It’s Boys’ Night Out, and Bryan Dunigan Celebrates                                  
 
 
                        Consistent with his habits, Bryan Dunigan spurned Rick McPartlin’s Boys’ Night Out invitation in favor of a Friday night date.  The annual gathering of Rick’s Chicago classmates for conversation and fellowship was quietly underway that January evening at a pub on the city’s north side when Bob Ptak, Mick Hyland or another member of the group began showing off a snazzy new cell phone with an ap that buzzes each time Notre Dame solicits money from Ed Broderick.  Over the din of the alarm, class President Tom Weyer remarked about another ap, one named DuniganWatch.  Soon Bryan, dressed in a full bookstore wardrobe, moist with Brut, and armed with facts about his influence over Notre Dame football, was in view on the monitors set about the establishment.  Tom Gibbs arrived to join John Walsh, Roger Guerin, Ted Nugent, Dave Kabat, Ron Zaba and the others just as Bryan and his date were heading to the Linebacker from the Grotto. 
                        We will leave Bryan for the moment and turn to correspondence that came from Dave McGovern, Phil Stallions, Forrest Hainline, John Schmelzer,and Neil Rogers.
                        Dave McGovern and Dorothy, who married in 1967, now live in Williamsburg, VA.  They are the parents of Dan (’90), Dave (’93) and Molly and have two grandchildren living in Chicago.  Dave’s daughter-in-law is a partner in Rick McPartlin’s medical practice.  After completing Naval service and working for radio stations in Fort Wayne, Seattle and other cities, Dave began his IBM career in Portland, OR in 1977. 
                        Forrest Hainline and John O’Connor, both lawyers residing in San Francisco, meet for squash contests.  One of the two, I don’t remember which one, said that he beats the other like a drum, same as in court. 
                        After studying the house beer list, Bryan orders two drafts and settles into a discourse about his management of the Beach Boy concert appearances.  Then he explains who the Beach Boys were.
                        Phil Stallions has grown kids and a Bowling Green, KY life of semi-retirement.  Phil plays the organ and is minister of music at St. Luke’s Anglican.  He also works with the Foster Grandparents program, which mentors and tutors exceptional needs children.  Phil’s wife passed away several years ago. 
                        Neil Rogers, one of the friends who gathered for a Tom Weems memorial celebration in October, sent photographs that appear on the class blog, http://www.ndclass1968.com.  Pat Furey hosted Neil, Dana Hart, Bob Santaloci, Dave Graves, Pat Demare, Rich Rogers, and Mike Carroll at Pat’s farm in St. Leonards, Maryland. 
                        Bryan’s date now appears drowsy as he begins explaining how he counseled Joe Montana before the Southern Cal game. 
                        John Schmelzer, another resident of the D.C.-VA-MD snowbelt, lives in Falls Church City, VA.  Notre Dame Magazine’s recent article about a courageous 2009 graduate in Uganda caught John’s attention.  In the nearby Baltimore area, Jay Schwartz and Maureen McAtee are celebrating a new granddaughter, Pearl.  Sharing the same happiness are John Walsh and Dia, who also gained ground on Mike Baroody and Muff with the arrival of Lucia Elizabeth.    
                        Tom McKenna, the Madison, IN native now living in Carmel, IN is campaigning hard for the Democratic Party’s nomination as Secretary of State.  The primary election takes place in May, 2010.  Tom’s campaign site, laced with references to Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and other political thinkers as well as Tom’s 64^th birthday January 30, is www.mckennaforsecretary.com.
                        Joe Kernan and Maggie will make a visit to Vietnam, where Joe was a POW 38 years ago.  The news appeared in the South Bend Tribune on February 19, 2010: see http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100218/News01/100219368/1130
                  The football season had big turnouts of classmates.  Glendale Height, IL’s Paul Eide left his car unwatched long enough for signing in on the USC game sheet along with Pat Carr from Mt. Laurel, NJ, Jack Riess from Fort Wayne, IN, and Tom Connoly from New Carlisle, IN.  At the Boston game were Joseph Petro from Garden City, NY, and Michael Berkowick from OK.  Jack Burkhardt came from Brentwood, TN for the Connecticut game. 
                        In Granger, IN, Monk Forness is getting ready for the annual Blue-Gold game start to the new season.  Monk, Paul Gill, Kent Durso, Dan Saracino, Mike Murphy, Jan Denebenetto and other well-muscled beneficiaries of Father Bernard Lange, C.S.C.’s gym will honor Father Lange during the weekend.  Monk is in good shape again after a hip replacement.
                        Tom Moore is alerting classmates about a San Diego ceremony commemorating Mike McCormick, a casualty of the Vietnam era.  John Walsh is one of the friends who will join Tom at the April 23rd event.  Tom's note appears in “This just in. . .” on our blog.
                        Please keep in your prayers three classmates who died in 2009.  Thomas Bernard was living in State College, PA, where he was a professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Tom’s obituary, found on the class blog, attests to a life of great accomplishment as a father, husband, author, and community volunteer.  Despite a prediction of death within the year when Hodgkins Disease became evident in 1969, Tom lived ferociously and happily.  Our classmate Thaddeus Samulski was living in Chapel Hill, NC, where he is survived by his wife Ricka and his daughter Erica, ’95.  Bob Nenoff, who died during June, 2009 in Greensburg, PA, has a name enshrined in Tom Weyer’s memory of Keenan Hall athletic achievement.  Bob, who was broad and powerful but not tall, held the football for a successful 35-yard field goal in an interhall game.  But that accomplishment was not enough: Bob went on to success as a member of the Notre Dame fencing team, perhaps, as Tom suggests, slashing his opponents across the shins and ankles.  Joe Blake and his family are mourning the death of his sister, who passed away at the age of 80 on February 11. 
                        The class blog has these notes and prior ones, along with photographs and correspondence: http://www.ndclass1968.com.   Please let me know your news: Tom Figel, 1054 West North Shore, Apt. 3-E, Chicago, IL 60626, tel. 312-881-7391, tfigel@lake-effect.com.

