Category: Updates

In Memoriam

Since the days of the Roman empire, the words “in memoriam” (in memory) have been found on monuments and gravestones. None of us want to think about losing people we know, but the reality is that over the course of the years since our graduation, we have lost a number of our classmates. At the 50+ Reunion, we thought it was important to acknowledge those who have passed.

Laura Krampetz Cuevas is a lifelong artist and teacher on the reunion committee who volunteered to create an in-memoriam display for the event. Using yearbook photos and electric votive lights, she made luminaries and set up a multi-level display that was on the side of our event room.

We saw attendees walking around the display and sometimes thinking of a friend now gone and sometimes discovering that someone they did not know had died was there.

If you open your yearbook, take a look at those who have passed or just remember someone noted here that you knew in high school and send out a good thought or prayer.

The list of classmates below comes from the current class database and includes a date when one was found in an obituary or a “?” when the date is unknown. Some class members’ obituaries have been posted on Facebook.

Updated: 2/17/24

  1. Frederick Adamcsik – January 2021
  2. Carmen Algarin – 2017
  3. Lu-Ann Alliegro – 2019
  4. Julie Alliston – 2008
  5. William Alves – 1976
  6. Charles Ambielli – 2017
  7. Michael Balkun – 2014
  8. Jacqulyn Bellas – 2006
  9. Anthony Blasi – 2008
  10. Thomas Blasi – 2007
  11. Frederick Bol – 2015
  12. Howard Brennan – 2019
  13. Peter Brunarski – 2004?
  14. Joanne Carbone – December 2010
  15. Reynold Catelli – while in high school
  16. William Charniga – 1974
  17. Glenn Conrad – ?
  18. Andrea Corrao – ?
  19. Karen Crawford – 2016
  20. John Crispin – ?
  21. Diane Demers Massino – 2015
  22. Joanne DiCecco – ?
  23. Frank Dobrowolski – 1993
  24. Philip Dombrowski – 2001
  25. Harry Donovan – Many years ago
  26. Michael Droppa – 1999
  27. Kim England – January 2022
  28. Richard Flynn – ?
  29. Phyllis Foti – late 1970’s
  30. Frank Fox – February 2023
  31. Beverly Friedman Bruno – 2023
  32. Kathleen Gallagher – before 1991
  33. Connie Gargiulo Kusher ) – June 2023
  34. Mike Geller – January 2022
  35. Alice Colleen Gensinger Yednak – January 2024
  36. Kenneth Gerisch – 2007
  37. Kenneth Gladd – 2012
  38. Elizabeth Grasmueck – April 2022
  39. Jeffrey Greenspan – 2019
  40. Marc Greenspan – April 2020
  41. Linda Gresham – 2022
  42. Michelle Grohol Andolino – July 2021
  43. Roy Gross – ?
  44. Warren Gross – 1971
  45. Thomas Gruppuso – ?
  46. John Haderthauer – 1996
  47. Jerry Heda – ?
  48. Hazel Hohweiler – ?
  49. Peter Jensen – 2009
  50. Richard Kahl – April 2022
  51. Richard Kiefer – 2016
  52. Arlene Kokosinski Fetta) – August 2023
  53. Paula Kolodich – ?
  54. Joseph Kormylo – April 2016
  55. Eugene Lalevee-?
  56. Barbara Laue – 2014
  57. Karen Long Rohe – February 2024
  58. Bruce Lovenberg – August 2002
  59. Frederick Lucking – ?
  60. James MacConchie – 2007
  61. Linda Maciolek – 2017
  62. Grace Murn Fairchild – 2019
  63. Rich Murray – 2018
  64. Esther Niwinski – ?
  65. Charles Nystrom – 2008
  66. Janis Olsson – September 2020
  67. Joseph Patriarca – 2018
  68. Sally Peralta-Wain – 2018
  69. Frank Pospisil – 2011
  70. Joann Raddi – October 2014
  71. Joyce Reingold Ciaburri – October 2021
  72. Clare Riggio – 2022
  73. Mario Russo – 2011
  74. Sandra Sanko – 2009
  75. Carol Schaffer – 2010
  76. Edward Joseph Sienkiewicz – 2023
  77. Keith Spaeth – 2007
  78. Dennis Testa – ?
  79. Steven Thatcher – 2017
  80. Gerald Turi – ?
  81. Joanne Urso – ?
  82. Manny Vazquez – July 2001
  83. Wayne Vogler – 2001
  84. Barbara Weekley – 2015
  85. Cinda Weldon – 1990
  86. Alexander Wieczorek – March 2007
  87. Ray W. Wills  – 2011
  88. Jane Woody – before 1996
  89. John Zabriski – 2014
  90. James Zangari Jr. – 2009
  91. Michael Zielinski – ?

