AWHS Class of 1975 to Hold 40-Year Reunion in October of 2015

Andrew Warde High School's Class of 1975 is making plans for its 40-year reunion. The committee is pleased to announce that the reunion will take place at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Saturday, October 17th, 2015. That's the word from Gail Rogers Hopkins of the Class of 1975.

The committee asks that if you know someone who was a member of the class, please help spread the word. Committee members are still looking for many classmates. Please visit the class Facebook page for more information. Click on the image below to access the page.

Paul

Warde's Legendary Football Coach Saved Man From Drowing at Mouth of Ash Creek 46 Years Ago This Week

Andrew Warde High School's Hall of Fame football coach came to the rescue of a man who appeared to be drowning in the strong current at the mouth of Ash Creek in Fairfield 46 years ago this week, Tuesday, July 30, 1968.

The man, who was about 30 years of age, was saved by Fern Tetreau, the coach of the Warde Eagles' gridders, who happened to be attending a cookout nearby, according to a front-page story in The Bridgeport Telegram. Tetreau, Warde's first football coach, led the team to an undefeated 9-0 campaign in 1959, just three years after the school opened.

Attracted by shouts for help off the jetty at the end of Jennings Beach and opposite St. Mary's by the Sea, Tetreau outraced three fellow physical education instructors in the Fairfield school system and swam to the aid of the man, who was being held by a woman companion. Both the man and woman were about to be swept away by the current toward Long Island Sound.

A short time later, a boat from the Ash Creek boat basin picked up the man while the woman companion swam back to St. Mary's. After being taken to the boat basin, the woman friend drove the man home.

The man told Tetreau he was wading at St. Mary's when he was swept into the water by the strong current. His woman companion managed to keep him afloat until Mr. Tetreau arrived on the scene.

Tetreau was attending a cookout at a cottage at the east end of Jennings Beach as a guest of Robert Seirup, a physical education instructor who conducted swimming classes there in the Summer.

Also present were Emil Taft, the Roger Ludlowe High School football coach, and Bob Jackson, director of physical education in the Fairfield school system.

Paul

Andrew Warde High School Community Mourns the Passing of Longtime Language Teacher & Soccer Coach Constantine Vanghele

Constantine Vanghele, a foreign language teacher for 29 years at Andrew Warde High School in Fairfield (1961 to 1989), passed away peacefully on June 27, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. He was 91 years old. Born on May 8, 1923, to Pandu and Vasila Vangheli in Korce, Albania, his mother died when he was a boy, and he was raised by his father and stepmother, Konstandina. He lived there until 1943, before relocating to Greece, Germany, Austria, and Italy, where he attended the University of Rome, graduating in 1949.

He arrived in the United States on May 4, 1949 from Italy and settled in Bridgeport. From 1950-1980, he studied various foreign languages and became fluent in eight different languages, attending the Institute of World Affairs in Salisbury, Middlebury College, the University of Connecticut, River College in New Hampshire, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Bridgeport, University of Barcelona in Spain, Fairfield University, and the University of Perugia, Italy.

In 1951, Constantine was employed by Radio Free Europe, as a translator, speaker, and script writer at the Albanian Desk in New York City. From 1954-1961, he worked for the National Committee for a Free Albania, a political organization with the aim to liberate Albania from the Communist regime.

Beginning in 1961 and for 29 years, Constantine was a teacher of foreign languages at Andrew Warde High School in Fairfield, where he was also the school's soccer coach for many seasons. He is pictured below (top right) with his Crimson Eagles' soccer team in the 1976 Flame yearbook. Constantine was a member of the St. George Albanian Orthodox Church and the St. Dimitrie Romanian Orthodox Church. He was a former President and retired Member of the Benevolent Society Of Farsarotul.

He is survived by five sons, four daughter-in-laws, and four grandchildren: Thomas and Janice Vanghele, of New York City, Alexander and Patty Vanghele, of Bridgeport, Dino Vanghele, of Bridgeport, Nicholas and Susan Vanghele, and their children, Logan and Olivia, of Shelton, Christopher and Kim Vanghele, and their children, Christopher, Jr. and Lauren, of Woodbury. He is also survived by his niece, Sophie Fatsi Cashavelly, and her husband, James, of Trumbull. His sister, Caterina Vangheli Fatsi and brother, Thoma predeceased him.

