DAN ZERFAS SHARES HIS BIOGRAPHY WITH THE CLASS OF 1957

Dan Zerfas arrived at Notre Dame High School from Detroit in the middle of his sophomore year. In 1957, the year of his graduation, he entered the Brothers of Holy Cross with ten of his classmates. After spending a year in the novitiate, he spent a year at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas and then entered the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. After three years, which Dan refers to as "the spiritual equivalent of Quantico," he left the Brotherhood and graduated from California State University Northridge where he earned a Bachelors degree in English in 1962.
After a year at the Rocketdyne Corporation, as an engineering planner, he "fled to UCLA law school" Dan served on the Board of Editors of the UCLA Law Review, was president of his class, and was awarded the Order of the Coif. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1966.
From 1966 to 1971 Dan was in private practice with the law firm of O'Melveny and Myers in Los Angeles, California. In 1971 until 1973, he served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General, William H. Rehnquist, and as Special Assistant to the Deputy Attorney General, Ralph E. Erickson in the United States Department of Justice.
From 1973 to 1981, Dan was a partner in the law firm of Erickson, Zerfas and Adams in Los Gatos, California and in London, England. He was also the Executive Vice president of AVM, Ltd., an investment-banking firm based in London and Jeddah. During that period, Dan represented several Middle Eastern governments and institutions, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan. Based on those experiences, he published a fictional memoir, The Middleman.
In 1981, Dan founded TSC Development Company, which develops and manages commercial, resort and hotel properties in the western United States.
In 2007, Dan Zerfas lives in Pacific Palisades with his wife Marilyn. His eldest, Dana, is married, has two young boys. She lives in Fairhope, Alabama and works for the United States Attorney in Mobile. She has worked for the Justice Department since graduating from George Washington University. Barton lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the Land Trust Alliance. He graduated from Washington State University and later received his Masters degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Dan's youngest son, Quinlan, graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in Economics in 2006, and works at presented for an accounting and wealth management firm in Santa Monica, California.
Dan Zerfas says, "Retirement is an unwelcome option."

Editor's note: Dan's son Quinn sent a great photo that I'll inlcude here when I figure out how to get it into my Photoshop - Jerry

IN MEMORY OF JIM FLNN AND DICK MULLER

Our classmate Roger Brennan included along with his biography these notes on our deceased buddies, Jim Flynn and Dick Muller.

After graduation from High School Jim Flynn, Dick Muller and myself kept up our friendship. Jim was one of thirteen children. His father passed away when he was still in grammar school (The school we both went too Saint Elisabeth in Van Nuys). To say that Jim lacked financial resources to continue his education is to say the obvious. Jim, however, was one of the most determined and focused people that I have ever met. Through his hard work and perseverance he was able to receive his BA. After he got his BA he joined the army and spent a tour of duty in Korea. When Jim returned form the army he also began working for the State of California Employment Development Department. He worked on the side that found jobs for people.

Dick Muller was a wonderful person with a very funny and dry sense of humor. To this day I still break into a smile when I think of the time that Dick came up to me in the yard at Notre Dame high school and said - You know you should never go out on a date with just you and a girl, you should always double date than you will have someone to talk to. After high school Dick spent a couple of years at Saint Mary's in Moraga California. After that Dick joined the army and spent some time back in Boston. When Dick got out of the army he began working as an analyst for Dunn and Bradstreet.

When Jim and I (Roger Brennan) began working for the State of California and Dick was working for Dunn and Bradstreet we rented a house in Van Nuys. not too long after that we all got married and started our families. Jim married Abby Murphy and they had one daughter Shannon. Dick married my sister Fran and they had two children (Maggie and Matthew). Jim passed away in his mid thirties most likely due to complications related to a very serious automobile accident that he had had years earlier. Dick passed away some 12 years ago due to the effects of a severe form of arthritis.

