Santa Clara Magazine

Rodney J. Blonien J.D. ’71, March 13, 2012. A loving family man, philanthropist, dynamic human being, and proud American, Blonien was born July 20, 1946, in Wisconsin Rapids, WI to Janet and Clayton Blonien. Rod was the oldest of four children and treasured being raised in a small town. Rod attended Brophy High School in Phoenix, the University of San Francisco, and Santa Clara Law School and exemplified the Jesuit motto by being a man for others. Rod married his beloved Noreen in 1967, they had four children Ryan, Jessica, Molly and Jarhett. Rod achieved the rank of Captain in the National Guard. Rod and Noreen made their home in Elk Grove since 1974. Rod served as Assistant Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Ronald Reagan, Senior Assistant to Attorney General Deukmejian then Legislative Secretary to Governor Deukmejian and Under Secretary of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency. As a representative of the People of California he worked to enact stringent sentences for criminal offenders who used guns, he implemented DUI checkpoints, and orchestrated the largest prison expansion in California history. After leaving government service, Rod worked as a lobbyist representing California horse racing, card club owners, and others. Rod was incredibly bright, articulate, and fun. He loved to joke around and would break out in song at the hint of a birthday party or other celebration. Rod gave great joy to his family; his wife Noreen; Ryan and Paula and their children Shane, Sydney, Cameron, Colton and Gianna; Jessica N. Blonien J.D. ’96 and Ronan O'Flaherty and their children Cormac, Nolan and Liam; Molly and Lois Bisbiglia and their children Ella, Brody and Grant; Jarhett P. Blonien ’06 and Ketrina; and his mother and father in law Norma and Pat Malone; and his siblings Jane and Scott. 

Robert J. Machado '59, M.S. '71 passed away on November 17, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Stockton and grew up in Byron, Calif. He graduated from Santa Clara University in 1959 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He served in the US Navy as a LTJG. He was employed at Lockheed Missiles and Space for 35 years. He enjoyed woodworking and loved fishing. Bob was a strong person, patient man, supportive father and loving husband. He will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Lois of 45 years, children Mark '88, Scott, Linda, Troy and Laura, brother Clarence, sister Rosemary, daughter in law, Catherine and triplet grandchildren, brother in law, George Fetz and many nieces and nephews. His parents, Manuel and Eva Machado, preceded him in death.

Richard "Dick" Minor ’71, M.S. ’73 was 63. June 19, 1949 to July 16, 2012. Dick passed away surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with cancer. Dick was born in Portland to James and Marjorie Minor and grew up in Lake Oswego. He graduated from Our Lady of the Lake, Jesuit High School and Santa Clara University, with an M.S. in electrical engineering. He then earned an M.B.A. from UCLA and was a recipient of the National Science Foundation Award. Upon graduation from college, he set off alone on a 10,000 mile bicycle trek touching all four corners of the lower 48 states. Dick was an avid pilot and was instrument rated. He was a proficient photographer, and his 1970 Vortex I pictures were published in The Oregonian and featured in the OPB Oregon Experience documentary, Vortex. Dick married the love of his life, Jean, in 1987 and was devoted to his family, his community and the Boy Scout program. Dick served for many years as a leader of Troop #520 of Newberg; was involved with the scout program for 15 years; and was thrilled to see his son, Danny, receive the Eagle Scout Award, just as Dick himself had received the Eagle badge years before. Dick was a senior software engineer for dvsAnalytics for the last 17 years; and was instrumental in the design and development of the company's flagship product, Encore. He was a mentor and role model for the other software engineers and brought to the organization a wealth of knowledge and experience. He will be missed not only as a valued and loyal employee, but as a friend. Previously, Dick was one of a small group of software engineers who developed the programming for the first automatic teller machines serving banks up and down the West Coast. He also owned his own software company, Comprog. Dick is survived by his beloved family his wife, Jean; his two daughters, Megan and Colleen; and his son, Danny, all of Newberg. He is also survived by four brothers, Chris (Mary), Tim (Melinda), Bob (Cate) and Rusty (Donna); and sister, Nancy; in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. Dick was well known for his love of life, community service and appreciation of family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. 

Marilyn Dizon Ferguson MBA '71 on Feb. 23, 2009.  She is survived by her husband, Richard A. Ferguson '69; and three children, including Maria '96, and Richard '98.

Larry J. Alvarez ’71, 63, a retired Tracy farmer, died Sunday, Nov. 18, at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. Born in Tracy on Aug. 5, 1949, he was a lifelong Tracy resident. After graduating from Tracy High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Santa Clara University. After college, Mr. Alvarez returned to Tracy to farm with the family farming operation, Alvarez Farms. He served in the U.S. Army and National Guard Reserves and was a parishioner of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and a member of Tracy Golf and Country Club and Rhodes Bean and Supply Co-op. He was a past board member of the California Tomato Growers Association. Survivors include a daughter, Alesha Alvarez, and her husband, Gus Jimenez, of San Ramon; two sons, Mitch Alvarez of Stockton and Joey Alvarez of Tracy; and three grandchildren. Also surviving are his father, Joe Alvarez of Tracy; a sister, Patty Robidart ’69 of Pinole; a cousin who was like a brother, Jack Alvarez of Tracy; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Brijida “Bre” Alvarez. 

Jerome Lee Heacock J.D. '71 on Nov. 6, 2008.  A native of Portland, Ore., he grew up in Washington and later moved to Salinas, where he was a real estate broker. During the 1950s he served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sumi, and two children.

