Michael A. Habing, 74, of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away after heroic battles with pancreatic and esophageal cancers. His body ultimately succumbing to infection. Mike managed his illnesses with strength and grace, and wanted to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible. On his final day, he was surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren who he adored more than anything in the world. Mike played rugby and graduated from The University of Notre Dame. He served in the Army Reserves from 1968-1974. He spent many years working in business and sales. In his spare time, he loved being part of many ministries at St. Paul, always learning, deepening, and sharing his catholic faith. He would never miss a Notre Dame Saturday, loved watching fast Friday and the Indy 500, vacations to the beach, sunshine, and meaningful discussions. He never met a stranger and made everyone feel welcome. He was a dedicated and loving husband to his wife Martha of 51 years. He was an amazing father to Andy (Jaime), Kellie (Jason), and Kate. He was an adoring and adored Papa to Kerrigan, Jameson, and Finnegan Habing, Brayden, and Mason Faust. Older brother to Richard and loving brother-in-law, uncle, and cousin to many. He will be so missed and we are all better people for knowing this kind, self-less, humble faith-filled man. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM, Saturday, December 12, 2020 at St Paul Catholic Church followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery. Mass will be live streamed beginining at 9:55 AM Saturday.
On Saturday morning November 19, 1966, I was among a number of ND students who went up to East Lansing to attend the Notre Dame – Michigan State U “Game of the Century”. (See wikipedia.com, 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game). After the game ended in the famous 10-10 tie folks at our end of the stadium were cheering/celebrating and trying to take down the goal post. I too was really excited and was jumping up and down on the bench where I had been sitting. That was Seat No. 32, at the end of a row, in the end zone seating toward which ND was moving at the end of the game. Unfortunately, I did not save my ticket to know exactly what row I was in. But during the excitement, the redwood bench plank that I was jumping on happened to shatter, the largest end piece retaining the seat number and the bolts. I must say, and I swear, that I did not intentionally break the bench, and I wanted to clean up the fragments. But in doing so, as it also happened, I returned to campus with the bench fragment. At first I just had it hanging on my wall in my room in Badin, but after coming back from the holidays in January 1967 I thought that the best thing to do would be to go around to the National Championship coaching staff and team members to see if anyone would sign the bench. In fact, they did, and the more that signed it, the cooler it became, and the happier others were to sign it. After graduating I had kept the bench for nearly 52 years without any fanfare, having it hanging in one office or room after another, sharing the story with friends and family. I didn’t get back to campus much since I was either working internationally, or living in California. Finally, nearer to our 50th Reunion, now nearly three years ago, I decided to donate it to the University to a function that could have it placed somewhere in Heritage Hall with the 1966 Championship trophy or related memorabilia commemorating the 10-10 tie to enable the entire ND family to enjoy it. I opted not to donate it to University Archives since I learned it would probably not get as much viewing. Fortunately, I was able to hook up with the Monogram Club just prior to our Reunion and during that weekend I donated it. Working with them, I was thrilled to have it placed in the Ara cabinet in Heritage Hall in the Joyce Center that has other items from Ara’s coaching years, including a write-up and photo of the ND-MSU game score board.
I had also included a couple of game buttons, including the “Annihilate State Nov 19, 1966” button, and an older newspaper article of the game. While on campus for Reunion 2018, I attended Rocky Bleier’s excellent one-man show “The Play”. I complimented him after the performance, and mentioned the bench that he had signed in January 1967. I thought he had a quiet look of recollection on his face, and I hope he may already have seen it in Heritage Hall. But I know I need to do much more to spread the word so that more of our class and other members of the Notre Dame family can enjoy it, either online or in person the next time they are on campus. I have included images of the bench and its current place in Ara’s cabinet, along with a pennant photo with names of the staff and team, and a current Wikipedia article to aid in remembering.
Tom Warner, chief of his Northern California community’s volunteer fire department, defending against the rampaging summer fire.
The year 2021 opens with much of our world off the rails, doesn’t it?
And what can be the cause of things going so wrong? Has anyone else noticed the consequences of so many class members entering into retirement, their intelligence and good sense lost to the workplaces? The retirement of lawyer Forest Hainline is an announcement in a string of them that includes the age-mandated stepping down of Judge Tom Phillips in Traverse City, Michigan; the departure of Gene Cavanaugh from First Source Bank in South Bend; the sailing away (literally) of Brian Schanning and Susan; Bob Brady‘s departure from the company he founded; Jim O’Rourke’s reduced workload on the faculty of the Mendoza School of Business; Rich Roger‘s absence from the FBI; Pat Furey, John Walsh, Jim Davis disengaging from legal practices. The list is long and certainly coincides with the advent of serious troubles.
Fortunately, though, many slog on, their shoulders to the wheel of insurance agent training (Class President Tom Weyer); journalism (Pat Collins at NBC, DC and Tom Condon at The Connecticut Mirror); law (John O’Connor, Brian McTigue, Bryan Dunigan, Tom Gibbs, Tom Durkin); banking (Chris Murphy); medical care (Dr. Pat Demare, Dr. Rick McPartlin); investing and international relations (Richard Pivnicka); math and statistics (Mike Suelzer); law and general intrigue (Dick Farina); advances in healthcare (Fred Ferlic); tacos (Bob Ptak); national security (Monk Forness). We can be thankful and can be entertained: Rocky Bleier‘s play seen at the 50th reunion is available on BroadwayonDemand.com.
Jim O’Rourke stepped away from his still considerable workload for sending of news received from Tom Warner, Jim’s sophomore year Alumni roommate. Tom, retired CEO of Del Monte International, is chief of a volunteer fire department that was in the thick of Northern California’s fire battles during 2020. Tom and his wife Mary retired to the Shaver Lake area.
Settled in retirement with his Irish wife Aideen in Cairns on Australia’s northeast coast, Charlie Stevenson has written a soon-to-be published memoir, tales of his time in the US Army. Neither distance nor time zones are barriers for Charlie and the other Keenagers (Judy Donofrio’s name for the freshman Keenan residents) who join the regular Zoom meetings begun by Tom Phillips.
Like many others in retirement, retired family physician and then psychiatrist Jim Druckenbrod, living with Jean, his wife of 50 years, in Chambersburg, PA, makes generous use of his new free time: “Short term medical missions, most frequently to Haiti. These I have done in absolute gratitude to God, by whose grace I was able to attend ND.”
Our news includes new sadnesses.
Steve Kurowski‘s wife Sharon passed away in Merrilville, IN on January 3, 2021 from pneumonia. Steve’s note to his undergrad and law school classmate Bryan Dunigan was a wonderful testament: “Sharon and I started dating at age 16 and married in 1968 at age 22. We would have celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary this year. She gifted me with five children and nine grandchildren.”
Tom Misch‘s wife Linda, mother of their four children, died December 13, 2020 in Northbrook, IL. Grandmother of 14, Linda was a mainstay elementary school teacher for more than 30 years. Linda showed up at many ND68 gatherings, too.
Tony Frierott‘s wife Beth succumbed to cancer November 25, 2020 in Minster, OH. Classmates join three children and four Fierott grandchildren in grieving.
Warren Smith, yearbook, 1968
Warren F. Smith, Jr. died of corona virus in August, 2020. The father of three, husband of Rosie, held positions with the Chicago Board of Trade before retiring to Asheville, NC. The news came from Jim Burke ’69, a lifelong friend who traded through Warren’s Celtic Commodities Inc.
Blair LaCour
Jim Knaus sent word of his freshman roommate Blair LaCour‘s death in Medina, OH on July 10, 2020. Retired from 3M and then Sherwin Williams, Blair and Linda raised two sons and a daughter. Jim sent a funny memory: “Blair was mature but fun-loving, tolerant of my behavior, and humble. In the early weeks, I had significant difficulty understanding calculus, which he knew was abstruse. I woke up at 3 AM with a flash — it had finally sunk in! His response? “Great, Jim. Now, go back to sleep.’”
