Derby school to recognize 5 at Seymour event

DERBY - Five alumni and friends of St. Mary-St. Michael Elementary School will be recognized from 6-9 pm April 5 at the Inn at Villa Bianca in Seymour.

They are:

Knights of Columbus Council 14611: The Knights of Columbus was chartered as a fraternal benefit society in 1882.  The Knights follow four core principles which include charity; unity; fraternity, and patriotism.  Although Council 14611 is a young council, they have demonstrated time and time again their big hearts.

The council has supported every fundraiser and event held by the school.  When we needed air-conditioning in order to host our weekly Bingo, we looked to the Knights.
Sponsorships for our golf tournament, road race, Housy River Duck Race, and our Recognition Ceremony have continually been supported by Council 14611.  The time has come to recognize and thank this extraordinary council.

CWV St. Michael’s Post 1562:  The Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America, Inc. was founded in 1935.  Post 1562 has been instrumental in supporting St. Mary-St. Michael School.  Their members have attended and supported many of our events and fundraisers including our dinners, athletic events, and Housy River Duck Race.  Additionally, they have supplied our soccer and basketball teams with uniforms.  Thank you, CWV Post 1562.

Rose Keller:  Rose was born in Shelton to Andrew and Theresa Brancucio on March 11, 1921.  She is the only survivor of her six brothers and two sisters.
The family moved to Derby in 1924 and she was enrolled in St. Mary School.  Rose graduated St. Mary School in 1934 and Derby High School in 1938.  She worked the candy counter at Woolworth’s Five & Dime, went to Ansonia Business School and gained employment at Hershey Metal where she met her future husband Edward Keller.  Rose and Edward were married at St. Mary Church in 1944.   Rose has demonstrated a lifetime of volunteerism.  She volunteered in the office at St. Margaret Mary’s in Shelton, blood pressure clinics, and at the Derby Neck Library.  In 2007 she was awarded the Golden Treasure Award by the Valley United Way for her volunteerism.  When Rose learned that she was being honored tonight she wrote, “I would like to say God has given me a wonderful life.  I am thankful for my wonderful husband, two daughters, sons-in-law, two granddaughters, four great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.  I am very humbled by this recognition tonight.  Thank you.”

Richard Slowik: Rick was born in Derby and is a 1952 graduate of St. Michael School, and a 1956 graduate of Derby High School.  He received the Albarella Trophy while at DHS.  He attended the University of Bridgeport and the University of New Haven and retired as a Manager of Manufacturing Engineering after 40 years of service to Sikorsky Aircraft.  In his retirement he acts as a technical consultant for Oxford Industries.  He was a member of a team that won the Black Hawk helicopter program for Sikorsky; established a Pop Warner football program as a Jaycees project; past president of Derby Pop Warner Football; past officer of the Southern CT Pop Warner Football League; past president of the Derby Jaycees.
He has been married to Francis Baklik for 57 years and has five married children and 12 grandchildren.  He is proud of his loving and caring family and is a supporter of St. Mary-St. Michael School, Valley United Way, Albarella Memorial, Griffin and Yale New Haven Hospitals, and cancer and Alzheimer research. 

James E. Cohen:  Born in New Haven, Cohen is a 1964 graduate of Derby High School.  He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1971.  He has been an attorney and partner at Cohen and Thomas Law Firm in Derby from 1971-2008.  Cohen served as the President and CEO of the Valley Community Foundation in Derby.

Cohen has a long history of service to the community that has included:  Corporation Counsel, City of Derby; Attorney Trial Referee, Connecticut Supreme Court; Director, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; Vice Chair & Director, Valley Community Foundation; President and Director, Derby Public Library; Charter Revision Commission Member, City of New Haven; Director, New Haven Symphony Orchestra; 2000 Award Recipient, Martin Luther King Brotherhood Award; Member & Board Chair, Oxford Board of Ethics; Director & Good Scout Award Recipient, Housatonic Council Boy Scouts; Life Member & John Ireland Howe Award Recipient, Derby Historical Society.
Cohen lives in New Haven with his wife, Frances.

A keepsake program book is being produced and advertisements, congratulatory and in memoriam messages are available by contacting the school office.
Admission is $40 per person with tables of 10 available at a cost of $350.

Reservations are requested by April 14; contact Linda Coppola at lcoppola@stmarystmichael.org or 203-735-6471.

St. Mary-St. Michael School was created in 1988 when St. Mary School (est. 1898) and St. Michael School (est. 1915) merged to form one school.


This is a press release from St. Mary-St. Michael School.