ClassNotes

Stephen Donald Paietta Jr. '85, born May 28, 1963, in Los Angeles, passed away August 31, 2009 in San Jose, Calif. He graduated from Hoover High School in Glendale, Calif., and received a bachelor's degree in political science from Santa Clara University. Stephen is survived by his mother, Kay; his sister Madeline (Edward) Munn; his sisters Mary Davis and Margaret Goodman; his brother Dan (Diane) Paietta; his brothers Michael, Chris, and Robert; and three nieces and six nephews.

Ruth W. Renzel '85 December 12, 2008, age 46.

Oceana del Fuego MBA ’85 died on November 28, 2010. Born January 28, 1955 in Essex England, she died at her Bellevue home surrounded in love by her friends and family. She earned her MBA from Santa Clara University. Oceana's love for nature, her passion to heal self and others and her passion for giving and music inspired all who knew her. This led her to start the non-profit Puerta Abierta Foundation (PAF), providing basic necessities for the indigenous Bri-Bri people and other groups in Costa Rica. She also reached out to migrant farm workers in organizing a care program to show her concern. Her passion for music led her to become a guitar teacher. Oceana's spiritual practice of mindfulness and gratitude drew people to her. Her signature salutation was "Blessings". Oceana, the blessing is to have known you. She is survived by her partner Max Mathies, parents Marjorie and Samuel Broom and her relatives in England.

Miguel S. Demapan J.D. ’85, retired chief justice of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, passed away on June 30, 2012, in Saipan. During the course of his nearly 20-year career, Demapan served as both a Judge Pro Tempore in the Superior Court of Guam and Justice Pro Tempore of the Supreme Court of Guam. Chief Justice of Guam F. Philip Carbullido said, “We are saddened to hear of the passing of Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan.  He served the judiciaries of the CNMI, Guam, and Micronesia with integrity and fairness. His colleagues throughout the Marianas and Micronesia had the deepest respect and admiration for his untiring commitment to the Rule of Law. I join my colleagues in the CNMI, Guam, and Micronesia in extending our deepest sympathy to Frances and their children.”

Marion Roberta (Danskin) Milligan M.A. '85, age 77 of Valparaiso, formerly of Sunnyvale, CA, passed away Saturday, October 13, 2012. She was born in Gary, IN, the daughter of Robert and Elsie Fern Danskin (nee Willmoth). Survived by her husband, David Milligan of Valparaiso; sister, Margaret (George) Yetsko and aunt, Virginia Park, both of Hobart. Marion graduated from Emerson High School, Class of 1953. She received her B.S. Degree in Nursing from Indiana University and her Master's Degree from the University of Santa Clara, California. Marion retired as Head Nurse at NASA AMES, Moffett Field, CA. She lived in California for 38 years. Marion loved golf and was a world traveler.

Donald W. Pray '85, a long-time resident of Cupertino, died on June 7, 2009 at age 82 after a short illness. He is survived by his daughter Jane Pray-Silver, two sisters, and six grand-children. Don was raised in the Boston area and he traced his family history in the U.S. back to the 17th century. Don completed a 22-year career in the Navy, aboard the USS Coral Sea, as a chief petty officer. During a tour of duty in the Philippines, he met, courted, and then later married his wife Josephine. After retiring from the Navy, Don completed his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at San Jose State University. He completed an MBA at Santa Clara University while at Underwriters Laboratory, where he worked for 19 years, retiring from his position as Associate Managing Engineer in 1989. After retirement, Don continued his many pursuits. He maintained his vintage VW Beetles. He was certified as a small airplane pilot, and loved to fly his single-engine Cessna. He was an avid bicyclist and military historian. He is preceded in death by his wife and their son Joseph.

