Central Catholic magazine Summer 2022
Who are those guys anyway?
From left to right, Rayn Kelly ’16, Stephen Erickson ’16, Jack Kelly ’17, Don DeMarco ’76, Chris Corrado ’77, Ronnie Rust ’16, Vic Rust ’88, Sr. Jerome Zerr, OSB (image), Kevin Smith ’97, Brian Alfano ’97, Kit Kryger (former Rams football and baseball coach), Dennis Oliver ’77, Dan Floyd ’97, Kael Kryger ‘13 and Marshall Hawkins ’88.
“Linking” the Present and the Past Who are these students? Identify the students above, submit your guess, and the winner will be chosen in a random drawing in July. Contact Sara Wright, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement with your guess: swright@centralcatholichigh.org or 503.230.1056 ext. 1243. Congratulations to Rick Ginter ’69 who correctly identified the students (below) in the last issue of the Central Catholic Magazine: Bill Marx ’69, Verson Pandian ’69, Mike Dolan ’69, Bill Heywood ’71, Keith Gaudette ’69, Dennis O’Meara ’69, and Marty Vega ’72.
It is another one of those gatherings, taking place monthly, quarterly, or once a year, that members of the Ramily know well. Sometimes it’s just classmates. Sometimes it’s members of a sports team or a club, where former coaches or teachers are included. Sometimes it’s a combination of those; a unique, often multi-generational web of connections that continues to pull people together for years or decades after leaving the halls of Central Catholic. This particular gathering, a golf gathering, has its roots in the early days of the famed Bandon Dunes Golf Course. The late Ron Rust Sr. ‘62, whose company built the lily ponds at Bandon when it first opened in 1999, started playing there every year with a group of his classmates. Over time, Ron’s sons joined in, as did their friends, with the group sometimes including as many as 88 golfers representing five decades of the Ramily from the 1960s up through the 2000s. Sometimes, former teachers and coaches joined in, along with a few like-minded nonalumni. (While it can neither be confirmed nor denied, some say that a few attendees may have been alums from Jesuit or La Salle.) Today, a new generation of Rams who graduated from Central Catholic in the 2010s and later are participating, ensuring that this special gathering continues for the foreseeable future. When this tight-knit group convenes every January for their Bandon Dunes weekend, they enjoy golf at one of the most renowned courses in the world, while reveling in the sublime beauty of the southern Oregon coast. But, their coming together is about so much more. Vic Rust ‘88 muses, “It’s about Central Catholic and the friendships we made there. It’s about remembering those who’ve gone before us, those who’ve had an impact on our lives.”
THOLIC L CA AL RA
CEN T
NI UM
Brew TOUR
Saturday September 17 For more information or to register, visit: centralcatholichigh.org
In 2018, almost 20 years after the original golf outing, in seeking a way to honor the passing of Sr. Jerome Zerr, OSB, Rust created a large sign bearing her image, his intent being to have Sr. Jerome be a part of their gathering, even if only symbolically. “Sr. Jerome reminded us of the nun character in the 1980s Blues Brothers movie. This nun was named Sr. Mary Stigmata, aka ‘The Penguin,’ and she led the orphanage where the brothers grew up.” He continues, “She drove a giant black car, just like Sr. Jerome. Our nickname for Sr. Jerome was ‘The Penguin’ and she loved it!” This year, the group played an additional 18-hole tournament in memory of Ron Rust ’62, who passed away in November 2021, and Sr. Jerome’s likeness accompanied them every step of the course. “I think Sr. Jerome would get a big kick out of us remembering her like this,” he says. “It just seems right for her to be there.”
Features: On the Cover
Central Catholic celebrated its 81st Commencement on June 6, 2022 at Hillsboro Stadium. Read about the Class of 2022 and all of their accomplishments on page 6.
Volume 29 • Number 2 • Summer 2022 Central Catholic Magazine is a publication of Central Catholic High School 2401 SE Stark Street • Portland, Oregon 97214 503.230.1056 • centralcatholichigh.org
Happy Retirement: Kathleen Gianotti Page 4
Leadership Rev. Msgr. Timothy Murphy ’58, President Emeritus Colin McGinty, President Danyelle Ramsey, Principal Ellie Dir, Vice President of Advancement Board of Directors Molly Paustian ’85, Chair Dena Dooney ’88 Dave Gorretta ’87 Colin McGinty Phil Moran ’76 Connie Ozyjowski Sarah Petrone ’94 Peter Rauch ’95 Jeannie Ray-Timoney Paul Scarlett Jo Willhite, Ex-Officio
Campus Highlights Page 5
Publisher/Layout and Design Jolyn Winczewski Director of Scholarships and Publications Contributing Writers Ed Curtin ’68 Ellie Dir Christina Kempster ’09 Colleen Newell
Celebrating the Class of 2022 Page 6
Editing Team Cindy Hart Alaina Hill Colleen Newell Elaine Payne Sara Wright Contributing Photographers Colleen Newell Central Catholic High School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, The Western Catholic Education Association, and The Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Endowed Scholarship Profile: Alumni Association Scholarship Page 12
Notice of non-discrimination as it applies to students and employees at Central Catholic High School:
Central Catholic High School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school administered programs. Likewise, Central Catholic High School does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, or gender.
Alumni Profile: Joe Van Haverbeke ’58 Page 14 Summer 2022 | 1
WELCOME MESSAGE Much of what I do at Central Catholic—and have done throughout my 32 years here—is cyclical in nature. Drawing students to this school, expanding the views of interested students and their families, explaining all the myriad reasons why Central Catholic will be a good fit, and finally, watching them enroll, all have their seasons. Like the passage from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes, “For every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” On a broader scale, our students spend their four years here going through the “seasons” of high school. I have seen them come in as tentative freshmen and graduate as confident young people ready for whatever comes next. Save for the one year when my daughter, Siobhan (Class of 2010), was Central Catholic’s Rose Festival Princess and Coronation Day fell on the same day as our graduation, I have witnessed every graduation ceremony at our school during those 32 years. From that June evening when the Class of 1991 graduated at the Chiles Center on the campus of the University of Portland until today, I have seen thousands of young people walk across the stage (including 248 who “graduated virtually” in 2020) and collectively move on to the next phase of their lives. I have had the singular honor of announcing names at many of those ceremonies and it always fills me with a sense of particular pride, not a little nostalgia, and endless hope for these young adults. Central Catholic is, and always has been, a school that prepares young people for the world into which they are entering; predominately, to pursue college degrees, but also to be the best version of themselves and to discover where their gifts meet the world. This mission, in all its various forms and iterations, has guided Central Catholic for the better part of 85+ years. Many graduates have truly made names for themselves in the local, national, and international realms of business, philanthropy, education, sports, medicine, the arts, social service, and so much more. Walk up and down the west wing of the campus, known as “history hall,” and peer at the senior photos of thousands of grads and you’ll know who I’m talking about. And tucked between the more recognizable names are those who spent their years here on campus and left their indelible mark in more subtle ways. These are the young people who spent their time here in the classrooms, in the science labs, in the chapel, on the field, in the art rooms, on retreats, and in the theatre making our school a better place. These are the students whose friendships blossomed into lifelong relationships and whose kids and grandkids are here today. These are the ones who chose to attend Central Catholic, who took advantage of everything the school had to offer, and who continue to give back years later. These are the people on whose shoulders our current students, faculty, and staff stand. These are the students who made Central Catholic what it is today. Like thousands before them, the 198 members of the Class of 2022 are heading off to make their way in the world. Full of hope, ambition, wonder, knowledge, curiosity, excitement, and probably a wee bit of trepidation, they are prepared for what comes next. As they continue their education in both traditional and unique ways, they will sustain this cycle that is as old as the school. They will take with them the people who helped form them— parents, family, teachers, counselors, coaches, classmates, teammates, acquaintances, and friends—and they will continue to grow. They will represent Central Catholic well. They will come to appreciate the lessons 2 | Central Catholic Magazine
