Santa Clara Magazine

Henry "Hank" Richard ’37, a resident of Santa Cruz, was born in San Jose, CA, December 12, 1916, and passed away December 19, 2012, at the age of 96. He was preceded in death less than a year ago by Margery, his beloved wife of 71 years. He is survived by his two sons, Stephen (Dee) of Los Gatos and Bruce (Elaine) of Ukiah, five grandchildren, Shannon (Santa Barbara), Carey (San Jose) and Nathaniel, Louisa, and Hallie all of Ukiah, and five great grandchildren. Hank was the son of prominent Alviso ranchers Henry Sr. and Grace Wade Richard and grew up working with his father in the family orchards. He learned duck-hunting from his father at the age of six and became an excellent marksman. He attended Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University and U.C.Davis where he graduated with a degree in horticulture in 1937. Hank supervised the family orchards until 1940 when he married Margery, he then became an Inspector for the USDA in San Jose advancing to supervising inspector for the 11 western states. In 1958 he went to work as production manager and later plant manager of Pratt-Lowe in Santa Clara. Upon retiring in 1980, he and Margery moved to Pasatiempo golf community where they enjoyed 30+ Golden Years playing golf, bridge, gardening, traveling and a full social life with many wonderful and lifelong friends. 

James Bowen Wilcox ’41, March 13, 1920, to November 19, 2012.

Lorenzo "Larry" Abrusci ’43, a resident of Alameda, chose Nov. 24, 2012, a beautiful and sunny day to pass from this life to the next at 92 years old. Several generations of family and friends called him "Papa." Larry was born in Oakland, Calif. on July 20, 1920 to Frank and Rosa Abrusci. He attended Castlemont High School in Oakland. Larry briefly attended Santa Clara University then went to serve our country in WWII, in the early ’40s. He was a 1st Lieutenant Bombardier flying in B-17's. Larry completed over 65 missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he farmed on Bay Farm Island in Alameda, and then proceeded to become a successful business man in Oakland as an owner of City Tire and A-Tire. Larry is survived by his devoted wife Lily Abrusci, his daughters Penny Stevens and Vicki Silveira, his son-in-laws Alex Stevens and Rich Silveira, his step children Danny Beconcini and Carol Weston, his grandchildren Debbie Gunning and Tracy Silveira, and his great-grandchildren Cooper and Alexandra Gunning. Larry was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy Abrusci, his grandson Mark Stevens, and his sisters Isabel Reicks and Irene Sindicich. 

William F. Donnelly, S.J. ’49 February 28, 1928 - October 26, 2012 Reverend William F. Donnelly, S.J., Professor of Economics at Santa Clara University, died suddenly October 26, 2012. He was 84 years old and had been on the Santa Clara faculty since 1969. Father Donnelly was born in Galveston, TX on February 28, 1928. His family moved to San Mateo in 1939. He graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory in 1945 and from Santa Clara University in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce. While at Santa Clara, he was involved in many student activities, including manager of the football team. After graduation, he worked for Tide Water Associated Oil Company before entering the Jesuit novitiate at Los Gatos in 1951. Father Donnelly did further studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, where he received an MA in Economics in 1957. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from New York University in 1969. Theological studies were made at Alma College, Los Gatos (a campus of Santa Clara) 1960-64, and he was ordained a priest in San Francisco on June 7, 1963. Before joining the Santa Clara faculty in 1969, Father Donnelly taught English and mathematics at Bellarmine College Preparatory and philosophy at Loyola University of Los Angeles (now known as Loyola Marymount University). In addition to his many decades in the classroom, Father Donnelly served generously in multiple capacities at Santa Clara University, including Academic Vice President, 1973-1978, Rector of the Jesuit Community at Santa Clara, 1982-1988, member of the Board of Trustees, 1973-1978 and 1982-1988, and Chaplain of the Catala Club from 1993 until his death. In addition to his University duties, he also served on various committees and boards of the Jesuit Order. He is survived by nieces Dianne Bonino ’76 (and her husband Mark Bonino ’76 and their daughter Julia M. Bonino ’09) of San Carlos, Cathy Donnelly McAvoy of San Jose, and nephews Tim Donnelly of South Korea and Terry (Niki) Donnelly of Meridian, Idaho, as well as many grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother Thomas E. (Ted) Donnelly and his nephew Thomas Donnelly. 

