Leigh Ellen (Carter) Halvorsen MBA ’79 met and married met and married Ronald Halvorsen while in college. After he died, she moved to Santa Rosa, CA in 1989 and then to her own ranch in 1998. Leigh worked as a systems analyst, controller, and accountant for many tech companies. Leigh always had a black cat and raised […]

A fabulous golfer—three hole-in-ones—and an amazing storyteller Ray Wagstaffe ’79 died March 10, 2020. But not before he could fit a great life into 63 years, despite facing cancer and diabetes. Wagstaff worked in international sales for Texas Instruments, among other jobs, witnesses Matt Cain’s perfect game, and shared more stories than is possible to count. He […]

Janet Napolitano ’79 received the Change Maker Award at the Fourth Annual Experience Matters Luncheon. She has experience as the 21st Arizona Governor from 2003 to 2009. She was named U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security by President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. She was also the University of California system President since 2013 but […]

The son of Lee O. Torr III and Regina E. (Cuneo) Torr, Lee Torr IV ’79 was a lifelong resident of Monte Rio, attending Monte Rio Elementary School and graduating from Santa Rosa’s Cardinal Newman High School (class of 1974) before graduating from SCU. In 1979 he joined his father in the real estate and […]

Elgin Harry Martin Jr. ’79 was born in San Jose and passed away at the age of 63 on Oct. 20, 2019. He was predeceased by his parents, Elgin Sr. Martin and Ruth Anne Martin (Gill). He is survived by his wife, Monica Freeborn; his children, Elgin III, Shannon, and Nicole; his grandchildren, Elgin IV, Miles, […]

Jonathan Lee Willis J.D. ’79 was born on June 12, 1948, in Los Angeles, along with his twin sister, Julianne. Throughout Jon’s childhood, the family moved from LA to Merced, California, to Aurora, Illinois, and then back again to Merced, where Jon graduated from Merced High School. He attended several colleges, pursuing varied interests and […]

Basil P. Fthenakis J.D. ’79 practiced and specialized in commercial litigation in Silicon Valley for 20 years before transitioning into technology-related corporate work as a sole practitioner. He passed away on Sept. 27, 2018.

After more than 37 years on the airwaves, Bud Nameck ’79 is retiring from KXLY in Spokane, Washington. His first 13 years at KXLY were spent as a TV sports director. His next venture was radio, serving as the program director and host of KXLY 920 Morning News. Throughout his career, Nameck was the voice […]

Michael Dee ’79 is director of real estate for Inspire Brands, a large restaurant company that owns and operates Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rusty Taco, and Sonic. He and his wife, Julie, live in Dallas. They have three daughters, Lauren, Nicole, and Mary, and all three are Arkansas Razorbacks!

Kevin McDonnell ’79 has been elected to the Petaluma City Council. He has been active in the city of Petaluma since arriving in 1984. McDonnell ran on a platform of experience—from heading up the local youth soccer league for a decade to serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission and founding the citizen involvement group Know […]

Beloved husband, father, son, friend, and teacher Dave Fiore ’79 was born on April 18, 1957, in San Francisco. He went to Pioneer High School in San Jose, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He attended SCU, where he met the love of his life, Tracey (Hammond) Fiore ’82. He played rugby and graduated […]

A man of faith, peace, compassion, and social justice, Roy C. Hoch M.A. ’79 was born in 1927 in Butler, Pennsylvania, the last of five children born to Rose and Farrel Hoch. He graduated from Butler High School and entered the Navy near the end of WWII. In recruit training Roy sang with the Navy […]

Born on Oct. 9, 1956, in Bethesda, Maryland, Joseph Jay Pausner III ’79 was a gentleman, Eagle Scout, acolyte and a raconteur. He graduated from Aragon High School, where he was a cross-ountry runner, and SCU. He was a kind, pleasant, and generous man with a special interest in the entertainment industry history, particularly TV […]

John R. Quinn ’79 was born in Riverside, California, to Elizabeth Constance (Carroll) and Ralph Joseph Quinn on March 28, 1929. As the youngest of four children by many years, John was raised largely by his eldest sister, Rita, and by his siblings, Graham and Constance, after their mother entered the workforce. Elizabeth worked as […]

Michael G. Ruso ’79 died on January 21, 2015, from heart failure at the age of 57. He was born on August 12, 1957 in Watsonville, CA. Mike attended Moreland Notre Dame, Watsonville High School class of 1975 and graduated with a BS in Finance from Santa Clara University in 1979. He returned to Watsonville to […]

Luis Guerrero Hernandez M.A. ’79 was born in Sahuayo, Mexico, on July 07, 1937, and died in Colima, Mexico, on June 3, 2014. After graduating from SCU, he joined Gas Menguc back in Mexico, from which he retired after 36 years in 2011. He was an avid reader and chess player. He is survived by […]

Bruce Kent McCormick MBA ’79 was born Oct. 8, 1952. Of Granite Bay, he passed away unexpectedly at home of natural causes on Nov. 28, 2014. Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, Bruce spent his formative years in Yorktown, Indiana. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Purdue University in electrical engineering and an MBA from Santa Clara […]

Carol Sarappa Arnold MBA ’79, the wife of Dr. Charles "Buddy" Arnold, formerly of Cullison, was born Sept. 1, 1942, in Camden, N.J. Her parents were Vincenzo James Sarappa and Stella Marie Sarappa of Waterford Works, N.J. Carol grew up in Waterford Works, and in 1960 graduated from Edgewood High School. Carol was a National […]

Dennis Cavender MBA ’79, age 63, passed away on July 28, 2014, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was the beloved husband of Gail (nee Kephart) for over 40 years; the loving father of Amanda (Elliot) Bennett, Jackie (Matt) Wild, and Elizabeth (Adam) Dreyer; proud grandfather of Stella Bennett; devoted brother of Judith (Dennis) Berg […]

Brigit Kathleen Whims ’79, on June 1, 2014, closed her crystal blue eyes, never to to reopen them again in this life. She was surrounded by her family and friends and passed on peacefully at her home in Saratoga, Calif. She is survived by her husband Jim; children Maclane, Parker and Makena, as well as […]