Santa Clara Magazine

Roberta T. Kuguenko J.D. '80 on June 18, 2009.

Ricardo Ivan Ramirez '80 on Oct. 25, 2008. A native of San Cristobal, Venezuela, he earned a bachelor of science degree in finance at SCU. He is survived by his wife, Susan, and two children.

Patricia Marie Boyd ’80 died on March 18, 2010 at the age of 76. Born November 28, 1933, she was a resident of Berkeley, Calif.

Maude D. Hunt '80 died May 12, 2009.

Kelley Ann Farrell '80 passed away on May 1, 2011 at age 53. She was preceded in death by her beloved father Joseph '51 and leaves behind her loving mother Margaret, best friend and sister Shannon Farrell-Hart '81, caring brother-in-law, Jamie and very special nephew, Joey. She is also survived by numerous cousins and cherished friends. Kelley graduated from Santa Clara University and University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. A lifelong resident of Sacramento, Kelley began her law career at Hanna, Brophy, Maclean, McAleer, and Jensen, then worked in private practice for over a decade. Most recently she was staff counsel at the State of California, Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. She was an active member of the Junior League for many years and served with great passion on the board of Wind Youth Services.

Jon A. Riesberg MBA '80 passed away on August 23, 2010.

Edward H. Atwell '80 on January 16, 2010, at the age of 53. He lost his courageous, 2 1/2 year battle with brain cancer. Born in San Luis Obispo, California on November 23, 1956 and raised in Sunnyvale, California. Ed was a graduate of Archbishop Mitty High School, class of 1974 and Santa Clara University class of 1980. For the last ten years Ed had been residing in Portland, Oregon until he became ill and returned to Sunnyvale. Ed was a Certified Public Accountant and was employed at Cascade Microtech, Inc. Ed enjoyed watching spectator sports and followed them with a passion. Ed is survived by his mother and father, James and Nellie Atwell of Sunnyvale, three brothers, Jim, David and Wayne Atwell, one sister, Moreen Belong, three sister-in-laws, Mary, Diana and Peggy Atwell, one brother-in-law, Dan Belong, two nieces, Ashley and Katie Atwell, four nephews, Jimmy and Matthew Atwell, Daniel and Joshua Belong, and his girlfriend Debra Delgado.

William Thomas Prewett '76, M.B.A. '81 died Monday, July 6, 2009 at his home in San Jose, Calif., following a protracted illness. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 23 years, Carol Ann Prewett; three children, Scott Prewett, Kit Prewett and Sherri Acri; and six grandchildren. Born in Calvin, Okla., in 1929 to Harold Andrew Prewett and Johnie Elizabeth Lockmiller, William attended the US Naval Academy and graduated with distinction in 1953 as first in his class in mathematics. He received two graduate degrees from Santa Clara University; an MBA in 1976 and a Masters in Economics in 1981. He spent most of his career working for 32 years with IBM and lived with his family around the world including Austria, Virginia, Arizona, and New York.

Stephen Michael Sack '81 on Oct. 31, 2008.  The San Francisco native worked in the spirits and wine industry for more than 25 years. He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Lynne; and two sons.

Roy Gerard Mytinger '81 passed away on April, 16, 2011. Roy was born the fourth child and only son to LeRoy and Flora Mytinger in Newport, Rhode Island. He attended Middletown High School and Santa Clara University where he majored in civil engineering. He was a devoted son to his parents, a loving and caring brother, and an amazing uncle to Natalie, Joel, Jeri, Rico, and Troy. Roy was a special uncle and father figure to his nephew, Troy. He taught Troy how to be a respectful and caring young man. To his sisters, Marianne, Paula, and Wanda he continued to display a sense of humor and taught them how to find bright spots during his darkest days. One of Roy's passions was cars. He enjoyed restoring cars to their original pristine shape, the most famous being his 1967 Shelby GT 500. He was considered a perfectionist and his cars were premier examples. He was a member of the Saddleback Mustang Association and the Cobra Owners' Club of America, where he grew close with many friends. Another passion of Roy's was watching hockey. He started watching his nephew and was hooked, wondering why he ever enjoyed baseball. He has been an Anaheim Ducks season ticket holder since 1993, and despite his illness, continued to enjoy Ducks' games with friends and family. Determined to continue his fight, Roy attended a Ducks' playoff game the evening preceding his death. Roy was hired by Foundation Pile, Inc. as a civil engineer in 1981, where he worked for 23 years until Lou Gehrig's disease forced his retirement. Foundation Pile, Inc. will always be endeared in the hearts of the Mytinger/Dufault family for their never-ending love and support to Roy in his journey battling Lou Gehrig's disease. Roy will forever live in our hearts as a son, brother, and friend.

