Philip Ernstrom ’52 was the youngest 96-year-old anyone had ever known. After serving in the Navy, he pursued his education on the GI Bill at Santa Clara University, where he met his future wife, Angela. With her support, Phil realized his dream of becoming a doctor, leading him to become a general surgeon for 30 […]

A master at capturing even the smallest details, Stanley Terra ’52 began his journalism career at the Santa Clara University newspaper. His keen eye led him to UC Berkeley, then Washington, D.C., where he landed a gig as a political reporter. In late 1953, while working at the TWA ticket office in San Francisco, he […]

For more than 64 years, Noel Pearman ’52 was married to Genie and his proudest achievement was always providing for his wife and children. Noel enjoyed piano and traveling the world as a member of the Valliant Investment Association. He could often be found in piano bars during his world travels, playing bridge, or regaling […]

Born and raised in California’s wine country, the life and work of Paul Cassayre ’52 was entwined with those vineyards. A structural engineer by trade, Paul started his own engineering firm that worked on numerous local projects including many wineries. He even started and ran his own winery, Cassayre-Forni Cellars winery, until it was sold […]

A sportsman at heart and a native Angeleno Norman Slaught Sr. ’52 lettered in four different high school sports. His baseball skills earned him a scholarship to SCU. He became the tennis team captain and top player in the league. In his professional life, Norm enjoyed more than 52 years in financial services. Sports remained […]

Donlan Jones ’52 had a passion for teaching. While the majority of his professional career was spent at Tektronix, he also spent several stints as a professor of electrical engineering at Santa Clara University and various community colleges. After retiring from Tektronix, Don taught mathematics at Our Lady of the Lake Elementary School in Lake […]

Devout Christian, avid fisherman and hunter, and devoted family man Edward Rotticci ’52 died on April 16, 2023. In college, Ed played in the Orange Bowl championship and helped Santa Clara defeat Kentucky. Afterward, he served in the Korean War and returned to marry his sweetheart, Jane Mason. After a long battle with heart disease, […]

Frank Lico ’52 excelled in sports and became a baseball hall of famer at Santa Clara. He continued his athletic career by coaching little league in Willow Glen. He enjoyed many years of working and spending time with his parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins at their family-owned San Martin Winery, as well as his wife’s, […]

After graduating from Santa Clara University, John Richard “Jack” Graf ’52 became a commissioned 1st Lieutenant with the United States Marine Corps (USMC). Before leaving for service, Jack married his high school sweetheart. In his professional life, he was devoted to the students, teachers and staff he served. Jack spent 39 years in public education, culminating […]

Donald Bordenave ’52 originally set out to be an attorney, however, after serving in the Korean War he realized his true calling in life was education. After earning his teaching credentials he went on to teach English, History and coach football at Santa Clara High School. He would go on to be associated with the […]

Henry “Von” Von der Mehden ’52, grew up on a ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After graduation, he served in Korea at the end of the Korean War. Upon return, Henry attended the GM Institute and started his 50-year career selling and leasing automobiles. It was at his first job with Les Vogel Chevrolet […]

Richard “Dick” Hoedt ’52 was a founding member of the water polo team in 1950. After graduation, he took his love of sports to The Olympic Club, where he was a member for 79 years and a board member from 1991-1993. Dick had three holes-in-one to his name. He also served the SF Dental Society […]

In 1946, when his father died suddenly, John Giacomazzi ’52 quit the football team, took over Greenawalt Ranch, and worked tirelessly for the rest of his life to sustain it. When he graduated from high school, John drove his model-T Ford to San Jose State. After two years there, John transferred to Santa Clara University. […]

Don Callejon ’52 was born to a Spanish immigrant and a first-generation Californian in 1930 in San Jose. The family, including younger sister June, raised cauliflower, cherries, walnuts, and rabbits. As a young man Don spent many arduous seasons in the fields, sometimes trudging behind a plow. This forged his legendary work ethic. Don met Clare Silvera […]

Longtime Sacramento insurance executive Robert Henderson ’52 died on February 1, 2021 from Covid-19 at the age of 90. After graduating from Santa Clara, Robert served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954. He married the love of his life, Patti June, in 1956, and founded his own business under the name of Robert M. Henderson […]

Richard “Dick” Colombini ’52 died on January 23, 2021, after a brief battle with COVID-19. Dick, then called “Scooter,” grew up in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood, where six aunties and 20 first cousins were within walking or roller-skating distance. It was a tight-knit family and his cousins were his best friends. A gifted athlete, Scooter played centerfielder and […]

Robert “Bob” Peters ’52 was born in San Francisco to parents Bill and Angela, who immigrated from Germany and Austria respectively. When Bob graduated from high school, he got a job because he didn’t think he’d get the opportunity to attend college. But his father, a delivery driver for Mothers Cookies, told him to quit, determined that […]

Long-time resident of Saratoga Henry Yamate ’52 passed away on December 10, 2020. He was born in Monterey, California, and was the eldest of three children born to Takenori and Misao Yamate. In response to the relocation order for persons of Japanese descent in 1942, Henry and his family moved to Rocky Ford, Colorado, and […]

One of the last hop growers in California was born Bernard Joseph Rooney ’52, but very few people actually knew his birth name. “Babe,” as he was known to friends and foes alike, was a fourth generation Sacramentan—his great grandfather came from Ireland at the beginning of the Gold Rush and the family flourished there […]

To best ponder the life of John Sully ’52, his family advises a walk in the woods. After serving in the U.S. Army, Sully began working at CalTrans as a right-of-way agent. It was a position he morphed into senior field biologist, once his Master’s in ecology was in hand. Through that scholarship and work, he […]