Santa Clara Magazine

William Harry Morris J.D. ’96, 78, of Ridgecrest, died Dec. 7, 2011, at his home. He was born Jan. 15, 1933, in Alma, Mich. His parents were Harry and Alice Morris. William was highly committed to education. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and during his service earned his bachelor’s degree in Engineering. After working in the computer industry for more than 20 years, he continued his education at the University of Santa Clara and obtained his law degree. William continued to proudly practice as a certified family law specialist up until his death.

William was never satisfied and continued to further his education through many other activities including online lectures, traveling to exotic places, and was an avid reader of many subjects. William was a very huge supporter of his family members continuing their education. He enjoyed traveling, listening to classical music, attending operas, partaking in chess tournaments, hiking in the mountains, and posed as a tour guide full of knowledge for anyone who knew him or came along his path.

He is survived by his wife, Carol Morris of Ridgecrest; son John Morris of Menlo Park, Calif.; his former wife Maria Morris of Ridgecrest; three stepdaughters and their spouses, Vickie Gray  Patricia SoRelle, Paula Gibbs all from Kentucky, and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father and mother Harry and Alice Morris and son William Morris.

Stephen Lawrence Nichols M.A. '96 died August 29 in his home at the age of 77. Born in Cleveland to Helen and Lawrence Nichols, he grew up in Troy, Ohio. He and his family later moved to Pasadena, then Winnetka, Ill., where he graduated from New Trier Township High School in 1952. He graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., in 1956, where he was a member of the tennis team and Phi Gamma Delta. He then went on to serve as an officer in the U.S. Navy. After leaving the service, he began working for Montgomery Ward and then Mervyn's before starting a career in property management and commercial real estate in the Silicon Valley with Blackhawk Real Estate and Coldwell Banker. While working full-time in real estate, he attended Santa Clara University and earned his master's degree in counseling and psychology in 1996. In 2000, he and his wife moved to Twain Harte, Calif. to retire and build a new home. He served on the Twain Harte Homeowners Associations Board of Directors and was involved in the planning of the skateboard park, bocce ball court and the brick memorial at the tennis courts. He helped organize the Twain Harte's Litter Patrol and was referred to as "Captain Litter" by many of his friends and family. He enjoyed playing tennis and running, having completed the Boston Marathon in 1976 and the Avenue of the Giants Marathon with his son in 1977, water aerobics, working out at the gym and walking. He also enjoyed attending Sierra Repertory Theatre and raising funds for the theater. Mr. Nichols is survived by his wife, Mikell Kelly M.A. '96, of Twain Harte; sister, Cynthia Nichols Russell, of Traverse City, Mich.; children and their spouses, Susan and John Stebal, of Willowick, Ohio, Stacey and Bill Larson, of Davis, Eanna Sarah, of Tuolumne, Calif., and Doug Johnson, of Pacifica; and grandchildren, J.P. and Anna-Lesia Stebal, both of Willowick, Ohio, Julia and Amanda Larson, both of Davis, and Mercedes Sarah, of Tuolumne. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Peter Nichols.

Stephen Lawrence Nichols M.A. ’96: July 15, 1934 to Aug. 29, 2011. Nichols peacefully passed away at his home on Aug. 29 after losing his six-year battle with cancer. Stephen had just celebrated his 77th birthday; he was a resident of Twain Harte, Calif., for the past 11 years. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Helen Fergus Nichols and Lawrence Lewis Nichols, both deceased. Stephen lived his early years in Troy, Ohio. His family moved to Pasadena, Calif., then to Winnetka, Ill., before graduating from New Trier Township High School in 1952. He continued his education at Colgate University, where he was a member of the tennis team and Phi Gamma Delta. Upon graduation in 1956, Stephen entered the Navy as an officer. Stephen started his career in retail, working first with Montgomery Ward and Company and then Mervyns Department Stores. He was in retail for more than 20 years before changing careers to property management and commercial real estate. Stephen worked primarily in the Silicon Valley with Blackhawk Real Estate and Coldwell Banker-CB Richard Ellis. While working full time in real estate, Stephen continued his education at Santa Clara University, graduating in 1996 with a master’s in psychology. In 2000 Stephen and his wife, Mikell Kelly M.S. '96, made the move from the San Francisco Bay Area to Twain Harte to retire and build a new home. Stephen was active in the community serving on the board of the Twain Harte Homeowners Association. Also, he was involved in the community projects such as the Skate Board Park, the planning of a bocce ball court, and the brick memorial at the tennis courts. Stephen's favorite community project was organizing Twain Hartes Litter Patrol. He was known as Captain Litter. One could see him frequently around town and along Twain Harte Drive picking up litter. This project is now being carried on by his friends and is an integral part of the homeowner's association. Stephen was very active as a patron and fundraiser for Sierra Repertory Theater as a season ticket holder. He was always very excited to raise funds and donate to the theater. Stephen is survived by his wife, Mikell Kelly, also his sister, Cynthia Nichols Russell of Traverse City, Michigan. Children, daughter, Susan Nichols Stebal (John) of Willowick, Ohio; son, Peter (preceded in death in 1988); Stacey Larson (Bill) of Davis, Calif.; Eanna Sarah of Tuolomne, Calif.; Doug Johnson of Pacifica, Calif. He also leaves beloved grandchildren, J.P, Anna-Lesia, Julia, Amanda, and Mercedes.

