The summer reunion season is long over, Thanksgiving has come and gone, Saint Joe students will begin end-of-semester exams next week and then the halls of Saint Joseph High School will go quiet for two weeks as students, faculty and staff enjoy the Christmas break. The holiday season is a very busy time of year with gifts to purchase, events to attend, homes and yards to decorate, and holiday cookies to bake. With all the secular trappings of the season begging for our attention, may we not forget that the true spirit of the season is found in the birth of the Infant in Bethlehem who came humbly into this world and whose life and death provide the opportunity for salvation for all of us.

Please keep the Saint Joe community in your prayers and know that the intentions of alumni are included in each Saint Joseph High School Prayer Corner. 



The Alumni Office wishes you a joyous Christmas and God's blessings in the New Year. 

Henry Chandler, '67

Alumni Coordinator

We are excited to feature Jimmy Eck '18 in this issue of Alumni Soundings!

For Jimmy, Saint Joseph High School has always been more than a place to learn. It has been the center of his family’s story for generations. Jimmy attended Holy Cross Grade School and grew up surrounded by strong Saint Joe ties. His parents, Leon and Sarah, are proud Saint Joe graduates. His brothers Patrick, Matt, and Tommy all walked the same halls, and his youngest brother Quentin is carrying on the tradition as a current freshman. For the Eck family, choosing Saint Joe was never really a choice at all. It was home.

After graduating from Saint Joe, Jimmy attended Bethel University in Mishawaka, earning a bachelor’s degree in History in 2022. He then began his teaching career at Saint Adalbert in South Bend, where he taught middle school Social Studies and Math and served as the school’s Athletic Director. Those two years helped shape the educator and leader he is today.

Jimmy looks back on his time as a Saint Joe student with tremendous gratitude. He remembers the relationships he formed, many of which he still values today. Classes in Social Studies and Spanish sparked passions that have stayed with him, and the lessons learned on the football field left an equally powerful mark. Winning sectional and regional championships as a sophomore remains a standout memory, but it was the brotherhood within the program that truly shaped him. That tradition of camaraderie is something he now strives to pass on to the next generation of players.

Returning to Saint Joe felt natural. Jimmy had already been coaching for four years and understood the impact that consistent presence can have on young athletes. Teaching and coaching in the same building allows him to support his players both in the classroom and on the field. While he benefited greatly from his time at Saint Adalbert, the opportunity to come home to Saint Joe was one he could not pass up.

Jimmy now teaches Personal Financial Responsibility and continues to play a major role in the football program. He began coaching during his senior year of college as a varsity assistant in 2021. He has served as the Head Freshman Coach for the past three seasons and this past year was also the Varsity Tight Ends Coach.

Through it all, Jimmy sees that Saint Joe remains rooted in the same culture of faith, family, and community that shaped him as a student. He finds joy in the daily interactions with students and the chance to make a meaningful impact. Though teaching and coaching can be challenging at times, the positive moments make it deeply fulfilling. For Jimmy, returning to his alma mater has been a blessing and a reminder of why Saint Joe will always feel like home.

Thanks to your generosity, the Fund for Saint Joseph is off to a running start. Through the dedication of our teachers, the encouragement of families, and the commitment of benefactors like you, students grow in wisdom and confidence, seeking purpose and living with integrity and compassion. You are helping light the way.

Saint Joseph High School invites you to the 2026 Ignite! Gala on March 20, 2026 at the Four Winds Casino in South Bend. If you or your business would like to sponsor a table or donate auction items, please reach out to the Mission Advancement office to Erin Freel at efreel@saintjoehigh.com.

Saint Joseph High School sadly announces the passing of retired teacher of Mathematics Mary Lou Derwent at the age of 88 on November 19th. Mary Lou taught at Saint Joe from 1977-1997 and touched the lives of many students during her career leaving them with strong mathematics skills and the ability to meet challenges. Her teaching experience spanned five decades and included stints from pre-school through graduate school in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program at the University of Notre Dame. She was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions during her time in the classroom including the Presidential Award in Mathematics Education for the state of Indiana and National Science Foundation grants to attend summer school programs at prestigious universities like Princeton and Dartmouth. Always seeking to learn and lead students to learn, she was involved in an international travel and educational program for high school students called People to People Student Ambassadors and led student groups to numerous overseas destinations. Her five children all graduated from Saint Joe and she remained part of the Saint Joe retiree group long after leaving the faculty in 1997.

