St. Stephen Alumni Newsletter Website: http://www.ststephen-hazelwood.org/

Email: alum-coordinator@ststephen-hazelwood.org

September 2016 Vol. 3, Issue 2

Homecoming Weekend 2016

The St Stephen community welcomed back the Sisters of Charity for a homecoming weekend at St.

Stephen Parish on June 10-12, 2016. The weekend kicked off on Friday evening with a Night at the

Races and dinner. Family, friends and fellow alum joined for a fun evening of dinner, horse racing,

games and sharing memories. On Saturday the Ladies of Charity and the alumni committee hosted

the Sisters of Charity, as well as former faculty, staff, and clergy for the blessing and dedication

of the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton statue. This event was to honor the Sisters of Charity who dedi-

cated over 100 years of service to the students and families of St. Stephen School. The sisters

arrived at St. Stephen in 1893 with 8 sisters to teach grades 1-8. They served the school commu-

nity through the final school term of 2004-2005. There was a total of 220 sisters who passed

through the school doors. Sister Gertrude Litzinger was appointed the first principal.

The afternoon

luncheon immedi-

ately followed

with a slide show

and walk down

memory lane pro-

vided by Rose

Velgich '81.

There wasn't a

dry eye in the

room. On Sun-

day, a continen-

tal breakfast

was served in

the parish hall at

9:00am. Tom

Cline, ‘78, topped

off the weekend

by donating St.

Stephen Alumni

Polo Shirts to

the committee and souvenir Spartan cups for all who attended the weekend events. The weekend

was about embracing old memories and making new ones. Pictures from the weekend will be avail-

able on the parish website.

Page 2 St. Stephen Alumni Newsletter

A dance was held in the school hall May 7th for past students from the 90's and on. Bridgette Sullivan Mesko and

Greg Matecko chaired the event that included dinner and dancing. The pictures tell the story. More pictures can

be viewed on the St Stephen page on Facebook.

(L to R) Chris Boyle, Jessica Johns, Tony Golle

(Above, L to R) Tasha Martinez McKinney, Tara

Terlecki, Scott Herberling, Jennifer Mitchell

Laverty, Valerie Opyrchal Hartz,

Beth Shrier Korbett

Then & Now: Tony Golle and Nikki Yasko

(L to R) Bridget

Sullivan Mesko,

Chris Darcy,

and

Jessica

Opyrchal

Amanda Meigs Hill &

Tina Loudermilk

Then & Now: Scott Heberling and Tara Terlecki

Mrs. Barb Sabo & Bridget

Sullivan Mesko

ALUMNI NEWS Heinz Endowments taps state government official for new position

July 27, 2016 12:00 AM Michelle Figlar Quinlan (’81) will become vice

president for learning at the Heinz Endowments effective Aug. 8. (By

Joyce Gannon / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)

Michelle Startari Hyde (‘79)

achieved National Board Certification, the highest level cre-

dential in the education profession. (Retrieved from: http://

www.hcpss.org/news-posts/2016/03/hcpss-congratulates-six-national-

board-certified—teachers/)

Volume 3, Issue 1 Page 3

Fallen Spartans Our thoughts and

prayers are extended

to alumni, family and

friends of St.

Stephen School Gerri Zabetka Alice McShea Ruffolo, ‘48

Michael Kerekgyarto Charles Murphy '57

Brian J Sullivan Sarah Hardman

Theresa Krusinski Posa

James Kevoian Jan Komorowski

Linda R. (Mariano) Weiland

Donald Faulkner Mary Ann (Jubeck)

O'Grosky Lois Jean Finke

Susan (Talak) Butler Rose (Kalvi) White James Gallagher

Upcoming Parish News, Events & Activities

October 1, 2016 Harvest Festival

2pm to 7pm

November 5, 2016 Night at the Races

Upcoming Alumni Events If you would like to announce an

alumni sponsored event or reunion,

please let us know!

Next Alumni Committee

Meeting

September 13, 2016

************ Marriage of Matthew Caponi and Kathleen (Coyne, ’94,

Daughter of Mary Rita (Montana, ’68) and Ed Coyne,

‘65) at St. Paul’s Cathedral on

July 2, 2016

Congratulations to Jamie and

Jeanine (Nagy, 94) Musto on the birth of their daughter,

Angelina Jean on March 31, 2016. Angelina was baptized

at St. Stephen on July 3, 2016

We want to hear from you!

Share weddings, engage-

ments, births, graduation

announcements, congratula-tory messages or what is

happening in your life so we

will add it in our next news-

letter by contacting

alum-coordinator@

ststephen-hazelwood.org

Would you like to be a fea-

tured alumni or would you like

to submit a person to be fea-tured? Contact us!

Next publication date:

Spring, 2017

Michelle Figlar Quinlan Michelle Startari Hyde is standing at the far left

Page 4

A Trip Down Memory Lane

3

On July 29, 2016, the parish welcomed

Gerri Skelly Irish and her husband Bill

from Maryland. She was joined by her

cousin Joanne Campbell from Bethel

Park. Gerri contacted the parish by

email prior to her visit. Her parents,

Mary Margaret Skelly and Stanley Da-

miecki were married at St. Stephen on

August 30th, 1947. Gerri wanted to do-

nate a pen and ink sketch of St. Stephen

Church that was a gift to her parents on

their 40th wedding anniversary. The pic-

ture hung in their dining room for many

many years. Her mom wanted to make

sure the picture was placed where some-

one could enjoy the beauty of the

sketch. The well detailed sketch has

made it's home in Fr. Simon's office hanging nicely above the mantle.

Gerri shared that other aunts and uncles were married at St. Stephen

and Joanne was baptized here as well. Thank you Gerri for your com-

pany, kind words, and a beautiful piece of art work.

St. Stephen Alumni

Committee

Karen Fleming Campbell, ‘79 Judy Velgich Gallagher,’83 Lori Fleming Seaman, ‘83 Cindy Vandergrift Rose Velgich, ‘81 Ellen Brosnan, ‘52 Tom Cline, ‘78 Beth Ann Deasy, 81 John Figlar, ‘77 Michelle Startari Hyde, ‘79 Donna Iannone, ‘76 Helen Behun Johns, ‘77 Lupe Saavedra Mangan, ‘52 Tom Mangan, ‘81 Bob "Mace" Mariano, ‘63 Bridget Sullivan Mesko, ‘96 Eileen McShea O’Neil, ‘44 Doris Ponder, ‘78 David Primm Michelle Figlar Quinlan, ‘81 Donald Reola, ‘49 Suzy Bradley Smith Dale Stephenson, ‘79 Pat Mangan Suzio, ‘74 Carol Vavro

Sr. Anne Toomey, SC NIGHT AT THE RACES FUN!

Deacon Tom Berna

blessing the new

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton statue

Lupe Saavedra Mangan welcoming guests Guests gathered on the church lawn