Santa Clara University

Winter 2003 - Class Notes - Deaths



Santa Clara Magazine » Winter 2003 » Class Notes - Deaths
Class notes

Deaths

32Peter Lehr, March 31. He attended SCU on an athletic scholarship, playing football and baseball. He later owned Lehr Trucking, three gas stations, four orange groves, and Buddy's Burgers in Anaheim. He is remembered as a philanthropist in Lake Elsinore, where he donated land for The Diamond stadium. He is survived by his wife, Ernestine, daughters Deanne Lehr and Jeanette Erdel, sons Peter Jr. and Ron, 19 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. Gregory T. Martin, M.A. '33, Aug. 5. A native of Vallejo, he served two tours in the Pacific as a gunnery officer for the Navy during World War II. His life's work was in the insurance business, first with Metropolitan Life, then, for more than 35 years, with Dempsey Insurance Service. He was an active member of St. Leo's Parish, the Bellarmine and Mother Butler Dad's Clubs, and the SCU Alumni Association. He was also an avid fly-fisherman. He is survived by daughters Mary Facchetti and Kathleen Martin; sons Gregory, John Martin, S.J., Terence, and Michael; seven grandsons; and three greatgrandchildren.

 

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S. Milton Piuma, July 7. A native of San Luis Obispo, he joined his grandfather and uncles in the imported food and wine business the family established in 1884 in Los Angeles. In 1948, he opened Piuma Café adjacent to the family store. After marrying, he sold his restaurant and worked for the owners of Shopping Bag Grocery Co., which later merged with the Von's food chain. From 1962 to 1975, he worked at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, from which he retired as director of the Staff Personnel Department. He was president of A.I.D., a fore-runner of the United Way,was active in the California State Employees Association, and was a founding member of the Knights of Columbus of St. Paul Parish of Pismo Beach. He was active in the parish for 38 years, including editing the parish bulletin for more than 30 years and serving as a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. He is survived by son Stephen, daughter Cesca, and two grandsons. He was preceded in death by his wife of 38 years, Teresa.

