ALUMNOTES...Check out what your fellow alum are up to!
1939-Lydia (Bovick) Seely writes “Go Packers....I’m “planning” on turning 100 on 9-5-2021.” Happy birthday Lydia, welcome to the Packer centennial club! The #12 spot is all yours!
1942-George Mach celebrated his 98th birthday on 6-30-21.
1949-Ben Letak celebrated his 90th birthday on 6-26-21 with his family.
1949-Jim Willuhn celebrated his 90th birthday on 6-13-21. In May, Jim and Rita celebrated their 68th anniversary. Birthday wishes can be sent to 7323 Shirley St. Apt 304, Omaha, NE 68124.
1952-Robert ‘Bob’ Urban and wife, Jan, celebrated their 60th anniversary on 10-1-20.
1953-Lois (Proffit) Decker and husband Skip celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this year.
1960-Edda (Fanslau) and husband Gary Albin-1959 have been married 61 years on 8-21-21.
1961-Shari Hofschire was appointed as Board of Directors’ Chair for the Nebraska Arts Council. That appointment also puts her on the boards of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the Mid America Arts Alliance and the National Alliance of State Arts Agencies.
1962-Cherry Witham, who was a guidance counselor at Burke from 1973-1998 and a pioneer for advocating for all students, recently had a bench dedicated in her memory on Burke’s campus. Cherry passed away in 2019.
1966-Joyce (Mixan) Michnick and husband Larry will celebrate their 50th anniversary on 9-11-21. A family trip to California is being planned to celebrate.
1967-Jeanine M. (Bogus) and Robert L. “Bob” Peralta-1967 celebrated their 50th anniversary in September 2020 with their family. They met as seniors and married in 1970.
1969-Alan NaPier wrote a tribute to Joanne Sokalsky after seeing the write-up on her in the last Tooter. You can read “The Magic Touch” on the SHSAA Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SouthHighAlumniAssociation/posts/4101769853187629.
1969-Lyle Ward was recently honored for his years of service to both the community and Beardmore Chevy when Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike proclaimed 6-21-21 as “Lyle Ward Day” in Belleuve.
1978-Debbie (Jacobsen) and husband Jim Ciurej-1977 recently celebrated their 40th anniversary.
1988-Tina Cottone, who currently lives in Perth, Western Australia, is sporting some new alumni gear. Manuel Alva-1988 did a great job shopping for her at the Alumni Office.
1998-Barry Thomas was named one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Omahans” by the Omaha Jaycees. TOYO honors individuals 21 - 40 who show commitment to improving the community through acts of kindness while excelling in their careers.
2000-Jessica Scarpa was honored with a CHI Health Top Teacher award earlier this year. Jessica teaches at Field Club Elementary.
2012-Maria Hernandez graduated earlier this year with a master’s in school counseling. Maria has been a Spanish teacher at South High for five years and also sponsors the dual language club.
2021-Terin Frodyma holds every boys SHS swimming record. Dave Sklenar-1971 held the backstroke record for 49 years until Terin broke it in 2020. It was the last individual swimming record Terin broke. Dave met with Terin and writes, “I am so proud of this young man’s athletic ability and who is going to Youngstown State on an academic scholarship.”
Patty Hansen passed away in April. She was a Special Education teacher and, in 2006, a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. She was instrumental in starting South’s Fashion Design show.
Andria Palmesano, former English teacher & Tooter newspaper advisor, has passed away at 51 years old. She was at South from 1993-1997.
Rosemary Salcedo passed away in April. She was the Community Liaison at SHS–establishing the first annual Hispanic Higher Education Workshop, bringing Hispanic role models, such as Jaime Escalante and John Quinones, to speak and encourage South O youth to attend college. During her 25-year career, her efforts brought to fruition the dreams of many students who earned college degrees.
1942-George Mach celebrated his 98th birthday on 6-30-21.
1949-Ben Letak celebrated his 90th birthday on 6-26-21 with his family.
1949-Jim Willuhn celebrated his 90th birthday on 6-13-21. In May, Jim and Rita celebrated their 68th anniversary. Birthday wishes can be sent to 7323 Shirley St. Apt 304, Omaha, NE 68124.
1952-Robert ‘Bob’ Urban and wife, Jan, celebrated their 60th anniversary on 10-1-20.
1953-Lois (Proffit) Decker and husband Skip celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this year.
1960-Edda (Fanslau) and husband Gary Albin-1959 have been married 61 years on 8-21-21.
1961-Shari Hofschire was appointed as Board of Directors’ Chair for the Nebraska Arts Council. That appointment also puts her on the boards of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the Mid America Arts Alliance and the National Alliance of State Arts Agencies.
1962-Cherry Witham, who was a guidance counselor at Burke from 1973-1998 and a pioneer for advocating for all students, recently had a bench dedicated in her memory on Burke’s campus. Cherry passed away in 2019.
1966-Joyce (Mixan) Michnick and husband Larry will celebrate their 50th anniversary on 9-11-21. A family trip to California is being planned to celebrate.
1967-Jeanine M. (Bogus) and Robert L. “Bob” Peralta-1967 celebrated their 50th anniversary in September 2020 with their family. They met as seniors and married in 1970.
1969-Alan NaPier wrote a tribute to Joanne Sokalsky after seeing the write-up on her in the last Tooter. You can read “The Magic Touch” on the SHSAA Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SouthHighAlumniAssociation/posts/4101769853187629.
1969-Lyle Ward was recently honored for his years of service to both the community and Beardmore Chevy when Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike proclaimed 6-21-21 as “Lyle Ward Day” in Belleuve.
1978-Debbie (Jacobsen) and husband Jim Ciurej-1977 recently celebrated their 40th anniversary.
1988-Tina Cottone, who currently lives in Perth, Western Australia, is sporting some new alumni gear. Manuel Alva-1988 did a great job shopping for her at the Alumni Office.
1998-Barry Thomas was named one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Omahans” by the Omaha Jaycees. TOYO honors individuals 21 - 40 who show commitment to improving the community through acts of kindness while excelling in their careers.
2000-Jessica Scarpa was honored with a CHI Health Top Teacher award earlier this year. Jessica teaches at Field Club Elementary.
2012-Maria Hernandez graduated earlier this year with a master’s in school counseling. Maria has been a Spanish teacher at South High for five years and also sponsors the dual language club.
2021-Terin Frodyma holds every boys SHS swimming record. Dave Sklenar-1971 held the backstroke record for 49 years until Terin broke it in 2020. It was the last individual swimming record Terin broke. Dave met with Terin and writes, “I am so proud of this young man’s athletic ability and who is going to Youngstown State on an academic scholarship.”
Patty Hansen passed away in April. She was a Special Education teacher and, in 2006, a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. She was instrumental in starting South’s Fashion Design show.
Andria Palmesano, former English teacher & Tooter newspaper advisor, has passed away at 51 years old. She was at South from 1993-1997.
Rosemary Salcedo passed away in April. She was the Community Liaison at SHS–establishing the first annual Hispanic Higher Education Workshop, bringing Hispanic role models, such as Jaime Escalante and John Quinones, to speak and encourage South O youth to attend college. During her 25-year career, her efforts brought to fruition the dreams of many students who earned college degrees.