Keep accessing our blog www.ndclass1968.com for full notes and bulletins. Unless you wish to risk concocted histories, please send news and photos to Tom Figel, 1054 West North Shore, Apt 3E, Chicago, IL 60626, cell: 312-241-7917, tfigel@reputecture.com.
Paul Dunn, who reported the death of his friend, sent a second email in which Paul recounts the beginning of the long friendship he and others enjoyed with Tom: “
“In junior year, Tom was in a house off campus with Ken Collins, Dave Boehnen, and Bill Sweetman. I was in a house with Steve Grace, Eddie Haggar, and Gary Lyman. Our two houses/ guys partied a lot together junior and senior years, and remained friends after graduation with intermittent reunions over the years. Then, in 1995, after Gary Lyman died, we made a pact to see each other at least once a year, which we have done since, usually over golf in the Naples, FL area. The ND bond is very strong, as you well know. “So out of our original eight pals, Gary Lyman and Tom Roche are now gone. The six remaining will carry on the tradition of our annual gathering. This year will have to wait until this covid curse is over.”
Thomas J. Roche, 74, of Shadyside Rd., Findley Lake, NY., passed away Friday, October 23, 2020, at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
He was born June 16, 1946, in Erie, PA., to the late Paul C. and Margaret “Miggie” Molloy Roche, Sr.
Tom was raised in Erie until his Sophomore year of high school when he moved to Corry where he graduated from Corry Area High School in 1964. He attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1968 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Upon graduation, he was certified as a stock broker and was hired at Walston & Company in Washington, D.C. He was the youngest of 2200 certified stock brokers in the country. In 1970, he moved to Boston, MA, where he worked at American Equities, selling mutual funds. He then moved to Cleveland, OH. where he continued in the sale of mutual funds. In 1974, Tom joined his family’s business, Erie County Plastics, in Corry, PA, as a sales representative. Continuing with sales, he worked until 1991 as Executive Vice-President and Sales Manager.
Tom and Dave Cullen co-founded The Heritage Trust Company. He was a board member from 1992 until it was sold. He also co-founded Thermat Precision Technology in 1995. Co-workers have often said he was a great boss and mentor.
Tom was known for his colorful sweaters, unique fashion sense and his love for Notre Dame. He loved to listen to John Prine with his family….or really with anyone who would listen. He also enjoyed hats, cats, skiing, and social golfing. In 1987 Golf Digest presented him with the award of Most Improved Amateur when “after lessons on course management and relaxation he shaved 14 strokes off his handicap, to become a 22”. He also had a love of architecture and spent many hours choosing plants and flowers to pot and plant around his property, including his beloved waterfall. Tom was also known as the “deck-a-tect” of Findley Lake, designing decks for his neighbors.
He was very active in the Corry and Findley Lake areas. His memberships and board positions in the Corry area included being President since the inception of the Corry Industrial Benefit Association, Advisory Board Member of Impact Corry and Past President and Past Board member of the Corry Area Industrial Development Corporation, Corry YMCA and the Corry Country Club.
Tom’s memberships in Findley Lake included, President and Board Member since its inception of Findley Lake Community Foundation and Board Member of Findley Lake Watershed Foundation. He was a member of St. Matthias Church in French Creek, NY. where he was on the Finance Committee. He helped spearhead the Save Our Fire Department campaign for the Findley Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his sister, Norella Teresa “Terry” Roche.
Tom is survived by his wife of 32 years, Nancy M. Bracken Roche; three daughters, Tracie Setliff of Milwaukee, WI.; Alexis Roche McNamara and her husband Will of Sommerville, MA., and Norella “Ellie” Roche of Findley Lake, NY; a son, Chris Roche and his wife Keeler of Pittsburgh, PA.; and two brothers, Paul “Hoop” Roche Jr., and his wife Marne of Columbus, PA., and William Roche and his wife Jane of Corry, Pa.
He is also survived by four grandchildren, Lauren Roche, Madeline, Beatrice and Wynn Setliff. In addition, “Uncle Tom” was a fun loving uncle to his many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends may call at the Bracken Funeral Home, 315 N. Center St., Corry, Pa., on Wednesday from 1 to 3 pm and 5 to 8 pm., and attend the funeral mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 203 W. Washington St., Corry, Pa., on Thursday at 11 am. Rev. D. G. Davis III, will officiate. Due to CDC regulations, masks and social distancing will be required. The Funeral Mass may also be viewed on The Bracken Funeral Home Facebook page.
Burial will be in St. Matthias Cemetery, French Creek, N.Y.
In lieu of sending flowers, Tom and his family requests donations be made to his favorite charities; Findley Lake Community Foundation, 459 W. 6th St,. Erie, PA 16507, Findley Lake Volunteer Fire Department, 10372 Main St., Findley Lake, N.Y. 14736, and Corry YMCA, 906 N. Center St., Corry, PA. 16407, or to a charity of one’s choice.
To sign the guest book or send condolences, please visit www.brackenfh.com.SERVICES Funeral Mass
Thursday, October 29, 2020 11:00 AMSt. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church 203 W. Washington Stret Corry, PA. 16407 Get Directions on Google Maps
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 1 to 3 and 5 to 8 pm at Bracken Funeral Home, 315 N. Center St., Corry, Pa.
Ken Howard sent the new calendar of photos he’s taken in the seven seas. You’ll notice that Ken has thoughtfully added reminders of important dates such as the birthday of Class President Tom Weyer October 29th.
While Ken’s annual calendars always capture beauty from beneath the salt waves, the record suggests that he squandered the opportunity to document any and all of the beauty beneath the surfaces of Notre Dame’s St. Joseph and St. Mary’s Lakes.
Not so long ago, but far away at this moment. . .friends Paul Nowak, Adrienne Brennan, Bryan Dunigan, Ron Kurtz, Barb Nowak and Ken Howard were able to assemble at Notre Dame and elsewhere. Class President Tom Weyer and Fred Ferlic have a plan.
Group hug, still six feet distant
Class President Tom Weyer says the quarantine and the passing years (termed by Mike Suelzer “the lengthening shadows”) increase appreciation for his father Honest John’s words, “I like how you guys take care of each other.” Tom marvels that anything could have kept him from attending Brian Sullivan‘s funeral or from pushing into a packed Sacred Heart Basilica for Joe Kernan‘s. Tom heard from classmates Chris Murphy, Rocky Bleier, Gene Cavanaugh, and Steve Anderson during a no-tailgate game: “All are lonely, all are in meatloaf withdrawal.” Fred Ferlic has an idea Tom endorses: “Use our 50 year club privileges and piggyback onto the 2021 reunion.” Now, there’s leadership.
Jim O’Rourke forwarded a note that Notre Dame has revised the service that gives us access to online information, including the addresses and telephone numbers of friends from any class. Registration is easy at www.my.nd.edu. The ten-digit number on the mailing label of your Notre Dame Magazine will get you underway. The tool is a good one for contacting friends ahead of the type of reunion Fred Ferlic proposes.
No hiding from someone like Rich Rogers
Retired FBI agent Rich Rogers wasn’t waiting for any online help when he was out for a bike ride in Jupiter, FL and spied another man bedecked in the same Notre Dame splendor, from hat to shorts. Rich introduced himself and, in a manner of speaking, collared a classmate who has been hiding in the shadows for decades: “Fred Franco, a great guy who was a prosecutor in NJ dealing with organized crime.” Rich’s moral: “It always pays to wear your Notre Dame stuff.”
