Sister M. Dennis "Mary Fath", OP ~ 1962 - 1965
Sister Mary Dennis came to Mantua as founding principal of St. Joseph School in 1962 as well as teacher for grade two for one year and grade four for two years. Entering the convent from St. Peter Parish in Cleveland in 1931, Mary Fath was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Fath. On April 30, 1932, when she received the Dominican habit she also received the name Sister Mary Dennis. She made profession on June 17, 1933.
Sister Dennis was a student at Sister college in Cleveland, Ohio for two years after she made profession. In 1935, she was assigned to St. Dominic School in Youngstown, where she taught first grade for four years. Her next assignment was at St. Vincent School, Akron for six years as a first grade teacher. In 1945, Sister Dennis was placed in Our Lady of the Elms Preschool as a teacher for one year, then as superior for three years. From 1949 to 1957, she became the principal of the preschool. In 1957, Sister Dennis was assigned to a new school, Regina Coeli in Alliance where she became the principal of the elementary school and superior of the convent. In addition to those positions, she also taught grades one and two.
After her assignment at St. Joseph's, was then sent to St. Paul School in Akron, teaching grade four for four years until 1969. Around that time, Sister Dennis became Sister Mary Fath when the sisters were permitted to use their baptismal names, if they wished.
In 1969, Sister Mary Fath was assigned to St. Hilary School, Akron, where she taught grade five for one year; the next year, she taught grades seven and eighth math and religion. Sister loved teaching math which later on became her full-time ministry. However, in 1971, Sister became the grade five teacher.
Another change brought Sister Mary to Our Lady of the Elms Preschool again as Directress, where she remained for four years. In 1977, Sister Mary was assigned to Immaculate Conception School, Ravenna, as teacher of grade six until 1982. In the school years 1982-1993 she became the math teacher for grades six, seven and eight, and served as homeroom teacher for the sixth graders. This was a special assignment which Sister Mary loved very much. She also became involved in tutoring the children in computer skills and remained in Ravenna as a volunteer teacher until 1995.
After sixty years of teaching, Sister Mary Fath returned to Our Lady of the elms Motherhouse to retire. When her health failed, she was transferred to Regina Health Center in Richfield for special Care.
Sister Mary also loved history and enjoyed doing history research especially on old houses in the Ravenna area. She loved to travel, visit museums, and enjoyed gardening and ethnic cooking in her free time.
Sister Mary Fath died at the age of 90 on December 21, 2003. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Our Lady of the Elms Convent on December 24 and she was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron. Many of her former pupils and those who taught with her were present at her wake and funeral. She is remembered with much love.

St. Joseph's formally dedicated its new church and school on July 28, 1963.

Sister M. Rosaire "Rose" Miller, OP ~ 1965 - 1969
After Sister Mary Fath was sent to St. Paul School in Akron, Sister Rosaire became principal of St. Joseph School, grade three teacher and superior of the convent.
Born August 7, 1925, she had four sisters and three brothers (her parents, Fred and Margaret Lang Miller, were both German and had moved to the United States from Russia in 1915). She was baptized at St. Bernard Church in Akron; however, shortly after that her family moved to St. Paul Parish in Akron where Rose attended elementary school and graduated in 1939. She attended Garfield High School in Akron, graduating in June, 1943. She was an office clerk for two years at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. In 1945, she decided to enter the convent of Our Lady of the Elms in Akron (her oldest sister, Sister Agatha Miller, entered the same convent when Rose was two years old).
At Reception Day, March 10, 1945, Rose became Sister Mary Rosaire and donned the white Dominican habit. A year later, April 13, 1947, Sister Rosaire pronounced her vows. She was immediately sent to Immaculate conception School in Ravenna to do some student teaching. In September of 1947, she became the third grade teacher at St. Dominic School, Youngstown. After one year in third grade, she taught the fifth graders. She then assisted in Our Lady of the Elms Preschool for a while and then to St. Vincent Elementary to help in the first grade; she assisted in the preschool again for one semester and in the second semester attended St. John College of Cleveland as a student. She obtained her BSE degree in June of 1954. Her regular assignments in education began in 1952 and continued through 1971 in the following schools: St. Matthew, Ellet: Immaculate Conception, Ravenna; St. Felicitas, Cleveland; St. Dominic, Youngstown; SS. Peter & Paul, Doylestown; and St. Joseph, Mantua.
Sister Rosaire reverted to her baptismal name after Vatican II renewals and was then known as Sister Rose. She also began a new ministry as a receptionist and clerk at St. Thomas Hospital for four and a half years. In 1976 she helped with food service at Our Lady of the Elms Convent. Then she went back to office work and was secretary at St. Vincent Elementary School, at Our Lady of Elms Preschool and Our Lady of the Elms Special Education School in 1993. When the Special Education School closed, Sister Rose became the portress at Our Lady of the Elms Motherhouse, which she has managed successfully through the years until the present time. She schedules other sisters and sometimes high school students to work in the Portress Room. She helps those in need in various ways.

