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Welcome to News X-change, your hub for alumni community highlights. Check out the latest milestones, adventures and achievements of your fellow StFX grads. Remember the days of StFX past and those who are no longer with us, while celebrating the friendship and bonds that connect us today.
Have some news to share? Send a photo and brief description to alumni@stfx.ca.
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We Are Family Celebrating X'cellence Around the World
New Arrivals I Do! Memory Lane Lives Remembered
Sisters Andrea (Forbes) Deydey ’06 and Anneke Forbes ’03 with their children
L-R: Levi Heinbecker, Jack and Maria Deydey, and Dylan and Isaac Heinbecker.
Andrea is founder of Lighthouse Custom Homes and Anneke designs and hand makes custom fit outerwear for women - all in Calgary. They are daughters of MaryAnn Forbes ‘92. How lucky they are, they say, to have two sets of twins!
English Department Reunion
Bill and Deb '71 Tierney, Sheldon Currie '57, and Jim '63 and Effie '65 Taylor are pictured at a reunion of the some of the StFX English Department this past summer in Baddeck, NS at a play based on Dr. Currie's book The Company House.
Enduring Friendships
Getting together every summer since 1992, this group represents 28 years of friendships covering every province in Canada.
L-r are Adele Pellerine '97, Danielle Maclean Ives '97, Heidi Mossman '97, Michelle DeCoff '97, Jennifer DeWolfe '96, Heidi Marshall Lees '96 and Kellie Walsh Jones '96.
All met in the hallways of Mount Saint Bernard and before social media, cell phones, and unlimited long distance. They decided they would always be friends. They wrote letters, mailed each other auto tapes of life updates, and promised they would see each other at least once a year to talk and laugh about their StFX days.
Fenway Fun
Duncan MacEachern and Dave Baxter '94, grads at Fenway Park in July 2024.
Irma, Father Angus and Father Stan
L-r, Irma Lee Bonner Swales ‘54, Father Angus J MacGillivray ‘55, and Father Stanley MacDonald ‘54 at Keppoch Mountain, September 2024.
70th Homecoming
Fr. Stanley MacDonald '54, Cathy MacDonald '54 (Ancaster, ON), Fr. Norman MacPhee '54 (Glace Bay, NS).
From Coast to Coast
John Stewart '86 and Gwen (Greencorn) Stewart '86 visited Finlay Beaton '86 and Judy (Sloan) Beaton '90 on the first day of their cross-Canada voyage. They are pictured at the World's longest Covered Bridge in Hartland, NB.
Brother Isaac Murphy '84
In June 2024, Brother Isaac Murphy '84, O.S.B., was elected the sixth abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey in Goffstown, New Hampshire. "This historic moment marks Abbot Isaac as the first non-ordained abbot in the United States," said Father Francis McCarty in a blog post.
Congratulations Ryan!
Ryan Wijayanayake '21 graduated with a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Animal Science from University of Maine in May 2024.
Pioneering in Neuroscience
Jeremy Barry '97 is working as an Associate Professor at the University of Vermont in the Department of Neurological Sciences.
New Heights
On October 25, 2023, Maria (Josey) McGowan '90 climbed to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. The trek was over 9 days and was topped off with a safari.
"Fin del Mundo" - End of the Earth
Ron Murphy '73 is in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Argentina, before sailing across the Drake Passage to Antarctica.
Polar Adventure
Ron Murphy '73 is in Ny-Alesund at 78 degrees, 56 minutes North, 11 degrees, 56 minutes East, roughly 1,200 kms from the North Pole.
Celtic River Cruise
From the top: Ned Connor ’76, George Murphy ’76, Leon MacLellan ’81, Richard Pellerin ’85, Susan Gouthro ’79, Ian Graham ’92, Carol Mac Donald, Pauline (MacSween) MacLellan ’80, Shelley (MacEachern) Graham ’92, Laureen (Beaton) Murphy ’77, Elaine (MacEachern) Pellerin ’87, Karen (Britten) Samson ’77, Donna (MacEachern) MacLeod ’95, and Lynn Berger ’72
No matter where you are in the world you are bound to unite with those who share an X-ring. On a recent riverboat cruise on the Rhine River in Europe, about 10 per cent of the 147 passengers happened to be StFX grads. Aptly named a “Celtic River Cruise on the Enchanting Rhine,” the entertainment was none other than the reigning couple of Celtic music, Natalie Mac Master and her husband Donnell Leahy along with their talented children.
