That's Life

'60s	'70s	'80s	'90s	'00
Engagements	Marriages		Births	In Memoriam

Compiled by Perry Jones '99

Send information for "That's Life" to Montclair State University, Office of Alumni Relations, 34 Normal Ave., Upper Montclair, NJ 07043. Be sure to include a telephone number for verification.

'36
In the last issue of Alumni Life, we noted that Jay Scovronek recently retired from the Burroughs Corporation. Scovronek was kind enough to inform us that although he did retire, it was in 1983. We apologize for the error.

'49
Nel Noddings, a former professor at Stanford University, has returned to Woodbury, N.J. for a reunion with students in the West End Experiment. From 1950-53 Noddings taught the same students for three consecutive years, from 6th through 8th grade due to a classroom shortage. It became known as the West End Experiment.

'50
Leonard Blessing, a representative of the National Association of Biology Teachers, was elected to the Executive Council of the International Committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

'58
Richard Taylor had his first novel, Bayonne Boy Drowns, published by 1st Books Library. He resides in Boca Raton, Fla.

Robert Zschack was honored by the Clifton Education Foundation for his 38 years of service to the Clifton school system. "Bob Zschack's lifetime of service has inspired schools, campus and the government to bestow numerous awards upon him," the program read. In 1960, he was selected as one of the 10 outstanding biology teachers in New Jersey by Montclair State science faculty and in 1990 he received a Governor's Teaching Recognition Award.

'59
In the last issue of Alumni Life, we erroneously noted that John Riordan became staff head of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) after 20 years with the company. Riordan, in fact, recently stepped down as president and CEO of ICSC after 20 years. He continues to serve the company as vice chairman. He also serves as chairman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Real Estate in Cambridge. We apologize for the error.

Donald Otis wrote an article, "KIROV: Russian Guided Missile Cruiser," that appeared in Seaways Ships in Scale.
Ronald J. Frederick M.A. celebrated his retirement at a dinner held in his honor at the Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes. He had been in education 45 years.

Aaron P. Braverman M.A., since his retirement from the Paterson school system in 1997, has been an adjunct history instructor and supervises student teachers at William Paterson University. He was installed as commander of Wayne Post 695 Jewish War Veterans.

'60
Leo Primiano retired from Montclair State after 25 years. He served as chair of the Department of Accounting, Law and Taxation, and was granted professor emeritus status in June. Primiano also is a member of the Montclair State Alumni Association Executive Board.

'61
Richard Hodson M.A., mayor of Hopatcong and retired physics professor, was appointed to the Lake Hopatcong Commission. The agency's function is to better manage New Jersey's largest lake.
Helen Hemko Golan won a gold medal in the National Senior Games in Baton Rouge for the 50-yard backstroke. Her time was 43.08. She also won the silver in the 100-yard backstroke.

'62
Karin Rupp '70 M.A. was elected to the Board of Directors of Contact We Care, a 24-hour telephone crisis hotline.

'64
Pat Liebig retired from Sparta High School after 29 years of service.

'65
Samuel Louis Turner Sr., a teacher at Hightstown High School, was ordained as a pastor of the New Jerusalem Christian Church.

'66
John Colagrande M.A. co-authored In the Presence of Dinosaurs. He is recently retired from teaching science at Union High School.

'67
Ray Rotolo has been named vice president for Sales-East at IFILM, the Internet Movie Guide.
Michael J. Sullivan '73 M.A. was ordained a deacon. He serves at the St. Jude Parish in Blairstown.

'69
Robert J. Boland was appointed a trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the Monmouth County Bar, New Jersey Defense Association and the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey.

'71
Giacomo "Jack" Oliva '75 M.A. has been named dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Florida.
Michael Smanko founded PRISM Production Services LLC, a full-service stage and prop rental and fabrication shop in Rahway. The firm services Broadway, television and the film Industry.

Kathleen Cammarata was one of four artists to receive $2,500 under the Worcester Cultural Commission's new Creative and Performing Arts Fellowship grant. She won a prize at the ARTSWorcester Biennial Exhibition for a monotype, and opened a solo exhibition at the ARTSWorcester satellite gallery at Quinsigamond Community College.

Joyce J. Maehrlein Valenza '83 M.A. was appointed superintendent of schools in Lincoln Park.

