Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2014 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

Back in 1944, it wasn’t widely termed World War II. Instead, it was mainly just “the war” and it had dragged on already globally for five incessantly grim, grimy and bloody years. Which of course made it a hell of a time to be in high school. Because one thing most males in the CHS Class of 1944 realized back then was that upon graduation, they were heading right into the all-encompassing arms of their dear Uncle Sam. In fact by time of their commencement, guys like Edmund Chitko, Arthur Secker, John Maier, George Rachko and others pictured on page 7 were already in service. Using that as an intro, let us explain more about our annual Where Are These Mustangs Now issue. On the next 70 or so pages, you will enjoy some backin-the-day and today photos, and read about what some of these Mustangs are up to today. We have mined the well of yearbooks, Facebook and classic photos and added some stories to catch up with ‘kids’ who graduated in 1944, 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994 and 2004. We begin the journey on the next two pages with photos from the Class of 1944. There you will find many familiar names and faces. Look at the pictures we have of ‘44 Mustangs—there’s also a distinct visual sense of, well, “attitude” in folks like our old friends such

The ‘new’ Clifton High School in 1964.

as Lester Herrschaft, Vera Scheidemann, Joseph J. Menegus, Beverley Starkey and Albert Vreeland. That “can do” attitude proved prevalent among all young Americans from the Class of 1944 and it says a lot about why the rest of us are even still around to remember them today. Despite ‘the war’, in other ways, however, life in Clifton simply went on. There was a class song for 1944, (also note that back then, Clifton had a January graduation and another in June) thanks to the talents of Donald Fischer and William Hassert. And the football team made a good showing in the Passaic Valley Conference; some players even earned All-State nods. The yearbooks for those two graduations were called, respectively, Time Was and Curtain Call, and both were nicely done indeed, the result of much sweat and thought by editors William Hassert, Joel Purcell, Edward Wolak, Lillian Wargo and dedicated staffers. 16,000 Magazines

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Editor & Publisher Tom Hawrylko Business Manager Gabriella Marriello Graphic Designer Ken Peterson Contributing Writers Irene Jarosewich Richard Szathmary Domenick Reda Carol Leonard Michael Gabriele

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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Familair names and faces from seven decades ago: Vincent Graziano, Rose Marie Di Donna, Walt Semon, Vera Scheidemann, Eric Graupe, Marie Salerno, Lester Herrschaft, Joseph J. Menegus, Edward J. Wolak, William Latteri, Beverley Starkey.

A ‘Roll Call’ Of Classes... Ten years on, come the Class of ‘54, we were in the supposedly somnolent 50’s, an era which works of popular culture like Peyton Place and the lizardquick rise of rock ‘n roll make very clear wasn’t truly all that snooze-inducing. Safe, mainly (even the nastiness in Korea was shut down by then), but hardly as bland as some recall. The switchblades wielded by the feared “juvenile delinquents” of the era were blunted, so to speak, but not altogether non-existent. We were lucky enough, however, to find that many Mustangs from 1954 still stay connected and find their way to reunions, the most recent staged in June. Ten more years elapsed, however, to find the class of ‘64 teetering on the very razored edge of the Age of Aquarius. Some classmates, perhaps, fell over into that particular pit. Many more simply wore paisley and patchouli for the fun of it. On pages 16-20, we take a look back at Clifton and find that our community was diverse as every other town in America. Our two stories for that edition illustrate the dichotomy. We review the life of the late Stephen “Hoop” Hooper, who went on to create an offbeat niche in the art world and who many may remember seeing in his unique cars. Then we tell more about Washington Ave.’s Dr. Roger Stier, who is among America’s foremost oral hygiene experts.

The CHS 1944 Basketball Team 6 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Already in service before graduation, from left: Albert Vreeland, John Hamil, Edmund Chitko, Arthur Secker, Frank Shewchuk, John Maier and John Mullen. Fighting Mustangs below: Joe Farkas, Willie Guman and Walt Semon.

Our visit with the Class of 1974 is the most complete as they have a plethora of Mustangs (in honor of the late Bob Zschack, aka the Voice of the Mustangs) putting together a reunion. This was also when CHS fielded the largest graduating class in the nation, 988 Mustangs strong, and 20 years later trooped somewhat en masse onto TV’s The Phil Donahue Show to remind the US of that pride-inducing point. Our 1984, more or less the “Reagan era” of prosperity and the truly wonderful (as well as a happenstance those from ‘44 probably could never have envisioned) collapse of the USSR, rolled in next. You will meet a few familiar faces from 1984, young folks who are now Clifton merchants. Followed (logically enough) by ‘94. And as you’ll see later on in this issue, these Mustangs are being corralled by the plucky Alyse Pashman, so that when it reunites, it reunites in noticeably good numbers. Finally we look back a decade to find out what kids have accomplished since 2004, thanks to Suheyla Tuncer.

But All Still, in Essence, Mustangs... It’s been 70 years since many of Clifton’s own representatives of the “greatest generation” graduated CHS. Time enough to sing the old Grateful Dead Truckin’ line about “what a long strange trip it’s been,” even if the Class of ‘64 would likely best get that one. But as the Beach Boys also sang (and they had an actual hit single with it), Be True To Your School. And that is somewhat the point of high school reunions and reminiscences, no? To recall to each other how we got where we are and how high school may even have helped us all get there. And every July, that’s what we at Clifton Merchant do. We relive the times and the neighborhoods, recall the era, tell the Clifton stories. That, we suspect, is even reason enough to reunite as a high school class any year. In the end, all the classes we’re covering this issue were, and remain, Mustangs. God bless ‘em all. Now if we could also just revive the Passaic Valley Conference...

Clifton Merchant • July 2014

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George Tuzzolino, Kenneth Hauser, Thomas Leeshock, Barbara Ann Rae, Paul Graupe, Victor Kattak, Robert Van Der Linda.

60th Reunion 100 Mustangs

Allen Rutowski, Joseph Mangino, Judith Menegus, William Friend. Robert Taylor, Richard Hoogstraten, William Hansen, Ida Ann Race

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When people recall the 1950’s with fondness, as a time of calm and peace, they must have 1954 in mind. Although in the background, world events were rumbling with signs of future trouble — the Cold War had begun, Vietnam had split into North and South — throughout most of America, life was good. The McCarthy era had ended and so had the Korean War. Televisions were the mobile phones of the day, with new models and new brands coming out every year. American car designers entered their glory days. Popular music filled the air, even though Elvis Presley was still an unknown. General Eisenhower was President and John F. Kennedy was still a young senator. There was lots of open space in Clifton, mostly farmland, and as Barbara Rae Den Herder, a key organizer of this year's reunion, recalls, "there was nothing on Route 46 near Grove Street except a gas station.” For the 471 graduates of the Clifton High School Class of 1954, 239 of them young women and 232 young men, led by class officers Allen Rutkowski, president; Joe

Clifton Merchant • July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE Mangino, vice-president, Judy Menegus, secretary and Bill Friend as treasurer, life was constant motion. That included volunteer activities, sports, student clubs, school dances, after school jobs, not to mention classes and homework, of course. They started out together in September 1950 in the Annex, a small building on Clifton Ave. for high school freshman. Then for sophomore, junior and senior years, they went to the original Clifton High School off Piaget Ave., which is now Christopher Columbus Middle School. The first social event of the senior year was the ‘Dungaree Drag’, a great time with many of the guys wearing ‘white bucks’ and everyone singing Heart of My Heart. For the seniors, extracurricular activities including swimming, color guard, archery, baseball and football. The majorettes were a big hit and for the third time in a row, the fighting Mustangs made it to the Passaic Valley Conference Championship. The baseball team was ranked 6th in the state after being invited to play in the Greater Newark Tournament and the marching band supported their teams magnificently. Two class plays, The Wedding and A Day with the Blakes were a great success, even if it no one ever made it to Broadway.

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Can a Damaged Toenail be

Melanoma? This patient had used topical anti fungal medicines but nothing seemed to work. When she visited Dr. Graziano, his suspicions of skin cancer (melanoma) were confirmed by the biopsy he performed right in the office. “Melanomas obviously occur in areas that don't receive much sun exposure,” he explained. “The soles of your feet, palms of your hands and toe or finger nail beds. Screening is so important as melanoma can present in many different ways,” he continued. “The skin of the feet and lower legs is often overlooked during routine medical examinations, and for this reason, it important that the feet are checked regularly for abnormalities that might indicate evolving skin cancer.” That’s why screenings are so vital.

There are about 12,000 podiatrists in the United States, according to the Department of Labor, and Clifton podiatrist Thomas Graziano is one of only six who hold both a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree.

Fungus Nail? Think Again... Dr. Thomas Graziano has treated several cases of melanomas on the lower extremity, as this photo illustrates.

Thomas A. Graziano, MD, DPM, FACFAS Clifton Merchant • July 2014

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From the Class of 1954, Joy Smith and Warren Tunkel had the Million Dollar Smiles and Ken Lenert and Marilyn Libak were Most Athletic. The Class Dreamers were Ida Ann Race and Ronald Campbell and Most Popular, Lynne Ickes and Bill Botbyl. Jean Minutella, all agreed, had a great voice and Burt Mandel, a great Hawaiian shirt collection. At graduation, seniors received one of four diplomas with 237 students receiving theirs in General Education - 91 girls and 146 boys, 145 in The 1954 CHS Reunion Committee, from left: Ed Gras, Barbara Rae Den Herder, College Prep — 60 girls and 85 Ruth Kracht, Bill Hansen, Elaine Hayes, Paul Graupe, and sitting left to right Ida boys, and as a sign of the times, Ann Kennedy, Terry Sullivan, Jeannie Dzurillay, George Tuzzolino 52 in Business Training — 51 For Robert Braverman, an engineer, his best memory of girls and 1 boy and 37 in Secretarial Training— 37 girls CHS is the day he met his wife, Beverly Greaves. She had and not a single guy. just moved with her family from Springfield MA and her Graduation was on the field of the football stadium. The English teacher, Elizabeth Morrell, had asked her to stay Class of 1954 was the largest group of graduates that CHS after school to do some work to catch up with the rest of had to date. As the name of their yearbook, the Class of the class. 1954 yearbook staff, which was headed by editor Rita “Me, I was in the class after school because I had detenMenegus, chose Signposts in keeping with the motto The tion,” Braverman chuckled, “I thought she was a good signposts that have marked our way point onward now, we looking girl, so when we walked out together, we started cannot stay. As one of their signposts, they donned caps talking. Sixty years later, we have a lot to be grateful for and gowns and bid farewell to teachers and fellow students. and often thank Miss Morrell for brining us together.” For their 60th reunion on June 1, 100 alumni and spousGreaves lived in Allwood and Braverman down Passaic es came from eight states to the Brownstone. The class Avenue at the edge of Clifton near the Nutley border. holds reunions every five years and dedicated this reunion “There wasn’t that much between us but farm fields. My to honor Marilyn Van Hassel, a 1954 Class Sponsor and family knew the family that owned the farm where they teacher, who had hoped to join her former students as she built Hoffman-LaRoche.” often had for reunions past, but at the last minute could not. CHS, he says “was fabulous and our teachers were won“We saw her in February,” said Den Herder, “she helped derful, very helpful.” us stuff our invitation envelopes. Ed Gras was supposed to Braverman has kept track of his classmates all these go and pick her up in Wyckoff to bring her to the years, with the help a permanent reunion committee and Brownstone, but she fell ill. After the reunion, several of us noted happily that of the original 471 graduates, 284 are went to visit her and brought her the our reunion packet— well and accounted for and many live in Clifton, Wayne or she was so thrilled. She was quite young when she became in towns along the Jersey Shore. our advisor, only a few years out of college. I think she was In total, 176 people, or over 62% of the known memone of the reasons we had such a great class, one of the reabers of the class of 1954, still live in New Jersey, in 91 difsons we have stuck together for all these years.” ferent towns. 12 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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At the most recent reunion, from left, Bob Braverman, Rita Foti, Bill Hansen, Ida Einreinhofer, Vince Giardino, Ruth Kracht, Barbara Den Herder, Jeannie Dzurillay, Terry Sullivan, George Tuzzolino, Paul Graupe and seated, Judy Deluca, Ed Gras, Barbara Chupik, Ida Ann Kennedy, Carolyn Connerton.

