Ursuline High School honored the 2018 Distinguished Alumni, Kathleen O’Neill Christopher Wolsonovich ’67 and Kevin J. McGuire ’76, at the Feast of Saint Ursula Mass. Father Murphy read the biographies of the award winners as Mr. Matthew Sammartino presented the awards.
Kathy Wolsonovich learned the meaning of the Ursuline High School motto of “Soli Deo Gloria” extremely well during her high school years and has lived that motto in her personal, professional and community life. She has been a constant advocate for Catholic education and health care in the communities where she lived including Youngstown, Chicago and Orlando. She and her husband, Dr. Nicholas Wolsonovich, currently live in Poland, Ohio.
Kathy is a member of the Ursuline Class of 1966. She was long-time member of Saint Edward Parish until moving to Chicago and is presently a member of Holy Family Parish in Poland. She and her husband, the late Glenn Christopher (Class of 1960), made sure that their three children all attended Saint Edward School and Ursuline High School: Glenn (Class of 1987), Suzie (Class of 1990) and Patrick (Class of 1996). Her stepsons – also attended Saint Edward School and Ursuline High School: Michael Wolsonovich (Class of 1992), Charles Wolsonovich (Class of 1994) and Mark Wolsonovich (Class of 1996). Kathy was very active while her children were at Saint Edward School as the head of the Home Room Mother’s Association, involved in the Home and School Association, and as a volunteer school nurse.
After the death of her husband Glen, Kathy attended Youngstown State University and graduated with the final class of the Saint Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in 1996. She began her nursing career at St. Elizabeth Hospital. She also served as the Unit Manager of the Alzheimer’s Unit at the Assumption Village Nursing Home in North Lima. Kathy volunteered at the Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, the Florence Crittenton Home for unwed mothers and the Hotline for Abortion Prevention in Youngstown. She has been a strong supporter of the Joanie Abdu Breast Care Center, the Beatitude House, and the Jesus, Mary and Joseph Pregnancy Center in Orlando, Florida. Kathy is a member of the Junior League of Youngstown. Kathy has demonstrated her entrepreneurial and business acumen as the owner and operator of the Nature’s Way Plant and Art Shop in Maumee, Ohio.
Perhaps Kathy’s most significant contribution is the legacy of children, grandchildren and relatives who have attended Catholic schools. She has had three children, three step-children and 11 grandchildren who have attended Catholic schools. In addition, her father Robert graduated from Ursuline in 1932 and her brothers Dan and Dick were members of the Class of 1965. Four generations of Kathy’s family attended Ursuline. Thirty-two members of her family graduated from Ursuline High School. Her husband Nick served as Principal of Ursuline High School from 1982-1985.
Kevin J. McGuire was born and raised on the North Side of Youngstown. He is a 1976 graduate of Ursuline High School and a graduate of Youngstown State University. Kevin has been in the home health care industry for over 30 years. He has worked for Foley Medical and Family Home Medical locally, and at Health Infusion and Coram Health Care on a national level. Mr. McGuire founded mvi HomeCare with Dale Damioli in 1995. Mvi HomeCare, located on Belmont Avenue, is the premier provider of home health care services in northeast Ohio providing home health, hospice, infusion therapy and pharmacy services to patients, families and referral sources in the Valley for the past 23 years.
Kevin is a life-time member of the YSU Alumni Association and a long-time member of the YSU Penguin Club. He retired this year after serving as the President of the Ursuline High School Athletic Booster Club for 22 years. Kevin was enshrined in the Ursuline Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions to the overall program. He has chaired the Donald E. Foley Sr./Alumni Golf Classic for many years. He has served as a member of the Ursuline Athletic Council. Kevin and his wife Kathy were two of the co-chairs for the Centennial Capital Campaign in 2005. Kevin has been a member of the Youngstown Country Club for over 20 years serving as long-time member of the Board of Trustees and is the immediate past president.
Kevin is married to his classmate, the former Kathleen Brahney. They have four children: Patrick (Class of 1998), James (Class of 2005), Caitlin (Class of 2007) and Sean (Class of 2015). Kevin and Kathy have two grandchildren: Maeve Elizabeth and Owen Patrick McGuire, children of Patrick and Colleen McGuire. Kevin’s sisters and their children are also Ursuline graduates: Mary Pat McGuire Foley (Class of 1967) and Peggy McGuire Jenkins (Class of 1970). Kevin and Kathy are proud graduates of the Class of 1976 and take pride in the fact that they were able to send their four children to Ursuline High School.