Alfred S. Maida ’49 was born May 24, 1927. He was a resident of San Jose. After a long and courageous battle with cancer, he passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his adoring family on Jan. 24, 2013, at the age of 85. 
Dr. Maida is survived by his wife Cecile, to whom he has been married 60 years, his children: Kathy, Beth, Paul (Tammy), and Margo; his grandchildren Mario (Laura), Michael (Marci), Eric and Kristin; and his great grandsons Mario II, Giancarlo, and Nicolas. He was sadly preceded in death by his precious daughter, Karen and loving son-in-law, Mark Reynolds.
Dr. Maida was born and raised in San Jose, California. Through scholarships, he proudly attended Bellarmine College Preparatory, Santa Clara University, and Stanford Medical School; achieving the highest academic honors at all three institutions. Upon completing his medical training and residency, he opened a private practice where he devotedly provided the highest quality care to all of his patients for many years. Later in his career, he served as Medical Director for Pacific Bell, General Electric, and Gilroy Foods. He volunteered on numerous medical advisory boards in constant service to his community. 
He was a voracious reader and a lifelong student of the English language. He could often be found perusing the dictionary for new and interesting words in order to expand his vocabulary. He loved to read Steinbeck and Hemingway. He held extraordinary knowledge on a wide variety of subjects and yet was always eager and willing to learn more from those with whom he was conversing. He was an avid gardener, devout Christian, and a collector of stamps. 
Dr. Maida was humble, gentle, and perhaps the kindest of men. He is adored by his family and was loved and cherished by all who knew him. He will be long remembered and his spirit will live in our hearts for all the days to come.
The family extends their deepest gratitude to Hospice of the Valley and all his caregivers for their tender care these many months. Your professionalism and loving hearts brought him joy and comfort. 

Michael Anthony Sweeney, of Santa Cruz, died in his home on March 26, 2013 of pancreatic cancer. He was 81. Sweeney joined the chemistry faculty at Santa Clara University in 1966, and he taught until the fall of 2012. In 2001 he was named professor emeritus. Prior to teaching he worked as a research chemist for Standard Oil, and also rose to the rank of captain while serving in the US Air Force.

Sweeney was born on Dec. 5, 1931 in Los Angeles, to James Robert Sweeney and Ruth (Bauter) Sweeney.

He attended Loyola High School, and in 1953 graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount University, (then, Loyola University).  He earned his master's, then doctorate in radiation chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1962. The research for his Ph.D. dissertation, Radiation Chemistry of Isopropyl Compounds, was directed by Nobel laureates Amos Newton and Glenn Seaborg at Lawrence Berkeley Labs, where Sweeney operated a cyclotron. During that period he is credited along with two other scientists with discovery of the isotope Rhenium (181).

He performed research and published scientific articles throughout his career. In conjunction with NASA-AMES, he studied the area of abiotic biosynthesis—the origin of organic molecules on the early earth and solar system, the formation of organic molecules resulting from radiation fluxes, and carbonaeous chondrite chemistry. His investigation into the radiation levels of the primitive Earth atmosphere added to our understanding of the origin of life.

In 1966 Sweeney began teaching chemistry at Santa Clara University. It was a position he called "the best job I've ever had." Students from his first graduating class presented him with a pamphlet titled "Sweeney's Similes," in which they had recorded many of the analogies from his lectures for which he was well-known. Ten of his first 11 chemistry majors went on to earn their doctorates in chemistry; the eleventh earned a J.D. Several of these students reached out to Sweeney during his final weeks, offering gratitude for his inspiration.

Sweeney is survived by three children, Matthew ’93, Anna ’86, and Daniel ’87, their spouses, and two grandchildren.  

A memorial service will be held at Mission Santa Clara on April 11 at 6:00 p.m. A reception will follow at the Arts and Sciences Building on the Santa Clara University Campus, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053. His ashes will be laid to rest in Ireland by his children.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a charitable donation be made to Santa Clara University, The Chemistry Dept., in Memory of Michael A. Sweeney, University Relations, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA  95053; or via the web at www.scu.edu/give/

Donations will be awarded to a chemistry major who demonstrates interest in a teaching career.


Notes of sympathy may be sent to:

The Sweeney Family

c/o Chemistry & Biochemistry Department

Daly Science Center

500 El Camino Real

Santa Clara, CA 95053

Mary Asuncion served Santa Clara University twenty-three years as senior administrative assistant in the Human Resources Office and the Mathematics & Computer Science Department.