Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion

Staten Island, NY: Saturday EventsOn Oct. 27 and 28, 2017, the Class of 1967 held a reunion on Staten Island.

• Friday Oct. 27, a golf outing at South Shore Golf Course

• Friday Oct. 27, an informal mixer at Joyce’s Tavern

• Saturday Oct. 28, a Memorial Mass in the MFHS Chapel

• Saturday Oct. 28, the Main Event at LiGreci’s Staaten

•There is an SI Live write up of our Main Event at:

•http://www.silive.com/news/2017/11/farrell_67_alumni_rock_their_r

.html

In all, 53 Class Members (and 1 beloved widow of a classmate) participated

along with 46 guests to put us at an even 100. In this deck, we capture

images from the Saturday events. The Memorial Mass was specifically

dedicated to the 41 classmates who have passed away (9 more than at the

45th) and once again, Msgrs Bergin and Whalen concelebrated the Mass.

There is a separate deck for the Friday events (Golf and Friday night mixer)

and a separate tab containing all the videos of the reunion band’s (Band of

Rockers) set. There is also a deck of ‘extra’ reunion pix.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion:

MFHS Building Tours

MFHS is always happy to welcome us home. Entering the building from the

parking lot, we can observe the light pole banner dedicated to the memory or

our own Chris Volney (lower left). Upon entering the lobby, we were greeted

by current students, Matt and Sean, who gave us a tour of the school. The

highlights were the MFHS TV Production Studio that has taken over the old

Brothers’ Quarters and the newly refurbished gym (floor logo lower right).

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion:

Memorial Mass in the Chapel

As always, our Mass serves as a centerpiece to give us the right perspective

on our reunion. The MFHS Chapel is a familiar and beautiful setting.

Monsignors Edmund Whalen (current principal) and Thomas Bergin (former

principal) concelebrated the Mass. We remembered the 41 classmates that

have passed away in our intentions. Rich Potter (’66) did the readings and

Biz Randle read the names of classmates being remembered .

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion:

Memorial Mass in the Chapel

Some of our Mass attendees pose above. (Seated) Chorman, Bowles,

Sheeran, Sleap, Golat. (Standing) Graf, Mercereau, Fox, Curty, Elia,

Wasielewski, Chiodo, Egan, Sierra, Randle, DeCarlo, Panepinto, Fitzgerald

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Set UpBiz provides some direction to Flint Gennari, reunion photographer, while

bartenders Mike and Neal prepare for arrival of attendees. Yearbooks and flat

screens with 320 looping slides, and name tags with YB pix were set up to

prompt everyone of what we each looked like back in the day. First time

attendee, Dan Haley arrives early from Culver City, CA and brushes up on YB pix

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

The Staaten served enough delicious food during the cocktail hour to feed an

army. Folks arrived at 6PM and found a lot to talk about in a great setting.

L: Alice DeCarlo, Bob Fitzgerald, Ruth Munday, Rick Somma, and Paul DeCarlo

are always ready to party together. R: First time reunion attendees Bill and Mary

Vossen get some reunion tips from Gill Cornell who has made most of them.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

L: Doris Diaz and Jim Grosso catch up with Rich Barron. The ‘set list’ is always

a good topic.

R: Mary and Matt Graf (foreground) came in from Vermont for their first reunion

and are greeted by Tony and Patty Sierra who have attended every reunion we

have ever had.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

L: Ed Curty gets to talk in person with John Cusick, the Director of MFHS

Institutional Development, as the two were instrumental working with Mike

O’Grady to establish the Class of ’67 Scholarship Fund (over $18K after the ME).

R: Biz Randle is happy to see Tom Abarno again. Biz and Tom, along with Larry

Chorman, were classmates at JHS 49 and transferred together to MFHS after 8th

grade. The transfer of schools clearly didn’t hurt them.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

L: Chuck Fox came in from Memphis, Rich Barron from Pennsylvania, and Jim

Mercereau from Madrid Spain but they all have shared memories of MFHS and

their classmates.

R: Gene ‘Waz’ Wasielewski and Jim ‘Jumbo’ Reilly go all the way back to St.

Rita’s together.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

L: Not just the guys get a chance to reconnect. Doris Diaz (Jim Grosso’s partner)

and Denise Caruso (Ray Porcell’s partner) have bonded as their guys have

made music together over the years.