ROGER BRENNAN WILL BE WITH US AT THE BIG 50th REUNION

After graduation from NDHS, I attended Valley Junior College and I also joined the Air National Guard. During the Berlin Crisis of 1960 they activated our unit into the regular Air Force and I spent a year stationed at Van Nuys Airport assigned to the crash crew and protecting the San Fernando Valley form the red menace. After I got out of the Air Force I continued my education and eventually received my BA form California State University at Nortridge. After Graduation from CSUN I began working for the State of California Employment Development Department. My duties with EDD included making determinations on the eligibility of applicants for unemployment insurance. Subsequent to my 5 year employment with EDD I began work for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. My assignments included wage and salary administration, Affirmative Action Task force, but most of my 25 year tenure was spent in labor relations. I liked the company and loved the work. Along the way I also worked for the Post Office and the City of Burbank. I have been retired for about a year and a half and live in Newport Beach California. Prior to living in Newport we lived in Laguna Beach for about 20 years.
In 1969 I married Barbara Dentino a professional singer and dancer. We have 5 children, Maria, Gina, Amanda, Nora and Anna. All five graduated from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. All are doing well. Two have advanced degrees, two have their BA's and the last one is about half way through College. Maria, Gina and Amanda are married and we have been blessed with three grandchildren and another is on the way. All the grandchildren are local and we are of course spoiling them in accordance with the code of the grandparents.
After our Mater Dei experience with our 5 daughters, I marvel at my parents ability to get their 7 boys through Notre Dame. One of my brothers (Joseph a 1972 NDHS grad) is a Monsignor with the Los Angeles Archdiosese and is pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in San Pedro. Joe will be celebrating our reunion mass.

PETE PUSATERI WILL BE AT OUR 50th NDHS REUNION. WILL YOU JOIN HIM?

The family of Judy and Pete Pusateri

The photo is from a family vacation in Hawaii. In the photo the people are from left to right:
Michele, daughter in law, wife of older son Mike
Zoe, daughter of Mike and Michele
Yvette, wife of son Matt
Mira, daughter of Mike and Michele
Matt, my younger son
Judi, my beloved wife - Me (Pete Pusateri)
Mike, my older son and husband of Michele and father of Zoe and Mira

So what have I been doing the last 50 years? Well after graduating from NDHS I went to Valley JC for a year, took off a year to dig swimming pools, then returned to Valley JC to resume my educational odyssey. In 1963 I married Judi Chodos and we are still together after all the ups and downs that 44 years can provide. We have 2 sons, Mike and Matt and their wives, Michele and Yvette. The granddaughters, Zoe and Mira, provide us with endless opportunities to spoil and indulge to the chagrin of my oldest son Mike. Payback is sweet!!
I put in my time with Uncle Sam as an Airborne Sonar Operator in the Navy reserve from 1961 to 1969. That meant 6 months active duty for training, then 8 years of monthly meetings at Los Alamitos NAS. Since the VC in Vietnam had no submarines I was not called upon to go over there.
In 1966 I finally finished my formal education at Cal Poly in Pomona and started my engineering career at TRW and then went over to Hughes in 1971. In 1980 I left engineering and joined a small electronics manufacturers rep company so that I would be able to finance the education of our sons at any institution of their choice and acceptance. Since there is an 18 months difference in age, their time in college would overlap by 2 years and this was no small obstacle to address. Both went to private out of state institutions. All worked out well and we sold the company 5 years ago. Since Oct 2005 I have been cruising along trying to figure out what retirement is all about.
My oldest son Mike graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He is now a senior VP of technology development at Disney in Burbank. Matt graduated from Northwestern University and then grad school at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He is now the senior designer for online communications at the Center For American Progress in Washington DC. Matt and Yvette have assured me that they are working diligently on catching up to Mike and Michele in the grandchild department!! They were married in August of 2006 in Bermuda.
Judi and I are associated with a spiritual group that adheres to the teachings of Ramakrishna, a 19th century mystic in India. I have been to Ghana 3 times since 2003 and Sri Lanka in 2005 visiting various villages, refugee camps, hospitals and schools. We bring donations and try to make a difference in the lives of these people. By doing that we also get a deeper insight into ourselves and our purpose in life. I find these and future trips to be a fitting way to give back for all of the positive and beneficial gifts that I have been given over the years and to realize a higher purpose. As part of a group project, I was involved in the building of a scale model of the U. N. complex in New York City and participated at it’s installation at the 60th anniversary celebration in 2005. If you take the tour there you will see our model on permanent display.
OK, so much for the sermon. I will be in Vietnam until September 17th with an advance team setting up a group visit for January and I look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion.

