In Memoriam

Alumni | Faculty

Alumni

Delos “Ace” Bagby, ’41 Child Development, age 95, on May 19, in Monte Sereno. A native of Wichita, Kan., Bagby played football on the 1939 undefeated San José State team. During his career in education, he served as superintendent of the Cambrian School District in San José.

George Baglas, ’55 Finance, age 86, on May 29, in San José. A native of New York and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Baglas was stationed in Guam and Saipan, serving from 1945 until 1949. As a civilian, he worked in the insurance industry for 45 years.

Ruth Bamesberger, ’40 Physical Education, on Sept. 1, in Fairfield.

Constance Barthold, ’76 Home Economics, age 78, on Feb. 11. A native of Los Angeles, Barthold had a career in recipe development with the California Cling Peach, Avocado and Olive Advisory Boards.

James Bass, ’71 Biological Science, on Aug. 22, in San Francisco. A native of Springfield, Mo., Bass worked with the San Mateo Mosquito Abatement Control District until 2003.

Lyda Beckett, ’62 MA Education, on May 9, in Davis.

Mary Roberta Bernard, ’46 Physical Education, age 89, on Feb. 24. A native of San Francisco, Bernard taught physical education at schools in San Rafael and Los Gatos during her career. She retired from Marello Preparatory in Santa Cruz in 1974.

Marcia Bertholf, ’61 Education, on March 17, in Los Gatos.

Anne Billings, Sociology, age 88, on June 6, in Los Altos. A native of Canada, Billings taught at the E.M. Grimmer Elementary School in Fremont for almost 30 years. She retired in 2001.

Patricia Blackburn, ’77 Public Health, on May 26.

Reynaldo “Rey” Bocanegra, ’83 Chemistry, ’85 MS Physics, age 59, on June 5, in Salinas. A native of San Benito, Texas, Bocanegra attended the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1973 to 1975. After earning a second master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana in 1987, he worked for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Glen Ellen, Ill., and later for the U.S. Department of Energy in Richland, Wash.

Richard Kenneth Brady, ’56 Business Administration, age 81, on June 16, in Santa Rosa. A U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Brady played both basketball and baseball at SJSU and was inducted into the SJSU Sports Hall of Fame. After his discharge from the military, he signed with the Cleveland Indians. He owned Green Valley Construction and served on the board of Branger Mutual Water Company in Santa Rosa.

Richard D. Bryson, ’56 Natural/Physical Science, age 84, on April 1. A native of Ventura and U.S. Air Force veteran, Bryson taught science and biology at his alma mater, Santa Paula Union High School, until his 1988 retirement. For 18 summers he served as a ranger-naturalist in national parks, including Mt. Rainier and Crater Lake. A gifted musician, he played with Seniors of Note, a big band music group.

Richard P. Burke, ’72 Kinesiology, age 68, on June 8, in Antioch. A rugby player at SJSU, Burke was a member of the Young Men’s Institute (YMI) and the Most Holy Rosary and St. Ignatius churches.

Gordon Dean Burton, ’51 Geology, on Feb. 15, in Los Gatos.

James Caputo, ’50 Journalism, age 89, on April 27, in Walnut Creek. A World War II veteran, Caputo made his career in the airline industry, working for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Philippine Airlines.

Bonnie Carlucci, ’89 Psychology, age 72, on Aug. 25, in Los Gatos. A native of New Hartford, N.Y., Carlucci worked at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Clara before her retirement.

Arthur Blair Cate, ’57 MA Physical Education, age 86, on June 19, in Placerville. A U.S. Navy and World War II veteran, Cate began his career as an educator in 1951. He retired in 1985 after serving 14 years as superintendent of the El Dorado High School District in Placerville. He was a member of the Placerville Kiwanis Club and the SJSU Alumni Association.

Donald “Bud” Chenoweth, ’52 Occupational Therapy, age 86, on June 25, in Sebastopol. A U.S. Army and Korean War veteran, Chenoweth worked in the lumber business for 35 years. A former Master Mason of Mt. Jackson Masonic Lodge, he was a member of the Sonoma County Trail Blazers, the Wednesday Riders, and the El Molino Boosters.

