All his adult life, Enrico “Harry” Cia, 87, supported Catholic High School in Little Rock like he was one of its own.
But he wasn’t a Catholic High graduate.
“We never realized how much it bothered Daddy that he never graduated officially. He didn’t talk about it to us a lot,” said Joanne Teis, one of Cia’s four daughters.
During his senior year in 1944, Cia left to serve in the Army during World War II with permission from his parents, and after some work for the tall, lanky young man to put on some pounds.
The son of Italian immigrants spoke little English when he was young so he was a bit older than his fellow classmates in 1944. He was the only one of four brothers to go to high school.
On Dec. 2, surrounded by the school’s U.S. Marine Corps Junior ROTC, his wife Stella, daughters, family, friends and three 1944 classmates, Catholic High rector Msgr. Law rence Frederick awarded Cia his diploma.
“I never expected all this. It is wonderful. I’ll never forget this day for the rest of my life,” said Cia, beaming with an ear-to-ear smile.
Cia also was given a lifetime alumni membership.
“It is awesome,” Cia said sitting in the lobby of Catholic High’s gym. “Today is a fine day.”
The soft-spoken Cia downplays his service in the Philippines, stating that he merely drove the tanks and heavy machinery on and off the beaches and inland. His fellow servicemen were the heroes, he said, and he did what he could to help them.
Cia himself survived prisoner of war camp and returned home to eventually own Southern Auto Parts in North Little Rock.
A framed memento of his military service sat in front of the podium for the ceremony, with a photo of Cia in uniform, medals and a folded flag. Afterward, Cia said the flag in the shadow box once flew over Pearl Harbor.
Cia did earn his GED, something he was always proud to have achieved, but his heart belonged to his Catholic High alma mater.
“Daddy helped out a lot and supported the school in any way he could. He always wanted to be part of the Catholic High tradition,” Teis said. “We always went to the Catholic High football games — it was part of our childhood to support Catholic.”
Holding his diploma close to his heart, Cia, a parishioner at Our Lady of the Holy Souls in Little Rock, said he was grateful for an opportunity he thought had passed him by.
“My nephew, I said one word to him about this and then it was done,” Cia said.
His nephew, D.J. Cia, is responsible for getting the ball rolling after his uncle told him that he wished he was a true alumnus of Catholic High.
“He’s always been proud of being a part of Catholic High but always regretted not officially graduating,” D.J. Cia said. “The following day after I asked about it, they said they would like to present him with a diploma. We didn’t expect this at all. Weall very excited to see him honored like this. He is loving this, even more so because he loves Catholic High.”