learned in their four years within these walls. They will find out—in due time— just how smart their parents really are. They will use the skills honed during their time here and find success. They will embrace their God-given gifts and share them with our world to make it a better place. They may fail, but they’ll pick themselves up and try again. And they just might continue the cycle and send their own kids to Central Catholic. I met many of these seniors when they were seventh and eighth graders and I’ve been able to watch them grow into mature young people. This class spent a lot of time at home learning in front of a computer screen while navigating the pandemic—and they will be forever impacted by it. Resilience is key to their success, but that particular character trait was not necessarily one they willingly developed; rather, it was foisted upon them like the yoke on a pack animal. Some embraced it, many simply persevered, while others continue to struggle. Through it all, however, has been the steadfast consistency of this school, the bonds of friendships fused in mutual circumstances, and the tireless support of family. These students have left their mark, they’ve touched each and every one of us in ways that will continue to be a part of who we are as a school and as a community, and they leave, imbued with hope for a bright future. It has been my honor to get to know these seniors—and I cannot wait to see how the 242 incoming freshmen of the Class of 2026 will impact the Central Catholic community. For many of these future Rams, I can still remember watching their parents walking through these doors as freshmen, making their mark, and graduating. And so, the cycle continues. Sincerely Yours, Paul O’Malley Director of Admissions The Office of Advancement would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Central Catholic school community for your generosity during these two years of the pandemic. While many non-profits struggled to keep their doors open, our alumni, current and past parents, students, and many friends stepped up to help us achieve two of our strongest fundraising years (excluding capital campaign years) in the history of Central Catholic. Central Catholic President Colin McGinty, acknowledging our recent successes noted, “Central Catholic was able to not just ‘get through’ the challenges of the past two years, but as a school community, we’ve excelled. “Within two months of going fully remote, we were able to execute the first of two successful online auctions. Revenues from our annual giving campaigns soared to new heights as did volunteer engagement from our parents and alumni. Because of you, our office enjoyed multiple successes, which led most importantly, to support for our teachers and successes for our students. This was achievable because of the generosity of so many incredible people.” We’ll share more specifics in the President’s Report to be published this fall but we couldn’t let the moment pass without thanking each and every one of you for your support during a very difficult time in our school’s history. We have emerged from this pandemic stronger and better and that’s because of you!
2022 PRESIDENTS’ AUCTION
Twenty-Seventh Annual Presidents’ Auction Thank you for showing so much love and support for our students during our Twenty-Seventh Annual Presidents’ Auction, Where Our Gifts Meet The World!
THANK YOU SPONSORS: PLATINUM SPONSORS
Our online auction opened two weeks prior to the live event, giving our community the opportunity to bid on packages such as vacation homes, wine tastings, gift certificates, and unique experiences. This year, to keep our Ramily safe, we held a reduced capacity in-person event with an optional livestream available to at-home attendees. We are incredibly grateful to Dani Klupenger ‘09 for her presence as our emcee. Dani flew in from the Windy City to join us for the night. We also had the honor of auctioneer Patrick Siver from gEvents joining us again. Patrick and Dani were an incredible duo for our first auction back in person!
Sause Bros.: Matt Hainley ’78 Joe Van Haverbeke ’58
GOLD SPONSORS
Hunt Painting: Bill Hunt ’66 and Stephen Hunt ’89 Lara Media Services Northwest Pump & Equipment Co.: Mark Mathews ’73 Miller Nash LLP
We are grateful to the B.P., Lester & Regina John Foundation for once again offering a $35,000 match for the Paddle Raise. The Central Catholic Board of Directors also offered a match of $14,000. In total, $200,000 was raised for tuition assistance! We offer a special thank you to our sponsors and advertisers, and to each of you who participated in this year’s Presidents’ Auction. With the hybrid format, we were able to reach both our local community and those living far away. We were joined by nearly 300 guests at our in-person event and an additional 300 online bidders.
SILVER SPONSORS
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon Beaverton Toyota Columbia Bank Al ’51 and Sue Corrado DDI Benefits: Dena Dooney ’88 Bill ’58 and Jane Murphy Wilson Rogers & Associates: Scott Wilson ’73
CHALLENGE MATCHES
B.P., Lester & Regina John Foundation Central Catholic Board of Directors
Join us next year for the Twenty-Eighth Annual Presidents’ Auction April 29, 2023
Summer 2022 | 3
HAPPY RETIREMENT
Kathleen’s Family: Back row, from left to right: husband Jerry Gianotti ’79, son-in-law Andrew McHill, future son-in-law Lucas Boyle, and daughter Michaela Gianotti ’08. Front row: Kathleen Gianotti, Madeleine McHill ’06, grandsons Owen and Henry McHill, and daughter Kristen Gianotti ’12.
Happy Retirement: Kathleen Gianotti Kathleen Gianotti has been a familiar face at Central Catholic for the past 20 years, with an even richer connection as a Ram that runs deep in her family’s history. Between father John Casey ‘56, husband Jerry ‘79, father-in-law Jerry ‘52, four siblings-in-law: Alan ‘80, Tom ‘81, Tim ‘83, and Maria ‘86, and three children: Madeleine ‘06, Michaela ‘08, and Kristen ‘12, Kathleen likes to describe herself as “a stakeholder; a Ram through and through.” Kathleen initially got involved at the school in 2002, when her eldest daughter began as a freshman at Central Catholic. This was the beginning of what would become her 10-year journey as a parent, where she spent those years deeply involved in the life of the school. Whether it was cross country, theater, or tennis, she was here as a parent, volunteer, and supporter of the school, enthusiastically helping out in any way she could. Her official work at Central Catholic started in 2011, during her youngest daughter’s senior year, when she applied for and got a job working in the Christian Service office. Kathleen’s role has evolved over the course of her 11-year career at Central Catholic, where she initially started off doing data entry, inputting service hours into students’ permanent records, as well as chaperoning for service projects. After a few years, her role was eventually folded into Campus Ministry, and her work and responsibilities grew to support both departments. This work remained steady and consistent up until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic uprooted Campus Ministry and Christian Service, just like all other aspects of the school. Kathleen and her team were forced to be creative in thinking about how students perform service and remain engaged. One of the highlights for Kathleen during 4 | Central Catholic Magazine
that time was when we started the sack lunch program. She clearly remembers that first collection day, April 24, 2020, when hundreds of Central Catholic families lined up to drop off more than 10,000 sack lunches for Blanchet House. In the midst of the daily challenges of the pandemic, Kathleen stepped up to fill the role of Christian Service Director when the then-director went on family leave. Working with an enduring sense of commitment and drive, Kathleen kept Christian Service running through one of the most challenging times in the school’s history. Part of it was her everpresent Ram Pride that kept her focused; “I felt committed to it, because this is my home, my community,” she shares. As she concludes her career and prepares to enter retirement, Kathleen reflects on that which she loves and will miss the most about Central Catholic: the people. She will miss seeing the students every day and witnessing their four years of growth and transformation. “Every year I sit at graduation and I just weep,” she reflects, “thinking about our students when they come in as freshman, watching them mature, seeing their stories unfold and their gifts being shared.” In addition to students, she will dearly miss her colleagues. “I work with the best people, across the board,” she says. In her retirement, Kathleen is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones. With her three daughters, two grandsons, and extended family living all across the Northwest and beyond, travel is in the future for her. “I will have more space in my life for the people that have always been there for me,” she shares. No matter where her life or travels will lead her next, one thing remains constant: Kathleen will always be a Ram, through and through.