Clifton has the largest concentration, with 51 alums. It sure seems like the graduates of the Class of 1954 really, really love Jersey! In fact, they really, really love Clifton since 88 live within a 20-mile radius of their old high school. Other states popular with the Class of 1954 are New York and Florida. Besides reunions every five years, the ongoing committee, which includes Robert Braverman, Barbara Burke Chupick, Carolyn Sauer Connerton Judith Menegus DeLuca, Barbara Rae Den Herder, Jean Minutella Dzurillay, Ida Alacevich Einreinhofer, Rita Menegus Foti, Vincent Giardino, Edward Gras, Paul Graupe, William Hansen, Elaine Sanford Hayes, Ida Ann Race Kennedy, Ruth Pannicke Kracht,Therese Giblin Sullivan, George Tuzzolino, organized a 75th birthday party for everyone in the graduating class several years ago. Although the past few events have been at the Brownstone, other locales have included Upper Montclair Country Club and The Mountainside Inn. “We choose familiar places," said Den Herder with a laugh, "so that we all know where we are going." Last time they got together, 40 of the alumni had breakfast the next day at the Tick Tock Diner, where, said Braverman, he still expects to see girls in poodle skirts and guys with duck bill hair cuts and black leather jackets. The day following the reunion, on June 2, about 25 alumni went to Rutt’s Hut for lunch. While they did not 14 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Also at the reunion, Barbara Campbell, Bob Vander Linda, Ida Einreinhofer, Barbara Den Herder.

wear poodle skirts or drive hot rods, Bill Hansen observed of the landmark: “Sixty years and it looks exactly the same.” Yes it does Bill, and a ripper is still a ripper and you can’t get them anywhere else but here in Clifton. As they were leaving this reunion, Den Herder said that plans are already being made for a party to celebrate everyone’s 80th birthday in the next few years. “What can I say? We had a great class. It was fun and we had a good time. And we keep coming back. We were very lucky.”

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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Salvatore Anzaldi, Bertha Connie Van Decker, Martin Bania, Jo Ann Greco, Clyde Sherrow, Barbara Oakley, Robert Amoruso.

The ‘New’ and Modern High School

The 1964 Mustangs began junior year at the new CHS on Colfax Ave. excited to be there. Their yearbook was even titled Rotunda by way of tribute to the prominent architectural aspect of the new building, “the circular area used for cafeteria, instruction and activity purposes.”

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The place was indeed for its time absolutely state-of-the-art, utilizing the then ‘latest’ technology. Clifton High finally shook hands with IBM, so to speak. “Stuff” like the Teletrainer Ted Pastula is practicing with in the adjacent photo gave classmates valuable experience for the business world. The

The Automobile According to ‘Hoop’ ‘64 ‘64 By Richard Szathmary

Not every class has one, though every class should, 1964 happily did. By which we mean a genuinely worldclass artist. In what is sometimes dismissively termed “vernacular” or “pop” art, yes, but still, Stephen Douglas “Hoop” Hooper, was good. He hung with the Warhol set and sniffy sorts like Yoko Ono, was thus totally “downtown.” So much so that his personal “downtown” was always Clifton. Word in the art world is that you should find and buy something by him now. It’s only going to appreciate since Hoop, sadly, died of cancer in 2011. And Hoop himself, who lived modestly on Charles St., may in fact have been and by far, the wealthiest person in town. Even, mysteriously, as folks always wondered during his long, showy, flamboyantly dressed career how on earth he actually ever made ends meet. You probably saw some of Hoop’s art works yourself. They were mobile and he drove them around town daily, were a staple of Montclair’s annual Fourth of July parade. Hoop “decorated” vehicles, turned them into art projects. Transformed them into rolling works of art. Hoop never saw a car he couldn’t carpet over, prettify via draped furbelows and faux fur, paint in day-glow colors and in general make look like Elijah’s chariot if Elijah lived in southeast LA. He is considered by art critics to have been the leading light of the so-called “art car “ movement, and they claim Hoop’s long career began sometime during the 80’s when he began adorning a series of BMW’s then easy-to-find Isettas, which were an early effort at a genuinely compact car.

But Mike Finegan, himself CHS ‘68 who grew up on Lakeview Ave., knew a much younger version of Hoop. “It was around ‘64,” Finegan remembers, “and there was a retired teacher who lived in Richfield Village. She had an old Henry J (note: a Kaiser, which they stopped making in ‘53) parked near Clifton Ave. she couldn’t drive anymore. Hoop bought it and decorated it. Really decorated it. It sat out there by his house and people stared at it.” Finegan, apparently the sole Cliftonite to sign one of those online “remembrance” books when Hoop died, recalls something else about Hoop (which he had in common with Warhol): “He loved his mother. He always took her with him to all the car shows. They even went down to the ones at the Whiskey Cafe in Lyndhurst in the parking lot there and she’d sit beside him and you’d clearly see how much he actually loved and respected her. And he was always a just a real nice guy to anybody who talked to him,” Finegan concludes affectionately. Hoop was also, as noted above, quite and quietly wealthy near the end of his allotted years. His friend Baird Jones died in 2008 and made Hoop his sole heir and beneficiary, giving Hoop Jones’ first-class collection of modern art. That, plus Hoop’s own “art cars,” makes for a mighty estate. Left supposedly, in turn, to a brother somewhere in PA. All of which is pretty cool for a scraggly-looking guy from ‘64 who just belonged to the Art Service and History Clubs. And in a real-life “Revenge of the (semi, anyway) Nerds”-type situation, the guy is worth this modest tribute of ours, honest. Clifton Merchant • July 2014 17

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Pictured on this page: John Tauras, Stanley Sendol, Jeffrey Pruiksma, Adele Jezierski, Ellis Berger, Walter Yurcheniuk

Teletrainer used was incorporated into both class time and afterschool activities. Clifton High School’s Class of 1964 was of athletic note, too. For the second year in a row the varsity cheerleaders won the sportsmanship award for their school spirit and sportsmanship. And the Mustangs football team fought their way to a fifth consecutive Passaic Valley Conference title. It was also, as time has since proven, a distinctly, well, “artsy” class. Ronald Maxwell has gone on to direct several Hollywood movies (including the impressive hit Gettysburg), Joe Turrin has composed film scores (including one early film directed by classmate Maxwell), symphonic music and well-regarded operas, and Debra Biderman (look for a story on here in next month’s edition) is the long-time second violinist with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Plus, in a sort of class (and maybe world) all by himself, there’s Stephen “Hoop” Hooper. But, in the spirit of “they also serve...” (and maybe also with just a tad of gauzy, doting memory), it still truly seems to us that EVERYBODY in the class of ‘64 plugged along, did his and her bits well. It should also never be forgotten that, horribly, awfully, near incomprehensibly, this class was marked by the tragedy of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. Class yearbook editors, Jeff Siegel, Dawn Dabbakian and Leslie Hair, in fact dedicated the ‘64 yearbook to the President as posthumous tribute. 18 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

1084 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton

973-470-8848

321 60th St., West New York, NJ

201-295-5003

In 2001, Dr. Neville Mirza (at left) was the first neurosurgeon in the area to perform a minimally invasive cervical and Lumbar Endoscopic Discetomy. Since then, he has performed over 1,500 of those procedures—right here on Main Avenue. Along with Pain Management Specialist Dr. Shams Qureshi, their team of highly trained physicians and healthcare specialists at Mega Medical have dedicated themselves to the diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of the entire spectrum of neurological and pain disorders.

Car Accidents, Back Injuries & Pain Relief The human body isn’t designed to absorb the jarring impact of a car accident, even a low-speed collision. Minor back injury can have a significant impact on your daily life. But Drs. Mirza and Qureshi and their team of physicians at the Mega Medical Group on Main Ave. can help “The spine is a complicated system which myself and my associates have studied and repaired for decades,” explained Dr. Qureshi. “When we see a person after an automobile accident, we are focused on accurately diagnosing the sources of pain and restoring the health and function of the person. “When we first meet with a patient after an accident,” he said, explaining how the Mega Medical Group approaches pain relief, “we consider every aspect of the person’s spine, from the lower part of the skull to the remanent of the so called tail bone. Then we consider their overall health before we plot a course of action. It is a team approach with our physicians and staff along with the patient and his or her family.” After a car accident, back injuries can be diagnosed — and their severity determined —

through the use of x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, myelograms, and bone scans. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment varies according to the type and severity of the injury sustained. Many back injuries require only short-term, temporary treatment, such as pain medication, injections for inflammation, physical therapy and chiropractic care. Serious back injuries may require the use of surgical procedures to address the problem. However, in one of the more popular pain-relieving procedures performed by Drs. Mirza and Qureshi—the Lumbar Endoscopic Discectomy—the only incision made is covered by a small bandage and the patient can be home in four hours. They are supported by a staff of 10 specialized healthcare providers trained to treat and care for patients who have undergone surgeries related to pain management, spine, orthopedic and sports medicine. They will schedule your procedure so there is no waiting and no driving... a member of their team will pick you up from your home and bring you to and from the state of the art surgery center in Downtown Clifton. Clifton Merchant • July 2014

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Senior year nonetheless flew by in many ways and life indeed went on. There was the traditional ChristmasAlumni Dance, the sports awards dinner in January, and, as ever, the constant hard work of the Marching Mustangs. And as graduation neared, the really hard part kicked in: making plans for the future. Be it college, work, the armed forces, vocational training, etc., the three preceding

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years were, in essence, wonderful. No matter how many successive years it may have taken us to realize that. Lastly, while we don’t seem to have been the most responsive class in terms of reunions and simply keeping in touch, there is a kind of catch-all page on Facebook titled “Members Of The Class on 1964 From Clifton, NJ.” Not enough folks are on it. Yet. But hey, it’s a start.

Dr. Roger Stier He put the stripes

i n A q u a f re s h Aquafresh, the famously three-striped toothpaste whose look (albeit unintentionally) recalls the French tricolor flag and has been on sale here since 1973, is not a product one commonly associates with Clifton. (Now, if it’d been called, say, “Hot Grill toothpaste”...) But it is in fact originally a Clifton product, and even better for our purposes via a proud member of the Mustang Class of 1964, Dr. Roger Stier. He is also, as it happens, one of America’s foremost oral hygiene experts, the holder of 27 patents and the author of several articles on oral hygiene in various scientific and medical journals. In The Year Of The “Moptops”... In 1964, the first full year of LBJ’s Presidency, U.S. military advisory personnel in South Vietnam numbered a few thousand. The Beatles’ first American album was released and actor Nicolas Cage, First Lady Michelle Obama and famed train wreck Courtney Love were all born. And Roger Stier was in CHS’s Debating Club. By 1973, however, while eventually-disgraced President Nixon was “Vietnamizing” a bloody war indeed, Stier, after graduating in ‘68 from FDU magna cum laude with a dual biology-chemistry major, was lucky enough to serve as the principal scientific formulator of the American version of Aquafresh. “The original formulation came from England,” Stier explained. “But it was too expensive to manufacture and 20 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

had too many ingredients unacceptable in the US.” So Stier (who got his PhD in 2003) and his team tweaked the formula for then-manufacturer Beecham. (Where he first worked summers while at FDU.) He began full-time career at Beecham as a scientist, then “senior scientist,” then “section head.” The company name changed too, to Merck. And later to GlaxoSmithKline. But Stier stayed in Clifton, residing with his family right on Washington Avenue. He’s still here with his spouse, the former Nancy Miller. The couple had three children are David, Brian and Kathlean. And they’ve combined for four greatly beloved grandchildren. One Special Teacher, Too Through it all, however, the memory of one very special teacher at Clifton High, Gladys Mickelsen, holds upon Dr. Stier’s memory. “She was very motivating.” Stier recalled of his mentor. “The way she approached the subject, her passion, just the way she taught...” And thanks to this Mustang, tri-striped Aquafresh still holds an 8%+ market share of the highly competitive US toothpaste market.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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Jeri Fried, Michael Hanrahan, Melody Muller, Gary Burrofato, Faye Norcott, Gregory Lacki, Diane Polise.

