” compassionate, courageous and responsible, daring us to step out of our comfort zone to make our world a better place, and be strong in the faith of knowing there is a higher power. - Shirley Miller Schilling The impact that Mercyhurst has had on my life has been immense. The liberal arts education that I was given taught me how to solve problems, think outside of the box, be an active citizen, and live my Catholic faith fully. - Stephanie Lucas Basile “ ” ’ “In my years at Mercyhurst, there was a major presence of the Sisters of Mercy. Many were teachers or participated in activities with the students. Always aware of their mission to serving others, the sisters exemplifed this in teaching social values and leadership in the world. I so love the fact that the Mercy tradition is evident in today s environment. What the students learn from Mercy values will serve them well in their lives, just as it did in my time. - Peggy Meagher Pietraszek ” ” “I think I matured at Mercyhurst. Besides the excellent education I received, I was encouraged to be open to new ideas. I learned about leadership and having a social conscience. I developed lifelong friendships and in addition to all of this had fun and now have a storehouse of many wonderful memories. Most importantly I learned about tolerance and accepting ideas and others diferent from me. Something that I have tried to practice throughout life. I thank college and Mercyhurst for that. - Jane Carney “In one of my book clubs we just recently read the book The Outliers whose premise is that no one is self-made. We are who we are because of the people, places, and events which have impacted our lives. Mercyhurst has to be one of those places for me. It certainly played a role in making me the person I am today. I am grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of the Hurst family. - Jane Carney ” “ God brings people and encounters into one s life for a number of special reasons. There is no by accident. If we had made diferent decisions, like not choosing to attend Mercyhurst, our lives would have been diferent physically, mentally, spiritually, and morally. - Shirley Miller Schilling ’ ‘ ’ ” Shirley Miller Schilling After about a year of teaching in Ohio, Shirley ventured to Europe, landing a job at a school for children of U.S. military personnel in Bindlach, Germany. There she also met and married Sgt. Robert Schilling. Back home in St. Joseph, Missouri, she was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years while she and Bob raised six kids. When her youngest was 6, she became a Mary Kay consultant. She also was a substitute teacher, took graduate courses to become certifed in Missouri, and even worked nights for the U.S. Postal Service. She says, “Then, lo and behold, I ended up in prison!” For more than 23 years, she’s been teaching at a medium-high security men’s prison. Shirley and Bob travel annually to Jamaica, where they help sponsor an impoverished country school called Broughton Primary in Little London. They take along clothing, school supplies, and cash to meet some of the school’s bigger needs.
Sue Sutto Sue had been teaching history in Erie for just a few years when a golf game with legendary Erie real estate Broker Jane Theuerkauf, a former Mercyhurst Trustee, sent her into a new career path. Theuerkauf suggested that Sue would be good at selling real estate. She took the ofered job, excelled at it, and eventually opened her own frm, Sue Sutto Realtors Inc. She retired in 2014 after a very successful 42- year career in the feld. Along the way, she served as president of the Greater Erie Board of Realtors and was named “REALTOR of the Year” in 1990. She served on community boards, too, including the Erie County Convention Center Authority, St. Mary’s Home, EmergyCare, the Erie Cemetery Association and the Kahkwa Club. Retirement has allowed her to play more golf and spend more time in Florida.
Members of the committee planning the 50th reunion for the Class of 1968 include (standing, from left) Jeanne Keim Phillips, Nancy Ketchel Bennett and Jane Carney; (seated, from left) Mary Anne Zeitler, Stephanie Lucas Basile and Peggy Meagher Pietraszek. Not present for the photo: Sue Sutto, Mary Patalon Schaaf, Jean Jacob Kamats, Marlene DiTullio Mosco, Gretchen Hinz Brugger and Shirley Miller Schilling.
Class members: If you haven’t yet made plans to attend the June 8-10 reunion, it’s not too late. To register, use the form sent to you by mail or contact Lindsay Frank, director of alumni engagement, at 814-824-2330 or lfrank@mercyhurst.edu .
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