Hageman's in Chapel Hill

Norm and Linda Hageman were traveling across country from Kansas City, MO, to Hilton Head Island, SC, during the first week of July.  En route, they stopped and stayed at our house in Chapel Hill - "the southern side of heaven" - for two nights.  They arrived in the early evening of July 6th.  On July 7th Chris and I took them to Durham where we walked around the American Tobacco Campus and had lunch at Tyler's Restaurant & Taproom.  At Tyler's Norm enjoyed a locally crafted brew as is his custom.  (Formerly, the American Tobacco Campus was the site of those major tobacco mills, e.g., Lucky Strike, that drove the Durham economy.  Now, with the original buildings having been restored and rehabilitated, the beautifully landscaped and thriving campus is the location of small businesses, professional offices, and non-profits.) 

Norm, Linda, & Tom @ ATC

During the afternoon we ventured to Raleigh.  First, we showed Norm and Linda the site of the new diocesan Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral.  This was also the first time for Chris and me to see it in its Romanesque Revival grandeur.  Our collective comment was that the cathedral "is huge."  (The cathedral was just dedicated within this past month.)  We also drove around downtown Raleigh to view the rising skyline of North Carolina's capital city.

For dinner we returned to Chapel Hill to dine at the 411 West Italian Cafe on Franklin Street.  Our meals were delicious.

Norm and Linda left for Hilton Head on Saturday morning, July 8th, where they were meeting the rest of their family for a week "at the beach."  Chris and I truly enjoyed hosting the Hageman's.

Wampach's in the Rockies

In addition to frequent excursions to Fort Worth, Texas, to see their young grandson and to Door County, Wisconsin, for get-aways, this summer Don and Betty Wampach ventured to our neighboring country north of us.  They thoroughly enjoyed an 8-day trip to the Canadian Rockies.  Don wrote, "We spent 8 fabulous days in the Canadian Rockies. Two were on the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Jasper.  While not the Swiss Alps, they are best we have on this side of the pond. Still: WOW.  Walked on the Columbia Ice Fields - 826 feet deep ice, spread out over the equivalent of Paris twice.

Yes, further testimony to the importance of loving and caring for our Mother Earth!

John and Loretta Dahmus

Don Wampach passed on to me the email he received from John Dahmas that John and Loretta have move to 5605 Janabyrd Lane, Austin, TX 78749, to be closer to their daughter.  I have updated our class list.

Fr. Tom Devereaux Dies

On August 7, 2017, Don Wampach informed me that Fr. Tom Devereaux died on August 6 at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, CA, due to complications following surgery.  Fr. Tom joined our first-year theology class at the Josephinum in 1964.  He was an amazingly smart and caring person.  In his retirement he was stationed at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Parish in Santa Rosa, CA.  He hosted our class reunion in September 2012 (See blog post of 10/2/12).  At that time I learned that he had a breakfast entree named after himself at Zini's Diner in Cloverdale, CA.

Fr. Tom (front & center) at 2012 Class Reunion in California

Fr. Tom's funeral liturgy was celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church on August 16.  Refer to the following link for his obituary in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pressdemocrat/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-w-devereaux&pid=186367878&fhid=18210

The community recognized Fr. Tom for his social activism.  Among his many areas of attention, one for which he advocated was housing for the elderly.  Mike Heydinger found an inspiring article in the Sonoma Valley Patch that pays tribute to Fr. Tom's effective role in this issue.  Following is a link to this article:  https://patch.com/california/sonomavalley/social-justice-champion-father-thomas-devereaux-honored-eah-housing

Fr. Dan Clayton also brought to my attention a You Tube video of an interesting talk Fr. Tom gave to a group of junior high and high school students in December 2012.  He was participating in The Neighborhood Listening Project which cultivated oral history and active listening skills among these students.  In responding to student questions, Fr. Tom shares some life lessons learned from dealing with personal health issues as well as those prophetic voices instrumental in his call to the priesthood.  Here is the link to his wisdom in his own words:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH8Q4vrZ6CI

I pray that Fr. Tom is now enjoying eternal, heavenly peace.