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
Students in our RAMS Program lead a workshop about autism and other learning differences during our third annual Human Dignity Summit: Central State of Mind.
Central Catholic’s Constitution Team poses for a photo on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building during their recent trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the We the People National Competition.
Halena Mai ‘22 places a crown of flowers on our statue of Mary during the Mother-Daughter Breakfast and Crowning of Mary Ceremony.
Central Catholic fathers and daughters dance the night away at our annual Father-Daughter Night.
Michelle Ferroggiaro and son Thomas ‘22 enjoy time together at the annual Mother-Son Brunch.
Piper Easton ’22, Rachelle Hanna ’22 (crowned as Princess), and Kailee Koplan ’22 pose for a photo after Central Catholic’s Rose Festival Assembly.
Fr. Paul Zirimenya (right) from St. Benedict Parish for the Deaf in San Francisco presides over an all-school Mass, which was celebrated entirely in American Sign Language, and voiced by our interpreter, Jilene Modlin (left).
Students smile for a photo at their junior-senior prom at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club. Summer 2022 | 5
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 2022
GRADUATION Valedictorian Claire Patricia Krebs
Average GPA of the Class of 2022 3.76
Salutatorian Abigail Kim
Christian Service hours completed 17,145
Seat of Wisdom Award Joseph Davis Angelo Sophia Lee Bowman Raegan Cecelia Gritzmacher Abigail Kim Claire Patricia Krebs Alexandra Elisabeth Lee
Students who performed more than 100 hours of service 50
Archbishop Edward D. Howard Christian Service Award Asa Sevea Gartrell Alexandra Elisabeth Lee Christ the King Award Joseph Davis Angelo Agustin Montes-Tacuba Holy Spirit Award Thomas William Ferroggiaro Claire Patricia Krebs Insignis Award Mollie Laila Chehab Jack Dunbar Fazio Jesse Palofox-Arceo Lizeth Margarita Ramirez Orozco Sophia Rose Smithstanza Lauren Nicole Stemple Katerina Angelika Stolberg Emar’rion Josiah Winston Equity and Liberation Award Ilena Mae Elmore Lizeth Margarita Ramirez Orozco Philanthropy Award Desiderata Essayas Mandefro Adelaide Elizabeth Schuver Scholar Athlete Award Sophia Lee Bowman Jordan Sebastian King Students in the Class of 2022 198
Attending college next year 91% Top college choices Gonzaga University Oregon State University University of Oregon University of Portland University of Washington Notable college choices Columbia University in the City of New York Princeton University Stanford University United States Naval Academy University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania Graduates participating in a gap year or service program 2% International universities graduates are attending Bangor University Kyoto University of Advanced Science University of Glasgow College credits earned through the PCC Dual Credit Program 698 Graduates attending Catholic colleges 21% Graduates whose parent(s) are Central Catholic alumni 22 Graduates who maintained a cumulative 3.5+ GPA 145 Summer 2022 | 7
CLASS OF 2022
2022 GRADUATES Yonatan Gebrehiwot Alemseged Payton Jane Allen * Andrew Ray Ames * Matthew Peter Andersen Jaeger Michael Anderson Henry Connor AnDyke Joseph Davis Angelo * Roger Story Arney * Ian James Baer William Thomas Bagwell * McEwan Robert Bain * Gretta Eleanore Lorraine Baker Ella Zoe Bambakidis Lauren Warrene Beymer * Calleigh Marie Blaufus Kyla Teree Bolton Sophia Lee Bowman * Alexander Teviot Bruce Ruby Margaret Bunker Elliott Quinn Bush Ellis Joseph Bynum Danielle Laureen Calcagno Emma Bauzon Cameron * Yuning Cao Garret Martin Cappalonga Kassandra Mae Castro Nicholas John Catherall * Maria Rachella Cedros * Mollie Laila Chehab * Harris David Christensen * Cloud Regina Chu Olivia Grace Codino * William Conner Coplin * Gibson Thomas Coyle Ellie Marie Crocker Andre Alexander Culi * Marissa Elizabeth Daniels * Isabella Melena Del Bosque * Emerson Michael Richmond Dennis * Silas McKay Hill Dermer * Marcus Alexander Dillard * Niall Giancarlo Doherty * John Maxwell Donohue Piper Faye Easton Ilena Mae Elmore * Chibuzo Chijioke Enemuo William Michael Ernst * Bruk A. Esayas George Louis Estrada IV Jack Dunbar Fazio *
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Avery Ikeda Feingold Ella Marie Ferrero * Thomas William Ferroggiaro * Lucia Grace Flores Liam Talbot Fogarty Claire Marie Gaber Hannah Marie Galati Cecilia Isabela Garcia-Salvador Asa Sevea Gartrell Emma Maria Garza Maximilian Paul Girardet * Joaquin Samuel Gonzales * Boston Quintin Gonzalez-Glover * Amelia Pearl Goodwill * Josephine Elizabeth Gordon * John Paul Ronin Gorger * Megan Colleen Grant * Zachery Conner Grisham * Raegan Cecelia Gritzmacher * Nicolas Alexandre Gueissaz-Daoust Donovan Santiago Guerrero Montesinos Macy Ann Hagstette Liam Burnham Enzo Creamer Hamlin Rachelle Janelle Hanna * William Michael Hannan * Jacob Anthony Hardeman * Erik Steven Heijenga * Leo Edward Herboth Seth William Hinckley Braden Dang Bao Hoang Shane Robert Honish * Jaden Ryan Howlett * Allyson Diane Hyde * Gavin Francis Jackson Jayden Antonio Jenner Myale Tareke Jones Nelson Sydnee Alexandria Jordan Peter Francis Juliano Maxwell James Karolyi * Forrest Robert Kayser * Elizabeth Jane Kern * Carter David Keyes Abigail Kim * Jordan Sebastian King * Julian Vaughn Kingery Mason Marsyla Kola * Kailee Marie Koplan * Augustus Fox Krauel * Claire Patricia Krebs * Luke Michael Laber
GRADUATION Alexandra Elisabeth Lee * Jude Patrick Lizotte * Cameron Robert Lopez-Fournier Parker Richard Lopez-Fournier Maeve F. Loughran * Theresa Thanh-Truc Luu * Noah Lee Machen * Halena Hoáng Linh Mai * Desiderata Essayas Mandefro * Spencer Wally Martin Riley Joseph Mason Joseph Lauria May * Felix Archibald McCall * Ava Carolyn McDonald * Julia Lynn McFarland Jada Zaciah Precious McKinney-Craig Abigail Anne McMonagle * Sandra Mendez-Machorro Elizabeth Anne Merten * Zitlali Marlen Meza Andrew Luke Mollet Agustin Montes-Tacuba * Ella Rose Mooers Catherine Tran Kim Nguyen * Khuê Cát Minh Nguyén * Sean Thomas Nickerson Nate Craig Niehus McCormack Lauster O’Brien * Rowyn O’Connor * Samantha Adele O’Leary * Cooper Jon Olsen Jesse Palafox-Arceo Jaylen Dwight Palmer * Alana Cheri Parker * Gianna Magee Paulucci Evan Ryan Paxton Skylar Payton Perez Haylea Bella Perri Timothy Dinnen Phelps * Gavin Benjamin Piper Abigail Katherine Prentiss * Kali Pulanco * Jonathan Pulido-Barrita Owen Thomas Pyle Kellan James Quinn Zoé Annie Raab Lizeth Margarita Ramirez Orozco Leo Emerson Raymond * Kimberly Alisia Martinez Remillard-McGinnis
Graduating with Honors
(Grade Point Average of 3.8 and above)
Parker Morgan Reno-Zinn Luca Joseph Rodarte Slyvie Anna Rokoff * Andrew William Fitzgerald Rowan * Aiden Michael Ryan Solon Sanders IV Colin Alexander Scales * Kaden Schell Emmett Declan Schneid * Adelaide Elizabeth Schuver Taitum Jane Scroggins Colin Joseph Seyer Xavier Armani Simpson * Aidan Ray Slater Sophia Rose Smithstanza * Sheridan Nelson Snyder Cloé Fleur Solbach Jamilah Gitzel Soriano-Hernandez Erica Elizabeth Speer Lauren Nicole Stemple * Katelynn Mae Stimpson Katerina Angelika Stolberg * Jude Thomas Stubee Gavin Elias Swartley * Samuel Healy Szekely * Dylan Paul Tarsia Renee Yejina Tassin * Andrew Charles Francis Thenell * Isaiah Julius-Gonzales Thomas Stryder Joseph Todd-Fields James Sawyer Toribio Max James Townsend AnhVu Quach Tran Blythe Isabella Turkiewicz Grant Alexander Twilleager * Carmela Maria Valdez Asher Tate Wajskol * Peyton Reese Walker * Mitchell Minoru Warner * Emma Katheryn Watson * Piper Isabel Westhead Madeline Rose Williams Emar’rion Josiah Winston Samuel Kenneth Wonsiewicz Daniel Edward Woods * Duncan William Yoder Weikun Zhang Preston Nathaniel Ziels Reagan Paige Zuckerman
* National Honor
Society Member
Exceeded 100 Hours of Christian Service
Summer 2022 | 9
VALEDICTORIAN • SALUTATORIAN
Valedictorian
Salutatorian
This year’s valedictorian is Claire Krebs, who graduated with an incredible 4.54 GPA. Throughout her time at Central Catholic, Claire immersed herself in the life of the school, balancing both academic rigor with a rich schedule of extra- and co-curricular activities.
