Class of 1959

2010 Classmates Reunion

2026-04-24T15:11:00.004-05:00

One classmate is in a nursing home, two classmates and three spouses have passed away since this picture was taken. There were 20 SFXA girls and 19 SAHS boys. May they rest in peace. Amen

Sixty-Seven Years Graduated from SFXA & SAHS

2026-04-24T15:07:00.001-05:00

Class of 1959 from our Alma Mater, St. Francis Xavier Academy (now the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation), celebrating 67 years since graduating with 20 girls who were taught by the Sisters of Mercy.+Marie Yowan (Braun), Myrtle Curro Alvarado (Loviza), Rosalye Baldwin (Wilkerson), +Florence Boren (Murphy), +Vera M. Brown (Marshall), Marlene Caston (Wilson), Billie Marie Clark (Price), +Jackie Doiron (Melsheimer), Sue Fowler (McNamara), Theresa Kitowski (Martin), Marian Ann Love, Boyd, Phillips, Kay Hess Simms, Bonnie Terry (Smith), Ina Carol Whittington (Lott). Contact loss with Margaret Mary Sheehan and Antionette Flynn (Sheehan). Rest In Peace ~ +Katherine Turcotte (Meyer), +Lynn Hausermann (Stegall), +Patricia LeBlanc (McNamara), and +Margaret Tice (McCormack).

Joan C. Donovan Dies

2026-04-16T13:25:00.000-05:00

Joan C. Donovan went to her heavenly home on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was 90 years old.

She was a communicant of St. Michael Catholic Church.

Born and raised in Vicksburg, MS, she was the daughter of the late John Coomes and Pauline Coomes Douat, and was a

A graduate of St. Francis Xavier Academy, in the class of 1954, and attended Hinds Community College.

She was a member of the Sodality of the Virgin Mary, Mercy Associates, and the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary.

Joan retired from the U.S. Government, Waterways Experiment Station, and also worked at Vicksburg Medical Center as an LPN.

Joan was survived by three daughters: Sharon Donovan, Theresa Joan Donovan, Susan Woodrick (Mike); two sons, Michael Donovan (Carla), Paul Donovan (Theresa Ann); seven grandchildren: Bobby Lampkin, Brian Lampkin, Stephen Donovan (Emily), Jessica Kean (Kenny), Jennifer Grayson (Josh), Rachel Dodd (Joel) and Katlyn; twelve great grandchildren: Shawn Ryan Kean, Aiden Kean, Evie Kean, Ryan Donovan, Alice Donovan, Abby Grayson, Carl Grayson, Patty Grayson, Donny Grayson, Maryjane Grayson, Bray Dodd and Bear Dodd.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Mike; her brother, Billy Coomes; and her nieces and nephews: Renee Coomes, Mike Coomes, Bobby Coomes, and Donna Coomes Stienreide.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 20, from 9 AM until 10:30 AM at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home, 5000 Indiana Avenue, followed by services at St. Michael Catholic Church at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

She was a very dear friend of mine and known her since working for the Corps of Engineers in 1968.  May she rest in peace.

2026 St. Aloysius/St. Francis Alumni Banquet

2026-04-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

Class of 2026

Class of 1976

As you can see, I arrived early to take pictures and reserve a table for our class. The Class of 2026 was seated on the stage.

Setting up the buffet tables.

Myrtle, Marian (myself), and Sue

Class of 1959

Bobby and Myrtle Loviza Alvarado.

My sister, Laura Love Ables (Class of 1961), and brother-in-law, Chris Ables.

A very enjoyable evening, and the food, catered by Rusty's Restaurant, was enjoyed by everyone.

SFXA curtain is still standing after all these years.

Mercy Girls @ Walnut Hills (4-10-2026)

2026-04-14T21:03:00.002-05:00

Class of 1961 (Mercy Girls of SFXA)

First row: Susan Taylor Yeager, Mary Carol McNamara, Laura Love Ables (my sister), Lucy Canazaro Williams, Barbara Mongomery.

Second row: Cathy Barnes Downey, Linda Hardwood, Judy James, Sandra Jabour, and Nina C. Buell.