Julius J. Wargacki has been named principal of West Morris Mendham High School.

'72
Walter Miller M.A., a 14-year member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, coordinated the guest luncheon for the Rose Bowl National Championship game for collegiate football in January 2001.

Nancy Happle Jorgenson was appointed assistant superintendent for human resources at the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services in Rye Brook, N.Y.

M. Priscilla Garibaldi Church is the new principal at Deerfield Elementary School in Mountainside.

'73
Carol Martin Young, senior performance analyst at DB2 Data Management Software IBM Software Group, authored "Exploring IBM e-business Software."

'74
Joseph Leicht was named Bergen County Softball Coach of the Year. He is a mathematics teacher and assistant football coach at Indian Hills High School in Oakland.

Susanna Lippoczy Rich received the 2001 Kean University Presidential Excellence Award for Distinguished Teaching. The fourth edition of her text, The Flexible Writer, is due for release in 2002 by Longman/Allyn & Bacon.

Lise Greene '81 M.A. earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration from New York University. She is executive assistant to the president at Montclair State University.

Phyllis I. Tortu-Sliwecki M.A., a world language teacher at West Deptford High School, was honored for 25 years of service in the West Deptford school system.

'75
Diane Falk Romaine is chair of the Music Department at William Paterson University. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Music Educators Association. Basia Jaworski M.A. has been named director of Morris Conservatory for its primary (grades 1 and 2) and junior (grades 3 and 4) choruses. She teaches music in the elementary school in Pequannock.

Paul Pignatello is supervisor of physical education, health and athletics for the Holmdel school district.

Jeff Torborg M.A. has been named manager of the Montreal Expos.

'76
Egidio "Ed" G. Robertiello joined Blackstone Alternative Asset Management as managing director within its manager selection team. Blackstone is a leading hedge fund overseeing $2.3 billion in funds.

Linda Fey Geran M.A. was chosen by the Holmdel school district as director of Student Personnel Services.

Martin Van Treuren played both the nursemaid and the general in a production of "Pirates of Penzance" at South Street Seaport in New York.

'77
Karen Melici Palmiero authored, 90 Ways to Keep Your Kids Drug Free, a self-published book being sold as a fund raiser by Roselle Park's Community Alliance Against Substance Abuse.

Barbara P. Peda, senior vice president of business services for AT&T, was elected to the board of directors of the Independent College Fund of New Jersey.

'78
Jennifer Reed Bakker earned a doctor of medicine degree from Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia.

Marianne Charavan Mejewski, director of Catholic Charities, has taken over as head of the department of Catholic Social Services.

Carol Blazejowski, manager of the Liberty women's basketball team, led the team to a third best ranking in the league at 21-11.

Glenn J. Commandini celebrated his 15th year of service at the Most Holy Rosary Parish of Perth Amboy.

Susan Speidel, singer, actress, director and director of education at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, appeared in a cabaret show at Judy's Chelsea.

'79
Helane Becker-Roukas was among the top five in the Wall Street Journal's annual poll for Wall Street's best analysts. She achieved this recognition in the category of Best Stock Picking for the airlines industry and industrial transportation.

Peter M. Sim, senior manager at KPMG LLP, teaches fundamentals of foreign national taxation to newly hired tax professionals.

Eileen Raps Winkler was assistant producer for "Miss Lizzie Borden Invites You to Tea," an off-off Broadway production.

Sheila Riley-Massa is activity director for Monroe Village, an affiliate of Presbyterian Homes and Services Inc., a nonprofit, nonsectarian retirement housing provider.

'80
Joe Alessi is vice president of Heat Wagons Inc., in Indiana.

Steve Kaplan, music teacher and marching band director at Ewing High School, was named co-musical director of the Monday Blues Jazz Band.

'81
Nancy Benson Georgette '98 M.A. was appointed vice principal of Woodrow Wilson School in Elizabeth.

Mark Bippes M.A. spent 17 months with Habitat for Humanity as construction manager in several North Carolina towns that were devastated by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. He is construction manager for Habitat for Humanity in Morristown.

Christy Morford M.A. was among several special needs teachers being honored by Spring Lake High School in connection with Special Education Week. She has been a teacher at Spring Lake for five years.

'82
Gary Thomson has been named New York state manager for Select Brands Eastern Division at Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide.

