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Kelsall’s Legacy Lives on in Bishop Ford Scholarship
BY BERNIE BEGLANE
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Barbara Kelsall |
“The No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft brought Barbara Kelsall from Monsignor McClancy High School to Bishop Ford.”
Ray Nash, president of Bishop Ford in Park Slope, was standing at the pulpit of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Jackson Heights, a week ago last Wednesday.
Nine priests, including Msgr. Edward J. Breen and Father Steve Ferrari, the recently appointed vicar who was the main celebrant, had finished concelebrating the Mass of the Resurrection for the late Barbara Kelsall.
And now it was time for Ray, president of the Catholic High School Athletic Association of Brooklyn and Queens and a former standout basketball player at St. Francis College, to speak about his “right arm.”
Barbara passed away at St. Rose Home, Manhattan, after a courageous battle against cancer.
“The first call I made when I became president at Ford was to Barbara,” explained Nash.
“I knew that she was interested in making a change. I also knew that any and every school runs well if there is a great secretary, and Barbara certainly was that.
“She treated everyone with dignity. All of Bishop Ford, going back to the old-timers, took her into our family.”
Maureen McVarrigal, a long time friend, was very touching as she offered, “You always gave so much of yourself.
“Your faith was so incredible.”
It was brought out that while Barbara was a patient at St. Rose Home that there was a line of visitors waiting to see her.
Someone went so far as to say it was like taking a ticket at the butcher shop and waiting for someone to call out “Next.”
Tom Konchalski, considered the schoolboy basketball guru of New York City, was one of Barbara’s closest friends and visited her both at home and at St. Rose Home.
So impressed was Nash with the care that Barbara received there at St. Rose that $5,000 is being donated to that institution.
“We also are establishing a scholarship at Ford that will go to a young lady whose family needs assistance paying the tuition,” concluded Ray.
True, Barbara is gone…and is in Heaven to be sure…but she will never be forgotten!
Certainly not by her sons – James or Jimmy; Robert, Jr., and Steven. A fourth, Matthew, died at an early age.
Ford Girls Win Millrose Games Event
Bishop Ford’s girls track team won the Millrose Games. Deanna Phillips, the girls’ coach, left, noted the girls’ time in the 4x400 at 4:03. Pictured above are the champs, Malekah Holland, Shanyce Goulding, Shanique Dasilva and Shekinah Lorcy. At right is Ray Nash, president of Bishop Ford Central Catholic H.S. in Park Slope.
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