Read more about Roy and his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Winter 2006 issue of Santa Clara Magazine.

Monte Gene Pasquinelli '81 was born Feb. 23, 1958 and passed away on August 10, 2009. Monte was a generous, kind-hearted man, much loved by his wife of 26 years, Kathi, and his two children, Rachel and Jared. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hiking, camping, and tennis. He enjoyed working on projects with his father Gene at their family cabin and was a loving, supportive son to his mother, Lorraine. He enjoyed a wonderful relationship with his sisters Gina and Sherri and his extended family. Educated at St. Clare's, Bellarmine, and Santa Clara University , Monte established a wide circle of friends; their antics and practical jokes will continue to make us all laugh. Monte went on to work as an asset manager for Borelli Investment Company for 30 years. He worked tirelessly, with integrity and was well respected by both his colleagues and clients.

Mary Nell (Applegate) Rogers MBA '81 of Los Altos passed away Sept. 1, 2012, after a long illness. Born Jan. 26, 1934, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Mary studied electrical engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Upon graduating, she worked for General Electric in New York and in 1955 married Robert Rogers MBA '74, a fellow engineer from GE. Three years later she "retired" to raise a family and in 1961 the family moved west, settling in Los Altos. In 1976 Mary returned to work as an engineer, joining Lockheed Missiles & Space. Mary also volunteered for the Girl Scouts and was an active member of the Society of Women Engineers, eventually holding high offices for both organizations and gaining national recognition as an advocate for women in science. In 1981 she received her MBA from Santa Clara University. Upon her second retirement, in 1998, Mary spent much of her time gardening; she also enjoyed puzzles and needlepoint. Mary is survived by her children, Bob Jr., Beverly, Beth and Molly; and four grandchildren.

Mark A. McAtee '81 died on March 26, 2012. Born in San Rafael, Mark entered SCU to study electrical engineering and play football for Coach Pat Malley '53. Mark was named an Academic All-American in 1981. After graduating from SCU, Mark worked for ESL in Sunnyvale, TRW and Northrop Grumman in Colorado. He is survived by his wife, Mary (Mastro) '81, and children Kevin, Colin, and Katherine.

John Patrick Mirch ’81 May 15, 1959 - October 27, 2012 Resident of San Jose--a great man, a father of two, a loving husband, a brother and a son. John Patrick Mirch was born May 15, 1959 to his loving parents Eileen and Patrick Mirch ’55 in San Francisco, CA. He enjoyed this life and shared that joy with all of those around him including his three sisters, Mary Ellen Mirch, Kathy (Hal) Hainley and Patty (Scott) Weber, his two brothers Joe (Irene) Mirch and Michael Mirch, and numerous nieces and nephews. On April 24th, 1982 he married the love of his life, Laurie Borello ’80. Together they raised two beautiful sons Matthew and David. Something can be said about his spirit - he bravely fought cancer for two years, smiling and joking until the very end. The generosity and kindness he had for others showed in the immense love and support that was bestowed upon him in his final days. He passed peacefully in his sleep with his family by his side and now resides with our Lord in heaven. He will be dearly missed.

Edward Francis Reilly MBA '81 passed away on May 19, 2011. A resident of Sunnyvale, Edward was born in Astoria, N.Y., where he attended elementary and high school. He obtained his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and his MBA from Santa Clara University. He is survived by his three children, Colleen Reilly, Ed Reilly, and Maureen Reilly Wahl; his first grandchild, Shay; and also by his ex-wife Mary Ann Reilly. Ed was an eloquent lover of knowledge and life. He followed the news closely, always prepared to debate the salient points of popular politics, whether local or international, modern or historical. Ed was a uniquely clever and witty man. We mourn his passing and forever celebrate his life.