Abigail Kim is this year’s Salutatorian with an outstanding 4.5 GPA. During her time as a Ram, Abigail has embraced nearly all aspects of school life, blending her academic rigor with her passion for music and extra-curriculars.
Claire was involved in Student Council throughout her four years at Central Catholic; voted Co-Student Body President her junior year and President her senior year. She ran Cross Country all four years, played varsity lacrosse her freshman through junior years, and was on the JVII Basketball Team as a freshman. Claire was also a part of Math Club and was its Co-President her senior year. Outside of the school, Claire interned at the Portland Veterans Association her senior year, and participated in the CommuniCare program as a grantmaker for three years. During her junior year, Claire was a member of Oregon Health & Science University’s Partnership for Scientific Inquiry Program. Finally, she was the school ambassador and a volunteer at Every Body Athletics during her junior and senior years.
Throughout her time at Central Catholic, Abigail has been active in Open Mic Night Club, National Honor Society, Rambassadors, Constitution Team, Constitution Club, and Math Club. Also a member of the Varsity Girls’ Track and Field Team, Varsity Girls’ Cross Country Team, and JVII Volleyball Team, she still made it a priority to devote time to playing in Concert Band, Honors Jazz Band, and Pep Band. Outside of the classroom, Abigail has been part of the National Youth Orchestra, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic, and has participated in a number of All-State, All-Northwest, and All-National music honor ensembles sponsored by Oregon Music Education Association and National Association for Music Education. Additionally, Abigail is a four-year first place District 12 Solo and Ensemble winner and a two-time OSAA Solo and Ensemble winner. She also volunteers at Ronald McDonald House Charities’ Music Program, Olivenbaum, NYO4Youth, National Charity League, and participates in a selection of other service projects.
Claire Patricia Krebs
When asked about her favorite aspect of Central Catholic, Claire says, “Easily the people…My experience at Central would not be the same without all of my friends and teachers who have made it special, unique, and worthwhile.” One of the highlights of her time as a Ram was leading a Search retreat this past December, and finally being able to experience the retreat at Eagle Fern Camp, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. Claire notes that Central Catholic has provided her extensive opportunities to grow and take on responsibility, which has helped her develop as a leader. “I owe this to many adults at Central Catholic who believe in me and choose to place their trust in me…Now I am significantly more confident in leading and in simply being myself.” Next year, Claire will be attending Santa Clara University to study neuroscience and philosophy. She is looking forward to experiencing the breadth and depth of college education, and acknowledges she will be just “scratching the surface of all there is to discover.” Claire’s advice to her fellow classmates? “Say ‘yes’ more often!”
Abigail Kim
One of Abigail’s favorite things about Central Catholic is the flexible, open community and the ease of communicating with peers and teachers. What she will miss the most are the Open Mic Nights, noting, “The chaos and beauty of planning a show and being able to perform before a crowd cannot be matched.” One memorable moment for Abigail was when she and the Constitution Team found out they had qualified to compete in the We the People National Competition in Washington, D.C. When reflecting on how Central Catholic has impacted her, Abigail shares that it has allowed her to learn more about herself as she transitions into young adulthood, expand her level of thinking, and to be continually curious about the world. Next year Abigail will be attending Princeton University and plans to study Sociology on the Pre-Med track. She is looking forward to joining the Princeton Orchestra as well as venturing to the East Coast. Abigail’s words of wisdom to her fellow Rams? “Never stop being curious.”
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ALUMNI NEWS We caught up with Dwight Schwab ’75, who stopped by the Advancement Office this past spring. Dwight shared that after graduating from Central Catholic, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State University. He stayed local and has enjoyed a career in real estate since 1979, which has included selling and developing apartments, offices, retail spaces, and single family homes. Dwight is also the Operating Partner and majority owner of Keller Williams Portland Premiere, located near Bridgeport Village, with about 200 brokers. Dwight and his wife, Lisa, just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, and together they have four sons, spanning from 26 to 32 years of age. They have lived in Lake Oswego for 32 years, and also enjoy spending time in Central Oregon near Sunriver, as he puts it, “doing everything we can still do.” In July 2022, Andrew Kuffner ’91 will begin his new role as the Director of Formation for Mission for the Lasallian District of San Francisco - New Orleans, after working 26 years at La Salle College Preparatory School in Milwaukie, OR. After graduating from Central Catholic in 1991, Andrew went on to attend the University of Portland and graduated with a degree in Secondary Education. He was hired on as a teacher at La Salle in 1996 by former Central Catholic religion teacher, Greg Kopra, who taught Andrew while he was a Ram. Andrew started at La Salle as a Physics and Math Teacher, and since that initial hire has held positions as the Dean of Students, Vice Principal for Academics, Principal, President/Principal, and most recently, the President/CEO. Andrew attributes much of his career and educational formation back to Central Catholic, especially his time in Campus Ministry and attending retreats. In fact, in his dissertation for his PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration, which he completed this past spring through the University of Portland, he explored the long-term impact of retreats in high school. He credits the impact of attending a Search retreat at Central Catholic as inspiration for this dissertation. As he prepares to leave La Salle Prep and step into his new role in mission formation, he carries with him the impact and passion for Catholic education that has been instilled in him since his time at Central Catholic. And, coming full circle, he is fulfilling his senior superlative, voted “Mostly likely to be Greg Kopra,” as he takes over this new role from, none other than his former religion teacher, Greg Kopra!