Sherwin Manalo ’97, who was 37 and a former resident of South Lake Tahoe, California, passed away in a tragic car accident on September 3, 2012. He was the South Tahoe High School valedictorian for the Class of 1993 and graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Santa Clara University in 1997. After graduating from SCU, he was involved in many structural design projects with engineering consulting firms such as Mark Thomas & Company, Rajappan & Meyer, and BkF. Sherwin has left a mark in our communities with his structural designs which included improvements in our freeway interchanges and bridges. Sherwin left a mark in our hearts as well and will be sorely missed. He is survived by his parents, Tony and Elisa Manalo, brother, Ariel, and sister, Noreen. Sherwin loved his family and friends and will always be remembered for his generosity and keen wit. He will be missed dearly. 

Paula Anne Farrell JD ’97 passed away at her home on Nov. 22, 2011. Born December 12, 1954, Paula lived in the San Francisco Bay Area her entire life. Paula graduated from St. Luke's Nursing School in San Francisco in 1977. Her first job out of nursing school was at the Emergency Room at San Francisco General Hospital. Subsequently, Paula was a career Kaiser Permanente Nurse and Legal Nurse. Paula graduated from Sonoma State University in 1992 with a degree in English Literature. Paula graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1997. Paula was admitted to The State Bar of California in June 1999. Paula was devoted to her family, friends, and colleagues. She will be remembered for her tremendous love for dogs and horses. Paula is survived by her mother, Patricia Gilbert, and her siblings, Carla Kruger, Joseph Kruger, John Kruger, and Catherine Kohmann, as well as 15 nephews and nieces.

Lisa D. Telford '97, who was currently a graduate student in Counseling Psychology, died unexpectedly on April 7, 2010. Lisa would have completed her studies for a master of arts in Counseling Psychology this spring. To honor her, Santa Clara will be awarding her degree posthumously at the Graduate Commencement ceremonies on June 11.

Jordan Krisman Sterling '97 on Jan. 28, 2009.  After graduating from SCU, the Phoenix native returned to Arizona and worked in the real estate and mortgage brokerage fields while awaiting a double-lung transplant at Stanford -- a result of the cystic fibrosis he had battled since childhood. He wore a beeper for three years and two months before he was finally flown to Stanford for the successful. He sat on the boards of the Lung Center at the Tucson Medical Center and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Phoenix. He mentored families with children who had cystic fibrosis and participated in fund-raising events for the CF Foundation. He is survived by his parents, two siblings, his step-parents; and five step-siblings.

Ericka Chambers Norman JD ‘97 died on January 12, 2010.  Ericka was a loyal and carrying woman who stood out for her warm, welcoming smile. Norman, 41, was part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. She was in the UN offices in Port-Au-Prince when the Jan. 12 earthquake struck and the building collapsed, friends said. Her body was recovered Jan. 17. Norman grew up in Pomona, and it was at Marshall Junior High School, as the school was known then, that she and Vickers-McKinney met. The two went on to attend Pomona High, where as a senior Norman was elected senior class president.  After graduation Norman went on to Smith College where, according to a college statement, she graduated in 1991 earning a bachelor's degree in East Asian studies and international law. Norman was someone who seemed to have wisdom beyond her years. After joining the UN, Norman organized gatherings at her home during the holidays. She invited her colleagues, knowing they would be without their families in the United States. After graduating from Smith, Norman moved to Boston, where Washington lived, and later enrolled at Santa Clara University Law School in Northern California. Norman enjoyed traveling and was interested in learning about other cultures. Norman would plan ahead and knew where she was going and what the conditions would be like, her friend said. Once she arrived at her destination she "met other people and engaged other cultures," her friend Stacy Washington said.  During her junior year in college Norman studied in Japan. While in law school she participated in an internship that took her to Malaysia and Singapore. After completing law school Norman returned to New York where she practiced corporate law.

