Profile: Bernie & Dorothy Kuhl
Of all the lay people who have been on our parish stage in the past 50 years, it would be hard to name any couple that has had a greater impact than Bernie and Dorothy. Bernie was the founding president of our St. Vincent de Paul conference, one of our first eucharistic ministers, a lifetime member of the K of Cs, an effective fundraiser for the Bishop’s Appeal, a lector, a high school CCD teacher, chairman of several building committees, including for the parish center, and a coach for the K of C’s sponsored Little League team. Dorothy was a CCD teacher in their earlier years, a secretary for the Ladies of St. Andrews, a eucharistic minister for the hospital and homebound, and worked in the parish library. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Philomena Daugherty
With her beautiful Irish brogue, it would surprise no one that Philomena (Phil) was born in Ireland, Dublin to be exact. What may surprise some is that her maiden name was Arigho, hardly a common Irish name. In fact, it is not an Irish name but an Italian name. Her grandfather, on her father’s side, migrated to Ireland from northern Italy, and started a store that sold religious goods. The business ultimately became the largest supplier of religious goods in the British Isles. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Bea Hernandez
Relationships and friendships. These are things that mean a lot to Bea Hernandez. Having grown up in a close knit family herself, being a good mother to her own two children and four grandchildren are important to her. She fondly remembers coming to the Sierra Vista and St. Andrew’s communities when both were quite small and the camaraderie that existed among the people here. Before that, she loved the small town atmosphere of her hometown Benson and Our Lady of Lourdes parish there. She enjoyed the small high school from which she graduated in the 1950s. Their 50th reunion recently was a special time for her. She has lived in her home on quiet Cargill Drive for the past 43 years. There, neighbors are long time friends. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Eva Veach
On May 23 this year, our parish was saddened by the news of the unexpected passing of one of our treasured pioneers, Eva Veach. Eva had suffered from heart problems in the past, but just the day before she died, her doctor told her she was doing well.
Eva’s funeral was held at our church May 26, with Fr. Greg officiating and many friends and family attending. Her burial was May 28 at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Janet & Al Melito
If the words “parish pioneer” bring up the image of house bonnets or a stagecoach pulling up to the church door, Al and Janet Melito require us to change that line of thinking. These are young people, still working, playing guitar and singing in the Teen Mass choir, bowling and working out at Cochise Racquetball Club. Their kids only recently married, Al and Janet are just getting started in the grandparenting business. They can only dream about what they hope to do in retirement. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Helen & Alfonso Mele
Helen (nee DeMartis) Mele was born in New York City to Italian immigrant parents who had come to America near the turn of the last century. Both parents spoke Italian, and Helen had the benefit of growing up bilingual, which turned out to be a definite asset in terms of meeting Alfonso, her husband. Helen was the youngest of seven children (four boys and three girls). One brother and one sister have since died. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Fran Gorzoch
Fran Gorzoch is the kind of person who looks to bring cheer to others and to brighten their day. For example, one day, as a young person back in her native Pittsburgh, she overhead her father Kasimir speaking to her mother Mary, in their native Lithuanian tongue, of his concern about the flower bush outside their home that wasn’t blooming. Fran understood enough to catch the drift, and huddled with her younger sisters, Mary and Ann. The next evening Kasimir came home from his work on the railroad to find the bush blooming with artificial paper flowers that the girls had obtained and tied to the bush.
Fran was born Franciska Tamasiunas in Pittsburgh in October 1919. Both parents, as young people, had immigrated alone. They had passed through Ellis Island and went on to Chicago first, and then to Pittsburgh. It was in Pittsburgh that they met and married, living first in the Esplen neighborhood on the industrial west side of the Ohio River, and later in the adjacent neighborhood of Sheraden. Franciska became Frances in time, and when her parents were naturalized in 1934, it was under the name of Thomas. Kasimir worked as a boilermaker for the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. Mary, in addition to raising three girls, did cleaning to bring in extra income. An aunt and her family lived next door, and the Thomas girls grew up good friends with their cousins. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Si Espinoza
At the suggestion of a local priest, Si Espinoza was originally named Saisita after an aunt, but she never liked the name. On the first day of high school, she was having lunch with some girls who were having a difficult time remembering her name. They decided instead to rename her Si, and she has gone by that moniker ever since.
