"This is a labor-atory, not a lab-oratory." -Rudolph B. Horstmann, S. J.
Chandler Bounds
After high school, I went to Spring Hill College (Jesuit Order) in Mobile, AL, graduating with a B.S. in psychology in May, 1969. Mike Fatheree was my roommate the first semester but did not return, having had too much fun outside the classroom. The summer of I969 I received a draft notification but was able to enroll at Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in the graduate counseling program & remain there from Sept. 1969 thru May 1970. Bob Dennehy is still wondering how I managed a school year's deferment. My next adventure was an Army physical in June 1970. Basic training took place at Fort Polk, La. After that I was assigned to the Base Mental Health Clinic where I served out my tour, being discharged in Dec. 1971. I returned to Hattiesburg and completed my M.S. in Community Counseling in May 1972. Then came my first "real" job at Ellisville State School (MS) where I was on a team that evaluated/set up programs for mentally challenged clients. Approximately 1 year later, Northwest State School (LA) opened and I was hired to work in the psychology department to test clients and write programs. I remained there for almost 23 years when I accepted a job in the Region VII office (Bossier City, LA) doing social work and client placement. During that time I obtained a M.Ed in Educational Administration; married Rosemary Mitchell and had two children--Amanda and Thomas. I retired from State work in 2003. Then I was employed by a private firm with special-needs clients for 1 year. Because of a central vision problem, I then worked evenings at an Assisted Living Facility for about 8 years, retiring in 2012. I married Sandy Townson in Sept. 2007 who was employed as an RN. She retired in 2013.
My time is now spent doing volunteer work, reading, watching TV and pulling for the OK Sooners (since Spring Hill never had a football team, I chose Sooners). Amanda has a 1 year old son, Ben, and they live in Denham Springs, LA. It seems only yesterday we were on Jordan Street. Some dreams since then have been fulfilled, others not. Life's adventures have been rewarding, interesting, sometimes unexpected. The Jesuits helped prepare us for success and adversity.
After high school, I went to Spring Hill College (Jesuit Order) in Mobile, AL, graduating with a B.S. in psychology in May, 1969. Mike Fatheree was my roommate the first semester but did not return, having had too much fun outside the classroom. The summer of I969 I received a draft notification but was able to enroll at Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in the graduate counseling program & remain there from Sept. 1969 thru May 1970. Bob Dennehy is still wondering how I managed a school year's deferment. My next adventure was an Army physical in June 1970. Basic training took place at Fort Polk, La. After that I was assigned to the Base Mental Health Clinic where I served out my tour, being discharged in Dec. 1971. I returned to Hattiesburg and completed my M.S. in Community Counseling in May 1972. Then came my first "real" job at Ellisville State School (MS) where I was on a team that evaluated/set up programs for mentally challenged clients. Approximately 1 year later, Northwest State School (LA) opened and I was hired to work in the psychology department to test clients and write programs. I remained there for almost 23 years when I accepted a job in the Region VII office (Bossier City, LA) doing social work and client placement. During that time I obtained a M.Ed in Educational Administration; married Rosemary Mitchell and had two children--Amanda and Thomas. I retired from State work in 2003. Then I was employed by a private firm with special-needs clients for 1 year. Because of a central vision problem, I then worked evenings at an Assisted Living Facility for about 8 years, retiring in 2012. I married Sandy Townson in Sept. 2007 who was employed as an RN. She retired in 2013.
My time is now spent doing volunteer work, reading, watching TV and pulling for the OK Sooners (since Spring Hill never had a football team, I chose Sooners). Amanda has a 1 year old son, Ben, and they live in Denham Springs, LA. It seems only yesterday we were on Jordan Street. Some dreams since then have been fulfilled, others not. Life's adventures have been rewarding, interesting, sometimes unexpected. The Jesuits helped prepare us for success and adversity.
Joe Cassiere
After graduating from Jesuit High School, I attended Centenary College for two years. My two years at Centenary were a great experience for me in my transition period from high school to college. As I think back, sometimes I regret transferring from Centenary, but for me to pursue my goal of becoming an architect, I had to transfer to another university that offered that degree. In the fall of 1969, I transferred to the University of Notre Dame to major in architecture. The reason I went to Notre Dame was because of my father. He became a big fan of Notre Dame when he was a 12 year old child living on Jewella Road in Shreveport. In 1935, he was listening to the Notre Dame – Ohio State game on the radio at his home. Notre Dame won the game in the last few minutes. In fact, the highlights of this great “come from behind” game are on u-tube.
While at Notre Dame, my architecture class became the inaugural class that started the Rome program. This program allowed fourth year architecture students to study in Rome for nine months instead of South Bend. When in Rome, I had the opportunity to travel with the students from Loyola of Chicago to the Middle East during the Christmas break and the communist countries during the Easter break. My two most notable experiences while studying aboard were being detained for two hours in Leningrad for taking night pictures of the reflection of the Admiralty Building in the Neva River and being selected as one of the representatives of our class to meet Pope Paul VI at a Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Attending Notre Dame at this same time was Joe Walker, who was in the 1C class with me at Jesuit and George “Dixie” Restovich, who played basketball and baseball at Notre Dame. When George entered a basketball game, the old field house would echo with the students' chant of “Dixie, Dixie, Dixie!”
I graduated from Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1971 and was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi medal. I returned to Shreveport to pursue my career in architecture. From June of 1971 to June of 1977, I worked for two architectural firms in Shreveport. In 1975, I passed the State of Louisiana architectural licensing exam.
In July of 1977, I moved to Monroe, Louisiana to join the architectural firm of Heuer, Johns, Neel, Rivers, & Webb Architects. At that time, HJNR&W was the third largest firm in the State of Louisiana. They specialized in retail design and provided architectural services throughout the United States to developers of covered malls and department store retailers such as Dillard’s, J C Penney and Sears. In the Shreveport Bossier area, HJNR&W designed the Dillard’s stores at Shreve City Shopping Center, South Park Mall, Pierre Bossier Mall and Mall St Vincent. They also designed South Park Mall and Pierre Bossier Mall in addition to the Selber Brothers and Beall’s stores in the area. In 1985, Heuer, Johns, Neel, Rivers, & Webb Architects changed its name to Architecture+ and a year later, I became a third generation stockholder in the firm.
Before leaving Shreveport, I had met my future wife, Melissa. We were married on September 30, 1978. When she moved to Monroe, she enrolled at NLU where she completed her Bachelor degree and Masters degree studies in Psychology. Melissa and I have two daughters. Rachel, the oldest, graduated from ULM with a degree in marketing. After her graduation, she had the opportunity to pursue her high school ambition of becoming a hair stylist. She began her training at the AVEDA Institute in Chicago. Upon graduation from AVEDA, she passed the cosmetology licensing exam for the State of Illinois and started her apprenticeship program at a Chicago salon. A year later, Rachel decided to further her training and education as a hair stylist, so she enrolled in a six week course at The Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica, California. At the completion of this course, she then returned to Chicago to continuing working in one of Charles Ifergan’s Chicago salons. Sarah, the youngest, graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. She graduated in May of 2013 on a Saturday and on the following Monday she started work at Thomas Industries in Monroe. Now she is working for Gardner Denver in Houston. Since the days when some of our classmates attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, LaTech has made tremendous strides in academics and campus life offered to their student body. The degree Sarah earned was first offered at LaTech a year after she enrolled. Louisiana Tech University was a very rewarding experience for her.
During the recession from 2008 to 2013, I became the last remaining stockholder and president of Architecture+. This period was brutal for architectural firms across the country, especially those firms providing architectural services to the retail sector. Yahoo Financial had an internet article in which they placed an architectural degree on their list of the five worst degrees to major in during these economic conditions. During this period, I had to make business and financial decisions that no course at Notre Dame prepared me to do. One of the toughest decisions was the involuntary termination of twelve employees with 20 years of experience with Architecture+. At the end of this five year period, I felt like I had earned an MBA from the School of Hard Knocks. It was a tough challenge but in the first quarter of 2014, things began to change for the better because of the gradual “uptick” of new projects coming into the firm.
Today, Architecture+ is still a viable firm but not like it was before. Now I am doing what I enjoy the most, working on challenging projects with a loyal and experienced group of dedicated employees. One such project is the new Dillard’s Store at Green Hills Mall in Nashville, Tennessee that is being built over a two level parking deck. This October, two stores that Architecture+ designed for Dillard’s will open in Slidell, Louisiana and in Liberty Township, Ohio.
