Looking Back

50 Years Ago
Honored members of the Elementary and High School Summer of Mobile Catholic Schools were Mary Impastato, Timmy Betbeze, Mark Laubenthal, Lucy Smith, Lynn Imsand, Tommy Cobb, Neil Laubenthal and Pat Reeves.
Mrs. Charles H. McKinney and Mrs. Weems Dorn were named chairmen of St. Mary’s Home Auxiliary Card Party.
A $50,000 gift was presented to Providence Hospital School of Nursing from Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Hirs.
Fr. Eugene Sheridan, C.M., was named to serve St. Michael’s Parish, Auburn, succeeding Fr. Rutledge, C.M.
Spring Hill College alumnae selected as Outstanding Young Women of America were: Mrs. Judith A. Heiter; Miss Deanna M. Hugas; Dr. Sanders Anne Laubenthal; Mrs. Mariyo O’C. LeVan; Miss Barbara Whaley; Mrs. Doris J. Gautier; Miss Susan Wing; Mrs. Mary B. Gralnick; Mrs Joan N. Davis; and Mrs. Edith P. Louisell.
Selected to serve on the Teen Fashion Board of the Montgomery Fair were: Samuetta Primus, St. Jude High; and Susan Walker and Debbie Gentemann, Catholic High.
Parish Council Members of St. Rose of Lima, Mon Luis Island were: Oliver Collins, Miss Marie Collins, Mrs. Louis Richardson, Miss Athlestine Collins, John Dickinson and Charles Durette.
25 Years Ago
Mrs. Marian Loftin of St. Columba Parish, Dothan, carried the Olympic Torch through Dothan. Fr. Patrick Gallagher, pastor of St. Columba, was among 22 residents of the city who welcomed the Olympic Flame in their native language.
District Deputy of the Knights of Columbus, Michael J. Portella, presented L’Arche of Mobile a check for $4,000 from the statewide K of C fundraiser. Doug Rector and Lillie Bill Swindie from L’Arche Community accepted the gift.
Receiving the annual William H. Armbrecht Pre-Law Scholarship for the 1996-97 at Spring Hill College were Sarah Bond, Benjamin Goldman, Kent Zirlott and David Fritsch.
Fr. Paul D. Kauffman, S.S.J., was killed in an auto accident after offering Mass at St. Theresa in Mt. Vernon and before arriving at Our Lady of Sorrows in Fairfield to celebrate Mass. His homily, less than an hour earlier, was on the need to be ready for death at all times. Fr. Kauffman was also serving as pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Chastang.
Fred Posa, Montgomery Serra Club president, welcomed acclaimed speaker Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R., as speaker to the Serrans membership.
Several hundred people gathered at the Sacred Heart Residence of Little Sisters of the Poor to bid farewell to Sister Celestine Meade, LSP. Sister Celestine served in Mobile for more than 10 years, touching the lives of many, ministering to the elderly and their families.
A memorial Mass was held at Little Flower Church and hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council #3565 for Rev. Michael J. Lux, C.P.S., its deceased chaplain.
Newly elected officers of St. John’s Women’s Club, Ozark, were: Joan Metz, president; Barbara Pattberg, vice president; Gloria Aris, secretary; and Alice Burhan, treasurer.
St. Mary School Board officers were: Georgia Dominick, president; Gerald Vrazel, vice president; Jon Green, secretary; Donald Partridge, Leo Zieman, Mark Duncan, Jeanelle Cala and Trisha Agee.
— Anne Baggett compiles information for Looking Back from past issues of this newspaper. Anne is a member of St. Mary Parish in Mobile.