Sandra Clark, ’82 Music, age 54, on July 13, in Toledo, Ohio. Clark, who grew up in San José, joined the Toledo Symphony in 1990 as a French horn player and retired in May.

Richard Claverie, ’74 MA, age 68, on July 20. A native of San Francisco, Claverie taught and coached in the Evergreen School District in San José for 34 years.

Daniel Colchico, ’59 Physical Education, age 76, on April 27, in Concord. A native of Berkeley, Colchico was drafted by the NFL in 1959 and played defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints from 1960 to 1969. His book, The Pride of Port Chicago, written with John Estes, recounted his athletic career during “the Golden Age of professional football.” For 25 years, he worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska.

James Collier, ’59 MA Education, age 90, on June 5. A native of Pardee, Va., Collier joined the U.S. Army at age 16 and during World War II was held by the Japanese as a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Philippine Defense Medal and the World War II Victory Medal, among other citations. As an educator, he taught for many years at North Salinas High School and counseled Vietnam veterans attending Hartnell College.

Victor Collins, ’77 Criminal Justice Administration, on July 11.

Danielle Colvin, French, age 85, on May 21. A native of France, Colvin met her husband during World War II and after the war lived in Oklahoma before settling in California. She worked for 36 years at Lockheed Missile and Space Corporation as a computer programming counselor and troubleshooter.

Carl Cookson, ’57 Business Administration, age 81, on April 29, in San José. CEO of Santa Clara Land Title Company, Cookson was a philanthropist who helped establish or support the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Tech Museum of Innovation and the San José Symphony, among other San José institutions. A San José native and U.S. Army veteran, he drove a laundry truck for California Cleaners while earning his degree from SJSU.

Michael George Cooper, ’81 Psychology.

Marilyn Butcher Cox, ’64 Social Work, age 71, on Sept. 8, in Monterey. A native of San José, Cox worked as a social worker in Oakland and San José and later volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital in San José and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP).

Jerome “Jere” Craft, ’58 Industrial Technology, age 82, on Jan. 30. A native of Illinois and U.S. Navy veteran, Craft worked for Lockheed Martin before retiring to Lake Wildwood.

Joanne Marie D’Ambrosia, ’91 MPA, on July 26.

Maxene Davies, ’63 Education, age 73, on Aug. 10, in Santa Cruz. Davies began her 38-year career in education teaching first grade at Earlimart Elementary School in Tulare County. She retired from Mar Vista Elementary School in Santa Cruz.

Patricia Ann Mason Dellinger, Psychology, age 82, on July 6. A native of Tacoma, Wash., Dellinger was a member of the ski team at SJSU. She worked as a substitute teacher in special education.

Joseph DeSoto, ’52 Administration of Justice, age 88, on April 29, in Milpitas. A native of Honolulu, DeSoto was a U.S. Navy and World War II veteran who saw combat in the Philippines and continued to serve as an Army Reservist from 1948 to 1958. At SJSU, he was a member of the Chi Pi Sigma fraternity and a member of the boxing team. During his 35-year career in the field of worker’s compensation, he worked at Transport Indemnity, Fidelity Surety and Fireman’s Fund Insurance.

Leah Kellogg Dobyne, ’55 Education, age 80, on June 30, in Ventura. A native of Live Oak, Dobyne taught fourth and fifth grades for more than 30 years at Ygnacio Valley Elementary School in Concord.

Catharine Elizabeth Fanucchi, ’51 Education, age 84, on March 1, in San José. A native of Oakland and member of the Delta Zeta sorority, Fanucchi taught in the Cupertino Union School District before becoming an auditor for USF&G. She retired from the insurance industry in the early 1990s.

Bill Finch, ’53 Physical Education, age 88, on June 5. A U.S. Navy and World War II veteran, Finch served in the South Pacific during the war. At SJSU, he served as team captain of the water polo team for three consecutive years and later was elected to the SJSU Sports Hall of Fame. He began his teaching career at James Lick High School in San José and retired as a Bakersfield College coach.