Tom Culcasi, Joe Hale and others who enjoyed swanky Keenan Hall lodging freshman year have begun a regular Zoom session. Tom says the Keenanites so far are Tom Phillips, Mike Moore, Bill Cleary, Tom Curtin and John Soleau. Joe Hale, Mike Obiala, Marty Fino, Rob McDonald, Skip Schrader, Dan Collins, Ted Bratthauer, and Charlie Stevenson (all the way from Australia) have made appearances. “Zoom shows that none of us has aged,” says Tom, “though a few of us do part our hair with a much wider center part.” No doubt the cleverly named Keenanites spend most of their time talking about the rest of us – and maybe about the General Program men who have their own Zoom sessions. (See a following post for Joe Hale‘s unredacted note about the most recent discussion.)
If the Zoom sessions have the nature of a book discussion, plenty of offerings have come from our class. Pat Collins, who is under consideration for receipt of Notre Dame’s Griffin Award for writing, has completed Newsman, $20 per copy from https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9781624292897. Reviewed at washingtonian.com, what Pat has written spans his DC upbringing through his years as a newspaper and television reporter. Telling the stories that intrigue him, Pat describes how news reporting has changed since he was Observer editor. And if news stories are not your game, look in other sections of the ND68 authors shelf. Michael R. Ryan, head of the MFA program at the University of California – Irvine, has been productive and then some: five books of poems, an autobiography, a memoir, and a collection of essays about poetry and writing for which he has won strings of awards. Or try Tom Dorsel for Golf: The Mental Game. Or John D. O’Connor for the Watergate subjects probed in Felt and Postgate. Or Tom Condon for, among others, How to Hire and the sequel, How to Fire. Out in the blogosphere, Jay Schwartz has his One More Thing. . . postings at https://jayschwartzonthegrid.com/category/uncategorized/. Coming soon is the first novel of Gini Waters’ husband Joe Enright, who has dug into his NYC FBI background for a chiller about a terrorism crisis. And using his recent move to Chicago from Detroit as a claim on class of 1968 attention, Peter McInerney, ND69, has published “Tellings of Youth and Age.”
Forrest Hainline, says John O’Connor, has retired from legal practice and is now golfing thrice weekly with his wife Nancy. In a good old days moment, Bill Matturro, Bradenton, FL, remembered attending a post-Stepan Center concert party where Linda Rondstadt was present. Bob Noonan participated in a Veterans Day Panel Notre Dame videoed for alumni group distribution: “With me on the panel was retired Navy Rear Admiral Herb Kaler who was part of our class earning a liberal Arts BA, but also graduated from ND in ’69 with a degree in aerospace engineering. Clearly an overachiever.” Father John Sheehan, S.J., seemingly ever in transit, is now Chaplain at the University of St. Francis, Ft. Wayne, IN.
Dave Graves has his own transition underway: Rich Rogers says that, under the care of Dr. Pat DeMare, Dave is recovering from corona virus. Fortunately, Dave and the rest of us, though in our seventies, are lean and hard, without endangering flab.
Prior to the quarantine, Mike Thompson visited attorney Jim Carfagno and Susan in Atkins, AR. Mike, an accountant, came from Evansville, IN.
Joe Kernan, bust at Century Center, South Bend, IN
Dennis Doherty
Steve Anderson added to the sad news of Joe Kernan‘s death July 29, 2020 and Dennis Doherty‘s death August 8, 2020 with revelation of his own dire condition, a cancer that, Steve says, will not prevent him from joining the class at the 2021 reunion. “I can never thank you enough for what your friendships have meant to me and what each of you individually has taught me,” Steve wrote. (See the following posts for Steve’s letter and for the obituaries of Dennis Doherty and Joe Kernan.)
Our blog, www.ndclass1968.com, has full news reports plus photos. The blog allows you to leave comments, and to reply to comments. Please send news – and photos – to Tom Figel, 1054 West North Shore, Apt 3E, Chicago, IL 60626, tel. 312-241-7917, tfigel@reputecture.com.
Parlor, Mike Obiala’s small double room, Keenan Hall, Notre Dame, 1964
Perhaps violating secrecy provisions of the Keenanite Zoom sessions, Joe Hale forwarded two Charlie Stevenson reports on his country of residence:
Hello Everybody,
It was great talking and listening to you all today. We never got around to discussing the Covid-19 issue. I suppose it’s been so politicized that some of us might have been reluctant to bring it up (lest we face the wrath of the Zoom-Meister).
I didn’t want to let it go without saying that I wish all you and your loved ones well. Please take precautions and stay safe. What follows is an account of how Australia has dealt with the pandemic. If you’re interested, read on. If not, don’t (I don’t want to bore you). I’m presuming that most of you won’t get much news about Australia from your normal sources.
Australia, with area of Charlie Stevenson residence circled
For what it’s worth, Australia has been spared the worst effects of the pandemic. They don’t call us “The Lucky Country” for nothing! We are lucky to have only a limited number of points where international travellers can enter the country – and we are, basically, a huge island – no land borders with any other country.
Our federal government is Conservative – a coalition of the (confusingly for Americans) Liberal Party (economic and social conservatives) and the National Party (also socially conservative, a Farmers’ and Rural areas party). Despite that, they took strong measures very early in the crisis to shut down all international travel into and out of Australia. China was locked out first (before the US did anything) and Europe was also locked out a week later. Apparently, our leaders were advised by the medical experts that they had two choices, basically, lock the place down quickly, invoke stringent social distancing measures and severely restrict all travel (which would obviously hurt the economy) OR simply advise people to take precautions, without any regulatory compulsion, and let the virus spread until there was “herd immunity” (which would lead to a relatively large number of deaths, especially among the elderly).
Our Prime Minister, Morrison, is a great Trump fan. Trump has given only 2 state dinners in his presidency and one was for a visit by Morrison. On the other hand, Morrison is a committed, church-going evangelical protestant Christian. Together with his Treasurer, Frydenberg, who is a practicing Jew, Morrison decided that they would not be morally responsible for large numbers of deaths among elderly Australians and, therefore, took stringent measures to lock down the nation. At the same time, they also threw huge amounts of money at the problem, in an attempt to minimize the effect on the economy – outright “pandemic payments” to people on pensions (eg., Aideen and I carry “Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards”, which give us discounts on pharmaceuticals, among other things – we have received $1,500 each so far, with another $500 to come this year); grants to small businesses to keep them operating; top-up payments to the recently unemployed to maintain something like their normal wages; etc. – amazingly socialist policies for a conservative government. They’ve gone from a central policy of reducing government debt at all costs (cuts to social security programs, cuts to public service numbers, etc.) to a policy of spending like a drunken sailor to keep the economy moving. If the Labor Party had been in power and done the same things, the conservatives would have been screaming bloody murder about saddling debts on our grandchildren. (NB: I vote Labor, by the way. Not to introduce politics into the discussion, or anything . . . .)
Australia has a land area about the same size (and, curiously, about the same shape – though upside down) as the 48 States (ie., not including Alaska and Hawaii), but our population is concentrated around the seacoast areas, with the vast interior very underpopulated, and our total population is about 26 million (roughly the same as Texas – slightly less). The country is a federation of 6 states (all former British colonies) and 2 territories. The states and territories are largely responsible for running their hospital systems (though the federal government funds them) and control the public health systems within their own borders.
3 of the states and both territories have Labor Party (ie., left-wing and socially progressive) governments; the other 3 states have conservative governments. In an effort to coordinate the fight against the pandemic, our Prime Minister established a “super cabinet”, consisting of the leaders and treasurers of all the state and territory governments, as well as the federal P.M. and the federal treasurer. Getting all the governments together worked well in the beginning of the crisis. There was only one serious outbreak in March-April (originating in the state of New South Wales, where Sydney is), caused by beaurocratic bungling which allowed over 3,000 passengers from a cruise ship to disembark and scatter around the country (and overseas) without being checked or quarantined. That slip up led to almost 500 cases, world-wide, and almost 40 deaths. Otherwise, the vast majority of cases of covid-19 appeared in people under quarantine after overseas travel.
