Friends of the University

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Victor Novak, former director of SCU libraries, passed into eternity quietly in his sleep Friday morning, 12/9/11. Born in Slovenia in 1923, he was educated in Ljubljana and was awarded a doctoral degree in Political Science from the University of Graz, Austria in 1949. He came to the US the same year and settled in Cleveland, OH. In 1952 he married Cirila Cesnik, who succumbed to cancer in 1979. Victor earned a Master of Library Science degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1954 and worked in the library field there until he moved to California where he joined the Santa Clara University staff in 1957. He became Director of Libraries of SCU in 1969, retiring from that post in 1985. He enjoyed hiking and traveling back to his native land on numerous occasions. In the early 1980s he met Hille Sonin, Head of Acquisitions at the University of San Francisco. They married in 1991, and spent many years traveling extensively around the word. After a long illness, Victor succumbed to the ravages of dementia. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Hille, and his sister Marija and other relatives in Slovenia. Cherished by loved ones and respected by all, Victor will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by many in the Bay Area and abroad. Special thanks are extended to the staff at the Nobis Care Homes for their gentle support in recent years. Memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 15, 2011, at St. Ignatius Church, University of San Francisco campus. McAVOY O’HARA Co 415-668-0077

08 Nov 2018