Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame Nomination Form

New Faces in the Hall of Fame Class of 2011

Vincent P. Arata
McGill-Toolen Class of 1981

Vince Arata graduated from McGill-Toolen in 1981. While at McGill-Toolen, he was a member and officer of both the Key Club and the Science Club, and a member of the Latin Club and the National Honor Society. He received an academic letter and served as president of the senior class. Vince participated in the Optimist Club City Official program as a member of the Mobile County Board of Adjustment.

Vince attended Spring Hill College and earned a BS in biology with a minor in chemistry in 1985. He was a member of Phi Eta Sigma freshman honor society and vice-president and treasurer of Phi Kappa Tau social fraternity. Vince continued his education at the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Dentistry. He was a member and officer of the American Student Dental Association, an officer in Psi Omega National Dental Fraternity and was employed in the UAB Department of Oral Pathology.

After graduation, he returned to Mobile and opened a successful dental practice. Vince is a member of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) and the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the Board of Directors of AAID Research Foundation and has been treasurer and president of the Alabama Implant Study Group.

Vince has been a loyal volunteer for McGill-Toolen for many years. He has chaired Class of ’81 reunions, was co-chairman of the corporate solicitation for Jacket Jubilation, chairman of major gifts for the Annual Fund Drive, and president of the CHSAAM Board for five years.

At his parish, St. Ignatius, he has served as stewardship chairman in 2008, chairman of the Marketing and Advertising Committee and president of the School Board.

Vince and his wife Kati have three children: Brantley, McGill-Toolen ’12, Bret, McGill-Toolen ’15, and Virginia, currently in sixth grade at St. Ignatius.

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/2/11

H. William “Bill” McAtee
McGill Institute Class of 1961

“A loyal alumnus, a dedicated teacher, a proud veteran, a knowledgeable administrator, a defender of the Catholic faith, a selfless servant, Billy McAtee is all of these.”

Recently retired after 40 years of employment at McGill Institute and McGill-Toolen Catholic, Bill McAtee has dedicated his life to education. He has served as teacher, cheerleader moderator, senior class moderator, vice-principal for Student Activities and vice-principal for Discipline. His special activity, and probably the only vacation he has had, the Williamsburg Trip, has brought history alive for generations of McGill-Toolen students. He will be chaperoning the trip again this year for the 32nd time.

Bill graduated from McGill Institute in 1961. He was a trainer for the football team and active in the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart. He then attended Spring Hill College, where he earned a BA and was a member of the Army ROTC and an officer in the Pershing Rifle Drill Team. After graduation from Spring Hill, Bill earned an MA in history from the University of Alabama and then served in the US Army for two years. He has chaired the scholarship committee of the Mobile Chapter of the Alabama Alumni Association for more then twenty years.

Bill has been a member of St. Mary’s parish for sixty-eight years, where he is a Eucharistic minister.

He first began working at McGill in 1971, and McGill captured his heart for good in 1974. Bill worked tirelessly behind the scenes to see that the needs of the students, faculty and parents were met. In the words of one of his nominators to the Hall of Fame: “Ask any present or former student and they will be able to share a Mr. McAtee story. They will gladly recount the times he helped them with their personal burdens and most of all they will tell you that he was present to them.”

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/3/11

Br. Matthias Amos SC
McGill Institute Class of 1951

Gerald Amos, currently known as Brother Matthias Amos, came to McGill Institute from
St. Mary’s. In his senior year he left for St. Joseph’s in Metuchen, NJ to begin novitiate training, graduating in 1951. Brother Matt made his first vows on August 15, 1952 and enrolled in Spring Hill College where he received a BS in physics with a minor in math.

He began his teaching career at St. Luke’s Elementary School in the Bronx in New York City. Next, he taught at Cor Jesu High School, now Brother Martin, in New Orleans. From 1958 through 1969 he served the Brothers in Uganda in various positions--school principal, novice master, and director of financial, educational and spiritual leadership of the house. Brother Matt returned to Mobile in 1971 to teach at McGill Institute. He spent the next six years in Louisiana as a teacher at Brother Martin and then as principal of Vandebilt Catholic in Houma. From 1978 through 1989 he taught physics at McGill-Toolen and was also director of the Brothers. During this time he began the Key Club, a service organization for McGill-Toolen boys which was very active during his tenure.

Brother Matt spent another three years in Houma as teacher and director and then moved to New Orleans where he served as part of the novitiate staff and instructional supervisor at Brother Martin. He lived briefly in Baton Rouge following Hurricane Katrina but returned home to Mobile in 2005. Still active in the community, Brother Matt recently served as the religious counselor for Boy Scouts working on the Ad Altare Dei medal. He has also been asked to teach science to some of the Archdiocesan home-schooled children.

According to his former students, “Brother Matthias is still an inspiration to us and we are always learning from his example of compassion and community service. We are so grateful to have Brother Matthias in our lives.”

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/3/11

David Ross Partridge
McGill Institute Class of 1951

Ross Partridge attended St. Mary’s School and enrolled at McGill Institute in 1947. He was president of his class during his junior and senior years, was the Boys State Representative and lettered in football two years. After graduating in 1951, he went to Spring Hill College where he lettered in marksmanship.

