. I always laugh because Tim tells everybody when he went to his first TC reunion with me, “Everybody asked about Mark, even Sister Seton!” He never met a stranger and left behind a multitude of friends who loved him. He was the best brother a girl could ask for, the uncle my kids adored and we miss him so much.

It has been very difficult as we’ve worked through closing his remodeling business, dealing with estate issues, cleaning out his house (which he had remodeled with such love and care) and having to sell it and now sitting through many pre-trial hearings as his killer awaits trial in a Kentucky jail. Our next step will be delivering victim impact statements at the close of the legal proceedings.

Our lives were shattered that day and our hearts are still breaking, but the outpouring of love I have received from so many of my Trinity sisters has truly been a godsend.  Even though you weren’t hear in person, your prayers, thoughts, phone calls, messages, cards, flowers and even the great ham dinner that showed up on our doorstep (thanks Alyson and Christine!) have helped more than you will ever know. It truly is during our darkest times, that the light of true friends shine through.

Please, I urge you, do not text and drive.  Please tell your family, children, friends, co-workers, anyone who will listen, it is not worth it.  And if they don’t believe you, just google the accident and show them what one text can do. If we can save one life, it will be worth it.

Life is unpredictable, my friends.  So reach out to those you hold dear, tell them you love them, make time for them,  and until our update next year (which I know will be sent without me having to beg and plead), may the blessing of the all Holy Trinity be with you.

You’re always welcome, so plan a trip to Ohio soon!

Kathy Sevilla Strack
Kass327@aol.com