R: Mike Elliott and Joe Chiodo have plenty to talk about also.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

LiGreci’s Staaten – Cocktail Hour

L: Larry Egan, John Lebrio, Gill Cornell, Bill Vossen and Ed Curty are all happy

for the chance to get together again.

R: Ruth Munday, Bob Fitzgerald, and Rich Ruggiero listen to John Cusick’s info

on what is going on these days at MFHS.

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten – Introductions and GraceAfter the cocktail hour got the group ready to party, Biz Randle announced the

attendees and their hometowns. There were about 100 in the room and not just

from NY and NJ. We had attendees from PA, OH, NH, VT, MA, VA, NC, SC, TN,

NM, OR, CA, FL, and Madrid, Spain. Msgr Bergin, our beloved Latin teacher and

a former principal at MFHS, provided perspective and said grace for us. Later in

the evening, current principal Msgr Whalen gave an inspiring account of what is

taking place at MFHS. Mike O’Grady made an impassioned plea for the class to

give back to Farrell via the Class Scholarship Fund: $18K+ as of this writing!

Class of 1967

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten – DinnerThe Staaten put on a superb buffet dinner and we were all happy to partake in a

very varied menu. The choices for our menu were made many months ago by

John Lebrio who proved to have expert taste buds. We are happy to report there

was more than plenty for everyone and no food fights broke out.

Class of 1967

Table 2 (no table 1 or 3) Standing: Mike Solimando, Rich Ruggiero, Chuck

Fox, Jim Sheeran.

Seated: Chris Ruggiero, Mary Wilder, Dal Horton. (Deb Solimando and Dan

Muller were both late cancellations.)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 4 (no table 1 or 3) Standing: Vic Golat, Jim Reilly, Gene Wasielewski.

Seated: Dan Haley, Liz and Rich Barron, Jerry and Laura Kenny. (Bill

Fenley was a late cancellation.)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 5 Standing: Tony and Patty Sierra, Pat and Larry Chorman, Tom

Abarno, Joe Chiodo

Seated: Angela Chiodo, Sandy Bowles, Msgr Thomas Bergin, Tom Bowles.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 6 (The St. Christopher’s table) Standing: Bill Vossen, Jim Lopez,

Henry Magno, Larry Egan, Ed Curty, Gill Cornell. Seated: Mary Vossen,

Helene Magno, Joanne Egan, Dorie Cornell. (Angela Curty was a late

cancellation.)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 7 Standing: Cheryl and Mark LaBelle, Jim Mercereau, Lynda and Mike

O’Grady. Seated: Jim and Kate Mattimore, Mandy Bruscella, Frank Elia and

Kristine Cloyes. Note: Biz and Noel Randle were busy flitting around the

room and missed the call for the table picture so we added their pic!

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 8 Standing: Nilda Sleap, Mary and Matt Graf, Mike and Mary Elliott.

Seated: Tom Sleap, John and Phyllis Lebrio, Rose and Tom Ingrisani.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table (The Band table) Standing: Ray Porcell, Brian Callahan, Doris Diaz

and Jim Grosso, Joe Reale.

Seated: Denise Caruso, Christine Ferrara, Ed Farley, Doug LaRocca, Tom

Ferrara.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 10 (The Vectors table) Standing: Gordon Nelson, Vin Montalbano,

Gary Catalano, Cathy and Al O’Leary, Joe and Ronnie Ramos. Seated:

Ester Montalbano, Lou and Tinka Castioni, Chris and Rich Travers.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

Table 11 (Manhattan College / West Point table) Standing: Jim and Sharon

Harrigan, Jane and Randy Goffred, Paul DeCarlo. Seated: Rick Somma,

Bob Fitzgerald and Ruth Munday, Alice DeCarlo.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Tables

Class of 1967

The Midlife Crisis Trio kept us entertained all night long. They were a great fit with

the Class of ‘67. Their website is : www.midlifecrisistrio.com

Gary Catalano (bass/vocals), Gordon Nelson (guitar/vocals)

Al O’Leary (drums/vocals – honorary member of MFHS ’67)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten – Music and Dancing

