More than 450 Gonzaga Prep alumni and family gathered from across the decades on the Prep campus for Reunion Weekend 2019. Classmates took tours, reconnected with stories, memories, and revelry well into the night. More than 100 alumni and family of grads 60 years ago and longer for a Mass and dinner in Barbieri Student Center on Saturday night. We love the serendipity of unexpected re-connections and the strengthening of bonds that have grown from long-ago experiences at Prep.

Here’s a snapshot of some of their stories:

Strong connections to campus

Class of `59 alumni Dr. Mike Strong and wife Sunny attended Reunion Weekend 2019, taking in all the changes on campus and visiting the science wing that bears his name.

Prep was worth the work

“Best thing I ever did was put myself through Prep,” says Gary Skelton `59. Skelton, among 30 from his class attending Reunion Weekend 2019, held a paper route and worked as a box boy at Albertsons while in school at Gonzaga Prep.

Mother-daughter duo

Holy Names alumna Trish McFarland `64 was the Gonzaga Prep development director in the `90s. She’s delighted her daughter Molly `94 is joining the Prep faculty this fall in the history department.

Sweethearts then and now

Love was in the air when high school sweethearts John Manix and Carol (Cronin) Manix graduated in `79. They attended Reunion Weekend 2019 along with daughter Sarah (Manix) Long `09 and husband Travis `09, who found true love in high school too. Sarah now works as a counselor at Gonzaga Prep and Travis is head coach for JV boys basketball. 

Almost name twins

You say tomato, I say Schumacher! Classmates and lifelong friends Mike Shoemaker and Mike Schumacher were among the class of `64 alumni in attendance at last weekend’s reunion. “I’m salt, he’s pepper,” said Shumacher, who attended grade school, Gonzaga Prep, and Gonzaga University with his close-but-not-quite name twin.

Family connections run deep

Thanks in part to good timing, Reunion Weekend is a family affair for more than a few Gonzaga Prep alumni whose reunion years spanned from 10 to 60 years.