Reflecting back over the past fifty years, the education and training I received at Jesuit High School and the University of Notre Dame and the influence of my father has brought success and blessings to me and my family. My father, being a sixth grade school teacher for 25 years in the Caddo Parish school system, shared with me some of his sayings, expressions that he also shared with his students, “you could lose all your money and your friends but you could not lose your education,” “you do not have to be smart to behave in class,” “standardized tests do not test a student’s level of motivation and self-discipline,” “if that is the best grade you can make, then that is fine,” “sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do,” and “there is no test to determine if you will become an architect.” A professor in the school of architecture expanded on my father’s last statement by saying to my class one day, “we just let students weed themselves out because architecture is a very demanding major.”
I want to close by extending to each reader of my “bio” the blessing that my father would give me in his later years when I would stop and visit with him on my way to Dallas, “In your great journey from time to eternity, may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend upon you now and forever. Amen.” Indeed over the last fifty years, I have been truly blessed.
After graduating from Jesuit High School, I attended Centenary College for two years. My two years at Centenary were a great experience for me in my transition period from high school to college. As I think back, sometimes I regret transferring from Centenary, but for me to pursue my goal of becoming an architect, I had to transfer to another university that offered that degree. In the fall of 1969, I transferred to the University of Notre Dame to major in architecture. The reason I went to Notre Dame was because of my father. He became a big fan of Notre Dame when he was a 12 year old child living on Jewella Road in Shreveport. In 1935, he was listening to the Notre Dame – Ohio State game on the radio at his home. Notre Dame won the game in the last few minutes. In fact, the highlights of this great “come from behind” game are on u-tube.
While at Notre Dame, my architecture class became the inaugural class that started the Rome program. This program allowed fourth year architecture students to study in Rome for nine months instead of South Bend. When in Rome, I had the opportunity to travel with the students from Loyola of Chicago to the Middle East during the Christmas break and the communist countries during the Easter break. My two most notable experiences while studying aboard were being detained for two hours in Leningrad for taking night pictures of the reflection of the Admiralty Building in the Neva River and being selected as one of the representatives of our class to meet Pope Paul VI at a Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Attending Notre Dame at this same time was Joe Walker, who was in the 1C class with me at Jesuit and George “Dixie” Restovich, who played basketball and baseball at Notre Dame. When George entered a basketball game, the old field house would echo with the students' chant of “Dixie, Dixie, Dixie!”
I graduated from Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1971 and was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi medal. I returned to Shreveport to pursue my career in architecture. From June of 1971 to June of 1977, I worked for two architectural firms in Shreveport. In 1975, I passed the State of Louisiana architectural licensing exam.
In July of 1977, I moved to Monroe, Louisiana to join the architectural firm of Heuer, Johns, Neel, Rivers, & Webb Architects. At that time, HJNR&W was the third largest firm in the State of Louisiana. They specialized in retail design and provided architectural services throughout the United States to developers of covered malls and department store retailers such as Dillard’s, J C Penney and Sears. In the Shreveport Bossier area, HJNR&W designed the Dillard’s stores at Shreve City Shopping Center, South Park Mall, Pierre Bossier Mall and Mall St Vincent. They also designed South Park Mall and Pierre Bossier Mall in addition to the Selber Brothers and Beall’s stores in the area. In 1985, Heuer, Johns, Neel, Rivers, & Webb Architects changed its name to Architecture+ and a year later, I became a third generation stockholder in the firm.
Before leaving Shreveport, I had met my future wife, Melissa. We were married on September 30, 1978. When she moved to Monroe, she enrolled at NLU where she completed her Bachelor degree and Masters degree studies in Psychology. Melissa and I have two daughters. Rachel, the oldest, graduated from ULM with a degree in marketing. After her graduation, she had the opportunity to pursue her high school ambition of becoming a hair stylist. She began her training at the AVEDA Institute in Chicago. Upon graduation from AVEDA, she passed the cosmetology licensing exam for the State of Illinois and started her apprenticeship program at a Chicago salon. A year later, Rachel decided to further her training and education as a hair stylist, so she enrolled in a six week course at The Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica, California. At the completion of this course, she then returned to Chicago to continuing working in one of Charles Ifergan’s Chicago salons. Sarah, the youngest, graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Sustainable Supply Chain Management. She graduated in May of 2013 on a Saturday and on the following Monday she started work at Thomas Industries in Monroe. Now she is working for Gardner Denver in Houston. Since the days when some of our classmates attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, LaTech has made tremendous strides in academics and campus life offered to their student body. The degree Sarah earned was first offered at LaTech a year after she enrolled. Louisiana Tech University was a very rewarding experience for her.
During the recession from 2008 to 2013, I became the last remaining stockholder and president of Architecture+. This period was brutal for architectural firms across the country, especially those firms providing architectural services to the retail sector. Yahoo Financial had an internet article in which they placed an architectural degree on their list of the five worst degrees to major in during these economic conditions. During this period, I had to make business and financial decisions that no course at Notre Dame prepared me to do. One of the toughest decisions was the involuntary termination of twelve employees with 20 years of experience with Architecture+. At the end of this five year period, I felt like I had earned an MBA from the School of Hard Knocks. It was a tough challenge but in the first quarter of 2014, things began to change for the better because of the gradual “uptick” of new projects coming into the firm.
Today, Architecture+ is still a viable firm but not like it was before. Now I am doing what I enjoy the most, working on challenging projects with a loyal and experienced group of dedicated employees. One such project is the new Dillard’s Store at Green Hills Mall in Nashville, Tennessee that is being built over a two level parking deck. This October, two stores that Architecture+ designed for Dillard’s will open in Slidell, Louisiana and in Liberty Township, Ohio.
Reflecting back over the past fifty years, the education and training I received at Jesuit High School and the University of Notre Dame and the influence of my father has brought success and blessings to me and my family. My father, being a sixth grade school teacher for 25 years in the Caddo Parish school system, shared with me some of his sayings, expressions that he also shared with his students, “you could lose all your money and your friends but you could not lose your education,” “you do not have to be smart to behave in class,” “standardized tests do not test a student’s level of motivation and self-discipline,” “if that is the best grade you can make, then that is fine,” “sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to do,” and “there is no test to determine if you will become an architect.” A professor in the school of architecture expanded on my father’s last statement by saying to my class one day, “we just let students weed themselves out because architecture is a very demanding major.”
I want to close by extending to each reader of my “bio” the blessing that my father would give me in his later years when I would stop and visit with him on my way to Dallas, “In your great journey from time to eternity, may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit descend upon you now and forever. Amen.” Indeed over the last fifty years, I have been truly blessed.
Peter DeBroeck
I was naive and stupid when I headed to Northwestern State University after my sheltered time at Jesuit. I breezed through my first two years of college, which may have been why I flunked out Sophomore year. I spent 18 months working in a steel foundry, which changed my draft classification from 'deferred' to 'available'. I took my physical, knowing I was headed to Vietnam, but my mother's prayers were answered and I was soon back in school. Narrowly avoiding war does wonders for a student's focus and I managed to graduate in 1971 along with my wife to be Jill Moore (SVA class of ’68). We were married in 1972 and headed to St. Tammany Parish, where I worked as a coach, math and industrial tech teacher. Maybe it was because the students nailed my textbooks to my desk, but I soon realized education was not my calling. That same year, I opened my own business designing restaurants and selling the equipment that goes in them. We were fairly successful until the oil crunch started in 1983. In May of 1985, I received an offer from one of the largest restaurant equipment suppliers and fabricators in the country. I sold my company to open a New Orleans office for The Wasserstrom Company. I have been with them for over 30 years as Southeast Regional Sales Manager. Meanwhile, I was blessed with four wonderful daughters and when they married I got the four sons I never had. Now I have seven grandchildren. Jill and I live on the West Bank of New Orleans in the little city of Gretna. In 2000, we purchased two connected shotgun houses in the historic district and we are constantly tinkering on them. We are very active in various Gretna organizations, such as the Farmers Market, the Art Walk, the Historical Society, the Economic Development Association, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Joseph’s Parish. Looking back on a full life, I realize that the Jesuit experience is a great asset to a man's life. Jesuit gives you the knowledge and the tools for success, but you have to put them to work. It is not just the education, but the little things you pick up along the way. You may not realize it as a kid, but when you mature and look back, you can really appreciate it. God bless!
