Announcing the Walter and Mary Romak Memorial Scholarship | |
For Shirley Romak Hums ’68, Saint Joseph High School has always been a place of cherished memories, lasting friendships, and a faith-filled foundation that has shaped her life. Now, she and her husband, Edward Hums, have created a lasting legacy for future generations of Saint Joe students through the newly endowed Walter and Mary Romak Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of Shirley’s parents.
Shirley and Ed’s generosity reflects a lifelong commitment to Catholic education and to serving others. Together, they recently retired after an extraordinary 100 collective years of service to the University of Notre Dame. Ed, a graduate of Marian High School and the University of Notre Dame, and Shirley have also been deeply involved in the lives of students outside the classroom. For 12 years, they served as dorm parents for the young women of Lyons Hall, offering guidance, hospitality, and a powerful example of a strong marriage rooted in the Catholic faith.
While Shirley and Ed generously support Saint Joe through the Fund for Saint Joseph and the Ignite! Gala, their decision to establish an endowed scholarship creates an enduring connection between Shirley’s family and the school she loves. The Walter and Mary Romak Memorial Scholarship will help ensure that future Saint Joseph students have access to the same faith-centered educational experience that meant so much to Shirley.
Today, Shirley is especially delighted by the expanded opportunities available to Saint Joe students, particularly the many ways young women can participate in athletics. She is also deeply impressed by the beautiful new Saint Joseph High School building and the exceptional environment it provides for students to learn, grow, and thrive.
We are deeply grateful to Shirley and Ed for their extraordinary generosity, their decades of service, and their unwavering belief in the power of excellent Catholic education. Their legacy will live on in the lives of the students who benefit from this scholarship and in the countless ways they continue to serve others.
| | Faith in Action: The Saint Joe Diaper Drive | | |
On September 4, Saint Joseph High School students put their Catholic faith into action through the annual Diaper Drive, coordinated by the Right to Life Club to benefit the Women’s Care Center.
Together, the Saint Joe community collected an incredible 50,789 diapers for local families in need. Seniors Isabelle Futa and Addy DePauw served as co-chairs for the second consecutive year, helping lead their fellow students in this meaningful service project. The Right to Life Club is co-moderated by Director of Pastoral Ministry Christine Baglow and teacher Chris Culver.
Following the collection, students formed a human chain stretching from Saint Joseph High School to the Women’s Care Center, passing the donated diapers from one student to the next. More than a practical way to deliver donations, the human chain is a powerful symbol of the caring and responsibility that Jesus calls us to create as we care for one another.
For a Catholic school, this is at the heart of our mission: recognizing the God-given dignity of every human life and responding to the needs of our neighbors with compassion and love. Through the Diaper Drive, students learn that living their faith means more than just belief; it means putting that faith into action.
| | You Invested in More than a Weight Room | |
When our students walked into the weight room this week, they saw more than new equipment.
They saw what’s possible when a community believes in them.
On September 16, Saint Joseph High School completed a major overhaul of our weight room, creating a safer, stronger, and more inspiring space where students can grow in confidence and discipline under the guidance of Performance Director Scott Pherson.
And it happened because of you.
Gifts to the Fund for Saint Joseph made this investment possible. Because the Fund provides flexible resources, Saint Joe can respond to the needs and opportunities that matter most for our students. Every day, student-athletes and physical education classes will benefit from 12 new racks, benches, and bars - equipment that will make a meaningful difference in how our students train.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone who recognizes the value in investing in our kids and helping us create a safer, more functional, and high-energy environment for them to train,” Scott said.
But the impact goes far beyond the equipment itself. Since Day 1, Scott and his athletes have embraced a simple mindset: “We don't point out problems; we stay solution-oriented and earn everything.” Coming out of their second summer together and heading into a second school year, that mindset is becoming a culture. After-school and summer attendance have grown exponentially, and every day, Saint Joe athletes are working to break through barriers and elevate themselves.
“We will continue to reach higher to shatter glass ceilings and break through walls,” Scott said, noting that Saint Joe’s female athletes have taken that message quite literally and broke the cinder block wall with a weighted ball during a recent workout. “The culture shift is here and we are doing it together.”
