6.Catherine Potoczak Demouth

7.Eillen Stafford Burnash

8.Christine Kaufman Hammitt

9.Marrie A. Rappaport Nowak

10.Wayne Smith

11.Gerald "Jerry" Libby

12 Thomas Brady

13.Ken Knoedler

14.Tina Scudder Palmer

15.Bill Packet

16.Geri Bower Hayes

17.Richard Macaluso

18.Peggy Sohl Fitzpatrick

19. Michael Hegarty*

20.Marie Meloskie Picariello

21.Nancy Wiliams Wasliewski

22.Stephen Shea

23.Cheryle Lillie

24.Regina Ghilain Downs

25.Dave Jennings

26.Joe Burbridge

*Mike Hegarty will not be able to attend our reunion.

Memory Book Profiles

     1. Stephen Shea's Profile was removed from this web page per his request on Saturday, April 2, 2005!

      2.I enlisted in the Air Force in '74. I was a still photographic specialist at Ellsworth AFB in S. Dakota. I also lived apx 10 years each in both Dallas, Texas and Melbourne, Florida. I earned a MA degree in 1978 from UNC(Greeley,CO). Update, as of July, 2005: I started a new position in Parsippany, NJ. The company was recently listed in Forbes as one of the ten best in New Jersey. Most of my work experience has been in Social Services and in Telemarketing. I am single-never married. I moved back to NJ in March of 2003. I returned to my home town of Wharton, NJ!

     Since I grew up next door to St Mary's school, most of my memories are connected to my home memories. I loved the old playground that provided me hours of enjoyment. I remember going home for lunch-on a regular basis and watching TV as I enjoyed a hot meal. I remember the 3 fist fights that I had on school grounds; two with classmates. I lost those two fights with Bill McMyne(7th grade?) and Cheryl Lillie(6th grade). I remember being chased a lot by Brenda Hartman-in the first grade. I dont know where Brenda is today. Do you? I remember being shy to an extreme and painful level. I was shy my entire 9 years at St. Mary's. Lastly, I remember receiving one special love note(not a card) from a pretty classmate. It was the only love note that I evered received in class, in my entire life! Gerald "Jerry" Libby

     3.Wow! How could it be? Has it been 40 years since we left St. Mary's School? When we think about all the things that have occurred in those 40 years, I guess it's possible.

     Im one of the taller classmates, often sitting in the back of class trying to stay out of trouble. Since St. Mary's I graduated from Morris Hills High School and earned a BS degree in Home Economics from Mansfield State College. I taught high school for one year then settled into my career in Wharton, NJ! Over the years, I have taught home economics, health, and study skills and for many years I have been teaching mathematics to 6th,7th, and 8th graders. Just recently I earned a master's degree in education from Centenary College.

     Personally, I have been happily married to my second husband, John, for 13 years. We live in Succasunna. I have two stepsons and a grandaughter is on the way!

     This has been a very interesting experience-getting in touch with clasdsmates I havent seen in a great many years. I've been very entertained with stories, which I had long since forgotten and many I swear never knew!  I dont know if I was too young then to be aware-or if I'm too old now to remember! Which ever it is, it has been a wonderful sharing of memories with them as well. Elizabeth "Betsy" Campbell Riordan

    4. Joe Acquaviva, married to Debbie. Daughters:Maria, age 21, and Valerie, age 18.                                                                                      I work at UPS in Mahaw,New Jersey as a Systems Programmer. We live in West Milford, NJ!

     Memories(good & bad) Having a crush on Miss Tracey(what 3rd grade boy didnt?). Jimmy Weinig being the fastest runner in 3rd grade-couldn't beat him! Having two special girlfriends, one since third grade and one in the eighth grade. Building a "volcano" from twigs in my backyard, with Richard Macaluso, on the way home from school(in 3rd grade).Making (and keeping) 3 forever friends; namely: Bill McMyne, Bill Packet, and Tom Sweeney. Feeling bad about how Frank Greer was tortented by classsmates during recess. Getting my first "U" (Unsatisfactory) for conduct from Mrs Evans-man did that hurt! Nailing Pat Kerner, in the back of her leg with a rock; her teasing made me mad-sorry Patty! Almost hiting the crucifix at the front of the room with a "dirt bomb" that I launched with a metal ruler. Going to lunch at Dover General with Bill McMyne, and as a result receiving a Dishonorable Discharge from "Crossing Guards". Then receiving a mock funeral from my classmates because they knew that I was going to get a severe punishment from my father-which I did! Tom Brady beating me out for the Most Religious Medal, in the 8th grade!

     5.Catherine Potoczak Demouth. My husband is Ludlow Demouth;will be married 25 years July, 2005.Children-Carl, age 33; Lauren, age 29, and Christin, age 22. I have resided in Mine Hill, NJ for the past 25 years.

     I dont have any specific memories of my 8 years at St. Marys. My memories are more general. I remember learning Latin, memorizing the Mass prayers, my First Communion, my Confirmation, Sister Mary Agnes, Mrs Losey, Mrs Evans, and Sister Brigid. I remember school lunches, buying snacks in class, the uniform and beanie that we had to wear. There was the Palmer Method of pennmanship, Baltimore Cathechism and the "new" math that we learned. I remember May Day, my Mom being a class mother, the after church breakfasts held in the cafeteria, singing at funeral masses,and playing in the school playground. I remember getting a "F" in conduct all the time because I talked too much and couldn't sit still. There were fire drills and the 'what to do if the atomic bomb hits' drill'. I remember my clasmates and the friendships that I made.....sleepovers at Tina's and Diane's. My memories are all good ones and my years at St. Mary's were all happy ones.

