MESSMER TODAY Sum - Messmer Catholic Schools

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ALUMNUS PROFILE: Tom Flynn ‘62Introduction by Ron Davies ‘60Tom Flynn is arguably one of the greatest athletes to ever graduate from Messmer High School. Hewas an All Conference basketball player for three years. He was a First Team Associated Press (AP)and United Press International (UPI) All State selection his senior year including being selected as theMost Valuable Player (MVP) on the UPI team. He is the leading men’s basketball scorer in Messmerhistory. He was a three year starter in football and earned First Team All State recognition his senioryear. Tom played three years of varsity baseball. When Messmer began a track program, he joinedthe team and took second place in the state in discus his senior year.After high school, Tom earned a four-year basketball scholarship to Marquette University. He isthe only player in Marquette basketball history to have been selected as Marquette’s MVP eachof his three years on the varsity team. Tom was Marquette’s leading scorer two years and leadingrebounder one. Al McGuire named Tom team captain his junior and senior years, and he is stillthe sixth leading All-Time Rebound Leader and twenty-fifth All-Time Leading Scorer in Marquettehistory.Tom Flynn in his high school seniorphoto (above), and in a recent photoHowever, of more importance and even more impressive than Tom Flynn the athlete is Tom Flynnthe person. I can’t imagine anyone who has accomplished all Tom has accomplished throughout theyears being less impressed with himself. Tom has always been very humble. Listen to him talk abouthis mother, his family, his coaches, his teachers, his friends, and his teammates. There is alwaysone common thread; the respect Tom has and has always had for them. Tom has demonstrated hisrespect and concern for others by his actions throughout his lifetime. Tom is very proud of MessmerHigh School and we are proud that Tom is a graduate of our school. He is a wonderful role modeland is someone who all of us connected with Messmer would like our students to emulate.Following is an excerpt from a conversationwith Tom Flynn ‘62.Q. Did you have a favorite teacher atMessmer?TF: Sister John Dominic stands out in mymind. She was my homeroom teachermy senior year and Sister Immanuelcommanded the room next door. JohnDominic dropped her alias and is nowSr. Marian Blong I believe. She andImmanuel were wonderful people whoseemed to really care about the students.I also liked Mr. Neja who taught biologyand coached basketball. He taught mediscipline when I really needed thatlesson. Don Simeth as a good coachin track and the other sports too. Hehelped me a lot in sports and in growingup. There were many wonderful peopleat Messmer and they all helped me alongthe way. I have fond memories.MESSMER TODAY 17Q. Ron Davies ‘60 has many stories aboutthe fun you had in high school, and theoccasional trouble you got into with thenuns for “inappropriate behavior,” suchas having an arm over a girl’s shoulder inthe hallways. Like Ron, do you have anystories you can share?TF: I was no match for Ron Davies whowas always much more mature than I.Ron always looked out for the moraldevelopment of his friends and he wouldidentify your shortcomings to any nearbynun if he felt you were not up to his highstandards.Q. In what activities were you involved inhigh school?TF: Mostly sports – football, basketball,baseball and track. I was student bodypresident my senior year. I can’t recall alot of executive decisions I was allowedto make in that capacity but I introducedoutside speakers at the school, etc. Someof my classmates still make fun of theway I did that. It was a high honor tobe elected by the other students to thatposition. My fellow officers were MaryQuinn, Carole Dunn and Mike Munsonwho were all wonderful people andvery successful in life. Participation onathletic teams helped me immensely inmy struggle to grow up. Competitionreally prepares people for life. One learnshow to strive to win but to accept it whenyou don’t win and to try harder nexttime. You also learn how to get alongwith others and to function as a team.Q. After high school you attendedMarquette University, where you receiveda number of distinctions in athletics,including the Robert L. and William P.McCahill Award in 1966 for scholarship,