I was naive and stupid when I headed to Northwestern State University after my sheltered time at Jesuit. I breezed through my first two years of college, which may have been why I flunked out Sophomore year. I spent 18 months working in a steel foundry, which changed my draft classification from 'deferred' to 'available'. I took my physical, knowing I was headed to Vietnam, but my mother's prayers were answered and I was soon back in school. Narrowly avoiding war does wonders for a student's focus and I managed to graduate in 1971 along with my wife to be Jill Moore (SVA class of ’68). We were married in 1972 and headed to St. Tammany Parish, where I worked as a coach, math and industrial tech teacher. Maybe it was because the students nailed my textbooks to my desk, but I soon realized education was not my calling. That same year, I opened my own business designing restaurants and selling the equipment that goes in them. We were fairly successful until the oil crunch started in 1983. In May of 1985, I received an offer from one of the largest restaurant equipment suppliers and fabricators in the country. I sold my company to open a New Orleans office for The Wasserstrom Company. I have been with them for over 30 years as Southeast Regional Sales Manager. Meanwhile, I was blessed with four wonderful daughters and when they married I got the four sons I never had. Now I have seven grandchildren. Jill and I live on the West Bank of New Orleans in the little city of Gretna. In 2000, we purchased two connected shotgun houses in the historic district and we are constantly tinkering on them. We are very active in various Gretna organizations, such as the Farmers Market, the Art Walk, the Historical Society, the Economic Development Association, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Joseph’s Parish. Looking back on a full life, I realize that the Jesuit experience is a great asset to a man's life. Jesuit gives you the knowledge and the tools for success, but you have to put them to work. It is not just the education, but the little things you pick up along the way. You may not realize it as a kid, but when you mature and look back, you can really appreciate it. God bless!
Fred Engelke
After graduation, I spent one year at Texas A&M. After that, I transferred to Louisiana Tech where I graduated with a BS in Math. I financed my college education playing music in a band called, at various times: The Group; Noel Odom & The Group; Noel; and The Bad Habits. We mainly played high schools, colleges and nightclubs (including a year at one of the infamous clubs on the “Bossier Strip”). We had mainly local success and did record and release six records. The only claim to fame we had was that our first record made it to Dick Clark’s American Bandstand “Rate-a- Record” and won over Peter, Paul & Mary’s “Leaving On a Jet Plane,” because “it had a good beat & I could dance to it.” Ironically, years later in the late 90’s and early 2000’s our records were selling for upwards of $60 due to their popularity in 60’s music clubs overseas, mainly in Germany.
In 1968 I married, and am still married to, Cheryl Constance Potvin SVA ’64 (yep, 47 years!!). We have a daughter, Patricia, and two grandchildren, Laura, 21 and Christian, 18.
After graduating from Tech, I returned to Jesuit to teach, at various times during my tenure, Geometry, Algebra I & II, The Calculus, & Trigonometry. During my Jesuit years, I attempted to revive the tradition started by my idol Fr. Michael Kammer by producing, with the help of fellow teachers Dianna Ely and later George Walcott ’66, Shakespearean plays. We put on “Merchant of Venice,” “Julius Caesar,” Romeo & Juliet,” and “Hamlet,” all staged in the JHS gym. Also during my Jesuit career, I became an assistant football coach and the golf coach. I was fortunate enough in 1975 to assemble a group of golfers that brought the school its first state championship in golf. I was also fortunate enough to be one of the coaches of the 1976 state football championship team.
In 1979, I left Jesuit to join South Central Bell as an Outside Plant Engineer. In 1984, when AT&T was broken up, I moved to Birmingham, AL with BellSouth where I worked as a software developer and later manager of a software development team in the Finance department. In 2007, BellSouth was bought by the new AT&T and I retired in 2007.
After retirement, my wife and I moved to New Hampshire and I pursued something that I had always wanted to do, which was get an advanced degree. In 2010 I earned an MS in Finance and in 2012 an MBA, both from Southern New Hampshire University.
In 1995, Connie and I took our first cruise and decided that cruising and travel is what we wanted to do in retirement. We have traveled the world extensively, mainly cruising (34 at this point). We’ve been throughout the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Baltics, the Panama Canal, Australia & New Zealand (twice), Tahiti & the American West. Our Bucket List includes Asia & South America.
In closing, I would like to say that, if I had to do it again, I would want to relive my Jesuit experience. As John Marshall recently wrote, “We Flyers will always be brothers.” I really miss all of you.
After graduation, I spent one year at Texas A&M. After that, I transferred to Louisiana Tech where I graduated with a BS in Math. I financed my college education playing music in a band called, at various times: The Group; Noel Odom & The Group; Noel; and The Bad Habits. We mainly played high schools, colleges and nightclubs (including a year at one of the infamous clubs on the “Bossier Strip”). We had mainly local success and did record and release six records. The only claim to fame we had was that our first record made it to Dick Clark’s American Bandstand “Rate-a- Record” and won over Peter, Paul & Mary’s “Leaving On a Jet Plane,” because “it had a good beat & I could dance to it.” Ironically, years later in the late 90’s and early 2000’s our records were selling for upwards of $60 due to their popularity in 60’s music clubs overseas, mainly in Germany.
In 1968 I married, and am still married to, Cheryl Constance Potvin SVA ’64 (yep, 47 years!!). We have a daughter, Patricia, and two grandchildren, Laura, 21 and Christian, 18.
After graduating from Tech, I returned to Jesuit to teach, at various times during my tenure, Geometry, Algebra I & II, The Calculus, & Trigonometry. During my Jesuit years, I attempted to revive the tradition started by my idol Fr. Michael Kammer by producing, with the help of fellow teachers Dianna Ely and later George Walcott ’66, Shakespearean plays. We put on “Merchant of Venice,” “Julius Caesar,” Romeo & Juliet,” and “Hamlet,” all staged in the JHS gym. Also during my Jesuit career, I became an assistant football coach and the golf coach. I was fortunate enough in 1975 to assemble a group of golfers that brought the school its first state championship in golf. I was also fortunate enough to be one of the coaches of the 1976 state football championship team.
In 1979, I left Jesuit to join South Central Bell as an Outside Plant Engineer. In 1984, when AT&T was broken up, I moved to Birmingham, AL with BellSouth where I worked as a software developer and later manager of a software development team in the Finance department. In 2007, BellSouth was bought by the new AT&T and I retired in 2007.
After retirement, my wife and I moved to New Hampshire and I pursued something that I had always wanted to do, which was get an advanced degree. In 2010 I earned an MS in Finance and in 2012 an MBA, both from Southern New Hampshire University.
In 1995, Connie and I took our first cruise and decided that cruising and travel is what we wanted to do in retirement. We have traveled the world extensively, mainly cruising (34 at this point). We’ve been throughout the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Baltics, the Panama Canal, Australia & New Zealand (twice), Tahiti & the American West. Our Bucket List includes Asia & South America.
In closing, I would like to say that, if I had to do it again, I would want to relive my Jesuit experience. As John Marshall recently wrote, “We Flyers will always be brothers.” I really miss all of you.
Mike Fatheree
After Jesuit, I had several “false starts” at Spring Hill College, Centenary and Business College before being caught up in the Vietnam conflict. Rather than get drafted, I joined the Army and went to Vietnam, driving trucks in re-supply convoys and helping change out artillery barrels at forward artillery bases. Interesting and intense times!
I returned to the US to serve another year at Fort Knox where I had the great good fortune to meet my future (and still) wife in Louisville, KY. The Army gave me an early release to return to college, so I took my Army discharge, my new wife and moved to Lafayette to go to (then) USL. I got my BA in Political Science and English in 1975. While at USL, Martha worked as a nurse at Lafayette General and we somehow managed to have our three children (Christopher, Shannon and Stacey) by the time I graduated. We stayed in Lafayette while I worked for the Parish Government, a coatings company and several years as Human Resources Manager for Morton Salt…yes, I really did work in the salt mines!
In 1984, we moved to Houston as I took an HR position with Grace Chemicals. After numerous years with Grace, Occidental Chemicals offered me a role with them and I began a 16 year career with Oxy at various locations for their Chemicals operations as well as their Oil & Gas offices in Houston. I concluded my career in 2005 as the HR Manager at the Oxy plant in Convent, LA for almost 7 years. We decided to return to Texas to the Houston area as all three of our children and our four grand-daughters live in suburb communities of Houston.
Since 2005, we have both been retired and living in Pearland, TX, just South of Houston. We have done a good deal of traveling throughout the US, visiting family, friends and National Parks. Life is good and having the chance to watch our children and grandchildren grow and evolve has been a true joy and a great blessing.
My years at Jesuit contain some of my most treasured memories. There were times that I hated it, but the friendships and experiences were truly powerful. Life lessons they tried to impart somehow penetrated my brain, despite my stubborn resistance. Most have served me well and enabled me to prosper in so many ways. What great men we had the chance to learn from! What great times we had! Of all the things I was able to learn from my Jesuit experience, I think the greatest and most lasting one was simply, how to be a man! I’m certain most of us turned out to be good men, but just learning how to be a man is no small task. That is my Jesuit legacy. Thanks to them all.
After Jesuit, I had several “false starts” at Spring Hill College, Centenary and Business College before being caught up in the Vietnam conflict. Rather than get drafted, I joined the Army and went to Vietnam, driving trucks in re-supply convoys and helping change out artillery barrels at forward artillery bases. Interesting and intense times!