Charles Franklin, ’64 Electrical Engineering, on May 19, in Shingle Springs.

Curtis Kulika Gavin, ’92 Nursing, age 50, on May 15. A native of San Francisco and U.S. Army veteran, Gavin was a ranger with the 101st Airborne Division, serving in campaigns in Panama, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Anthony Ghiossi, ’90 Industrial Technology, age 49, on June 10, in San José. A building official, Ghiossi worked for the cities of Palo Alto, Los Gatos and Mountain View for more than 25 years.

Mildred Cantrell Goodman, ’50 Education, age 86, on June 1, in Reno, Nev.

Diane Duhamel Gore, ’56 Recreation, age 79, on April 17, in Palm Springs. A native of Ketchikan, Alaska and retired U.S. Navy Reserve captain, Gore entered military service after graduation, retiring from active duty and transferring to the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1959. At SJSU, she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority.

Bernadine Goularte, ’55 Education, age 80, on April 29, in Fremont. A long-time grammar school teacher in the Fremont Unified School District, Goularte served as a volunteer at History Park’s Portuguese Historical Museum in San José and with the Washington Hospital Service League. She was a member of Holy Spirit Parish.

Lawrence Neil Gourley, ’72 Electrical Engineering, age 65, on March 12, in Watsonville. A native of Watsonville, Gourley was an engineer with PG&E and later an accountant, retiring in 2011 as a CPA for San Benito County. He was a member of the Santa Cruz Audubon Society and the First Christian Church in Watsonville.

Lowell Grattan, ’51 Business Administration, age 85, on March 31, in Los Gatos. A native of San José and U.S. Navy veteran, Grattan retired from the military at the rank of lieutenant commander. As a civilian, he worked as a real estate broker and developer.

Charles Grebmeier, ’64 Interior Design, age 73, on May 14, in San José. A native of San Francisco and member of Sigma Chi fraternity, Grebmeier owned design businesses in San Francisco and was a member of the Northern California Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). From 1968 to 1985, he directed the Miss California Pageant and in 1970 began working with the Miss America Pageant as well.

Gordon Griffin, ’75 MS, in July.

Mary Guidotti, ’69 Home Economics, age 73, on June 20, in Santa Clara. A Registered Dietician (R.D.), Guidotti worked for Stanford and Kaiser hospitals for 29 years.

Helen “Oma” Halsey, ’42 Biological Science, age 93, in December 2013. A native of Utah and member of the Black Masque Honor Society, Halsey received a master’s degree from Stanford and conducted research on orchids for the McClellan Nursery. With her husband, she developed cattle herds and was an active member of the Farm Bureau for more than 50 years.

Beatrice Hamilton, Spanish, age 82, on June 1, in Key West, Fla.

Frank Hanna, ’50 BA, ’57 MA, Industrial Arts, age 90, on May 10. A U.S. Army and World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Hanna began teaching in the Alameda Unified School District in 1951 and became principal of Encinal High School in 1973. After retiring from a 35-year career in education, he bred AKC International and national champion Cairn Terriers.

Frank Harvey, ’56 Business Administration, age 80, on April 21. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Harvey was vice president of Union Safe Deposit Bank in Stockton for many years. He was also a member of the Stockton Sailing Club and the Stockton Rotary Club.

George Hatcher, ’76 MBA, age 78, on July 10. Hatcher was a Foster Farms employee for 25 years.

David Havens, ’62 Mathematics, on March 10.

Virginia Heinen, Speech Communication, age 84, in Camas, Wash. A native of Apollo, Pa., Heinen was an active 4-H leader in Santa Clara County and served as a county fair judge in both California and Washington. She worked as a benefits manager at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in Sunnyvale.

Bettejean Hill, Science Education Teaching Certificate, age 91, on April 24, in Danville. A native of Oakland, she taught in the San Ramon School District for 22 years.

Nancy Duncan Hobbs, MA Special Education, age 88, on April 9, in Los Gatos. A native of Redwood City and member of Phi Kappa Pi sorority, Hobbs began her career as a first-grade teacher in Richmond. Elected to the Monte Sereno City Council in 1993, she served as mayor in 1996. She was a member of the League of Women Voters, the PTA, Santa Clara Water Board’s advisory committee and the Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos.