leadership and athletics (men’s basketballand track and field). Tell us about theexperience of being a college athlete.TF: I always loved athletic competitionand I was very fortunate to be able toattend Marquette on a scholarship. Igrew up following Marquette basketballand I was very proud to be a part ofit. I got to know some great people atMarquette and the competition was verygood in basketball. Travelling with theteam for games was a good experienceand I loved the camaraderie with theother athletes.Q. What were some newsworthy eventsduring your school days?TF: The biggest event I recall was theCuban Missile Crisis a few months afterI graduated from Messmer. I was sureit would lead to Armageddon and Istood in a long line at Marquette to goto confession to Fr. McEvoy, a roly polyJesuit who had been a chaplain duringWWII. Most guys liked him becausehe was “easy” and rarely gave more thanthree Hail Marys. The downside wasthat once he knew you he would getyou in a headlock if he spotted you oncampus and make you go to confessionas he walked with you. If he thought youmade a good confession he released youfrom the headlock and looked for othervictims. Fr. Mac was a saint in my viewand I could talk about him all day.Q. What is your profession?TF: After graduating from Marquette, AlMcGuire, the basketball coach kept meon as a part time assistant which paidfor my law school education. After lawschool I was accepted into the FBI as aSpecial Agent and spent 32 years as anagent, serving in Portland, San Francisco,New York City and Indianapolis. I stilllive in Indiana with my family consistingof my wife Tanja, daughter Christina,son Michael, and three grandsons, Miles,Max and Malone.Perhaps my major accomplishmentwas being accepted into the FBI, whichwas a fairly competitive process. I didhave an enjoyable career “fighting crime”to include helping convict some corruptpoliticians, bank robbers, identity thieves,etc. I also managed to arrest quite a fewfugitives from the law, including severalmurderers. I met and worked with manyincredible people in the FBI and considermyself fortunate for the experience.Q. When was the last time you were ableto visit your alma mater, Messmer HighSchool?TF: I got to see a basketball game atMessmer in January with my formerteammates, Ron Davies, Pete Salza andMike Basile. I got to meet Coach Datkaand the team. I also attended the Hall ofFame Induction in April and got to seemany old friends and teammates.Q. What advice do you have for today’sMessmer High School students?TF: Work hard and have fun. Obey therules. Seek advice from people who havedone those things you may want to do.That way you do not have to keep “reinventingthe wheel.”Q. Any final remarks?TF: I feel blessed to have had theopportunity to attend Messmer andcompete on its teams and learn fromthose wonderful School Sisters of NotreDame. They were awesome. They alsotaught me at SS. Peter and Paul gradeschool. I have lots of vivid memories ofgames and friends and teachers, coachesand good times.I am delighted that Messmer “dodgeda bullet” and is still working miracleswith young people. I am very proud ofthat and thankful for the many peoplewho made that happen and who are stillcommitted to Messmer’s survival.ALUMNI UPDATES1960sThomas Dougherty ’64 recently becamea proud, first-time grandfather to agranddaughter. Thomas started CarrEquipment Corp. in 2007, and has beenhard at work building the company.Dr. Vicki (Vernon) Lott ’69 recentlyaccepted a position as Provost atHuston-Tillotson University inAustin, TX.1970sNancy (Gerger) Malkowski ’71announces that the Class of ’71 willcelebrate their 40th Reunion at NewBerlin Hills Golf Course on November12, 2011. More info will follow.Classmates should please contact Nancywith questions. 262-251-9445 ornmalkowski4@yahoo.comGene Placzkowski ’74 has been namedRegional Quality Hub Manager - Asiaat S.C. Johnson and Son. He nowcommutes between Racine, WI andShanghai, China on a monthly basis.Mark Feilen ’79 is Co-Owner of Taylor& Dunn’s Public House in Mequon.Taylor & Dunn’s will be celebrating its6 th Anniversary this Labor Day weekend.1990sLaTisha Terry ’99 graduated with anMBA from Cardinal Stritch Universityin December 2010.2000sJustine Shorter ’08, a senior atMarquette University and GeneralManager of the university radio station,won first place in the regional SPJMark of Excellence Awards for RadioNews Reporting. The piece will nowbe entered into a national competition.Winners are announced in September.Alumni: Share your family, work andeducation updates with us!Please submit updates online atwww.messmerschools.org.18 MESSMER TODAY
Page 6 and 7: VALEDICTORIANAND CO-SALUTATORIANS O
Page 8 and 9: Literacy mattersThird grade reading
Page 10 and 11: MS. MARILYN MATHAYA REFLECTION ON A
Page 12 and 13: SCHOOL NEWSMessmer Prep field trip
Page 14 and 15: SCHOOL NEWSKaela McBeath worked tog
Page 16 and 17: SCHOOL NEWSARTSStrong representatio
Page 20 and 21: Messmer High SchoolAthletic Hall of
Page 22 and 23: IN MEMORIAMThe Messmer Catholic Sch

MESSMER TODAY Sum - Messmer Catholic Schools

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