Any updates to this list can be emailed to our class email. If you have a link to an obituary, include that.

UPDATE: New Date for the Class Reunion

“Anticipation of pleasure is, in itself, a very considerable pleasure.” – David Hume

We hope all of our ’71 classmates are well and staying safe. Our Reunion team met earlier this month to discuss the Reunion. We told you that we would send out invites and request payment for tickets in January 2021 since we had until June to cancel our contracts if we did not have enough participation. We had hoped that by this time we would have had a much clearer picture of the pandemic and the safety of having a large group get-together.

Unfortunately, with the slower than anticipated rollout of vaccines as well as the introductions of new COVID variants that our scientists are still learning about, it is doubtful that we would be in a position to receive enough ticket commitments and funds by June to solidify our contract with the hotel. Additional considerations were classmates’ comfort levels with travel and hotel stays.

We discussed all these factors in our virtual meeting and the Reunion Team unanimously agreed it would be safest to move our 50th Reunion to 2022. We discussed when we should try to reschedule. We decided against the Spring and Summer due to vacations, holidays, weddings, graduations, etc., and decided we should stick with October, if possible.

Thanks to the efforts of John Manning, we were able to change our reservation for our now Reunion 50+ to Saturday, October 1, 2022, at the same location. The hotel was very cooperative and understanding and has had to deal with other class reunions and cancellations as well. Amazingly, our price will remain the same.

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We know many of you will be as disappointed by this news as are we. We think, however, it is the right call and hope you agree. We are hopeful that by 10/1/2022, we will be able to hug, kiss, shake hands, have fun and reminisce without having to worry about protocols.

If things get better quicker and it is again safe to gather with each other, there is no reason that there couldn’t be more informal gatherings like breakfasts or lunches this coming year. If we can help facilitate or communicate such gatherings to others, let us know. Though much of the Reunion information will remain the same, as of now, we foresee sending out invites and more details in January 2022.

As always, we will post this information and any other updates on our Reunion website and on the IHS Class of 1971 Facebook Group which are linked below.

“The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting.” ― Andy Warhol

IHS Class of ’71 50th Reunion Team (Michael Emanuele, Manny Fernandes, Rhonda Goldberger, John Manning, Terry Masucci, Laura Krampetz Mueller, Karen Long Rohe, Ken Ronkowitz, Vita Venturi Stohler, Karen Mericle Suter, Tom Trokan)
Join the ongoing discussions in our Class of 71 Facebook group facebook.com/groups/ihs1971/

Reunion Update for September 2020

IHS 50Hello Classmates

I hope this communication finds you and your families safe and well.    It’s hard to believe that almost 6 months have passed since we last updated you on our 50th Reunion.   We are now just a little over a year until the event.    That’s exciting, and with what has been going on in the world, I think we can all use a little positive excitement.

Just to refresh everyone we will be celebrating on October 9th, 2021 at the APA Hotel in Woodbridge NJ. 

Since our last email we have contracted with a DJ.  We have yet to find a photographer at a price that will not unnecessarily inflate the cost of the Reunion.    Since most of us have cell phone cameras, I’m sure we will collectively have plenty of digital memories to share with each other.   But, it would be nice if we had someone outside of the class with at least amateur skills and a decent camera that could take the large group photos and grammar school group photos.  If you have any family or friends that might be willing to do that for us, please let us know.

Of course,the big question that is probably on everyone’s mind right now is what impact COVID-19 will have on the Reunion, if any?  That is a question that nobody can really answer yet, but we are all hoping that by October of next year we will be in a much better place than we are today.   The contracts we have with the Hotel and DJ allow us to get out of the contract as long as we give 3 months notice.    So, we are moving forward with the hopes that by June of next year we will have a much better picture of the situation and make a final determination to hold the Reunion on 10/9/21 or defer it until a later date.

We expect the cost of the Reunion to be approximately $115 per person.    In January of 2021, we will send out an email with more event details and start collecting for tickets.   If by chance the event is cancelled due to the situation in June, we will refund all monies that we’ve collected.

The DJ will work off a list of bands and songs, if we provide one to her.   So, start thinking about what music is on your must-have list.  We will be polling  you for your favorites other questions n the near future.

Are you on our mailing list? Then this update was emailed to you along with an EXCEL file and WORD document with the latest class list and reunion attendance as known at this time.

Stay safe and be happy.

The best antiques to collect are old friends. 

for the IHS Class of ’71 50th Reunion Team, Michael Emanuele
Manny Fernandes, Rhonda Goldberger, John Manning, Terry Masucci, Laura Krampetz Mueller, Karen Long Rohe, Ken Ronkowitz, Vita Venturi Stohler, Karen Mericle Suter, Tom Trokan, Doris Woitowicz Wendell )

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The Reunion Team on Zoom for the September meeting.