Kevin Kennelly RIP

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Sad news that Kevin Kennelly passed away on November 15, 2013 at the London Health Sciences Center in London Ontario.  Kevin was a friend of mine, a couple of years behind me at school.  I was a camp counselor when I first met him at the Holy Cross Grade 8 end of year camp.  (Bob McDonnell was a fellow counselor there as well).  He and Danny Clancy were fellow musicians at the camp and through high school.

In this pic, Kevin is playing Conrad Birdie in the school production of Bye Bye Birdie.  Others in the picture that are recognizable are from left to right (Kathy Taylor -- in January the new chair of the Royal Bank and director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board),  Danny Clancy with his mouth open singing (now lead singer for the band Lighthouse), Kevin Kennelly, Mary Lee O'Neill and Danny O'Neill who was president of the Student's Council.

Kevin was a member of the graduating class of 1977 at OCHS/Dwyer.

In pace requiescat.

Kevin Kennelly Obituary

KENNELLY, Kevin Richard, age 55 of London Ontario, went to be with His Lord on Thursday 14th November, 2013. He was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and London pastor, who also travelled across Canada and Asia sharing the reconciling love of God. 

Kevin was born in Oshawa, Ontario on 18th October, 1958 to Elizabeth Kennelly (Courtney) and the late Robert Kennelly. He attended Paul Dwyer High School and then the Royal Military College, graduating in 1981 as a Mechanical Engineer. In 1990 he received a MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and Vehicle Technology from the Royal Military College of Shrivenham in England. 

Called by God into full time ministry, Kevin resigned his commission and attended the Salvation Army William Booth College for Officers in Toronto from 1992-1994 with his wife Cathi. They were appointed to church planting in London Ontario upon ordination, where they have remained ever since. 

Kevin is survived by his mother, Elizabeth Kennelly (nee Courtney), his wife, Catherine Kennelly (nee Albrecht) his three sons: Jeremy (Stacey), Sean (Danielle) and Michael (Chelsea) and four beloved grandchildren: Faith, Cillian, Gavriel and Nathan. He will be greatly missed by his sister and brothers: Cathy, Bob (Andy), and Michael (Denise), and all of his nieces and nephews. 

His absence will also be deeply felt by his church family at London Christian Fellowship International, by his ministry friends in London and beyond, and the many other friends across the world that he has made along the way. We pray that what he stood for, and who he stood for, will not be forgotten, but will multiply in people's hearts in the coming months and years. We love you Kevin, we miss you, but mostly we thank God for having you in our lives. 

Visitation will be held at the ROYAL VIEW PENTECOSTAL CHURCH, 218 Clarke Rd., London Ontario on Tuesday November 19, 2013 from 1-2:30 pm. Celebration of Life Service immediately following at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Kevin's church, London Christian Fellowship International in London or the London Health Sciences Centre.

Sad News ~ Arthur Chai is gravely ill

Sad news came this morning that Arthur Chai is gravely ill.  Art taught a variety of subjects including Math, Computer Science, and he was the Guidance Counselor.  He taught me both Math, and he taught me how to program in COBOL.  It was my first introduction to computers, and we used the mainframe at Durham College.

Little did I know then, that I would pursue it as a career and that both the Math that he taught, as well as the concepts of programming would suit me well as a Chief Technology Officer and Technical Architect.

Souvenirs

Well the 50th reunion of the school is come and gone, and I have to say that I was a little disappointed at the turnout.  The website has less than 100 graduate profiles out of a cast of thousands.  Considering that high school is a seminal part of our development as adults, I would have thought that the turnout would be larger.

I have come to another logical end of my content for this blog of memories of St. Joseph High / Oshawa Catholic High / Monsignor Paul Dwyer High.  I have run out of pictures to post.  If you have some, please forward them to me, and I will post them.

Thanks for stopping by. The late Steve Goodman wrote a song called "Souvenirs" made famous by John Prine.  I think some of those lyrics are appropriate at this juncture:

Broken hearts and dirty windows

Make life difficult to see.

That's why last night and this morning

Always look the same to me.

Memories, they can't be boughten.

They can't be won at carnivals for free.

Well it took me years to get those souvenirs,

And I don't know how they slipped away from me.