John Hogben, ’49 Business, age 91, on June 30, in Belmont. A native of Newark, N.J., Hogben was a U.S. Army and World War II veteran who served in the 102nd Infantry Division (Ozark) in Europe. During his civilian career, he worked as a policeman, a fireman and, for 23 years, as a California State Public Utilities Commission transportation analyst.

Dan Hopper, Engineering, age 80, on Aug. 14, in Visalia. Hopper retired after a 35-year career at Lockheed and prepared tax returns at H&R Block.

Claude Horan, ’43 Art, age 96, on June 11, in Kahaluu, Hawaii. A native of Long Beach, Horan was considered the “father of ceramics” in Hawaii and founded both the ceramics and glass blowing programs at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. His own work was collected by the Hawaii State Art Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the National Museum of American History’s Division of Ceramics and Glass, the Smithsonian and many other public and private institutions. At SJSU, he played water polo and is credited with naming the popular surf spot “Steamer Lane” in Santa Cruz.

Scott Hubbard, ’50 Advertising, age 90, on Jan. 25, in Bellingham, Wash.

Barry Jett, ’59 Business, age 78, on July 20. Student body president at SJSU in 1959 and Korean War veteran, Jett founded California’s Oak Valley Community Bank. A real estate developer and stockbroker, he was a member of the Oakdale Masonic Lodge and the Oakdale Shriners Club.

Fred H. John, ’53 Business Administration, age 83, on June 23, in Napa. A native of San Francisco and U.S. Army veteran, John worked for PG&E for 20 years. He was a woodworker and golf enthusiast.

Frances Wilson Jones, ’53 Physical Education, age 84, on June 13, in Clovis. A native of Porterville, Jones was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa and Chi Omega sororities. She taught in the Clovis Unified School District.

Raymond Kalinowski, ’68 Library Science, age 72, on Aug. 17, in Durham, Conn. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Kalinowski worked as a special agent in San Francisco’s Office of Naval Intelligence prior to his transfer to the U.S. Secret Service. He accompanied President Nixon during his historic visit to China. In 1996, Kalinowski retired from the Defense Investigative Service and subsequently was elected Durham’s First Selectman. From 2003 to 2009, he served three consecutive terms as a Connecticut state representative.

Ronald Keil, ’63 Mechanical Engineering, at age 74, on Aug. 13. Keil taught mechanical engineering at California Polytechnic State University before moving to Oregon in 1976 and joining Hewlett-Packard. He designed a thermal printer for the HP-85 and retired as an inkjet architect in the company’s inkjet division. After leaving HP, he returned to the classroom, teaching mechanical engineering at Oregon State University until his 2010 retirement.

Barbara Mitchell Kirtley, ’44 Education, age 91, on March 9, in Simsbury, Conn. A native of San José and member of the Black Masque Honor Society, Kirtley worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block for many years and was a volunteer for the Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield.

William Knight, ’48 Business Administration, in Walnut Creek.

Marion Kraai, ’36 Education, age 99, on June 14, in Los Gatos.

Robert T. Labant, ’94 Aviation, age 48, on Aug. 30.

Florence Lindsey, ’46 Physical Education, age 89, on May 26, in Sunnyvale. During her career in education, Lindsey taught at Fremont High School and was active in the Cupertino De Ora Club and the Cupertino Union Church.

Gayle Ann Little, ’88 Liberal Studies, age 59, on Aug. 21, in San José. During her more than 20-year career in education, Little taught at Columbia Middle School and Ellis Elementary School in the Sunnyvale School District. Prior to teaching, she worked as a quality control inspector at the General Electric Corporation in San José.

Frank Lovoi, ’42 Education, age 96, on July 29. A U.S. Air Force and World War II veteran, Lovoi retired as a lieutenant colonel after 22 years service. As a civilian, he served as principal of Elvira Castro Middle School and Coventry Elementary School in San José. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Italian American Heritage Foundation and St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church.

