Pages 7 - Sacred Heart Catholic School

Ryan Bayer, ’89, an employee
of Cooke County
Electric Cooperative
(CCEC), was bestowed
with a Life-Saving Award
by Texas Electric Cooperatives
at the organization’s
annual Loss Control
Conference. Upon noticing
flames coming from
a nearby house while performing
work on service
orders in his area last December,
Ryan immediately
went to survey the scene,
called 911, and went into
the burning home to alert
and assist the occupant.
While Ryan, a Muenster
volunteer fireman, was
surprised to receive the
award, commenting, “I did
CCEC Manger Neil HESSE, Ryan BAYER, and TEC Loss Control Specialist Warren Huggins
what anybody would have
done,” CCEC Manager Neil Hesse, ’84, stated, “This is who Ryan Bayer is. He is totally committed to his job
and to mankind. I am very thankful and proud of his efforts.”
A fourth grade teacher at Ray Marsh
Elementary School in Shawnee
Mission, Kansas, Laura Klement
Robeson, ’98, was honored with
the Kansas State Department of
Education’s prestigious Horizon
Award, accompanied by a $500
check for use in her classroom, at
a luncheon on February 25 during
the Kansas Exemplary Educators
Network Conference. Given to
just 32 teachers through out the
state, based on U.S. Congressional
Regions, the award recognizes
exemplary first-year teachers who
perform in a way that distinguishes
them as outstanding. Each district
chooses one elementary and one
secondary teacher to nominate
for the award in their region. On March 1 Laura was
bestowed with yet another award. During a reception
in her honor at her school, she was surprised with the
Brass Bell Award, also accompanied by a check for $500.
The Brass Bell Award recognizes excellence in teaching
and is given out by Shawnee
Mission Medical Center and the
Shawnee Mission Education
Foundation. Laura is noted for
her ability to motivate her students,
who appreciate the fun methods
she uses to help them learn and
remember things. They cite, for
example, how she describes acute
angles as “a cute little angle” and
has them make the shape with their
arms, and how she teaches them
a song to remember the names
of the continents. She also makes
history come alive, as when her
class studies Kansas immigrants,
focusing on the culture of Volga
Germans (where Laura’s maternal
great-grandparents came from), a
large population of whose descendants live in Kansas.
The unit ends with Mrs. Robeson and her students
holding their own Germanfest, complete with sausage,
sauer kraut, and dancing. A graduate of the University of
North Texas with a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Studies,
THE ALUMNI Spring 2011 7

Laura worked for five years as a social worker, in Fort
Worth, Fairfax, VA, and Lenexa, KS. In that job she
was inspired by what she saw in schools and decided to
pursue a teaching career. While working, she earned a
Master’s in Elementary Education at Rockhurst University
in Kansas City, MO, choosing the Jesuit school
because of its reputation for excellence in teacher training
and its emphasis on social justice. Laura notes that
some of her favorite former Sacred Heart teachers, Mr.
Joe Caserta, Mrs. Debbie [Fette] Endres, [’67], Sister
Mary John Seyler, and Mr. Steve Kohler, continue to
serve as role models for her, remarking, “I hope that I
am a model for the type of teaching they practiced! Mr.
Caserta encouraged us to think outside the box and had an
unparalleled enthusiasm for what he taught. Mr. Kohler
got us engaged and promoted active learning. Mrs.
Endres promoted creative writing and thinking. Sister
Mary John was also wonderful. She was certainly ahead
of her time, and promoted conservation and recycling!
It really stuck with me!” Feeling most blessed to be
in her chosen profession, she relates, “I can’t imagine
something more powerful and meaningful than teaching.
Every day there are challenges and things that are
difficult about it, but you are connecting with kids and
reaching them in ways other people aren’t.” Laura and
her husband, Dan, reside in Prairie Village, KS.
In addition to the college honorees listed in our Winter issue, Katie Flusche, ’05, and Christopher Marshall, ’09,
both students at North Central Texas College, made the President’s Honor List for the Fall 2010 semester.
Just Married
Karen Gehrig, ’04, and John Douglas Schmid on March 5 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, residing in
Jacksonville, FL
Jessica Schilling, ’07, and Cody Bartram on March 12 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
New Bundles of Joy
To Kelly and Michael Gehrig, ’94, daughter Sarah Elizabeth on January 28
To Valerie and Jeff Yosten, ’98, of Gainesville, daughter Sasha Sloan on March 7
To Shane and Shauna Endres Huchton, ’98, of Forestburg, son Seth Michael on
March 29
To Coy and Leslie Hess Eddleman, ’86, son Coy John on April 7
To Becky and Tony Koesler, ’04, of Krum, daughter Addison Kay on April 14
In Memoriam
Betty Pautler
(loving benefactor of SHCS)
Oct. 19, 1923–Mar. 4, 2011
Thank you for your continued support!
You can make a difference!
8 THE ALUMNI Spring 2011