EUGENE LaMORE SENDS HIS BIOGRAPHY FROM BANGKOK FOR THE NDHS CLASS OF 1957 REUNION.

The San Fernando Valley's large Thai population supports this beautiful Wat Thai in Van Nuys. it's an interesting place to explore during the time you are in Los Angeles for the October Reunion of the Class of 1957.

Eugene Paul LaMore was born in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois. His family moved to Richmond, California when he was three and to Sherman Oaks in 1948. Gene graduated from St. Francis de Sales grade school and attended Notre Dame High School from 1953 to 1957. He played junior varsity football in 1954. His position was 2nd or 3rd string defensive tackle.
Gene comments, " I probably am a graduate although, as one of the brother's explained to me, they threw away my diploma because I refused to pay the rental fee for the graduation gown."
In 1957, Gene enlisted in the United States Army. He managed to stay a Private First Class in he was discharged in April of 1960. Most of his service was in Germany. After the Army, he became a first-year apprentice Union carpenter (from 1960 to 1963). Gene views this as a "probable record for length of time as a first year apprentice. In 1964, Gene completed his studies at Los Angles Valley College.
In 1966, Gene LaMore earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the new San Fernando Valley State College (now, California State University Northridge.) He entered the accounting profession. From 1966 to 1972, he was a United States Treasury Agent.
On June 3rd, 1972 Gene completed his studies at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He was allowed to sit for the bar examination early and was sworn as an attorney, the day before he graduated. Gene earned considerable fame in the Bay Area during his 33 years defending public entities in landslide and flooding cases.
Married and divorce twice, Eugene LaMore currently resides in his condo in downtown Bangkok, Thailand, with his girlfriend and a daughter, Anonta Paris LaMore born on the 14th of December, 2006. He has three daughters from his second marriage. (27 year old lawyer in San Jose. 25 year old CPA in Washington and 25 year old RN in Dallas.)
Gene is a Life Time member of the Siam Society and organization sponsored by the King and retired member of the Foreign Correspondence Club of Thailand. He frequently visits Myanmar, China and Laos and has acquired a taste for Heineken by the pint and Montecristo number 4 Cuban cigars.
He adds that he "has been advised by Fidelity that he has enough money for retirement as long as he dies by age 71. He has never been happier."

GABE BONNET CONTACTS THE NDHS CLASS OF 1957 FROM COLORADO

Gabe and Barbara Bonnet

After graduating from NDHS in 1957, Gabe Bonnet attended the University of California Los Angles where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics. He then attended Baylor College of Medicine and graduated in 1966 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. His internship and residency were completed at University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Dr. Bonet then served the next 2 1/2 years in the United States Public Health Service in Zuni and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Gabe began the practice of Pediatrics and Neonatology in Grand Junction, Colorado until 1985, when he became the Medical Director for the State of Colorado Department of Developmental Disabilities. Subsequently he served as Medical Director for FHP and Human Health Plans in Long Beach, Albuquerque and San Antonio before becoming Medical Director for Washoe Medical System in Reno, Nevada where Ihe has spent the last 14 years.
Gabe Bonnet retired in 2004 and has been doing volunteer medical work for the State of Nevada and the American Red Cross. He is also involved in developing immunity legislation for volunteer medical emergency personnel both at State and Federal levels.
Gabe's oldest daughter, Suzanne, is a lawyer in Denver. She and her husband, Bill, presented our classmate with two beautiful granddaughters.
Patti, Gabe's second daughter, is a Tour Coordinator for the International Mountain Biking Association. His son Mike is a Physician's Assistant in Crescent City, California.
Speaking of his life in 2007, Gabe states that "My wife of 3 1/2 years, Barbara, and I enjoy traveling, camping and boating/fishing when possible."

ART McCULLOCH - THEN AND NOW

Art McCulloch
2007
















Art McCulloch
Notre Dame High School
Class of 1957













Nolo Timere Ego Sum

"I've had many requests, but am sending the photos anyway.

Gotta degree.
Gotta job.
Gotta wife.
Gotta house.
Got kids.
Gotta divorce.
Gotta apartment.
Gotta go.
See you at the runion."