Courtesy Connecticut Post

Class of 1964 to Hold 50-Year Reunion This Saturday at Trumbull Marriott

Andrew Warde High School's Class of 1964 will hold its 50-year reunion this Saturday, June 15, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Trumbull Marriott, 180 Hawley Lane, in Trumbull.

The reunion weekend kicks off Friday evening with a Meet-and-Greet cash bar at the Marriott and concludes Sunday morning with a breakfast buffet. The reunion includes a buffet, dancing, several surprises, and a cash bar. The cost of the reunion is $75. Please click the flyer below for complete information on the reunion weekend.

According to the class flyer, classmates who are traveling long distances are offered $99 discounted hotel room rates for each night. Please call 203-378-1400 for more information.

Please call Gloria Evans for reunion information at 203-255-6893 or via email at lucyethel39@yahoo.com.

Paul

Warde & Ludlowe Held Swim Marathon to Benefit Teams 43 Years Ago This Weekend

Swim team members and alumni from Andrew Warde and Roger Ludlowe high schools swam for their proverbial lives in a 30-hour marathon 43 years ago this weekend. The marathon, which raised $4,000 to help keep the swim teams at both schools afloat for the 1971-72 school year, set a national record of 100 miles.

The event, which was held at the Olympic-size Fairfield YMCA pool on Old Post Road, began at noon on Saturday, July 3, 1971, and ended Sunday evening, July 4, at 6 p.m., according to a front-page story which appeared in The Bridgeport Telegram, Monday, July 5, 1971 (see below).

More than 60 swimmers participated, completing the 100 miles in 28 hours and one minute. Encouraged by financial backing from townsfolk who pledged one dollar for every completed lap, the participants continued after setting the record to log 30 hours of uninterrupted swimming.

George Ford, a parent of one of the swim team members, announced at the conclusion of the event that $4,000 had been raised. However, he emphaszied that another $4,000 was needed to support the activities for the swim teams at both high schools.

"If the Board of Education approves a request for a $2,000 allocation for the program, the swim teams will be able to continue their activities in the new school year," Ford stated. As a result of sharp budget cuts, the Board of Education eliminated funds previously provided for the swim team programs.

Rather than let the program die, members of the swim teams at both high schools started the ball rolling for a fund-raising event. The marathon was the first endeavor, and other plans for raising the needed funds were in the works.

The marathon was supervised by Edward Quinn, the Ludlowe swim coach, his assistant, William Babcock, and George Reed of Warde. Mike Tierney and Bob Wilk, Ludlowe's co-captains, and Dan Ford and Mike Cardone of Warde helped organize the marathon.

Paul

Warde Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Eric Mazur

This is the first in a series of profiles of Andrew Warde High School alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professional careers. Dr. Eric Mazur graduated from Andrew Warde High School in 1967 and was graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1971 with a B. S. E. degree in aerospace and mechanical sciences. 

He is pictured with his W11 junior homeroom class in the 1966 Flame yearbook below. He is second from the right in the third row.

Dr. Eric Mazur is an internist and specialist in hematology and oncology.  He has recently retired from his position of Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Norwalk Hospital in which he served for four years.  As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mazur was responsible for the physicians and the quality of all medical care delivered at the hospital.  Under his leadership, Norwalk Hospital established recognized centers of excellence in lung and colon cancer, pelvic health, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and joint replacement surgery.

Dr. Mazur fondly recalled his days at Andrew Warde High School. "I can sincerely say that those four years were some of happiest and most transformative of my entire life," he told me via email. "My experience playing three years of varsity football really helped me mature and achieve a balance between academics (to which I had always been drawn) and the other aspects of life, i.e. athletics and the developing social life of a healthy teenager. I have thought a good deal about what are my 'fondest memories' at Warde and they always come back to the people.

"Among the faculty, I remember Mrs. Spitalny and her dry wit (she always called me "amazing Maze") and Mr. Pagani who pushed me and others outside of our comfort zones," he continued. "Mr. Pagani gave me my only 'C' in my high school career, a grade that was probably well-deserved because of my failure to fully apply myself during that marking period."