We have since had a second, more serious, outbreak in the state of Victoria (where Melbourne is). Arriving travellers being quarantined in hotels were guarded by private security personnel, who were not properly trained and who didn’t enforce the rules (and even fraternized with the people in lockdown). As a result, Victoria has had a “second wave” of infections and relatively large numbers of cases and deaths. After more than a month of very strict controls (all restaurants, bars and public entertainment venues shut; no travel outside the home without a valid reason; no visits to aged care facilities, no face-to-face schooling, etc.), that outbreak is now under control.
Since the beginning of the crisis, most of the states have closed their borders to interstate travellers, allowing only essential economic traffic to enter. This has hurt certain sectors of the economy, most notably tourism and tertiary education. The conservatives are now arguing for immediate relaxation of the restrictions, while the Labor Party states are resisting such a move. Things are slowly getting back to something like normal, though we are all still encouraged to observe social distancing, to wear masks in places where people gather in large numbers, and to get tested for the virus if we have any of the symptoms.
The results for Australia of all these measures can be seen in the statistics. Since March we have had a total of just over 27,000 cases with 900 deaths (nation-wide). Approximately 2/3 of the cases and ¾ of the deaths have been in Victoria (their “second wave”). Compare this to Texas (about the same population): 870,000 cases and 17,500 deaths. The US, as a whole, with a population of 328 million, has had 8.19 million cases and 220,000 deaths. If we had the same rates of infection and death as the US, we would have had approx. 650,00 cases and 17,400 deaths.
I live in the state of Queensland, population about 4 million, bigger than Alaska and more than 3 times the land area of Texas. We have had just under 1,200 cases and 6 deaths (almost all in the southern part of the state, where the large population areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast are). Up here in Far North Queensland, we’ve only had 35 cases (no community transmissions) and no deaths.
Of course, it only takes one infected person to kick off a whole new outbreak, but we are quietly confident that testing and tracing measures are in place to deal with such events in the future.
The city of Cairns (approx. 150,000) where I live, is largely dependent on tourism. The city has more hotel rooms per local population than any other part of Australia. Apart from hotels and restaurants, the tourist industry also relies on people taking boat trips out to the Great Barrier Reef, experiencing the local Aboriginal culture, exploring the rainforests (ie., jungles), etc. We have huge unemployment as a result of the lockdowns (though federal and state programs have poured money into small businesses to keep them afloat) and it will take a long time to recover. Still, most of the population here accept that the economic cost has been worth it. As one old fellow, being interviewed on the local radio, said: “Dead people don’t eat in restaurants, stay in hotels, or take reef trips.”
I hope that gives you a good picture of the situation here in Australia. Aideen and I feel quite safe, though we do still practice social distancing, hand washing, etc. – just in case.
Once again, best wishes to you all and to your families. Stay safe and well.
Charlie
The second Charlie Stevenson note (submitted for extra credit) explains Australia’s voting mandate:
Yes, Australia is one of the few countries in the world with compulsory voting. If we fail to vote without a valid reason, we are fined. We can vote in advance of polling day by mail or by in-person, pre-poll voting, as well as voting on polling day, of course.
Australians, like Americans, don’t like much being told what to do. Nevertheless, I haven’t heard many complaints about compulsory voting. It’s been there forever and I guess people are just used to it. I doubt very much that it could ever be introduced in the US. Despite the assumption, which superficially looks logical, that left-wing parties are helped by compulsory voting (ie., it’s people at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder who don’t vote if they don’t have to), various research studies (both here and in the US) have shown that people who don’t vote, or who wouldn’t vote if they didn’t have to, are divided pretty evenly on the question of which party they support.
On the issue of Australia’s convict past . . . Like the US, Australia’s population has grown rapidly for the last century or more, due to various waves of immigration. It probably started with our gold rush, which was 25 or 30 years after California’s. Lots of Irish and Italians arrived then, to look for gold (as did quite a few Americans) and the Chinese came in large numbers – usually to service the gold field settlements by growing vegetables and fruit and by setting up restaurants and laundries (much more reliable sources of income than gold prospecting). After WWI, we got lots of Italians, who tended to settle in northern parts of Australia and grow sugar cane. After WWII, there were initially lots more Italians and quite a few Croatians and Serbs (not the best of friends . . .). After the Viet Nam war, we had an influx of boat people from there (who were warmly welcomed at the time, in contrast to more recent boat people from the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, who’ve been incarcerated as illegal immigrants and shipped back home whenever possible). We also had a large influx of Chinese after Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997. A lot of them were wealthy and well-educated, as opposed to most earlier immigrants, who tended to be poor farmers, fishermen and laborers, on the whole. We now have quite a diverse population with the cultural mix that brings. While our population base is still largely European in origin, you would notice quite a lot more Asian influence here than you see in most parts of America.
The Australian economy relies heavily on immigration/population growth. The impact of the covid-19 crisis that will hurt our economy most severely is the total lack of immigration this year.
Another outcome of our growing and diversifying population is that anyone who can trace their ancestry back to an original convict transportee wears that like a badge of honour. It’s like Americans with ancestors who came over on the Mayflower. It’s also worth remembering that, while many transported convicts were thieves and prostitutes, there were also quite a few political prisoners from Ireland.
One final point. The penal colony in New South Wales was established by the Brits in 1798 to replace their lost penal colonies in the Carolinas. Funny, you don’t often hear about the convict ancestors of the people in North and South Carolina . . .
Unfortunately, bad news travels fast and I wanted to share something with the members of my personal Great ’68 before it gets broadcast to a larger audience.
Last week I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic malignant melanoma. I had found a couple of small areas but was otherwise asymptomatic. I was in northern Michigan at the time but contacted Fred Ferlic who did his usual turnaround of getting me in to see an oncologist and get CT scans in less than 24 hours. Since I had a past history of removal of a stage 2 melanoma 5+ years ago at Ann Arbor, the oncologist was suspicious of recurrent melanoma and a biopsy performed the following day proved him right.
There have been a lot of new breakthroughs in the immunotherapy of melanoma in the past 6 years, and this continues to be a fertile field for research and new drug trials. I started immunotherapy yesterday with Opdivo and Yervoy, and will eventually transition to Opdivo alone for two years. My disease is not curable and the goal will be to keep things under control for as long as possible, with hopes for new breakthroughs in the interim.
All of us have hit high points and low points in our lives, and all of you have been significant participants in helping me navigate my life’s journey. Like many of you, I had a particularly difficult time in 1968 and 1969, and your collective support made the difference in what has been a thoroughly satisfying life since then. I can never thank you enough for what your friendships have meant to me and what each of you individually has taught me.
Covid, sadly, has potentially disrupted opportunities for us to get together in our usual fall and reunion activities and we continue to have an uncertain future because of that. We are on target to try for a class reunion during ND alumni weekend in 2021, and I have every intent of being there.
Nancy has been great in her support and love, but it has been tough on our boys. If you see them, some words of support go a long way. Personally, I feel like I am in a good place. Notre Dame has its own ambience of peace and transcendence and I have been tapping into that.
Phil Fitzpatrick sent the news along with photos from a long friendship with his former roommate.
Here are three photos of Dennis. One is from our 45th Reunion (Dennis on the right with Ted Nebel - left, Clark Stanton - 2nd from left, and me - to Dennis' left). The second is Dennis (left) and me on graduation day. The third is undated but from many years ago.
It’s with deep sadness that I report the death of Dennis Doherty, our classmate, following a long and difficult battle with Alzheimer’s. Dennis was my roommate for three years, best man at my wedding and a great friend. He could not have had a better caregiver than his wife, Joan. Here is his obituary.
Best regards,
Phil Fitzpatrick ‘68
Greenville, SC – Dennis John Doherty Jr. died peacefully at home on August 8, 2020.