David Lester ’94 and wife Genesee McCarthy welcomed a daughter, Marielena Florence Jeanne, on April 14, 2022. She joins sister Amani Esperanza (2).
Dani Klupenger ’09 is currently a host and reporter, covering a wide variety of sports and sports gambling. Dani is the host for Bally Sports and BetMGM’s nationally televised “Live On The Line’’ sports gambling show. She is also a host for the Tennis Channel, traveling to different countries to cover the Association of Tennis Players (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 tournaments. Dani is a college basketball analyst for Stadium Network, she recently covered the Seattle Seahawks for NBC Sports Northwest, and previously was the team reporter for the Los Angeles Rams.
Alumni Spotlight Hunter Baldridge ’17
Meghan (Foley) Looney ’04 and husband Ben welcomed a daughter, Moira Jo, on January 26, 2022. She joins sister Eleanor (3).
David Dalla Gasperina ’08 recently made local and national sports headlines when he won the Trail Blazers full-court putting contest on March 25, 2022. This contest gives one fan at each home game the opportunity to make a full-court putt into the tiny opening of a model house, some 94-feet away, for a chance to win $50,000. David got a call 24 hours before the game saying he had been selected to participate in this contest. With unwavering focus leading up to this moment, and the crowd cheering him on, he sunk the putt and won $50,000. When David is not winning once-in-a-lifetime contests, he works as the Northwest Region Territory Manager for LAT Apparel, which sells premium apparel blanks. He lives in Tigard with his wife, Chelsea, and they will be celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary in June. In his free time, David enjoys working on home projects, playing golf, trying new restaurants, and spending time with his friends, family, his dog, Fox, and two cats, Sophie and Sadie.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Hunter Baldridge ’17 knew he needed to help in whatever way he could. “I felt it was my duty to do something since I had the means, skill set, and was relatively close by in Spain,” Baldridge said. Hunter has been living in Spain while attending graduate school at Saint Louis University Madrid. He expected to be helping to disperse food and water to people at the Poland-Ukraine border, but after arriving and talking with other volunteers, he decided the best way for him to help was by providing transportation for people. “I predominantly drove refugees from the PolishUkrainian border to Krakow,” Baldridge said. “The cities of Przemysl and Medyka [each less than five miles from the border], saw [more than] three million refugees crossing through. This was too much for the local transportation networks to handle.” During a five-day period in April, Hunter and another volunteer drove roughly 4,500 miles transporting 100 people to various destinations in Poland. He credits Central Catholic with instilling in him the desire to be a person for others. “Central Catholic taught me how to not only recognize injustice, but the importance of doing something about it.” Hunter said there are many different ways to help the people in Ukraine, whether it’s sending donations or raising money for aid groups. “At the end of the day, just having the knowledge that any one person can make a difference and stand up against injustice is in line with Catholic social teaching and is something we are all capable of doing.” Summer 2022 |11
ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE
Alumni Association Scholarship Since the early days of Central Catholic’s existence, alumni have had a strong presence in the life of the school, to the point where it might be difficult to remember a time when there wasn’t an Alumni Association, let alone an Alumni Association Board of Directors. It wasn’t until the early 1970s that Central Catholic hired its first Director of Alumni, Ed Lemma ‘66, to begin the work of not only building and maintaining relationships with alumni, but also creating financial sustainability for the school. Graduates from those days will recall the Almond Roca candy sale (which began in the 1960s), as well as the launch of the John Shepard Classic and the Ram Open. Later in that decade, the late John Shepard, beloved coach, teacher, and administrator at Central Catholic, formalized the Central Catholic Alumni Association, recruiting board members and setting the agenda for a tradition of support for Central Catholic. One of the most important initiatives undertaken by the Alumni Association Board is their scholarship. The history of this scholarship dates back to the 2002-2003 school year when the Association, using proceeds from the John Shepard Classic, the Ram Open, and other Alumni Association activities, funded seven scholarships ranging in amounts from $1,250 to $2,500 for incoming freshmen. The following year, in 2004, under the leadership of Peter Corrado ‘80, Central Catholic’s Director of Alumni Relations at the time, the decision was made to endow this scholarship so that it could continue to fund students’ tuition in perpetuity. Using the remaining funds raised by the Alumni Association, the Central Catholic Alumni Association Scholarship was created, making it an official endowed fund with the goal of providing scholarship assistance to incoming freshmen. To date, the scholarship has been awarded to 65 recipients; typically, there are 2-3 recipients each school year. One of the early recipients, 12 | Central Catholic Magazine
Grace Laskowski ’09, who received the scholarship in 2005, tells us, “The alumni scholarship made me feel like I was right at home before I was even a student at Central Catholic. It bridged my past and my future, connecting me to my uncles, parents, cousins, and siblings who walked the halls of Central Catholic—and though I didn’t know it yet, it set the stage for lifelong friendships.” Today, the Board of the Central Catholic Alumni Association is organized, active, and dedicated to supporting the mission of Central Catholic High School. The current board, led by John Leineweber ’99, has ambitious goals for the scholarship. “We have a board of especially enthusiastic and dedicated alums who have committed to growing this scholarship fund significantly,” Leineweber said. “Not only to increase the annual award value, but to expand the number of future Ram families who will benefit from it.” The current Alumni Board hopes to grow the scholarship fund by at least fourfold in the coming years. The group is preparing to launch a micro-giving campaign focused on younger alumni. Their goal is to help reconnect classmates after they have left Central Catholic, cultivate leaders within each class, and develop more opportunities for our community to come together. Leineweber invites alumni to get involved: “We would encourage all alums to connect with us via our Facebook group, Instagram, or by updating your email on record so you will get the most up-to-date information on the upcoming campaign and other alumni events.” To make a gift visit centralcatholichigh.org/giving/make-a-gift.html and select Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship in the designation dropdown.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP 2022 RECIPIENTS
Arinze McGee
Koutou Haou
When Arinze McGee looked around for high schools to attend, his list was both long and short: No. 1 Central Catholic; No. 2 Central Catholic; No. 3 Central Catholic; No. 4 Central Catholic. It was a goal he set for himself in the third grade.
Koutou Haou will bring perspectives from a far-less-traveled part of the world to Central Catholic when she begins classes this fall. The Portland native, one of two recipients of this year’s Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship, has, on several occasions, visited her father’s family in the country of Chad on the African continent.
Arinze, one of two incoming freshman recipients of this year’s Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship, had done his homework and realized that only Central Catholic had the right blend of academic excellence and top-rated athletics. “There’s a consistency of kindness, a standard of academic excellence, and great camaraderie that makes choosing Central a no-brainer,” says the Mt. Tabor Middle School eighth grader. Drawing on his stint as a ball boy for the Rams football team and forging friendships with several Ram student athletes, “I found the emphasis on scholarship and athletics inspiring.” Arinze, a Portland native, will bring many talents and diverse interests to the hallways and classrooms at Southeast 24th and Stark. Baptized at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, Arinze is active in its youth group and serves as an acolyte. He plays the saxophone in Advanced Band at Mt. Tabor, having started with music on piano when he was four years old, the ukulele in the first grade, and the recorder in fifth grade. At Mt. Tabor, Arinze has been a part of the public school’s Japanese immersion program since pre-kindergarten and will continue his study of that language at Central Catholic. Travels took Arinze to Liberia, West Africa, where his mom was born. (Her family relocated to Oregon 20-plus years ago to escape the civil war there.) Inspired by what he saw, he formed LEAP, the Liberian Education and Athletic Program, blending his passion for sports, education, and philanthropy. On his 10th birthday, he set and met a goal to raise $10,000 for LEAP. Portland’s Building Blocks to Success program exposed Arinze to STEM careers and Lego robotics. On his own and with his mom, Charlene McGee, he also rides his bicycle a lot. At the start of the pandemic, they pedaled from Parkrose to North Portland. Basketball is big, as are reading and video games with his friends. This summer Arinze will travel to UCLA for a teen leadership conference with the Portland chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a nationwide group dedicated to nurturing future African American leadership through personal development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty. He is an active member of the chapter. What are Arinze’s plans for September and beyond at Central Catholic? He’s already registered for band and art, along with the usual array of courses, and has said he aspires to be “a titan in the sports industry.” “I want to try everything I can in those four years,” he said. “I hear it goes really fast.” Worries? “The usual uncertainty moving into a new challenge,” he said. “But I’m ready.”
