PCS Alumni Hall of Fame
Class of 2019
Sr. Concetta (Rose Marie) DeFelice
Sr. Concetta (Rose Marie) DeFelice graduated from Pavilion Central School in 1959. In September of that year she entered the convent, becoming a member of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child, wherein she received her new name - Concetta. Sr. Concetta pursued a teaching degree from Mt. St. Joseph College (now Medaille College), and a masters in education from Buffalo State Teacher's College.
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While in high school, Sr. Concetta was involved in a number of arenas - sports, class officers, future teacher's club and national honor society. In sports she played four years on the basketball, field hockey, and volleyball teams, and was a varsity cheerleader for two years. In 1959, Sr. Concetta was awarded the PCS Women's Athlete of the Year trophy. Sister continued her very active involvement in sports as sports director for a number of years at two parish grammar schools in which she taught. And in 1972 she established the Canisius High School girls cheerleader squad in an all boys high school wherein she taught biology. In that same year she was inducted into the Immaculate Heart of Mary Hall of Fame, where she had previously taught and was the principal for a number of years.
Sr. Concetta's teaching career began very early as a senior in high school when Mrs. West, the language teacher, was on sick leave. The administration located a French teacher but was unsuccessful in their search for a Latin teacher. It was then that the Latin II students preparing for their regents exam petitioned for Sister to teach them in the interim. Hence, she ended up teaching Latin for nearly a month.
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Sr. Concetta says, "I will always be grateful for my PCS teaching mentors who taught me so much while I volunteered in their classrooms during my junior and senior year: Mrs. Graham (first grade), Mrs. Smith (sixth grade); and of course Mrs. West while I was taking Latin and French."
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Sr. Concetta ministered in education for nearly four decades, during which time she taught kindergarten, first grade, seventh grade, and high school biology. During those years she also served ten years as associate principal and five years as principal in two grade schools, one of which was a challenging inner city school.
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In addition to Sr. Concetta's years in education ministry, she also served a number of years in other administrative roles within her congregation as well as in the civic community. She was elected to the leadership team for ten years; nine of those also as secretary. In 2000 she was elected General Minister (president) and served in that capacity until 2003 when her congregation merged with another Franciscan congregation. In 2013-2017, Sister became the Western New York Region Minister. From 1982-1990, Sister Concetta was Formation Director, training young sisters in their years of religious life. During that time she helped found the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) in 1988. Sr. Concetta was appointed Transportation Director from 2008-2013. Presently she is serving a three-year term on her congregational finance committee.
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While ministering at Niagara University as campus minister/associate chaplain, Sister was active in the Health Association of Niagara County, Inc. (HANCI), an umbrella agency for a number of local/government agencies; as a member on the Board of Directors from 1978-2015, and a member of the Executive Committee for fifteen years. While on that board, she was a founding member of the Complete Senior Care Agency (PACE), a government program for the elderly. She also served on two HANCI agencies for two decades - Foster Grandparent Program and the Home Care Program. In 2015, Sister was awarded the HANCI Chairperson's Award for Distinguished Service.
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Sr. Concetta has celebrated many firsts over the course of her career. In 1969, she became the youngest grade school principal in her congregation. In 1972, she became the first of three women teachers hired by Canisius High School, an all-boys private Catholic high school. And in 1977 she became the first woman campus minister/associate chaplain at Niagara University. Also, Sister is a founding member of Gerard Place of Buffalo. Sister is very proud of these firsts, as she was instrumental in laying the foundation for future women to excel in these capacities.
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Sister has spent the last few years very engaged in one of her passions - service to the poor, through Gerard Place. She has served on the Board of Directors since 1988, was secretary eleven years and is presently board chair. Gerard Place provides housing and supportive programs for homeless, single parents and families; strengthens the community by empowering east side individuals and families towards self-sufficiency via community education and outreach.
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These days Sr. Concetta spends her "free time" volunteering in the Gerard Place Education Building encouraging and supporting folks struggling to obtain their HSED (high school diploma) and tending to families in need of clothing, supplies, baby products, or bus tokens. Come January when the new campus Community Center opens with a day care on the first floor, you can be sure to find her a day or two rocking babies or reading a story to the three an four year olds.
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In closing, Sister says, "I'm so very proud of and grateful to PCS for laying the foundation for my future education ministries and life services."
Howard P. Kingsley
Howard was born in 1927 and raised on his family's Perry Road dairy and crop farm located in Covington, just southeast of the current high school property.
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A resident of Pavilion until his death in 2001, Howard was an Honor student and won a Varsity letter through participation in soccer, baseball, and basketball. He graduated as a member of the PCS class of 1944. He went on to establish his own Pavilion farm near the intersection of Perry Road and York Road. He and his wife, Ethel, raised six children, all graduates of Pavilion Central School.
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While initially established as a "crop" farm, Howard introduced a dairy operation at the Perry Road farm location in 1985. The 750 acre farm is now managed by his sons Gary and David. The Kingsley farm was named a "Dairy of Distinction" in June of 1990 as part of the Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification program. In March of 2018, the farm was named Genesee County 2017 Conservation Farm of the Year by the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District, based on conservation efforts initiated by Howard decades earlier.
In addition to his career in agriculture, Howard served the community of Pavilion for over 30 years in various capacities as an elected official. These roles included: town councilman, tax assessor, and town supervisor. Howard routinely represented the town at the annual NYS Association of Towns meeting and was known for his ability to negotiate with integrity at the local, county, and state levels with both political authorities and business leaders.
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In 1980, Howard was named to a Life Membership in the Pavilion Community Fire Company.
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An avid sportsman, Howard enjoyed both competition and school activities with Rod & Gun Clubs, Kart racing, and bowling. He was a 30 year member of the Pavilion bowling league at the American Legion Lanes in LeRoy.
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Howard always considered himself a lifelong learner. In addition to a career in agriculture, he was skilled in ecology & conservation, government & civic matters, economics, surveying & construction, and business management. He took advantage of training and educational programs offered by both the NYS/County/Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the NYS Association of Towns. He often researched new agricultural technologies/concepts (such as conservation) through these agencies.
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As a fitting tribute to the "lifelong learner," upon his sudden death in 2001, his family established a PCS memorial scholarship in his name which is awarded annually to a graduating senior demonstrating leadership qualities.