Happy Easter 2026 Classmates

2026-04-04T17:35:00.002-05:00

Have a Blessed Easter, Classmates!

Prayers For Classmates

2026-03-17T11:39:00.000-05:00

All our classmates need prayers at this time in our lives. Here are a few I will mention.

Rosalye Wilkerson Baldwin

Sue McNamara Fowler

Theresa Martin Kitowski

Ina Lott Whittington

Kay Hess Simms & Jim

Gordon Campbell Sutton

Email me at: mariandeer@aol.com if anyone needs prayers.

This Will Be Our 67th Year Graduating

2026-03-16T14:27:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that we will be celebrating 67 years graduating from St. Francis Xavier & St. Aloysius. So glad they are having it at our old school auditorium. I hope you can make it. Marian

Alumni Banquet Coming Soon!

We are excited to gather for our upcoming Alumni Banquet honoring the Classes of 1976 and 2026 on April 11 at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center — a place rich in history, the former home of our school. What a meaningful setting to celebrate the generations who have shaped our community.

Click here to register

Going Down Memory Lane in High School

2026-02-28T19:51:00.002-06:00

I wanted to go down memory lane with my very first boyfriend from St. Aloysius High School. His name is Michael Joseph Hosemann. He was a year ahead of me. While in school, he gave me many cards, an ink pen that had the Lord's Prayer, and a redwood knife that he carved and put my name on the handle. I still have everything he gave me to this day. He was a very special person in my life, and we have stayed in touch to this day. Here are some pictures he gave me in high school and while playing football.

Marian Ann Love and Michael Hosemann

1956 ~ 1957

After the Alumni banquet in someone's home, April 2008

Alumni Banquet at Farrell Hall on April 28, 2018

THE (ORIGINAL) RED TOPS WITH RUFUS McKAY - HELLO, IS THAT YOU / SWANEE R...

2026-01-25T15:26:00.000-06:00

Pat Millett

They played for our (SFXA and St. Al) Senior prom in April of 1960.

Marian Ann Love

Pat Millett That's awesome, Pat. Did not know that!

Charles Benard 'Chuck' Kitowski Obituary

2026-01-07T12:30:00.001-06:00

May 21, 1947 ~ December 31, 2025

Charles Bernard 'Chuck' Kitowski, Jr, was born in San Antonio, Texas, on May 21, 1947, the first of Zenia and Charles Kitowski's eight children. He passed away in Katy, Texas, on December 31, 2025, after being diagnosed with cancer in August. He was 78 years old.

Besides San Antonio, Chuck called Houston, Corpus Christi, and Dallas home and spent eight years in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, as a youngster. He graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas in 1965 and from the University of Dallas in 1969 with a degree in Chemistry. After performing graduate work in his field at North Texas State University, he spent a brief time in the Naval Air Force.

He met his wife, Theresa, through a mutual friend when Theresa was employed at MD Anderson in Houston, teaching Medical Technology classes to Hematology students from the University of Houston. One of her students brought Chuck along on a sailing trip on Theresa's Sunfish in Offatt's Bayou in Galveston. They were married a year later. Chuck's career as a petroleum engineer with Baroid, the drilling fluids company, took him to Peru. Theresa joined him in Peru, where they lived for three years, during which they explored sites in their adopted country, such as Cusco and Machu Picchu. Part of the adventure was travelling in their Volkswagen 'Bug' and on Peruvian trains and buses. Theresa and Chuck returned to the United States for the birth of their son, Trey, and made their home in Katy, Texas. The family moved to Venezuela for Chuck's work and eventually returned to Katy, their home base. At the same time, Chuck travelled to assignments in multiple locations in South America, as well as Lagos, Nigeria, and the North Sea.

Chuck loved the great outdoors, whether it was gardening, spelunking, hiking, boating, or waterskiing, including barefoot waterskiing. Camping was a family event, and there were countless trips with Theresa and Trey to Big Bend in West Texas. For forty years, Chuck took annual trips with his brother Roger to the mountains to fish for trout. He got his feathers ruffled when Theresa suggested taking a can of tuna fish, just in case! There were also numerous trips to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands with Theresa to snorkel.