She’s also spent time with her older sister, who was studying in France for a year. And at home, her mother speaks of her own experiences with the Peace Corps in Gabon, also in Africa. Quite an international exposure from three francophone (French-speaking) countries. Still, Koutou carries more than a well-stamped passport to Central Catholic. The eighth grader at La Monde Charter School (part of Portland Public Schools), is fluent in French, having been immersed in the language since kindergarten. Summers find her on Mount Tabor and in other public green spaces getting rid of invasive species as a member of TNT, Teen Nature Team, a Parks Bureau science, stewardship, and jobs skills program that connects youth to nature, environmental careers, and college programs. In Girl Scouts, Koutou joins her many friends in the mountains camping in the summer, cross-country skiing in the snow; and in town volunteering for many community projects, often at Holy Redeemer School and Church, where she is also an altar server. Koutou plays soccer, volleyball, and basketball with girls who attend Holy Redeemer, fourteen of whom will be joining her at Central Catholic in September. “Of course, like any 14-year-old,” she says, “my friends are a big factor in choosing Central. But I also know the education is very good, and it is more diverse than any other Catholic high school around Portland.” Family also factors in. Her mom, Susan Haou, a nurse at OHSU, graduated from Central Catholic in 1985, and her brother, Pierre, was a member of the Class of 2015. Her father, Raphael Haou, came to the United States from Chad for college and met Susan in Portland. Both are proud that their daughter tested into third-year high school French for next year and are happy she chose Central Catholic. “The school forms character, instills values, and builds Catholic identity,” said Susan. “It is what is in your heart as much as what is in your head.” So, how does going from a public middle school class of 14 students into a private high school with hundreds of students streaming through the hallways look to this rising ninth grader? Koutou admits that Central Catholic will be “very, very different. It’s so much bigger, but I’m excited for new classes I haven’t been exposed to: theology, geometry, wellness, and world history; and for different clubs and social activities. I’ll have my old friends with me, but I still want to make many new ones. “I’m not scared. I’m completely ready for the change.”
Summer 2022 | 13
ALUMNI PROFILE A curious boy growing up in the early post-war years, Joe found plenty of opportunities to feed that curiosity. The son of a single mother who worked all day and thus was unable to provide much supervision at home, he and his friends would go downtown to marvel at the array of merchandise in pawn shop windows, or to hang out in their favorite magic store. “Oh, man. As a kid you’re seeing things in those pawn shops that you’d see in the movies. You know, German daggers and guns, things from the South Seas. It was just unbelievable. Literally, I was trying to save up enough money to buy a shrunken head. A real shrunken head. There was just so much going on in downtown Portland.” Eventually, Joe’s curiosity got the better of him. One day, gazing out the window of the magic store, the stage was set for a life-altering decision. “I cased this place with a couple of friends—I won’t mention their names—and we would watch from across the street,” he remembers. “This building had a very dark foyer, and you could see men going into this dark foyer and heading up the stairs. You couldn’t see what was at the top of the stairs, and it seemed to us like no one ever came out. So, week after week, we just got more and more curious. “And one day, we finally went over there and went upstairs. At the top of the stairs was a dark landing. We saw that you had to knock on the door and when you’d knock, they’d let you in, like a speak-easy. We were there during the day and crawled in and got caught. The owner, along with a bunch of the customers, caught us and oh boy! We were in big trouble.”
In the late 1950s, Joe Van Haverbeke and the late Monte Reiling purchased 40 acres of timberland near Hood River for their Christmas tree business. Almost 70 years later, Joe still owns and manages this property.
Joe Van Haverbeke Class of 1958
Joe Van Haverbeke is a big man with a big personality. A born raconteur with a halo of white hair and twinkling blue eyes, he likes to joke around in a manner that belies his more serious side. A product of Catholic education (St. Rose Grade School in Northeast Portland and Central Catholic High School, Class of 1958), he’s a father, a grandfather, an entrepreneur with a fascinating career path, and a philanthropist. He credits both St. Rose and Central Catholic as having played a role, despite some youthful “missteps,” in the development of his faith life and his professional success. The Early Years Born in 1940 in Louisville, Kentucky, Joe and his family moved to Portland during World War II. They lived right on Northeast Sandy Blvd, and Joe remembers starting school at St. Rose, just a few blocks from his house. St. Rose Catholic Church and School, and the sisters who worked there, were a big part of his life. “I was five,” he states matter-of-factly. “I started [at St. Rose School] when I was five because I was born in December. Probably not the best deal. It meant that I wasn’t that mature.” 14 | Central Catholic Magazine
Joe’s mother was at her wit’s end, and within a couple of days of that incident he was sent to St. Mary’s Home for Boys in Beaverton. (St. Mary’s Home for Boys was originally founded as an orphanage and “home for wayward boys.” Today it provides residential treatment and services to at-risk boys between the ages of 10 and 17.) Pausing, he takes a deep breath and continues. “That was it. I was there. You didn’t go to St. Mary’s if you were an altar boy. We worked on their farm and raised our own food. There were fields and there was a dairy and we raised everything. There were guys that cut the meat and made sausage. If we got done with our work, they’d take us out to other farms and we’d work on those farms as well. And that helped pay for our stay at St. Mary’s.” He chuckles and ruefully shakes his head. “I guess that comes with the part about starting school when I was too young. I was probably in a grade a year ahead of where I should have been.” After several months at St. Mary’s, Joe returned to St. Rose School, older and a little wiser. He recalls, “After St. Mary’s I straightened up, mostly. I still had some of the normal school problems, but you know what? Everything was good.” The Central Catholic Years In the fall of 1954, Joe began his freshman year at Central Catholic High School. Starting school at Central Catholic was eye-opening. “I (and most of my classmates) didn’t have any idea what to expect when we got out of our little Catholic grade schools. In my world, what I saw were people from my own neighborhood. At Central Catholic, my classmates came from all over the area, from Vancouver, Canby, Boring and Hillsboro.