I returned to the US to serve another year at Fort Knox where I had the great good fortune to meet my future (and still) wife in Louisville, KY. The Army gave me an early release to return to college, so I took my Army discharge, my new wife and moved to Lafayette to go to (then) USL. I got my BA in Political Science and English in 1975. While at USL, Martha worked as a nurse at Lafayette General and we somehow managed to have our three children (Christopher, Shannon and Stacey) by the time I graduated. We stayed in Lafayette while I worked for the Parish Government, a coatings company and several years as Human Resources Manager for Morton Salt…yes, I really did work in the salt mines!
In 1984, we moved to Houston as I took an HR position with Grace Chemicals. After numerous years with Grace, Occidental Chemicals offered me a role with them and I began a 16 year career with Oxy at various locations for their Chemicals operations as well as their Oil & Gas offices in Houston. I concluded my career in 2005 as the HR Manager at the Oxy plant in Convent, LA for almost 7 years. We decided to return to Texas to the Houston area as all three of our children and our four grand-daughters live in suburb communities of Houston.
Since 2005, we have both been retired and living in Pearland, TX, just South of Houston. We have done a good deal of traveling throughout the US, visiting family, friends and National Parks. Life is good and having the chance to watch our children and grandchildren grow and evolve has been a true joy and a great blessing.
My years at Jesuit contain some of my most treasured memories. There were times that I hated it, but the friendships and experiences were truly powerful. Life lessons they tried to impart somehow penetrated my brain, despite my stubborn resistance. Most have served me well and enabled me to prosper in so many ways. What great men we had the chance to learn from! What great times we had! Of all the things I was able to learn from my Jesuit experience, I think the greatest and most lasting one was simply, how to be a man! I’m certain most of us turned out to be good men, but just learning how to be a man is no small task. That is my Jesuit legacy. Thanks to them all.
Broox Garrett
Broox asked, instead of a bio on him, to please substitute this story of his father, Dr. Broox Garrett, Jr., during WWII. This account was related by Broox in an interview for a book entitled, "Since You Asked," a series of interviews with veterans of various wars and conflicts. Dr. Garrett was a devoted team physician and friend and supported our activities by his presence and encouragement.
By Katelyn Finegan, Cactus Shadows High School
The only doctor aboard the USS Kidd (DD-661) made his way to the bridge of the Fletcher-class destroyer. In his hands was a camera – perhaps a Kodak Medalist – given to him by the ship’s commander. He was too precious to be lost to the fighting over the Pacific, as the ship’s single surgeon. So with fervent orders to not get shot, he replaced the anticipation of waiting for casualties with filming the battle being waged. Unbeknownst to him, he would tell his son this story: how he peered through the viewfinder of a camera, and traded a chance film reel for an eye, two broken legs, and flesh wounds. This would remain with him the rest of his life.
Broox Garrett, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from medical school at the prime of his life at twenty-three years. Then, in the aging month of December 1944, he joined the United States Navy. The USS Kidd was to be his home. This destroyer, named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who died three years prior aboard the USS Arizona during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, acted as an escort for the Pacific Fleet. It held a crew of around 300 men.
In less than a year, Garrett and his fellow crewmates were floating in a two-thousand-ton hunk of metal on the East China Sea. It was four months into 1945, and American boots had hit the beaches of Okinawa – one of many “island hopping” targets– months before. The battle had long since been underway. Their mission was to form a barrier of antiaircraft fire and bullets to defend the 5th Fleet. By April, hundreds of Japanese planes had taken to the skies. It was an upward and downward spiral of scorching metal. Bombs dropped, kamikazes plunged. While the ground troops carried their rifles onto sand, the Navy fought to bring those Japanese pilots into the water.
Then a lieutenant, on the 11th of April, Garrett approached his commanding officer. He was 25 years old, and the only qualified surgeon on board the USS Kidd. Out over the water, kamikazes worked to smash themselves into the American ships, whose guns were roaring to rebuke them. Garrett asked what he should do, his hands empty of anything useful to do during the attack. “Whatever you do,” the commander told him, “don’t get shot.”
He was then given a camera to document the battle for Naval records. Garrett let his feet carry him to the underside of the bridge, where he gazed through the viewfinder of the camera. He recorded the battle from his perch. Broox C. Garrett III could not say what exactly his father must have been thinking at the time. Yet he recounts what his father told him, about what happened next as he watched a particular kamikaze dive nose-first toward the ocean.
As Garrett Jr. recorded the battle, he noticed a lone kamikaze plunge toward the water, apparently ready to crash into the ocean. The plane was smoking, burning, and it was obvious it had been licked by antiaircraft fire. He raised the camera to his face and looked through the viewfinder, waiting for the incredible explosion of salty water that would soon follow the plane’s demise. Only, the kamikaze did not hit the water. Instead, the kamikaze yanked its nose up at the last minute, skimming over the ocean and over a nearby ship. Its “crash” was a decoy. Through the distorted distance of the viewfinder, Garrett realized too late that the kamikaze was coming straight toward the USS Kidd.
The kamikaze hit the starboard side. It smashed into the forward fire room. One of its 500-pound bombs exploded as well. Garrett was thrown backwards by the impact, his uniform blown off. Amid the damage and chaos, he felt something odd on his cheek. He reached up, and pulled his hand away to reveal his severed left eye. There were blotches of his own intestines hanging out of his body. His legs were broken.
Garrett lost consciousness. When he awoke, the corpsman aboard the ship asked him how to treat the other injured men. Fifty-four men were wounded. Thirty-eight more were dead. He stitched his own wounds as best he could, and told the corpsman how to treat the others. He administered this knowledge through the pain of his injuries, until he could bear it no more. He faded between giving instructions and taking pain medications to numb him into slumber. Two whole days creeped by until he finally saw a doctor. He and the wounded were transferred to a hospital ship; the dead were buried at sea. By the time he reached a hospital ship, an infection had settled in his broken bones, and he could touch his femur. As for the USS Kidd, this “Pirate of the Pacific” made it home to safe waters in Hawaii, despite the devastating wound it had received.
Garrett Jr. was awarded the Purple Heart. He had spent about a month aboard the hospital ship, before being transferred to San Diego for a collective sixteen months. He was fixed up, cleaned up, and given an artificial eye, which he found so aggravating that he instead resorted to an eye patch. Even without one eye, he was still as good a shot as ever. He had continued his medical education, and continued to perform surgeries. His depth perception, ironically, dropped, but his “hands did the seeing for him.”
Broox asked, instead of a bio on him, to please substitute this story of his father, Dr. Broox Garrett, Jr., during WWII. This account was related by Broox in an interview for a book entitled, "Since You Asked," a series of interviews with veterans of various wars and conflicts. Dr. Garrett was a devoted team physician and friend and supported our activities by his presence and encouragement.
By Katelyn Finegan, Cactus Shadows High School
The only doctor aboard the USS Kidd (DD-661) made his way to the bridge of the Fletcher-class destroyer. In his hands was a camera – perhaps a Kodak Medalist – given to him by the ship’s commander. He was too precious to be lost to the fighting over the Pacific, as the ship’s single surgeon. So with fervent orders to not get shot, he replaced the anticipation of waiting for casualties with filming the battle being waged. Unbeknownst to him, he would tell his son this story: how he peered through the viewfinder of a camera, and traded a chance film reel for an eye, two broken legs, and flesh wounds. This would remain with him the rest of his life.
Broox Garrett, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from medical school at the prime of his life at twenty-three years. Then, in the aging month of December 1944, he joined the United States Navy. The USS Kidd was to be his home. This destroyer, named after Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who died three years prior aboard the USS Arizona during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, acted as an escort for the Pacific Fleet. It held a crew of around 300 men.
In less than a year, Garrett and his fellow crewmates were floating in a two-thousand-ton hunk of metal on the East China Sea. It was four months into 1945, and American boots had hit the beaches of Okinawa – one of many “island hopping” targets– months before. The battle had long since been underway. Their mission was to form a barrier of antiaircraft fire and bullets to defend the 5th Fleet. By April, hundreds of Japanese planes had taken to the skies. It was an upward and downward spiral of scorching metal. Bombs dropped, kamikazes plunged. While the ground troops carried their rifles onto sand, the Navy fought to bring those Japanese pilots into the water.
Then a lieutenant, on the 11th of April, Garrett approached his commanding officer. He was 25 years old, and the only qualified surgeon on board the USS Kidd. Out over the water, kamikazes worked to smash themselves into the American ships, whose guns were roaring to rebuke them. Garrett asked what he should do, his hands empty of anything useful to do during the attack. “Whatever you do,” the commander told him, “don’t get shot.”
He was then given a camera to document the battle for Naval records. Garrett let his feet carry him to the underside of the bridge, where he gazed through the viewfinder of the camera. He recorded the battle from his perch. Broox C. Garrett III could not say what exactly his father must have been thinking at the time. Yet he recounts what his father told him, about what happened next as he watched a particular kamikaze dive nose-first toward the ocean.