Through the years, Sacred Heart School has brought a
good number of families to the Muenster area, sometimes
in indirect and quite unexpected ways. Such was the case
with Charlie Foster and his wife, Adele. The owner of
Ramen Republic, a restaurant featuring Asian inspired
noodle bowls, located on East Hickory Street in Denton,
Charlie came to Muenster in 2006 to ride in the Alumni’s
annual Metric Century Bike Rally at Germanfest. Riding
up a very steep hill in strong winds, he happened to look
over and see a “For Sale” sign. Charlie and Adele had been
looking for land south of Dallas, but he suddenly realized
how beautiful this area was. The couple came up the
following week to look at the acreage near the Bartush lands and quickly purchased it. He says with a
chuckle, “If I’d been going downhill, I never would’ve seen the sign. It’s funny how things turn out.”
If you happen to be in Denton, stop by for a delicious bowl of noodles and say “Hello!”
Donations benefitting Sacred Heart Catholic School come in many forms and sizes. You might be
interested in doing as one parishioner recently did, donating $365, or $1/day, to the Trust Fund for this
year. When you think about it, managing to set aside a dollar a day seems quite doable. Lots of people
doing so could make quite a difference! And what a fitting tribute it would be to the great effort of our
parishioners—past, present, and future—that enables Sacred Heart Catholic School to be the thriving
ministry that it has been, is, and will be.
The Sacred Heart Relays once again came off without a hitch, thanks to Coach Dale Schilling, ’80,
and all who stepped up to help with the annual event. Special thanks are also in order for Concession
Stand Coordinators Neil, ’84, and Anne Felderhoff Hesse, ’84.
At the Alumni & Supporters’ February meeting, the name of Gary Endres, ’73, was drawn for an
attendance lotto jackpot of $145, while in March it was Dwayne Rohmer’s, ’74, name drawn for
$200. April’s meeting ended on an exciting note, as a thrilled Reneta Walterscheid Knabe, ’80,
heard her name announced as the lucky winner taking home a $240 jackpot.
The Alumni & Supporters is
now on Facebook! Just search
for Sacred Heart Alumni &
Supporters and “like” the page
today. The wall provides postings
from President Vickie Schmitt
Fleitman, ’89, giving notice of
Alumni and School events and
late-breaking news you’ll want to
be aware of. Many thanks go to
David and Bekki Jones for setting up the page. Also, please know
that more news from The Alumni & Supporters is available on
the School’s Website sacredheartschoolmuenster.com. Just go
to Information and click on Alumni Association. There you’ll
find information about our various activities and fundraisers, and,
thanks once again to David Jones of West Texas IT Services,
links to our quarterly magazine, THE ALUMNI.
Bekki & David JONES
(Please see DID YOU KNOW, page 10)
DIDYOUKNOW

DID YOU KNOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Continued from page 9)
Competitors and fans braved the
strong winds while enjoying the
warm sunshine at the Alumni’s
Annual Buckaroo and Ranch
Rodeo, held this year at the St.
Jo Riding Arena. Buckaroos
had loads of fun competing in
vari ous obstacle courses, while
22 four-men teams of working
cowboys competed in team roping,
sorting, team mugging, and
cow-undercoating, all vying
for the substantial prizes to be
won. The well-run event would
never be possible without lots
of hard work. Hats off to all
those working on the event,
particu larly Co-chairs Sam
Hess, ’81, and Vickie Schmitt
Fleitman, ’89, Buckaroo Rodeo
Chair Toni DeWeber,
Program Coordinators Hayle
Fenton Dangelmayr, ’88, and
Lydia Walterscheid Springer,
’86, and Concession Coordinator
John S. Bartush, ’74. A
big round of thanks also goes
to Curt Bayer, ’89, and Clint
Sicking for providing the cattle,
the Saint Jo Riding Club for
use of the facility, and the Saint
Jo Volunteer Fire Department
for keeping the arena watered
down.
10 THE ALUMNI Spring 2011

Staying in Touch:
Jack Murdock, Ph.D.
With the goal of expediting communication
efforts, THE ALUMNI’S
Winter 2011 issue asked readers
to send in their email address to
Lydia Walter scheid Springer, ’86,
at springer@ntin.net, for entry
into the Alumni database. Hopefully
you’ve done so or will do
so soon. One reader who kindly
responded to the request was Jack
B. Mur dock, Ph.D., principal of
Sacred Heart Catho lic School from
1988–2003. Knowing that readers would appreciate receiving
an update from Dr. Murdock, a man who did so much for Sacred
Heart School and for whom the School Family has such great
love and respect, his email is shared below:
Dear Lydia,
Please add me to the e-mailing list for the alumni news.
I spent over a quarter of my life ministering to Sacred Heart
School, and it was an incredibly rewarding time in my life.
I spent several years in Washington State and am now in western
New York State. I serve as a consultant for Catholic schools,
assisting them with marketing, student recruitment, financial
development and management to name a few. While I enjoy the
diverse challenges that Catholic schools face, I miss the close
sense of community at Sacred Heart.
I was "forced” to take some time to reflect recently, which has
included reflection on my years at Sacred Heart. I'm currently
recovering from major back surgery. This follows open heart
surgery and a five coronary bypass six months ago. Hopefully,
I'll be ready to travel to Ecuador this summer in preparation to
undertake an effort to help schools in Ecuador that serve indigenous
people, who are very poor and for whom education is an
opportunity to escape a life of poverty.
It is clear that Sacred Heart School continues to prosper—because
of the faith, dedication, and love of the commu nity. Please
know that I continue to pray for the Sacred Heart School community
daily.
God's blessings upon you,
Jack
SACRED HEART
TRUST FUND
WE APPRECIATE YOUR APPRECIATION.
GIVING STOCK INSTEAD OF
CASH CAN BE A SMART IDEA.
BENEFITS TO YOU:
If your stock has increased in value:
• Charitable income tax deduction for full fair market
value of the shares the day you transfer them.
• Pay no capital gains tax on any appreciation.
If your stock has decreased in value:
• Sell the stock and give cash proceeds to the Sacred
Heart Trust Fund.
• Take the income tax deduction for your cash gift.
• Take the loss on sale of your stock as a deduction
against future gains.
CoNTACT
INFoRMATIoN:
Lydia Springer
Director of Development
Sacred Heart Catholic School
P. o. Drawer 588
Muenster, TX 76252
940-759-4025
springer@ntin.net
We Keep Our School In Trust
THE ALUMNI Spring 2011 11