Ina Beth Watson MacQuiddy, 51 Journalism, age 83, on Jan. 26, in Brookings, Ore. A native of Monterey, MacQuiddy worked at Stanford and IBM as an administrative assistant. In Brookings, she was a member of the Nazarene Church and past president of the Brookings Emblem Club 265.

Joey Maus, ’55 Accounting, age 87, on June 13, in Santa Rosa. A native of San Francisco, Maus worked for Libbey Foods Cannery in San José before retirement.

Walter Mazzone, ’41 Physical Science, age 96, on Aug. 7, in San Diego. A U.S. Navy and World War II veteran, Capt. Mazzone maneuvered a damaged submarine carrying 40 Americans rescued from the Philippines to safety in 1944, a feat documented in the 2001 book The Rescue: A True Story of Courage and Survival in World War II by Steven Smith. Awarded a Silver Star, Mazzone left the Navy after the war but rejoined in the late 1950s to work on the Sealab project that established deepwater diving protocols still in use today. He retired from the Navy in 1970. He played varsity football and boxed at SJSU.

Eileen McCreesh, ’87 MSW, age 65, on June 19, in Santa Clara. A native of New York, McCreesh worked for 27 years at Kaiser Permanente in San José and Santa Clara before her 2013 retirement.

James McCrohan, Music, age 100, on June 13. A musician, educator and viticulturist, McCrohan was an oboist with the San Francisco Bohemian Club Orchestra and retired from teaching in Oakland public schools to grow cabernet grapes in St. Helena.

Daniel McGuire, ’12 Business, age 25, on July 10. A native of Santa Cruz, McGuire worked at Triple Crown Consulting in Campbell as a recruiting manager.

Margery Sherman Mecabe, ’40 Physical Education, age 97, on July 23, in Larkspur. A native of Vermont, Mecabe joined the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in 1943, working stateside as a supplies and administrative clerk until her honorable discharge in 1945. Beginning in 1946, she worked as a senior clerk in the warden’s office at San Quentin State Prison and retired in 1979.

Cynthia Meyer, ’77 Library Science, age 65, on June 8. A native of Greeley, Colo., Meyer worked as a medical research librarian at the Stanford Veterans Hospital and later at veterans hospitals in Prescott, Ariz. and Fresno.

David Miller, History, age 86, on May 4. A native of Chicago, Miller was a U.S. Army and Korean War veteran. A member of the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge and the Audubon Society, he retired as a human resources manager for the state of Oregon in the 1990s.

Herbert Miller, ’79 Finance, on June 14.

David Minium, ’71 Electrical Engineering, on May 7, in Sebastopol.

Gale Morelock, ’50 Accounting, age 88, on Feb. 6, in Clovis. A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Morelock was a World War II and Korean War veteran. He worked as a teacher, coach and administrator in the Fremont High School District for 30 years.

Anna Marie Morris, ’40 Business Administration, age 96, on March 3. A native of San José, while a student at SJSU, Morris worked as a secretary in the Department of Aeronautics, keeping flight logs and fueling airplanes. She served as a police court clerk, earned her radio license and later worked as a probation officer for the Santa Clara County. She was past president of Phi Epsilon Phi sorority.

Barbara Myers, ’66 Geology, on Aug. 15.

Lynn S. New, ’75 Occupational Therapy, on Aug. 31, in San José.

Robert Oldham, ’47 Physics, age 95, on Aug. 13, in Monte Sereno. A native of Arizona and U.S. Army veteran, Oldham worked for IBM and the city of San José before beginning his career as a civil engineer at Mark Thomas and Company in San José.

Timothy Osterman, ’72 Journalism, age 64, on June 26, in Las Vegas, Nev. Osterman’s passion for thoroughbred horse racing led to a 40-year career of reporting on the sport. Founder of the Bay Area Racing Report and former editor of Today’s Racing Digest, he wrote the popular column “The Osterman Files.”

Arnold Page, ’60 Accounting, age 76, on Aug. 30. A native of Yerington, Nev., Page briefly worked for the Internal Revenue Service after graduation, then became a meat cutter at RC Food Center in Yerington, a business he purchased in 1980. He retired in 2000.