Chuck loved barbecue, competing in barbecue cookoffs, and sampling along the way. If you ever travelled through Ellinger, Texas, he'd request you bring him a chopped beef sandwich from Peters' Barbecue. Sweets were another favorite, such as Blue Bell ice cream, pecan pie, and Theresa's French chocolate pie.

He was an enthusiastic Dallas Cowboys fan, a bridge player, and an avid puzzle worker, completing 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles at age 5. He enjoyed numerous feline pets--seven at one time--which made his son Trey exclaim, "Who do you think you are, Dr Doolittle?!?"

Chuck's choice of wardrobe could be described in one word…comfort. Whether hot or cold, rain or shine, he always wore shorts and most likely flip-flops, and this 'unique' behavior always drew attention and many times the recommendation to 'put some clothes on!' Tattered T-shirts were a staple in his wardrobe, and a teenager once asked to buy his faded, torn shirt, thinking it'd be 'cool,' but Chuck refused.

Chuck was very well-liked, had numerous friends, and a generous spirit. He was a hard worker, very conservative, strong as an ox, and stubborn as a mule.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Theresa, siblings Jeff Kitowski (Birgit), Roger Kitowski (Nan), Beth DiIorio (Patrick), Gail Kitowski (Scott, deceased), Becky Hartless (Kerry, deceased), and Mary Allison (Art, deceased), as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Trey, killed in action in Afghanistan in 2007; his parents, Zenia and Charles Kitowski; and his adoring sister, Vivian Powers (Steve, deceased).

Visitation will be on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 10:00 am at St Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church, 5356 11th St, Katy, Texas, followed by the rosary at 10:30 am, mass at 11:00 am, and burial at Magnolia Cemetery, 6801 Franz Rd, Katy, Texas.

For those interested in making a donation in Chuck's memory, the family asks that you consider St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, or EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network).

Serving as pallbearers are Jeff Kitowski, Roger Kitowski, Melvin Krezer, Louis Landry, Kevin Loper, Ben Martin, and Jon Prejon. Honorary pallbearers are Gene Martin and Joseph Simich.

Charles "Chuck" Kitowski Dies

2026-01-01T21:58:00.000-06:00

I was just informed by Theresa Martin Kitowski (Class of 1959) that her husband, Chuck, passed away last night on New Year's Eve. The funeral will be held on January 9, 2026, Theresa said. I will post the obituary as soon as I receive it. Keep Theresa in your thoughts and prayers at this sad time in her life.

Happy New Year 2026

2025-12-31T10:42:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year, Classmates!

If You Were Born Between 1930 - 1946

2025-12-30T12:47:00.000-06:00

If you were born between 1930 and 1946, you belong to a group that is almost gone. Fewer than one out of every hundred from your time is still here. Today, you are in your late seventies, eighties, or nineties, carrying memories that no book or documentary can truly capture.

You entered the world when survival mattered. The Great Depression had stripped families down to the basics, and before the wounds could fully heal, the world was pulled into war. You learned early that nothing was free and nothing was wasted. Bread was stretched. Clothes were patched. Milk was measured. Your parents taught you that gratitude was not a feeling but a way of life.

You remember the milkman stopping at the house. You remember teachers who demanded respect and parents who backed them up. There was no room for excuses. You stood up straight, did what needed to be done, and learned the meaning of responsibility long before the word became fashionable.

No glowing screens were filling the room. Fun came from your own hands and your own mind. You played ball in the street, ran barefoot on hot pavement, and stayed outside until the lights flicked on. At night, families gathered near the radio not just for news but to feel connected. Voices from far away filled the room and brought everyone together.

Technology moved slowly then, and that was a gift. Phones were shared. If you wanted to talk, you waited for your turn. Math was done on paper with a pencil. Letters were typed or written by hand. The newspaper landed on the doorstep each morning and told you what mattered, not what shouted the loudest.

