We met the first night of classes my sophomore year, Tim’s freshman year. I arrived at Xavier Hall very early for an Accounting class, to find this freshman boy already there. Night classes were not the norm for full time students at that time, so we were both concerned that something was wrong with our schedules. We started talking and found out we had many mutual acquaintances, as we were both from Bergen County, New Jersey. We became good friends, started dating after Tim graduated, and married on April 28, 1984. We were fortunate to live many places around the world due to Tim’s job, but we never missed a reunion; even flying in from Sydney, Australia for my 15 year. Our Fairfield family legacy began with my brother Greg Gradel ’76. It continued with myself, Tim, Christopher Gradel ’06, James Keenan ’11 and his Bride Sarah Piccolomini ’11, Mark Keenan ’12, and Kerianne Keenan, a current junior in the class of 2018. We will see if Fairfield is in the future for Paul, our sophomore in high school!

Class Years: 1980 & 1981
First Met: First Night of Classes
Wedding Date: 4/29/1894