Sr. Rosaire (Rose Miller), OP, Principal, with teachers
Sr. Conrad Roth, OP and Sr. Sebastian Ricciardi, OP ~ 1967 or 1968

Sister M. Mildred Cook, OP ~ 1969 - 1977
Sister Mildred was born Mary Angela Cook on January 7, 1912, in Akron, a daughter of Leo and Frances Hahn Cook and the oldest of eight children. She attended Akron's St. Bernard Grade School & then Sacred Heart Academy during 1926-1927. She entered the Our Lady of the Elms Convent on September 15, 1928 & graduated from Our Lady of the Elms High School on June 7, 1929. (Earlier, when she was ten years old, Mildred, her little sister, died at the age of three. Being deeply moved, she took the name Sister Mildred in religious life).
In 1930, Sister began her teaching career at St. Augustine School, Barberton (1930-1933). Then from 1933 to 1935, she taught at SS. Peter and Paul School, Doylestown, and at Immaculate Conception, Wooster, the following year. From 1937 to 1939, Sister Mildred taught at St. Dominic School, Youngstown, and finally at St. Vincent Elementary School, Akron. For the next nine years, she taught grades 4, 7 and 8, 1 and 2, and 3. She was a very good storyteller and the children loved her.
Sister Mildred studied at Sisters College in Cleveland and received her BSE from the University of Akron in 1942, and her M.E. in 1967. She loved reading and was very knowledgeable in many areas including the German language. Very quick and enthusiastic, some joked that she almost expected things to be finished as soon as they were begun. She had an exceptionally good vocabulary & was also very compassionate.
A short time after she was given charge of the Elms school cafeteria, she was asked to be Novice Mistress at Our Lady of the Elms Convent, a position she held from 1948 until 1959. Then in 1959 until 1963, she taught at St. Dominic, Youngstown. From 1963 to 1969, Sister Mildred returned to SS. Peter & Paul, Doylestown, to be principal and second grade teacher.
In 1969, she served as principal and grade 3 teacher at St. Joseph's, where she remained until 1977. In addition to that assignment she also was assigned as principal at Immaculate Conception in Ravenna. From 1971 to 1977 she served as full-time principal at St. Joe's. Sister then returned to Immaculate Conception for two years as a teacher-assistant. After this long career in teaching, she spent two more years in parish ministry at St. Peter Parish, Loudonville.
She retired to the Elms Motherhouse in 1981 because of poor health. She divided her time in various ways: crocheting and crewel work, playing cards, watching TV game shows, listening to classical music and light opera, writing letters, and visiting the sick. Suffering from incapacitating arthritis, she carried on with remarkable courage and perseverance. She died at St. Thomas Hospital on May 11, 1987 at the age of 74.
[Sr. M. Mildred Cook, OP, was the aunt of our past 4th grade teacher, Miss Terri Cook]

Mr. John Nicholas ~ 1978 - 1980
Parishioners stated that they believed Mr. Nicholas had health problems forcing him to leave St. Joseph School. In the June 8, 1980 bulletin it was reported that Mr. Nicholas had decided to take a position with a law firm in Akron. He wrote, "I have been quite happy in this position. It is just a time in my personal life when I feel I must move on to other challenges."
[no further details available at this time]

Ms. Ann Salva ~ 1980 - 1987
Ann Salva replaced Mr. Nicholas as Principal in 1980. Prior to this she had been a teacher with the Crestwood School District (1971-1980) and the Guidance Counselor at Crestwood Middle School. From 1960 to 1971, she was with the Scranton Diocese. In 1987 she left St. Joseph's to take the position of Assistant Principal at Canton Central Catholic High School and remained there until 1990. Then she was appointed Principal of John F. Kennedy High School in Warren (1990-1994). Ms. Salva returned to Crestwood Schools serving as Director of Academic Programs (1994-1999) and then Principal of Hiram Elementary School (1999-2000). At the end of the 2005/2006 school year, Ann retired from the position of Principal of Crestwood Middle School (2000-2006). Ann is a parishioner at St. Joseph's and is actively involved in parish life.