You came of age after war, during a stretch of hope that felt earned. There was no internet to distract or overwhelm. No endless alerts. Just the belief that if you worked hard, kept your word, and showed up every day, life would move forward.

You remember when black-and-white television felt like magic. When there were fewer highways, trips took longer. When downtown shopping meant greeting people by name. You remember the fear of polio and the relief when science finally pushed it back. Childhood was not easy, but it was real.

While your parents rebuilt the nation piece by piece, you watched cities rise, machines improve, and possibilities expand. You lived through changes that reshaped the country and set the stage for everything that followed.

If you are over 77 today, pause for a moment. You are living history. You carry lessons forged in hardship and hope, discipline and patience, community and resilience. The world you knew shaped the world we live in now.

You are one in a hundred.

And that is something worth honoring.

Merry Christmas Classmates!

2025-12-24T16:53:00.000-06:00

Fabulous Fifties

Prayers for Jim and Kay Hess Simms

2025-12-21T20:59:00.000-06:00

I spoke with Kay today in CA (it's also her 85th birthday) about Jim and his recovery. He did have to have a pacemaker put in as well. Kay has AFib going on. As we age, we all have health issues and need to pray for one another.

Wishing Kay a very Happy 85th Birthday and many more to come.

Prayers for Jim Simms (Classmate Kay Hess Simms Husband)

2025-12-03T20:37:00.003-06:00

Posted on Facebook by Libby Hess, Kay Hess Simms, sister.

(Earlier) - Please say a prayer for my brother-in-law, Jim Simms, who is having a heart valve replacement right now.

(Libby) Thanks everyone, surgery was successful. He's awake and talking. A 4-hour surgery.

It means so much that you have all prayed, and I believe prayers saw him through. The doctor is the one who performed surgery on Barbara Bush, but I didn't remember her having surgery, maybe after they were out of the White House.

Happy Thanksgiving Classmates

2025-11-26T20:39:00.002-06:00

Prayers Needed

2025-11-24T21:38:00.001-06:00

Please keep our classmate, Theresa Martin Kitowski's husband, Chuck, in your thoughts and prayers. He is in hospice care at this time. Theresa is being comforted by her sister, Rita, and family. Will keep you posted. Marian

'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Filming Locations - David Freeman

2025-11-08T18:13:00.003-06:00

Brother, Where Are Thou? was filmed at St. Francis Xavier Auditorium. This auditorium was built by the Sisters of Mercy in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1885. My daughters, sister, and I attended St Francis Xavier Academy. Now, the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation is preserving this historic block of buildings. I recalled when they filmed this at SFXA. (Watch the video to see David Freeman presenting three scenes, and then the same scenes again from the movie with George Clooney.)

"Patty" Hebler Gray Passes Away in Sept.

2025-10-20T13:39:00.001-05:00

Margaret Patricia "Patty" Hebler Gray, age 82, passed away Tuesday morning, September 16, 2025, at her residence, just hours after the death of her beloved husband of 59 years, Richard Zane Gray. The two spent a lifetime side by side, and it brings their family comfort to know they left this world together.

Patty was born and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with loving parents and three protective brothers who were always looking out for her. She loved sharing funny stories about her brothers, whom she adored, and she carried that same love and laughter into the lives of her children and grandchildren.

She attended St. Francis Xavier Academy from elementary school through high school (Class of 1961) and later earned her master's degree in speech pathology from the University of Southern Mississippi. Patty maintained close relationships with her friends from both St. Francis and Southern Miss, and she treasured those friendships throughout her life. Reunions and vacations with these dear friends were among some of her happiest memories.

Patty began her career as a speech pathologist at the Children's Hospital in New Orleans, where she met Richard. After moving to Corpus Christi, she continued her work at a speech and hearing center before focusing on raising their daughters. Over the years, she followed Richard during his career across the country and eventually went overseas to London, where the family lived for several years. She loved the adventure of British living. Patty and Richard enjoyed traveling together across Europe and even to Egypt. When the family eventually settled in Houston, she worked off and on in the public school system as a speech pathologist while always keeping her daughters at the center of her life.

