GICC Moments of Grace

First row, sitting from left: Dianne Davis Ziller, Barb Venhaus Beck, Dan Slattery, Susie Vogel Schutt, Barb Kosinski Bosak. Middle row from left: Tony Wassinger, Karen Pfeifer Robison, Terry Paustian Buck, Jean Fitzpatrick. Last row from left: Tom Moore, Willy Mohr, Greg Walz, Patty Buhrman McBride, Cathy Brown Howard, Geri Koziol Zaruba, Lenny Sorahan. Grand Island Central Catholic Class of 1973 I was hoping to lose 20 pounds before my high school reunion.  But it turns out I'm tired. So now, having given up all hope of a leaner, meaner version of my 68-year-old self, I sit in the lobby of Grand Island Central Catholic. Not only was I a student in this old school, but I've also been a teacher for 47 years. In truth I've never lived anywhere in my life as long as I've lived at GICC. On this warm September afternoon I'm waiting for my visiting classmates to arrive for a tour of their alma mater. It occurs to me that not once in this last half century have I ever sat

Karen Pfeifer Robison, senior pic I am 16-years-old and a new student at Grand Island Central Catholic.  My nine younger brothers and sisters and I have been plucked from the home, the neighborhood, and the school in Denver we've known all our lives to move to this obscure little town in the middle of Nebraska because of my dad's new job. On this first day of school, I am miserable and lost and can't find my way to the cafeteria. "It's down the hall to your right," says a voice as if reading my mind. Appearing beside me is a tiny little cheerleader in her cheer skirt and vest. "Be sure to come to the pep rally after school!" she smiles and dances away down the hall. I swear there are springs in her feet. Hers is the first friendly face I encounter, and quite suddenly I feel better.  I can't possibly know on this warm September day in 1971 that the little cheerleader with springs in her feet will be my life long friend. Or that one day we will wor

  Central Catholic senior Michael Erives Michael Erives does a wicked impression of his history teacher, Mr. Howard - who also happens to be my husband. It is, in fact, so spot on that I laugh hard enough to fall out of my chair. So do his classmates who are witnesses to Michael's performance in my language arts classroom. "Please excuse me," he pretends to be an increasingly apoplectic Mr. Howard. "How rude of me to lecture while you're trying to SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL." Michael is small and compact and looks nothing like Mr. Howard, but somehow he captures the essence of my towering six and half foot husband barking relentlessly at students.  This kid should be on television, I think. He's one of the most talented students I've ever taught. But there's not a chance Michael will ever appear in front of a camera. Instead, he'll be the guy behind the camera - creating the kind of magic that we've all come to practically take for granted here

Mary Wiles in her GICC classroom One chilly morning before school in Miss Wiles’ classroom - big and spacious and filled with light - Mary and I are talking hard and fast. You have to talk fast to Mary because at any moment a student could interrupt needing the ministrations that only Miss Wiles can offer. Sure enough, suddenly in the room appears Matthew Anderson, a sweet, big-eyed seventh grader. He stands forlornly and very small in the doorway and stares pleadingly at Mary. “My grandpa died,” his voice trembles.  “Oh! Oh!” Mary cries. Immediately she’s across the room gathering the boy in her arms and making comforting noises as he sobs against her. I slip out quietly feeling as if I’ve intruded upon a sacred moment. This is what Miss Wiles does every day, and the rest of us who teach with her take for granted her special role at Grand Island Central Catholic. Mary Wiles is always there, not just for her students but for all of us. We cannot imagine GICC without her calm and quiet

Bob and Peg Ley Every girl who graduated from Central Catholic in the 60's, 70's or 80's had one vital aspiration: to be just like Mrs. Ley. GICC's business teacher for a quarter of a century, Peg Ley was tall and lovely and always dressed to the nines. Her makeup, hair and jewelry were flawless. More than that, she loved us. Mrs. Ley truly believed every one of her students was the most exceptional child ever born - second only to her own son R.J.  Peg's beauty radiated from the inside out. Back in the late 50's when she was a young wife and mother, she was even voted the Mrs. Nebraska state runner-up - an honor for which she was awarded a brand new gas stove and dryer.  In the words of the late Bill Dunn, Peggy's former student and managing editor of the Grand Island Independent , Peg Ley was "the most beautiful woman in Grand Island, Nebraska." Even now, Bill's words rattle her. "I don't want you to write that," she orders me.