Story by Michael Gabriele Photos by Nicole Sciarra

The 1974 Mustang Marching Band, members of the Chess Club below and All State wrestler Herb Calvert.

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A 40-year high school reunion is a bittersweet milestone where many of life’s dramas have unfolded for classmates— a collection of full-circle moments and unfinished stories. Careers have taken root or have been reinvented. Marriages have endured or ended. Parents have passed away. Children of classmates have reached college age. Grandchildren have been born. Some classmates leave Clifton and travel to far-away ports of call, only to return to the city years later. Chance, unexpected encounters reconnect old friendships or spark new romances.

Greg Wichot, Bob BelBruno, Jim Jenkins, Phil Calise

There is no single, common thread in these stories, but rather a diverse, multilayered tapestry of experiences that have been stitched together over four decades. These life journeys will be celebrated when members of the CHS Class of 1974 reunite in October. Members of the reunion committee shared their thoughts on the gathering along with brief sketches of who they are, where they’ve been, and why they feel it’s important for classmates to reconnect. Jeri (Fried) Cohen, who serves as president of the Class of 1974 reunion committee, pointed out that social media is being used as the primary gateway to connect with

DAVID SANTOSUOSSO CLASS OF 1973

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classmates, rather than phone calls or regular mail. Cohen, who works as a financial advisor in the financial services industry, said she’s tried to instill a business discipline to the efforts of the committee in order to hit the necessary targets and create a successful gathering of classmates. “We have a great group of people on the committee and we’re all good friends, but we need to have accountability from everyone in order to get our business done for the reunion,” Cohen said, noting that the group has met once a month for the last 10 months. “Everyone on the committee gets a title for the various responsibilities. We have a good time together. There is a social aspect to being on the reunion committee, but we also have to get things done. As president of the committee, I try to keep us on track. “Forty years is a big reunion,” she continued. It’s a big milestone for our class. People accomplish many things in 40 years. We’ve all been through a lot and have many stories to tell. The reunion will give us a chance to share our experiences.” Cohen resides in Bedminster and visits Clifton occasionally. A graduate of Rutgers University, she’s been single for the last two decades and maintains a busy schedule with family and career. In addition, volunteer work plays a major role in her life. For the last five years she’s been president of the Business and Professional Women’s Group of Somerset County, a networking group. “I believe in giving back, paying it forward and helping others,” she said. “I’m in a position where I can help women who have been widowed or have gone through a divorce. Many times their husbands handled all of the family financial matters. Now that they’re single, I can give them support and help them work things out. Money issues can be very stressful and complicated. They often don’t know where to start. I can relate to what they’re going through.” Time to Get Out of The Cold... Twenty years ago, Kathy Fusco packed up and followed the advice of 19th century American author and newspaper editor Horace Greeley: she “went west.” For Fusco, it was all about escaping New Jersey winters and the opportunity for a fresh start on life. “I knew it was time for me to get out of the cold,” Fusco said with a laugh, recalling the Great Blizzard of 1993. Having pursued a career in the real estate business, she determined the best place for her to relocate was sunny Las Vegas. In addition 24 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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1974 Class Officers Larry Patire, Linda Sue Terhune, Laurie Costarelli, Georgiana Fecanin, Raffie Basile

to being attracted to the desert climate, her daughter, Dawn, was a student at Arizona State University. Fusco arrived in Nevada in 1994, just as the region was entering a high-growth period. Her timing was perfect as the real estate market in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Valley was about to explode. People from all around the country—senior citizens, young families, urban professionals—all were relocating to the Vegas valley. “When I arrived in Vegas, there were about 600,000 people living in the region,” she said. “Today there’s over 3 million people. I did very well in the real estate business. I watched the entire valley grow.” In addition to the climate and the gaming industry, Fusco said that for most people, the affordable quality of life was the deciding factor that made Vegas attractive. “It was the cost of living,” she said. “People realized they could buy a big fourbedroom house with a pool and a backyard deck and live quite comfortably. It was much more affordable compared to the real estate market in New Jersey. Many senior citizens I spoke with told me that, once they moved to Vegas, they felt 20 years younger. Everyone enjoyed the warm weather. But it was more than just a retirement community. The valley was attractive for young families. New schools were being built. There were many organizations dedicated to children. Everyone had a good social life. There was so much to do—entertain-

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Donald Lotz, Diane Lobosco, George Samra, Barbara Ossi, Frank Scancarella, Carol Verga, David Parry.

ment and good restaurants.” Besides her career in real estate, Fusco became involved in community affairs and volunteered at a shelter for disabled veterans. Life was good. The skies were blue and the sun shined almost every day. And then came the Great Recession of 2008/2009. Southwestern hubs, like the Las Vegas valley, came to symbolize the plight of home foreclosures and “underwater” mortgages. It was a chaotic turn of events that devastated thousands of families. “No one saw it coming,” Fusco admitted. “There were other crashes in the Nevada housing market, like in 1984, but this was much worse.” Two years ago, due to various personal circumstances, Fusco, a divorced single mom, decided it was time to return to Clifton. Though she declined to elaborate on the factors behind her decision, she did quote the iconic line spoken by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz: “There’s no place like home.” “When I was living in Vegas, I got to know people who came from all parts of the country,” she said. “But East Coast people are different. We’re very friendly and very up front. All I can say is there’s no place like home. I’m very happy to be back home with my friends and classmates from 40 years ago. I’m like a lot of people who moved out of New Jersey, but then decided to come back.” Fusco is the reunion committee secretary and eagerly awaits the 40th reunion party. However, she did leave open the possibility of going back to the Southwest. “Who knows; maybe one day I’ll return,” she confessed. Keeper of the Mustang Flame It’s fair to say Charlie DiGiacomo is extremely passionate when it comes to planning the 40th reunion. It’s also fair to say he has little patience for those classmates who don’t share that passion or his sense of urgency. “Come on people—think!,” he said, reciting a line he wrote in a recent email sent to reunion stragglers. “I’ve gotten in touch with some classmates, and they told me they don’t care about the reunion. I tell them that you have to care. Keeping in touch means a lot. It has to mean a lot. People need to reconnect. Show up and get involved. Think about it.” 26 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

He was a Clifton Fire Fighter for 25 years before retiring in 2001, DiGiacomo makes no apologies for being so brash and when it comes to promoting the 40th reunion. Most of his fellow reunion committee members cite him as prime defender of the CHS reunion spirit. For DiGiacomo, it all comes down to a blunt, existential view of life: “Some of us won’t be around for the 50th reunion. For some of us, this game will end real soon.” Listening to him speak his mind, it’s easy to see why he places such importance on life milestones, like a 40th high school reunion. In the late 1980s he lived through operations to remove six brain tumors. “I survived—that’s what matters. I don’t live in the past.” He does pay his respects to those classmates who have died during the last 40 years. He also freely expresses love for his children: a daughter who lives on Long Island; a son who is a Marine and stationed in Florida; and a second son who is a college student in Philadelphia. Puppy Tales & Governor Steele? Gary T. Steele, reunion committee treasurer, who ran as an independent candidate for governor in 2009, said the CHS Class of 1974 held a noteworthy distinction that year as the largest high school graduating class in the nation, with 988 students. It’s a distinction that was cited 20 years ago, when members of the class were invited to attend NBC Studios in New York, to be part of the Phil Donohue Show. The talk show host spoke with classmates and Steele recalled they were thrilled when Roberta Flack came on stage to perform her hit song “Killing Me Softly.” It all started when Mary Fran (Corrao) Cini fell in love with a Great Dane puppy while she was working at the pet store in the Willowbrook Shopping Mall during her senior year at CHS. “I love the breed and begged my parents, but I never got the puppy,” she lamented. She traced her love of animals to Jerry Zelenka, a biology teacher at CHS. “I was in Mr. Zelenka’s zoology club for three years and had him

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for Advanced Biology in my senior year. I learned so much from him. He was a great teacher with super integrity. He taught much more than biology. He had a huge impact on my appreciation for nature and how to treat people and all creatures in this world with respect and care.” Years later, after she was married and her son and daughter were in elementary school, she did get her first Great Dane puppy. Her love affair with the dogs continued and when her children went off to college she began to adopt Great Dane rescue dogs and enlisted in organizations such as Northern NJ Great Dane Club and the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, where she serves as the president of the NJ chapter. Great Dane rescue dogs? “Yes, you’d be surprised,” she said, explaining that the rescue league is a non-profit organization with a network of volunteers in seven states. “Many people abandon them after a year because they grow to be 150 pounds and they can’t control them. Unless you know how to train them, the dogs have no manners.” Cini met her husband while attending Delaware Valley College. She earned a nursing degree and, in addition to her

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passion for Great Danes, she’s employed at a fertility clinic. Thirty years ago she worked on the CHS Class of 1974’s 10-year reunion committee. She said there was a period when she drifted away due to her career and family commitments. Though she lives in Montville, her parents reside in Clifton, so a connection with the city was always in place. Kismet and Friendship Frank Klump, a dental insurance consultant, values the enduring power of friendship. He and his best bud, Dave Robbins, also a member of the Class of 1974, both live in Sparta Township, overlooking Lake Mohawk. The two were born on the same day (Jan. 13, 1956—a Friday) and have been best friends since kindergarten. In the years immediately following graduation, their lives took different paths and they drifted apart. One day in 1992, when Klump happened to be standing in front of his parent’s Clifton home, Robbins—out of the blue—drove by, spotted Klump, and the two chums reconnected. Two years later they were both residents of Sparta. During the last three years Klump, recently divorced, took part in the occasional classmate meet-ups held

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at the Grande Saloon on Van Houten Ave. He credited these informal gatherings as kindling his reunion spirit, which inspired him to join the committee. His responsibility is getting out email notifications to classmates and monitoring social media networks. Reunited and It Feels So Good.. Once upon a time, in the fall of 1970, Faye Norcott and Mike Hanrahan were classmates at Christopher Columbus Middle School. They knew each other but hung out with different crowds through middle school and high school. After graduation they went their separate ways. Separately, they were married, divorced and both became single parents, each with two sons. In September 2000 Mike was invited to attend his cousin’s birthday party and barbecue in Clifton. However, he had a dilemma—he also had received free tickets to attend a Yankee game, which was the same day as the party. But fam-

From left, Frank Klump, Gary Steele, Diane Elardo De Muro, Donna Bancroft Betar.

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ily loyalty prevailed. He resolved the conflict by giving away his ticket to attend the party. Meanwhile, Faye also had received an invitation to the party. She recalled it was a busy day and she already had made other plans, but on the spur of the moment she changed her mind and decided to go to the barbecue. Mike and Faye met at the party and were married a year later. Today they live in Clifton—the house previously owned by Faye’s parents. “These are the kind of things people talk about at a reunion,” Mike said, refer-

1974 REUNION, OCT. 11 The CHS Class of 1974 will hold its 40-year reunion on Oct. 11, 6 to 11 pm at the Bethwood in Totowa. To purchase tickets, contact the reunion committee by phone 973-818-7209 or email CHS74reunion@optonline.net. There’s also a Facebook page CHS 1974 Alumni Page. Go and register and get more information and meet classmates.

ring to his chance encounter with Faye. “Everyone wants to catch up on life experiences. The common denominator is we all started at Clifton High School.” He said that even though some conversations at reunions deal with memories of high school days, most of the discussions involve the here and now. “Everyone has a story to tell,” Faye observed. “Everyone is proud of their family and kids. Now that it’s the 40th reunion, some classmates have grandkids. Everyone has pictures. Everyone wants to talk about what’s been going on in their lives since high school. When you show your pictures to your classmates, what you’re really saying is: ‘hey, look what I did. Look at what I accomplished!’” Mike and Faye are in charge of maintaining and updating information on classmates. Faye said that, while it’s nice to stay in touch with people through online social media, you also need the physical, in-person connection with friends. “The internet is wonderful, but when you go to a reunion, you have ‘real’ conversations with people, face to face,” she said. “I’ve been to all the class reunions. It’s a good thing. My take is that everyone wants to talk about the story of their life. My expectation is that everyone will have a great time at the reunion. They’ll walk away and be glad that they were there.” From left, MaryFran Cini, Kathy Fusco, Karen Pisani Zayatz, Maryann Riotto Zacagnini.