Dennis was born in Birmingham, Alabama Sept 23, 1946.
He was a man in love with life, a life he loved to fill with playing in the mountains their rivers and lakes, dancing in the evenings, eating ice cream whenever the mood hit and spending moments with the ones he loved. He was an adventurer in soul and a family man at heart.
Dennis graduated from Greenville Highschool in 1964 before moving on to Notre Dame where he was a member of the Lacrosse team and member of the ski club while earning a degree in Engineering. He finished his formal studies at Penn State with a Masters degree in Acoustical Engineering in 1971.
Following a decade in Atlanta GA, where he married and started his family, he returned to Greenville in 1982 to be close to his mother and siblings while raising his three children. He successfully ran his small business Doherty Computer Services (DCS) for close to two decades before retiring to other pursuits.
Dennis was never an idle man and donated much of his time to organizations he believed in, receiving a 10 year service award from Greenville Guardian ad Litem and a 30 year Honor Award from Kiwanis Club of Greenville where he was secretary for 7 years. He was also a member and trip leader for the Greenville Natural History Association (GNHA) as well as a referee for the South Carolina Youth Soccer Association (SCYSA) for over 20 years. Dennis was also an active long-time member of St Giles Presbyterian Church and more recently Brookwood Church.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Woodlief Doherty; children, Dennis John Doherty III (Stacey), of Greenville, SC, Meghan Doherty Wolfrom (Jed), of Bozeman, MT and Reid Doherty (Mary Beth), of Mauldin, SC; Step daughter, Christina Janvier of Mauldin; grandsons, Dennis John Doherty IV and Merritt Doherty of Greenville, Jasper and Maclaren Wolfrom of Bozeman, MT; granddaughters, Lane and Anna Pearse Doherty of Greenville; sisters, Lorraine E. Sterling, of Greenville and Ann T. Doherty, of Canton, MI; and brother, Robert P. Doherty, of Greenville. He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis Doherty Sr.; mother, Lillian F. Doherty; and sister, Kathleen Moseley.
The Doherty family wishes to express their gratitude for the many acts of kindness that have been extended to them. Special acknowledgement is extended to the loving care of the staff of Open Arms Hospice and to Dennis’ personal caregivers Ms. Loretta Dawkins and Ms. Linda Jenkins.
A private memorial service will be held Wednesday, August 12 at 3 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or Open Arms Hospice or Brookwood Church.
In addition to the newspaper and media obituaries celebrating Joe Kernan’s exceptional life, memories have come from the friends Joe made when he was with us as a Notre Dame student. If you have an addition, pile on. You can send your memory to tfigel@reputecture.com or go ahead and post on the blog. There is no expiration date for appreciating Joe Kernan.
We knew Joe as a man who enjoyed a party, of course. Here he is at a class reunion party, Coveleski Stadium clubhouse, as he gives Kathy Malone Beeler, SMC 69, a whirl.
by WSBT 22Wednesday, July 29th 2020
Joseph E. Kernan, 48th governor of the state of Indiana and former South Bend mayor, passed away following a long illness.
Kernan served in the U. S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He was a POW for nearly 11 months in 1972 and received many awards for his military service.
The Democrat won three elections as South Bend’s mayor before being elected lieutenant governor with Gov. Frank O’Bannon in 1996. He took office as governor in 2003 after O’Bannon died from a stroke.
Kernan, 74, was diagnosed with dementia several years ago. He had lost the ability to speak due to Alzheimer’s disease and was living in a care facility.
Kernan’s former Chief of Staff Mary Downes says there will be no public service at this time due to the coronavirus pandemic
Here is the full statement from Downes:
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA (July 29,2020) – Earlier today, Joseph E. Kernan, 48th Governor of the State of Indiana passed away following a long illness. He is survived by his wife Maggie, and seven siblings who live in the state of Maine and the Washington, DC area.
Kernan’s distinguished career began as a United States Navy Lieutenant. He and his co-pilot were shot down while on a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam in 1972. He spent 11 months as a POW in Hanoi, including at the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, Kernan returned home in 1974 to begin a career in business. In 1980, South Bend Mayor, Roger Parent asked him to serve as the City Controller in his administration.
Seven years later in 1987, he was elected to his first of three consecutive terms as mayor of the City of South Bend. In his third election as mayor, he received over 82% of the vote – still the widest margin of victory in the City of South Bend history.
In 1996, Frank O’Bannon, who was running for Governor of Indiana, asked Kernan to join him as the candidate for Lt. Governor. O’Bannon and Kernan were elected in November of that year. The team of O’Bannon and Kernan won reelection four years later in 2000.
When Governor O’Bannon died unexpectedly of a stroke in 2003, Kernan was sworn in as the state’s 48th Governor. Kernan made history immediately by appointing Kathy Davis as Indiana’s first female Lt. Governor.
Upon retirement from politics in 2005, Kernan moved back to South Bend and convinced fifty other members of the community to purchase the minor league South Bend Silver Hawks baseball team. At the time, the team was precariously close to leaving the city.
Kernan and his investors were able to keep the team in South Bend until a new owner by the name of Andrew Berlin was found in 2011. Not only did Berlin agree to keep the team in South Bend, he signed a twenty-year lease for the stadium at the same time.
Kernan continued to work as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Notre Dame, and through his own consulting firm until his death earlier today.
“Indiana mourns the loss of Joe Kernan, a bone fide American hero, decorated Navy officer, and truly selfless statesman who always placed the interests of his fellow Hoosiers first,” said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.
“Distinguished isn’t a strong enough word to describe him. Without regard for personal cost, Joe Kernan devoted every ounce of his life, time and again, to upholding the oath he took, and serving the country and state he loved.
Undeterred after being shot down and tortured in Vietnam, he returned and led his beloved City of South Bend as mayor for three terms, and our state as our 47th lieutenant governor. When duty called him to step into a role he didn’t seek, he served as our 48th governor.
Through his decades of servant leadership and sacrifice, Joe Kernan modeled all the best of what it means to be a Hoosier and his legacy will continue to live on in each of us whom he inspired.
Janet and I ask Hoosiers across our state to join us in lifting up in prayer Mrs. Kernan, their incredible family, and all whose lives he touched.”
Kernan passed away at 5:30 a.m. this morning after a prolonged illness. Arrangements are being made by Welsheimer’s Funeral Home in South Bend. Kernan, always a loyal friend, had expressed a preference for Welsheimer’s because the funeral home sponsored his little league team in 1958 when he was 12 years old.
“Joe Kernan’s many and noteworthy contributions to Notre Dame, our community, the state and our nation cannot be overstated,” said John I. Jenkins, C.S.C, President of the University of Notre Dame. “A student-athlete at the University, he earned a bachelor’s degree in government, then entered the Navy and served as a decorated aviator in Vietnam, where he demonstrated uncommon heroism when shot down and held prisoner of war for 11 months.
“As a three-term mayor of South Bend, he set the city on an upward trajectory that continues to this day. He likewise served our state with distinction, first as lieutenant governor and then, upon the sudden passing of Gov. Frank O’Bannon, stepping up as governor.
“In addition to his government service, he was a beloved civic leader who never shied away from challenges. He was always a good friend to Notre Dame, and a friend and support to me personally. We were proud to have him as an alumnus, and as an adjunct faculty member in political science.
“In presenting Joe with an honorary degree in 1998, the University praised him as ‘an accomplished public servant who played a pivotal role in strengthening the University’s town-gown relations.’ He went on to deliver a superb commencement address to the graduating class.
“Our prayers are with his wife, Maggie, their family and his many friends. We grieve over his passing, while simultaneously recognizing a remarkable life. May he rest in peace.”
Memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans Fund at the University of Notre Dame. Please direct your gift to support scholarships and fellowships for military-connected students to giving.nd.edu, by phone (574) 631-5150, or by mail: University of Notre Dame, Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.
