LOSS OF ROGER BRENNAN

To the members of the Class of 1957:



I am sorry to report the passing of your classmate, Roger Brennan. I just received word that he passed away last Thursday, December 4.
Katie Feeney - Notre Dame High School Alumni Office

MIKE DUDLEY COMMENTS ABOUT CHUCK MARTINEZ

Yesterday, Friday, the Job Corps where Chuck worked held a service for him at their Center on Maui . It was a wonderful experience. Chuck's US Job Corps activities were with the section that works with Micronesians--who are citizens of the US Territories. The Corps trains Micronesians in Kwajelein, and then bring them here (to Maui) for further training, preparing them for life in the US once they are able speak the language well enough to live on their own. There is an island just off of Kwaj, where many Micronesians who work on our base there live, and where the Job Corps trainees come from. While working with Job Corps on Kwaj, Chuck got to know a lot of the families who have kids in the program. All of the trainees yesterday seemed like high school to college age kids. They really loved Chuck and called him Jimma, which means Grandfather. You could tell that he had really become Marshallese and had been 100% accepted by them as one of them. He really loved them, and they really loved him. It was a real "family" experience that went on for two and a half hours. Chuck's son, Charlie, his wife Barbara, and his sister Cathy were there and all spoke. In the eulogy and in their talk, they mentioned his life in the Brothers, and I was introduced as one of the ten who joined the order from Notre Dame High School . The kids seemed to be aware of the Big Ten. One of the few pictures prominently displayed was of Chuck in his habit with his nine brothers and sisters from the '50s.

I want to pass on to you an unusual happening. When I heard of Chuck's death, I immediately started thinking about going to the funeral. Given the outrageously high cost of gasoline and everything else that skyrocketed along with it in the last six months or so, things are pretty tight these days. And when I mentioned it to Doris , she said we just could not afford that luxury now. Airfare alone had shot to $170 each way, for the fifty mile trip. I really wanted to go, but agreed it would be selfish.
Meanwhile, we had a timeshare exchange that going to expire next week. We had decided to advertise it on Craigslist as a vacation rental, and to use it ourselves if there were no takers. I got only one bite, a Canadian fellow who was getting married in two weeks, and wanted a place for three-days-only in later October. My week for the timeshare began this Sunday. I wrote him back, jokingly telling him he should move the wedding up a week or so.
The night before the funeral, I woke up a little before 4. Being wide awake, I decided to have a glass of milk, hoping to get back to sleep. I sat down in front of my computer to drink it, and I thought of Chuck, and realized that I would have arisen about this time if I were going to Maui . I said out loud, "Well, Chuck, I'm sorry. You know I really want to come today, but it doesn't look like it is going to happen. If there is any chance I am going to be there, you're going to have to do something to get me there." I didn't have time for more than another sip of milk before I heard the "bedoinK! You've got mail" sound from the computer. "Well, shit, that was fast!" I said, as I turned to the computer, expecting to see a junk mail ad arriving in the middle of the night. Instead, it was a message from the Canadian who had written some days before, saying he would not only take the timeshare starting this Sunday, but he would take it for the whole week, rather than three days—a bonanza of unexpected cash for us. Then I noticed his name, Mike Doom. Yes, that gave me shivers, too. Doris was awake when I got back to bed and asked if there was any news. When I told her, she said that I had better go to Maui. This is really a true story. I would not have been there if it had not happened.

Mike

LOSS OF CHUCK MARTINEZ NDHS CLASS OF 1957

Dear Members of the Class of 1957,

I am sorry to report the passing of your classmate Carlos (Chuck) Martinez . Chuck died suddenly this past Sunday in Maui . It was totally unexpected, according to his sister, Terry.

His funeral will be at 2 pm on Thursday, October 9 at St. Charles Borromeo in North Hollywood . The address is 10850 Moorpark Street, No. Hollywood .

May he rest in peace.

Katie Feeney
Associate Director of Alumni Relations & Publications
Notre Dame High School
13645 Riverside Drive
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 933-3606
feeney@ndhs.org

PROVIDENCE ALUMNAE OF 1959 SET UP TERRIFIC BLOG

1957 Ad in North Hollywood High School newspaper. Courtesy of Ray Martin (click on image to enlarge)

In preparation for the upcoming 50th class reunion of Providence High School Burbank, the "Pioneers" (they were the first class in the school's history) are building a blog. The Museum Community of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is proud to share the history of our community with such an accomplished group of women.

Providence High's Class of 1959 blog is:
http://phs-59.blogspot.com/

Notre Dame High's Call of 1957 blog is:
http://ndhs1957.blogspot.com/

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley's blog is:
http://museumsanfernandovalley.blogspot.com/

GREAT PHOTO OF JIM HERNDAN FOUND

(click on image to enlarge)
Devi Murphy Bellows shares this great picture of Jim Herndan and his date Alice (last name unknown). The back of the picture reads "Jim Herndan and I, the night we went to Carol's birthday party at the San Fernando Country Club."
Devi is working with The Museum of the San Fernando Valley to help build the early history of Providence High School in Burbank, and to organize her class reunion.