Her parents, the Atencios, migrated from Colorado to Laramie, Wyoming where Si was born. Her family had moved to Laramie so that her father could seek employment on the railroad. He found that employment and performed railroad work until he retired. Fourteen children were born to this couple, of which twelve are still alive. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Marcella Reyes
Marcella Reyes was born in Chama, New Mexico to Sophia and Demetro Madril on December 23, 1932. Marcella is the oldest of 11 children. She grew up with eight sisters and three brothers. Her father Demetro was born in New Mexico, and her mother was born in Pagosa Junction, Colorado. Marcella’s great-grandfather used to drive and ride the mail stagecoach. Marcella was born Catholic and is a lifelong Catholic. She is very devout to her Church, serving for the past 15 years as an eucharistic minister and providing meals for those in need. Read the rest of this entry »
St. Andrew Talent Show
To all who participated:
I was so pleased with the enthusiasm and the terrific talent at the show on Saturday. What a wonderful way to enjoy an evening. Thank you to all the cookie bakers and providers, we had plenty of cookies to go around and some left for the Forgash dedication. I thank all who helped with any part of the event. The cast had the most fun of anyone, I think. I thank Fran Cassidy for organizing the entire affair with such patience and professionalism. I thank all the talented parishioners who shared their time with us, and for giving a gift to us all. And I thank those in the audience who truly enjoyed the evening, expressing their appreciation with each performance.
Profile: Frank & Olivia Escobar
Frank and Olivia Escobar are positive minded people who were not ones to bar the door when opportunity came knocking. Neither of them earned a college degree. That’s not to disparage them, but to illustrate how talent and initiative can make up for a lot of bookwork and test taking. Bill Gates never earned a college degree, but has numerous honorary ones. Well, Frank Escobar has an honorary degree, too.
Profile: Albert & Dora Juarez
Albert and Dora Juarez are “Aw Shucks” kind of folks who give the impression they would rather eat broken glass than talk about themselves. But in the true spirit of our 50th anniversary celebration in the parish they have served so long and well, they agreed to be featured this week in our series. Al provided the following information about themselves:
“I was born and raised in Solomonville (now Solomon), Arizona. My wife Dora was born and raised in Beeville, Texas. I attended high school in Safford. Dora attended school in Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
Live Concert! Jun Polistico
You are cordially invited to HEROES’ DAY
…a live concert presented by the Filipino-American Club of Southern AZ & sponsors
WHERE: Kino Hall, St. Andrew’s Parish
WHEN: June 14, 2008 @ 7pm
Treat Dad to this live concert from Las Vegas!
Featuring JUN POLISTICO, “Asia’s Golden Voice”
one of Philippine’s finest balladeers!
TICKETS: $25 (includes boxed Filipino dinner)
Tickets available at St. Andrew Parish Office.
Known as “Mr. Golden Voice” in his home country, Jun Polistico is one of the best-known entertainers in the modern history of the Philippines. Proven of international caliber, Jun Polistico has been aptly referred to as Asia’s Golden Voice as he belts his ballads mixing his performances with his hilarious medley. Without a doubt, Jun Polistico is still a perennial favorite. His voice, like wine, has aged to perfection. More than this, he has evolved into an electrifying stage performer with a long string of songs and a “dash” of spiritual message to share with a mesmerized audience. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Madeleine Mullaney Lusk
By the time Madeleine Mullaney arrived in Arizona in 1971 with her husband Bill and growing family, she was well underway in realizing her girlhood dream of seeing the world outside her native Massachusetts, but had not made much progress in her other dream of being involved with people and helping them. That would begin to change in 1987, when the family was pretty well grown, and Jim Durnin talked her into joining our parish conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. At the time, Madeleine was the conference’s first female member. By now, she has served as treasurer, vice-president, and 9 years as the conference president, and vice-president and 4 years as president of the Cochise Council (made up of our county’s nine conferences). She loves the work of helping those in need, and does not see her involvement ending. Read the rest of this entry »
Parish Talent Show - June 21, 2008
Do you dance, sing, tell jokes or stories, play an instrument or have a family skit to share? Please come and share your talent. Call 459-1205 to sign up. The parish is invited to join in the fun on June 21st at 7:00 PM at Kino Hall. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Please bring canned goods for the food bank.