She began looking at the United Nations after another friend joined the agency. Her first assignment sent her to Kosovo, Washington said.  It was through her work with the UN that Norman met her husband, Alvin Norman, an engineer with the UN, Washington said.  Ericka Chambers Norman was listed as a board of inquiry officer for the UN. Her job at the beginning of her career involved administrative work, but recently it had begun to include more of her legal knowledge. Norman is survived by her husband Alvin, a two-and-a-half year old daughter; her father, Ernest Chambers, and stepmother, Paulette Chambers, of Seattle; and her mother, Barbara Lott, of Seattle.

Jaime Norman-Sheldon '98 on June 30, 2009.  Jaime was a visual effects coordinator for the film industry and licensed in real estate.  She is survived by husband, Eric, and son, Jack Matthew. 

Denise Lynne Lambeth '98 of Hilo, Hawaii, died Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at Providence St. Peter Hospital. Denise was born April 18, 1976 to Dr. James Lambeth and Nguyet Anh Huynh. Denise received her education in Hilo, and then went on to Santa Clara University and then back to the Islands to Hawaii Pacific to finish off her master's degree in Communications Systems. Denise was very analytical. She could always explain things in unique ways. She would have analogies that were crazy and that always somehow made sense.

Brian Hegarty '95 on June 1, 2009. Hegarty, 35, had recently been named to head St. Clare Catholic School in Santa Clara as principal beginning in August. But Monday morning, after he didn't show up at school, he was discovered dead in his home. The coroner is still investigating the cause of death. Santa Clara police say they found nothing suspicious.  "The entire community is devastated," said principal Kathy Almazol. "Students say he's the best teacher they ever had. Parents say he's their favorite teacher."  He understood well both the mission of Catholic schools, she said, as well as the challenges of middle-schoolers. In his classroom, through discussions of current events, morality and faith, he tried to "raise students into adults that would make decisions based on conscience, commitment and compassion," Almazol said.  Hegarty's death came during the most festive and chaotic week of school, with eighth-graders celebrating their final school Mass tonight, then graduating Thursday. The eighth-graders started a Facebook memorial page in his honor and wrote notes about him on a big poster that hangs outside his classroom.  "Having a positive adult male role model at our school, especially for the middle school — he was just one of those guys that was cool," said Sheila Dowd, vice chair of the school's parent teacher group. "He always had a smile on his face and was the first to volunteer. He was just a good soul."  Hegarty grew up in Phoenix and graduated from the Jesuit-run Brophy High School there, but he was considered a "local boy" here. He graduated from Santa Clara University with a master's degree and earned his doctorate in education at the University of San Francisco. He began teaching at St. Clare in 1999.

Sean Gabriel O'Bryan ’99 left this world on Jan. 18, 2013. Born July 4, 1977, he attended Brophy College Preparatory and Santa Clara University (Computer Engineering). He was a gifted trumpet player. Gabriel lived a full, joy-filled and generous life in Seattle, working for Microsoft and creating a company of his own. He joins his beloved grandfathers Dr. Eugene Acosta Marin and Louis Bertrand O'Bryan, Sr., and awaits being reunited with his loved ones: parents Bert & Marty; brothers Michael, Seamus Raphael, Devin; grandmothers Marie Marin and Frances O'Bryan, his loving aunts and uncles, and many, many cousins. 