To say it was an incredible eight days is an understatement! Many of us on the ship connected and made new friends or re-connected with old friends who hadn’t seen each other in over 50 years, because of the X-Ring.
-Laureen Murphy
Maegen MacLean '22 and Aaron MacLean welcomed baby boy, Cove Edward MacLean, November 21, 2024.
Zara Nikolina Kovacevic was welcomed by parents Alexa Zarins ‘14 and Nino Kovacevic ‘24, and big brother Milan on May 13, 2024.
Kelly Meagher '09 and Jacques O’Neill '10 are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Finn O’Neill, born April 29th, 2024.
Paul McGee and Caitlin VanKeymeulen welcomed their 2nd child, William George McGee on July 11th, 2024.
Mairi (McCarron) ‘17, ‘19 and Ben Lambourne ‘16
Mairi (McCarron) ‘17, ‘19 and Ben Lambourne ‘16 wed on August 5, 2023 in Antigonish with Fr. Danny MacLennan ‘85 officiating.
A Golden Wedding Anniversary: Wm J. MacEachern '72 and Raylene MacEachern '73
Wm J .MacEachern ’72 and Raylene (Cochrane) MacEachern ‘73 celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on July 5th. They were married at the StFX Chapel.
Alumni who stood with them included William S. MacPherson ‘71 Antigonish, Catherine (MacIsaac) Ross ’73, London, ON, and Linda (Chisholm) Ross ‘73 Arisaig. The couple has been living in NW Calgary the past eight years close to daughter Kelly ‘97 and son Jeff ‘01 PNG '05. They have four grandchildren: Eve and Hannah Benson and Kiera and Caleb (MacEachern They are still enjoying spending their winters either in Mesa, Arizona or Rincon de Guayabitos in Mexico.
We are still enjoying spending our winters either in Mesa, Arizona or Rincon de Guayabitos in Mexico.
Megan Thompson ’17 and Felix Hoppe ’17
Megan Thompson ’17 married Felix Hoppe ’17 on November 23, 2024 with a whole crew of StFX alumni in attendance.
Mallory Legere ’17 and Jace Legere
Mallory Legere ’17 married Jace Legere on September 14th, 2024 in Miramichi, New Brunswick. L-R: Victoria Sandre ’17; Allison Randall ’17; Mallory Legere ’17; Maura Brennan ’17, ’23; Breanne van der Linden ‘17
Mark Simmonds '14 and Viana Iancu
Mark Simmonds '14 and Viana Lancu at their wedding in August 2024.
Front row, l-r, Alana O'Connor '12, Katie Braid '24, Karen Braid '86, Lorraine Simonds '81, Viana Iancu, Mark Simonds '14, Anna Simonds '16, Allie Beckett '14, Victoria Zed '14, Luke Baxter '14, Grady McQuillan '14, and Adam Gillis '14.
Back: Sheamus MacDonald '12, Joe Mackay '14, Brendan O'Connor '12, John Walsh '11, Christian Beckett '14, Dylan Sohi '14, and Erin Flood '12.
Michaella Brand, BA Hons '19, BEd '21
Michaella Brand '19 '21 married Brennan Cruse in March 2024. They celebrated surrounded by family and Michaella's best friends, Victoria Goddard ‘21 and Chris Verheyen ‘20 ‘22.
Trailblazers
Did you know that StFX had a competitive, co-ed ski team in the 1940s? Where do you think they trained?
Early Days of Women's Rugby
This group of 'mud-loving' women were amongst the first to play rugby at StFX. Please share any stories you have of this team and this era of women's sports!
BurMac 1979
This is a picture of the MacIsaac team for the first BurMac Cup which started as a charity event with the idea of raising money each year for a local charity.