ALUMNI PROFILE “I met a couple of guys that were boxers. I never knew anything about boxing, or boxers. I met a couple of guys like Staab [Lance Staab ’58] from Sandy, Oregon or Ray Klupenger ’58 who were nursery guys. I had no idea what that was. I thought they were taking care of little kids, not arborvitae. That was the most important thing I got out of Central Catholic; meeting so many different people from all kinds of backgrounds. For me, Central Catholic was like going to college.” Joe also has vivid memories of the faculty at Central Catholic and how they shaped his life. Almost all of them priests and nuns at the time, his face lights up with memories of Fr. Whalen, Fr. Thielen, Fr. Juliano, and Fr. Saalfeld, but Fr. Maloney and Fr. Neuville still stand out as two of his favorites. He explains, “These guys were the prefects of discipline, which is one thing I understood. I didn’t always come out on the good side of the ‘discipline people,’ which made my life very interesting. When I got there, Fr. Neuville was the Prefect of Discipline for the freshman class and Fr. Maloney was the Prefect of Discipline for the entire school. So, it was incumbent upon me, if I was to have any hope of success in life, to figure out how to get along with these two guys. So, I took a personal interest in both of them and I was fortunate that they took an interest in me. They both did a lot for me.” He recalls one instance in particular, when Central Catholic played in the 1957 State Basketball Tournament, held at the University of Oregon’s MacArthur Court. Joe and a number of his classmates traveled to Eugene for the game, but also decided to stop by a campus party nearby. The party spun out of control, the police were called, and Joe and 12 of his classmates were hauled off to the Lane County Jail. While Central Catholic finished second in state that year, losing to Lincoln High School, 44-42, Joe and all 12 of his classmates were expelled from Central Catholic. For the remaining three months of the school year, Joe attended his local public high school, all the while lobbying with Fr. Maloney to be readmitted. “I think I just wore him down,” he laughs. “When I told him I needed to be readmitted and have the expulsion taken off my record because I wanted to join the FBI, he laughed so hard that he was crying. Finally, he just agreed to re-admit me on probation. I was able to graduate from Central Catholic in 1958 with my class. “Fr. Juliano was a good guy too, especially for the arts. Then there was Fr. Saalfeld. He was great, a really good educator. The part that was interesting was that we had the actual founder, Archbishop Howard, who would come around sometimes, plus for our graduation speaker, we had Bishop Fulton Sheen. He was a national figure and a great speaker. We had large, large classes and at that time, there were over 1,000 boys in the school.“ Joe also recalled the sisters who taught at Central Catholic, some of whom were Holy Child and Holy Names sisters. One taught him Latin, which he took in both his freshman and sophomore years, and the other Geometry during his sophomore year. While these sisters played a pivotal role in his academic life by giving him one of his first jobs, they also played a role in shaping what was to become a relentless work ethic. “The Holy Child Convent was right across the street from St. Rose and they gave me a janitor job there at their school. I’d also work up at
the Al Kader Shrine, which is where the German American Society is now, at 54th and Alameda. I’m setting pins at the Shriners (they had a bowling alley) and those weren’t automatic like they are now. You had to put the pins on the red dots and then get out of the way. You had to be quick on your feet. I didn’t really know this at the time, but the Catholics didn’t really get along with the Shriners. The nuns found out about it and made me quit. I don’t know really what that was about, and I needed the money. So, I held onto the janitor job but not my pinsetting job. “With those priests and those nuns, being around them and being taught by them, it was such a tremendous experience, and of course, you were privileged to be there. I was certainly privileged.” A Budding Entrepreneur Growing up in a single-parent household, money was tight, so Joe learned early on that if he wanted to attend Central Catholic he would have to find a way to pay the tuition himself. These early experiences in the world of work helped him develop a solid work ethic. He also discovered a nascent talent for entrepreneurship and a knack for spotting opportunities. As he recalls, “Central Catholic was expensive; $75 per semester. That was a lot of money to me and I knew I had to earn it. I sold local newspapers, both the Oregonian and the Oregon Journal. I worked at Yaw’s Top Notch, a restaurant on NE Sandy Blvd and 42nd. I had a news stand there. Anybody that had any money was there on Saturday having dinner. I sold a lot of Sunday papers on Saturday evenings. They had a drive-in in the back that I covered until I had a collision with a lady carrying a tray of milkshakes.” He laughs, shaking his head. “I was then banned from going in the back, plus I had to pay for all those shakes.” In high school, Joe and his buddy, the late Monte Reiling ’58, sold Christmas trees; they bought them from farmers and then would find an empty lot and sell their trees. They did very well at this for several years but then one year, when sales were exceeding expectations, they ordered more trees and found out that their supplier had raised the prices, effectively eliminating their profit margin. “You know, you have your little business and you just don’t have a clue, but we had to pay it. Monte was a big reader and he read in Reader’s Digest that you could buy land for $15 an acre. And that was in the Reader’s Digest, so it’s got to be gospel, right? He and I decided we would look around for $15 an acre land and we were going to raise our own Christmas trees. So, that’s what we did. “Monte had his driver’s license and we heard of land in the Hood River Valley for $25 an acre and we thought that the owner must be a crook—because, you know, Reader’s Digest said $15 an acre. Monte’s parents were living in Hood River (he was staying in Portland because he was still at Central Catholic). His mom worked for the county up there and she was having coffee with someone during break and talking about her son and his friend, Joe, who were driving around looking for $15 an acre land. And the guy sitting at that table says, ‘I don’t know about any land for $15 an acre, but I do know where there’s some for $25 an acre.’ Turns out he was the county assessor and sure enough, one thing led to another and he knew these men and so we had to hustle $1,000 for 40 acres. And we got it. And we were going to raise Christmas trees and sell them.” Summer 2022 | 15
ALUMNI PROFILE The next few years saw Joe graduate from Central Catholic, join the military—where, from 1961-1967, he served as an Army Artilleryman working with 105mm Howitzers, followed by the National Guard’s 45th Station Hospital—and then become a student at Portland State University. With a partner from PSU, he continued to explore business opportunities, starting with supplying cigarettes and liquor to the Merchant Marine ships that docked in Portland. He soon learned that to be competitive, he and his business partner needed to expand their inventory and, in typical fashion, he watched for an opportunity. Noting that these ships, with crews of between 30 and 60 people, represented hundreds of different nationalities, each with their own dietary needs and preferences, he set out to supply them with food that suited their tastes. For the Polish sailors, he would supply them with food from the local Polish market. For Chinese ships, he would find whole hogs and chickens, have them butchered and sell them directly to the ship. One day, he boarded a ship manned by an Islamic crew. Noticing that the crew members were not working and would not make eye contact with their captain, he wondered why. The captain told him that his crew was on a hunger strike because there was no food on the ship, at least no food that was prepared in accordance with Islamic law. Similar to the Jewish practice of eating food that is prepared “kosher,” there are certain rules dictating what Muslims can and cannot eat. For example, for beef to be halal, an Arabic word meaning “permissible,” the cow must be blessed by an Imam (an Islamic priest) and then killed in a specific manner before it can be eaten. This was one part of his business where Joe found a niche. Having no familiarity with Islamic people or customs, Joe, along with the crew’s help, found an Imam and figured out what he had to do. Contacting a friend named Hal Duffy [Central Catholic, Class of 1954], who was an animal broker at a slaughterhouse on Columbia Blvd, he bought a large number of sheep. Enlisting help from the Imam, he dispatched the sheep in accordance with Islamic law. The ship’s crew had halal mutton and everyone, especially the captain, was pleased. He was so pleased in fact, that he placed an order for halal chickens. As Joe recalls, “So, I went to my egg guy and said, ‘Give me all your non-layers,’ which he did. “So, we took these chickens back to the ship and put them in the crews’ showers and I got the Imam and he took care of all those chickens, right there in the showers.” After 15 years supplying ships with food (specialty food in particular) and other supplies, and a stint investing in shrimp boats in South America (Costa Rica and Colombia), Joe decided to exit that business. His doctors warned that if he didn’t, he would die. He was 30 years old and working 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
the time, it always worked out. The Old Man Upstairs, you know, He’d give me a shove.” A Legacy of Faith, Generosity, and Gratitude Among Joe’s greatest legacies are his three daughters, Tiffany Van Haverbeke, Stephanie Van Haverbeke Mathews, and Brittany Van Haverbeke Olsen. Daughter Stephanie credits Central Catholic with laying the foundation for his faith life, and subsequently, hers. “Central Catholic offered my Dad the faith-based education and the structure he needed during his formative years. It set his internal compass.” She adds, “The greatest gift my Dad has given me is my faith.” A natural outgrowth of Joe’s faith life is his philanthropy. In addition to supporting Central Catholic High School with gifts that support economically marginalized students, often given in memory of his Central Catholic teachers, Joe supports other organizations, including St. Rose Catholic School and Church, the Mid-Columbia Head Start, and the Northwest Catholic Counseling Center. He is clear about what inspires him to give. “It’s very simple. I saw my mother suffer. My sisters suffered. I suffered. You come from a single-parent family; my parents were divorced and my dad died young. There was never enough money. What that does is, it teaches you to see who hurts because you’ve been there. You see, I can see hurt. I can sure see hurt. And hurt isn’t always physical. It can be emotional. I look for places and people who can’t fight their own battles. So, I watch for that.” He is also inspired by friends from Central Catholic and their generosity. “Material things don’t mean that much to me. By gosh, if I can be the conduit and get it to the right people, then I’ve done my job right. And look at Joe Weston [Class of 1956]. Talk about a conduit! And Ray Klupenger, my friend and classmate who just passed away, never mentioned all the philanthropic work he did. I had no idea until I saw it in his obituary. He never said a word.” When asked if he had any advice for Central Catholic students today, he said it would be to sit down every day and be thankful for the little things. “Remember the small things in your life that are good. Remember where you came from—and that’s the Man Upstairs. That’s the way I look at it. I had to be open to listen to Him and recognize that a lot of the things He did for me, they shaped my life. If it were one prayer, it would be ‘Thank you.’ I’ve been blessed. So blessed.”