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Dennis Sprick Found His Voice It’s Just Too Good To Be True

Dennis Sprick, shown singing at the Duplex in New York City, performs “My Top 40 of 1967” at 8 pm Oct. 10 at School 3 auditorium, Washington and Seventh Aves. Tickets are $20 at the door, cash only. For info on advance tickets, email theheartfultouch@yahoo.com.

Starting in January 1967, 10-year-old Dennis Sprick of Barrington Ave. started taking down the weekly WABC-AM Radio top 20 music survey. The Monkees’ I’m a Believer sat atop the charts as the year began, and before 1967 had run its course, the Monkees had a second No. 1 single, Daydream Believer. Other chart-topping singles that year were the Doors' Light My Fire, the Young Rascals’ Groovin, the Turtles' Happy Together and Lulu's To Sir With Love, which ended up No. 1 on WABC's year-end top 100 survey released the last week of December 1967. . 1967 was a tumultuous year for the United States. The Vietnam War continued to rage, there were antiwar and civil rights protests and urban riots, it was the Summer of Love and a time for psychedelia and widespread experimentation with drugs. While Sprick was aware of all that, back in those carefree days, he was mainly focused on getting top grades at St. Paul’s School on Main Ave... but then he also found time for getting together with his friends after school to play baseball in the spring and football in the fall at Main Memorial Park. 32 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

He recalls bowling in the winter at Bowlero (now Fette Motors on Route 46) in the Clifton Midget Bowling League managed by his parents, Fred and Jeannette. And like most kids back in the days, he spent hours hurtling through the streets of his hometown on his bicycle. But above all these events was the music, and the great sounds and songs of the era which seemed to reverberate through the decades. To keep that flame alive, Sprick will share his love of those songs in a concert titled My Top 40 of 1967. Backed by a keyboardist, guitarist and drummer, vocalist Sprick will perform at 8 pm on Oct. 10, at School 3 Auditorium, Washington and Seventh Aves. The journey from taking down the WABC survey of songs to performing those songs on a stage has been a long and unexpected one for Sprick. He had little music education at St. Paul’s School and took no music courses at CHS, where he excelled as student and runner before graduating in 1974, nor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., where he majored in journalism, English and drama.

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His primary music education some church choir work and a bit of was singing along to WABC and, community theater until career events— on at least one occasion, serenadfirst as a Broadway and film critic for ing a very tolerant neighbor, Steve his newspaper from 1986-97, then back Stanion, who lived with his wife to the copy desk while attending school and two children across the street to be and then working part time as a from the Spricks. massage therapist—limited his musical Sprick’s performing career pursuits. might have been jump-started in Singing began to take a more domithe summer of 1967 if, following nant role in his life again starting in the encouragement of Main 2008 with renewed voice lessons, two Memorial Park director Mary summers in the chorus of a small opera Collins, Sprick had sung Frankie troupe, three years with a community Valli's then-current hit Can’t Take classical chorus and a church music My Eyes Off You in the park talent team, and frequent karaoke performClifton Harrier Dennis Sprick. show. ances. But the show was taking place In September 2011, seeking new in the middle of the week when Sprick was vacationing challenges, Sprick began singing with the Fair Lawnwith his family at Ocean Beach, disappointing him based North Jersey Chorus with its repertoire of keenly at the time. Broadway and film and pop songs as directed by his After that, his desire to sing lay mostly dormant until cousin Marie Harrington. 1980. By then, he had switched allegiance to the Great Then, in January 2012, having moved to Lodi the American Songbook offerings on WNEW-AM and on month before, Sprick auditioned for and was accepted the albums by Nat King Cole and Judy Garland he lisinto the 200-plus-voice New York City Gay Men's tened to as he did yoga before his daily runs. Chorus. Amid the intensity of learning a multitude of And so, in September 1980, three months after he songs in a short rehearsal period and performing them started work as a copy editor at the Times Heraldoff book for three different concerts a year, Sprick Record newspaper in Middletown, N.Y., he gave himknew—for the shared personal interests and camaself a gift and started taking weekly singing lessons for raderie—that he had finally found a musical home. more than a decade. And so it led to fulfilling another dream—performing This led to performing in enjoyable yearly recitals, a solo cabaret show. In January 2013, Sprick began

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working with pianist Jimmy Horan, who also sings with the NYCGMC. Months of hard work slowly quelled the terror and negative chatter in Sprick's mind, and at the Duplex nightclub in NYC on June 6, 2013, initial shakiness gave way to smiling confidence as Sprick presented Once You Lose Your Heart: Favorite Female Singers, Favorite Songs. In doing so, he discovered that, like his membership in the NYC Gay Men's Chorus, he had found a venue to let his late-in-life musical talents finally take center stage. One cabaret show completed, Sprick and Horan immediately started working on a second show, Nat and Mel: A Cornucopia of Cole and Torme, which they performed Nov. 22, 2013, at the Duplex. A third show, Oscar-winning Songs, followed on Feb 23.

Then came Sprick’s idea for My Top 40 of 1967, to be performed in his hometown the night before his 40th high school reunion. To make the event come full circle in Sprick’s life, he will be closing the concert with the song he never got to perform in 1967 at the Main Memorial Park talent show—

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, which was No. 1 on WABC’s survey for one week starting June 27, 1967. Though it took Sprick more than four decades to let a long-nascent talent take full bloom, sometimes savoring its success is, to quote a line from the Valli song, ...just too good to be true. Serving NJ / NY Area

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George Spies, Judy Snack, Brian Shaughnessy, Tina DiPiazza, John Suwalski, Carolyn Grimaldi, Walter Meany.

The fighting Mustangs, cheerleader Adele Lazorchak, Marching Mustang Drum Major Kelly Williams.

36 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Reminiscing with The Class of 1984 By Carol Leonard

Ronald Reagan was president Classmates now Merchants of the United States. Apple on Van Houten Ave. unveiled its first MacIntosh perCHS 1984 classmates Susan sonal computer. The price of gas Maloney-Romeo and Laurie was just over $1. Van Halen was Mocek grew up in different secTHE band to see. The Teenage tions of Clifton, Maloney-Romeo Mutant Ninja Turtles made their in Delawanna, and Mocek in debut and the Cosby Show was Richfield. They met as teammates Susan Maloney-Romeo in 1984 and today. one of the most popular comedies on the CHS softball team and on TV. Movies to see included have been great friends ever The Karate Kid, Ghostbusters and Indiana Jones and the since. “We used to drive to the games together and that’s Temple of Doom. how we really got to know each other,” Mocek said. The Fighting Mustangs had a record of 8-2 and made Today, the two women are successful Clifton busiit to the state playoffs. The boys soccer team was also nesswomen, whose shops are not far apart. Maloneysuccessful with a record of 17-4. The Mustang Band Romeo is the owner of Kaleidokuts, a salon at 762 Van took a 12-day trip to perform in London, Wales and Houten Ave., and Mocek runs Wheels Jewelry & Gifts at Canterbury. And, did you know that this year’s gradua1214 Van Houten. tion day, June 26, 2014, is exactly 30 years to the day of Maloney-Romeo attended School 8 and what was the Class of 1984’s graduation. Now, let’s catch up with then Christopher Columbus Jr. High before moving on to some of the class for some other memories and hear CHS. She remembers high school as a fun and carefree about what they have been up to for the past 30 years. time of getting together with friends and just

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MUSTANGS NOW? Farmville Lives! And not just as a computer game. Al Schultheis Jr., class of ‘84, remains a bonafide son of the American soil. You of course remember the 7-acre Schultheis Farm on Grove St., about which the City of Clifton dickered so lengthily and contentiously a few years back. It was sold and is now know as City Green. Well, Al Jr. and the entire clan (that’s he and his wife and their family to the left) then took their accumulated “ag expertise” southwards in this state, to a new and much larger farm in the Pinelands town of Tabernacle and its rich black soil. In other words, the Schultheises still farm, and you can sample and purchase their soil’s varied bounty most weekends at the Paterson Farmers Market.

enjoying life. “I had a big group of gals and guys that I used to hang around with,” she said. “My house was usually the place where everyone would gather.” Among her good friends that she still sees are Denise Asaro, whom she has known since second grade, and Veronica Hiel Mijka. The summer after graduation, Maloney-Romeo took a trip to Jamaica with classmate Judy Snack before enrolling in cosmetology school at Artistic Academy. After completing her program, she took a job as a hair designer at a salon in Rutherford, where she worked for two years, and then at another salon in Lyndhurst for seven years. “Then I decided it was time to move on,” MaloneyRomeo said. “I always knew that by the time I was 30 I wanted to have my own business.” Maloney-Romeo signed the lease for her salon in October 1997 at a location that Mocek helped her find. Aside from running her business, Maloney-Romeo did a lot of travel over the years, often with Kelly Williams, another CHS classmate. “We met bartending at the Rendezvous (formerly on Van Houten Ave.) and became good friends after high school,” she said. Among their trips together the two traveled to California, Las Vegas and the islands. 38 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

In 2005, Maloney-Romeo married her husband Chris Romeo, a member of the CHS Class of 1990, whom she met through some friends. A year later, their daughter Allison was born. Now, instead of traveling, MaloneyRomeo spends most of her non business hours volunteering at her daughter’s school and doing other things with her family. History Major Turned Jeweler Mocek spent her childhood on Thanksgiving Lane, where she attended School 2 and Woodrow Wilson Jr. High before CHS. “They were all within a nice walking distance of my home,” she said. Aside from her softball teammates, Mocek had “different bunches of friends,” she said. Among them was Tina DiPiazza-DiFabio, who was captain of the cheerleaders, and Stacey Arnold, who was in the Miss New Jersey Pageant back then. “I was in the Journalism Club and I got to know Stacey when I wrote an article about her for the school newspaper,” Mocek said. “She lives in Texas now, but we still stay in contact and get together when she comes back home.” Mocek went to St. Vincent’s College in Pennsylvania, majoring in history. “It was a subject that I liked

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and always got As in,â&#x20AC;? she said. When not at work, she helps After earning her degree, she landto care for her aging mother and ed a job in the Cliftonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enjoys spending time with Community Development friends and other family memDepartment where she worked for bers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a beach girl, so I live 10 months before deciding that she for the summer,â&#x20AC;? she said. wanted to try something else. Although the formal Class of She went to work as a mer1984 reunion isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until chandiser for Citizen Watches and November, Mocek and Laura Mocek in 1984 and today. later for several other companies DiPiazza-DiFabio are putting before deciding to open her own business. together a casual pre-reunion for class members and Her father owned the building where Troops Subs is their families at Jenkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pavilion at Pt. Pleasant located along with several other businesses and he asked Beach on Aug. 3, beginning at 2 pm. her if she wanted to have a jewelry store. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will be a time for everyone to enjoy a day at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;At first, I thought it was crazy,â&#x20AC;? Mocek said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But beach with their families before meeting up with us to then I decided, why not. I opened the business in 1991, listen to the music of The Flying Mueller Brothers, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing this for 23 years.â&#x20AC;? while catching up with old classmates,â&#x20AC;? Mocek said. Mocek got certified in grading diamonds and has Admission to Jenkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is free and the band will learned a lot over the years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I enjoy it because it changes be performing until 6 pm. Eat and drink at your own all the time,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have different seasons and I expense. like going into New York for the shows. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always Find out more about the Aug. 3 reunion. Contact something new.â&#x20AC;? Mocek, who lives in Woodland Park, is Mocek at: lauriemocek@gmail.com, or DiPiazzosingle again, following a short marriage. DiFabio at: chsmustangs1984@gmail.com.