Shirley Smegal ~ Rest in Peace

In Memory of
Shirley Victorine (Patterson) Smegal
April 8, 1932 - July 3, 2013

Obituary

SMEGAL, Shirley Victorine

(Retired long time secretary at Monsignor Paul Dwyer High School)

Peacefully at Hillsdale Estates on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013 at 81 years of age. Beloved wife of Frank Smegal for 56 years. Loving mother of Viki Collins and her husband Al, John and his wife Isabel, Richard, and Cathy Duignan and her husband John. Cherished and devoted Bobby of Lee, Chantal (Brandon), James, Julianne, Jonathan, Rosabel, Christian and her wee great granddaughter Kallie. Dear sister of Joyce Kashul (Predeceased), Joan Rife (Bob), Wayne Patterson (Veronica). Shirley will be lovingly remembered by her extended family and many friends. Visitation will be held at the OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Friday, July 5th from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. GREGORY THE GREAT CATHOLIC CHURCH (194 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa) on Saturday, July 6th at 11:00 a.m. Interment Thornton Cemetery. Prayers will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 8:00 p.m. Memorial donations to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.

In pace requiescat.

The Commemorative Brick Series continued

Further images of some of the commemorative bricks placed at the school for the 50th Anniversary.

Cardinal Collins Blessing

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This is the second shot in a series shot by Joan Taylor where Cardinal Collins is blessing the school.  Again, Paul Pulla looks on from the right.  On the far left, the deacon is W. (Bill) Higgins, who used to teach at OCHS.

Cardinal Collins Officiating

Cardinal Collins officiates at a 50th Anniversary reunion event of the school.  That's Paul Pulla, ex student and Director of Education at the far right.  On the far left, the deacon is W. (Bill) Higgins, who used to teach at OCHS.

(photo by Joan Taylor)

Sister Anne Schenck, Joan Taylor, Sister Conrad Lauber at the reunion

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The title says it all. Two principals, two nuns, and a former student all rolled into three people.

Another Brick in the Wall

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Why does Pink Floyd lyrics come to mind (The Wall, 1979).  Here is a snap of more commemorative bricks at the school.  Courtesy of Joan Taylor.  Thanks Joan.

Commemorative Bricks

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My apologies for neglecting this blog.  I have been on the road continuously for a month and a half, and have covered many thousands of miles ranging from the Caribbean to the European continent and the east coast of Canada.  As a result, I missed the May activities and have Joan Taylor to thank for this tranche of pictures that I will display in upcoming posts.

As previously advertised, commemorative bricks were being sold for the reunion activities.  This is a shot of some of them in place.

PS.  I have had to turn off the comments because of the daily link spam that I was getting in the comments.  If you have a comment, by all means please contact me through the email address shown in the side column. Thanks.

Oshawa Express Coverage of Reunion

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Unfortunately I was travelling and was unable to attend the May reunion events.  However Joan Taylor sent this clipping along from the Oshawa Express.  I understand that a good time was had by one and all at the Pub Night.  Thanks Joan for this clipping.

Looking for Melitta Bast

Melitta Bast, if you are reading this blog, please leave your email address.  Thank you.

Brick Program Extended

DUE TO A POPULAR RESPONSE…..

THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 8th!

SUPPORT THE OCHS / DWYER

“ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP AWARD”

This new annual award will be presented for the first time to a student in this year’s graduating class. Grade 12 students who apply for the award will submit a personal statement (max. 500 words) explaining “…how he/she has lived the school values of VERITAS; BONITAS (Truth; Goodness) over their four years at Dwyer”.

A unique gift idea for the student, staff member

or families of the OCHS / Dwyer community.

BUY A BRICK FOR ONLY $100

(Full Tax Receipt Available)

Your brick will be placed in a new pathway 

at the school’s circular driveway. 

Your tribute brick will be in front of thenew

“Sisters of St. Joseph” Tribute Boulder & Garden.

Be a special part of this 50th year anniversary.

Contact: Maureen Moloney atmzm@sympatico.ca

• Up to 3 lines of font

• Looks best with 9 characters per line

DEADLINE TO ORDER FOR THE MAY CELEBRATIONHAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MARCH 8th, 2013!

(SAMPLE IDEAS)

IN MEMORY OF          JOAN HENNING              THANKS SISTERS

JOHN SMITH      Student 1964 – 1969                    THE

 Class of 1973       Teacher 1974 – 1980           SMITH FAMILY     

The Rock

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This is a close up of the text of the Tribute Stone placed in front of the school for the 50th Anniversary.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all.  Peace and Joy this holiday season.  Stay safe, be happy, and cherish what you have.