41Arthur J. Olsen, Jan. 21. He is survived by his wife, Graciela, daughter Patricia Olsen Matthews, son Christopher, sister Mary Butler, brother Bernard, and two grandchildren.
42Cyrus J. McMillan J.D. '47, July 2. A native of Richfield, Utah, he interrupted his college years at SCU by enlisting in the Army. He was assigned to military intelligence and served in the Southwest Pacific. At the end of the war, he returned to SCU and earned a law degree with honors. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Burlingame where he was a partner in the law firm Anderson, McMillan, and Connelly, which specialized in real estate law. He served a term as president of the Chamber of Commerce,was a long-time member of the Rotary and Elk's clubs, and was on the board of directors of Anza Pacific Corporation, which helped in the development of Burlingame's bayfront property. He was a supporter of Ducks Unlimited and the Waterfowl Association. He retired from the law profession in 1986 and moved to Redwood Shores before finding a second home in Big Sky, Mont. He was preceded in death by his wife and is survived by his sister, Della; daughters Sharon '70 and Denise; sons Michael, Daniel, Kevin, and Brian '83; and grandchildren.
44Jack McKillop, June 22. A native of Oroville, he played football at Santa Clara until he was called to military service in 1943. He served in the Philippines and later as an investigating officer of war crimes. After finishing active service in 1946, he earned his political science degree at SCU and moved back to Oroville, where he began raising his family and earned a secondary teaching credential from Chico State University. He was an agent for 40 years with Bankers Life Nebraska (now Ameritus) and after retirement became a licensed real estate agent. He was an Oroville city councilman and Butte County Supervisor in the 1960s and '70s. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and Eagles fraternities, and the Oroville Rotary. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Norma, daughter Jill Prouty, son Jack, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
49William F. Kotta, Oct. 14, 2002. An Air Force veteran of World War II, he piloted B-17s and completed 25 missions over Germany before his plane was shot down and he and his crew were taken prisoners of war until the conflict ended. The San Francisco native was a standout basketball player who played for a short time at SCU after the war. He was a long-time employee of Fuller O'Brien Paints and retired from the City of San Francisco. He is survived by sons Bill and Tom, daughter Lois Humphrey, and 11 grandchildren.
50James L. Borkenhagen, April 7. A native of Hutchinson, Minn., he is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lucille; sons James Michael and Steve; daughters Cindy Borkenhagen, Lisa Hioki, and Laura Roberts; 12 grandchildren; brothers George and David; and sisters June Starr and Mae Chase.
51Louis H. Knoop, July 19. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children Cheryl Kelly, Janice Burrows, Marilyn "Babe" Douglass, and Jamie Knoop; 10 grandchildren; and one greatgranddaughter. John Richard Simpson, March 12. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., he attended SCU on a football scholarship and later earned a law degree from Gonzaga University. He served in the U.S. Army and worked in the Everett,Wash. prosecutor's office before becoming assistant prosecuting attorney in Olympia. He was then an attorney for Everett Land Title and the Commonwealth Company until his retirement. He was active in his community through such organizations as Immaculate Conception Church, Sertoma, Knights of Columbus, Elks Lodge, and the Everett Golf and Country Club. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; children Cathy, Chris, Karen, Craig, and Connie; and six grandchildren.
52Robert A. Emme, June 4. A native of Los Angeles, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a CPA and for 20 years was the business manager for James Arness, the actor who played Matt Dillon on the television show "Gunsmoke." Upon retiring, he and his wife moved to Auburn, Calif. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Roxanna; daughters Linda Kodet and Christine Keenan; sons Mike, Tom, Jim, and John; and 11 grandchildren.
53Francis Joseph Sieve, June 24. A native of Van Nuys, he moved with his family to the Monterey Peninsula in 1947. After graduating from SCU, he served two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He worked for IBM for 32 years, and after retirement worked as a bus driver in Carmel.
54Thomas Francis Doyle, Aug. 5. He was a first lieutenant for the U.S. Army in Germany from 1954-56. He was a member of the California State Bar for more than 48 years and was passionate about human rights, peace, and justice. He is survived by his wife, Carmen, daughter Amy Amelot, stepson John Hedlund, and sisters Sheila Bliss and Claire Camozzi. Ernest Oliver McCormick, May 31. A native of San Francisco and an Army veteran, he was a descendant of one of the city's oldest families. His mother, Aileen (Tobin),was a member of the family that founded Hibernia Bank and the city's oldest law firm, Tobin & Tobin. He worked for 20 years at Hibernia, retiring in 1977 as senior vice president and member of the board of directors. In retirement, he pursued his lifelong love of painting-specifically through the painting of thoroughbred racehorses. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, sister Christina Merrill, daughters Laura and Summer, and son Christopher.
55Andrew J. Risso, Nov. 24, 2002. A native of San Francisco, he worked 39 years for Lockheed in Sunnyvale before moving to Napa after his retirement. He was a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and enjoyed gardening and cooking. He is surived by his wife, Barbara; sons Kenneth and Michael; daughters Catherine, Jeanne M. Sellgren, Linda J. Henshaw, Lori A. Knuckley, and Lisa M. Kaluski; mother Sylvia Risso; brother Richard; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
58Robert Tilson Maynard J.D., June 28. He served during World War II in the Seabee detachment of the U.S. Navy from 1943-45 and was mayor of Santa Clara in 1966 and 1967. He is survived by his wife, Linda, son Steven, stepchildren Gary Mastriana and Arena Burke, and four grandchildren.
60Dennis F. Miller MBA '69, May 1. A native of South Dakota, he loved the outdoors, especially golfing and hunting. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judy; daughters Cynthia M. Kozal '84, Lisa, Jennifer, and Katie; and son David.
65Daniel Harwood, Sept. 6, 2002. A native of New York City, he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 and served in the Airways Communication Division until 1946. He designed military equipment in Los Alamos, N.M. and helped develop nuclear medical devices at Brookhaven Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. During the height of the space program, he helped design internal guidance systems for the Gemini and Apollo projects. In 1975, he became a technical consultant, specializing in accident reconstruction and safety engineering.