“Those ships never stopped. They come in, they unload and they’re gone. You have to work on their schedule. Christmas. New Years. It doesn’t matter. But after 15 years, I’d had enough.” In the ensuing years, Joe was a home builder, and eventually became a successful real estate investor with properties all over the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, and California. Reflecting on his life’s journey, he is thoughtful, and filled with gratitude and an appreciation for how God has guided his footsteps. “No matter how tangled up life got, there was always a little, bright path somewhere. Even if you didn’t know where you were going half 16 | Central Catholic Magazine
Mary Beth Pinder ‘85, Terrye Dimeo, Joe, Bob Pinder, Stacey Pinder, Mike Pinder ‘77
ALUMNI NEWS In Memory • Alumni
In Memory • Family of Alumni
James Franklin Darby ’45 March 6, 2022
Dorothy May Baker January 9, 2022
Leo Urban Keppinger ’45 March 23, 2022
Sr. Joan Berger, SNJM February 26, 2022
Frank Alton Nagel ’46 March 29, 2022
Charles D. Bitz February 24, 2022
Matthew James Kraus ’47 January 24, 2022
Gene Vincent Bogaty November 7, 2021
John Valentine Rich ’47 March 4, 2022
Janet Bozorth Boise February 13, 2022
Richard Roger Bautch ’48 December 15, 2021
Kathryn Michaela Borer February 10, 2021
Kenneth G. Waters ’48 March 8, 2022
Lynda Kathleen Borer November 18, 2021
Edward August Kraus ’50 March 22, 2022
Amina Marie Buscho May 2, 2022
Cost: $150 per person/$600 per foursome
Donald Joseph Vuylsteke ’51 April 6, 2022
Virgil William Cecchi January 26, 2022
Thank you to our presenting sponsor:
Richard Emil Bernards ’52 April 15, 2020
Maria Anna Conratt March 6, 2022
James Alfred Elias ’52 August 25, 2021
Elaine Louise Cozzetto March 17, 2022
Gerald Melvin Bitz ’53 April 20, 2022
Jane Marie Dennis November 28, 2021
Roger Lawrence Rivord ’54 February 5, 2022
Alexia (Flynn) Dragoo April 24, 2022
Robert Vernon Centen ’55 December 5, 2021
Georgina B. Dubay February 19, 2022
James John Rask ’55 April 19, 2022
Dorothy Margaret Fleischmann February 19, 2022
Donald John Farrelly ’56 March 31, 2022
Joseph A. Galati May 5, 2022
Robert Douglas Petros ’58 March 17, 2022
Charlotte Virginia Garrow January 11, 2022
Sidney Harry Doll ’59 March 16, 2021
Donald Joseph Hanna, Sr. April 7, 2022
Theodore George Vaughters ’59 June 2, 2022
Mary Ann Hazen February 8, 2022
Joseph David Kudron ’61 April 26, 2022
Doreen Rita Hune March 30, 2022
John Loring Langslet ’62 May 14, 2022
Mildred “Millie” Hunt February 24, 2022
William James Sorenson ’64 February 23, 2022
Peter Colin Moore April 29, 2022
Lonnie Hershel Stout ’64 April 28, 2022
Barbara Westby Paull February 16, 2022
Charles Edward Coulter ’72
Margaret Purpura-Amato February 10, 2022
Sarah Beth Freelander ’98 April 11, 2022 Nicole (Christianson) Jones ’06 April 23, 2022 Spencer Padden Shearer ’06 November 26, 2021
William Francis Rooney April 14, 2022 Cynthia von Borstel December 31, 2021 Mary Jo Welp February 3, 2022
Friday, August 5, 2022 Glendoveer Golf Course • Noon Shotgun Start Four-person scramble with boxed lunch, followed by the awards dinner.
There are more opportunities for sponsorship! Contact Sara Wright, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, at 503.230.1056 ext. 1243 or swright@centralcatholichigh.org for more details on sponsorship opportunities.
Registration Now Open! Marquee Reunions
R E U N I O N S
All Classes of the 1940s Classes of 1942-1949 70-Year Reunion Class of 1952 60-Year Reunion Class of 1962 50-Year Reunion Class of 1972 40-Year Reunion Class of 1982
August 6, 2022
Central Catholic Campus 3:00-6:00 P.M. Register: centralcatholichigh.org
Summer 2022 | 17
Central Catholic
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HIGH SCHOOL
2401 Southeast Stark Street • Portland, Oregon 97214
Upcoming Events August
September
5
Ram Open Golf Tournament Noon Shotgun Start Glendoveer Golf Course
3
Class of 1992 Reunion McMenamins Kennedy School
6
Reunions All Classes from the 1940s Classes of 1952, 1962, 1972, and 1982 3:00 - 6:00 P.M. Central Catholic Campus
5
Labor Day Holiday No School
9
Football vs. St. John Bosco and Alumni Event Eugene, Oregon
29
First Day of School for Freshmen
17
Central Catholic Alumni Brew Tour
30
First Day of School
24
Oktoberfest Marketplace and Beer Garden 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. Central Catholic Campus
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October
November
4
Students 4 Students Fundraiser Begins
10
Fall Drama Production 7:30 P.M., PAC
7
Statewide Inservice No School
11
Veteran’s Day Holiday No School
8
Twenty-Fourth Annual Women’s Wine Tour Check in: 9:00 A.M.
12
Fall Drama Production 7:30 P.M., PAC
23
9
Cape Horn Mass and Barbecue 11:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
Teacher Professional Development Day No School
21
Homecoming Tailgater Event 4:30 P.M. McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse
21
Homecoming Football Game vs. Clackamas 7:00 P.M., Hillsboro Stadium
23
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
30
Central Catholic Open House
centralcatholichigh.org
24-25 Thanksgiving Holiday No School 29
Giving Tuesday
facebook.com/centralcatholicportland