That is the transformation we hope every investment in our students can create. The new equipment is a tremendous boost to the daily impact of the weight room, and while it is only a sneak peek of what Scott ultimately hopes to build, it demonstrates what is possible when a community invests in its students.
Thank you for believing in our students, investing in their possibilities, and helping us create a Saint Joe where excellence meets possibility.
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There’s nothing quite like coming home to Saint Joe.
Join us Friday, September 25, for Homecoming football as we celebrate the Class of 1966 and their 60th anniversary of graduating from Saint Joe! It’s a special milestone and a wonderful reason for all alumni to return to campus, reconnect with old friends, and cheer on the next generation of Saint Joe students.
Stop by the Alumni Table on the concourse for a small treat, say hello, and stay awhile. We’d love to see you!
One of our favorite things about Saint Joe is hearing the stories of those who came before: your favorite memories, the friendships you made, the teachers who influenced you, and the ways your Saint Joe experience shaped the person you became.
Whether you graduated 60 years ago or last May, you are Forever Saint Joe. Come enjoy some great football, reconnect with your Saint Joe family, and share your story with us.
We hope to see you under the lights!
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The competition is on, the tables are filling up, and Saint Joe Trivia Night is coming in hot! Join us Saturday, October 24, for an evening packed with friendly competition, big laughs, school spirit, and serious bragging rights.
Build your team of ten, rally your smartest friends, and get ready to prove who really knows it all!
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Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Trivia starts at 6:00 p.m.
Even better? Your table helps make more possible for our students. Proceeds support Saint Joe athletics and co-curricular programs, creating more opportunities for students to compete, lead, create, and grow.
Come for the trivia. Stay for the fellowship. Leave with bragging rights and the satisfaction of knowing you helped invest in Saint Joe students.
| | Remembering Anita Martin Goepfrich '59: A Life of Love, Laughter, and Adventure | | |
Some lives are remembered not only through the stories we tell, but through the love and generosity they inspire in others.
The Saint Joseph High School community is grateful to honor the memory of Anita Goepfrich ‘59 (February 23, 1941 - August 29, 2026) and to celebrate the gifts made to Saint Joe in her name. These thoughtful acts of generosity are a beautiful reflection of a life centered on family, faith, love, and lasting relationships.
Born in South Bend to Charles and Lucille Martin, Anita attended Saint Joe and graduated in 1959. Anita devoted her life to the people she loved, especially her husband Leo Goepfrich ‘59. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker who found joy in caring for her family and creating a loving home.
At the heart of Anita’s life was always her family. She treasured her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and cherished being part of their lives. Her legacy lives on in the generations who knew her, loved her, and carry her memory forward.
Today, through the generosity of those who loved Anita, her legacy is also touching the lives of Saint Joe students. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has made a gift to Saint Joseph High School’s Class of 1959 Endowment Fund in Anita’s memory. Your generosity is a meaningful tribute, not simply to Anita’s life, but to the values of family, faith, and community that she embodied.
At Saint Joe, we often say that no matter where life takes you, you are our Forever Saint Joe family. Anita’s story reminds us of the enduring connections that make that family so special. Through these gifts, Anita has become part of the continuing story of Saint Joseph High School. Her memory will help strengthen the opportunities available to today's students and those who will follow. Please pray for Anita, Leo, her family, and friends.
| | Annual Bishop's Appeal: Supporting Our Diocesan Family | | |
Each year, the Annual Bishop’s Appeal invites Catholics throughout the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend to support the spiritual and pastoral work of our local Church. Gifts help strengthen Catholic schools and parishes, form seminarians and clergy, support youth and young adults, serve those in need through Catholic Charities, and advance ministries that proclaim the Gospel.
During this time, we support the diocesan and parish efforts to advance the cause of a vibrant Catholic community rooted in faith, strengthened through service, and committed to sharing Christ’s light with others. Every gift is an opportunity to invest in the life and mission of our Catholic Church throughout our diocese.
Learn more about the 2026–27 Annual Bishop’s Appeal and make a gift through the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
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