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the day and him at night. “I was Back in Clifton basically Mr. Mom during the Class of 1984 president John day, caring for our young daughAmorison, who initiated the more ter,” he said. formal class reunion to be held in Amorison was divorced in November, is back in town these 2005 and he found himself comdays. In 2009, he returned to ing up north so much over the Clifton after many years living in next few years that he decided to South Jersey, and started a new give up his South Jersey law law practice. John Amorison in 1984 and today. practice and start from scratch Amorison, who grew up in again back in Clifton. He also remarried. Rosemawr and attended School 9 and Christopher His office is located at 1050 Clifton Ave. and he speColumbus Jr. High before CHS, remembers his CHS cializes in personal bankruptcy, personal injury, wills, days as a time of big hair, tight pants and Astroturf shoes. trusts and estate law. “And, if you went to a rock concert, you had to get the Amorison says that he keeps up with a fair amount of black souvenir tee shirt and be sure to wear it to school former classmates and friends, especially Larry the next day,” he said. Schendelman, Bruno Pavelchik and Pinto Naravane. In addition to student council, Amorison played base“Facebook has been a big help,” he said. “It has really ball for a couple of years in high school as well as threw reconnected a lot of people from the past.” shot put on the indoor track team and worked on the Although he also organized the two prior class yearbook. reunions at 10 years and 20 years, Amorison was unable He went on to attend Lehigh University, where he met to attend either one because of personal and business his first wife. They both went to law school, her during

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‘84 commitments, so he is really lookMedicine in Knoxville, the very ing forward to being at the 30 year gateway to the Great Smoky reunion. Mountains.There too, he met his “We had an informal gathering future wife, Gwen, who was at 25 years at Mario’s that I went employed there then as a veterito and that was a lot of fun,” he nary technician. said. Post-graduation (with high The 30-year event will be held honors, his mom dotingly notes ), on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the he and Gwen eventually purJames Hilla in 1984 and today. Parsippany Sheraton. Tickets are chased Callahan Drive Animal $89 per for the buffet dinner, and there’s a cash bar. For Hospital in Knoxville in 2004. further info and to reserve tickets, go to: reunions-unlimThey reside in nearby Andersonville, TN, where they ited.com, or check out the CHS Class of 1984 Facebook live on what Dr. Hilla calls “our mini farm.” And their page. You can also email john at: johnamorisonlaw.com. “children” (as Gwen Hilla terms them) currently include 6 dogs, 8 cats, 4 horses and the redoubtable “Milton All Creatures Great, Small And Exotic Burro,” a miniature donkey. After CHS, James J. (his loving, still-in-town-on Callahan Drive Animal Hospital (www.cdah.net for Belmont-Drive mom Virginia says he’s “better known as anyone in the area requiring top-grade Mustang-style Jamie”) Hilla went on to Montclair State, graduating veterinary care) primarily cares for dogs and cats, also Summa Cum Laude. He played football and ice hockey treats “exotics,” which were basically his special acaand captained the golf team. Then he attended the demic focus while in vet school. And they like to say University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary that “They love your pet just as you love your pet.”

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WHERE ARE THESE

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MUSTANGS NOW?

Alyse Pashman, Brian P. Murphy, Nina Surich, John Federle, Jamie Hriczov, Dragan Tubonjic, Susan Daubar.

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Scenes from back in the day, including at left Alicia Pujat, Wendy Pavlicek and above, Carolyne Ruffilo, Lester Lembryk at Homecoming.

Alyse Pashman, with her new look and burgeoning career as an event planner, has gone through so many positive changes since graduating Clifton High School in 1994, but in many ways the successful businesswoman you see today is still that affable little kid from West 2nd St. “I can’t get away from Clifton,” said Pashman, who for the last couple of years has been spearheading an effort to bring together her old classmates for a 20-year reunion. “The town will always be a part of my life in 44 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

one way or another. And I’m fine with that; I wouldn’t have it any other way.” During her two stints in the city – from 1980 until 1994 and then again from 2009 until a few months ago – Clifton has made its mark on Pashman, and she has left her mark on it. Pashman moved to Clifton, from Garfield, at the age of 4. She attended School 4 as an elementary school student, but her family moved to nearby East 1st St. when she was in the 2nd grade. From School 4, she went on to attend School 11.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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“When I was in the 6th grade we moved to Green Meadow Lane right by the high school,” she recalled. “I switched from Christopher Columbus Middle School to Woodrow Wilson Middle School, so by the time I got to high school, I felt like I had a pretty good circle of friends from the four different schools.” Pashman’s fondest thoughts go back to those early years. “My best memories were of the 5th grade when I was going to School 11,” Pashman remembered. “My 5th grade teacher was Jeannie Routsis. She just recently retired. She had such a great way of teaching.” In high school, Pahsman was a member of the Madrigals and the concert choir. Another great influence on her life was CHS Concert Choir Director Barbara Novak, who also recently retired. “She really made it a great experience,” Pashman

MUSTANGS NOW?

At left, CHS 1994 reunion organizer Alyse Pashman in a recent photo. Above from left in 1994Rachel Dubnoff, Michelle Luques, Dana Edreos. Alyse Pashman Amy Bernstein, Steve Garibell.

recalled. “That year we competed in Williamsburg, Va. I don’t remember exactly where we finished, but we did really well. I do remember what a great experience it was.” Pashman said a trip to Washington, D.C.

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Steven Pogorelec Jr., Dana Edreos, Bobby Bollettino, Rebecca Rego, Leonard Andrews, Amy Bernstein, Jason Bullard.

with the safety patrol team was also among her “fondest memories.” In high school she also wrote for the school newspaper, “The Hub,” and she also made a lot of friends who also went on to great success after CHS. “She was wonderful,” recalled Class of ’94 classmate Brian Murphy, who today is a history professor and a regular political contributor on MSNBC. Murphy, former managing editor of politicsnj.com, said Pashman reached out to him recently about the reunion. “She is a like a force of nature,” he said. “She is just a nice, positive person. I met her during high school. It’s so easy for people in high school to be petty and horrible. She was never like that. She was never judgmental, even back then.” Murphy was voted Most Socially Conscious and Most Dependable, by his classmates. “He is a great guy,” Pashman said. “He is so smart.” In many ways Pashman

and Murphy epitomize a good number of graduates from the CHS Class of ’94 - smart, ambitious, hardworking students from a blue collar background who went on to become highly successful adults. After high school Pashman graduated from Montclair State University with a BS in Recreation Professions in 1998. During her last year at MSU she interned at the IZOD Center, then known as Continental Airlines Arena, and for the New York Yankees during their historic 125win season which culminated in a world championship. “That was an amazing experience,” she recalled. “I got to be in the parade and visit Gracie Mansion.” After MSU she worked briefly with her father’s Karaoke store, ran a regular Karaoke show at the Grande Saloon on Van Houten Ave. “I still do private parties there for fun,” she said, and sang the National Anthem at Yogi Berra Stadium at the beginning of New Jersey Jackals game, “singing has always been a passion of mine.” Her father, Richard Pashman also graduated CHS, ’69. Once she started her career things really took off for Pashman. She worked as a meetings and events coordinator for the Charles Group, Inc., an independent even planning firm in Fairfield, for nine and a half years. “While at that job I helped plan large private concerts for VIP clients,” she said. Those clients included Kelly Clarskon, Train, the Beach Boys, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Michael McDonald and Natalie Cole. In 2013, she became a certified meeting planner and in November Dave Vasilenko and Jessica Kampo, CHS 1994 sweethearts, were married in of that year she started working one 2001 and recently had their third child. Jessica, who works for the Clifton Recreation Department, was honored in June by the Clifton Optimist Club. of the largest and oldest law firms in They are pictured with their children Emerson, Madelyn and Reaghan. New Jersey, McCarter and

48 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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The CHS Gymnastics squd: Carolyn Ruffilo, Tara Hemerick, Alicia Mazepa, Heather Schaab, Jill Rankin, Kristie Branick, Jacquelyne Klein, Jennifer Dutch, Andrea Danner, Jennifer Saccuci, Brooke Daniels, Corey Dodd, Diana Hacker, Tara Lotito.

English, LLP, headquartered in Newark, where she works today. “I plan internal firm events, run our exhibit booth at large conferences and also work on our yearly partner retreat,” she said. “This job has been a great experience for me so far. It’s been a welcome change of pace for me.” Now Pashman, being ever the go-getter, has been turning her attention to bringing some of her old classmates together, something that came about sort of by accident. “I’m still close with Class President Danielle Marco,” Pashman said. “When she bowed out of any type of planning for the reunion, I got busy and decided to throw something together. My brother Robert Pashman, who

graduated CHS in ’88, planned the 20-year reunion for his class.” So Pashman used all of her skills as an event planner to organize the upcoming event. “I started contacting people on Facebook,” she said. “I contacted some of the popular kids. They gave me their blessing to let me know they were interested.” Pashman said many of her old classmates no longer live in the area, but she is hoping to get at least 100 of them to commit and so far that goal is looking good. The reunion is scheduled for November at the Empire Club in Little Ferry, but in the meantime Pashman is trying to organize an informal meeting with some of the classmates at an area bar or restaurant, since so many of her old friends share her love of Clifton’s popular hangouts. “I still go to the Hot Grill,” she said. “And I love the disco fries at the Tick Tock Diner.”

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‘94 One of Pashman’s less than favorite memories happened after she returned to Clifton in ’09 near her old school, Woodrow Wilson. “I was walking into Sally’s Beauty Supplies, near Bruno’s Pizza and I stepped on a crack in the sidewalk,” she remembered. “I broke my arm. But I’m okay now.” Among the many positives in Pashman’s life since graduation, she has lost over 100 pounds so some of the people she has not seen in those years can look forward to her new look. “I also cut my hair since then,” she said. Pashman said among the former classmates she reached out to are, Susan Daubar-Loeb who appeared on “The Katie Couric Show” with her daughter Lindsay who received a heart transplant a year ago, along with the donor family; Mike Constantino, who owns the AMA Fight Club in Wayne; Hani Darwish, CEO at Extreme Fight Club, Woodland Park; Steve Pororelic, who worked for Morgan Stanley and during high school was student council president, played football and track and was voted by his class Most Versatile, Most Dependable and Most School Spirit, “he is still a great, charismatic guy,” Pashman said; Dana Jeanett-Murdoch, who was voted Most Athletic and now teaches in Clifton;

52 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Rachel Dubnoff, Darren Brodie, Kara Oakley, Michael Constantino, Lou Magliarditi and Danielle Marco

Dragan Tubonjic, a senior analyst with Bloomberg who is also an advocate for helping people with disabilities; Karie Ann Vasilik-Monaco, a pastry chef at Georgian Court University, who did the same for Starwood Hotels before moving to Beachwood; Jason Caparaz, who works for Nickelodeon Network and was on the student council at CHS, played cross country and was voted Friendliest by his classmates; Steve Westdyk, on operations manager at Microsoft who now lives in Texas; Jason Rak, a behavioral healthcare manager at New York Presbyterian, who now lives in New York City; Wendy Pavlicek, director and animal curator at Burlington Science Center who lives in Massachusetts, Mike Wojick, who has worked behind the scenes on Broadway for years and is currently a stagehand for “Motown the Musical;” Rebecca Rego-Barry, an editor at Fine Books & Collections Magazine who was voted Most Socially Conscious and Most Likely to Succeed by her classmates. Other former classmates Pashman reached out to include Jennifer Surgent-Geiger; Jaime Milovitz, voted Best Eyes and part of Class Inseparables, and Michelle Deleon, who was senior class officer and voted Million Dollar Smile. All three became nurses. Some ‘94 grads still living in Clifton include Dana Edreos-Cabral, Rachel Dubnoff-Krawiec and Nina Surich-Bigg, who went on to become a country prosecutor. High school sweethearts who have since gone on to marry and start a family, and who are still together today, are Stephen Huber and Jaime Hricov, as well as Jessica Kampo and Dave Vasilenko. For more information on the reunion, search “Clifton High School Class of 1994” on Facebook or contact Pashman at apashman@gmail.com.

