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Aug 31, 2026

Aug 31
9 min read

Updated: Sep 1

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Next Monday - Sept 7, 2026 - Labor Day -

Alumni House Closed


SPECIAL THANKS to Sue & Chris Gorman & Monica DaPra for sponsoring today's Alumni House luncheon. Lee's Deli Sub Sandwiches, Chips & Fruit were the main course and homemade Lemon Bars served for dessert.


Sue Gorman, Monica DaPra, Chris Gorman


                  

Joining Us: Sue Gorman, Chris Gorman, Monica DaPra, Rick Ropiak, Joe Macareno,

Steve Madsen, Joe Woitach, Don Klemt, Dan DeMatthew, Amy DeMatthew, Marty Defatte, Dave Cook, Bill Horvath, Pam Mano, Mark Mano, Nick Comande, Tom Miller, Mike Lewis,

Frank D'Acquisto, Joe Osterman, George Oteman, Terry Toll, Joe Woitach, Rick Jones,

Bob Broihier, Terry Kovara, Dan Kovara, John Ketarkus, Mike Hyduke, Dave Benjamin,

Ed DeMeulenaere, Dan Dumont, Jerry Jardina, Tim Mattes, Lloyd Tremmel



Pictures thanks to..........Lloyd Tremmel '60






Welcome to Racine...............


Father Kolb


Fr. Kolb is a native of West Bend, Wisconsin. After graduating from West Bend East High School in 2011, he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he studied Mechanical Engineering and participated in the Naval ROTC program. His decision to serve in the military was inspired in part by the service of both his father and great-grandfather.

Upon graduating from Notre Dame in May 2015 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Fr. Kolb was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. He was assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans(DDG-68) and later completed an almost eight-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf.

His years at Notre Dame and his service in the Navy became an important part of the journey that would eventually lead him to the priesthood.

Fr. Kolb’s patron saint is St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and a saint known for discernment, courage, and seeking God’s presence in all things.



Welcome Back........


Dan Dumont former owner Dewey's on Main




Special Announcement.................




                     The money will  be used to do a few upgrades in the Alumni House

and to pay off the buildings mortgage.                        




Project 2026..............Congratulations


A new chapter for St. Catherine's High School!

What a beautiful day to celebrate the past, present, and future of St. Catherine’s High School! Today, August 25, we officially celebrated our new safe and secure entrance and administrative suite with a ribbon-cutting and tour. Alumni, students, families, staff, friends, donors, and community supporters came together to tour the new spaces, share memories, and celebrate this incredible milestone in the history of St. Cat’s.

The new safe and secure entrance reflects our continued investment in the future of Catholic education in Racine. It is through this milestone that we continue to make St. Catherine’s a safe, welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this vision a reality. So many hands, hearts, prayers, and generous gifts brought us to this moment. 

As we look toward the future, we do so with gratitude for the Angels who came before us, excitement for the Angels who walk these halls today, and hope for all of those who will call St. Catherine’s home for the years to come.

The future is bright for St. Catherine’s.

#GoAngels #AngelStrong                         






Out & About.................




Don't let summer slip by without visiting the Pike River Pathway in Mount Pleasant. It's the perfect reminder to slow down, get outside, and enjoy what's right in our backyard. Tag someone who needs a walk (or bike ride) today! 

Access Points:

Wendi Court and Old Spring Street (east of Airline Road)

Timmer Lane (southern terminus)

Oakes Road (at Mariner Drive)

Washington Avenue (at Case High School)

Willow Road (at Racine County Trail/SCJ Waxdale)

Durand Avenue (east of Cottage Drive)

The pathway currently runs from Old Spring Street to CTH KR, and is part of the larger 339-acre Pike River Corridor — a mix of Village-owned land and conservation easements along the Pike River. The corridor also includes fishing areas, benches, bike repair stations and port-o-potties.

              

Have “a case of the Monday’s!?”

