Jim Noonan, OLS ’67, tells the story of his family’s three-generation legacy at Our Lady of Sorrows.
“When people talk about OLS as a community, I always smile, because for my family it really has been a three-generation story.
My parents were Bill and Virginia Noonan. My dad was an executive with TWA, and my mom was a registered nurse. Funny enough, that’s how they met—she became an airline stewardess on a dare (you had to be a nurse back then), and she ended up flying for TWA, where she met my father. We moved around quite a bit because of his job—New York, Washington, Kansas City—but when TWA moved its corporate headquarters back to New York in the mid-1960s, we settled in White Plains for good. That’s when OLS became home.
There were seven of us kids. My older brothers and sisters were already in high school or college, so it was really the three youngest—me and my brothers Mike and John—who attended OLS. I entered in fifth grade, right in the middle of the school year, which was tough at first. I remember crying for a week. The math was different from what I’d learned in Kansas City, and everything felt unfamiliar. But OLS was very warming. They made adjustments, helped me settle in, and before long it felt like where I belonged.
I had a great education—and a few moments of mischief. In eighth grade, a bunch of us thought it would be funny to lift the third-grade teacher Mrs. McCall’s tiny car and move it to another spot in the parking lot. Six or eight of us picked it up and slid it over. We thought it was hilarious. Sister Anne Marie, the principal, did not. Our parents were called, we got lined up, and we paid the price. Looking back, it was innocent stuff—and a big part of growing up there. Despite the highjinks, I was allowed to graduate from 8th grade in 1967, followed by my younger brothers Mike in 1970 and John in 1974. John was the one of us who went through all 8 years at OLS.
Catholic education was always important in our family. My parents believed in it deeply, and my wife and I felt the same way. So when our kids, Megan and Brian, came along, OLS was a given. They both had wonderful experiences, and as a parent, I loved being involved—walking to school, attending events, and being part of everyday school life. Megan graduated in 1995 and Brian in 1999.
I followed my father’s example by getting deeply involved in the OLS Men’s Club. From the early 1990s through 2000, I served as an officer, helping raise money for the school, sports programs, and special projects. We ran Communion breakfasts, raffles, Halloween and New Year’s Eve parties—simple events that brought everyone together. We filled the gym with families, served eggs and bacon, and every dollar went back to the school.
Now, watching the third generation makes it even more special. My grandchildren—identical twins Patrick and George—are in fourth grade at OLS. They love it. Seeing them walk the same halls, learn the same values, and be part of the same faith-based community reminds me why OLS has always mattered to us.
As my daughter Megan adds, “What stayed with me most about Our Lady of Sorrows was how involved the parents and families were. My parents were always supporting school fundraisers and events, and there was a genuine sense that everyone belonged. That strong faith-based community feeling is something I’ve carried with me ever since.”
And my son Brian, Class of ’99, sheds light on his own memories as well as the current OLS experience of his two boys: “Our Lady of Sorrows holds a special place in my heart because it provided a nurturing, faith-centered environment that shaped my early values and fostered a strong sense of community, where I formed lifelong friendships. To this day, I’m incredibly close with my five best friends from OLS, and now my twin boys, Patrick and George, love it just as much, making those enduring bonds and shared experiences even more meaningful across generations. They often say, “We like OLS because of our friends, recess, and hot lunch (except the baked ziti)!”
I should mention that in 1980, my parents were killed in an airline accident in Poland. They were on their first trip back to visit my mother’s relatives, and the plane crashed upon landing. We will never forget the support of the OLS community following my parents’ death. My family stayed together in my parents’ house, receiving multiple daily visits of condolences and casseroles from so many fellow parishioners. Once we were able to coordinate a Memorial Mass funeral and celebration of life at OLS, the Divine Compassion community came forward and offered the OLS School Auditorium for a reception following. They closed school for the day. The Sisters provided food and beverages as well. Many hundreds of family and friends attended, closing down lanes of Mamaroneck Ave for hours.