“Endless Waves”

Profiles of Sayville High School Alumni; an ongoing stream of exceptional lives.

“Endless Waves”

Our history series "Endless Waves" authors & page preparers include;
Dr. Virginia Lussier, '1959, Carolyn (Griffiths) Mioduski, '59, Thomas McMahon, '70, Chris Horn, '73, Dr. James Bertsch, '88, Erick Baumeister, a descendant of several Sayville Alumni, Hal G. Brown, '72.
Special Features

Family Feature with video intro.: The Whalen’s of Sayville. Late 1800’s – early 1900’s

First Sayville High team to win a state championship

Short video history of Sayville Schools (source: 1940 yearbook)

50th Anniversary! 1971 State Champions! Sayville High Cross Country Team

1908 — Sayville Alumni Association Banquet

Greaves stationary store and family 

The Four Fanning siblings from England.

Jacob Ockers; “Oyster King”. A Sayville Village Schools pupil before old “88”.

Mary Louise (Foster) Forsslund; Sayville Schools 1889; the most famous Sayville resident in the early 20th century.

Roscoe Clinton Clock, Class of 1899.

Gertrude Ada (Herring) Silliman, Class of 1908.

Margaret Pauline “Maggie” Tucker, class of 1909.

Percy Oliver LeCluse, Class of 1910. His Death “Takes A Heavy Toll”.

Lillian Sylvia (Griffing) Van Hala, Class of 1913.

Frank James Yonda, Sr., Class of 1916.

Anthony Henry Yonda, Sr., Class of 1920.

Dr. Isabelle Lucy “Belle” Otto Talbot, Class of 1921.

Eileen Dorothy (Vunck) Masin, Class of 1921.

Henry Frank Rogers, Class of 1922 and 40-year SHS Teacher.

Lillian S. “Lily” (Zdenek) Lussier, Class of 1923.  Lily lived to be 105!

Robert Edwards Thornhill, Class of 1923.

Elizabeth “Betty” (Hoek) Lehman, Class of 1926.

Ira Wallace Levy, Class of 1928.

Esther Jane Vail, Class of 1929.

Josephine Victoria (Martin) La Fountaine, Class of 1930.

CDR Joseph Francis Acker Jr., USN, Class of 1931.

James V. “Jim” Fallon, Sr., Class of 1933.

PFC Eugene George F. Sauer, Class of 1933. Killed in Action WWII, 1945.

Harry W. Zajicek, Class of 1934. A tragic death in 1935.

Shirlee Munkelwitz & William Nugent, Class of 1934. Sayville High School sweethearts who married.

William J. “Bill” Luce, Class of 1935.

2d Lt. Florence Berniece (Logan) Evans”, Class of 1935. It was her destiny to be an American hero.

Graham Potter Covert, Class of 1935, World War II , Tragedy and death at Sea in 1942.

Ruth Mae Kwaak, Class of 1936.  AKA “Joyce Stanton”, professional fashion model and NYC Stage Production Dancer.

George Lawrence Cervenka, Class of 1936. WWII, Korean War, Bohemia Grocer.

Ensign Daniel Basil O’Connor, Class of 1938. US Navy & Major John Joseph O’Connor Jr., Class of 1936. US Army.

Stanley Henry Klug, Class of 1938. Took part in D-Day at Utah Beach. Helped liberate Cherbourg, St. Lo, and Liege.

Madlyn H. (Fitzgerald) Eleazer, Class of 1938. Town of Islip honored her as first Black nurse in our town.

Alice M. Robinson, Class of 1938. Nationally renowned nursing editor, writer, speaker, and seminar leader.

Grace Adelia Ibbotson, Class of 1938. Popular young lady who tragically died one year after SHS graduation.

Richard Charles Souhrada”, Class of 1939. Killed in action, WWII in Italy.

Nota Nellie (Almand) Julian”, Class of 1939. Career nurse. Always served in local nursing homes.

Kenneth Frank Stein, Sr., Class of 1939. Stein’s Boat Yard and Sayville Ferry Company.

Mary Jane (Pagels) Silliman Folsom Boggs”, Class of 1939.  Concert pianist. Performed at Carnegie Hall. 

Dr. George John Candreva, Class of 1940. “His mission in life was service to mankind”.

Marjorie Jean MacDonell Kuhn-Murphy, Class of 1940. Staff Sergeant & Military Police WWII.

Frances May Munsell, Class of 1940.  Pioneer woman business owner in Sayville.