Feeling a little edgy from the Celebrations all weekend…?

come Downtown Racine family/friends, where the Square is Fare and the “cakes are legendary”….............The Maple Table is still ball’n! 

Closed Tuesday snitches 





FYI..............




The Friends of Angels held a Golf Outing Thursday Aug13th at Meadowbrook CC in honor of the memory of Jim Poulsen '60 coordinated by Don Klemt. FOA raised $3,350 in Jim's name to assist in updating the SCHS Chapel. Pat (Michna) Carbonneau '67 (Jim'sGuardianAngel) arranged a Rosary & Mass at St Monica's early in the morning.


If interested, a donation of $50 In Jim Poulsen’s name for SCHS Chapel update would be welcomed. Make your check payable to Friends of Angels Inc


Send to:

Friends of Angels Inc

c/o Bobby Letsch Jr

1220 Villa Street

Racine WI 53403





Angels Connecting.................


Classmates: Where are they Now ???

Special Thanks to '56 John Ketarkus -

Please share the Blog with fellow Alumni & Friends - foa1220.org - then Click on Blog



'56 Nancy (Quinn) Hussey now lives in Appleton WI

'56 Patricia (Bonner) Limbach now lives in Naples FL

contact via Facebook Messenger

'56 Jack Evenson he and his wife Barbara live in Centervillle, Ohio.

 937-287-4553 - jackevenson@earthlink.co 

‘56 Julie (Haislmeir) Linehan lives in Scottsdale AZ.

Phone/text 262-957-7286

‘71 Cece (Ketarkus) Metzger lives in Henderson NV.

Text message 262-937-0077

‘59 Joe Woitach lives in Racine WI with his wife, Mary (Dacquisto). 

‘61 Bobbie (O’Claire) Rehbein lives in Racine

‘79 Marcia (Ketarkus) Tomka lives in Henderson NV.

'56 Lawerence Funk lives in Kenosha

'56 Jerome Gross lives in Brighton, MI

'56 Jane Holt lives in Alphasetta, GA

'70 Denise Ketarkus lives in Racine

'56 James "Jim" Henes lives in Appleton, WI

'60 Donna (Lamers) DeFatte & hubby Martin live in Racine

'60 Lloyd Tremmel & wife Jane live in Racine

Text message 262-762=3959

'56 Ralph Principe lives in John's Island ,SC

'56 Gerald "Judy" Wells lives in New Port Richey, Fl

'56 John Ketarkus lives in Racine

'56 Mary (Woitach) Korzilius lives in Mount Pleasant, WI

'56 Kathleen "Kathy" Cramer lives in Boise,ID

Message"208-841-3862

'56 George Oteman & wife Mary Lou live in Racine

Call/Text 262-639-2268

'65 Dan Kovara lives in Caledonia, WI

'56 Willam Hanson lives in Eagle,WI

Text Msg 262-422-5676

'57 Henry "Hank" Brill lives in St Charles IL

‘57  Mildred “Millie” Lechner lives in Caledonia, WI with

her husband, Ron Carls.

‘57  Sally (Huennekens) Madden lives in Racine, WI.

‘57  Donna (Kaye) Crain lives in Franklin, WI.

55 Kenneth “Ken” Kurhajec lives in Franksville, WI.

'55 Richard Russo lives in Madison, WI

russo.biker@gmail.com‘  Mardell (Bohn) Danowski lives in Mount Pleasant, WI.

‘56  Mardell (Bohn) Danowski lives in Mount Pleasant, WI.

Phone: 262-554-1069

‘56  Connie (Dunham) McCormick lives in Saint Pete, FL.

Phone: 727-614-5330

‘55  Mary Claire (Weibel) Betker lives in Nekoosa, WI.

Claire54457@yahoo.comYEs, John Keta

‘58  Judith “Judy” (Floyd) Glider lives in Waukesha, WI.

‘58  Rose (Konicek) Gresser lives in Seattle, WA.

‘71. Jeff Pulda lives in Racine, WI.