Clifton Merchant • July 2014

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IHOR S. ANDRUCH A Ringing of Community, Church and Family in his Heart & Soul By Ihor S. Andruch

It all started with the ringing of the telephone on our Van Cleve Avenue home, shortly after 8:30 pm on Sunday, December 18, 1983. My mother, Irene Andruch, was 39 years old when she received that call from Passaic Beth Israel Hospital in Passaic. Stephen Andruch, her husband of less than ten years had just lost his battle with melanoma, which he succumbed to shortly after it spread to his liver. I was seven years old and my sister Christina had just turned nine a week before on December 13. It was a call that changed everything for our family – a ringing telephone that I still hear in my head once in a while – only now, it’s an inspirational ring that motivates and reminds me never to take anything or anyone for granted. I have replayed the whole scene in my head many times and I think about my youth and “what could have been” when times are tough – a ring that motivates me to think “if my mother could sacrifice her life for her children, then anything is possible.” We all control our destiny. Shortly after receiving the devastating news, the Kotys family (then of Kulick St.), Helen, Mila and Ola, came over to comfort us until we fell asleep. The next morning, we woke to Sister Dionesia of St. 54 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School ringing our doorbell with a meal prepared for us at the rectory near the church that would last us for days. It was our family (Andruch /Bukalo / Leniw/Shiposh families), St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Ukrainian community and the Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) whom I am, and will forever be indebted to for what they did for my family in our time of need. As a Ukrainian living in Clifton, it was a weekly ritual to go to the Ukrainian Center on Hope Ave. in Passaic on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons after Ukrainian school. “The Center” was our social scene when we were younger, and still is such today. There we would have Ukrainian dancing and Ukrainian Cultural School taught by volunteers. It instilled culture and taught me who I am and who I will always be – a Ukrainian. I attended the Ukrainian Center weekly from the age of four until I was 17, when I became a volunteer to teach children about our culture and history. Both of our children, Stefan (10) and Isabella (8) currently attend the UAYA on Friday nights and are learning about their Ukrainian roots. They also attend Ukrainian summer camps, just as I did.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

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I currently sit on the board of directors for the Ukrainian American Youth Association and help out where I am needed. Growing up in the Ukrainian community was a wonderful experience for me, one that I wouldn’t change for the world, as it always reminded me of my roots and where I came from and most definitely kept me on the straight path to success. I attained my elementary education at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School in Passaic, where I learned how to speak English (Ukrainian was our primary language at home) and excelled in all subjects. I had wonderful and caring teachers, whose passion for education continuously came through and the school and its educators were always there for our family, especially Sister Dionesia and Mrs. Eugenia Junice (who has since passed away). We also attended St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church every Sunday, where I served as an alter boy throughout my youth. After I graduated from elementary school, it was off to Clifton High School. I attended CHS for four years and have to be honest; I wasn’t the best student in the world. I blame my own laziness for not excelling as I had hoped in high school.

‘94

56 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Ihor S. Andruch Thank you God, Mom and Christina. Ukraine lives free. JP and CK: 20 after. DB: you Pantomime freak XXX: OOoh, JT: Stop chanting my name. These four years bring out tears. Thanks BP, SS, DB, OB, CR, AJ, TC, MZ. I didn’t horse around the entire four years of CHS though; I had many wonderful teachers, especially, Mr. Thomas Mullin – who coincidentally taught my mother how to speak English when she came to the U.S. from Poland in the early 1970’s. He had a way about him, always tying in his great sense of humor into the challenging Russian classes (I-IV) that he taught me until I graduated in 1994. The silver lining of attending CHS was that if it weren’t for CHS, I wouldn’t have met the love of my life and my future bride, Kristy (Holzli.) Kristy and I met during senior year in high school when she sat in front of me in English class. She was a cutie, beautiful face, permed hair, hazel eyes and very personable, but didn’t give me the time of day because she was dating someone else. It wasn’t a big deal to me because I started “working on her” then. I once rigged my locker to have working

lights when it opened during Christmas and I am pretty sure this was the time she started to fall for me. I used to copy her homework and give it to the teacher as mine and she was the one who got in trouble. She wasn’t too fond of me when I did this. But, she finally said “YES” when I asked her to be my girlfriend Labor Day weekend of 1997. In the fall of 1994, I began attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice in NYC. I wanted to study Forensic Psychology, but found that NYC was far too “busy” for me to get an education. That winter, I transferred to Bergen Community College to study Psychology and then transferred a year later to Montclair State University (MSU), where I excelled on and off campus. I graduated in 1999. I wasn’t 100 percent sure what I wanted to study while at MSU, but I selected Speech Communication, because there was so much I was interested in and thought this would give me many opportunities upon graduation. I befriended a wonderful professor at MSU, my advisor and colleague, Wayne Bond, Ph.D. who was the Chair of the Department. He was always there for me and any other student that needed him. He too had an incredible fire within – a fire that made the students want to learn. A southern-

Kristy Holzli Congratulations Class of 94! TK wish you were here. MT Ben and Jerry AA, KH, BF, FE, MJ you worry too much MM, KH, BB, FE. Thanks Mom, Dad and Amy. Love you Ralph! WW, AS, GA, PP, CD ‘93 er, he had faith and saw something uniquely special in each and every student he taught and believed in their dreams and aspirations, always. Dr. Bond was truly my mentor at MSU and I can honestly say that I am the professional I am today because of him. I also took full advantage of extracurricular offered on campus. I worked as a radio disc jockey at 90.3 FM MSU radio and was a Legislator and PR Director in the Student Government Association. In my senior year, I found myself working and interning at 92.3 FM K-Rock in New York City, which was made famous as the home of Howard Stern. At the same time, to make real money, I did what a lot of other Ukrainian kids did while in high school and college— I worked part time as a delivery person for Colonial Pharmacy and Van Houten Pharmacies, which is still owned by fellow Ukrainians, Walter Diduch and Walter Voinov.

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I juggled a lot in college to make sure I would have the best chance to land a ‘real’ job upon graduation. I spent much of 1999 in and out of NYC interviewing for PR jobs and marketing. I interviewed with some of the top PR agencies and received several offers, including one firm whose softball team played at Shea Stadium when the Mets were on the road (I am a big Mets fan). That fall, I accepted a position at CPR Communications in Teterboro, (now called CPR Strategic Marketing Communications in Elmwood Park. I chose the firm because while interviewing with Joseph Carabello, president and CEO, and his wife, Laura Carabello, Principal and Chief Creative Officer,

‘94

Free Concert Thursday, July 24,

I had many wonderful teachers at CHS, especially, Mr. Thomas Mullin – who coincidentally taught my mother how to speak English when she came to the U.S. from Poland in the early 1970’s. they showed compassion and really seemed to have a vision for me with their firm. There was a lot of room for growth and advancement with the agency and it was conveniently close to home. I am now enjoying my 15th year at CPR. I have worked with clients locally, nationally and internationally. I have moved up the ranks from Public Relations Assistant, and currently serve as Vice 7:30 President of Client Services. Since I started at CPR in 1999, I have mentored dozens of staff members (from interns to executive level) – whom have gone on to be very successful professionals in the public relations and marketing fields. Finally, Kristy and I married at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton on a glorious day in May of 2002 with a part Roman Catholic, part Byzantine Ukrainian Catholic mass. We have two incredibly beautiful children and still reside in Clifton. And yes we still stay involved with our community on many different levels.

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE

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‘04

MUSTANGS NOW?

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By Suheyla Tuncer Even though 10 years have passed since we graduated from CHS, it feels like no more than two or three. Yet, regardless of time, I hope that all of us always remember the amazing experience we shared. Honestly, I had a blast the four years I attended CHS! We had good and bad days but thanks to friends and to our dedicated, selfless teachers who pushed us to be the best that we can be, we made some awesome memories. Our ten-year reunion is coming up on November 28, 2014, and to get us ready, I spoke with some of my fellow Mustangs from the Class of 2004. 60 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

Regina Hemsey My friend since childhood, Regina went to Caldwell College where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Management, then went on for a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. She is certified as a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC). For two years, Regina has been an Oncology Counselor at Hackensack UMC Mountainside and with Gildas Club. Regina’s work is intense, since she provides individual and group therapy to patients and families affected

by cancer. Back home in Clifton, she volunteers for the Clifton Cares Troop Packing Night, as well as Wounded Warrior Project. “One of my favorite memories from CHS,” said Regina, “was having the opportunity to go to England as a freshman with the Mustang Band. Also, some of my greatest memories were being the manager of the Varsity Wrestling team and then going down to Atlantic City to cheer on our state wrestling qualifiers!” Alberto Tirado Hard-working and driven describes Alberto Tirado. He and I kept in touch through Facebook and texts, the way most of us now do. Like Regina, he, too, first start-

ed at Caldwell College, then transferred to William Paterson University where he obtained a degree in Business Management. “I started my career doing marketing for businesses and sales while doing catering and hospitality on the side for extra income,” said Alberto, “when I realized that I wanted to further pursue the hospitality industry. I began at the bottom at local restaurants and worked my way up to management in front-of-the-house and back of-the-house aspects. “Then I joined the food service company at MetLife stadium for the Jets and Giants. I managed the all-inclusive clubs for the regular season, as well as concerts, and major events, such as the Super Bowl.”

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Clifton Merchant • July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE

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‘04

MUSTANGS NOW?

Anthony Sartor, Suheyla Tuncer, Garrett Blasko, Alexander Berberich, Sean Cooper, Raymond Tulling, Neil Reilly.