Back row l-r: Steve Luno, Fred Gagnon, Mike Rose, Kevin Kennedy, Chuck Pipes, Brian Donovan, Kevin Marcinou, Blaise Wilson, Kevin MacRae, Moe Timmons, Dave Fulton, Alan Rutledge. Front row l-r: Bob Moore, Mark Gamble, Peter Martell, Remi Deveau, Remi Flinn, Mike Byrne, Ken Ricks, Paul Maloney, Marty Legion, Cyril Muise, Mike Rogers
We lovingly remember these Xaverians who are no longer with us.
| Phillip "Skit" Ferguson '46 | James Borst '64 | Andrew Svirsky '76 |
| Marguerite Power (Beaton) '47 | Dr. David Doyle '65 | Jo-Anne MacIntosh '77 |
| John F. McIntyre '47 | John Hunkin '65 | Sr. Genevieve MacDonald CSM '77 |
| Herbert Hough '49 | Wilfred MacEachern '65 | Adele Doiron '79 |
| Jacques Belanger '51 | Brena Ryan '65 | Donald Landry '79 |
| Robert Vocisano '52 | John Strasser '65 | Hilary Amit '79 '85 |
| Gerard Walsh '52 | Joseph (Joe) Webb '65 | Peter Garnett '80 |
| Donald LaPierre '53 | Kay McAlduff '65 '67 (Retired Faculty) | Patricia Taylor Hon '81 |
| Mary Parago (Poirier) '53 | E. Allan Gilmour '66 | Laurie Flood '84 |
| C. Bernadette Brooks '55 | David Atwood '66 '77 | Rae Chisholm '85 |
| Ronan Halloran '55 | Sr. Anne Coady CSM '68 | Augustin Nweze '85 |
| Michael Hennessey '55 | Jon Purcell '68 | Patricia Fraser '85 '86 |
| Thomas Blackmore '55 '60 | Msgr. Kevin Maloney '68 | Cardinal Kelvin Felix '86 |
| Dr. John "Packy" McFarland '56 '62 | Shaun Quirk '68 | Joseph White '86 |
| Marion Froats (Lukeman) '56 | Frank O'Connor '69 | Alexander MacLellan '89 |
| George Kent '56 | William Burns '70 | Pius MacNeil '89 |
| Donald Burgoyne '57 | Margaret Lee (Kennedy) '70 | Roderick MacEachern '91 |
| Gerald (Bud) Lang '57 | Frances Nunn '70 | Ruth Gillis '92 |
| Guy Noel '57 | Penny Ross '70 | H. Keith Driver '93 |
| Dr. Robert Westbury '57 '58 Hon '07 | Jerome Sullivan '70 '71 | Helen Copeland '95 |
| William Hall '58 | Mark Farren '71 | Shaun Smith '95 |
| Fr. Jack Hamilton '58 | Gerald (Bud) Eagan '71 | James (Jim) Roussy '98 |
| F. Marie MacDonald '58 '59 | Charles Gould '71 | Wayne Francis '99 |
| Eugene Jasinski '59 | Brian O'Meara '71 | Krista Beam (MacEachern) '03 |
| John McCurnin '59 | Joan Pearson (Hadley) '71 | Bryan MacDonald '03 |
| Carl Smyth '59 | Nick Oxner '71 '72 | Dr. Irene LeFort '04 '05 |
| Charlene Sommerville (Pelletier) '61 | Angus MacKillop '72 | Celena Eltvik '06 |
| Helen Bishop-MacDonald '61 | Robert MacKinnon '72 | Catharine MacDonald '11 |
| Hughena MacNeil (Kennedy) '61 | Gordon Barker '72 '82 (Former Faculty) | Maari Singfield '16 |
| Mary Gardiner (MacMullin) '61 '83 | Marie Bilof (Gillis) '73 | Tony Novelly Hon '20 |
| John Boone '62 | Roland White '73 | Dr. Tim Goddard (Former Faculty) |
| Raymond Alyward '62 | Oonagh O'Rourke Grady '73 '74 | Judy Bernard-Julian (Former Staff) |
| Estelle Bonna-Baccardax '62 | John Costello '74 | Mary Jane "Dede" Kelly (Former Staff) |
| Hector Lelievre '62 | Lawrence MacKenzie '74 | Rosie Benoit (Retired Staff) |
| Daniel Noah '62 | Ron Corbett '75 | Leah Duffy (Retired Staff) |
| Carolyn Ross '62 | Helen Giffin (MacIntosh) '76 | Jane Landry (Retired Staff) |
| Joseph (Joe) Miller '62 '64 | Roberta Hickey (Carmichael) '76 | Marguerite Oxner (Retired Staff) |
| Michael Cameron '62 '65 | Daniel Johnston '76 | Betty Durley (Retired Staff) |
| Alan Chafe '63 | Rev. Douglas Stewart '76 | Mary Lillian MacDonald (Retired Staff) |