David Louis Normandin '81, resident of San Jose, passed away suddenly of natural causes on November 20. He was known for his generosity, heart of gold, and spontaneous free spirit.   David was born June 1, 1957, in Colorado Springs, Colo., graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory in 1975, and earned a business degree from Santa Clara University in 1981.  He worked at Normandin Chrysler Jeep and Dodge in the Customer Service Department for many years, and spent his recent years caring for his two children as well as working as a jack-of-all-trades. He touched the lives of those who knew him with his kindness, generosity and sense of adventure. He often pulled up to his family members' driveways in his van, blasting classic rock music and inviting them along to catch frogs with him. He had a deep love for nature, and enjoyed visiting Yosemite for fishing trips. David approached the prospect of helping others with unbridled enthusiasm, from moving his niece into her college dorm room to spending hours painting fences or working on projects at his siblings' and friends' houses. He also had a sharp focus for creativity - the Christmas lights that adorned his home each year became famous throughout the neighborhood. Visits with David would usually involve some great barbeque (lots of meat), plenty of laughter, and at least one adventure.  David is survived by his wife Michelle, and is the adored father of Tristan and Sarah. He is also survived by his parents Lon '81 and Peggy Normandin and siblings Caren Normandin '79, Lisa McHugh '81, Mark Normandin, Diane Azevedo, and Paul Normandin. He was a beloved uncle to 16 nieces and nephews. He will be sorely missed.

Anita Constance Arellano '81 on  June 21, 2009. After a six-year battle with ovarian cancer, Anita Arellano, 76, died on June 21, 2009. On August 8, 1932, Constance "Connie" Garcia de Estudillo Arellano gave birth in Oakland, Calif., to a baby girl, who she named 'Anita'. Connie was born south of the border, and her husband, Elias ('Al') was a native Californian. This little girl was brought up in Alameda, Calif., during the Great Depression and spent the war years and high school in Oakland. In 1950 she attended San Jose State College, where she majored first in journalism and then in history. She graduated with a BA in 1954, and married Carl Pohlhammer, a fellow historian, the following year. After a year in France with the U.S. Army, the couple settled in Berkeley, Calif., where Anita worked in the University of California's Coe Library. After a brief stint in a pre-medical program she attained a Master's Degree in history and political science from San Jose State, to go along with her General Secondary Credential. In 1963 the couple moved to the Monterey Peninsula, where they reside to this day. In addition to teaching at Monterey Peninsula College, she acquired a J.D. from the University of Santa Clara Law School, and practiced law for many years. While at Santa Clara she studied at Oxford, England, during one summer. She had a private pilot's license, a Red Cross sailing and life saving certificate, a scuba divers' certificate and a Junior College Life Credential. She managed several political campaigns and served as a delegate to the 1984 Democratic National Convention. She ran twice, unsuccessfully, for the Pacific Grove City Council in the 1980s, and she served on both the Alameda and Monterey Democratic Central Committees. She and her husband attended both inaugurations of President Bill Clinton. At Monterey Peninsula College she served as president of the Academic Senate, delegate to the statewide academic senate (ASCCC) and she served on a number of committees, including the Affirmative Action, Presidential Selection and Inter-cultural Relations Committees. Since coming to Monterey in 1963, she was a member of many boards, including the United Nations Organization, the World Affairs Council, the Sierra Club (Ventana Chapter), Fort Ord Flying Club and others. Over a long and busy life she has been a photographer, a flyer, a hiker, a sailor, a skier and has traveled extensively in California, Alaska, Hawaii and other states, South America, the South Pacific, Africa, Canada, Russia, and England, sharing experiences with and learning from many peoples in varied cultures in different lands.

 Bruce E. Lowery ’81 passed away on Aug. 30, 2011.