November, 2009 Notes, Class of 1968            Contact: Thomas Figel, 312-223-9536 x301 (office)

                                                                        Tfigel@lake-effect.com

ALL ABOUT TOM . . . AND DAVE KABAT

                        With their fresh good looks, intelligence, and warmth, the Toms made the sunny afternoon of the Navy game memorable for the quality of the party.  Class President Tom Weyer arrived early and was soon joined by other Tom notables: Tom McKenna (of Carmel, IN), who is likely to run for Secretary of State on the Democratic ticket; Thomas A. Durkin, Thomas S. Moore, Tom Gibbs, Tom Misch,  and Tom Cuggino.  There were some other people there, too, but they were not Toms, even though, like the rest of us, they spoke of cousin Tom McKenna in Chicago, Tom Condon in West Hartford, CT, Tom Fitzharris, the artist and television producer in New York, musician Tom Wishing, Tom Chema, Tom McCann of Oak Park, the quarterbacking of Tom Clements and so on.

                        Toms are the dragons’ teeth of the class of 1968: more than 90 of us plus the toe-in-the water variety who have T. , probably for “Thomas”, as a middle initial: John T. Fowler of Louisville; George T. Horn, who came from Columbia, PA; Richard T. Kelly of Chicago; Peter T. King of Jamaica, NY; John T. Kries of Dallas; Michael T. McGarry of Schenectady, NY; John T. Slankas of Lawrenceburg, TN; and Thomas P. Kingston, Jr. of Staten Island, NY.  Then there is T. David McGovern of Barrington, IL.  Imagine all the Toms – Tom Goodenow, Tom Gubanich, Tom Krull, Tom McDermott, Tom O’Reilly, Tom Spinrad and, of course, Tom Umphrey – all vying on the limited phone lines for the chance to talk with Mary Ellen, Mary Margaret, and Mary Clare each Friday at St. Mary’s. 

                        Though they share many good attributes, the Toms are far from homogeneous.  Some are named for Thomas the Apostle, while others are named for Thomas Aquinas, Sir Thomas More, Thomas Jefferson, and maybe Tommy the Iceman.  Some you can stack like cordword: witness Tom Weyer, Tom Condon and Tom Gibbs in the melee of a 40th reunion alligator pile; others with the same name keep their sensible distance. 

                        The name is so popular in the records of our class that those not named Tom are probably the younger sibling of an older brother who had already taken the prize.  The majority of the Toms in our class share another quality: they don’t send news for these records, though Tom Ferratt, it is true, signed his name on the attendance list at the Michigan State game.  In that way, the Toms are like the Mikes, Johns, Steves, Joes and Kevins in our ranks.

                        For the record, and witnessed by many of the Toms, Dave Kabat was at the tailgate before and after the game.  Also enjoying the company of the Toms were Jay Schwartz and Laura along with son-in-law Randy Cornett, Megan, and their son Owen, all visiting from Baltimore.  In the Schwartz group was Jim O’Donnell, another son-in-law, who came from Seattle for a get-together with his Carroll Hall friends. Nearby were Brian Schanning and Susan from Marblehead, MA when they are not on the open sea.  John Mulligan, who used to be under the sea with Brian during their Navy submarine days, came from Cleveland. South Bend dignitaries Chris Murphy, Gene Cavanaugh, Jim O’Rourke and Joe Kernan made the tailgate an afternoon stop. Bob Ptak, Roger Guerin, Bryan Dunigan, and Brian McManus were four who came from the Chicago area.  Jim Hutchinson brought his big (pre-game) smile from Rochester, NY. 

                        Mike Baroody and Muff are awaiting the birth of their twenty-first grandchild.  Other grandfathers who will soon announce repeat business are John Walsh and Jay Schwartz.

                        Joe Blake, Mike Baroody, Bill Brennan, Monk Forness, Ed Kickham and I had fun discussing the draft and the U.S. Military forces on November 11th.  If you want to see the email, let me know.  Now that we have solved that problem, we will turn to new challenges: healthcare reform, economic stimulus, and the understanding of women.  Join in.

                        The class blog has these notes and prior ones, along with photographs and correspondence: http://www.ndclass1968.com.   Please let me know your news: Tom Figel, 1054 West North Shore, Apt. 3-E, Chicago, IL 60626, tel. 312-881-7391, tfigel@lake-effect.com.