In Memoriam

Robert J. Fix, ’66
Frank E. Reda, ’66
John H. Speichert, ’66
Anthony L. Bralczyk, ’66
Edward R. Agonis, ’66
Millard Martin, ’66
William J. Hartman Jr., ’68
Edward J. Taulane Jr., ’68
Charles H. Kronenberg, ’68
Charles J. Potok, ’68
Gerard W. Brady, ’68
Gary J. Loughran, ’69
William P. Gilbert, ’69
Gary A. Teears, ’70
Francis J. Gould, Esq., ’71
Robert Gavin Jr., ’71
Franz A. Birgel, Ph.D., ’71
Leroy A. Ulmer, ’71
Joseph P. Rees, ’72
Thomas W. McLaughlin, M.D., ’73
Richard D. Melini, ’73
Michael A. Amadei, M.D., ’74
John G. Esposito, ’74
Daniel L. Blackwell, ’74
Kenneth G. Fulmer Jr., ’75
Sondra R. Rodrigues, ’76
James G. McGann, Ph.D., ’77
Clairemarie A. Caffrey, ’77
Raymond P. Hill, ’77
Michael J. McGirney, Esq., ’78
John F. Weir, ’78
Mark S. Guerrieri, ’82
Thomas D. Kautz, ’87
Sr. Sandra Teevens, OSF, ’90
Elene B. Fiordaliso, ’90
James A. Heisler, ’91
Joanne M. Morse, ’92
Gloria O. Sanders, ’93
Catherine M. George, ’94
Cynthia (Novak) Naroff, ’96
Daniel J. Hoover, ’96
Charles H. Fuller Jr., ’98
Michael L. Fedele Jr., ’01
David M. Ferraguti, ’02
Gloria J. Wagner, ’03
Janet (Bollinger) Doherty, Esq., ’05
Ryan Scott, ’06
Michael T. Essery, ’07
Cheryl A. Martell, ’08
Moira K. McEntee, ’14

John J. Rooney, Ph.D., ’46
John J. “Jack” Rooney, ’46, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology who educated countless La Salle students over parts of seven decades, died in October at age 99. Including his undergraduate studies, which bookended military service in the U.S. Navy, he maintained an affiliation with La Salle for more than 75 years as a faculty member, department chair, and president of the Faculty Senate.

Kathryn M. Fitzgerald, D.Min., ’68
Kathryn M. Fitzgerald, D.Min., ’68, the first woman to graduate from La Salle with a bachelor’s degree, died in October at age 83. She transferred to La Salle in 1967, the year the College’s evening division first began admitting women, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in pre-law. She later earned a doctorate of ministry from Lancaster Theological Seminary and entered the religious order The Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

George B. Stow, Ph.D.
George B. Stow, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history whose service to La Salle exceeded 50 years, died in February at age 82. Stow’s career at La Salle began in 1972 as a specialist in ancient and medieval history. Over the next half-century, he instructed thousands of students while earning national and global recognition for his research work and proficiency in those subject areas. In particular, he earned election as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society for his expertise in ancient and medieval history.

David P. Efroymson, Ph.D.
David P. Efroymson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of religion and theology, died in December at age 91. He served for years as faculty and chair in La Salle’s religion department, authoring dozens of articles and papers, and delivering countless presentations at symposia, conferences, and seminars

Brother Edward J. Sheehy, longtime history professor and basketball chaplain, passes at 76

Brother Edward J. Sheehy, FSC, Ph.D., ’68, a faculty member and an on-campus Christian Brother at La Salle University who earned national spotlight in 2013 for his role as chaplain of the Explorers men’s basketball team, died on Dec. 22. He was 76.

Brother Ed had served as associate professor in the Department of History until November, when he transitioned to professor emeritus. A few weeks later, as his health declined, he stepped down from his duties on the University’s Board of Trustees as Vice President of the Corporation.

His contributions at La Salle span academic, administrative, and athletic arenas.

Brother Ed first arrived at La Salle in 1963, when he entered the novitiate. He majored in history and education, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1968. He received a master of liberal arts degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1973 and went on to complete his master of philosophy and Ph.D. studies in history at the George Washington University in 1983.

For decades, he served in La Salle’s Department of History, in the School of Arts and Sciences. His history courses, considered by students to be among the most rigorous at La Salle, centered on modern U.S. history, U.S. maritime and naval military history, and U.S. Presidential elections. His comprehensive approach and affable delivery of course material made Brother Ed a likeable faculty member among students. He received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1991 and the Holroyd Award in 1990 and 2012, recognizing his many contributions to the University community.

“To many people in the history department, Ed was the G.O.A.T.,” said Brother Gerry Molyneaux, FSC, Ph.D., ’58, M.A. ’59, using the popular acronym for greatest of all time.

Brother Ed knew how to connect with his students in unique ways, Molyneaux said. At the beginning of class, Molyneaux said, Brother Ed would tell his pupils about what holiday or national day fell on the calendar.

“Ed would take up 20 minutes doing that and finally get around to teaching the class,” Molyneaux said with a laugh, “but that was Ed. He taught the rest of us (Brothers) to refer to students as ‘young adults,’ another sign of his love and respect for them.” 

“Quite simply, Brother Ed exemplifies what it means to be a Lasallian educator– he had a deep and enduring commitment to our students and an unbridled passion for teaching,” said Lynne Texter, Ph.D., associate provost and associate professor of communication. “He was a Lindback Award-winning teacher and Brother Ed has influenced several decades of students and colleagues. His influence will continue to live on in those he taught and those of us who were fortunate to learn as Ed taught us by example how to be Lasallian educators.”