Santa Clara Magazine

She was born on June 10, 1943, to Frank and Marie (Reilly) Hills in Trenton, N.J. and raised in Pennsylvania, Mexico, and California. Patrice attended St. Nicholas Grammar School in Los Altos, Calif. and Notre Dame High School in Belmont, Calif.

She was one of the first women allowed to attend Santa Clara University. Classmates selected her to be homecoming queen in 1964. She further distinguished herself by graduating among the top of her class with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.

Patrice married Leo William Ruth III ’65 in 1965, and they raised daughters Laura, Elaina, and Jill in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, Calif. Once the girls were off to school, she first became a teacher at St. Joseph’s School in downtown San Jose then taught at Resurrection School in Sunnyvale for several more years.

Drawn by the challenges and opportunities of Silicon Valley expansion, Patrice entered the private sector working first for Technology Development Corporation and later Olivetti Corporation. Each of these firms enhanced her skill set and developed her interest in Italian culture, language and travel.

Patrice relocated to Leesburg, Va. during 1989. She took employment as an Administrator for two different law firms; first, Manatt Phelps & Phllips and second, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, in Washington, D.C.

While there, she met and married Richard Walko, a native of Manhattan, N.Y.; he was a Senior Program Manager with the U.S. Customs Service in Washington, D.C. When Richard accepted a work opportunity in the Customs Mid-Pacific Management Center, San Francisco. during 1995, both of them relocated to a new home in Belmont. Patrice first became a Manager for Pitney Bowes Office Support Services with world-class legal and financial clients. In the end, she returned to Stanford University where she worked with the academic advisory staff.

Richard retired from the U.S. Customs Service during 2001. Once again Patrice and Richard were on the road again, this time to Las Vegas. At this point, Patrice volunteered for the American Red Cross, learned how to drive an Emergency Response Vehicle and earned her ham radio license. Within a two year period, Patrice responded to Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Jeanne, and Hurricane Katrina, assisting residents displaced during these disasters.

Patrice was an active communicant at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Las Vegas. She enjoyed quilting, the textile arts, and wild quilt trips. She belonged to the Sun City Quilting Club, where she received numerous awards for the quilts she made. She also enjoyed gardening, sunshine, and vacationing along the Russian River in Northern California. Patrice quickly became an avid lapidary enthusiast and producer of quality jewelry after her grandson introduced her to the sport of rock hounding, which is defined as amateur geology and the collecting of rocks and mineral specimens from their natural environment.

Patrice always looked forward to good times with her family and friends. She was best known for her spirited laugh, which often set an entire house full of people into riotous laughter. At the time of her death, she was preparing to visit UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco to discuss her pending kidney transplant with the UCSF respected medical staff.

Patrice was predeceased by her mother, Marie Reilly, and father, Frank Hills.

She is survived by her loving husband, Richard, in Las Vegas; a caring brother, Frank in Marin County; loving sisters Kathleen (Fred) in Las Vegas, and Joelle in Los Gatos, Calif; four devoted daughters, Laura and Elaina in San Jose, and Jill (Paul) in Menlo Park, Calif., Laura (Sean) in Arlington, Va.; two sons Ash in Salt Lake City, Utah and Phillip in Boulder, Colo.; six adoring grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews throughout the world.

submitted Sep. 14, 2012 11:27A

'64

Oren L. Christensen

Oren Lee Christensen MBA ’64 passed away peacefully on Dec. 4, 2012, after a long, courageous battle against cancer. Born in Selma, Oren grew up in Fresno, attended Fresno State College and UC Berkeley, where he studied civil and structural engineering earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. Upon graduation he attended Midshipman's School at Notre Dame University and was commissioned an Ensign, Naval Civil Engineering Corps. He served with the 103rd Navy Seabee Battalion in California, Hawaii and Guam. After completion of his military duties Oren worked in civil and structural engineering design from 1946-1958. From 1959 to 1965 he was supervisor of Facilities Planning Group at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company preparing siting and design criteria for satellite ground stations in various locations. He also received an MBA from the University of Santa Clara during this time. From 1965 to 1977 he was director of facilities planning for Stanford Research Institute. From 1977 to 1987 he took a position as vice president for new building programs, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and supervised the construction of the bank's new facilities in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Upon retirement he continued as a building program consultant for several years before devoting his time to volunteer activities in Santa Rosa and Davis. Oren was blessed with a loving marriage to Mabel Fox for 52 years. In 2000 he and Eunice Adair were married and combined their families, both having lost their spouses to cancer. Oren was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Rosa, and University Covenant Church of Davis. He was active on both churches' building programs. Music was an integral part of his life and he always found time to sing in church choirs. One of his greatest pleasures came from volunteering at Mondavi Center for the Arts. He also devoted time to Grace House until his health declined. Oren is survived by his wife Eunice; daughter Sharon Hamilton and her husband, Don; son Darrell Christensen and his wife Sandi; stepdaughters Susan Coleman-LaPlanche, husband John, and Laura Ramalingam, husband Ravi. In addition he leaves seven grandchildren, D.J. Hamilton, Christen Hamilton-Simon, Jaime Hamilton, Cameron Hamilton, Erika Christensen, Jordan Ramalingam and Zachary Ramalingam; and four great-grandchildren who brought him great pleasure. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ruby Christensen and his wife, Mabel Fox Christensen.

submitted Jan. 7, 2013 11:52A

GRD Leavey/MBA '64

Charles Patrick McCarty

Charles Patrick McCarty MBA ’64 passed away peacefully at home in Ashland, Ore. on Sept. 5, 2012, surrounded by his wife and sons.

Charles was born to Charles and Zena McCarty on May 4, 1924, in Portland, Ore. He was a graduate of the University of Portland and Santa Clara University. He served in the U.S. Army, Chemical Warfare Service in both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II from March, 1943 to January 1946. He married his beloved wife, Rosemary, on July 1, 1950, at the Church of the Madeleine in Portland, Ore. He was a long time employee of SRI International. He loved reading and walking. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and with Rosemary was a volunteer for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He was a long-time parishioner of Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church.

Charles is survived by his wife of 62 years, Rosemary; sons Thomas [Kim], James, Steven [Ellen], and Patrick [Colleen]; grandchildren Caroline, Michael, Dominic, Claire, and Kathryn; and great granddaughter Layla. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Teresa A. McCarty Quarman. Charles will be remembered as a cheerful, devout, loving husband, father, grandfather and, great grandfather.

submitted Sep. 11, 2012 7:45P

For the Alumni and Friends of Santa Clara University

Class Notes

1964