Bob Maximoff MBA '81 passed away suddenly on October 2, at age 86. Bob was grateful to have lived a full life. The youngest of 3 children, he grew up during the depression in Kansas City. He attended Southwest High School, where he met his wife. He served in the Army in WWII in Okinawa and graduated from the University of Illinois. An engineer and manager with Standard Vacuum Oil Company (Exxon) from 1950-75, Bob enjoyed a wonderful life in New York, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. He then settled in Los Altos, worked for Bechtel and earned an MBA from Santa Clara University, where he later taught financial management to undergraduate students in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bob was on the board of the Peninsula Symphony and a member of Mensa. He loved history, poetry, writing, the harmonica, tinkering and maintaining the family cabin. He cared deeply for his country and authored Op/Ed pieces in the NY Times and SJ Mercury.

Bob is survived by Pat, his wife of 61 years, who shared his fabulous journey, his 2 sons, Tim and Chris, and their families, as well as 2 sisters, Mary (Maxie) Bentzen and Betty Alice Schaffer.

Yolande Alix '82, resident of Campbell, Calif., passed away on September 12, 2009, at the age of 86 years. Wife of the late Roland Alix; dear mother of Joanne Alix of Campbell; John (Phyllis) Alix of Los Altos; David (Liz) Alix of Santa Barbara; Susan (Eric) Hultman of Campbell; and Peter (Sally) Alix of San Jose. Grandmother of Aimee, Sean, Adam, Christopher, Sara, Laura and Maddi, great-grandmother of Cadee. Yola was an avid reader, amateur genealogist and family historian. She was a member of the Catala Club of Santa Clara University, and St. Basil's Catholic Couples Club.

Thomas M. Small J.D. '82 passed away on January 26, 2011.

Thelma R. Epstein MA ’82, resident of Cupertino, passed away Dec. 6, 2011. Thelma was born in Dallas, Texas, and completed her BA in Spanish from Southern Methodist University. Thelma later earned advanced degrees, one in U.S. History from California State University, Sacramento, and another in Special Education, Learning Disabilities from Santa Clara University. Thelma devoted her life to family, teaching, community service and political activism. Thelma taught for nine years in Redlands, Calif., and then continued her career as an instructor of U.S. History at De Anza College for twenty-four years. She served as vice president of the Foothill-De Anza Faculty Association, president of the Bay Faculty Association, treasurer and governor for Retired Faculty of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, commissioner of the De Anza College Commission, and served on the boards of the Cupertino Library Foundation and the California History Center Foundation. Thelma was a lifelong member of AAUW,  holding both local and statewide offices. She was an active member of Shir Hadash Congregation as well as an avid 49ers, Giants, and Stanford football fan. Thelma is survived by Raymond, her loving husband of fifty-four years, children Bruce (Toni), Julie (Joel), David (Andrea); seven grandchildren; a brother and a sister.

Paul Dennis Jr. M.A., Nov. 1, 2008.

Kathryn Lisa Garcia ’82, Jan. 30, 2012. A resident of San Jose, she was born June 25, 1960. Kathryn leaves to cherish her parents, Ismael and Angie Florez, and her husband of 27 years, Jay Garcia, and her two beautiful children, Jason and Veronica '12. Kathryn lived a full and admirable life while she was with us. Kathryn graced many stages with her beautiful dancing but is most known by her students with the teaching of dance, and of life. Kathryn was most proud of her family, who will remain strong and together, living up to her every expectation. She will be missed by all whom she touched. Kat, we love you.

William Carroll “Bill” Mitchell '83 was born February 19, 1961, in Tulsa, Okla., to Thomas J. and Marilyn J. (Donovan) Mitchell. He passed from this life peacefully at his home Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at the age of 49. Bill was a life-long Tulsan and graduated from Cascia Hall Preparatory School in 1979. He received his Bachelor’s degree in finance from Santa Clara University in 1983. He returned to Tulsa where he received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa in 1986 and ran a successful private law practice for nearly 25 years. Bill was preceded in death by his father and his brother, Thomas J. Mitchell, Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Amanda; two sons, William, II and Brendan, all of the home; his mother, Marilyn Dock; and, his sister, Debbie, both of Tulsa.