James J. Harold is Ingrian Networks' vice president of worldwide sales. The company specializes in secure content networking.

'83
Julie D'Aloia has been made senior vice president and secretary for Union Center National Bank.

Stephen J. D'Angelo has been named president of Americas of Industri-Matematik International Corp.

Al Lepeau has become vice president of business development at esavio, an enterprise solutions and managed services provider.

'84
Rosanne Passafaro Scriffignano won the APEX 2001 Award of Excellence for a manual she wrote. The competition recognizes outstanding graphic design, editorial content and overall communications effectiveness and excellence.

Paul Rowe, author of the treatise, "New Jersey Business Litigation," and co-author of the standard textbook for chancery litigation in New Jersey, Guidebook to Chancery Practice in New Jersey, was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

'85
Vijay C. Tharani joined the firm of Baldwin Technology Co. as vice president, CFO and treasurer.

Steve Contino has started his own business, Ea$yDraft.

Craig Scott Brown Sr. was named pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Jamaica, Queens. Brown formerly led a congregation in Chicago.

George Notte is the New Jersey division vice president of customer satisfaction for Your Home Direct (YHD) Realty.

Chris Hardin was named vice president, direct retail operations, e-commerce division of Brookshire Grocery Company.

'86

Carmen D'Ascendis, after nine years of service for Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide, was appointed regional director, Australia/New Zealand. He worked for the company in the United States, London and Germany.

Irene Grasman Monteleone is the name behind St. Rose of Lima Acadamy's new childhood center, the Miss Irene Early Childhood Center Hall. She has been at St. Rose for 15 years.

'87
Reynold Scott Forman was a recipient of the Governor's Award for Teaching, 2000-2001. He is employed at Colts Neck High School.

Roy De Young was made a partner and director of business development, Western Region, for Temel Internet & Marketing Solutions in Boonton.

Linda Mercurio Regan, a professor of law and taxation at Seton Hall Law School, was appointed legal director in the public trust group at Rosenfarb Winters in Roseland.

'88
Kevin L. Bryla became vice president of communications for Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Tarrytown, N.Y., and is executive director of the Ciba Foundation.

James Feeney

Michele Samarya-Tim '01 M.A. was appointed to the Centers for Disease Control Food Safe Schools Initiative Technical Committee. (See related story on page 19.)

'90
Danielle Dehrlich opened Westy's Gymnastics in Hardyston. The center offers classes for tots through high school and instruction for recreational and competitive gymnastics.

'91
Donna Saykanic M.A. received a Papal blessing from Pope John Paul II for her philanthropic and educational efforts. A librarian, she volunteers for the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

'92
Scott Derco was promoted to manager at Sax Macy Fromm & Co., PC. His article, "The Benefits and Pitfalls of the Joint Venture," was published in the Journal of Construction Accounting and Taxation.

Angelo Christiano M.A., a teacher of fine arts and painter of surrealism, had his work exhibited at Frenchie the Barber, an old-time barbershop in Montclair.

Benjamin Grieco M.A. resigned from his position as head teacher at Ridgedale Middle School to become assistant principal at Sparta Middle School in Sussex County.

Celine Kerwin M.A. has become principal of St. Catherine of Siena School in Cedar Grove.

Ken Knops M.A. was picked by the Morris Plains Board of Education as superintendent of schools. He also serves as principal of the Mountain Way School.

'93
David Schoenbaum was one of six doctors to join Hunterdon Medical Center's Family Practice Residency. Residents train for three years at the facility.

Felicia M. Di Martino Di Rocco has been promoted to assistant vice president of marketing and business development at First Atlantic Federal Credit Union, West Long Branch.

'94
Robert Stomber is a physical education teacher at the Forest Avenue School in Glen Ridge.

'95
Sibila Dubac M.A. is district guidance counselor and substance abuse coordinator in Hanover Park.

'97
Brian A. Pitoniak has taken a position as a teacher of economics, legal and political systems, and United States history at Harding University High School in Charlotte, N.C.
Joseph Ranieri was accepted for an internship with the pro bono Innocence Project. The mission of the project is to exonerate individuals wrongly convicted and sentenced to death.
Angela Linford took a position with the Hampton Public Schools as technology teacher/technician.

