Published November 23, 2016
The 35th anniversary of the diocese’s first diaconate ordination was observed Nov. 7. The class of 21 men served around the state for decades. The men were ordained at the Cathedral of St. Andrew by Bishop Andrew J. McDonald on Nov. 7, 1981. Four men are still living in the diocese. They are Bud Daven of Malvern, Larry Jegley and Tim Massanelli, both of Little Rock, and Mathew Post of Altus.
The first class also included Paul Boeckmann of North Little Rock; Robert Clark and Clifton Rowland, both of Cherokee Village; Robert Daye of Mountain Home; George Edwards of Pocahontas; Don Francis, William Hartmann, Donald Streit, Robert Maes and Matt Mattingly, all of Little Rock; Daniel J. Hennessey of Fairfield Bay; Frank King and Donald Lynch, both of Pine Bluff; Edwin Read Jr. of Adona; Oscar Rohlman of Morrilton; Frank Sluppick of Hot Springs and William Swift of Conway.
The 30th anniversary of the diocese’s second diaconate class was observed Nov. 15. Bishop McDonald ordained 20 men on Nov. 15, 1986, also at the Cathedral. Ten of them are still living in the diocese. They are Bob Cowie, Paris; Bill Cunningham Jr., Carlisle; Mike Cumnock, Batesville; Dan Daily, Fayetteville; Wally Gieringer, Hot Springs Village; John Krug, Mountain Home; Brunon Strozyk and John Hartnedy, both of North Little Rock; Marlyn Tate, Walnut Ridge; and Dave Westmoreland, Conway.
The second class also included Marvin Blaes, Little Rock; David Briselden, West Memphis; Joseph Goss, Newport; John Duke, Benton; Joe McCaffrey, Camden; Bill Ralston, Charleston; Bob Regan, Hope; Bill Reuter, Eureka Springs; George Siebenmorgen, North Little Rock; and Jim Smith, who transferred to the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
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