James Martin Mullen, Class of 1940. US Navy gunner in South Pacific. Banker, post-WWII.

Lt. Alton Alfred Burton, Class of 1941. WWII Tuskegee Airman.  Chief Engineer of NYC Twin Towers. 

Anese Merri (Anderson) Ash, Class of 1941. Exec. Director, Rockland NY Historical Society.

Jacqueline Joan “Jackie” (Schiavoni) Illingworth, class of 1942. US Navy WAVE. Sang w/Navy Band & Paul Whiteman Orchestra.

Marjorie Ann (O’Grady) Feeney, Class of 1943.

David Bialer, Class of 1943. Sayville Mens Shop.

Robert Dewitt “Bobby” (Munkelwitz) Munnell, Class of 1943. Fought at Omaha Beach on July 7, 1944. Wounded later in 1944. Combat Infantry Badge, Purple Heart, three Battle Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Citation with cluster.

Richard George “Dick” Kleever, Class of 1944.  Islip Town and Suffolk County Policeman for over 35 years.

Northam Warren Collins, Class of 1945. died while serving his country on April 9, 1948 at age 21.

George De Piazzy, Jr., Class of 1946.  Gave his life attempting an ocean rescue 1977.

John George Nagy, Class of 1948. Police Detective, Hollywood, Fl. Helped solve notorious 1968 Broward Co. “Catch Me Killer” case.

Capt. Augustine Edward “Gus” Hubal, Jr.  Class of 1948.  A Sayville hero at age 12.

Peter John McKernan, Class of 1949. USMC.  Marine Corp. Helicopter stunt pilot, Hollywood actor; Airwolf & Magnum, PI.

Robert Milton Ritter, Class of 1949. US Army. MIA in North Korea in 1950.

Frederick Fisher Hammond, Class of 1954. Knighted by the Italian government.

John William “Shorty” Sunderland, Class of 1957.  A mentor and a pillar of the community.

Wayne Preston Brown, Class of 1958. Drowned during rescue attampt at West Sayville Dock.

Bruce Wallace, Class of 1959.  Lawyer.  Awarded Bronze Star for distinguished service in Viet Nam War.

George Daniel Miller, Class of 1964.  Tragically died in Viet Nam, in Navy’s biggest combat disaster since World War II.

Thomas Daniel McCarthy, Class of 1965. US Coast Guard-Viet Nam.  Police Chief several places ie. Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

James Patrick Buckman, Class of 1966. US Army. Amazing recovery for near-fatal battle wounds in Viet Nam. 

Jennifer B. Kost, Class of 1967.  remarkable young lady.  Tragic, fatal auto acciddent right after college graduation.

Sanford Philip “Sandy” Santoli, Class of 1967.  Taught and coached in Alabama for 42 years, spending 40 of those years.  His teams won 16 state championships.

Terence Odell Jackson, Class of 1968. Amazing life of family, sports, love of music, dance, military service, and hard work.

William John “Billy” Slavik, Jr., Class of 1975  Tragic sudden death at age 21 in a karate tournament.

Jeffrey J. MacGregor, Class of 1979. Victim of tragic double  Homicide.

Barbara (Verspoor) Burns, Class of 1979. Used her deafness handicap to help others in the deaf community.

John E. Derubeis, Class of 1979.  Class President and Sayville community advocate tragically killed in plane crash.

Beloved Teacher and Principal. Harold Joseph Limouze.

Beloved Teacher and Principal. William Clayton Noll.

Seward Smith Travis, Teacher, Principal and Superintendent of Schools.

Dr. Virginia Lee “Ginny” Lussier. Class of 1959. Fulbright Scholar, Educator, Author.

Brigadier General (Retired) Richard K. Sele. SHS Class of 1979.

Sheila Carpenter, LMSW, Class of 1972. An angel on earth…

Tove Hassleriiss Abrams, class of 1961.  Artist, Photographer.

Enid (Burton) Jones, Class of 1942. High-ranking Black, Female civilian employee with the U.S. Air Force. She beat the challenges racial segregation.

Scott Robert Giambattista, Class of 1978. US Secret Service Agent; A legacy of service.

Miriam (Citron) Burhans, Class of 1965. Psychiatric Social Worker. A families amazing story of survival during the Holocost.

Anthony Henry “Tony” Yonda, Jr., class of 1950 and Marguerite M. “Marge” Bauernfeind, class of 1952.  A love story.

Carol Paukner, Class of 1981. “We’re Not Leaving.” NYPD Officer, September 11, 2001”