‘58. Sally (Hansen) Yeager lives in Ocala, FL.

‘58. Karen (Peterson) Verbeten lives in Racine, WI.

‘58. Gerald “Jerry” Verwey live in Nevada

 Phone: 479-644-2102

‘54. Thomas Parr lives in Brighton, MI.

 tparr10@ yahoo.com

‘54 Margaret(Peterson) Grebevada lives in Waukesha, WI

‘59  Caryl (Nelson) Yasko lives in Whitewater, WI

‘54  Rita (Langlois) Curty lives in Mount Pleasant, WI

‘59  Marcia (Simenson) Watson lives in Wasilla, AK

‘55. Kelli (Brown) Fallbach lives in Sedalia, CO.


1st Thursday of the Month - Alumni & Friends meet 9:30am (time Change) at DeRango's

on Washington & West Blvd 


  • Class of '77 -


                                                                                                    

  • Class of '76 - Contact Nick Comande - MTCLIMBR@EXECPC.com


  • Class of '73 - Luncheon was Tuesday December 9th at the Alumni House. Paul Sklba is coordinating the get-together.


  •  Class of '69 - ???


  •  Class of '63 -



  •  Class of '62 - website: SCHS1962.org - Compliments of John McNamee '62

                                    

  • Class of '60 -They also meet the last Wednesday of each month at Dynasty restaurant.

       - contact Renee (Ricchio) Benjamin for details - rsbenjam@sbcglobal.net


   •     Class of '59 - meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Castlewood restaurant

       - contact Mary (D'Acquisto) Woitach for details - JWOITACH@yahoo.com


    •  Class of '58 - meets 1st Tuesday of the month at Dynasty restaurant

       - contact Karen (Petersen) Verbeten for details - Kverbeten1@wi.rr.com



  •  Purchase your Angels Items online. Click on......




CRIBBAGE.................SEMI CORRECT ???


Table #1: Chris Gorman/Lori Azarian - 2-2, Ed DeMeulenaere/Sue Gorman 2-2

Fr Kolb/Monica DaPra 0-1


Ed DeMeulanere, Fr Kolb, Chris Gorman, Sue Gorman, Monica DaPra, Lori Azarian              

  

The gang welcome Fr to Cribbage by "SKUNKING" him - AMEN !!!

Fr Kolb & Chris Gorman



Table #2: Frank D'Acquisto/Dan Dumont 2-1, Jerry Jardina/Dave Benjamin 1-2


Frank D'Acquisto, Jerry Jardina, Dan Dumont, Dave Benjamin       


Table #3: Joe Osterman/Rick Ropiak 1-2, Dan DeMatthew/Lloyd Tremmel 1-2

                Terry Toll/Don Klemt 1-2,

Rick Ropiak/Joe Osterman 1-0, Don Klemt/Terry Toll 0-1

Lloyd Tremmel/Dan DeMatthew 1-0, Rick Ropiak/Joe Osterman 0-1

            

      Rick Ropiak, Terry Toll, Joe Osterman, Don Klemt

                                                       

                                          

Table #4: Canadian Cribbage

        Mark Mano/Rick Jones 2-3, Mike Lewis/Tom Miller 2-3,

        Joe Macareno/Steve Madsen 1-4


  Rick Jones, Mike Lewis, Joe Macareno, Mark Mano, Tom Miller, Rick Jones, Steve Madsen  



                     

Congratulations...................


Meadowbrook CC Champions - Congratulations to our Mary Power Memorial Winners - Jen Ruetz and Sara Kubiak. Chris Gorman or Don Klemt can tell you who they are. Is Jen Ruetz related to Dick, Jimmy, Howie ???

           

Jen Ruetz, Sara Kubiak



Bob is a retried CPA with Berkley, Iselin & Lotz, SC. Bob was very involved in the Racine community. He was an orginal board member which stated the Racine County Sports Hall of Fame. His daughter Amanda is a Park HS grad and the Women's Head Volleyball Coach at Loyola University of Chicago. Her sister, Susie, is the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at UW-Milwaukee.