Class of 1967

Band of Rockers: Classmates that played our high school dances back in the day,

joined together to practice then play a set at our Main Event. BofR participants:

(L to R): Mark LaBelle(Hang 5), Tom Ferrara (Mark V), Jim Grosso (Chordmen),

Ray Porcell (Vanguards), Lou Castioni (Vectors), Brian Callahan (Chordmen), Ed

Farley (Vanguards), Vin Montalbano (Vectors), Rich Travers (Vectors), Joe Ramos

(Vectors). Their set was tight. Videos are featured separately on the website.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten – Music and Dancing

Class of 1967

Band of Rockers performing: Too great to contain in one shot, Fearless Ed Farley

and Doug LaRocca, our bassists, are out of frame left and right respectively. Rest

of band from L to R: Lou Castioni (keyboard), Joe Ramos (guitar), Rich Travers

(percussion), Vin Montalbano (vocals), Al O’Leary (percussion), Tom Ferrara

(guitar), Ray Porcell (guitar/vocals), Jim Grosso (percussion), Brian Callahan (kb)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten – Music and Dancing

Class of 1967

If you play great tunes, our crew is going to dance!

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Dancing

Class of 1967

If you play great tunes, our crew is going to dance!

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Dancing

Class of 1967

If you play great tunes, our crew is going to dance!

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Dancing

Class of 1967

As always, good friends gravitate to each other during the course of the night

especially if they all went to St. Patrick’s elementary. Above we see the same

grouping of Paul DeCarlo, Tom Bowles, and Tom Ingrisani as we had at our

45th. (If we dug harder, we would likely see it at our 40th, 35th…)

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

From 50th -> <- From 45th

Class of 1967

L: Jerry Kenny, Gene Wasielewski, Larry Egan, Dan Haley, and Vic Golat are glad to

get time together.

R: Joe Reale (1st reunion attended) and Tom Ferrara reestablish Farrell and Mark V

connections.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Jane Goffred reconnects with Mark LaBelle and wife Cheryl. They had worked

together many years ago.

R: Jane’s husband Randy Goffred and Jim Mattimore were also at Manhattan

College together (Mark LaBelle too).

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Chris Ruggiero and Mary Wilder (Fox) find plenty to talk about.

R: Jim Grosso and Ray Porcell go back to days at St. Rita’s together. Doris and

Denise are helping create new memories.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Standing, Ronnie Ramos and Chris Travers, Seated, Cathy O’Leary and Ester

Montalbano are fast friends and in The Vectors’ fan club.

R: Paul and Alice DeCarlo and Noel and Biz Randle are couples married for well

over 40 years now but have all been hanging out together since their single days.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Mandy Bruscella, Sharon and Jim Harrigan share a lot of love for Mandy’s

departed Danny, an avid organizer of past reunions.

R: Besides Farrell, what do Vin Montalbano, Mike Solimando, and Tom Abarno have

in common? They are all in the “End In O” club.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Henry Magno, Ed Curty, Tom and Christine Ferrara have plenty to say but

will have to work hard to keep up with our ever affable Bob Fitzgerald.

R: This was Lynda O’Grady and Mary Graf’s first time at a Farrell party but they

seem to be fitting right in with support from their husbands, Mike and Matt, and

Tony and Patty Sierra who have been to all the Class of ’67 reunions.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

These buddies each had more to bind them than Farrell.

Goffred and Harrigan had college and 10+ years of softball together, Travers

and Ramos had the Vectors, Fox and Cornell had varsity football.

But MFHS is at the core of their friendships.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

L: Lynda and Mike O’Grady and Tom Bowles new to North Carolina living but

Jim Mercereau is a long time resident of Spain.

R: Ronnie Ramos happy to get some time with Mike and Mary Elliott.

2017 : 50th Reunion – Main Event:

Staaten - Reminiscing

Class of 1967

Assembled and happy to have some time together. Vir Fidelis!

Class of 1967

We lost our classmate, Jack Cummings, on August 27, 2017. Jack was very

cognizant that his 68th birthday would fall on the day of our Main Event. On

8/19/17 Jack sent this in an email ”Biz … order a sheet cake (big enough for all

the guests) address it something like "Happy 50th Reunion" and "Happy

Birthday Jack".” It was delicious Jack.