Pete Buttigieg@PeteButtigieg There will not be another like Joe Kernan. South Bend will always be proud of his heroism in uniform and his leadership as our mayor and Governor. And his friends will always remember his exuberant joy, his compassion for the vulnerable, his ready smile, and his inimitable laugh.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s office issued the following statement:
INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Eric J. Holcomb offered the following after the passing of former Gov. Joe Kernan.
“Indiana mourns the loss of Joe Kernan, a bone fide American hero, decorated Navy officer, and truly selfless statesman who always placed the interests of his fellow Hoosiers first.
Distinguished isn’t a strong enough word to describe him. Without regard for personal cost, Joe Kernan devoted every ounce of his life, time and again, to upholding the oath he took, and serving the country and state he loved.
Undeterred after being shot down and tortured in Vietnam, he returned and led his beloved City of South Bend as mayor for three terms, and our state as our 47th lieutenant governor. When duty called him to step into a role he didn’t seek, he served as our 48th governor.
Through his decades of servant leadership and sacrifice, Joe Kernan modeled all the best of what it means to be a Hoosier and his legacy will continue to live on in each of us whom he inspired.
Janet and I ask Hoosiers across our state to join us in lifting up in prayer Mrs. Kernan, their incredible family, and all whose lives he touched.”
AND NOW FROM THE CLASSMATES:
From: Joe Kernan <flare604@yahoo.com> Subject: Class of ’68 Saturday Alternative Dinner To: “Tom Gibbs” <tjlaw@gibbs.net> Cc: “Kari Orpurt” <korpurt@professionalsportsmarketing.net> Date: Thursday, May 1, 2008, 4:47 PM
Gibber – Following up on our conversation the ’68 Saturday dinner will be at Coveleski Stadium in downtown South Bend. The Upper Deck will be the location in the ballpark. Plenty of parking. Cocktails begin at 6:30, with dinner to follow whenever we feel like it. Appetizers, buffet, dessert, beer, wine and gratuity included in $35 per head. If you want hard stuff there will be a cash bar. Our President for Life has agreed to lead the “Ruggers Run the Bases” event commencing at 8:00, or whenever four or more ’68ers demand it. Please have our distinguished and responsible classmates respond to Kari Orpurt, Upper Deck, 501 W. South St., South Bend, IN 46601 with a check for themselves and guests; or by email to the above address; or call her at 574-235-9985. Being somewhat familiar with the members of the class, I understand that getting an early and accurate head count will be impossible, but appreciate the effort. Respectfully submitted – Joe
Mike Brennan, 1969, started a good string when he wrote to Bryan Dunigan and attached a photo: ” I am sending a picture of the Sorin Hall Championship Interhall Football Team, 1967. You can see it has some of the greats of “68, Joe being one of them. You can do with it as you please, it is a terrific memory for me of what Notre Dame means to all of us. I will send a copy to Maggie with my condolences. God Bless, be safe and thank you for keeping so many of us appraised of our friends.” But who is who? Read on for the answer from Tom Durkin.
Bryan Dunigan said: “I can find Joey on the railing. Is that also the Baby Earl in the front row and Wheels Kenealy in upper left corner? Is this team enshrined in Canton yet?”
And Tom Durkin’s answer: “Indeed it is both wheels and the Baby.
“Bill Bingle the second from left in front row, and I am behind him with the towel around my neck. Skip Strzelecki, Jay Jordan and Dick Carrigan in the back row.
“An incredible team. The victory party in the basement of Sorin after we won the Championship was one for the ages—if my memory serves me Gibbs has an article about the game and party that made the Observer. One of the top 10 days of my life. (Don’t ask me about the other nine.) Seems like it was only yesterday.”
Jim Hutchinson wrote:
“He hosted a party at his house with Dave Martin when my son started at ND in 1993. It was a nice way for the freshmen to get to know a few other kids before orientation. Joe was a gracious host – he was mayor at the time One kind of funny story from Freshmen year PE class. At the end of our soccer session it came time to pick an “all star team” Somehow our captain picked me over Joe. Joe was a great athlete and, let me put it this way, I was not. The looks on everyone’s faces were beyond shock, as they should have been. I did not know Joe but looked at him expecting a “You’ve got to be kidding me, scowl”. Instead I got the classic Joe Kernan smile that I never forgot. I realize that this is a small and insignificant story in the scheme of things but it has always stuck with me.
“When you look at his life, everyone of us looks small but he would never make anyone feel that way.”
A Tom Figel addendum to Jim’s memory:
One of the times Joe and a group of his classmates were winding up at Sunny Italy restaurant, Joe didn’t just say good-bye to the owner Sis. Addressing everyone by name – any age, any station – Joe went into the kitchen and not just said hello but checked on family with the many people at work. Joe was ex-Governor then and occupied with, among other things, the Silver Hawks and a string of charities.
Another time, he spoke at a luncheon in Chicago. In those remarks, he talked about his Chicago history: during the Depression, Joe’s grandfather was in need of work. Then, a friend lost her husband, just at the time the man was about to begin work for a City crew. Immediately, Joe’s grandfather and the widow concocted a scheme: Joe’s grandfather would report to work but in the guise of the man who had passed away. What Joe’s grandfather made would go in part to the other family. Time went on. All of a sudden, the supervisor came along, a sad look on his face. “What’s the matter?” Mr. Kernan asked. He heard in answer: “This is terrible. I have to let you go. Some guy with a City Hall connection, someone named Kernan, is being given the job you have.”
Paul Zalensky wrote:
“I am truly saddened at the loss of Joe. As a freshman at Stanford Hall, Joe would dare passers to get a ball past him on the grass field. In sophomore year, at Howard Hall, Joe asked me to help him with Economics, saying “I need to figure this stuff out; can you be my special tutor?” And who can forget his kamakazi style playing for the Irish on special teams, where he would throw his body in the air to stop a kickoff return? We have lost a true warrior.”
God help anyone who tries to remove this bust of Joe from the South Bend Century Center.
Neil Rogers wrote:
” I remember sometime in the summer of 2008 my son Conor and I were in South Bend.Conor was visiting a young lady ND lady classmate and we were at the minor league ballpark and Joe tracked us down in right field. As the head of the ball club he was extremely busy, but he went.out of his way to make sure the Rogers were treated as Silverhawk royalty. Joe and I were not well acquainted but that mattered little. We were treated as part of a big family. All were blessed to know Joe.”
Mike Browning wrote:
“Gregarious, feisty, a fighter, always to the point, no subtlety, incredibly loyal, a man for all people….. on and on.
He left us some time ago and we tried hard to pretend that he was with us. But last night we grieved and Tom McKenna and I reminisced with a beer and we were reminded of on Mick Jagger song. “Let’s drink to the hard working people, let’s drink to the lowly of birth, Raise your glass to the good and the evil, Let’s drink to the salt of the earth… “
Tom Weyer wrote:
“I must commend our South Bend crew who took so much time taking Joe out for lunch , movies appointments and other events. Maggie sure needed an occasional break. Tom Cuggino, Pat Barth, Gene Cavanaugh, Skip Strezliki, Dr Freddie Ferlic, Chris Murphy…and I’m sure others, were a super CareTeam…..They had something going on every week . Great 68” at its finest…. As I said at the Reunion…we didn’t need Fraternities…..Notre Dame gave us all the brothers we would ever need.”
“Indeed it is difficult to see one of our classmates pass on. However, in Joey’s situation, of course it’s our loss, but it may truly be a blessing in disguise as the Alzheimer’s was enough of a burden, but with other complications it was difficult for Joe and many of his family and friends. But as we know, Joe built and nurtured many friends over a lifetime of good cheer, kindness, and truly caring for all he met, so that the prayers from all those friends and family hopefully made his last days a blessing of love for all who cared for him and about him. May Joe rest in the love of our Lord in heavenly peace!