Profile: Manuel Vallejos
In the Vallejos home, it was Mrs. Vallejos, Grace, who mostly did the cooking - nothing particularly 
unusual about that. Yet it was her husband’s skill in cooking that kept him safely stateside during the “Big One”, provided the family a living for many years and also kept the family warm with chili during the hunting trips they enjoyed so much over the years.
Not many of us live on a street named after the place where we were born, but Manuel Vallejos does. Since Grace passed away in 2001, Manuel lives with his daughter Shirley in their attractive home on Calle Las Cruces, named, no doubt, because Manuel was born in Las Cruces, NM, in June 1920. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Mary Elizabeth Plaisance
Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Plaisance was born in East Texas. She was the youngest of four children born to a mother who was part Cherokee Indian, originally from Tennessee, and an Irish-American father, originally from Alabama. Tragically her father died six months before Liz was born. After the death of her husband, her mother moved to Dallas, and married a man who was abusive to Liz and her sister. Because of the abuse, Liz’s mother left her husband. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Bill & Dorothy Joynt
The holiday season of 1967 was not a typical one for Bill and Dorothy Joynt. Bill was suffering from increasingly severe asthma. His doctors in New England had given up on finding a cure for him there, and could only advise him to move to a dry climate. Bill made an exploratory visit to southern Arizona and left an application at Fort Huachuca. Having heard nothing, he made a follow up call just before Thanksgiving, and was told there was a job opening, but that he would have to come at once - no waiting until January. To family and friends, for who “out west” began at the Hudson River, the news brought nothing to be thankful for. Even Dorothy, who had been praying for Bill’s health, was unhappy, until an inner voice asked, “What have you been praying for?” Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Mary Portley
Family, the Church and education have always been especially important to Mary Portley. Growing up in the Deep South, family and faith provided the unity and love needed to support and encourage Black people in that difficult time. Mary found her way to a better life through her marriage to her Army husband Bert, in a journey that eventually brought them to our community. Nothing was more important to Mary and Bert than being good parents, and three successful children have proven that their priorities were well placed. Their marriage would last for 41 years, until Bert’s passing in 1995. Not forgetting her roots, Mary returned home to Louisiana for 7 years to take care of her dad, then her mom, in their final years. Then she returned to us. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Bea Figueroa
Among those who have been a long time in our parish, we have more than a few who actively defended our nation in World War II. Back in those years, G.I. Joe risked his life in combat, while his sister, Rosie the Riveter, worked in the defense plants, turning out the materiel that enabled Joe to fight. Joe could not have done his job without Supply Sergeant Sam behind the lines, and Rosie could not have done hers without the help of Bea the Bucker. And that is where today’s subject, Bea Sanchez back then, enters the story. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Elaine & Bob Corcoran
Bob and Elaine Corcoran retired to our area in 1999, but before that had lived here and been members of St. Andrew’s for 2 years in the early 1960s. That qualifies them as parish pioneers, but during that time something special happened to them - the birth and baptism of a son who we would come to know as Father Anthony. Perhaps you know Bob or Elaine through their activities as Eucharistic ministers, or with the Knights of Columbus, Social Concerns, prison ministry, St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Community Services, but if you have been here any time at all, you certainly know of Father Anthony, Jesuit priest and son of the parish, who serves a unique mission in Siberia, and who usually receives a warm welcome in our parish at those times when he gets home to visit his folks. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Don & Ana Wolf
Paco and Luz Soto and their family were living on Walnut Street, just two blocks from Sacred Heart church in Nogales in 1951, when new people moved in across the street. Sam and Bessie Wolf was a Jewish couple from Chicago. Sam, whose family had immigrated from Russia when he was a child, had retired from his career in Chicago as a personnel manager and was moving to Nogales to join his older brother in his business of providing Mexican farmers with tomato seed, then buying their produce for resale in the United States. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Guadalupe (Lupe) Gonzales
The man who is the subject of this week’s article was born in Jerome, AZ on December 12, 1922. He willingly accepts that his friends call him Lupe, but he wants all to know he is proud of his given name, Guadalupe, on whose day he was born, and to whom he is devoted.