As Garrett Jr. recorded the battle, he noticed a lone kamikaze plunge toward the water, apparently ready to crash into the ocean. The plane was smoking, burning, and it was obvious it had been licked by antiaircraft fire. He raised the camera to his face and looked through the viewfinder, waiting for the incredible explosion of salty water that would soon follow the plane’s demise. Only, the kamikaze did not hit the water. Instead, the kamikaze yanked its nose up at the last minute, skimming over the ocean and over a nearby ship. Its “crash” was a decoy. Through the distorted distance of the viewfinder, Garrett realized too late that the kamikaze was coming straight toward the USS Kidd.
The kamikaze hit the starboard side. It smashed into the forward fire room. One of its 500-pound bombs exploded as well. Garrett was thrown backwards by the impact, his uniform blown off. Amid the damage and chaos, he felt something odd on his cheek. He reached up, and pulled his hand away to reveal his severed left eye. There were blotches of his own intestines hanging out of his body. His legs were broken.
Garrett lost consciousness. When he awoke, the corpsman aboard the ship asked him how to treat the other injured men. Fifty-four men were wounded. Thirty-eight more were dead. He stitched his own wounds as best he could, and told the corpsman how to treat the others. He administered this knowledge through the pain of his injuries, until he could bear it no more. He faded between giving instructions and taking pain medications to numb him into slumber. Two whole days creeped by until he finally saw a doctor. He and the wounded were transferred to a hospital ship; the dead were buried at sea. By the time he reached a hospital ship, an infection had settled in his broken bones, and he could touch his femur. As for the USS Kidd, this “Pirate of the Pacific” made it home to safe waters in Hawaii, despite the devastating wound it had received.
Garrett Jr. was awarded the Purple Heart. He had spent about a month aboard the hospital ship, before being transferred to San Diego for a collective sixteen months. He was fixed up, cleaned up, and given an artificial eye, which he found so aggravating that he instead resorted to an eye patch. Even without one eye, he was still as good a shot as ever. He had continued his medical education, and continued to perform surgeries. His depth perception, ironically, dropped, but his “hands did the seeing for him.”
Ken Lerchie
After graduation in May of ’65, I made plans to enter the seminary to become a priest. Two years at Maryhill Seminary earned me an AA degree. Then I went to the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, where I earned a BA in American Studies. Then to the Theology Department of the Josephinum for a year and a half, where I continued my priestly studies. I sat out a semester due to illness. In the fall I entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. After a semester I decided that I would rather be a teacher. So in the fall of 1972 I began my teaching career at Jesuit High School teaching Theology (first layman to do this at Jesuit) and Social Studies. After a few years I started coaching football and tennis. I coached for 15 years and was the Athletic Director for one year. After 31 years I “retired” and that lasted two months. I have been teaching Social Studies at Caddo Parish Magnet High School since 2003. During this time I married and had three children. Jason has two businesses: finished carpentry and ArkLaTex Catering. Nathan is a salesman who sells satellite TV and phone services. Both bartended and/or managed at many bars in Shreveport, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Oklahoma City. Sarah is a teacher of music and former member of the Centenary Choir. Currently she teaches with me at Magnet High. I have stayed active at various Catholic churches over the years teaching, ushering and being a Eucharistic Minister. I still enjoy playing Bocce Ball and dancing. I also have hosted beer tastings about four times a year in Shreveport for the last five years. Many of the good things that have happened to me have involved Jesuit/Loyola since I was there a total of 35 years.
After graduation in May of ’65, I made plans to enter the seminary to become a priest. Two years at Maryhill Seminary earned me an AA degree. Then I went to the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, where I earned a BA in American Studies. Then to the Theology Department of the Josephinum for a year and a half, where I continued my priestly studies. I sat out a semester due to illness. In the fall I entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. After a semester I decided that I would rather be a teacher. So in the fall of 1972 I began my teaching career at Jesuit High School teaching Theology (first layman to do this at Jesuit) and Social Studies. After a few years I started coaching football and tennis. I coached for 15 years and was the Athletic Director for one year. After 31 years I “retired” and that lasted two months. I have been teaching Social Studies at Caddo Parish Magnet High School since 2003. During this time I married and had three children. Jason has two businesses: finished carpentry and ArkLaTex Catering. Nathan is a salesman who sells satellite TV and phone services. Both bartended and/or managed at many bars in Shreveport, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Oklahoma City. Sarah is a teacher of music and former member of the Centenary Choir. Currently she teaches with me at Magnet High. I have stayed active at various Catholic churches over the years teaching, ushering and being a Eucharistic Minister. I still enjoy playing Bocce Ball and dancing. I also have hosted beer tastings about four times a year in Shreveport for the last five years. Many of the good things that have happened to me have involved Jesuit/Loyola since I was there a total of 35 years.
John Marshall
September, 1965 saw me arriving at Loyola U. on St. Charles Ave. after Hurricane Betsy had blown through. Tim Looney and I were roommates that fall, the only semester I spent in the Crescent City. Jimmy Ghio was another classmate. The allure of big school life and LSU football drew me upriver to Baton Rouge for the spring semester. But after a year and a half of too much socializing and not enough class attendance and study, the administration requested that I dematriculate. This was a rather foolish move, giving up my student deferment at the height of Viet Nam, so I chose to follow my grandfather and father into the Navy, which had a local presence at the Naval Reserve Training Center at the Fair Grounds. They had a program in which you were an active reservist for a year, active duty for two years, and then inactive reserve for 3 years. I spent my active duty aboard the USS Galveston (CLG-3), going to the shores of Viet Nam, through the Panama Canal twice, Galveston, TX and various Mediterranean ports in 2 years. Really got to 'see the world.' Finished as a 3rd class radarman (RD3). Got to live for several months on Mission Beach, San Diego, while our ship was being decommissioned.
Upon the end of active duty, I returned to Shreveport and resumed higher education at LSU-S, where I demonstrated slightly more sense and maturity the second time. Accounting seemed logical and fun, so that was the major. It would have been too easy to just stay in school and finish the degree, so I followed a longstanding interest and headed to Florida for Umpire School on Feb. 6, 1972. My goal was to become a professional baseball umpire, which I achieved upon graduation by receiving an assignment to the Appalachian League for the '72 season. Two more seasons of umpiring followed, in the Florida State, Southern, and Texas Leagues. Accounting studies continued at LSU-S, Tech, and Centenary in the falls and winters. I got my degree in May of '76, 11 years after Jesuit graduation. (My father, Jack, got to see me graduate, two months before he passed away at age 55 of melanoma. My mother, Giffy, passed away in Feb. '12.) Also during offseasons in the '70's I began refereeing high school basketball in S'port-Bossier and umpired some college baseball at Centenary and Tech. Passed the CPA exam and went to work for local CPA firm Pasquier, Batson & Co. Two years of that and another impulse possessed me - to become the General Manager of the Shreveport Captains Baseball Club (my childhood friend and neighbor Taylor Moore was the President of the club and my connection). I met my future wife (Jean Robbins, who was a graduate of St. Joseph School) at the ballpark while I was still just a fan, and we married at the end of my first year as G. M., in '78. After doing that for 3 years I took an oil and gas accounting job with Jones-O'Brien in October, '80 and have been in that line of work ever since. My four children (two boys and two girls) were all born in Shreveport in the '80's, beginning in September, '80 and concluding in November, '87. For 4-5 years in the '80's I was also a member of the Shreveport Barbershop Harmony Chorus. I even got to play the saxophone again in the adult Shreveport Metropolitan Concert Band, and again in Houston for another community band. Never wore the tall white hat again, though.
A job transfer in '92 took me to Houston, TX where I remain today. I've worked for Sonat Exploration, El Paso Production, Goodrich Petroleum, and now Milagro Exploration. From the late '90's through the first decade of the 2000's I umpired and refereed high school baseball and basketball all over the Houston area. For the last 10 years I have been the clock or scoreboard operator at Rice University basketball games. Divorced in '97, I currently live on the west side of Houston, working downtown. Will soon have to decide whether to retire or keep working, as my company has recently filed for bankruptcy and will be shutting the doors by the end of the year. My oldest is a B-52 navigator at Barksdale, my 2nd is a body damage insurance estimator for Holmes European Motors in S'port, my 3rd is a mechanical engineer for Shell here in Houston, and my youngest is a CPA in the tax group with KPMG in Baton Rouge. I have three grandsons, 5, 4, and 1 week. I'm an Astros fan, and sing in the choir at my parish, St. John Vianney. In retrospect, I'm very grateful for every phase of my life, and despite some times being better than others, it has all been a blessing. The Jesuit High years were one of the choicest of blessings.