Gerald Bouchard Hansen HON '99, Sept. 6, 1926 - April 17, 2009. Jerry, a sixty-year resident of San Jose, attorney and businessman was preceded in death by his beautiful and beloved wife, Barbara Bressani, and his eldest son, Richard. His surviving children—Joan, Lynn, John and Anne—are forever grateful for his love, generosity, and kick-in-the-pants humor. Five adoring grandchildren—Julie, Catherine, David, Carolyn and Kevin—and new, twin great-granddaughters renewed his spirit and gave him untold joy. All the family, including friends Mary and Les Boughton will deeply miss Jerry. Born in San Francisco, he attended St. Ignatius High then onto Redlands, U.S.C., and Cal, finishing at Stanford and U.S.F. law schools all on the GI Bill. He loved practicing law but was most pleased when, in an effort to give back for the opportunity the GI Bill and his Jesuit education had provided, he represented for many years various Catholic Archdiocesan interests on a pro bono and fee basis. He was appointed and voluntarily served as both Federal Magistrate and Judge Pro Tem (South Bay). He sat on the Cal State Bar Assoc. Condemnation Committee offering his expertise in review of current real estate/condemnation law. He also loved politics and was ever proud to have been selected JFK's Santa Clara County Presidential Campaign Manager for the 1960 race. This led to management roles in other Bay Area and State Democratic campaigns. Endearingly called "Big Jer" by his younger friends and associates because of his enormous personality, he can rest assured that his contribution to this complicated world and his influence on those he knew was valuable and memorable.

Carrie (Dunn) Penchuk '99 passed away on April 14 in Chapel Hill, N.C. after a brave and courageous battle with cancer. For five months, Carrie faced her fight with dignity and grace, inspiring all those around her with her endless courage and strength. Born on August 24, 1977 in Fresno, Calif., Carrie attended local schools and graduated from Bullard High School in 1995. Carrie excelled academically and earned a scholarship to Santa Clara University, where she obtained her B.A. in Art History with a minor in Italian in 1999, graduating cum laude. As a junior at Santa Clara, Carrie spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy where she not only studied the art and culture, but also met and fell in love with her future husband Matthew Penchuk of New Jersey. Following graduation, Carrie lived and worked in San Francisco. In 2002, Carrie and Matt returned to Italy to teach English to adults and learn Italian in the town of Saronno, just outside Milan. While in Italy they traveled extensively, taking full advantage of the opportunities to experience amazing art, ancient sites and incredible food. Upon returning from Italy, Carrie and Matt moved to Boston where she studied Speech Language Pathology at MGH Institutes of Health Professions, earning her Masters degree in 2006. For her academic excellence, Carrie received a merit scholarship from the school during her 2nd year of the program. She was lauded by her professors for her attention to detail, thoughtful presentations and incredible analytical skills. Based on her talents and achievement, Carrie was selected for a much sought after internship at Beth Israel Hospital. In 2007, Carrie and Matt moved to Raleigh, N.C. to be closer to family, where Carrie used her degree to work with children in schools, day cares and private settings. Carrie loved experiencing new adventures, be them large or small. Despite her fear of flying, Carrie and Matt traveled extensively throughout Europe and the US and were beginning to reach other parts of the world. Her last major trip was to Peru, which fulfilled her lifelong dream to see Machu Picchu. Carrie touched so many lives during her short time here on earth. People were charmed by her beautiful smile, her welcoming eyes and incredible head of hair. More importantly though, she was one of the most sincere, kindest and lovely people you would ever meet. She made nearly everyone she met want to be a better person and her manner made you believe that you could be. It is no surprise that Carrie made great friends wherever she went and that children absolutely adored her. When Carrie passed she was surrounded by her dearest friends and family, loved for her beauty, kindness and radiance until the very end. The distance people traveled and the incredible outpouring of love in the room was a testament to Carrie's eternal beauty. Those of us that remain feel blessed to carry on her lessons on how to live and how to love. Carrie is survived by her husband Matthew of Raleigh, N.C.; mother and step-father Ann and Archie Rader of Fresno; father Larry Dunn of Fresno; sister Amy and her husband Carlos Zuniga and daughters Gabriella, Olivia, and Talia of Fresno; step-brother Doug Rader of Houston; step-sister Melodee and Mark Boos and daughters Rose and Gloria of Great Falls, Va.; mother-in-law Sara Erlich Penchuk of Teaneck, N.J.; father-in-law Nick Penchuk and wife Karen of Spring Island, S.C.; brother-in-law Andrew Penchuk and his wife Laura and boys Ben and Jack of Cary, N.C.; her grandmother Josephene Dibiaso of Los Banos, Calif.; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.