College sends retirees off in style at Dion event

The header photo shows President Jack Neuhauser chatting with President Emeritus Paull Reiss at Friday’s reception for this year’s retirees, a group that includes President Neuhauser. Directly above, Patrick Gallivan offers brief remarks to honor the long service of the retirees. Below, retiree Merry LeJean of Institutional Advancement receives congratulations from her department’s former longtime chief, Rit DiVenere, and colleague Linda Donahue, seated. (photos by Ethan Simmons and Mark Tarnacki)

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A whole lot of Saint Michael’s history and service congregated in the Dion Family Student Center Roy Room late-afternoon Friday, June 15 – more than 663 years of it, to be exact.

That was the tally reported by Patrick Gallivan, the College’s vice president for government and community affairs, during brief remarks at a reception for this year’s 26 faculty and staff retirees, who include President Jack Neuhauser (11 years). A large sign proclaimed “ave atque vale” – “hail and farewell” in Latin.

The president stood and graciously greeted community members, including many familiar old past employees, for nearly two uninterrupted hours as more than 100 retirees and well-wishers enjoyed cocktails and high-end Sodexo fare, courtesy of the President’s Office. Aside from Gallivan’s short talk, it was an occasion that by design included no speeches or extended presentations, allowing attendees simply to enjoy one another’s company in a relaxed and festive atmosphere. A popular mover on the food table was a lobster & Shelburne Farms mac-and-cheese station; dessert offerings included chocolate-covered strawberries.

About half an hour into the event, Gallivan took briefly to the podium to thank honorees, a majority of them in attendance, for their individual and collective service. He told them that they “would always be part of this community.”

Gallivan asked his listeners to pause — perhaps early in the morning or at the end of the day — and realize the impact that each has personally made on this College. He talked of how generations of faculty and staff have served and stewarded the college since the Society of St. Edmund founded it in 1904 “Know that we will do our collective best to steward your good work in the days ahead,” Gallivan said.

Following is a list of this year’s retirees with their official years of service, courtesy of the Office of Human Resources: Susan Breeyear (15.91); James Celotti (32.56); James Conley (47.86); Shirley        Goodell-Lackey (18.42); Elizabeth Jackson (18.69); Aostre    Johnson (27.85); Lori  Karnes (20.9); Herbert Kessel (40.86); Merry Le Jean (19.29); Malcolm Lippert (17.88); William Marquess (33.85); Mark McAteer (34.25); Michele McCaffrey (26.5); Carol More (15.68); Jack Neuhauser (11); Elizabeth O’Dowd (22.85); James Peterson (36.85); Lisa Reuschel (16.76); Joanne  Scott (26.85); Jonathan Silverman (24.85); Douglas Slaybaugh (31.85); Susan Summerfield (27.51); Tina Tenney (17.26); Joann Trottier (20.99); Marta Vosburgh (30.25); Leonard Whitehouse (25.71).