Hans Camenzind MBA ’71, the Swiss emigre analog guru who invented one of the most successful circuits in electronics history and introduced the concept of phase-locked loop to IC design, passed away in his sleep at the age of 78. 

Camenzind came to the United States in 1960 and worked for several years at some of the storied names of the newly developing semiconductor industry: Transitron, Tyco Semiconductor, and Signetics. 

In 1971 he joined the ranks of entrepreneurs by founding InterDesign, a company specializing in semi-custom integrated circuit design. It was there, working under a contract with Signetics, that he invented the 555 timer.  Signetics commercialized the device in 1972, and it went on to become one of the most successful in the industry's history. The device, used in oscillator, pulse-generation and other applications, is still widely used today. Versions of the device have been or are still made by dozens of major semiconductor vendors, including Texas Instruments, Intersil, Maxim, Avago, Exar, Fairchild, NXP and STMicroelectronics. 

Camenzind also introduced the idea of phase-locked loop to design and invented the first class D amplifier.

Camenzind was a prolific author with interests as diverse as electronics textbooks and the history of the industry ("Much Ado About Almost Nothing") to a book on God and religion ("Circumstantial Evidence"). He wrote under the pen name John Penter. He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara, and, during his career secured 20 patents. 

He is survived by his wife Pia, his daughter Sue (Erol Kirelik), his sons Robert (Amy), Peter (Lisa), Tim (Marie), and nine grandchildren.  

Gil Jones '71 on July 6, 2009. Jones passed away last week at his home in Olympia, Wash., after a two and a half year battle with cancer. Gil was born in San Jose, Calif., in 1949. He graduated from James Lick High School in San Jose and promptly began pursuing his undergraduate degree. While in college, Gil developed a love for travel; studying abroad at Heidelberg University in Germany. He graduated with honors from Santa Clara University. After college Gil spent much time traveling the world before marrying the love of his life, Twylla, in 1977. Together they developed a love for remodeling houses and entertaining friends and family. Gil also indulged his life long love of cars, owning many classic sports cars along the way. Together Gil and Twylla had three children, Jonathan, Christiane, and Sarah, to whom Gil devoted much of his time and attention. He spent the majority of his life in retail management, but refused to be defined by it. Gil was a committed man of faith, always active in his local church and supporting many non-profit organizations. He will be dearly missed by friends and family alike. He is survived by his wife and children, his daughter-in-law, Meagan, and his sister, Coral Hughes.

Franklin Dale Coffman Jr. MBA ‘71, died Aug. 7, 2011, in Shady Grove Genesis Nursing Home. Born Sept. 8, 1939, in Cambridge, Ohio, he was a son of the late Franklin D. Sr. and Donna L. Coffman. He was the husband of Virginia L. Coffman for 48 years. Mr. Coffman served in the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1967 in Germany and Vietnam. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado School of Mines, did graduate work at Carnegie Mellon University and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Santa Clara University. He was a certified professional engineer in metallurgy and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. Survivors in addition to his wife include three children, Catherine Young and husband, Greg, of Mount Airy, Erin Uy and husband, Alfven of Saint Johns, Fla. and Thayne Coffman and wife, Mae, of Austin, Texas; one sister, Candace Olvera of Portland, Ore.; one brother, Carl R. Coffman Sr. of West Columbia, Texas; and 11 grandchildren.

Francis Joseph Hughes '71 J.D. '74 on Feb. 7, 2009.  He is survived by his wife, Marya, and three children.

Fr. Gerald P. Sullivan, S.J. on May 15, 2010 in Regis Infirmary, Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos. He was a Jesuit for 60 years, a priest for 41. Gerry was born in Sacramento on July 26, 1931. He was raised in San Francisco until the age of six when his family moved to Redwood City. He graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose, and entered the novitiate at Los Gatos on August 14, 1949. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy at Gonzaga University, Gerry taught chemistry and mathematics at St. Ignatius College Preparatory, San Francisco, 1956-58 and chemistry at Brophy College Preparatory, Phoenix, 1958-59. He studied Theology at Alma College, Los Gatos, 1959-63, and he was ordained a priest on June 8, 1962. Upon completion of his studies, he returned to Brophy, where he taught art appreciation and religion, 1964-67. He then joined the Religious Studies department at Santa Clara as lecturer, 1967-68. Gerry came from a family of artists but assumed that, as a Jesuit, art could be no more than a hobby. He was delighted to find out that he could pursue his interests on a professional level. Gerry was accepted at the highly selective Art Students League of New York, where he studied under William Barnet and Robert Beverly Hale. In 1971 Gerry received his MFA and returned to Santa Clara University as a member of the Art and Art History department. He served as Department Chair, 1974-80 and retired as Senior Lecturer in 2009. Gerry worked in a variety of media, including oil, acrylic, and watercolor. He exhibited his work in a number of individual and group shows at the de Saisset Museum, the Triton Museum, and other venues. Among his work is the 8 x 24 foot acrylic on canvas mural, "The Valley Now and Then," depicting the history of the Santa Clara Valley. Commissioned by the Irvine Foundation in 1996, it now hangs in the University library. He also designed and executed the ceramic decorations for the St. Clare Chapel and Mausoleum at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery. Due to declining health, Gerry moved to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, where he continued to pray for the Church and the Society. May he rest in peace. Gerry was preceded in death by his mother and father, Mary and John; his sister Margaret Mary; his brothers, John and Kevin; his sister-in-law, Sally; and his nephew, Mark. He is survived by his loving brother, Tom; sister-in-law, Angela; nieces, Mary, Christine, Karen, and Carrol; nephews, John, Kevin, and Stephen; and their respective families.