Constance "Connie" M. Ridder J.D. '85 died at her Pebble Beach home on August 5, 2011 surrounded by family. She was 70 and had battled intestinal cancer.  "She was the voice of reason," said her husband, P. Anthony Ridder, former Knight Ridder Chief Executive and SCU Board of Trustees member, as well as the 1986 recipient of an SCU honorary degree. "I could talk things through with her, and her judgment about situations was always very mature. With some people in life, you never know what you're getting on a certain day. With Connie, everything was very even-keel."  Constance Louise Meach Ridder was born in Charlotte, Mich., the second of three children. She was raised in Traverse City, Mich., where her father was a small-business man who at one time owned a boat store before buying a dry-cleaning shop, where her mother also worked.  It was a traditional Midwestern family with solid values—something that would serve her well during a life that would become more privileged than most, but was marked by a sense of frugality and a no-nonsense work ethic that aided her transformation into an accomplished attorney, dedicated golfer and passionate gardener.  From an early age, she also reveled in competitive sports, including skiing—she was Central U.S. Ski Champion in 1957—as well as tennis and golf. At one time she posted an 11 handicap.  She met Tony Ridder while both were enrolled in the same philosophy course at the University of Michigan. They were married during their junior year after a short engagement.  "She was smart and fun, and we just fell in love," said her husband, who recalled telling her with a smile, "Stick with me; you'll go places." While she interrupted her studies to get married, Tony Ridder continued on, graduating from the university in preparation for a career in his family's newspaper chain. After stints at Ridder newspapers in Aberdeen, S.D., and Pasadena, the couple moved in 1964 to San Jose, where Tony Ridder worked his way up to publisher at the Mercury News.  In 1986, after he was named president of the newspaper division of Knight Ridder, the couple left for the company's headquarters in Miami. In 1995, he became chairman and CEO of Knight Ridder. In 2006, part of the chain, including the Mercury News, was purchased by its current owner, MediaNews. But it was while living in Saratoga, where they were raising their four children, that Connie Ridder decided she wanted to do something more with her life, starting with earning her college diploma.  "She was always a person who felt like she wanted to work and earn what she had," said her best friend, Sally Lucas.  In 1977, she began at West Valley College, earning straight A's. She then enrolled at Stanford University for three years, graduating with a degree in political science.  Wondering what she should do next, her husband—who had once been interested in attending law school himself—suggested she apply."I told her that way I could vicariously go to law school," he recalled. During a four-year program at Santa Clara University, her family said, she was determined to balance her responsibilities as a wife and mother—even if it meant sitting on the bleachers during her son Par's football practices reading law books, Par Ridder recalled.  "She was still very much our mother. That was always her priority," said daughter Susie Ridder, who also earned a law degree at SCU. "Tony and her family were the love of her life—that's what really meant everything to her," Lucas said.  In many ways, Connie Ridder's goals coincided well with her move to Miami. By that time, her children were mostly grown. And being in a new city where she at first knew few people, she could focus on her career, initially as a corporate attorney, and then as a trust and estate attorney. The training was tough, but she was conscientious, refusing to bill clients for the total amount of hours she put in until she got up to speed, her family said.  "I told her, 'You're the only attorney in America who doesn't bill their clients for the full hours they put in on the job,'" Tony Ridder said. Her goal was to become partner, and by 1992 she did so at the Miami office of Holland & Knight, one of the country's largest law firms. "She didn't do anything lightheartedly," said daughter Linda Walker. "She was very tenacious."  Over the years, Connie Ridder had taken up golf and, like other endeavors, was determined to master it in her own way, beginning with a set of her husband's right-handed clubs, even though she was left-handed. The game was a social opportunity, but also a test of her skills against others. "She was a student of golf," said daughter Katie Ridder, who noted that her mother was forever studying magazines and videotapes to improve her game. "She analyzed everything." Not long after returning to the Bay Area with her husband in 1998, she wound down her law career and threw herself into civic activities, serving as the first female president of the governing board at the Filoli Center in Woodside, a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and later as a trustee of the Carmel chapter of The Garden Club of America. She was also the longtime head of the Ladies Golf Committee at the Cypress Point Club. "What Connie brought to the board was wisdom coupled with grace," said Jane Risser, Filoli's executive director, who called her "very strategic," but mindful of Filoli's culture and the value of its 1,300 volunteers. "She was able to help everyone understand that we had the same shared vision for Filoli, which was to make the institution enjoyable and accessible to the whole public, from young children to people with physical disabilities," Risser said.  Her passing, Risser said, is "a tremendous loss for everyone."

Beverly Ann Rossi '85 on August 8, 2010. After a courageous battle with cancer, Beverly passed peacefully at her home in Saratoga surrounded by her family. Born the daughter of Jerry & Dolores Zafiratos on June 16, 1949 in McCloud, Calif. Loving wife of Richard Rossi and Sister of Gus Zafiratos, Beverly is survived by her devoted husband, daughters Cynthia Rossi and  Rikki Hanna, step-daughters Teresa Anderson and Kristina Carter, precious grandchildren Tina Metz, Michaela Anderson, Jessica Carter, Justin Carter, Ryan Hanna and Mason Hanna, great-grandchildren Dylan Metz and Alexis Metz.  Beverly received her Bachelor of Science and master degrees from Santa Clara University and doctorate in psychology from Pacific Graduate School in 1994. She had her own private Marriage & Family Counseling practice in San Jose, CA for 15 years where she touched and helped so many lives. She was a dedicated board member of the Valle Monte League, Calif. She will always be remembered for her strength, grace, intelligence, and her passion for life. She left a lasting impression wherever she went and will truly be missed.