Keeping you up to date on all things Hudson Catholic, past and present

Oh, Brother!

It’s A Family Affair

Of Brothers, brothers and sisters

We Hawks like to colloquially refer to the FSC as ‘the Brothers’. But there are Christian Brothers, and there are Hawk brothers, and sisters, too, and there other real brothers and sisters. Keeping track of this -- oh brother!

In the 59 years of Hudson Catholic operations to date, 104 Christian Brothers have enriched the Hudson Catholic community and experience.

With the recent graduation of our 56^th class of Hawks, ‘Brother Hawks’ as we have referred to ourselves over the years, and now ‘Sister Hawks’ number 7,931 alumni, including 587 female Hawks since 2010. Alphabetically, from Jaylon Abad-Zaragoza ‘17 to Aykad Zylkiewicz ’04. Chronologically, from Anthony Abbato ’68 to Prince Young ’23. Sadly 481 (of whom we are aware) of our brother Hawks have gone on to their eternal reward, and we miss them.

Research of our database identified 642 known sets of brothers, 17 sets of sisters, and 43 sets of brother-sister combos who have attended Hudson Catholic, and we suspect there are many more than that. We continue to reach out to you to inquire about such relations. Collectively, these sibling combinations number 1,517 graduates, or 19% of the entire alumni base, proving that when the first of siblings enrolls at Hudson Catholic, the younger ones are likely to follow suit.

Of note, we have 578 sets of two siblings, 97 sets of three siblings, 15 sets of four siblings, and two sets of five siblings - the Parzych brothers and the DePasquale brothers! The Parzychs came first when youngest brother Joe graduated in 1978. In fact all five brothers including Stanley, William, Paul and Peter graduated in the 70s. The DePasquales - Joe, Mike, Ken, Dean and Patrick -- graduated throughout the 80s and 90s.

The family names of those with four brothers are recognizable to so many alumni -- Andriola, Bertolini, Cook, Disbrow, Fajardo, Javier, Maffei, Moore, O’Callahan, Rooney, Spanarkle, Szulc, Tadros, and Zaccaria.

Other interesting facts among Hawk siblings: the Fernandez triplets -- two sisters and a brother -- of the class of ’21. Two sets of three Hogan brothers, and Zachowski brothers; three sets of Kelly brothers; the Picinichs’ and Smiths’ two sisters and a brother, and the Schelmetys’ and Zaibs’ two brothers and a sister.

Also of interest -- 2012 was the first time that a brother-sister combination came to graduate Hudson Catholic, with Rebecca Borja ’12 following her brother Rogie Borja ’10.

The Pearson Family is also noteworthy in that one family produced brothers to attend Hudson Catholic -- the late Bobby Pearson ’72 and the late Mike Pearson ’73, and one of them, Mike, produced legacy sons and twin brothers, Dan Pearson ’08 and Michael Pearson ’08.

Seven other Legacy Hawk families have produced sibling alumni: the Guerras, Patrick Guerra ’93 and Matt Guerra ’96, sons of Matt Guerra ’70; the Sumowskis, Thomas Sumowski ’96 and James Sumowski ’98, sons of Gary Sumowski ’72; the O’Connells, Daniel O’Connell ’99 and Michael O’Connell ’01, sons of Kevin O’Connell ’77; the Bells, John Bell ’01 and Steven Bell ’03, sons of John Bell ’73; two sets of Kahles: Paul Kahle ’04 and John Kahle ’10, sons of Francis Kahle ’79, and Jeffrey Kahle ’01 and Timothy Kahle ’17, sons of Joseph Kahle ’76; and the Thybulles, Miles Thybulle ’21 and Maya Thybulle ’23, son and daughter of Louis Thybulle ’86.

Our school history is rich. And it is these connections that make it so. Cheers, to the Brothers, our brothers and sisters, and all you brothers and sisters out there!

If we missed any family of note, please tell us at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

The DePasquale Family: mother, Mary Lou, in front, backed by her and husband Danny's nine children - three St. Dom's girls, one St. Al's boy, and five Hudson Hawks. They are, L. to R., Danielle (SDA '92); Dean '90; Patrick '97; Kenny '87; Lisa (SDA '80), Michael '84; Denise (SDA '76); Daniel (St. Al's '78). Front: Joey '81 with Mom.

Patriarch Dan DePasquale passed in 2002. He was a veteran of the 101st Airborne Division in WWII in the Ardenne Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) in Belgium. When his aunt retired to Italy in the 60s, he bought Pastore Wines & Liquors on Montgomery Street to support his family of nine, ultimately selling the store in 2000.

President's Message

The summer break is quickly coming to an end and the Hawks’ Nest is getting ready for a new school year. The building is alive again as it seems that there’s something going on throughout the building…and above. Ms. Jill Cypher is overseeing student volunteers who are busy painting and turning the cafeteria into a vibrant gathering spot for our students. Volleyball tryouts are taking place in the gym, while Football and Boys and Girls Soccer head to Lincoln Park each day. The Cheerleaders are busy practicing in the Drama Room on the 3^rd floor while the Cross Country team gets their road miles in each afternoon.  And in the midst of it all, our Lobby roof is being repaired and readied for new skylights. Apparently, 59 years just might be the limit on those skylights!!

The big thing is that LIFE has returned to 790 Bergen Avenue and I cannot wait for the year to begin!  Stop by and say hello.  You’re always welcome in your house!

September 28th

October 12th

O'Leary's Publik House -- 788 Garfield Ave, JC

Drinks. of course, will be on Terry

October 14th

Please note: The Class of '73 would like to invite members of the surrounding classes of 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975, so inclined, to join in our celebration, as our school years spent with you meant a great deal to us. We would be happy to see you again to join in with the reminiscing and enjoyment.

