Community & Business
27 November, 2024
Close ties continue across decades
St Joseph’s School reunion
A blessed celebration of friendship and closeness was evident on November 2 when more than 30 former St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe students and five teachers from the 70s enjoyed company at the local RSL.
Five class members had passed away and their families were included by invitation, representatives of one such family able to attend. Also invited were the Year 8 class of 1972 and the Year 9 class of 1973, plus exchange students of the time, from Trieste, Italy. Amazingly, the brother of that exchange duo who were in the Year 9 class, lives locally and attended.
"Through word of mouth, he (Stephen Sartor), even came to the reunion," organiser Julie Watt (nee Salata told us). "His sister, Bernadette couldn't make it but blow me down, we managed to have contact with him and he was so excited to be included."
Mrs Watt told us "everyone had a good time and no one felt left out," with many travelling extraordinary distances to be there.
"I put a lot of work into it with a photo slideshow and finding all these people, with Cherie (Furness), and between us we were able to do this.
"It was all worth it - to sit back and see everyone having a great time was worth every bit of work. The teachers had a reunion of their own and the same with us. There were students who haven't seen each other for 50 years."
Of the teachers, Pam Sullivan, a past student herself, attended and she spoke glowingly of the opportunity, saying, "The time spent catching up, brought back happy memories. The students were a cohesive, supportive group of young people then and obviously still are supportive of each other."
Our newspaper will feature more in upcoming editions, including information about the 150th anniversary of the school in 2025.