Ray Petersen, ’65 Electrical Engineering, age 80, on May 18, in Walnut Creek.

Mary Peterson, ’73 MA Education, on Aug. 10.

Elmer Pfaffenberger, ’64 MA Physical Education, at age 85, on July 29, in Woodland. A native of Antioch and U.S. Army veteran, Pfaffenberger taught at Woodland High School for 30 years and was a member of the Woodland High Sports Hall of Fame.

John Piotti, ’53 Speech Communication, on May 2.

Margaret Ann Porter, ’57, age 98, on Aug. 19, in Aptos. Porter began her teaching career in the Alum Rock School District and retired from Greenfield High School in the King City Joint Union High School District in 1978.

Lisa Marie Poyer, ’92 Nursing, age 45, in July, in San José.

Edward Primet, ’59 MA Industrial Arts, on May 3.

Betty Quick, ’50 Art, on July 14.

Calvin Quinn, Business, age 81, on Aug. 5. Quinn worked as a real estate appraiser for Fresno County until his retirement in 1985.

Dianne Ravizza, ’53 Education, age 83, on April 21, in Los Altos. Ravizza contributed to a number of charitable organizations and schools, including Sacred Heart Nativity School, Hope Services and Ladies of Charity. She also founded Cocoon, which supported women experiencing crisis pregnancies.

Sharon Reese, ’01 MA Education, on March 23, in San José.

Harvey “Dusty” Rhodes, ’40, age 96, on Aug. 4, in Sonora. A U.S. Navy and World War II veteran, Rhodes remained in the Navy Reserves until 1970, rose to the rank of commander and helped form the Central Valley Naval Reserve unit. The director of continuing education at Modesto Junior College, he moved to Tuolumne County to become founding president of Columbia College, retiring in 1979. He was a member of the Sonora Lions Club, Sons in Retirement and the Yosemite Natural History Association.

Donna DuVander Richards, ’57 Education, on June 28. A native of Santa Rosa, Richards taught elementary school for more than 38 years, primarily at Dunbar Elementary School in Glen Ellen.

John Henry Robbins, ’50 Art, age 88, on Feb. 10. A U.S. Army and World War II veteran, Robbins moved to the Napa Valley in 1996.

Bennett Robinson, ’92 Psychology, on July 20.

Thomas H. Robinson, ’73 Marketing, age 67, on July 12, in San José. A native of Oklahoma and U.S. Navy veteran, Robinson worked for Safeway, the 7-Up Bottling Company and, most recently, United Rentals.

Aune Ruble, Art, age 94, on April 11, in Alpine, Utah.

John Henry “Jack” Russell, ’51 Journalism, age 87, on March 15. A World War II veteran, Russell served as editor of the Spartan Daily at SJSU. A member of Tao Delta fraternity, he also co-founded the first inter-racial fraternity at SJSU. During his career in journalism, he worked at the San Jose Mercury Herald and Mountain View Daily Register before joining the San Mateo Times in 1952. He retired in 1991. A member of the National Book Critics Circle, he was the first president of the Peninsula Press Club and past chair of the San Mateo County Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Frank Samuel, ’76 Recreation, age 85, on Sept. 1, in Seaside. A native of Texas and U.S. Army veteran, Samuel retired from the military in 1967. He earned his SJSU undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in education from Pepperdine while working at the Naval Post Graduate School. He retired as athletic director in 1991. In the 1980s he took up ballroom and Salsa dancing, winning several awards.

Jesus “Jess” Sanchez, ’57 MA Spanish, age 87, on May 11, in Campbell. A U.S. Navy and World War II veteran, Sanchez began his career in education as a teacher at Salinas High School in 1954 and retired as principal of Los Altos High School in 1986.

Raymond Scharpf, ’59 Biological Sciences, age 79, on May 19, in Camas, Wash. Scharpf served in the National Guard and worked as a ranger at Crater Lake National Park before joining the U.S. Forest Service and relocating to the Mount Hood National Forest. He was a member of the Fern Prairie Methodist Church and the Wildlife Society.