During his military career he was assigned to the US Army Transportation Corps and served in two “Distant Early Warning” operations in the Arctic during the Cold War.

Ross went to work at Page and Jones, Inc., in Mobile as a steamship agent/operations manager and dock superintendent. He was hired in 1969 as General Manager of Buffalo Services, Inc., a marketer of petroleum products in Southwest Mississippi. Later he became company president. During his tenure the company grew to forty service stations and eleven convenience stores, selling three million gallons of gas per month, up from one million gallons per year when he started.

He served as secretary, vice-president and president of the Mississippi Petroleum Marketers Association, remaining on the board after his retirement. Ross also served on the Worker’s Compensation Trust Fund Board, the Business and Industry Political Education Committee and Texaco’s National Lubricants Council. At retirement, he was honored for “His outstanding service to the petroleum industry.”

Ross’ civic commitments include president of the Natchez Adams County Chamber of Commerce and the Natchez Downtown Development Association, the Natchez Opera Festival, the Boy Scouts of America and the Point Clear Rotary Club. He was also president of the Country Club.

At St. Mary Basilica in Natchez, he was a lector and division chairman of parish development. Now a member of Christ the King parish, Ross is a Eucharistic Minister and a Catholic Charities solicitor.

Ross and his wife Lee have six children: Weatherby Stallings, Amy Moran, David Ross Partridge Jr., Clifton Partridge, Blakeslee Partridge, and Mary Ernest Parden, all of whom graduated from Cathedral School in Natchez.

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/3/11

John W. “Wes” Williams Jr.
McGill-Toolen Class of 1979

John W. Williams Jr., aka “Wes,” graduated from McGill-Toolen in 1979. While at McGill-Toolen he was active in football, baseball and track, served as Key Club vice-president and participated in student government and the Weightlifting Club. His love was football, where he was chosen Offensive Captain in 1975, 1977 and 1978 by Coaches William Kelley and Larry Mickwee. He was named Offensive Lineman of the Week by the Optimist Club and McGill-Toolen Outstanding Lineman in 1978. He was named to the All-District and All-Catholic Football Teams in 1978, and was listed in America’s Outstanding Names and Faces in 1978.

After graduating from McGill-Toolen, Wes attended Auburn University and the University of South Alabama. He currently owns and operates Wiltew, an American Society of Mechanical Engineers code fabrication shop and industrial general contractor. Wiltew is in its 23rd year of business and has allowed him to obtain US patents for equipment he has designed and manufactured.

Wes has remained a staunch supporter of McGill-Toolen, particularly its sports programs by serving on the board of the McGill-Toolen Football Boosters, the Stadium Board and as president of the Yellow Jacket Club. His goal to have Catholic children attend McGill-Toolen stems from the profound impact the school had on his own Catholic faith during adolescence.

He has coached CYO sports, served on the St. Ignatius Parish Council, and on the Board of Advisors of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. He was an AHSAA high school football official for 20 years before retiring so he could attend McGill-Toolen football games. He is a member of the Men of St. Joseph. For his tireless work, he was named McGill-Toolen Alumni Volunteer of the Year in 2007.

Wes is married to Liz Tew Williams, McGill-Toolen ’79, and they have two children: Wesley, McGill-Toolen ’06, and Elyse, McGill-Toolen ’09.

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/3/11

George W. Yeend Jr.
McGill Institute Class of 1959

“Be grateful for the opportunity to study at McGill. Do everything you can to keep McGill the best.”

These are the parting words of 1959 Senior of the Year, George Yeend, as reported by The McGillian. During his time at McGill, George was involved in the band, the Cavalier Club, the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart and The McGillian. He was a class officer every year and Student Council president as a senior. He was also CYO president, an Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow. George was a National Merit finalist and received an NROTC scholarship to Notre Dame. In college he participated in the Navy Council and was president of the Tri-Military Council. He received the Bendix Aviation Post 284 Leadership Award and was the Battalion Executive Officer. In 1963, he received his BA from Notre Dame and completed his MBA in 1985 from National University in San Diego, California.

During his naval career, George was a commanding officer six times. He retired in 1990 as a Captain and returned to the Gulf Coast. His naval honors include Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals and a Navy Commendation Medal.

George was Catholic lay leader on six Navy vessels and is currently a full-time deacon. He is a member of St. Lawrence Parish, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Knights of Columbus, fourth degree and past Grand Knight, assistant director for deacon formation, and RCIA instructor.

His civic activities include the Fairhope Yacht Club, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

George and his late wife, Linda Lightcap, Bishop Toolen ’60, have five grown children. Their youngest, Amy, graduated from McGill-Toolen in ’93. George’s three sisters are all graduates of Bishop Toolen: Sister Mary Louise, DC, ’61, Margaret Ann McCarthy, ’64, and Eleanor Sue Ladd, ’68.

Inducted 2011
Biography updated 11/3/11

Voted
BEST PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL IN MOBILE
2007-2008-2009-2010

Hall of Fame

New Faces in the Hall of Fame Class of 2011

© McGill-Toolen Catholic High School • 1501 Old Shell Road, Mobile, Alabama 36604 • 251-445-2900