Lupe, and his once wife Jessie, are also proud of their four children, the eldest of whom is Robert Gonzales, the first son of St. Andrew’s Parish to be ordained into the priesthood. Read the rest of this entry »
St. Andrew Benefit Concert
Saturday April 5th @ 7pm
Carlos Morales, Jr.
Benefiting the Building Fund. Tickets: $15
Click here to listen to sample music
Carlos A. Morales, Jr. is considered by many to be one of South Texas’ best guitar players.
A native of Laredo, Tx, he began his formal music studies at eight years of age by studying piano with local teacher, Angel Guerrero. At age fourteen, Morales began his formal guitar studies when he enrolled at the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts Magnet School under Nino Palacios’ and Rick Cortez’ instruction. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Beryl Burke
If you are heading west out of Whetstone along Route 82, look off to the right of the road and you will see the adopt-a-highway sign informing you that that section of road is adopted by Beryl Burke and Friends. It’s been there for several years. That’s our lady, a longtime St. Andrew’s parishioner who dates her time with us back to 1960. It’s also fairly typical of Beryl, who takes pride in the Whetstone community and her neighborhood along a quiet little side street not far from the “Y”. For the sake of our younger members, this refers not to a youth club, but to the intersection of Highways 90 and 82, so called because in the old days there was no paved road north of that point. Highway 82 was paved, as was 90 south to Sierra Vista. It was a Y, and not a T, because there were arced connectors west and east, between the roads, remnants of which can still be seen. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Mike Crawford
Have you ever noticed that big palm tree at the southwest corner of the rectory? It’s the only palm tree on the property. Mike (or Miguel, his proper name) Crawford has good memories of that tree. He, Nacho Valenzuela and Jose Perez planted it, back in 1961. Actually they planted four of them, in a quadrant around the church and rectory. The other three died as a result of subsequent bad fertilizer, but the survivor–we’ll just call it Mike’s tree. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Alice Spellane
Alice Spellane came to Sierra Vista first in 1960 as a military spouse. She had married her husband, Jack, 8 years earlier, and they brought with them their four children, Barbara, Bill, Mary Lou and Debbie. A fifth child, Jackie, would be born to them on a later overseas assignment. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Helen Vance
Helen Vance greets visitors to her Mission Shadows home with a friendly smile and maybe a quick tour and refreshments. Her kitty, Boots, also makes an appearance and maybe a nuzzle, to let the visitors know he is glad to see them, too. One would expect nothing less from the lady who has been a leading citizen and inspiration for the city and parish that welcomed her here nearly 50 years ago. Back then, when she arrived with her newly hired policeman husband, she was frankly not impressed with Sierra Vista that much but then, who was?
Profiles: John & Anita Trujillo
John and Anita Trujillo, when volunteering to give us their story, were willing to write it themselves. This is their story in their own words:
John and Anita Trujillo are true Arizona natives. Born and raised Catholics in Benson, and members of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, they were joined in marriage there in 1954 by Fr. John F. Cullinan. John and Anita attended Benson public schools and graduated from Benson High School one year apart, John in 1952 and Anita in 1953. John joined the U.S. Navy after high school, and went to basic training and radio school in San Diego, CA. After completing radio school, he was assigned to the USS Eaton, DDE-510 (a destroyer escort), operating out of Norfolk Naval Base, Norfolk, VA. Anita, upon graduating from high school, started her banking career with the Miners and Merchants Bank in Benson. Read the rest of this entry »
Profile: Nacho Valenzuela
In the 1990s, when Henry Hauser set about organizing a museum to tell the story of our area, one person he called upon to provide an oral history was Nacho Valenzuela. Nacho was first generation born in the U. S. to migrant workers from Mexico who came to our area in the early part of the Twentieth Century, as others do today, to pursue their dreams of a better life. Nacho has great stories of growing up during the Depression, serving in World War II, and remaining in our area to make a career, marry and raise a family. Nacho was here, practicing his Catholic faith before St. Andrew’s was founded, was instrumental in its founding, and has seen its growth over these many years since. Read the rest of this entry »