Tag: Reunion 50

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 who is on the reunion committee. She volunteered to create an in-memoriam display for the 51st Reunion. Using yearbook photos and electric votive lights, she made luminaries and set up a multi-level display that was set up in the corner 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 January 2025

  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. Frank Bellis – November 2024
  10. Anthony Blasi – 2008
  11. Thomas Blasi – 2007
  12. Frederick Bol – 2015
  13. Linda May Boyce 2025
  14. Howard Brennan – 2019
  15. Peter Brunarski – 2004?
  16. Joanne Carbone – December 2010
  17. Reynold Catelli – while in high school
  18. William Charniga – 1974
  19. Glenn Conrad – ?
  20. Andrea Corrao – ?
  21. Karen Crawford – 2016
  22. John Crispin – ?
  23. Diane Demers Massino – 2015
  24. Joanne DiCecco – ?
  25. Frank Dobrowolski – 1993
  26. Philip Dombrowski – 2001
  27. Harry Donovan – Many years ago
  28. Michael Droppa – 1999
  29. Kim England – January 2022
  30. Richard Flynn – ?
  31. Phyllis Foti – late 1970’s
  32. Frank Fox – February 2023
  33. Beverly Friedman Bruno – 2023
  34. Kathleen Gallagher – before 1991
  35. Connie Gargiulo Kusher ) – June 2023
  36. Mike Geller – January 2022
  37. Alice Colleen Gensinger Yednak – January 2024
  38. Kenneth Gerisch – 2007
  39. Kenneth Gladd – 2012
  40. Elizabeth Grasmueck – April 2022
  41. Jeffrey Greenspan – 2019
  42. Marc Greenspan – April 2020
  43. Linda Gresham – 2022
  44. Michelle Grohol Andolino – July 2021
  45. Roy Gross – ?
  46. Warren Gross – 1971
  47. Thomas Gruppuso – ?
  48. John Haderthauer – 1996
  49. Jerry Heda – ?
  50. Hazel Hohweiler – ?
  51. Peter Jensen – 2009
  52. Richard Kahl – April 2022
  53. Richard Kiefer – 2016
  54. Arlene Kokosinski Fetta) – August 2023
  55. Paula Kolodich – ?
  56. Joseph Kormylo – April 2016
  57. Eugene Lalevee-?
  58. Barbara Laue – 2014
  59. Karen Long Rohe – February 2024
  60. Bruce Lovenberg – August 2002
  61. Frederick Lucking – ?
  62. James MacConchie – 2007
  63. Linda Maciolek – 2017
  64. Grace Murn Fairchild – 2019
  65. Rich Murray – 2018
  66. Gloria Neanderthal Cignarella – 2018
  67. Esther Niwinski – ?
  68. Charles Nystrom – 2008
  69. Janis Olsson – September 2020
  70. Joseph Patriarca – 2018
  71. Sally Peralta-Wain – 2018
  72. Frank Pospisil – 2011
  73. Joann Raddi – October 2014
  74. Joyce Reingold Ciaburri – October 2021
  75. Clare Riggio – 2022
  76. Mario Russo – 2011
  77. Sandra Sanko – 2009
  78. Carol Schaffer – 2010
  79. Edward Joseph Sienkiewicz – 2023
  80. Keith Spaeth – 2007
  81. Dennis Testa – ?
  82. Steven Thatcher – 2017
  83. Gerald Turi – ?
  84. Joanne Urso – ?
  85. Manny Vazquez – July 2001
  86. Wayne Vogler – 2001
  87. Barbara Weekley – 2015
  88. Cinda Weldon – 1990
  89. Alexander Wieczorek – March 2007
  90. Ray W. Wills  – 2011
  91. Jane Woody – before 1996
  92. John Zabriski – 2014
  93. James Zangari Jr. – 2009
  94. Michael Zielinski – ?

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

Elementary Schools at the 50th Reunion

We tried to get together all of the town’s elementary school alums for photos at the Reunion 50+ event, and remember the names. Any changes? More reunion photos will be coming as posts here, on Facebook, and even on our YouTube channel.

