Phyllis Christensen MBA ’86 was a gifted athlete, with a deep love for swimming and running that lasted much of her life. She enjoyed a diverse career, working as a branch manager at Bay Federal Credit Union as well as in the construction industry and as an insurance billing specialist. Later in life, despite facing […]

Sheila Nolte ’86 cherished trips in Maui, reveled in San Francisco Giants games, and loved dining out, savoring each bite and sharing heartfelt conversations with friends over a glass of wine. Sheila built a respected career at Tandem Computers, Cisco Systems, and more, and was known for her dedication and loyalty. Her first job out […]

Russell Lipetzky J.D. ’86 grew up on the family ranch in Alpine, CA. With nature right outside his doorstep, Russell developed a great passion for it. He loved exploring the beauty of the natural environment through hiking and camping. He was also a devoted father and included his daughters on his trips whenever possible. Russell […]

Karen Hall M.A. ’86 was especially proud of being a joint founder of PACER (Post Adoption Center for Education and Research). Karen was adopted as a child and wanted to create an organization that understood adoption as a lifelong process. It was through PACER that Karen located and formed a firm bond with her biological […]

The insult “not a rocket scientist” did not apply to Roberta Bell MBA ’86. She put her chemistry degree to good work designing rocket fuels at Stanford Research Institute. Roberta later earned her MBA from Santa Clara and taught economics there and at nearby De Anza College. Her greatest pride was her family. Roberta also […]

A stint with radio at KSCU sparked a lifelong passion for music in Carlos Díaz ’86, who opened up his record shop, Knight Sounds, where he was known for his attentiveness and work ethic. For more than 40 years, Carlos stayed true to the art of DJing and vinyl, coining the phrase “Real Vinyl Doesn’t […]

After battling cancer in 2000 and then again in 2022, Stuart Johnson ’86 dedicated much of his time to raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. When he received a stem cell transplant in 2011, Stuart made the long trip to Germany to meet his donor. Following graduation from Santa Clara, Stuart started his […]

Camille Courey ’86 was a dedicated educator who generated excellence in her students and loved collaborating with her colleagues. Camille initially trained in deaf education; however, after a career shift to assistant city attorney in San Jose and Berkeley, she returned to her first love and taught English at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara. […]

The Flaming Lips,  Cat Power, the Beastie Boys, and Green Day are just a few of the bands that rocked San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill, a concert venue founded and owned by Timothy Benetti ’86 and his brother Dave. The pair opened the space for upcoming bands and big names in 1991 after Tim had already […]

Whether she was in Santa Clara, Santa Monica, or Florence, Italy, Bretta Nock ’86 always aspired to do good. Bretta lived and worked for the past 30 years in the Santa Monica area of L.A. as a program director for the National Kidney Foundation and as the director of the Race to Erase MS. She then […]

Despite being diagnosed with stage III pancreatic cancer in 2019, Andy David “Bronco” Hospodor M.S. ’86 PhD ’94 charged ahead with his research and volunteer work with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. After losing his partner, Anne, to pancreatic cancer, Andy devoted himself to research and even lobbied members of Congress to increase awareness and […]

Together, Benjamin J. Wallach J.D. ’86 and wife Ellen Marie Levy traveled the world and enjoyed spending time with one another after they got married in 1988. He furthered his education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later received his Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University. Ben died on January 24, 2021, at […]

Kevin Alan Schwemley ’86 passed away unexpectedly on December 20, 2020, at the age of 65. Kevin was a devoted and loving son, brother, husband, uncle, father, and papa. Kevin was employed by Diede Construction and Lodi Christian School. He also loved volunteering his talents in finance for Berea Baptist Church and The Village. He had […]

Kevin James Blasingame, MS ’86 met his future wife Debbie when they both worked at Scientific Micro Systems. At the age of 32, Kevin got into medical school and the family, Debbie and their two children, moved to Philadelphia for his studies. He then joined the U.S. Navy. After six years of service, he and […]

After almost 35 years of marriage, Daniel Patrick McCormick ’86 was still madly in love with his wife, Katie. He started every day by bringing her a cup of coffee and would tell anyone who would listen that Katie was out of his league. In the months, weeks, and days before he passed, Dan would […]

Michael Glenn M.S. ’86 worked as an electrical engineer in Silicon Valley after earning his master’s in electrical engineering at Santa Clara, before transitioning to education. Michael loved yoga, hiking, and being outdoors, especially taking his dog, Tulip, for long walks in the foothills of his hometown of Boise, Idaho. Michael enjoyed participating in his […]

Michael Anthony Olenak ’86, or “Mr. O” as he was known to his students, taught in the same classroom for 30 years at Buchser Middle School in the Santa Clara Unified School District. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in History and a teaching credential at Santa Clara, he became a passionate educator who instilled […]

Born the sixth of seven children to John and Sue Rankin on October 27, 1955, John “JR” Rankin MBA ’86 spent his childhood in Los Gatos and Saratoga. He attended St. Mary’s grade school and Bellarmine College Preparatory High School, graduating in 1974. He went on to earn his bachelor’s at Chico State University and […]

A personable woman with a great sense of humor, Carol Jean Lamoreaux M.A. ’86 was born in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Walter and Lillie Brumo. She grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, with her younger brother, Gary. Carol graduated from Western Michigan University and worked in hospital administration in Madison, Wisconsin. But it was SCU that brought […]

Paula Jean Kozlak Evan ’86 was the most kind-hearted, loving, and compassionate person you could ever meet. A graduate of Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as SCU (with a degree in accounting), she lived her life following Mother Teresa’s motto: “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do […]