Recently, Alberto transferred to St. Louis and now work for the Rams and manages the all-inclusive club levels and bar departments at the Edward Jones Dome. Alberto’s favorite memories of CHS “are related to sports, and then after a game or match, just getting together with team mates to celebrate a victory with a good meal. The bonding that occurred has forged lifelong friendships, memories that can never be replaced.” Jilian Fueshko Jilian Fueshko was a phenomenal soccer player for the girl’s Mustang soccer team and a talented singer for the CHS Concert Choir. She received a full soccer scholarship to St. Peter’s University and played until senior year, when she was taken out with a knee injury. She graduated with a degree in Marketing Management. Jilian went on to work for Parisi Speed School becoming Operations Manager in Garwood and then to manage operations at The Pure Balance Center in Clifton where she is today. “The biggest thing I miss about CHS is playing sports and just always being involved in school activities,” said Jilian, “and going to Florida for softball and choir and other trips that we took. These trips were always a good time and gave us a great experience. 62 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

“Definitely one of my favorite memories was when Suheyla and I would randomly break out dancing and just laugh about anything silly.” Raymond Tulling Whenever it came to matters of math or standardized testing, Ray Tulling was always there to help. So it makes perfect sense that Ray is a personal banker for one of the largest financial insitutions in the world, Wells Fargo. Ray’s job is to analyze the financial profile of his clients, uncover any needs or problems they may have and find a solution through Wells Fargo products and services. However, Ray is pursuing another goal, that of becoming a police officer. He is taking weekly study group classes taught by a retired police captain and currently is in the middle of the process for getting a position with Passaic County alternate route program. Whatever Ray endeavors to undertake in life, I’m sure he will be great at it! After all, this is the guy whose yearbook quote from Wayne Gretzky was “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” Aakash Shah Aakash and I worked together on the Yearbook Committee, producing the 2004 Rotunda our senior year. Aakash is both creative and

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE

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great with numbers. The years at CHS may have been the last time Aakash lived in Clifton, but he has not stopped affectionately calling this town his home. After high school, Aakash ventured south of the Mason-Dixon Line to attend George Washington University in Washington, DC. Graduating with a double major in Finance and Marketing, Aakash began his career in mortgage finance with Fannie Mae. This year, Aakash left Fannie Mae to pursue an MBA degree at Georgetown University. While completing his degree, he works at GE Capital and lives in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, truly just up the street from the White House. Aakash enjoys spending his free time playing volleyball, biking, and telling jokes that only he finds funny. When I asked him about his favorite memory from, CHS, without missing hesitation he said, “Beating Mr. Harding in jeopardy!” Priceless. Tim Reilly I’ve known Tim and his brother Neil since we were kids in School #3. No doubt, these two are the coolest

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MUSTANGS NOW?

and best looking twins around! After CHS, Tim moved westward to the University of Iowa, where he completed a double major in Music (his yearbook motto was Friedrick Nietzsche’s “Without music, life would be a mistake”) and Political Science. Tim met his wife Kelly, a native Iowan while out there, and in 2008, moved to Des Moines where he attended Drake University Law School. For Tim, 2011 was a busy year: he graduated law school in May, took (and passed) the bar exam in July, married Kelly in August, and then started a new job two weeks later. He has been with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission for nearly three years. Tim and Kelly live in Des Moines with their, as Tim says, “incredibly lazy French bulldog, Higgins.” Tim likes to spend his free time working outdoors in the yard of their home, going for long bike rides, and during those long Midwest winers, brewing beer. Tim’s favorite memory at CHS is of the Boys Tennis team “the year Neil and I played doubles and won the county tournament and beat Ridgewood! That year, the tennis team had one of its best years ever!”

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Clifton Merchant • July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE

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Kevin Green Kevin Green had great school spirit and I recently caught up with Kevin, who told me that thanks to Mr. McCunney and the C.A.S.T. Program at CHS, he actually began preparing for his career during sophomore year. After graduating William Paterson University, he started as an assistant for a talent management agency and in 2011, began to freelance as a production assistant on shows such as The Cake Boss and the Rachael Ray Show, where he was offered a staff position in 2012. “The Rachel Ray Show has given me amazing opportunities,” said Kevin, “attending the MTV VMA Awards, meeting President Obama and the First Lady and the Daytime Emmy awards in California since we were nominated for five awards.” This past season Kevin was promoted to Segment Coordinator, and his goal is to become a television producer at a late night talk show in the LA area. “Ultimately my goal is to be the executive producer of my own show,” said Kevin.

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Bogdan Tarnowski Hey Mr.DJ! Let’s get this party started! And now, no surprise, Bogdan is part owner in a production company. He began to DJ at an early age. While going to Teen Night at 14, he realized he loved the DJ style of spinning music. While away at college, he decided studying political science was not the route that he wanted to take. He chose to return to pursue his passions of making music and cooking. He began to DJ in Rhode Island. After moving back to New Jersey in 2006, he took a job at the Prudential Center as catering manager, while keeping up his passion for music. Bogdan was on the ground floor of the opening of a new restaurant, 12 West, in Montclair, and by helping open the restaurant, he was able to turn one of his dreams into a reality. In 2007, Bogdan met his now DJ partner Rico Suave (Bogdan’s DJ name is B-Love) at his Sigma Pi fraternity chapter at NJIT. This year they launched their company, Image.in Productions, hosting and producing

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE

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Cassie Craig every day. Amelio and I sat next to each other and Mrs. Craig referred to us as the knuckleheads. She was such a great teacher that really tried to instill her positive philosophy on life in her students.”

premier events in the New York/New Jersey metro area. B-Love will be the DJ at our ten-year reunion. You’ve got to come and hear his sound! Tom Garretson At CHS, Tom Garretson was always one of the nicest guys, a great student, and loyal friend. Tom attended Villanova University, where he received degrees in accounting and business administration, with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS). He began his career as an auditor with Ernst&Young, in their New York real estate group, where he got his CPA. After two years of corporate life, Tom decided to join the family business. His grandfather Joseph Shook established the Shook Funeral Home on Van Houten Ave. in 1955 and over the years, expanded the business to include several others. Tom is now the third generation to join in the management of the business his grandfather began. Tom married Annelise Newton on New Year’s Eve 2012 and joining them in their home in Clifton is their four-legged friend Molly. Tom remembers that he, as class vice president and Matt Amelio, as president, were voted “Most Joined at the Hip” by their classmates and really had great times at CHS. One of his favorite memories is from senior year, when he and Matt were always goofing, was “class with

MUSTANGS NOW?

Matt Amelio Matt Amelio and I have known each other since CCMS. Growing up, a lot of the ladies had a crush on Matt, charismatic and handsome. Matt always had this “presidential vibe” about him, so it makes sense he was our class president all four years of CHS. After CHS and Monmouth University, Matt became a financial advisor with New York Life, where he helps people with retirement planning, issues of long-term care, insurance protection. Matt and Tom not only remained best friends, but work helping families deal with issues of life planning. “I work hand and hand with my ‘class inseparable’ and best friend,” said Matt, “to help people plan for their lifes and to also take care of their families when they are no longer with us. Nothing beats working with people you love and trust and when it comes to Tom and Shook Funeral Home there is no one better!” Matt still plays baseball (Clifton Slates) with a bunch of former Mustangs and recently, he purchased a home in Clifton down the street from bud Tom. He also remembers speed notes class with Cassie Craig and the craziness of boys floor hockey in gym class.

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68 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

WHERE ARE THESE Regan Van Blarcom My good friend Regan Van Blarcom told me that during those years at CHS, we all thought we knew everything and knew what’s best for us, but quickly we realized after graduating that we still had a lot to learn. Back then, all we had to worry

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MUSTANGS NOW?

about was going to class, meeting up with friends, lunch, gym, what’s going on for the weekend. Football games, pep rallies, homecoming, school plays, cheering on our teams during their seasons and proms, of course, were the highlights for most of us during these years. Regan is sure everyone will agree that the drivers ed class, especially with Mr. Capp were good times, as well as getting behind the wheel with Mr. Randazzo to get our licenses. “Too many memories to mention and the ones that each of us made with one another will forever be cherished. Senior week was a great week. Everyone put their differences aside and we enjoyed this time all together as friends. “From walking in as freshmen and not knowing what was ahead of us, to walking on that field on Graduation Day. It’s amazing how fast four years go. Those buildings and classrooms have many memories that no one will ever forget. I’m sure some people wish they could go back to those years and relive those carefree days as young teenagers.” Regan summed it up perfectly. Even though we will lose contact and may not see one another often, we all have one thing in common: we will always and forever belong to the Clifton High School Class of 2004. Mustang Pride - all day, every day, but especially on Friday, November 28, 2014 at the Brownstone for our 10 year class reunion! See you there!

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70 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

PAUL VI REGIONAL HS

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CLASS OF 1974 REUNION

By Fran Fleischer Hopkins planned reunion (and the Facebook page). Members took Many remember Paul VI Regional High School, a advantage of a variety of Internet-based tools to help Catholic high school on Valley Rd. run by the Diocese of them accomplish this. Paterson, which opened in 1967 and closed in 1990. “It’s definitely easier than ever to track down people Despite its brief existence, and with no alumni associthrough Facebook, LinkedIn and Google,” said Bill Grau, ation to mark class milestones or publicize life accomnow of North Caldwell, whose parents, Jim and Dorothy, plishments, its self-sufficient graduates of the Class of still reside in Clifton. “For example, we found a photo of 1974 had no choice but to create do-it-yourself class [classmate] David Marthouse standing in front of a buildreunions instead. Planning for the 40th began in early March after one class member, Lisa Geider of Clifton, posted at a Paul VI Facebook page that she was looking for fellow ’74 grads to help organize a reunion. It didn’t take long before a group of volunteers held their first Reunion Committee meeting. Members include Michele Acocella, Lisa Geider, Bill Grau, Linda Ricciardi McNerney, Mark Murray, Linda White Rando, Anne Liddell Redeka, Kathy Ricciardi Tahan, and Marie Puzio Zangara. Geider then launched the “Paul VI Class of 1974 Alumni” Facebook page. “The Facebook page has been an invaluable tool for reestablishing camaraderie, reflecting on our high school years, and building awareness of the reunion,” Geider said. “Every Thursday is ‘Throwback Thursday,’ which has generated fun conversations and unearthed some great photos.” Of course, one of the Committee’s first tasks was to locate and contact as many members of the In 1974, from left: Bob Piersall, Jim Padula, Ed Edwards. Sitting: Cathy Stefanchik, Norm Tahan, Debbie Russo, Kevin Tarrant. Class of ’74 as possible to let us know about the 72 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

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ing that had the call letters of a radio station on it and used Marian Abate Gorman, pictured at that information to contact him.” Island Beach State Park on a class trip Committee members found another former classmate, in 1974 and today. The others are Mark Shaun Brown, when they discovered, in an article written and Linda Ricciardi McNerney and Bob by Brown, that he’s a chaplain in the US Navy. and Linda White Rando (sadly, Bob passed And fellow ’74 grad Donald Robb emailed Geider to away in 2010). The reality that life has already ended for let her know that he’d just joined some. At least half a dozen of Facebook primarily to join in the those kids have passed. Some of fun at the Class’s Facebook page. us battle life-threatening illnesses The Class of ‘74 Facebook or endure chronic ones, and most page has even led to a spinoff have felt the heartbreak of losing page. Ron Furmanek, a classmate one or both of our parents. of many Paul VI students who Many have been hit hard by graduated from St. Philip’s School unemployment in this tough in 1970, launched a Facebook economy. Married, divorced, page for his St. Philip’s class after widowed, or single, in the 40 seeing what his Paul VI friends years since high school, we’ve all had done. attended life’s “pain and And what is it about these heartache school”. Yet we’ve Facebook pages? They are magic. also been deeply blessed. We’ve They glow with photos of smiling, known the sweetest joys life can carefree young people who look offer, the priceless gifts of love, Pat Bizzaro, Marie Puzio, Joyce Kipikasha. like they’re having so much fun. faith, family, and friendship. So But the good feelings are with 40 years of perspective mixed with an inescapable tinge of sadness. We were 18under our belts, it’s unlikely that anyone’s holding any year-old kids who couldn’t even imagine 40 years back grudges over the minor hurts of our teenage years. then; and yet they’ve skipped by, and here we are. We We’ve been fortunate and we thank God for that. And miss the days when life was just beginning to unfold in we’re still looking forward to so many things. One of front of us, full of possibilities and time. They’re gone. them, our much-anticipated 40th reunion on Oct. 11, is And while so much has changed in 40 years, not already underway on Facebook, where we’re getting everything has. Those that call Clifton home include reacquainted—with our 18-year-old selves. Maryanne Bay, Todd Juengling, Joyce Kipikasha, Fran The reunion is at Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill in LaBarbara, Mark Mikolajczyk, Bill Mitchell, Joe Fairfield. The cost is $65 and there is a cash bar. Send Pearson, Bill Szymanski, Kathy Ricciardi Tahan, Norm checks or money orders payable to Paul VI 1974 Alumni Tahan, John Tauber, and Joe Woznak. Committee, to: Mark Murray, c/o SST Corporation, 635 Several sets of high school sweethearts formed lastBrighton Rd., Clifton, NJ 07012. ing marriages. One of these couples is Dr. Bob and For more info: lgeider@optonline.net.