66H. Darold Cook J.D., March 21. A native of Indianapolis, he worked for Lockheed Aircraft Co. before opening a law practice in San Luis Obispo County in 1970. He retired from the legal profession in 2000. He is survived by a brother, Kenneth; sons Walter, Franklin, and Andrew; and three grandchildren. John Lawrence Wray MBA, Jan. 31. A native of Maryville, Mo., he earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri, a master's degree in nuclear engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from SCU. During four years of service in the Air Force, he was assigned to the Defense Atomic Support Agency at the Pentagon and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal. He was a member of the Leavenworth Community United Methodist Church, the Leavenworth Lions Club, and the Masonic lodges of Leavenworth and Maryville, Mo. He was also a member of Mensa, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is survived by his wife, Jane, daughters Mary Deauville and Nancy Rummel, stepdaughter Jennifer McDonald, stepson Matthew Turnbull, and nine grandchildren.
69Richard Branditz Iglehart J.D., July 2. An Alameda County Superior Court judge, he served in Germany as an Army officer in the Third Armored Cavalry before graduating from SCU's School of Law. He was a career prosecutor who became chief district attorney in Alameda and San Francisco counties, and chief assistant for the criminal division for California Attorney General John Van de Kamp. He also served as chief counsel to the Assembly Public Safety Committee, as a California District Attorneys Association lobbyist, and as an Assembly fellow. He taught law courses, lectured at the FBI Academy, and mentored young people. He was an avid fisherman, hiker, kayaker, sportsman, and poker and bridge player. He is survived by his wife, Judith, son Matthew, stepsons Christopher Caporicci and Scott Pacult, sister Barbara Boeving, and brother Alan. James W. Murzyn, May 28, 2002.
70Christine Ranes M.A. '72, Oct. 1, 2002.
71Robin G. Stuart, Dec. 7, 2002. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, he was a retired nuclear engineer. He is survived by his wife, Deidre.
74Sam M. Christofano, Aug. 4. A former teacher at SCU and an emeritus fellow of the Engineering Alumni Board and the Ethics Center, he was director of public works for the City of Santa Clara for many years and was involved with the rerouting of The Alameda around the SCU campus. He is survived by daughters Karen Lee Hodskins and Nancy Ruth de Caro, sister Vivian Deyle, and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth June Christofano, and daughters Valerie Ann and Marilyn Kay. John J.Weisner, March 5. A native of Spicer, Ore., he worked 23 years for the Garin Co. and 11 years for Arrow Lettuce, from which he retired in 1988. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served as unit commander of the 503rd parachute infantry in the Philippines during World War II. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and served as a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was selected "Knight of the Decade" for 1970- 80. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and crossword puzzles. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Cecile "Sis"Weisner, daughters Peggy Simmons and Judy Lisk, sisters Sister Beatrice Weisner and Sister Anna Weisner, brothers Henry and Larry, and four grandchildren.
76Patricia Robles, March 28. A faculty member atWalter Stiern Library at California State University, Bakersfield for almost 20 years, she loved to travel and watch her son play basketball. She is survived by her husband, Rick, son Matt, mother Marie, and five siblings.
78Terry Vane, June 22. A native of New York City, he was a talented athlete and respected San Jose teacher and coach. He and his high school sweetheart, Roxanne, entered SCU together and were later married. While a recruiter for Trendtech and Management Solutions, he always found time to volunteer as a basketball coach. Three years ago, he quit his recruiting job and took a full-time teaching post at St. Francis Cabrini school in San Jose, where he taught math and coached various sports. He loved games, particularly crossword puzzles, and enjoyed flying model airplanes. He is survived by his wife and four children: Adriane, Marissa, Patrick, and Kelly.
79Michael Scott Raab, July 24, 2002. He is survived by his wife, Martha. Robert C. Sanchez, March 29. A veteran of World War II, he founded Casa Sanchez, San Francisco's first tortilla factory. He is survived by his wife, Martha; sons Robert Jr., George, and Jim; daughters Marcha and Liz; siblings Juliana and Lupe; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
82Myron E. Lee, June 15, 2002.
83Sandra Jean Weidig Cully, June 30. She worked as a lawyer in private practice and as the Santa Clara County family mediator. She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Mike; daughters Kathy, Megan, and Shannon; six grandchildren; sisters Sharon Marco and Debbie Hertzner; and brother Lawrence W.Weidig. Janet Margaret (Shaw) Muehl, July 18. A native of Bryn Mawr, Pa., she attended Bucknell University and graduated from the Cornell University School of Nursing. She worked as a school nurse at McKinley School in San Jose for more than 30 years, until her retirement in 1997. She loved working to preserve and create open space in the Bay Area and later in life became a member of the Unitarian Church. She is survived by daughters Jennifer Friedenback and Karen Wildman, sister Lucinda Shaw, and six grandchildren.
85Linda L. Voydat J.D. '88, Sept. 4, 2002. A native of Palo Alto, she worked in the auto industry for many years and enjoyed motorcycle and auto racing. Her hobbies included riding motorcycles, blues singing, playing guitar, writing poetry, and cooking. She studied in Italy and learned to speak the language fluently. After earning her law degree from SCU, she worked as a trial attorney for the California State Automobile Association for 10 years. She is survived by her parents, Dr. Stephen R. and Marion Voydat; brothers Stephen, Robert, and James; and numerous other relatives.
93Devora-Leah Wolf, Jan. 13.
96Maha H. Khalaf, July 29. After graduating with honors from SCU, she earned a degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. She began her legal career with the San Francisco firm McCutcheon, Doyle, Brown, and Enerson. Upon being diagnosed with lymphoma, she began a campaign to register potential bone marrow donors. While no donor match was found for her, other matches were made as a result of her public awareness campaign. For more information, see www.matchformaha.org. She is survived by her mother, Rola; her father, Hanna; and her sister, Na.
02Dodge Douglas Kaualani Ackerman, June 21. A native of Kealakekua, Hawaii, he graduated from the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School and was a member of the National Collegiate Boxing Association. He is survived by his parents, Arnold D. and Noel Black Ackerman.
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