By LISA PERKINS
TRAVERSE CITY ---- The Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools will welcome their third class of inductees into the GTACS Hall of Fame during a weekend of homecoming activities.
Patricia Alpers, Waldo Keating, William Kildee, Sr. and Ken and Jeanie Knudsen will be honored during a ceremony to be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, in the Kohler Auditorium in St. Francis High School, just prior to the St. Francis High School homecoming football game where they will be introduced during halftime festivities.
The GTACS Hall of Fame was established in 2007 to recognize individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools or to society, achieved exceptional success, demonstrated excellence and longevity in their field, modeled outstanding integrity, serve as a model of faith in action and made an outstanding service contribution to Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.
This year's inductees were chosen for their commitment to Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and Catholic education in general.
-- Patricia (Folkersma) Alpers moved to Traverse City in 1958 when she married her husband, Jim. All of their seven children and 17 of their grandchildren are either past graduates or current students at St. Francis High School.
She is the founder and past president of the Carmelite Society and worked with Catholic Social Services, welcoming four unwed mothers into her home until their babies were born and adopted. As a founding member of the St. Patrick Church, she was instrumental in setting up the kitchen in the family center and was founder of the Women's Guild.
-- Waldo Keating, who passed away in June, was a graduate of Central Michigan University and earned his master's degree in school counselling at Western Michigan University. After beginning his education career at Muskegon Catholic Central High School, Keating and his wife Marcia moved to Traverse City in 1971 where he became head football coach and athletic director for Catholic schools and was the assistant principal of the "annex." In 1973, his team was named the Associated Press Class C State Football Champions and Keating was named the AP Coach of the Year.
Keating's career encompassed both public and Catholic education as he coached football at St. Francis, Traverse City Senior High, East Junior High and Elk Rapids High School. He was also the first athletic director of Traverse City West High School and was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986.
-- William Kildee, Sr., who grew up in the Grand Traverse community, was the president of the St. Francis senior class of 1942 and a player on two district championship basketball teams. After serving in World War II, Kildee was active in the PTA, a Boy Scout leader and was a founding member of the Catholic Athletic Association in 1948. As Rotary president in 1976-77, Kildee was instrumental in establishing the public foundation Rotary Charities.
Kildee was a charter member of the consolidated Grand Traverse Area Catholic Board of Education and helped initiate the school's dual-enrollment program. He also helped establish the Grand Traverse Educational Foundation.
-- Kenneth and Jeanie Knudsen have been married for 62 years and have eight children. Jeanie is a lifetime member of St. Francis Church and graduated from St. Francis High School in 1946. Born in Leland, Ken joined the Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II.
Jeanie has been a Eucharistic minister to nursing homes, hospitals and the home bound and an active member of the Altar Society and PTA. Ken played a part in establishing the first Catholic Athletic Association and the St. Francis Boosters. He also was instrumental in purchasing a new athletic bus for Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.
