St Mark's Catholic Grade School

ST. MARK'S CATHOLIC GRADE SCHOOL 3 While Eric coached the fundamentals of basketball and good sportsmanship to his players, he also encouraged the fundamentals of faith. On Saturday mornings, the team would attend Mass together before practice. Eric was a member of a good basketball team at St. Mark's when he was in eighth grade. He went on to letter in football, basketball, and baseball at Spalding and PND. He and Jamie met at Quincy University, where Eric was on a baseball scholarship and Jamie a softball scholarship. Jamie serves on the Education Commission at St. Mark's. Besides the family tradition, there were other compelling reasons Eric and Jamie chose St. Mark's for their children. "The small class size is a big advantage," said Jamie. "The kids are able to get one-on-one help from teachers. They are also able to be in whatever extracurricular activities they want and really participate." "St. Mark's has a real community feel about it," said Eric. "There is something special about the people here." This special community is why our slogan "Once a Marksman, Always a Marksman!" is so true! Thanks to the Osmulski family for their contributions to our school. The Osmulski Family: Three Generations at St. Mark's, Where Traditions Thrive (Continued from page 1) News from Alumni and Friends IN MEMORIAM Donald A. Fischer, 63, of Hendersonville, N.C., passed away on April 26, 2016. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church and past chairman of the parish newsletter. He served on the board and executive committee of the Housing Assistance Corporation. He had worked for Joe Crowell Construction Inc. for 37 years and served as vice president for the company. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Joanie, and two sons, Al and Tom. John O'Shaughnessy, 87, passed away on January 10, 2016. He was a resident of Pekin, Ill. Steven G. Vicary, 72, of East Peoria, Ill., passed away January 31, 2016. Steve was a gentle, easy-going man who greatly loved his family and friends. He was a machine repairman at Caterpillar Inc. in Mossville, Ill., for 34 years. Steve was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Peoria. His first wife, Rochelle, preceded him in death. He married Jan Bernius in 1989. She survives, along with Steve's four children, stepson, and seven grandchildren. ALUMNI UPDATES James T. Davis '45 retired in 1987 from Davis Construction Products, now called Davis-Tigue Construction Products. He and his wife, Barbara, have four sons: Douglas, Bradley, Charles, and Jeffery. Sheila McGrath '48 is a Sister at St. Mary Monastery in Illinois. Her name when she was a student at St. Mark's (sixth-eighth grades) was Margaret Mary. Michael Houston '52 lives in St. Louis, Mo., and is a revenue officer with the Internal Revenue Service. Thomas Willkie '56 retired in 2002 as a mill supervisor at Keystone Steel and Wire. He lives in Peoria, Ill. Benjamin Bladel '62 is an interior designer/decorator with Lippmann's Furniture. He lives in Peoria, Ill. Carol S. Noe '62 retired in 2002 as an administrative assistant II with the State of Illinois Department of Employment Security. She and her husband, Ralph, reside in Loami, Ill. Matt O'Connor '65 and his wife, Marie (Voss) '67, became first-time grandparents on October 26, 2016. Maelia Marie was born in Oak Park, Ill., to their oldest son, Matt, and his wife, Lauren. Matt is a metro editor for the Chicago Tribune. Teresa W. Ritter '72 graduated from St. Francis School of Nursing in 1979. She worked for three years at St. Francis then joined the Air Force, where she met her husband, David. They have two daughters, Victoria and Rachel. Teresa is an RN at Covenant Healthcare and lives in Midland, Mich. Michael A. Burke '73 is an instructor at Illinois Central College. He lives in Peoria, Ill., with his wife, Michelle. They have four children: Adam, Bethany, Ryan, and Jill. Thomas J. Kenny '75 and his wife, Nancy, live in Lexington, Ky., and have two children, Thomas and Campbell. Tom is a news anchor with WTVQ-TV. Sue Park Osborne '76 is a registered nurse for the Illinois Gastroenterology Institute. She makes her home in Peoria Heights, Ill. Meagan Jarecki '80 lives in Littleton, Colo. She and her husband, Rich, have two children, Matthew and Jessica. Kasey McMurray '86 and her husband, Jamie, have been married almost 23 years. They live in Peoria and have three children who have attended Catholic grade school and high school. "We value their education and our faith! Go Marksmen!" Ann M. Smith Volpentesta '86 is a school social worker with District 308. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Oswego, Ill., and have two children, Kathleen and Nicholas. Stephanie Lange '90 is an international account manager for Transplace. She and her husband, Scot, have two children, Abby and Jayson, and live in Van Alstyne, Texas. James Dillon '93 is an associate director with West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council. He and his wife, Angela, reside in Peoria, Ill. Kathryn Gibson Hanigan '93 is a keyholder for Goodwill Industries. She lives in Jackson, Miss. Erica C. Hanley '96 is a client services manager for Southern Graphics in Peoria, Ill. She has two children, Trinity and Chance Smith, and lives in West Peoria.

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