Trina Schlee, ’11 MLIS, age 28, on Feb. 12, in Spokane, Wash. A librarian at Asotin County Library, Schlee had recently accepted a librarian position at Lewis & Clark College in Portland.

Donald Schmoldt, Physical Science, age 69, on April 23. A native of San José and Vietnam War veteran, Schmoldt was a noted bird expert who received his undergraduate degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State.

Roger Schneider, Teaching Credential, age 84, on July 13, in Stockton. A native of Escalon, Schneider was an elementary school teacher and principal in Stockton for 35 years. He was a member of the Stockton Freemasons, the Native Sons of the Golden West and Faith Lutheran Church.

Robert Sexton, ’62 Accounting, on June 3.

Robert Sharretts, ’73 MA Education, age 85, on Feb. 18, in Martinez. Sharretts was an educator for more than 31 years in Contra Costa County’s Acalanes School District.

Robert Silsbee, ’69 History, age 66, on Aug. 4, in Santa Clarita. Silsbee began teaching and coaching varsity basketball in Lone Pine. After 1974, he taught and coached in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

Allison Pfleghaar Spieler, ’51, age 84, on July 17. A native of San Luis Obispo and member of Alpha Phi sorority, Spieler managed the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church bookstore and thrift shop for many years.

Melvin Stein, ’53 Physical Education, ’63 MA Education, age 87, on July 5, in San José. A native of Missouri and U.S. Navy veteran, Stein played football and baseball at SJSU and minor league baseball after graduation. A former athletic commissioner for Santa Clara County and long-time educator and coach, he was a guidance counselor at Leland High School and San José Academy.

Edward Tavares, ’50 Business Administration, age 89, on July 25, in Cupertino. A U.S. Air Force and World War II veteran, Tavares was part of the Flying Tigers team. In 1950, he began his 50-year teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Fort Seward and later taught at John Muir Elementary School in San José and in Cupertino.

Ron Tingley, ’69 Psychology, age 67, on Sept. 8, in Modesto. A counselor at Modesto Junior College, Tingley retired from a 41-year career in education. In 2011, he founded the Veteran’s Resource Center in Modesto.

Samuel Tralongo, ’66 English, age 73, on Aug. 7, in San José. A San José native and Navy Reserves veteran, Tralongo worked in accounting and financial analysis in the tech industry.

John Trezza, ’53 Mathematics, age 82, on June 4, in Pittsburg, Calif. A Korean War veteran, Trezza received his law degree from the University of San Francisco and practiced law in Yuba City.

Carleen Linnea Unger, ’70 Art, age 67, on April 8, in Petaluma. Unger managed a gift store in Sausalito.

Lauren David Ustick II, ’76 Advertising, age 59, on March 10, in Stockton. A native of Modesto, Ustick was director of advertising at PG&E until his retirement.

Donn Allen Waters, ’69 Industrial Arts, on May 19, in Los Gatos. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Waters volunteered in the history section of the Los Gatos Library and worked to preserve the history of the town.

Emily Zitzler Wheeler, ’95 English, age 47, on May 28, in Capitola. A native of Pennsylvania, Wheeler worked as a client services supervisor at PayChex in San José and later as payroll manager at SCO in Santa Cruz. Most recently she worked as senior human resources specialist at Bay Federal Credit Union in Capitola.

John Whitman, ’68 History, age 67, on July 29, in Washington, D.C. A Korean War and Vietnam War veteran, (Ret.) Lt. Col. Whitman was an SJSU Distinguished Military Graduate and president of the Pershing Rifles fraternity. He retired from a 24-year career in the military in 1992.

Herb Wong, MA Science Education, age 88, in April. A prominent jazz critic, record company executive and festival producer, Wong fell in love with jazz as a boy growing up in Oakland and Stockton. He produced the Palo Alto Jazz Festival, designed a jazz oral history exhibit for the Smithsonian Institution and headed two jazz record companies, Blackhawk and Palo Alto. A U.S. Army and World War II veteran, he became a jazz deejay with the Armed Forces Radio Service in postwar Tokyo and later became a disc jockey for the Bay Area’s KJAZ radio station. In 2013, Wong received the Palo Alto Excellence Award in Jazz Education. During his career, he taught at UC Berkeley and the Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University and introduced jazz education in Berkeley elementary schools.