“Here’s but a little story of Joe’s interaction with me. It is but a snippet of my recollection and experience with a marvelous guy and a HUGE HUMAN BEING. It was very hard not to love the guy, but I was tested at least once. It was on the golf course, and I recall Joey was a reasonably crumby player, but a player that would never give up or even show the slightest possibility of quitting (which word was simply not in his vocabulary). Once upon a time, in his home territory we had a golf match at the South Bend Country Club (or I like to think it was there, and if it was there we were only there because Joey had friends in high places).
“As it was, we were betting often and excessively, along the lines of a $2 Nassau. As we played we continued the banter back and forth for the entire round. Of course, one of Joes major abilities was to talk, and when on the golf course he’d normally be talking at the wrong time (in my backswing more often than not). And as the round progressed and his putter, not to mention his other clubs, started to really let him down around the 15th hole, he started to press our bet. I recall he won the 16th hole but I took back the 17th and we were down to the final link…..#18. I drove where I was supposed to be, in the fairway (a place normally not with which I was very familiar). Joey drove to the right somewhere in the rough……or at least he told me that’s where his ball came to rest. We both hit our second shots and mine was well placed and handsomely played (even if I do say so myself), while Joey was swatting flies, and his ball which barely rolled into an unfamiliar place for him that day…..the fairway. My third shot was on the green and Joey’s was way short. He had to press and indeed the pressure must have gotten to him as he duffed his next shot to with about 100 yards of the green. Bottom line, due to some inordinately poor shots by Hizzoner, he ended up loosing the match and the BIG MONEY (maybe around $7 or $8 bucks). But as the competitor Joey was, he hated losing….especially to a rank amateur like me. So it is my contention that Joey hatched a plan between the 18th green and the bar that targeted my winnings, or at least hatched a plan to avoid paying his debt to me, at least for that day.
“His plan, drink enough beer (back in those days) and “over-serve” me so that I’d forget about the debt the future governor of Indiana owed to yours truly. Well, I’m sad to say I didn’t get him to pay up on his debt, but I think that my consumption was sufficient to qualify for a win in that day’s betting circle. Joey was a competitor to the end because it took at least two major malaises to bring the man down……but we know down did not happen for Joe. He is high above and cheering us all on and is rooting for each and every one of us.
“Today, I will raise a glass in honor of a truly good man. God bless you Joe and may you continue to bless us with your friendship and the love that you brought to all our lives! “
A Tom Figel addendum to Dave’s memory:
John Walsh, Tom Moore and I had come to a Joe Kernan roast put on by a South Bend group with a name like Goose and Duck. His South Bend friends did a good job of roughing Joe up, with some stray shots directed at never-RSVP-on-time Fred Ferlic. Joe held his own when he had his chance to rebut. One of his stories concerned a golf outing when, as Governor, he had a state trooper in attendance. Somebody in the foursome, someone at the event that day, was lining up for a meaningful but lengthy putt. Joe turned to the trooper and said, “If he makes that putt, I want you to shoot him.”
Mike Burgener wrote:
“ya i have great memories of joe kernan at notre dame…..as i recall joe was a baseball player and i might even had a class or two with joe and his bb coach jake cline….those were the days!!! on one occasion i can remember being back on campus, sometime in the mid to late 70’s as i recall……Joe and i saw each other and my first comment to joe was: “well joe, you got your ass caught!!” we both laughed and he said: “yup, i sure did!!!” joe was an amazing person and i am sad to see him leave this world, but we all know he is in a better place!!! RIP JOE!!!
Pete Farrell wrote:
“Several years back I happened to land a terrific blue chip runner out of Culver Academy. She was one of the best if not the best high school prospect in the country. As nine time Indiana State Champion in cross country and track, Alex Banfich was chosen as the top high school athlete In the Hoosier State. She was to receive her award and recognition at the half time of the Colts game. Having already decided on Princeton as her college choice, she stepped forward to receive her award from the governor who greeted her with “Pete will take good care of you next year.” Her parents told me this story. Thanks Joe.
“Terre Haute, Indiana is to college cross country what Omaha is to baseball. While driving my team through downtown TH, I noticed a store front displaying Headquarters of the Joe Kernan’s Campaign for Governor. Errrrrhhh. I immediately pulled the van over and told the team I‘ll be right back. Entering the room I found two idle young men leaning back in their chairs waiting for business. I asked “Do you guys know who Joe is?” They answered that they had met him once. I felt compelled to unload on them. “I know you’ve read of his accomplishments, his war record and his civic service. I had the privilege of living next door to him in college. He was and is no ordinary or average Joe. No, Joe is quite extraordinary. He’s the good guy who also gets things done. No nerd here, he enjoyed college as much as any body you know. He was the catcher on the baseball team. If you can’t trust the catcher who can you trust. He’s the man this state needs as governor.” I exhorted them to be aggressive in doing his bidding. I think I put some life behind his picture. Not hard to do with a guy like Joe.”
Larry “Monk” Forness wrote:
“I remember when a friend moved back here (South Bend area) in 2008, I was out at a little eatery with Ron Jeziorski. He leans over and tells me that there is Joe Kernan at another table. I had not seen Joe since we graduated. I walk up to Joe’s table and reintroduce myself. But I’m not even done talking when Joe says, “Hey, Monk. Great to see you again. Welcome back, Brother.” I was stunned that he’d not only remember me, but see who I was after all those years, and that I had been in ‘Nam. Joe adds: “I remember that you lived in Stanford freshman year.” Again, I was stunned, and said, “Joe, given that you were shot down and in the Hanoi Hilton, it should you be ME telling ‘Welcome back, Brother’ to YOU.” Which I did.And I also remember all those great evenings at the South Bend ball park and having root beer and good conversation after the game was over.”
Skip Strzelecki wrote:
“Notre Dame as we all know has no fraternities, but what we do have is an even stronger bond, a bond of brothers. One of the great benefits of our beloved university! The “Great 68” is filled with great leaders who have impacted and inspired all of our lives. Sadly we lost one of the greatest of the Great 68 Joe Kernan who served his last run, caught his last pass, made his last putt and is now enjoying his ultimate victory and reward for his life well lived. Joe embodied for all of us one of Father Ted’s favorite quotes, “If you want to fulfill your life, live it for others”. May God Bless Joe and Maggie and may the beautiful Lady on the Dome continue to watch over them and all of our classmates.
Bryan Dunigan sent link to Joe’s commencement address video, 1998:
What a great guy he is. My firm represented a POW who was charged with consorting with the enemy. The partner came into my office one day and said, “You were a classmate of Joe Kernan!” I said, “Yeah?” He said, Joe is the greatest guy I have ever met. Joe was considered a solid loyal officer and he stuck up for the officer charged. And showed how the officer was cleverly getting the Vietcong to treat them better, without being disloyal. Joe’s known integrity was the centerpiece to the defense.
Mike Crutcher wrote:
(After watching Joe’s commencement address, 1998 class) “Joe’s demeanor and observations very accurately reflect the uniqueness of ND . A wonderful blend of faith , academics , community service and athletics . May ND always strive for excellence in representing our belief in God and service to others as the highest of achievements .”