Saint Joseph High School and the Saint Joe community extend their condolences to Mary Lou's family and wish them peace and consolation in their time of mourning.  

Future Business Leaders of America Saint Joe Chapter is looking for Saint Joe alumni who would be willing to speak with students and share their real-world business or entrepreneurship experience. Meetings are generally held before or after school, and topics can include marketing, accounting, HR, networking, leadership, entrepreneurship, and more.

If you’d like to connect with students and share insight from your career, please email awalters@saintjoehigh.com.

Monica Hoban ’79 and Maury Hoban ’76, proud Saint Joe alumni, have expanded and rebranded their South Bend charcuterie business, transforming Monica’s original venture, Boardgasm, into La Belle Vie Charcuterie Café. Their newly opened 28-seat café, located in the East Bank neighborhood at 233 N. Hill Street, offers customers an inviting space to enjoy artisanal grazing boards, café-style fare, and catered experiences that reflect the meaning of its name, “the beautiful life.” Monica, well-known in the community for organizing memorable events such as Soirée en Blanc South Bend, continues to bring people together through food. La Belle Vie marks an exciting new chapter for the Hobans as they share their creativity and hospitality with the South Bend community.

Upcoming Reunions

Classmates interested in organizing a class reunion may contact the Alumni Office at (574) 233-6137, ext. 547, or email Alumni Coordinator Henry Chandler at hchandler@saintjoehigh.com​​​​​​​ to get started.

Class of 1966 

60 Year Reunion – TBD

Contact Jim Highfield at highfield@aol.com or 574-286-3290 if you are interested in helping plan this event.

Class of 1971 

55 Year Reunion – July 18, 2026

Contact Mira Gasko at miragasko@att.net or 574-292-5847 for more information.

Class of 1976 

50 Year Reunion – August 8, 2026

Contact Donna O'Hara at dmo102257@comcast.net for more information.

On Friday, November 14, the Saint Joseph High School community gathered for the second annual All Saints Festival, a full-campus retreat focused on building community and encountering God. Catholic author Meg Hunter Kilmer opened the day by sharing the story of Bl. Peter Kasui Kibe and other saints who exemplify a lifelong pilgrimage toward the Lord, after which students joined small groups, attended confession, shared lunch, and completed service projects for the H.O.P.E. Club’s Thanksgiving baskets. In the afternoon, more than 900 students, faculty, and staff made a mini-pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame for a Jubilee Year of Hope Mass, with music led by the liturgical choir and Saint Joe parent Dr. J.J. Wright. Fr. Augustine preached and Fr. Noah presided in the stunning basilica, offering a powerful spiritual experience for all. With perfect weather and strong student engagement, the day was a blessing for the entire community, thanks to the thoughtful planning and leadership of Mrs. Baglow and Deacon Andy.

For the entire month of November, the H.O.P.E. Club worked with students and families at Saint Joe and partners in the broader South Bend community to put on our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. We want to extend a ginormous thank you to all the people who contributed to make this year's drive an immense success. With your generosity, we were able to raise over $30,000 to feed 300 families for the whole week of Thanksgiving. 

On November 24, we welcomed the grandparents and special guests of our students for the 4th annual Grandparents Day. Our students joined their guests for Mass, and then for fellowship with snacks and refreshments served by our amazing cafeteria staff. Over 250 grandparents were welcomed to campus. It was a lovely way to celebrate those in our students’ lives who have made such an incredible impact as we continue into the holiday season.

Saint Joseph High School

Athletics Update

We are so proud of the five student-athletes who participated in Wednesday's early signing period and signed their National Letters of Intent to compete at the college level.

Congratulations to Josiah Gustine (Wheaton College, baseball), Mary Maher (Hope College, lacrosse), Nick Shrewsberry (University of Notre Dame, basketball), Jacob Snyder (Ohio Northern University, baseball), Kiley Weinberg (Ferris State University, softball)

Congratulations to the Boys Basketball 2025 3A State Champions on receiving the Distinguished Achievement Award at the South Bend Community Hall of Fame Banquet! This honor celebrates excellence and the pride our team brings to the entire community. You can view more photos here.

If you are interested in attending this event, please contact Coach Dani Gaff at dgaff@saintjoehigh.com for more information.

If you or an alumnus you know is not receiving communications from Saint Joseph High School — we can fix that! We want to make sure everyone receives this monthly newsletter, Focus magazine, and any other news. Please contact Alumni Coordinator Henry Chandler to receive communications.