  

      

FYI................





  • Aging Well


  • Don’t get all weird about getting older!

    Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!




Point To Ponder..............






AMEN...........








Trip Down Memory Lane............The Good Old Days


Take a walk down memory lane on Sixth Street!

Coming to Photographic Design Gallery and Framing this September, Sixth Street – A Journey Through the Past features incredible panoramic photos of Sixth Street from the early 1970s, 2012 and 2024—all photographed from the same vantage points.

See how #DowntownRacine has changed through the decades while remembering the shops, restaurants and buildings that helped shape our community.

411 Sixth Street

Opens First Friday, September 4 | 4–9 p.m. On display through October

Every block tells a story—and this is a pretty amazing look at ours. 




  • REMEMBERING KAPPUS BREAD

This bakery was famous for their bread and delicious glazed donuts. I remember driving past the bakery, which was once located on 16th St., on the west end of the Racine Industrial Plant (now, Racine Business Center), and smelling that wonderful aroma.  After they closed the bakery, they still had a bread and bakery outlet there for many years.   Anyone else remember driving by, and smelling the fresh-baked bread?  (Kappus artifacts are located inside the "Spirit of Racine Entrepreneurs Exhibit" at the Racine Business Center






Laugh for the Day..............


A Grave Mistake


A bagpiper was asked by a priest to play at a graveside service for an elderly homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be held at a graveyard next to a small village church. The bagpiper was not familiar with this area, he got lost and, being a proud man, didn’t ask for directions.


Finally, two hours late, he arrived to find that the priest and funeral director had already gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the gravediggers and crew left, and they were sitting in the grass eating lunch.


The bagpiper felt very bad and apologized profusely to the men for being late. He went to the side of the grave and looked down to see the vault lid already in place. He let out a heavy sigh. Not knowing what else to do, he started to play his bagpipes.


The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around the bagpiper. He played out his heart and soul for this poor, homeless man with no family and friends. And as he played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began weeping. They wept, the piper wept, they all wept together.


When the bagpiper finished, he packed up his pipes and started for his car. Though his head hung low, his heart was full. As he opened the door to his car, he heard one of the workers say with a shaky, grief-stricken voice, “I've never seen anything like that before ... and I’ve been installing septic tanks for years.                      




Racine Happenings...........







St Catherine's in the News..........



The August 2026 edition of Siena Catholic Schools' President's Report.

                                                   

    

  • Prayers for families of deceased Alumni - Friends



  •  Prayers for Alumni & Friends dealing with Health Issues:


Dick Graceffa '69, Dick is home and on the road to recovery. A little bit better every day. after an eight (8) hour stomach surgery on Friday at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. Thanks for all of your prayers - Jim Rammelt '74 reporting


Earl Wirtz is rehabbing in Kenosha, speech and right side effected.


Jim May is at Brookside in Kenosha.

  


SPECIAL PRAYERS.............


Jim May, Denise Ketarkus, Lloyd Tremmel, Joe & Mary Woitach, Jim Mascari, Terry Toll,

Joe Ingrasci, Dave Schilling, Fr Joe Hornack, Chris & Sue Gorman's grandson Elijah,

Walt Strini, John Hansen, Don Heck, Bob Letsch, Mickey Postorino, Helen (Wilmes) Miller, Mike O'Brien, Dick Albregts' wife, Marty Defatte's wife Donna, Bill Halberstadt's wife Judy, Dan Peterson's wife Donna, Al Mollerskov


 

Important Dates.................................


Monday September 7th - Labor Day - Alumni House Closed


Friday September 25th - McGuire/Letsch Outing


Monday October 12th - Columbus Day


Saturday October 31st - Halloween


Tuesday November 3rd Election Da

  

                            


BE SAFE - BE HEALTHY - BE POSITIVE




 
 
 

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