By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent

“It was the alumni who did all this,” Joan Shields, principal of Holy Family School, Lakewood, shared as she gestured to groups of friends hugging, smiling and taking pictures during the school’s celebration of 40 years of Catholic education June 13.

“They wanted to come back to celebrate this school, to celebrate its history,” she said. “We are a family.”

The idea of family was certainly one that was shared among all of the alumni who wanted to pay tribute to their beloved school.

When it was announced that the school would not re-open for the 2015-2016 school year, former students wanted one last opportunity to gather together in the place that held so many wonderful memories for so many people.

“We couldn’t wait to come back,” Leslie (Herrera) Allen said as she embraced her former classmates, members of the Class of 1982. “We grew up together, we went to Mass together and we learned about our faith together. It was fun to be here.”

Fellow classmate, Danté L. Mojares, reflected on his years as an Eagle, the school mascot.

“The people, the relationships -- it is something special and we’ve all kept in touch.”

For the Mojares family, attending Holy Family School is a tradition, with his son and namesake a graduate from the Class of 2010.

While many alumni have stayed in the shore area, some former students traveled a distance to attend the celebration.

“We wanted to say good-bye,” Nicolette (Manzie) Gross, a graduate from the Class of 1994, said as she reconnected with classmate Courtney (Ryder) Ross. 

The friends, who have stayed connected on Facebook, reside in Feasterville, Pa., and Baltimore, respectively.

“I loved all of my eighth grade year,” Ross reflected.

“The teachers were all great, especially Sister Laura and Sister Gloria,” she said of Filippini Sisters Laura Longo and Gloria Barone, who fondly remembered by many of those students in attendance.

Cetta Lieb, who taught first and second grades at in the school from 1987-1989, also recalled the impact the retired sisters made on the school community.

“The two of them were a real duo,” she recalled warmly. “They knew each child by name; they were wonderful.”

Tara (Nicoletta) Gajano, who attended Holy Family from kindergarten through eighth grade, proudly boasted being in the first graduating class.

A member of the Class of 1984, Gajano’s siblings and children also attended the school.

While the former students had fun taking photos in front of their class picture in Alumni Hall, the feelings of sadness were also evident among the alumni and current families as they reflected on the closing of the school.

Richard and Kathy Dwulet found their grandson Andrew’s picture in the Hall of Alumni.

 “His parents wanted a Catholic education for him,” Kathy said of her grandson, who graduated in 2002 and was the class valedictorian. “He continued in Catholic education and graduated from St. Rose High School, Belmar, and Georgetown University, Washington.

Current faculty noted how providing a strong faith foundation and a quality education was always of utmost importance to the school community.

“It’s a ministry,” Cathy Blazewicz shared of her 37 years teaching in Holy Family School, where her school family “became our family,” for both herself and her daughter, especially in the weeks and months following the death of her husband.

“Here we truly learned to give back,” Blazewicz offered. “We learned to volunteer to pay it forward.”

Frank and Janet Roach reflected on their many years of having served their school and the parish community of St. Mary of the Lake as custodians, Bingo chairs and teaching assistants.

“It is a unique place and such a wonderful experience,” Frank Roach recalled.

His wife, Janet added, “It’s a special place that will remain in people’s hearts.”

Guests took a break from snapping selfies, visiting the photo booth and looking for their team’s trophies to pray. “How we begin and end every day here, at Holy Family,” Shields affirmed. 

“Let our efforts of the past years bear fruit,” she prayed.