September, 1965 saw me arriving at Loyola U. on St. Charles Ave. after Hurricane Betsy had blown through. Tim Looney and I were roommates that fall, the only semester I spent in the Crescent City. Jimmy Ghio was another classmate. The allure of big school life and LSU football drew me upriver to Baton Rouge for the spring semester. But after a year and a half of too much socializing and not enough class attendance and study, the administration requested that I dematriculate. This was a rather foolish move, giving up my student deferment at the height of Viet Nam, so I chose to follow my grandfather and father into the Navy, which had a local presence at the Naval Reserve Training Center at the Fair Grounds. They had a program in which you were an active reservist for a year, active duty for two years, and then inactive reserve for 3 years. I spent my active duty aboard the USS Galveston (CLG-3), going to the shores of Viet Nam, through the Panama Canal twice, Galveston, TX and various Mediterranean ports in 2 years. Really got to 'see the world.' Finished as a 3rd class radarman (RD3). Got to live for several months on Mission Beach, San Diego, while our ship was being decommissioned.
Upon the end of active duty, I returned to Shreveport and resumed higher education at LSU-S, where I demonstrated slightly more sense and maturity the second time. Accounting seemed logical and fun, so that was the major. It would have been too easy to just stay in school and finish the degree, so I followed a longstanding interest and headed to Florida for Umpire School on Feb. 6, 1972. My goal was to become a professional baseball umpire, which I achieved upon graduation by receiving an assignment to the Appalachian League for the '72 season. Two more seasons of umpiring followed, in the Florida State, Southern, and Texas Leagues. Accounting studies continued at LSU-S, Tech, and Centenary in the falls and winters. I got my degree in May of '76, 11 years after Jesuit graduation. (My father, Jack, got to see me graduate, two months before he passed away at age 55 of melanoma. My mother, Giffy, passed away in Feb. '12.) Also during offseasons in the '70's I began refereeing high school basketball in S'port-Bossier and umpired some college baseball at Centenary and Tech. Passed the CPA exam and went to work for local CPA firm Pasquier, Batson & Co. Two years of that and another impulse possessed me - to become the General Manager of the Shreveport Captains Baseball Club (my childhood friend and neighbor Taylor Moore was the President of the club and my connection). I met my future wife (Jean Robbins, who was a graduate of St. Joseph School) at the ballpark while I was still just a fan, and we married at the end of my first year as G. M., in '78. After doing that for 3 years I took an oil and gas accounting job with Jones-O'Brien in October, '80 and have been in that line of work ever since. My four children (two boys and two girls) were all born in Shreveport in the '80's, beginning in September, '80 and concluding in November, '87. For 4-5 years in the '80's I was also a member of the Shreveport Barbershop Harmony Chorus. I even got to play the saxophone again in the adult Shreveport Metropolitan Concert Band, and again in Houston for another community band. Never wore the tall white hat again, though.
A job transfer in '92 took me to Houston, TX where I remain today. I've worked for Sonat Exploration, El Paso Production, Goodrich Petroleum, and now Milagro Exploration. From the late '90's through the first decade of the 2000's I umpired and refereed high school baseball and basketball all over the Houston area. For the last 10 years I have been the clock or scoreboard operator at Rice University basketball games. Divorced in '97, I currently live on the west side of Houston, working downtown. Will soon have to decide whether to retire or keep working, as my company has recently filed for bankruptcy and will be shutting the doors by the end of the year. My oldest is a B-52 navigator at Barksdale, my 2nd is a body damage insurance estimator for Holmes European Motors in S'port, my 3rd is a mechanical engineer for Shell here in Houston, and my youngest is a CPA in the tax group with KPMG in Baton Rouge. I have three grandsons, 5, 4, and 1 week. I'm an Astros fan, and sing in the choir at my parish, St. John Vianney. In retrospect, I'm very grateful for every phase of my life, and despite some times being better than others, it has all been a blessing. The Jesuit High years were one of the choicest of blessings.
Scott Noone
After Jesuit, I attended LSU-BR for 2 1/2 years for what turned out to be a lot of fun and some education. It was at about this 2 1/2 year point that I realized I better get serious about the education part. I transferred to NLU in Monroe where I got my degree (and raised my GPA considerably). While there I was able to renew friendship with Greg Falk who some of you may remember attended Jesuit for 2 years. After college and after being classified 1-Y by the draft board (lottery number was 34), I began my journey into the real world. Like college, it quickly developed into a lot of fun, adventure, and self-discovery. And like at the end of my term at LSU, I eventually figured out that I better start getting serious. Anyway, after all the backpacking, running, skiing, golfing, fly-fishing, biking, etc., I finally settled down and married a wonderful lady from Lafayette (school teacher). The adventures have continued for the last 34 years but they have became more prioritized (If you know what I mean). Debbie and I live in Shreveport and are both retired (me from Honeywell/UOP and Debbie from teaching school for about 35 years). We both feel very fortunate to have the family and friends that we have and that we enjoy routinely. We are able to travel when we want. I continue to stay very active and enjoy reading, mostly history. I'm looking forward to our upcoming 50th reunion.
After Jesuit, I attended LSU-BR for 2 1/2 years for what turned out to be a lot of fun and some education. It was at about this 2 1/2 year point that I realized I better get serious about the education part. I transferred to NLU in Monroe where I got my degree (and raised my GPA considerably). While there I was able to renew friendship with Greg Falk who some of you may remember attended Jesuit for 2 years. After college and after being classified 1-Y by the draft board (lottery number was 34), I began my journey into the real world. Like college, it quickly developed into a lot of fun, adventure, and self-discovery. And like at the end of my term at LSU, I eventually figured out that I better start getting serious. Anyway, after all the backpacking, running, skiing, golfing, fly-fishing, biking, etc., I finally settled down and married a wonderful lady from Lafayette (school teacher). The adventures have continued for the last 34 years but they have became more prioritized (If you know what I mean). Debbie and I live in Shreveport and are both retired (me from Honeywell/UOP and Debbie from teaching school for about 35 years). We both feel very fortunate to have the family and friends that we have and that we enjoy routinely. We are able to travel when we want. I continue to stay very active and enjoy reading, mostly history. I'm looking forward to our upcoming 50th reunion.
Rick Phillips
September 1965 I arrived at La. Tech. with four brothers, Ken, Sammy, JP and Vince. Five Jesuit Grads arriving in Ruston, La. (a dry county), I am amazed we all survived! Living on our own for the first time was a great experience. Fraternity life with friends did not allow much time for education. However, after meeting my future wife, Celeste Kennedy (Byrd High), I became more focused on my classes. After our freshman year Celeste returned to Shreveport and I followed. I enrolled in Centenary College where I completed my education.
Celeste and I married in June 1968. In 1970, I took my physical for the Air Force Reserves and was put on a long waiting list. During this period, I applied for the Air Force (flight training) but was denied acceptance. Finding employment with a 1-A classification was difficult, however, J.C. Penney took a chance on me in February 1970 and I began my retail career in Lake Charles, LA. We transferred to Lafayette, LA in 1972, where we spent four years.
We have two children, Sean & Shannon. Sean is a Systems Administrator in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN). Shannon lives in Lake Charles, LA and is raising our four grandchildren, between the ages of two to fifteen. Living in South Louisiana was a wonderful experience. We maintain close relationships with our friends there.
In 1976 we transferred to Houston, TX for 18 years. I left J. C. Penney in 1980 and became a Store Manager for Bealls Department Store for nine years. Walmart began opening stores in Houston in the late 1980s and I made my final job change in 1989. Walmart offered me the opportunity to open the first Walmart store in Philadelphia, PA in January 1995. I opened two new subsequent stores in 1996 and 2001. Currently, I am the HR Market Manager for the Philadelphia area stores. Philadelphia is a wonderful city located in the Delaware Valley. Our home is in King of Prussia, PA (2 miles from Valley Forge National Park).
We are planning our retirement in 2016.
September 1965 I arrived at La. Tech. with four brothers, Ken, Sammy, JP and Vince. Five Jesuit Grads arriving in Ruston, La. (a dry county), I am amazed we all survived! Living on our own for the first time was a great experience. Fraternity life with friends did not allow much time for education. However, after meeting my future wife, Celeste Kennedy (Byrd High), I became more focused on my classes. After our freshman year Celeste returned to Shreveport and I followed. I enrolled in Centenary College where I completed my education.
Celeste and I married in June 1968. In 1970, I took my physical for the Air Force Reserves and was put on a long waiting list. During this period, I applied for the Air Force (flight training) but was denied acceptance. Finding employment with a 1-A classification was difficult, however, J.C. Penney took a chance on me in February 1970 and I began my retail career in Lake Charles, LA. We transferred to Lafayette, LA in 1972, where we spent four years.
We have two children, Sean & Shannon. Sean is a Systems Administrator in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN). Shannon lives in Lake Charles, LA and is raising our four grandchildren, between the ages of two to fifteen. Living in South Louisiana was a wonderful experience. We maintain close relationships with our friends there.
