John Delgado ’63 (Left) passing the gavel to the new president of the alumni association Ross Sciara ’62.
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Chuck Dobson – Class of ’62 – Olympian
Click here to see the news article.
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John Heiling – 100 years old – December 15, 2020
John passed away June 9, 2021
Happy Birthday John Heiling – Class of ‘39
John Heiling is celebrating his 100th birthday on Tuesday, December 15th. John is the oldest living member of the De La Salle Alumni Association and he graduated in 1939.
John was born on December 15, 1920. By the time he was four years old he was orphaned. Rather than being sent to an orphanage, his aunt and uncle, Clara and Tom Beck, stepped up and took John into their home, raising him as their own, along with their seven children. John was treated as an equal, and regarded his cousins as his sister and brothers.
The Great Depression presented tremendous challenges for the family. John remembers his Uncle Tom riding the streetcar most days to find work as a butcher. A daily paper route and cleaning Blessed Sacrament Church on Saturdays were accomplished with his cousin, Jamie. In the winter months John cleaned out coal and wood-fired furnaces. The money earned was returned to Aunt Clara to provide for all. Everyone chipped in, and did their part. Throughout these tough times, the Becks made the sacrifice to provide their children with a Catholic education. Blessed Sacrament Grade School and De La Salle High School were instrumental in shaping John’s life.
When World War II started, John enlisted in the Army, and was eventually stationed in England. John loaded ordnance on B-17 and B-24s on their bombing runs to France and Germany. John will tell you he was one of the truly lucky ones that served, in that he never had direct combat duty.
Shortly after the war, John started a 38 year career with Kansas City Power & Light. In 1950, John married the love of his life, Lillian. Together, they made Shawnee, Kansas their home for their four sons. They, too, followed the path of a Catholic education, attending both St. Joseph grade and high school. John has been a member of St. Joseph Parish for more than 70 years.
Today, John’s home is Lakeview Village in Lenexa. John survived a major COVID-19 outbreak at Lakeview in October and November of 2020. Throughout his life, his Catholic faith has guided him. John sincerely wants to thank the De La Salle Alumni Association for honoring him today as a member of the De La Salle Graduating Class of 1939,
If you would like to send John a birthday wish please use the “Contact Us” on this website and the message will be sent to him.
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Congratulations to Dennis Curtin – Class of ’67 Kansas City Royals Buck O’Neil seat honoree
Hello All,
I would like to share with you an inspiring story. Dennis Curtin, from the class of ’67, decided he wanted to do something different. He was inspired by his mother who had a café. She saw some families that came in who would be struggling and knowing them personally she would just wave the bill. Dennis took this inspiration and saw there was a need and decided to open a food pantry in Riverside, MO.
Mimi, as his mother was called, is the name of the food pantry and it is located at 2255 NW Vivion Road, Riverside, MO 64150. Telephone – 816-735-0220.
Please check the links below for more information.
They are looking for many things. Do you know someone that could be a source for food donations? They have a large cooler and freezer as well as plenty of storage area. Maybe you would like to make a donation. They are a 501c(3) charitable organization. Can you volunteer? They need many more volunteers so they can expand the hours of operation.
St. John Baptist De La Salle – Pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts – Forever
Click here for Mimi’s website https://www.mimispantrykc.org