"But, my fondest and best memories are those of my friends," wrote Dr. Mazur, who received the 2014 William J. Tracey Award from Norwalk Hospital, which is given to the doctor who best displays leadership, character, involvement in community service, and exemplary clinical skill. "I recall regular triple dates with Bruce Kelley and Barbara Pittori, Jeff Weiss and Susan Goldberg and Susan Ginsberg with me. (Remember when Susan Goldberg's parents came home unexpectedly early?) I remember Susan Ginsberg's car, a Valiant convertible, that provided many of us with 'wheels' for the first time."

Dr. Mazur's other recent achievements include recognition in 2012 as Master, American College of Physicians, one of only ten living internists in the State of Connecticut so honored, and receipt of the William F. Thornton Award for teaching and medical education from the American College of Physicians.  In the last several years, Dr. Mazur has been named repeatedly by Castle Connellyâ to “Top Doctors: New York Metro Area” and listed in Best Doctors in America.

He has many other memories about his days at Warde. "I remember ski trips to Vermont, sometimes round-trip in one day, with Fred Bogin, Mark Bleier and Mike Salvana. I remember the regular basketball and wiffle ball games in Andy Olschan's backyard with Bruce Kelley, Donnie Helfer, Fred Bogin and Steve Silver. I remember the double-football practices in late August, before school began, and my football co-captains, Gabe Pettner and Ed Kachmar. I remember our wonderful basketball team and how they were able to regularly achieve the winning records that eluded us in football. And, I remember all the girls with whom I grew up and on whom I had so many crushes - Barbara Ziu, Connie Levinson, Susan Ginsberg, Evelyn Scales, Ellen Scheinman, and all of the cheerleaders."

Prior to his role as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mazur served for 16 years as Norwalk Hospital’s Chairman of the Department of Medicine.  During that time, he focused his leadership efforts on achieving measurable quality in patient care, excellence in resident education, the introduction of computerized medical records, and the development of a novel teaching hospitalist program that received national recognition.  

Dr. Mazur also participated in founding of the Norwalk Community Health Center in 1994, serving on its medical staff and on its Board of Directors from its inception until 2005.  From 2005 to 2009, Dr. Mazur served as the elected representative of Connecticut’s internal medicine physician community as Governor of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP).  

As ACP Governor, Dr. Mazur was very involved in political advocacy, annually visiting Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of primary care internal medicine and healthcare reform.  For these activities, he received the “Top 10 Key Contact Special Recognition Award” from the ACP in 2005.

Since 2002, Dr. Mazur has served as co-host of “Health Talk”, Cablevision’s nightly “Local Programming” television show (channel 84) that provides health education for much of lower Fairfield County.  During the past 12 years, he has hosted almost 450 half hour ”Health Talk” episodes, covering subjects from bunions to pet therapy to cancer research.  He has also been a frequent requested guest for local television news and health programs.

Dr. Mazur was graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1971 with a B.S.E. degree in aerospace and mechanical sciences.  In 1975, he was graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.  He completed his first two years of internal medicine residency at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester and returned to Connecticut in 1977, completing his internal medicine residency and a hematology/oncology fellowship at Yale University in 1981.

Dr. Mazur spent the first part of his career as Chief of Hematology/Oncology at Miriam Hospital and on the full time medical school faculty of Brown University in Providence RI.  At Miriam Hospital, he developed an active clinical hematology/oncology practice and performed laboratory research, creating novel test tube models for studying human blood platelet production.  Dr. Mazur has published over 45 scientific papers and his research has been presented both nationally and internationally.  He moved to Norwalk Hospital in 1995 where he has worked for the past 20 years. 

Dr. Mazur lives in Weston with his wife, Abby. They have two grown sons and two granddaughters. Dr. Mazur’s first love is his family, but he also enjoys reading fiction, skiing, hiking, travel, languages, digital photography and computers.

"Paul, thank you so much for keeping Andrew Warde alive for me and so many others who benefitted so much from and so cherish those high school years," he concluded.

Paul