‘74

Clifton Merchant • July 2014

50th Annual Grand Prix on July 12, now in Wayne

Hawthorne Cabs in

SEASON

Art, Athletics & Tradition by 128 Musicians & Dancers They toss sabres, spin flags and flip rifles. Others bang drums, blow bugles, dance and march across a football field—they are the members of the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps. For 68 summers, some 60 brass players, along with 36 percussionists and 32 colorguard, wearing satin shirts, bell bottomed pants and sombreros, have performed Latin-themed routines that fuse art and athletics. The Caballeros is a community band of members who range in age from 15 to 50-something. Founded in 1946 at Hawthorne American Legion Post #199, the ‘Cabs’ compete in a circuit sponsored by Drum Corps Associates. They perform their competitive, themed routines on football fields throughout the US and make stadiums quake and crowds roar. The 2014 theme is Entrapment, which... “will take you on a journey of seduction and pursuit fueled by the character and hypnotic energy of the award winning Caballero Colorguard.” 74 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

The Hawthorne Caballeros are an international performing arts group with musicians and dancers coming from Brazil, Japan, Canada and eight American states to tour and perform with the Passaic County based Drum & Bugle Corps.

While in competition, or on a parade route, art, athletics and tradition come alive. Below, at Parade Rest, Mike Ryan walks his grandchild who he expects will be the fourth generation of his family to perform with the Hawthorne Cabs.

The program is staged to an original score by Key Poulan and Rob Ferguson, visually brought to life by drill writer Drew Farmer and colorguard designers Bobbey Biddle and Matthew Hurley. Program coordinator is Cliff Bialkin. See the Cabs in competition against eight other travelling corps, some from as far as Atlanta, at 6 pm on July 12 in their 50th Annual Grand Prix at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne. Tickets are $24. For more info, go to www.crowntickets.com or call 888-547-6478. Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

Before we start: Yes, there are as usual five students of this month. And they’re all outstanding kids. It’s just that three of them we already cited in our June 2014 Graduation issue for their accomplishments. So we’re not going to recap those accomplishments here. So here we’ll just give this month’s space to two more outstanding underclassmen who are not in fact graduating seniors. And to check out those three graduating seniors again, simply check last Santiago Moscoso Nicole Rodriguez month’s issue. (You did all retain your copies of last month’s issue, right?) As for those extra-currics which so impress college Here, too again, because as we might have menadmissions counselors? “I’ve been volunteering in the tioned above they’re outstanding kids, are their names: ER at St. Mary’s Hospital for almost a year now, and Heather Atamian, Richard Bandurski and Aulla it’s been a rewarding experience. My involvement at Hamdeh. Good luck to all three in the cold cruel world St. Mary’s has taught me a lot about the medical field outside CHS, and continued success at CHS to the foland proper protocol when dealing with patients. It’s not lowing two “other” Students of the Month. just trying to fill up your resume or college application, but for the good of others.” Nicole Rodriguez-Rowe, South Wing, Grade 11 Nicole is also secretary of the National Art Honors Keeps It In The Family. Society at CHS. “I love art. We were able to take a field Nicole’s fave class this just-concluded year was trip to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, “AP US History with Mr. Henry. History class this year which was interesting and fun.” just helped me realize the importance and significance As for the future, she thinks she’d like to combine of the history of this country from a more open perthe nautical with the medical. “I’d like to go to a unispective. The only way people in the present age can versity with a Naval ROTC program and serve in the understand who we are as a country and how we got to Navy upon graduation as a Health Care officer of some exceptionally ambitious be that way is by studying the kind,” she says. Perhaps even as an MD at a Naval past.” The course covered the Gilded Age, the Roaring Hospital such as Bethesda or on a hospital ship. Twenties, the Great Depression, World Wars I and II And the lady actually likes going to school. “Being and the Civil Rights movement. “Although class was able to receive the great public education that is availrigorous at times, I am happy to say that I pushed able to me every day is great,” she says. (So no somethrough,” Nicole notes. what typical teen sulkiness for her.) Her best friend? Simply put, “That’s my younger “It’s sort of an unusual answer,” she admits, “but sister, Daniella. I couldn’t ask for a better friend in my people my age living in other countries often times are life; she is selfless, genuine, dependable and truly wishnot granted the opportunity to get an education. Others es the best for me. She has always wanted me to reach are never able to make it past their elementary years my full potential and has stood by me through thick and and are forced to stop attending.” thin.” 76 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

“I’m still not sure what exactly I want to do in the Santiago Moscoso-Gomez, Annex Grade 9, future,” he says. But he does point himself towards Really Gets Into School “college to continue my studies. Maybe something in “I was not exactly looking forward to going to high the criminal justice field.” school,” Santiago freely owns. As to what he most likes about school, “My friends “I believed it would be very hard, not fun at all. But and teachers. They constantly give me support and this first year has been filled with great memories and motivate me to give a 100% in everything I do.” experiences. I’ve enjoyed every moment I spent in the I think I was chosen as student of the month for the Annex. But my favorite class has to be World History Annex because of my good grades and for working with Mr. Scott Orlovsky,” he continues. hard,” Santiago sums up. “History has always been one of my favorite subjects “I take school and my studies seriously.” but this year he’s really made it fun, too,” Santiago’s quick to add. My best friends, Jocelyn Soriano and Anthony Sanchez, have also made freshmen year fun. They make me laugh, listen to problems I may have, give me advice on different situations I may come across. And they always know how to make me smile.” As for extra-currics, Santiago is a committed member of the Key Club. But he also volunteers in town, including working as a servFrom left, Richard Bandurski, Heather Atamian, Aulla Hamdeh. er at community meals.

Clifton Merchant • July 2014

Events & Briefs Tangibly Positive Reinforcement There’s a new incentive program at CHS that rewards frosh with actual prizes (substantial ones) for positive actions. It’s called “Positive Behavior Support in Schools” (PBSIS for short). Students are rewarded with “keys” which accumulate and launch students into random drawings for prizes, including gift cards to these sponsors: Uno Chicago Grill, Chevy’s, Cups Frozen Yogurt and Mr. Cupcakes. Then at school year’s end the top four earners of those keys receive a rather substantial prize of Google Chromebooks. This year’s inaugural winners were Yousef Gabr, Carlos Polanco and Daniel and Michael McLaughlin. Doug Kelly, Vice Principal of the East Wing at CHS, is the innovator of this program. To find our more, call him at 973-591-6829. He also noted that the CHS Freshman Orientation, which is called the Mustang Academy, is on Aug. 4 to 7, from 8 am to noon.

These Mustangs got caught... doing nice things... From left: Michael McLaughlin, Yousef Gabr, Carlos Polanco and Daniel McLaughlin.

The Theater League of Clifton awarded scholarships to CHS Seniors Matt Bodnar, Katie Scorziello, Sarah Fusco and Walter Santiago Geschleider III. At center is TLC President Mark Peterson. To find out more about TLC and its Fall show, go to theaterleagueofclifton.com.

Support Annie’s Angels at August 2 Beefsteak Annie’s Angels is named for Ann DaGiau, pictured with her husband Val. Since her death from breast cancer on Christmas Day, 2002, her family has raised over $765,000 to help families struggling financially through a life threatening disease, illness or disability connecting neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend and business to business in a caring fundraising network. Headed up by Ann and Val’s son Bill, they established a 501(c) (3) charity in 2007, the former Clifton resident is a long distance cyclist. On Aug. 3, he will be cycling with Clifton’s Brian Cisneros 78 July 2014 • Clifton Merchant

and Stacey Hayes from Clifton to Hampton, NH. This 500 mile event will take seven days and will raise money for Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund at HUMC, Boston Children’s Hospital and Annie’s Angels. The night before, on Aug. 2, there will be a kickoff beefsteak fundraiser at the Italian American Family Association in Botany Village. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 973-754-8855. Get the latest event details at www.anniesangels.net or on Facebook at Annie’s Angels Memorial Fund. Any questions, email bill@anniesangels.net.

Mustang Pride gathered nearly 60 volunteers at its third annual Volunteer Appreciation dinner, at Mario’s Restaurant on June 16. These volunteers (above) helped to run the Clifton Family Carnival by manning games across the five days of the event on Memorial Day weekend. Raising about $20,000, the money goes to help to provide programs, activities and supplies for Clifton school kids. “Tonight was all about thanking our volunteers and showing appreciation for the time and effort they all put into making the Carnival a success,” said Mustang Pride President AnnMarie Genneken. Go to cliftonmustangpride.com or follow them on Facebook at CliftonMustangPride. Passaic County Clerk Kristin M. Corrado and Veterans Service Officer John Harris will be at Clifton City Hall on July 24 from 11 am to 2 pm to process Passport applications, issue Notary Oaths and Veteran Photo ID cards. Kristin M. Corrado and her staff will provide outreach services in

Ed Kurbansade of Spencer Savbings on Piaget Ave. with Dennis Mikula of Mikula Contracting. The bank marked it 75th anniversary on June 20 with a reception for customers in its 19 branches. More at www.SpencerSavings.com.

Clifton on the fourth Thursday of each month through the end of the year from 11 am to 2 pm. For details on fees, call 973-225-3690 or go to passaiccountynj.org.

Tell us of your favorite Clifton dining establishment or about a restaurant owned by a Cliftonite in a nearby town. Send a note by July 11 to tomhawrylko@optonline.net. Clifton Merchant • July 2014

Birthdays & Celebrations - July 2014

Happy 5th to Nicholas Calvo on July 11th. Marie Angello celebrates on July 3. Walter Pruiksma turns 91 on July 26. Julia E. Cannarozzi, will be 6 on July 8th. Skip Kazer celebrates on July 5th.

Birthdays & Celebrations Send dates & names...tomhawrylko@optonline.net Amanda Di Angelo............. Ray Merced ....................... Chris Torrao ....................... Skip Kazer ......................... Robyn Sue Lord .................. Frank Rando....................... Lori Lill ............................... Susan Rego ........................ Ron Curtiss ......................... Angelo Grippo ...................

7/3 7/3 7/4 7/5 7/5 7/5 7/6 7/6 7/7 7/7

Edward Sepulveda.............. 7/7 Jenna De Liberto ................. 7/8 Joyce Sunshine ................... 7/8 Cynthia Kester .................... 7/9 Jesse Hasting.................... 7/10 Kristi Schopfer .................. 7/10 Anthony Zaccone.............. 7/13 Alyssa Marie Misyak......... 7/14 Ann Schamble .................. 7/15 Derek Dobol..................... 7/16

Niece Emily Hawrylko and Kyle Crawford were married on June 28. Jessica Dobol.................... Joanne Gursky.................. Carrie Szluka ................... Alexander Razvmov .......... Ryan Saccoman................ Cocoa Saccoman ............. Ashley Jacobus ................. Linda Portaro.................... Megan Suaifan................. Kaitlin Vinciguerra ............ Harry Quagliana .............. George Shamar................ Kayla Lord........................

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7/16 7/17 7/18 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/19 7/20 7/20 7/22 7/23 7/23 7/24

Dan Leonard and Sarah Mango will celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary on July 12. Anna Schubert ................ Eva Gasporowska........... Kathy Valdes................... Joseph Lopez .................. Ornella Ganoza ............. Gina Oliva ..................... Amanda Fabiano............ Lee-Ann Varga ................ Stephen Camp Sr........... Joe Prebish ..................... Frances Greco ................

7/24 7/25 7/25 7/27 7/27 7/28 7/29 7/29 7/30 7/30 7/31

Kenneth and Donna Chipura on July 11 will celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary.

Belated Birthday Greetings to the Lakeview Bakery girls, Silvana on June 14, and Sue Helen on June 25.

Clifton Merchant â&#x20AC;˘ July 2014

Some 714 Mustangs of the CHS Class of 2014 took the stage as high schoolers for the last time on June 26, moving on as graduates. Photos here are from that Commencement exercise at IZOD Center. Off to colleges, the military, area jobs and local business, they enter the next stage of life. Ten years from now, we will be reaching out to them to determine Where are These Mustangs Now?

82 July 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

June 26, 2014, IZOD Center Photos by Nicole Sciarra. See more at facebook.com/photographybynicolesciarra

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