October 15th

Memorial Mass for Brother Patrick King, FSC

St. Aedan's Church, 3pm

Light Refreshments in Hudson Catholic Caf following

RSVP Oct. 8th to Gary Ferrari for the reception gferrari@hudsoncatholic.org

November 11th

First-ever Florida Event

Hollander Hotel -- St. Petersburg -- 1230pm Poolside

All Graduation Years / Family Friendly /Food & Drinks Available

Contact 'Rocco' Filerino '80 at filerino@gmail.com or Darren Scarpa '80 at djs713@duck.com

November 17th

Induction Event

at Hudson Catholic

Honoring the Greatest Athletes in Hudson Catholic History

Nomination forms may be completed and submitted at

https://hudsoncatholic.org/woh

through October 1st

The Most Common Name among Hawks

45 times a Rodriguez has been called at Graduation

When John Rodriguez ‘69 enrolled at Hudson Catholic in 1965 he could not have known that he would be the start of the most common surname to enroll in and graduate from The Home of the Hawks in its history. After John, 44 more ‘Rodriguezes’ have passed in and out of the Mercer Street doors, the latest being Gianni Rodriguez ‘23 who exited with the most recent class.

Alumni Spotlight

Keep on Trucking. Naomi Solano ’15, yet another Hawk-Peacock, is a Logistics Manager and Company Owner at National Loads Corp., an interstate freight carrier based in Orange, NJ, since 2019. In the lead-up to her present position, Naomi served in the role of General Operations Manager at Lonajo Trucking in Jersey City following graduation from Hudson, then as Freight Dispatcher at Cross Docking Services n Elizabeth.

Champion. Congratulations are due to Royaal Jones '15, Hudson's lone professional rugby player, who, as part of the SoCal Rhinos x Loggerheads, won the 2023 Premier Sevens Rugby League Championship held at Audi Field in Washington DC, home of the DC United MLS Soccer club, with a 10-5 vanquishing of the Pittsburgh Steeltoes. Royaal is believed to be the very first Hawk athlete to win a professional championship. Mr. Jones is now Hawk Royaalty!

Rising Star. Rob Astudillo '06 has been elevated to District Supervisor, Visual & Performing Arts for Union City, working on the team of Sylvie Abbato, wife of Chris Abbato '73, who is retired from the Union City Public Schools.

Celebrity Chef Claude Lewis ’98, past Champion of the Food Network’s culinary competition, Chopped, is master of West Indian flavors. He and his brother, General Manager Egon Lewis ’90, a member of the Hawk Basketball 1,000 Point Club, are the sons of Antiguan immigrants. In 2020, during the Pandemic, he opened his West Indian American and Caribbean restaurant called Freetown Road Project Eatery at 640 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, and this hot spot is still going strong! Tell him, of course, that The Hawk sent you!

Intelligent Hawk. Michael Albanese '86 of Kettering, Ohio, served 24 years as a meteorologist in the U.S. Air Force following his graduation from Hudson, after which he joined Altamira Technologies Corp. at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and attended the American Military University in xxx, xx, from which he graduated with a Master’s degree in Intelligence Studies in 2015. He remains today at Wright-Patterson AF Base, where he is a Senior Intelligence Analyst.

Good Taste, Bud. Antonio Macatangay ’83 is a Flavorist Assistant, celebrating 38 years with International Flavors and Fragrances.

Runnin’ Down a Dream. Leo Boice ’70, L. striking his best Tom Petty-lookalike recently at Pier Village in Long Branch, is a guitarist for The Tom Petty Concert Experience. They can be found at the South Orange PAC on October 6^th.

Focus on 2006

Memories

The LaSallian Youth Corp 40-Hour Famine with Brother Paul Joslin. A trip to England led by alumni faculty, Mr. Dennis Miguel ’97 and Mr. Jeffrey Tengo ‘00; '06 members on the trip: Albert Merdo, Jason Perdomo, Andrew Anglin and Jeff Cornelle. The Junior pro cruise around Manhattan. Beating North Bergen in football in 2003 and Bayonne in 2004. Going to Broadway plays (Avenue Q, Chicago) as part of the De La Salle Honors Program with Brother Larry Shine. Camaraderie and friendships that last to this day.

Class President: Andrew Anglin; President/Principal: Dr. Paul Ward; Associate Principal: Brother Patrick Cassidy, FSC; Valedictorian: Andrew Anglin; Yearbook Dedication: Brother Larry Shine; Brother Henry Laffey Award Winner: Andrew Anglin; Prominent Athletes: Garrett Askew, Rubiel Mercado, Alex Mena, Kevin Rodrigo, Mark Roarty, Eddie Perez, Orlando Oliveras. Best Athletic Teams: baseball, football, track & field.

We are looking to 'Stay Connected' with Farhan Ali, Andre Anderson, Leon Black, Eric Garzona, Maykel Khilla, Angelo Llanes, Alex Mendoza, Alexis Morada. Send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected or send their email addresses to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org.

Blast From The Past

Who has one of these collector item Beehive Banks? They were given out annually in the early years of the Alumni Golf Outing, when Provident Bank was a generous sponsor of our annual event.

Turn Your Brothers and Sisters In!

(We Need Their Email Addresses)

We lose touch with some of our graduates who move around, go off to college, start careers, get married, etc. Help us find them again and make it harder for us to lose touch. Many on this list have siblings who are Hawk alumni, so turn them in at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org or send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected to update their contact info.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves"

-- Romans 12:10

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)

Mrs. Maureen Denzler, mother of the late John Higgins '77 and Eileen Higgins, ex-Board of Consultors and HCRHS benefactor

______________________________________________

She will be remembered in our annual

Alumni Mass of Remembrance

on November 5th

Michael Skea '74

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor at the Jersey Shore 

Ajay Hathiwala '09