Best,

Ken

Kathleen Taylor

The vice president of the Lord Elgin Hotel is a friend of mine, a prodigious reader of every journal going and he passes down his Maclean's cast-off magazines down to me.  I stuff them into my computer bag, and they make great reading on airplanes and when I am travelling.  I have left issues of Maclean's on two continents, in the pockets of three airlines, and in the Caribbean, where import duties make a magazine go for $13 a copy, they are eagerly snapped up as window to the outside world, and the land of the North.

So I was idly flipping through the November 5 issue of Maclean's and it had an insert titled:  "Portraits in Leadership 2012" presented by Canadian Business and the Ted Rogers Leadership Center @ Ryerson University.  In amongst the cognoscenti of Canadian business, I come across the picture of one Kathleen Taylor, the President and CEO of the Four Seasons Hotel chain.

OCHS alumni will know her as the vibrant Kathy Taylor who was a year behind me and participated in almost every student endeavour imaginable from being the judge at Kangaroo court to Student Council president.
In the above picture, Kathy is pictured third down the line graduating from OCHS (incidentally that is my sister at the head of the line).

So good on you Kathleen.  Congratulations on your achievements and may your successes continue for many years to come.

Tribute Stone

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Maureen Moloney is giving a thumbs up at the tribute stone honouring the Sisters of Saint Joseph on the 50th Anniversary of the school.

Which reminds me -- go to the website http://pauldwyer50th.com/ and sign up for the next reunion events, and post something on the classmates profile.

Maureen Moloney and Shirley Smegal at the September Reunion

Maureen Moloney is pictured here with OCHS/Dwyer icon Shirley Smegal who served the school so well during her tenure there.  Mrs. Smegal is eighty years old in this picture.

Buy A Brick For the School

SUPPORT THE OCHS / DWYER

“ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP AWARD”

A unique gift idea for the student, staff member

or families of the OCHS / Dwyer community.

BUY A BRICK FOR ONLY $100

(Partial Tax Receipt Available)

Your brick will be placed in a new pathway

at the school’s circular driveway.

Your tribute brick will be in front of thenew

“Sisters of St. Joseph” Tribute Boulder & Garden.

Be a special part of this 50^th year anniversary.

Contact: Maureen Moloney at:  

·         Up to 3 lines of font

·         Looks best with 9 characters per line

·         DEADLINE TO ORDER FOR THE MAY CELEBRATION IS JAN. 15/13

(SAMPLE IDEAS)

IN MEMORY OF          JOAN HENNING              THANKS SISTERS

JOHN SMITH      Student 1964 – 1969                    THE

 Class of 1973       Teacher 1974 – 1980           SMEGAL FAMILY     

Sad News - Shirley Smegal

SHIRLEY WAS SCHOOL SECRETARY FROM 1969-1985.

 This is her staff photo in the 1984 yearbook.

Shirley was admitted to Oshawa Lakeridge Hospital on October 5th after suffering a stroke at her home in Oshawa.  The stroke was a serious one that affected her entire left side.  Shirley will remain at Oshawa Lakeridge for the time being where she will be given physio daily for 20 minute periods.  She will be moved to Whitby Hospital for rehab when a bed is available at that facility.  From there, she will be joining her husband Frank at Sunnycrest Nursing Home in Whitby.  Shirley was in very good spirits at the Dwyer 50th Reunion activities in early September where she renewed friendships with many old acquaintances.  Fortunately the stroke did not affect her speech or memory in any way and she welcomes visitors warmly.  Kindly keep Shirley and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Greg Duquette Looks Back on the 1960's

Greg Duquette looks back on the 1960's when he was a student at OCHS.

Joe Szekeres and Sister Anne Marie Marrin

Joe Szekeres is pictured here in the school lobby with Sister Anne Marie Marrin.  Joe did a terrific job in help organizing the reunion and the website.

Just as an aside, I noticed in the poster behind them, that the spring break and class trip is headed over to Germany.  Wow.  A European vacation for a spring break class trip.  This wasn't the high school that I went to.

Three Priests

Three priest who were students at OCHS/Dwyer are pictured here.  In the back (white hair) is Fr. Peter Rowe. In the foreground closest to the camera is Fr. Dominic Barber and Fr. Kevin Belgrade is to the right.

There is another alumnus who is a priest.  Mark Fusco was ordained as a Jesuit in 2011.  He graduated from OCHS in the mid 1980's.

Two Principals

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Sister Anne Schenck and Sister Conrad Lauber, two former principals of OCHS/Dwyer pose in front of the office of the school at the reunion in September 2012.

Teacher Ruth Nicholls at the Reunion

Ruth Nicholls has had a long career as a teacher at OCHS/Dwyer.  She taught me English in her early years of teaching.  Here she is pictured at the reunion.