Recipients chosen for Msgr. Lafferty Award

September 29, 2005

The Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education annually recognizes a person or persons who have played vital roles in the welfare of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Sioux City with the Monsignor James K. Lafferty Leadership Award. This year, the Msgr. Lafferty award will be given to the family of the late James and Eva Waite of Le Mars. The presentation to the Waite family will be made at the Ninth Annual Bishop's Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Sioux City Convention Center.

The story of James and Eva Waite typifies the values of the traditional Catholic family and their belief in Catholic schools. In 1930, the young couple moved from Winner, South Dakota to Sioux City where Mr. Waite found employment in the grocery business. In 1945, the family had to make a decision on whether to move to Le Mars, Iowa or Worthington, Minnesota. The Waites chose Le Mars for one reason. The Plymouth County community had a Catholic school - Worthington did not.

James Waite ultimately became the owner of the O. P. Skaags grocery store in Le Mars while Eva Waite raised their five children and became active at St. Joseph's Church, their home parish in Le Mars. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Waite died many years ago, the Waite family continues to support Catholic schools, particularly Le Mars Gehlen.

The three surviving children of James and Eva Waite will be on hand at the Bishop's Dinner to accept the Monsignor Lafferty award on behalf of their parents. Father Patrick Waite is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux City and is retired after serving in a number of parishes in the diocese and a twenty-six year tour of duty as a chaplain in the U. S. Navy.

Margaret Waite Traurig is retired in Dubuque, Iowa following a twenty-one year career with the Social Security Administration as well as having raised seven children. Donald Waite is a retired former executive with Seagate Technology, one of the most successful technology companies in the Silicon Valley area of Northern California. Two sons, James the oldest of the five children and a long time attorney in Le Mars, and Robert are deceased. Both Jim and Bob were friends of many of the retired priests in the Diocese of Sioux City. Jim Waite's widow Jackie is also expected to attend the event.

The Ninth Annual Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education will feature Olympic Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski. Tickets for the Oct. 23 event are $125 each and may be purchased by calling the Central Catholic Office at 712-233-7524. All proceeds from the dinner are distributed to the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Sioux City in support of the 6,300 students attending those schools.