Mount St. Macrina Academy Class of 1966 held its 50th reunion at the Historic Summit Inn in Farmington, Pa. on October 8. Fifteen (15) graduates and classmates are pictured. (from left) first row: Sister Margaret Kapusnak (faculty guest and class of 1951), Eugenie Lucas Skala, Dianne Midlik Harmon, Lorraine Galida Koschock, Kathleen Rohall Pechunka, Luella Bantley, Sister Margaret Ann Andrako (guest and class of 1963); second row: Joann Urbani Zambruno, Barbara Jean Pillar Coldren, Mary Geraldine Pozonsky Rhoads O’Connor, Carole Berestecky Pucel, Eileen Vojtek Murray; third row: Bernadette Loya Karoffa, Dolores Kurcina Smith, Monica Powers Sparber, Margaret Kriss Popp, and Elizabeth Jubera Moricz. Also in attendance but not pictured was Linda Galie Yantko. Mount St. Macrina Academy opened in 1938, ceased operation during WWII and remained in open until 1968. The Academy was located on the grounds of Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa., owned and maintained by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. – photo by Shavel Photography jbshavelphoto@zoominternet.net
Friends from another era still keep in touch after a half century
The occasion was the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1966 at Mount Saint Macrina Academy, Uniontown, Pa. This event was held at The Summit Inn Resort in Farmington, Pa. on Saturday October 8, 2016. Chairperson for the event was Kathy Rohall Pechunka assisted by committee members Dianne Midlik Harmon, Bernie Loya Karoffa, and Joann Urbani Zambruno.
Luella Bantley, Monica Powers Sparber, Margaret Kriss Popp, Eileen Vojtek Murray, Gerry Pozonsky Rhoads O’Connor, and Kathleen Rohall Pechunka.
Also present for the celebration were special guests Sister Margaret Kapusnak OSBM, who taught Biology to the ladies, and Sister Margaret Andrako OSBM, who was a Big Sister to graduate Monica Powers Sparber. During the celebration, a telephone call was made to the Academy Chaplain, Rev. Julian M. Gnall, OSB.
A number of the ladies were able to have a one-on-one conversation with him, and at the conclusion of the call to Father Julian (and also at the end of the dinner), led by Gerry Pozonsky O’Connor, the ladies sang God Grant Many Years – Mnohaja L’ita. Mount St. Macrina Academy originally opened its doors on October 3, 1938.
The Sisters of St. Basil the Great had opened the Academy solely with a freshman class, intending to add an additional class each year until the secondary department would be complete. This plan was followed until the first graduation when, due to war conditions and other unforeseen circumstances, the Academy could not be sustained. The school reopened in 1947, and the first class graduated in 1950. Mount St. Macrina Academy closed in 1968.
Betsy Jubera Moricz is pictured with Sister Michaela Gresko OCD, the Major Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Monastery in San Diego, Calif. and Mount St. Macrina Academy alumna. Because Sister Michaela was unable to attend the 50th Anniversary Reunion, Betsy took some photographs with Sister Michaela and herself during a recent trip to California, and shared them with several of the ladies at the 50th Reunion. Everyone was thrilled that Betsy had thought of this idea and most of the ladies hadn’t a photograph of Sister Michaela since their graduation in 1966.