In 1976 we transferred to Houston, TX for 18 years. I left J. C. Penney in 1980 and became a Store Manager for Bealls Department Store for nine years. Walmart began opening stores in Houston in the late 1980s and I made my final job change in 1989. Walmart offered me the opportunity to open the first Walmart store in Philadelphia, PA in January 1995. I opened two new subsequent stores in 1996 and 2001. Currently, I am the HR Market Manager for the Philadelphia area stores. Philadelphia is a wonderful city located in the Delaware Valley. Our home is in King of Prussia, PA (2 miles from Valley Forge National Park).
We are planning our retirement in 2016.
Philip Purcell
After Jesuit, I spent 3 years at LSU proving that I could be just as poor a student in college as I was in high school. These years were not wasted - I met my wife and I found out what I wanted to do with my life. The start of my junior year I got a coupon for a $10 flight lesson. It was also my first plane ride. So after completing that year I left school and joined the Army. After basic training I was sent to helicopter flight school followed by advanced training in the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter. Of course that was followed by a tour in Vietnam (September 1969 - September 1970). I spent 21.5 years flying for the Army. In 1989 I was hired by American Airlines (who would have thought they would want a 42 year old helicopter pilot?) and spent 17 plus years flying MD-80s. I have been retired since 2006.
After Jesuit, I spent 3 years at LSU proving that I could be just as poor a student in college as I was in high school. These years were not wasted - I met my wife and I found out what I wanted to do with my life. The start of my junior year I got a coupon for a $10 flight lesson. It was also my first plane ride. So after completing that year I left school and joined the Army. After basic training I was sent to helicopter flight school followed by advanced training in the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter. Of course that was followed by a tour in Vietnam (September 1969 - September 1970). I spent 21.5 years flying for the Army. In 1989 I was hired by American Airlines (who would have thought they would want a 42 year old helicopter pilot?) and spent 17 plus years flying MD-80s. I have been retired since 2006.
Mike Restovich
As graduating from Jesuit High School, I attended Northwestern State University where I received a BS Degree in Social Psychology in 1969. I was recruited and hired at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC shortly after graduation but left there after six months to apply for a Special Agent position with the Secret Service, receiving an appointment in June, 1971. Other assignments included Louisville and Lexington, KY before becoming the Assistant Agent in Charge of Dallas Field Office where I retired in 1993. Unique Career highlights include being on the Watergate Tape protection detail and potential witness to the 18 min gap tape, advance team on three attempted assassinations (George Wallace and President Ford (2), Kissinger’s Shuttle Diplomacy Trips to Middle East, Candidate Details on Ted Kennedy, Jessie Jackson, George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, and twice lead advance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II visits to Lexington, KY in 1982-1984.
After leaving USSS, I worked Corporate Security for MCI, later WorldCom, and the Exodus Communication in Silicon Valley, leaving there in 2001 to return to US Government Service after the events of 9-11-01. Returning to Washington, DC. I was one of the first 8 people hired to start the new agency, Transportation Security Administration and later became the Director for TSA at Love Field in Dallas In 2005, I led the evacuation at Louis Armstrong airport in the aftermath of Katrina and returned to Washington again to be Assistant Administrator for Policy and later Head of Operations for TSA. I managed the prohibition of liquids after the UK Bomb plot and was one of the architects of the 3-11 Qt Baggie that allowed liquids on board aircraft, all of which was captured in Kip Hawley"s novel, Permanent Emergency.
In 2008, I accepted the appointment of then Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff to be the US Representative to the United Kingdom for Homeland where my wife Andi and I took up residence in Central London for two years. We retuned to Dallas in 2010 and I retired a second time from the US Government and joined Command Consulting Group as a Partner where I remain today. Andi and I have two kids, Chad (31) and Traci (29), both of whom work and live in the Dallas area.
As graduating from Jesuit High School, I attended Northwestern State University where I received a BS Degree in Social Psychology in 1969. I was recruited and hired at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC shortly after graduation but left there after six months to apply for a Special Agent position with the Secret Service, receiving an appointment in June, 1971. Other assignments included Louisville and Lexington, KY before becoming the Assistant Agent in Charge of Dallas Field Office where I retired in 1993. Unique Career highlights include being on the Watergate Tape protection detail and potential witness to the 18 min gap tape, advance team on three attempted assassinations (George Wallace and President Ford (2), Kissinger’s Shuttle Diplomacy Trips to Middle East, Candidate Details on Ted Kennedy, Jessie Jackson, George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, and twice lead advance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II visits to Lexington, KY in 1982-1984.
After leaving USSS, I worked Corporate Security for MCI, later WorldCom, and the Exodus Communication in Silicon Valley, leaving there in 2001 to return to US Government Service after the events of 9-11-01. Returning to Washington, DC. I was one of the first 8 people hired to start the new agency, Transportation Security Administration and later became the Director for TSA at Love Field in Dallas In 2005, I led the evacuation at Louis Armstrong airport in the aftermath of Katrina and returned to Washington again to be Assistant Administrator for Policy and later Head of Operations for TSA. I managed the prohibition of liquids after the UK Bomb plot and was one of the architects of the 3-11 Qt Baggie that allowed liquids on board aircraft, all of which was captured in Kip Hawley"s novel, Permanent Emergency.
In 2008, I accepted the appointment of then Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff to be the US Representative to the United Kingdom for Homeland where my wife Andi and I took up residence in Central London for two years. We retuned to Dallas in 2010 and I retired a second time from the US Government and joined Command Consulting Group as a Partner where I remain today. Andi and I have two kids, Chad (31) and Traci (29), both of whom work and live in the Dallas area.
Sam Thomas
After Jesuit, I also attended LaTech with Ricky, JP, Ken and Vince. It was period of enlightenment but not concerning my education. I returned to Shreveport the next year and took a job with Shakes Pizza of CA to train and open a new restaurant in Shreveport. After training in Dallas, I opened the new Shakey’s as Assistant Manager. During this period I also attended Centenary, part time. Without a deferment, I was sure to be drafted in 1967. Growing up, I had seen a Navy ad on TV picturing a submarine blowing out of the water at a huge angle that I later learned was 30 degrees. I always wanted to do that, so I enlisted in the Navy in 1967 and was assured by my Recruiter I would be assigned to submarine duty while in bootcamp – right. Went through 11 weeks of Navy Enlisted training. In the third week, I asked my CO, where do I sign up for sub duty? He laughed and said “Son, you do not sign up. You have to take a test for that.” To say the least, I was somewhat stressed and not a happy guy. Really thought I had been duped, which I had. I knew I would end up in Vietnam, just as half of my unit actually did. I took the test and was one of 15 out of 60 who passed. This was the first time of many in my life I realized what an education at Jesuit had done for me. I was assigned to the USS James Madison (SSBN 627) in Charleston SC. Made 2 patrols in which I qualified submarines, functioned as a Sonar Technician and Seaman Gang Leader. I was part of the crew that was assigned to New London, CT for an 18 month overhaul conversion to the first Submarine to carry a multiple re-entry warhead, Poseidon C3 missile. Oh, that 30 degree angle, I got to do that on the shakedown cruise after our overhaul while performing an emergency blow. I was the helmsman/planesman holding the 30 degree up-bubble. What a rush! I made my last and the USS James Madison’s historic patrol in 1970.
After discharge in 1971, I remained in CT and attended Thames Valley State Technical Collage, primarily an Engineering College. With an AS degree in Computer Science, I had intended to continue at UCON for my Bachelor’s degree. In a chance of fate, I was asked to interview along with the Engineering graduates. A company named United Nuclear Corp., manufacturer of Nuclear Reactors for submarines, hired 15 Engineers and me. The starting salary was more than I could ever expect even with a BS degree. They advised they would train me in a field I could never learn anywhere in the world, and they did. I became a Nuclear Fuel Metallographic Inspector, certified by GE and Westinghouse as Examiner of nuclear fuels, welding and brazing. After 2 years as Lead Technician / Instructor I was promoted to Management as a Supervisor in the Met Lab for 12 years and several other manufacturing areas over the next 5 years. During employment with UNC, I was also the company photographer. Apart got work, I was a part time Wedding Photographer. In 1990 the government decided they did not need two suppliers of reactors and the facility closed over the next two years. Today, the Mohegan Sun Casino sits on the former UNC site.