MADISON AVE. front: John Manning, Marlene Mondino, Ken Ronkowitz, Karen Mericle, Patty Cataldo, Ellen Patrinick, Miriam Sherry, Marilyn Petersile, Lisbeth Taurosa back: Larry Kukan, Fred Knapp, Andrew Muscato, Richard Rapp

GROVE ST. front: Vicky Golba, Ilene Bojar, Hortensia Zapico, Janet Cooper, Audrey Fey, Ron Meyer, Vita Venturi, John Sanclaria, Anne Meyer (Class of 68) back: Pete Palermo, Al Martino, Manny Fernandes, Carl Gueci, Mike Emanuele
FLORENCE AVE. L-R: Larry Szostak, Maureen Cooney, Lenny Misuraca, Jacqueline Mennitt, Brian Sanchez, Nancy Carpenter, Kathy McMinn, Karen Mericle, Mary Linda Xavier, Kathy Bono, David Collins, Richard Rapp.
BERKELEY TERRACE L-R Susan Fix, Betty Prusak, Patty Potter
MOUNT VERNON L-R: Barry Feigenbaum, Julia DeAraujo, Elaine Francovitch, Amy Kaufman, George Kleiner.
MYRTLE AVE. JUNIOR HIGH kneeling: Frank Bellis, Marlene Mondino, John Sanclaria, Vita Venturi, Ken Ronkowitz, Kathy McMinn, Denise Tissot Row 2: John Manning, Betty Prusak, Patty Cataldo, Marilyn Petersile, Ellen Patrinick, Kathy Murray, Kathy Goeb, Lisbeth Taurosa, Hortensia Zapico, Fred Knapp Row 3: Susan Fidnick, Vicky Golba (hiding!) Linda Fidnick, Audrey Fey, Lily Fermon, Miriam Sherry, Ilene Bojar Row 4: Peter Palermo, Mike Emanuele, Marco Budnyj, Larry Kukan, Al Martino, Victor Sardelich, Joe Maurus, Manny Fernandes, Steve Covino (class of 72), Andrew Muscato
UNION AVE. L-R: Rhonda Goldberger, Paul Leib, Theresa Impellizeri, Lori McAuvic, Karen Long, David Celeste, Lucia Orlando, Ellen Armm, Ellie Knapp (class of 72), Waldo Himmelstein, Bobby Hofmann
CHANCELLOR AVE. L-R: Joanne Gambarony, Brian Reichle, Terry Masucci, Merle Bogner, Barbara Mikolajski, Rudy Palma, Carol Schreiber, Paul Schreiber, Wilma Grenz, Lloyd Kleiman Kneeling: Bill Vivona
AUGUSTA ST. L-R: Frank Bellis, Kathy Goeb, Terry Masucci, Linda Fidnick, Kathy McMinn
ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL L-R: Noreen Colemen, Joyce LaSalvia, Joe Hollywood, Gail Gross, Joe Cleary, Faye Mauriello, Brian Reichle, Steve Mermini, Kathy Murphy
ST. LEO’S SCHOOL Ellen Fox, Denise Tissot, Laura Krampetz,
South 17th St. School (Newark) Olga Stepowyj, Andrew Wisniewski, Valentina Prychodko
Homeroom 222 (like the TV show) L-R: Jacqueline Mennitt, Karen Mericle, Terry Masucci, Kathy McMinn, Faye Mauriello, Barbara Mikolajski, Steve Mermini

Reunion 50+ Is a Month Away

We are just about one month away from our 50+ Reunion Party on October 1 at the APA Hotel in Iselin. NJ.   As of today, we have 125 people coming to the party to relax, have fun and reminisce about growing up in Irvington.   While we think that is a remarkable number to be getting together after 51 years, there are a number of you who previously indicated you wanted to come, but who have not yet registered.  

We recently came across this blog 50 Reasons Why You Need To Go To Your 50th High School Reunion | HuffPost Post 50 which lays out some reasons why you might want to join us.  Some are corny but some are spot on. 

If you’re not attending, know you will be missed.    

Last minute decision to attend? We must have your money by 9/15/22. Email the team at ihsclassof1971 at gmail.com