Rich Rogers wrote:
“I first met joe during our 10th reunion I believe. I and some other 68ers went to his house near Angela for refreshments. He gave us a tour and pointed out his pool table in the living room,bar etc. Over the fireplace he had a painting of a green jungle with a fighter jet with the numbers on it on the way down into the greenery. To the right was a smaller parachute with a small figure. He told me that was him, laughing that when he returned to ND and South Bend he was never going to leave ,ever. He left out the POW aspect modestly. As a loyal patron of THE VIEW tavern on Jefferson in SB I became friendly with some of the luminaries. One was Jack Dillon who was a chemistry professor at St. Mary’s. Jack had lost his wife to cancer and was left with their young daughter who had survived spina bifida and was permanently confined to a wheelchair for life. He was burdened with serious ongoing medical bills because of his daughter’s conditons. I told him i was a ’68 grad. He lit up and said, “You must know Joe Kernan”. He told me that when Joe heard of his situation, Joe set him up with a position that needed to be filled with the South Bend Dept of Streets. Jack left St. Mary’s and Joe was then his boss as mayor. Joe did this on his own so that Jack and his daughter would have excellent health benefits and their financial burdens would be lifted. It was never about Joe, always others. Jack called me the day Joe passed. He said, “Today i lost a great boss and a SPECIAL friend”. So did we all! GOD BLESS JOE KERNAN tom- we sure left ND with much more than a degree. how fortunate we are!”
Jay Schwartz wrote (to Dennis Gallagher):
“Dennis: Your email mentioning Joe Kernan brought this memory. His obit mentioned survivors in D.C.( maybe siblings). Joe had been raised in South Bend but his family moved to D.C. while he was at Notre Dame. He had never been there. So, on one break or another, I told him I knew where he now lived and we drove to D.C. I think a ND friend of mine was driving as neither Joe or I had a car.In any event, we delivered Joe to his family in D.C.in Northwest D.C. and proceeded on to the wrong side of the tracks ( albeit in a fashionable section).The best part of the obits I’ve read was his insistence to be buried through the funeral home which had sponsored his little league team.
Bob “Rabbit” Noonan wrote:
Tom, soliciting stories about Joe will only be restrained by the storage on your computer. We all have Kernan stories from our ND days but let me share one from 1988.
Still in the Army, we were transferring from Hawaii to the Army War College in Pennsylvania in the summer of 1988. I decided to make a side trip to ND and as we pulled into South Bend, the billboard said: Mayor Joe Kernan. As this was before the internet and we had spent the last three years in Hawaii, I still thought he was the comptroller. We pulled into our hotel and I called City Hall just to say hello. I hadn’t seen him since 1969. His assistant put him through and it was like we were back in our undergrad days. Then he said he was busy but would call back and maybe we could go out for dinner. My wife and kids had already cleaned up and I was in the shower when my wife came into the bathroom and said there was a policeman at our door demanding to come in. I grabbed some shorts and opened the door. The policeman asked me if I was “the rabbit”. I said yes and then Joe appeared down the hallway, laughing his butt off. He demanded we all go to Corby’s for pizza and so we did. We were going to leave the next day but he asked us to stay because he was hosting a veteran’s ceremony at the ballpark and wanted me to come. I said sure and the next morning we went to the ceremony. After a few remarks, Joe then announced that the speaker would be LTC Bob Noonan, a Vietnam Vet still on Active Duty. He gave me that mischievous look and handed me the microphone. I winged it but Joe couldn’t get the smile off his face. He then invited my family to a social event at his house that afternoon. We went and I was impressed that Joe was spending time talking to our 11 year old son about moving and finding new friends. As we left he told my son to wait and then ran back into his house and brought out a football autographed by Lou Holtz and the entire coaching staff; an incredibly generous gesture.
He will be missed.
On 40th anniversary of his flight out of Vietnam, Joe Kernan counted his blessings
Joe Kernan, front row, second from left, is shown in this undated photo with members of his Navy squadron aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War. Tribune File Photo
Editor’s note: This story was first published in the Tribune on March 28, 2013.
SOUTH BEND — There are some days a person never forgets. Forty years ago, March 28, 1973, was one of those days for Joe Kernan.
Kernan, then a naval flight officer, had just endured 11 months as a prisoner of war toward the end of the Vietnam War. But on this early spring morning, Kernan and 67 other former POWs were at Hanoi’s Gia Lam Airport. They were escorted by Air Force officials to a waiting C-141 transport plane.
“We got aboard and taxied out and started to roll,” Kernan said. “When the pilot said, ‘Wheels are in the well’ that’s when everybody went nuts. A big hoot and holler went up.”
For Kernan, the former South Bend mayor and Indiana governor, it was the end of a long ordeal.
Kernan followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father when he enlisted in the Navy in the spring of 1969.
“I had decided I wanted to join the Navy and I wanted to fly,” he said. “It was the opportunity to do something I wanted to do instead of sitting around and waiting to get drafted.”
After completing aviation officer candidate school in Florida and navigation training in Georgia, Kernan was given his wings and assigned to a flight squadron. He spent more than a year training aboard his RA-5C Vigilante reconnaissance aircraft before he was assigned to a fleet squadron and deployed to Vietnam in January 1972 aboard the USS Kitty Hawk.
“We did two things. We did road reconnaissance, which was searching for enemy traffic primarily along the Ho Chi Minh trail,” Kernan said. “We’d bring our film back to the ship, it would be developed and if there was traffic that merited some kind of attention we would have other aircraft that would go after those targets.
“The second thing we did was bomb damage assessment. That was to determine whether a target had been sufficiently destroyed or whether we needed to go back and hit it again.”
On May 7, 1972, on Kernan’s 26th combat mission, his RA-5C Vigilante took off with its F-4 Phantom fighter escort for a bomb damage assessment run. After the assessment, squadron commanders asked Kernan to do some road reconnaissance along Vietnam’s Highway 1, the main highway.
“We came over our target, it was a truck park, a staging area for troops and tanks and trucks. We took pictures of that target and as we continued down Highway 1 we were about halfway through our mission and got hit by anti-aircraft fire,” Kernan recalled. “We got hit in the tail. The nose pitched down violently. We came right out of it.
“As we rolled wings level, the nose pitched down again and we were pointed at the ground. I look at the altimeter I had — 2,900 feet — I made the decision to eject not knowing anything other than I didn’t want to ride it in.”
The cockpit filled with light and Kernan was flung at forces approaching 23Gs from the aircraft, rendering him unconscious from the force of the ejection.
He landed in a small village.
“When I got up, people were coming from everywhere. I was surrounded and was getting kicked around,” he said. “I was carrying a .38 revolver with flares in it. So, you’re not going to start a land war with six rounds of small flares.”
Kernan was quickly subdued, stripped to his underwear and brought to Hanoi. He did time in two of the most infamous POW prisons of the war, the Hanoi Hilton and one dubbed “The Zoo,” he said.
There he would stay for 11 months, until the peace agreements were signed, the C-141s allowed in to remove the former prisoners.
For seven weeks, Kernan was listed as missing in action.
The first month, Kernan was kept in isolation. Eventually, another prisoner was brought in with him. The two discreetly talked.
“He said, ‘Your escort lost you guys and you’re presumed dead.’ That was the worst day of my life,” Kernan said. “I assumed my family thought I was dead, the Navy thought I was dead and if everybody thinks I’m dead there’s no reason for these guys to keep me alive. It wasn’t until three months later I found out my family knew I was alive.”
Kernan’s path home came through the Philippines, Hawaii and eventually Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C. After 90 days’ leave, Kernan spent another 18 months in the Navy even though he could have gotten out at any time.
“Wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said. “I loved it. Made great friends.”
He’s spent the past four decades observing his shoot-down day as a nod to those less fortunate the more than 58,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who never made it out of Vietnam alive.
“Every May 7, I play golf with friends,” Kernan said. “Of the things I missed in Vietnam what I missed most was pizza and beer on Friday nights. So after playing golf I go to Rocco’s, eat pizza and drink some beer.
“I’ve been doing that a long time now. It’s a day when it could have gone the other way, very easily and with greater probability. With flight crews in Vietnam that got shot down, three out of four didn’t come home.”
Kernan said it’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years.
“Some days it seems like it was 100 years ago. Some days it feels like last week,” he said. “I got the big break. I have no regrets, no second thoughts about the things I’ve done over the last 40 years.
“I count my blessings. The odds are that I wouldn’t be here. If I’d waited to eject another second, to punch out, I wouldn’t be here.”