After a 17 year career with UNC, that all of us thought would never end, I had to go out into the real world to find a job. 1990 was not a good year for employment in the Northeast. The only good thing that happened that year, I met the love of my life and my favorite nurse, Mary Lenzini. It took me 18 months to find a job in my field of Quality Assurance and Manufacturing Quality. During the 4 years of that first Quality Management position after UNC, I completed my BS degree in Business / Industrial Management at Eastern CT State University, graduating in 1995. During the past 40 or so years, I have been in the Quality Management of a variety of national and international manufacturing companies, United Nuclear Corp., manufacturer of Nuclear Reactors for submarines, Farrel Corp., manufacturer of the Banbury mixer, – work horse of the rubber and tire industry. US Repeating Arms Co, mfger. of the Winchester rifle, Photronics Corp, manufacturer of photomasks for the integrated circuit industry and Ultra Electronics, manufacturer of Joysticks and controls for the military and NASA. Their joysticks are on newest Navy submarines and on the space lab. For the past 10 years, I have been the Quality Manager for Kirkhill Aircraft Parts Co. of Brea, CA, at Kapco Global, Essex, CT Site. Kapco Global is a major distributor to the Aerospace industry for O-rings, gaskets and seals plus just about anything that goes on an airplane. We are an employee owned company with locations worldwide.
Mary and I have been married for 20 years, live in Waterford CT, on Jordan Cove off Long Island Sound. Enjoy our rose gardens, kayaking and frequent Italy trips. Hopefully, when we both retire, we will stay in Tuscany a month at a time or more rather than just a few weeks every other year. I plan on retiring in March 2016. Mary, as President /CEO of the Visiting Nurses of S. E. CT, has no plans on retiring. She truly enjoys what she does and the fulfillment of what they do for the community.
Having the opportunity to attend Jesuit was a major influence in my life that I will never forget. Looking forward to seeing all again.
After Jesuit, I also attended LaTech with Ricky, JP, Ken and Vince. It was period of enlightenment but not concerning my education. I returned to Shreveport the next year and took a job with Shakes Pizza of CA to train and open a new restaurant in Shreveport. After training in Dallas, I opened the new Shakey’s as Assistant Manager. During this period I also attended Centenary, part time. Without a deferment, I was sure to be drafted in 1967. Growing up, I had seen a Navy ad on TV picturing a submarine blowing out of the water at a huge angle that I later learned was 30 degrees. I always wanted to do that, so I enlisted in the Navy in 1967 and was assured by my Recruiter I would be assigned to submarine duty while in bootcamp – right. Went through 11 weeks of Navy Enlisted training. In the third week, I asked my CO, where do I sign up for sub duty? He laughed and said “Son, you do not sign up. You have to take a test for that.” To say the least, I was somewhat stressed and not a happy guy. Really thought I had been duped, which I had. I knew I would end up in Vietnam, just as half of my unit actually did. I took the test and was one of 15 out of 60 who passed. This was the first time of many in my life I realized what an education at Jesuit had done for me. I was assigned to the USS James Madison (SSBN 627) in Charleston SC. Made 2 patrols in which I qualified submarines, functioned as a Sonar Technician and Seaman Gang Leader. I was part of the crew that was assigned to New London, CT for an 18 month overhaul conversion to the first Submarine to carry a multiple re-entry warhead, Poseidon C3 missile. Oh, that 30 degree angle, I got to do that on the shakedown cruise after our overhaul while performing an emergency blow. I was the helmsman/planesman holding the 30 degree up-bubble. What a rush! I made my last and the USS James Madison’s historic patrol in 1970.
After discharge in 1971, I remained in CT and attended Thames Valley State Technical Collage, primarily an Engineering College. With an AS degree in Computer Science, I had intended to continue at UCON for my Bachelor’s degree. In a chance of fate, I was asked to interview along with the Engineering graduates. A company named United Nuclear Corp., manufacturer of Nuclear Reactors for submarines, hired 15 Engineers and me. The starting salary was more than I could ever expect even with a BS degree. They advised they would train me in a field I could never learn anywhere in the world, and they did. I became a Nuclear Fuel Metallographic Inspector, certified by GE and Westinghouse as Examiner of nuclear fuels, welding and brazing. After 2 years as Lead Technician / Instructor I was promoted to Management as a Supervisor in the Met Lab for 12 years and several other manufacturing areas over the next 5 years. During employment with UNC, I was also the company photographer. Apart got work, I was a part time Wedding Photographer. In 1990 the government decided they did not need two suppliers of reactors and the facility closed over the next two years. Today, the Mohegan Sun Casino sits on the former UNC site.
After a 17 year career with UNC, that all of us thought would never end, I had to go out into the real world to find a job. 1990 was not a good year for employment in the Northeast. The only good thing that happened that year, I met the love of my life and my favorite nurse, Mary Lenzini. It took me 18 months to find a job in my field of Quality Assurance and Manufacturing Quality. During the 4 years of that first Quality Management position after UNC, I completed my BS degree in Business / Industrial Management at Eastern CT State University, graduating in 1995. During the past 40 or so years, I have been in the Quality Management of a variety of national and international manufacturing companies, United Nuclear Corp., manufacturer of Nuclear Reactors for submarines, Farrel Corp., manufacturer of the Banbury mixer, – work horse of the rubber and tire industry. US Repeating Arms Co, mfger. of the Winchester rifle, Photronics Corp, manufacturer of photomasks for the integrated circuit industry and Ultra Electronics, manufacturer of Joysticks and controls for the military and NASA. Their joysticks are on newest Navy submarines and on the space lab. For the past 10 years, I have been the Quality Manager for Kirkhill Aircraft Parts Co. of Brea, CA, at Kapco Global, Essex, CT Site. Kapco Global is a major distributor to the Aerospace industry for O-rings, gaskets and seals plus just about anything that goes on an airplane. We are an employee owned company with locations worldwide.
Mary and I have been married for 20 years, live in Waterford CT, on Jordan Cove off Long Island Sound. Enjoy our rose gardens, kayaking and frequent Italy trips. Hopefully, when we both retire, we will stay in Tuscany a month at a time or more rather than just a few weeks every other year. I plan on retiring in March 2016. Mary, as President /CEO of the Visiting Nurses of S. E. CT, has no plans on retiring. She truly enjoys what she does and the fulfillment of what they do for the community.
Having the opportunity to attend Jesuit was a major influence in my life that I will never forget. Looking forward to seeing all again.
Jody Titone
After my Jesuit years I spent five years at Louisiana Tech mainly figuring out how to avoid being sent to Viet Nam. I was #38 in the lottery but after my draft physical (took it with several other ’65 grads) I was classified as 1Y which meant I was relatively safe. Thanks for the flat/arthritic feet-but paying the price today! After meeting and marrying my wonderful wife, Susan, in 1969, I managed to graduate in 1970 with Sociology and English degrees and minors in marketing and business administration. What else do you do with that-I went to law school. So we headed to Baton Rouge and spent four more fun years of school and LSU sports. In 1974 we headed back to Shreveport where I practiced law and Susan continued to teach school. We had two daughters in 1978 and 1979 who have now given us four grandchildren and two step grandchildren. We moved back to Baton Rouge in 1989 where we have continued to practice law and teach. This may be Susan’s last year to teach and I’m considering cutting back. I am with a large law firm and specialize in healthcare law and Susan is a reading specialist in the East Baton Rouge public school system. We are lucky to have our daughters and grandchildren in Baton Rouge and spend as much time with them as we can without being pests. I have had several hobbies through the years that, along with LSU sports, should keep me busy if I ever retire: fly fishing, fly tying, graphite and bamboo rod building; woodworking; gardening; beer making; and anything that involves making something with my hands. I shouldn’t be bored. Hopefully when Susan has to look at me all day she won’t change her mind after 46 years. Looking forward to the reunion weekend.
After my Jesuit years I spent five years at Louisiana Tech mainly figuring out how to avoid being sent to Viet Nam. I was #38 in the lottery but after my draft physical (took it with several other ’65 grads) I was classified as 1Y which meant I was relatively safe. Thanks for the flat/arthritic feet-but paying the price today! After meeting and marrying my wonderful wife, Susan, in 1969, I managed to graduate in 1970 with Sociology and English degrees and minors in marketing and business administration. What else do you do with that-I went to law school. So we headed to Baton Rouge and spent four more fun years of school and LSU sports. In 1974 we headed back to Shreveport where I practiced law and Susan continued to teach school. We had two daughters in 1978 and 1979 who have now given us four grandchildren and two step grandchildren. We moved back to Baton Rouge in 1989 where we have continued to practice law and teach. This may be Susan’s last year to teach and I’m considering cutting back. I am with a large law firm and specialize in healthcare law and Susan is a reading specialist in the East Baton Rouge public school system. We are lucky to have our daughters and grandchildren in Baton Rouge and spend as much time with them as we can without being pests. I have had several hobbies through the years that, along with LSU sports, should keep me busy if I ever retire: fly fishing, fly tying, graphite and bamboo rod building; woodworking; gardening; beer making; and anything that involves making something with my hands. I shouldn’t be bored. Hopefully when Susan has to look at me all day she won’t change her mind after 46 years. Looking forward to the reunion weekend.