The Big 5-0 adds up for Brownsville grads
By Ron Paglia, For the Herald-Standard
09/01/2008
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You can read the entire article here: Big 50,
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I have taken the article and separated it into separate blog excerpts on the various classmates Ron covered in the newspaper (each deserves his/her own notation). The following are other excerpts from the article:
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While the graduates at the reunion reveled in recounting their youth and lives over the past 50 years, Albert Dascenzo and committee member, Brenda Mitchell Vail conducted a solemn ceremony in honor and memory of 58 deceased classmates. "We'll mourn their passing but we celebrate their lives, the joy and love they brought to so many others," Dascenzo, who also served as treasurer of the reunion committee, said. As Dascenzo read the names of the deceased, Vail lit a candle for each. A lone chair was in place at the table holding the candles.
"There is only one chair but it symbolizes all who are no longer with us and is a reminder that they will always will be with us," Dascenzo said. "The table is small but is emphasizes that there is room for everyone. The white tablecloth is a symbol of the purity of their spirit."
Dascenzo served as co-chair of the Class '58 reunion with Kenny and Carol Caputo Lippencott. Other members of the planning committee were secretary Edith Stiles Fudala, P. Gary Thomas, Lenora Byrd, Leslie Faulk, Nancy Shaffer Cwialkala, Paula Funk Drake, Ed "Woody" Nicholson and Connie Franks McClelland.