Patty was her daughters' biggest supporter, cheering them on in everything they did. That same love and encouragement continued with her grandchildren, who were the light of her life and her greatest joy. She treasured every moment with them-celebrating milestones, sharing laughter, and simply being present-and they loved her just as deeply. To them, she was more than a grandmother; she was a constant source of love, laughter, and encouragement, and her impact on their lives will remain forever.

Patty is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Richard, and is survived by their two daughters, Daphne Gray Sampite and Nancy Gray; five grandchildren, Michael Sampite, Ryan Sampite, Zane Dufour, Aidan Dufour, and Riley Dufour; one brother, Thomas Michael Hebler; and extended family who will hold her memory close in their hearts. Richard and Patty's life together was filled with laughter, devotion, and love. They left this world only hours apart, a true reflection of how strong their bond was. Together, they built a family and a love that will live on.

Patty will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, her zest for life, and the kindness she showed to everyone she met. She was truly beautiful inside and out. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

Picture of Patty and I at St. Paul Catholic Church during high school days. She was in my sister, Laura Love Ables' Class of 1961.

Old Folks Like Us

2025-10-19T13:14:00.000-05:00

Old folks are worth a fortune: With silver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys, lead in their feet, and gas in their stomachs. I have become more social with the passing of the years; some might even call me a frivolous old gal. I see five gentlemen every day.

As soon as I wake, Will Power helps me get out of bed. Then I go to see John. Then Charley Horse comes along, and when he is here, he takes a lot of my time and attention. When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day. (He doesn't like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint.) After such a busy day, I'm exhausted and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay. What a life!

By the way, the preacher came to call the other day. He said that at my age, I should be thinking about the hereafter. I told him I do - all the time. No matter where I am - in the living room, in the kitchen, or in the bedroom - I ask myself, "Now, what am I here after?"

St. Xavier, Dear

2025-10-18T23:03:00.000-05:00

St. Xavier, Dear,

We'll think of thee

When classroom days

Have passed away.

Those happy days

To us will be

A bond of love

When far away.

St. Xavier Dear

Your colors rare

Of blue and white

Will always be

As dear to me

As on this very happy night.

Your daughters, too

Will all be true,

Oh, Alma Mater fair

A hymn of praise

To you we raise,

For you, our love declare.

Lost In The Fifties Tonight (In The Still Of The Night)

2025-09-27T14:03:00.003-05:00

The closer I get to "the end of the race," the more I retreat into the music of my youth in the '40s, '50s, and '60s. It was a special time to be alive. We who enjoyed it were fortunate.

Prayers Needed

2025-09-18T11:10:00.001-05:00

Please keep our classmate, Theresa, and her husband, Chuck, in your prayers. They are having a lot of health issues. Also, pray for all our classmates who are having health issues at our age. May God bless us all.

Class of 1959

2010 Classmates Reunion

Sixty-Seven Years Graduated from SFXA & SAHS

Rest In Peace, Classmates SFXA/SAHS

SFXA ~ Classmates

Joan C. Donovan Dies

2026 St. Aloysius/St. Francis Alumni Banquet

Mercy Girls @ Walnut Hills (4-10-2026)

Happy Easter 2026 Classmates

Prayers For Classmates

This Will Be Our 67th Year Graduating

Alumni Banquet Coming Soon!

Going Down Memory Lane in High School

THE (ORIGINAL) RED TOPS WITH RUFUS McKAY - HELLO, IS THAT YOU / SWANEE R...

Charles Benard 'Chuck' Kitowski Obituary

Charles "Chuck" Kitowski Dies

Happy New Year 2026

If You Were Born Between 1930 - 1946

Merry Christmas Classmates!

Prayers for Jim and Kay Hess Simms

Prayers for Jim Simms (Classmate Kay Hess Simms Husband)

Happy Thanksgiving Classmates

Prayers Needed

'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Filming Locations - David Freeman

"Patty" Hebler Gray Passes Away in Sept.

Old Folks Like Us

St. Xavier, Dear

Lost In The Fifties Tonight (In The Still Of The Night)

Prayers Needed