BONNIE & DENNIS BOROWSKY MAY 2008

Photo in the archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - 2008 (click on photo to enlarge)
Bonnie (Chambers) graduated with her Van Nuys High School class in 1958. Like her husband Dennis Borowsky (NDHS Class of 1957) she still remains active, working to better her community. Bonnie was one of the committee members for the VNHS "Wolves" 50th Reunion on May 17th at the Woodland Hills Country Club.

NOTRE DAME HS GOLF

Greetings to all of our soCal alumni

This is just a reminder that the 22nd annual scholarship golf tournament is quickly approaching! It will be held on Monday, May 12 at Robinson Ranch Golf Course in Santa Clarita. The deadline for registering is Friday, May 5. The cost is $250 per person, which includes lunch by In N Out, refreshments on the course, dinner, tee prizes, awards, green fees and cart, two hole-in-one cars, and contest! It’s not too late to get your foursome together. If you are a single or a double, we will pair you up and promise that you’ll have a great day!

Net proceeds benefit the Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.

To register directly over the phone and pay by credit card, please call Katie Feeney in the Development Office at (818) 933-3606.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please call Nora McGarry in the Development Office at (818) 933-3611. It’s a great opportunity to market your business.

Hope to see you out there!

Katie Feeney
Associate Director of Alumni Relations & Publications
Notre Dame High School
13645 Riverside Drive
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 933-3606
feeney@ndhs.org

Note from Jerry Fecht

Ventura Boulevard 1957 - Postcard in the collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - Gift of Gary Fredburg - 2008
"Studio City, California. This famous boulevard joins the San Fernando Valley with the blue Pacific - Highway 101.

Sorry that I haven't done a better job with this blog. I've been super involved with the struggle to keep the historic Weddington House in the San Fernando Valley instead of being removed to Heritage Square in the Arroyo Seco near Pasadena. We are trying to have the house moved to North Hollywood Park.

Be well,
Jerry Fecht

AN UPDATE ON RICHARD THESING'S ACTIVITIES

We just received a well reasoned, 32 page Order from Federal District
Judge
Hamilton finding that Marriott¹s refusal to provide accessible golf
carts is
a violation of the ADA. The next step is for the Judge to issue an
order
specifying what Marriott must do to comply, i.e., define the minimum
requirements of an ³accessible golf cart² and determine the number of
carts
per course. A settlement hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2008 to
see
if the parties can agree. If not, the Judge will issue a ruling.

The essence of the Judge¹s Order is:

³"Marriott's current policy does not provide plaintiffs,
mobility-impaired
golfers, with an experience that is functionally equivalent to that of
other
non-disabled golfers. Plaintiffs here have presented overwhelming
evidence
that they are unable to golf at Marriott's courses under the current
policy.
By contrast, non-disabled golfers can simply show up at the course and
Marriott will provide them with a functional cart as part of the cost
of
their round of golf. Accordingly, Marriott provides golf carts for
able-bodied golfers, but does not provide accessible carts for
mobility-impaired golfers like plaintiffs. Because Marriott's policy
places
plaintiffs in a distinctly unequal situation, as compared to their
able-bodied counterparts, it is discriminatory under the ADA.²

The full text is at www.mobilitygolf.com.

This decision is a extremely important step in our effort to make all
golf
courses accessible.

Rich Thesing
Mobility Golf

DAVE HANNA HAS A BIG IDEA!

DAVE AND GINNY HANNA - Holiday Time 2007
HANNA FAMILY DOGS - Augie, Scrappy-Doo, Dooby-Doo and Yabba-Doo.
Dave Hanna writes:
"I don't know about you, but at my age I think 10 years is too long to wait for our next reunion. I'd be very interested to find out how many of us feel the same. ... If there is enough interest, I am willing to take a very active role in organizing something."

If you agree with Dave and are interested, use the comment section below, or, email Jerry Fecht

MIKE DUDLEY ADDS HIS VOICE TO HAWAIIAN CHOIR

Our classmate Michael Dudley meets regularly to participate in this Hawaiian heritage choir. Mike is on the top row at the far right. His wife Doris is in the 3rd row and is the 4th woman from the right.

Mike wrote me about this very interesting choir, but alas the letter is somewhere hidden on my sadly cluttered desk. When I find it, I come back to this posting and add the story. In the meanwhile Rich Marrone in Sweden might think about those azure waters of Hawaii and the Dudleys having to spend their time singing in warm evening breezes of the South Pacific. Alas, we all have our burdens. Jerry Fecht

WHERE DID YOU LIVE WHEN YOU ATTENDED NOTRE DAME?

4 Match Book Covers - Collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

Keeping on top of the artifacts donated to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is "a wild and crazy" thing. We catalogue, photograph and scan every item that is given to us. While I was working on a package of match book covers donated this week, I thought my Notre Dame classmates might enjoy looking over my shoulder at some of our memories.
Jerry Fecht

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!