'98
Michael Dowling M.A. announced he would run for sheriff of Red Bank.
Dan Kenowith passed the state exam that qualifies him as a licensed petroleum distillate transfer agent.

'99

William Kuntz

William Kuntz M.A. had an exhibit of pen and ink compositions and photographs on display at the Hamilton House Museum in Clifton. The show, titled "Sound Made Visible," included the piece "Tears for 5000," depicting the World Trade Center tragedy. Kuntz also gave a lecture that included the playing of digitally mastered music via computer to show how music plays a key role in the artist's creative process.



'01
Jeffery Anthony DeChellis, a Paramedic working out of Overlook Hospital in Middlesex, received the 2001 Award for Humanistic Patient Care. The award was presented by The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey.

Nina Garcia was appointed assistant vice president of Valley National Bank in Wayne.

Engagements

Peter Bakaletz '89 to Dolly Almodovar ‘94

Diana Gentile '79 to Gerard Occhiuzzi.

John Laino ‘96 to Jennifer Wurts

Robert Jerez ‘96 to Vanessa Yorke

Courtney Shaw ‘00 to Michael F. Eidel

Marriages

Robert M. Whitaker '94 and Courtney Maggio on
June 16, 2001

Kathy Cleckner '97 and Joe Lundari '99 on Oct. 14, 2001

Allison Korn '96 and Christopher Pini in August 2001

Kevin Allen '81 and Kathleen McDonough '89
Elizabeth Anne Stuehler '97 and Michael Krawczuk '97
in September 2001

Herbert K. Kemp '92 and Tamara C. Mitchel
Michelle Lynn Merowchak '95 and Christopher M. Higgins
on July 15, 2001

Charlene Kay Evans '84 and Anthony Lee Nobles on July 9, 2001

David Michael Oates '93 to Anne Katherine Garrison
on Oct. 14, 2000

Births
To Eugene Galdi '88 and his wife, Lisa, a girl, Krista, on Oct. 2, 2000

To Scott Ammaturo '92 and Caren Brenner '93 a son, Patrick Robert, on Sept. 25, 2001

To Michelle Nodler Tafler '94 and her husband, Barry, a daughter, Madeline Danielle,
on April 12, 2001

To Margaret Mary Rickhauser Wall '88 and her husband Orivs, a son, Daniel Shannon
To Howard "Chip" Hyde '90 and his wife Theresa, a son, Darren Patrick, on April 24, 2001

To Lisa Schneider Pacifico '94 and her husband, John, a daughter, Jacqueline Ann,
on June 4, 2001

To Kevin Bryla '88 and his wife, Maryann, a daughter, Fiona Lee
To Tracy A. Barrelli Lucey '90 and her husband, Marc S. Lucey '94, a son, Gregory James, on July 4, 2001

To Eugene McGlynn '89 and Donna Marie Desanti '90, twins,
Josie and Collin, on Oct. 27, 2000. They join two brothers, Eugene Jr., age 6, and Drew, age 3.

In Memoriam
Edna McFadden '28
Ethel Cully Wafle '28
Alice E. Zneimer Beebe '29
Helen Tolley '29
Elizabeth Woods Hodges '29
Isadore Wasserman '32
Charlotte C. Gross '32 '39 M.A.
John W. Vogel '32 '33 M.A.
William Dunn '35 '48 M.A.
Marian S. Lindman ‘35
Alexander H. Anderson '37 '41 M.A.
Rose M. Sendon '38
Neil Takala '38
Lawrence Keyser '39
Eugene Brooks '41
Gloria Gonzalez Gifford '42
Jane Storminger Burgdorf '43
Ann Cunningham Lobell '43
Mary Stafurik Lonetri '48
John McGarigal '50
Marjorie Ann Bill Salt '57
John J. McHugh '58
Paul B. Sapp '62
Leah Burns Weseman '63
Patricia D. Miscewicz '68 '71 M.A.
Lee D. Donow '69 '72 M.A.
Linda Miller Hagen '73
Francis Rulias Athans '74 M.A.
Phoebe A. Stone '75 M.A.
Charlotte Zavon Bernstein '78 M.A.
Charlene W. Berry '78 M.A.
Ruth Stryker '81
Audrey Deile Reitschmeid '81
F. Paul Shields Jr. '01

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