     After graduating from St. Mary's I attended Morris Catholic High School. My father's job took him to Argentina for my Sophomore year. When we returned I went to Morris Hills High School for my Junior year. I attended Morris Catholic my Senior year.

     After receiving my Associates Degree in Secretarial Science from County College of Morris, I worked as an Executive Secretary to the Director of Personnel of Dover General Hospital.During that time I married my first husband with whom I had two children. After my divorce, I married Ludlow in 1980. My first husband passed away suddenly the next year and Ludlow adopted my two children. In 1982 we had our third child. I started working in the banking industry during this time. My career in banking lasted for 15 years. In 1997, I left my position as Assistant Branch Manager  with the Bank of New York for a new career in the electronics funds industry. I took a position as Business Analyst with EDS, Inc. Consumer Network Services in Morris Plains.After EDS sold this division to Fiserv, Inc in 2002, I continued in my same position. In March of 2005 I took a promotion to a new position as Training and Development Associate.

     My son Carl, lives with his wife and 4 children in Bangor, PA. My daughter, Lauren, lives with her husband and 3 children in Barnegat, NJ. My daughter, Christin, graduates in May 2005 from the University of Delaware with a degree in Science Dieteics. In August, 2005 she will be beginning her internship to become a Registered  Dietian.

    6. Jackie Davenport and Tom Brady are lifelong friends who first met at St. Mary's. They have consulted with one another and agreed that a joint effort on their part-to contribute to the Class of '65 Memories Page, would be the best way to "fill in the gaps" of our combined memories. At our ages, this is probably best!

     We remember that there was a major division of Boys and Girls at St Mary's during the years that we were there. We remember that during recess the Girls would occupy the "playground" area of the outside, while the Boys occupied the open field behind the cafeteria.

     Girls did jump rope, "Double Dutch, Chinese"; they took over the equipment that was provided. They waxed the  sliding boards with wax paper to make them slide faster. They used the swings, laughed joked, made fun of the boys, and shared their little secrets.

     The Boys ran in the field, played tag, "flipped casrds" (Baseball Cards) and generally did not care to even be near the girls.....for years!  We remember lining up in the hall to go to the bathroom.-boys on one side, girls on the other, facing one another.

     In the classroom we remember: The Spelling Bees from one side of the room to another. Diagramming  sentences. As many as 50+ students to one teacher. Being put in the rear corner "away " from all others because of some conduct transgression of which we had been accussed[unjustly, of course]. We remember being given jobs like selling: candy, ice cream, potatoe chips, & Fritos. And having to account for the money collected at an early age. The "Spanking Machine" in Kindergarten and First Grade. Sitting at Funeral Masses, and especially the Funeral Mass when Father Duffy turned around to look into the choir loft to see Dave Jennings playing the part of an "Organ Grinder" on the orrgan speaker.

     We remember St. Brgid's affinity for the class ahead of us. We think it was simply because they were a better choir. Also, we enjoyed the beautiful designs that St. Brigid would draw at the beginning of the month  on the top of the chalk boards; as well as her Calligraphy talent. We remember being the only two who were not allowed  to go on our one and only "class trip"  because of a fracas that existed over something that Pat Kerner did. Pat recently has admitted her guilt in the aforementioned fracas.

     The wonderful performances of Billy McMyne  and Sister Brigid when she would get excited over something that was perceived he had done. Sometimes we could not figure out who did what first-they were like Alice and Ralph Kramden-in real life! These performaces usually ended with an extra-serious Sister Brigid getting Billy McMyne out of his seat......sometimes by  his tie.

     We remember the way that Mrs Evans treated Joe Acquaviva.And the way that her face lit up whenever Joe was around. We remember the way the "Air Raid" exercises that we had in the 1950's ; when we were instructed to get under our desks or in the hallway. The banking account that the school said we could open and the way that Jackie was the only one in line, to make a deposit every week that she was in grammer school.  We renember where we where when we heard the news that President Kennedy had been shot.

     We remember the bell ringing at recess-first ring, all activity stopped; second ring, we lined up to go into the building. No one was out of order. We remember that we were all in the same boat in terms of our requirements to learn, and what we seemed to "learn".We remember always seeing Eileen Stafford with a book on her lap-that she was reading, whenever she could sneak a peak at something more interesting than what was going on in class.

     We remember that there was organization, order, things being taught and things being learned. We remenber that we learned, we laughed, and made great friends. We remember First Friday Mass, Stations of the Cross, "Benediction", Confessions, Peanece-especially Jackie always being the last person making her Penance after everyone went to confession-it is no wonder that Jackie has problems with her knees. We think that God may have given her those St. Bernadette" knees for overall level of sin production.    

Steve Shea & Betsy C Riordan

Have a comment about this site or our 40th Reunion?
Send Jerry Libby an Email......I'd love to hear from you!