Terry Wong, ’60 Engineering, on April 4, in Irvine.

Harold Zitzer Jr., ’71 Mathematics, age 66, on Aug. 19, in San José. Zitzer retired from a 34-year career in the Chemical Systems Division (CDC) of United Technologies in 2003.

Faculty

Kenneth Blasé, age 78, on Feb. 21, in Camas, Wash. A Kansas native and U.S. Army veteran, Blasé received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, his master’s degree from SJSU and a law degree from Lincoln Law School in San José. He began his news career at KAYS TV in Kansas and for 10 years served as news director at San José’s KXRX Radio, while also teaching journalism at West Valley College. In 1974, he joined the Department of Journalism and was promoted to full professor in 1987. He retired in 2005.

Loy Silberts Braley, age 87, on April 20, in Chico. A native of Schenectady, N.Y., Braley received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Buffalo. He taught for 30 years in the Department of Psychology, hired in 1964 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to full professor in 1970 and retired in 1994. For many years, he volunteered as an ombudsman at the Heritage Skilled Nursing Facility in Paradise.

Ernie Bullard, age 77, on Aug. 21, in Stockton. Bullard was hired as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Performance in 1968 and served as assistant track and field coach. Named head coach in 1970 following Bud Winter’s retirement, Bullard’s coaching record includes six finishes in the Top 10 in national dual meet rankings and seven conference titles. A standout pole vaulter at USC in the 1950s, he returned to his alma mater to coach in 1984.

Leon Charles Dorosz Jr., age 76, on Sept. 2, in New York. A native of Baltimore, Dorosz received his master’s degree from the University of Illinois and his doctorate from UC Berkeley. Hired as an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in 1970 and promoted to full professor in 1981, he served three separate terms as chair of his department. He retired in 2008 as associate vice president, Undergraduate Studies and Curriculum Development.

Jack Haeger, age 77, on Dec. 22, 2013, in San José. Haeger graduated from Montague High School in Minnesota and continued his education at the University of Washington, earning his bachelor’s degree and doctorate in English literature. He joined SJSU’s Department of English as an assistant professor in 1969 and was promoted to full professor in 1983. He retired as chair of the department in 2003.

Rebecca Herrold, age 75, on May 5, in San José. A native of Warren, Pa., Herrold began taking piano lessons when she was five years old and was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Miami. She received her master’s degree in music from SJSU in 1969 and her doctorate from Stanford. She joined SJSU’s Department of Music Education in 1980 as an associate professor and was promoted to full professor in 1984. She authored two college textbooks, Mastering the Fundamentals of Music and New Approaches to Elementary Classroom Music.

Jules Jammal, age 39, on February 11, in San José. An alumnus of SJSU, Jammal received his BFA in animation/illustration in 2006 and joined the Department of Design as a lecturer two years later. Past president of the award-winning Shrunkenheadman Animation/Illustration Club on campus, he interned at PDI DreamWorks.

John Sperling, age 93, on Aug. 22. A native of Willow Springs, Mo., Sperling received his bachelor’s degree at Reed College and his doctorate in economic history from the University of Cambridge. He joined the humanities faculty in 1961 and retired in the 1970s to found and serve as president of the for-profit University of Phoenix. One of the largest for-profit colleges in the U.S., the University of Phoenix grew to include more than 100 locations and an online-only study program, making Sperling, the largest shareholder, a billionaire. He is credited for developing an educational model built on the “customer first” philosophy.

Sidney Tiedt, age 86, on May 20, in San José. A native of Chicago and U.S. Navy veteran, Tiedt received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Northwestern University. He taught and fished in Alaska before earning his doctorate from the University of Oregon. In 1961, he joined SJSU’s Department of Elementary Education as an assistant professor and was promoted to full professor in 1970. He retired in 1999.

Jody Ulate

Jody Ulate, '05 MA English, is editor of the Washington Square blog and printed alumni magazine.

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