in memoriam

memoriam

Rev. Edward J. Mattimoe, S.J. † WJ Principal 1966-76

Kevin May † father of Chelsea (May) Collins ’01 & Kevin

May, Jr. ’07 Donald E. McDonald † father of Chip McDonald ’78; grandfather of Brendan McDonald ’07 &

Connor McDonald ’09 Louis Michael Mifsud † Alumnus class of 1997 Grace Mondi-Giorgio † mother of Gary Giorgio ’75 Donald L. Muntz, Sr. † father of Dolly Gingo (WJHS staff); father-in-law of Mike Gingo ’70; grandfather of Nick Gingo ’00, Anthony Gingo ’02, Brandon Tripp ’06, Brittany (Tripp)Mancini ’07 & Jenna Gingo ’12 Elaine Novak † grandmother of Sarah Boodjeh ’16 &

Jacob Boodjeh ’19 Martha J. Pawlowski † grandmother of Joe

Pawlowski ’09 Rosina Pugliese † grandmother of Joseph Pugliese ’00, Elizabeth Pugliese ’03, Anna Pugliese ’06, Grace

Pugliese ’08 & Vincent Pugliese ’11 Kevin Quinn † Alumnus class of 1975; brother of Arthur

Quinn ’71 & Gerald Quinn ’79; brother-in-law Mike

Guenther ’70 & Patrick Guenther ’71 Lawrence Arthur Riley † Alumnus class of 1971 Geraldine Rote † mother of Frank Rote ’72,

Michael Rote ’76, Paul Rote ’78 & John Rote ’84 Mary Santon † grandmother of Christian

McShannic ’15, Joseph McShannic ’15, Molly

McShannic ’15 & Michael McShannic ’20 Patricia Anne Stockinger † mother of Mark

Anna Marie Teodosio † mother of Tom Teodosio ’75, Alex Teodosio ’87 & Carol (Teodosio) Peter (former WJHS staff); grandmother of Christine

Klaben ’97, Chris Teodosio ’05 & Andrea

Teodosio ’06 † William Q. Victor † father of Samuel Victor ’05 Karen Patricia Volpe † wife of Mark Volpe ’77; sister-in-law of David Volpe ’73 & Paul Volpe ’83; aunt of Anthony Volpe ’17, Matthew Volpe ’19,

Sean Coyne ’09, Katie Coyne ’10 & Timothy Coyne ’12 Andrew Washlock, III † Alumnus class of 1988 Fr. John V. White, S.J. † former WJHS faculty

Joy E. Wright † mother of Lillian Wright ’16

AndyTruaxAndyTruax

by Lisa Massello

Walsh Jesuit Science Teacher & Vice President of Mission & Identity

Andy Truax did not measure success the most people do. He walked away from a promising career managing multimillion dollar environmental impact projects in order to teach high school students.

With that type of administrative talent, his only aspiration was to reach and teach young people: in the classroom or the Boy Scout troop; on the rugby field or with the drum line; at Camp Christopher or the woods at Hiram College’s Field Station; on Kairos, immersion trips, or Labre Ministry.

He designed lessons, lab activities and field trips to maximize students’ understanding of what it really meant to do science and to be a scientist... inquire, discover, tinker, and ultimately learn as much from what did not work as from what worked. He tried to set up every single student for success, and he savored the accomplishments of all his students.

It can be hard for students to attend a school where their father or mother (or both) teach. Andy navigated this incredibly for his son Drew ’14 and his daughter Brenna ’16. Andy was humble about their respective achievements. But, there was never a doubt about his pride and belief in them, his support of them and his love for them.

The same and more were true for Andy with respect to the love of his life – his wife and best friend, Mrs. Mary Truax.

remembering a quiet hero

Husband, father, son, brother, teacher, mentor, coach, Star Wars fan extraordinair, advisor, colleague, grant writer, potter, student, immersion trip advisor, athlete, musician, Kairos leader, Labre volunteer, comedian, project manager, geologist, animal lover, recycler, environmental scientist, service leader, faith-filled man. Ultimately, Andy was a true...

Man For and With Others.

If you read the loving obituary tribute, written by his wife Mary and his children Drew and Brenna, you gained a deeper understanding of Andy. If you had the privilege of being at one of the Masses that was celebrated on Andy’s behalf, or the honor of talking with any of his family or the countless people whose lives he touched, you gained insight into the amazing man.

Yet, most of what Andy did was behind the scenes. His simple acts of profound kindness, service and support. In his humility, he would keep them to himself, but they are an important part of his legacy. Here is a small sampling: • Andy kept cans of soup and jars of peanut butter in the bottom drawer of his office’s filing cabinet for students who might go hungry. • Andy stepped out of serving as an adult member of Kairos teams while Drew and Brenna were students so that they would be free to experience their own unique Kairos retreat. • Andy came in at night and on weekends to empty recycling bins and pull recyclables out of the trash so that Walsh Jesuit was a “green” high school. • Andy ‘mourned’ when he ‘lost’ a student who switched to another biology teacher. Unbeknownst to her, he quietly kept tabs on her to ensure that she was succeeding. • Andy wept when he asked another teacher what he could do for a biology student who arrived at Walsh Jesuit with a recent cancer diagnosis. • Andy gave up his lunchtime every day for a semester while mentoring an international student who had difficulty adjusting to life and learning in America. • Andy juggled all his roles with his number one role of family man. This included devoted care for his mother in Cincinnati.

After a vacation at Hocking Hills State Park several years ago, I returned to Walsh Jesuit, excited to share with Andy a quote I had ‘discovered’ on a wooden plaque in a tourist shop. I read it to Andy: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, & loudly proclaiming, “Wow! What a Ride!”

There was no attribution or photograph. But Andy knew that Hunter S. Thompson was a biker guy and just the person to make such a statement. With a glimmer in his eye and a chuckle, Andy suggested that I be careful where, and when I used that quote. I knew the quote would resonate with Andy, but I did not realize how soon his amazing ride would be coming to an end.

In his inimitable way each and every day, Andy was demonstrating St. Ignatius’ Prayer for Generosity. The number of Andy’s days was far too small. I am certain Andy Truax trekked into heaven in his hiking gear, and God greeted Andy with a bear hug and the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

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