Eulogy recalls Schenectady tie

Eulogy recalls Schenectady tie

As a young brother teaching at a Catholic high school in Manhattan, Brother Martin Joseph Fragala, CFC, was given the assignment of teaching driver's education. In order to take on this task, he was required to take seven graduate level credits at New York University.

"I was in midtown Manhattan teaching city kids how to drive," he recalled, with a wink toward the irony of the situation.

Later, when he was assigned to Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady, he was once again given the task of teaching driver's education.

The benefit of teaching in a smaller city was that students were lined up to register: "Everybody wanted to get their license, so I always had plenty of kids who wanted to take my class," he said.

In addition to teaching the course requirements, Brother Joe took students in small groups on drives throughout the Capital District - in urban, suburban and rural settings - to get them ready for their driver's tests.

The connection endured. "I still keep in touch with the kids," he told The Evangelist shortly before his death.

Brother Joe passed away suddenly July 12 while visiting Schenectady. His funeral was held July 16 at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Schenectady.

In his eulogy for Brother Joe, Brother Kevin Griffith, CFC, said: "If you were to ask Joe where and how he would like to die, there is no doubt in my mind that his quick response would have been, 'In Schenec-tady, in my sleep."

Brother Kevin added: "Joe Fragala enjoyed all of his assignments as a Christian Brother. But undoubtedly and unabash-edly, you [ND-BG students and school community] are the love of his life.

"Joe's romance with Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons and the people of Schenectady brought him an indescribable joy. The mere mention of ND-BG would bring a smile to his face and cause him to utter an honor roll of former students whose names would roll off his tongue with ease - each one, followed by 'great kid! Great, great kid!'

"When Joe died on Monday, his brother, Charles, had but one request: 'Can the services be in Schenectady? Joe's heart was always here.'"

(07/29/10)