Mrs. Michalene "Mickee" Murphy ~ 1987 - 1990
In 1987, Mrs. Murphy became principal of St. Joseph School remaining there until 1990. Her leadership of the school was during a tumultuous and trying time in the parish's history - In 1988, Fr. Joseph Fata was named Pastor of St. Luke Church in Boardman; Fr. John Trimbur was then pastor only a short time (Aug. 3, 1988 - Feb., 1989); while the parish was awaiting the appointment of a new pastor, Fr. Francis Hughes came March - July, 1989 as Pro-Tem Administrator; then Fr. James Fondriest was assigned July 14, 1989.
Prior to serving as principal Mickee had been the parish's Director of Religious Education (1979-1987) handling the Catechumenate for Children, Sacramental Preparation Programs, Children's Liturgy of the Word staffing and coordination, CCD Administration (preschool-12), Senior High Confirmation Program, Youth Ministry Program, Adult Education Program and Vacation Bible School. She was also an RCIA Team Member, and a member of the Liturgy Committee and Parish Council.
In July, 1990, Mickee accepted the position of Director of Religious Education St. Patrick Church in Kent. Currently, she is their Pastoral Minister coordinating the RCIA Program. She continues to attend St. Joseph's with her family, volunteers at the annual Ox Roast Fair and occasionally serves the parish as a Eucharistic Minister and helping with an RCIA session for Sr. Mary Slick, HM, Parish Director of Religious Education.

Mrs. Margaret "Peg" Horan ~ 1990 - 1995

"The years I spent at St. Joseph were warm and wonderful. You can't beat the children, families and wonderful teachers and staff at St. Joseph's!"

Mrs. Horan earned her Masters degree in Elementary Education Administration from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to St. Joseph School in 1990, Peg Horan spent 25 years as an educator and principal in the Dioceses of Cleveland & Youngstown, serving six years as an administrator in Ashtabula. Husband Joseph, a psychologist and son Ben, a college student, relocated to the area after she joined the staff. She's known to enjoy reading, walking, lake activities and people with a sense of humor. In 1995, Peg Horan left St. Joe's to become the principal of a Catholic school in Melbourne, Florida, where her husband was semi-retired. She remained there for four years and then in 1999, became principal of St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, Florida, where she currently works. Although her husband, Joe, has tried many times to retire, he keeps getting new jobs, mostly helping kids. Mrs. Horan plans to retire in a few years and says she spends much time on the phone with their three grandchildren.

Mrs. Kathleen "Kathy" Lattanzi ~ 1995 - 1997

". . . I remember the wonderful people & had the pleasure to meet and work with!"

Born and raised in Youngstown, Kathy Lattanzi graduated from Cardinal Mooney High and earned her BS in Elementary Education from Youngstown State University and her MA in Education Administration from Ursuline College. She had been a teacher in the Diocese of Youngstown and in the city of Youngstown, a pre-school teacher and director in Garden Grove, California and Troy, Michigan, and Principal at Warren parochial schools. Before coming to St. Joseph's she was at St. James School in Warren where she had served three years prior.
In 1997, Mrs. Lattanzi moved to Kentucky where her husband, Art, was transferred, and she became the principal of the Good Shepherd School in Frankfort, KY. She has two grown sons, Art and Joseph who is married to Melissa (the couple has two children, Paul and Leah). Now retired, Kathy lives in Girard, Ohio and enjoys reading, caring for her mother and grandchildren, and volunteering at Blessed Sacrament and Trumbull Memorial Hospital. She continues her work in education through involvement through her church in RCIA, Generations of Faith, Bible School, etc.

Miss Beth Frank ~ 1997 - to date

"St. Joseph School has such a strong belief system because it is based on spiritual, academic and social growth for every student, family, faculty and staff person. We work hard and we pray and play hard, too. I love the delights and challenges that come with being Catholic and with working together as a school community to implement new quality teaching and learning."

Our principal since 1997, Beth Frank grew up on a dairy farm in Harrisburg, Ohio, belonged to Sacred Heart of Mary Parish and graduated from Marlington High School. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Education at Carlow College in Pittsburgh, PA, her Master's Degree in Family Therapy and Theology from the College of Mt. St. Joseph in Cincinnati, OH, and her Master's Degree in Education Administration at Ursuline College in Cleveland, OH. Prior to coming to St. Joe's, she was a teacher of grades 1-2 for seven years and of Junior High for eighteen years, the Parish Director of Religious Education for eight years at St. Paul's in North Canton and at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Aurora, and the principal of St. Paul's, North Canton for one year. Beth continues to go to school to participate in both administrative and theological courses. The theater, dining out and reading are among her favorite things to do. Family gatherings are always delightful because of numbers and they love to get together for any reason. Single and living in Mantua Village, Miss Frank considers the students of St. Joseph School her children.

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