BROTHERS RECOGNIZED Billy and Bucky Dearing, pictured with NDHS president George Valadie, received the Jim Phifer Service Award for 2014. Courtesy of Gayle Schoenborn
The Notre Dame Alumni Association has named Steve Hammond, class of ’69, as its distinguished alumnus and Billy ’82 and Bucky Dearing ’84 as recipients of the Jim Phifer Service Award for 2014.
The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to a Notre Dame graduate who has made a difference in his or her chosen field and/or community.
Mr. Hammond is a former teacher and wrestling coach at the school, and is the founding principal of St. Patrick Catholic School in Norfolk, Va. He was the superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Nashville before that and was headmaster at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tenn.
The Jim Phifer Service Award is named in honor of the former principal, coach and teacher who was known for his unwavering love and service to the school and for helping hundreds of students during his time there.
The Dearing brothers are being honored for their many years of service to the school. For more than 20 years, the pair has coached the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade football teams at Our Lady of Perpetual School, a feeder for Notre Dame. Graduates of both schools, the Dearings have dedicated many hours to the kids and teams at OLPH with the knowledge that it also helps Notre Dame by sending quality kids and players to the high school.
Mr. Hammond and Billy and Bucky Dearing were honored at an Alumni Awards reception at the school on July 24.
