Loffredo Legacy: Four Generations Continue Deep Roots in Catholic Schools

June 24, 2025

This article celebrates the Loffredo family, honorary chairs for the 2025 Bishop’s Celebration of Catholic Schools.

Loffredo family roots run deep at Catholic schools in Des Moines—literally. The land beneath Christ the King School was once tended by Eugene Loffredo Sr. until it was carved from the family's sprawling Loffredo Gardens operation, contributing to an 80-year legacy of Catholic education that has shaped four generations of the Loffredo family.

Today, as four Loffredo children—Luke, Annie, Molly, and Baker—walk the halls of Sacred Heart Catholic School, they continue a tradition that stretches back to 1936, when their great-grandfather first enrolled at Dowling Catholic High School.

The Foundation Years

Gene Loffredo still remembers the excitement of walking into Christ the King's brand-new classrooms in the late 1950s. He was part of the school's inaugural fifth-grade class, joining about 100 students who comprised the school's entire enrollment that first year.

"Going to a brand new school was exciting," Gene said. "I probably didn’t appreciate it as much then as I do today, but it was a good experience."

The school's location held special meaning for Gene and his brothers, John, Mike, Jim, and Larry. Their family's gardens backed directly up to the school property and the convent being built behind it. The Loffredo boys could literally see their father and grandfather working the land while they sat in their classrooms.

"My dad, being part of the third generation of our family business, and his father were always working in the gardens right by the school," Gene said. "So, it was kind of interesting to be able to follow their act and watch him work."

The family cultivated around 20 acres near 9th St. and Porter Ave., including the land that eventually became Christ the King School, and from there, the operation grew. During World War II, Loffredo Gardens fed the soldiers at Fort Des Moines, growing produce on nearly 300 acres of land throughout the area, according to Gene.

But for the Loffredo boys, the gardens meant long afternoons of work after school. Gene's wife, Diane, loves to share the family's favorite joke about those days.

"After school, you always had to go straight to work to weed the garden," Diane said, "so it never needed to be watered because they cried so much over that."

Eugene Sr.’s youngest son, Larry Loffredo, remembers the nuns who lived and taught on the Christ the King campus. Because the gardens backed up against the convent, Eugene Sr. became friends with the nuns who lived there—the same nuns who would later teach his sons.

"My dad was friends with all the nuns, which I had a few of in school,” Larry said, “an experience I'm sure not too many people had.”

The Dowling Tradition

The Loffredo connection to Catholic education extended beyond elementary school. Eugene Sr. graduated from Dowling Catholic High School in 1940, and naturally, his sons would follow. Gene graduated in 1967, John in 1969, Mike in 1971, Jim in 1974, and Larry in 1977.

"Going to a Catholic school definitely shaped my life," said Larry, who also enrolled his three sons at Dowling. “We were and are a very tight-knit family, and the Catholic schools kind of were the solidifying glue, being that going to a Catholic school is like one big family going to church.”

Eugene Sr.’s seven siblings also attended Dowling or St. Joseph Academy—the schools were divided by gender at the time. For the Loffredo brothers, attending Catholic school wasn't a choice, it was simply what their family did.

Some of the brothers' children attended public elementary schools, but all continued the tradition at Dowling. Gene and Diane sent their sons, Nick and Brian, to Sacred Heart, as did Larry with his sons, James, John, and Joseph.

"I chose the Catholic schools because of the values and, obviously, the faith," Larry said. "My boys made many friendships in high school with the same values."

Brian Loffredo said everyone seems to have a connection with a Loffredo who went to Dowling.

“I can’t go anywhere without someone saying, ‘I know somebody that went there. Did you know—’ and it’s usually my cousin,” Brian said.

The Next Generation Chooses

When Gene and Diane raised their children in West Des Moines, they had access to excellent public schools, but they never questioned where to send their kids.

"The idea of choosing Catholic schools was just something we assumed,” Gene said. “It was just ingrained in us that this is where we would go to school.”

They were careful not to impose those feelings on their children, yet Nick and Brian both chose the same path for their own kids. Brian sent his three kids to Sacred Heart, and Nick is following suit when his 3-year-old son starts preschool in the fall.

"We didn't push that because we have great schools in West Des Moines," Diane said. “We're proud of the fact that there was enough respect for [Catholic schools] that everyone wanted to continue going down that path.”

Nick’s wife, Ali, also attended Sacred Heart and Dowling, and Ali’s mother taught mathematics at Sacred Heart for 25 years.

This continuation of the tradition speaks to something deeper than religious obligation. It reflects a recognition of the values and community that Catholic education provides.

The Community Connection

The Loffredo family consistently points to the sense of community as one of Catholic education's greatest strengths. This network effect has created lasting bonds that span generations.

"When we go to Sacred Heart functions like Grandparents Day, we are blown away by how many of the kids of [Nick and Brian’s] generation are sending their kids to Sacred Heart,” Diane said.

Furthermore, Brian’s wife, Bailey—who attended Catholic schools in California before meeting Brian at Marquette—teaches fourth grade at Sacred Heart, having previously taught at Christ the King and St. Augustin.

"It's kind of unusual where mom throws the three kids in the car and goes to school and work every day," Gene said. "I've always cherished that part of the whole situation."

Brian said Bailey has worked in Catholic schools for 13 years, and in that time, he said it’s felt like they’ve “built a life within the schools.”

“You're not going to find a more supportive school community,” Brian said, referencing parents, teachers, and administrators. “Everybody has each other’s backs. Because it’s faith-based, we’re all sharing so many life experiences together, more than just schooling.”

Looking Forward

Even family members who moved away have maintained the tradition. Mike's daughter Angela, has enrolled her children in Catholic schools in Kansas City, extending the family's commitment across state lines.

"The Catholic schools are obviously a big part of our family life. I couldn't imagine our life without them," Larry said. "They are a big part of our family and how we were brought up."

The roots that Eugene Loffredo Sr. planted—both in soil and commitment to Catholic education—continue to bear fruit generations later. In the halls of Sacred Heart, where Loffredos continue to learn, teach, and grow in community, the family's deep roots in Catholic education remain as strong as ever.

Join us on September 13 to celebrate the Loffredo family as honorary chairs at the 2025 Bishop’s Celebration of Catholic Schools. Visit dmdiocese.org/BishopsCelebration to secure your tickets and support Catholic education in the Diocese of Des Moines.