In memoriam

It is with a broken heart that I share that our classmate Marci Balletto (now Rodgers) passed away yesterday from early-onset Alzheimers.

Marci was among the pioneering women engineers in Silicon Valley and worked in the semiconductor industry for many years before shifting to focus on her three children and husband.

Marci was a skier, sailor, golfer, oenophile, and traveler. She would try anything once.

We became friends in sophomore year at SHS and were partners in crime for years to come. Like most of you, I'm thankful that social media wasn't around to capture our escapades.

Marci was a reader at my wedding, and I was her maid of honor. Our son Marcus is named in her honor.

She should have had years to enjoy retirement with her husband. How I would have loved to see her face when she first experienced the wonder of grandparenthood.

If you're so inclined, raise your glass in memory of another Falcon. Cherish the good times, and hug your friends as the treasures they are.

—Inge Hisey Bond

The world lost a hero on Monday, April 11, 2022. As a long time friend and supporter of OPD, Dr. Fidelia Butt played a pivotal role in the lives of many many individuals. As a paddler and staunch supporter of Live Love Survive – a dragon boat team composed of cancer survivors and supporters, Fidelia loved and lived life to the fullest. She unfortunately left us after a long battle with cancer.

Fidelia was a co-founder of the Asian American Cancer Support Network (AACSN). Founded in July 2003, AACSN’s mission ” … seeks to become a community resource network for Asian Americans affected by cancer in the Bay Area through social programs and creative fundraising...

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Memorial service video

Mark Denure, a true friend with an unforgettable smile, passed in 2022 and is greatly missed. I'll always remember our fishing trips with Doug Sigfried and Brett Uchiyama up at the Uchiyama's cabin in Truckee. Every time I'd see Mark, he'd greet me with a big, booming "Papa!"—it was his way of making you feel like family. Mark adored his wife Jilene and couldn't have been prouder of his son Ryan. His warmth and love for life will be missed, but the memories will last forever. Rest easy, Mark.

—Kevin Kennedy

Jennifer Henry-Smith died peacefully at her home in Auburn Ca. on January 18th with her Husband and her dogs Pete and Bo at her side. Jennifer is survived by her Husband Timothy Ray Smith, Mother Susan Fairey, Father William Fairey and Wife Carole Fairey, Son Thomas J. Henry "TJ", Brother William Fairey II, Sister-in-Law Alexandra Fairey, and Nephews Gavin and Weston Fairey.

Jennifer was born in San Jose Ca., graduated from Saratoga High School, and completed HP education's ITIL foundation for IT service management with control IT course...

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Brian was very passionate about horse racing. He religiously followed what was going on at Bay Meadows and other tracks in the Bay Area as far back as our junior year. I did not know he had come out until I saw him staffing a table at West Valley College, trying to defeat the Paul Gann proposition that would have sent AIDS victims to the equivalent of an internment camp (all because Gann got AIDS off a transfusion and he wanted payback). I asked Brian if he thought we could defeat it, and he said, "I certainly hope so." It wasn't until later that I read in the college paper that he was president of gay and lesbian group at the college.

I hope he found peace with himself by coming out. What ended up happening to him was a tragedy, but not that atypical in those days (and in some parts of the country not atypical today).

—Doug Swalen

Obituary

Dear Graduate Class of Saratoga High 1984,

Thank you for your thoughts and condolences for our daughter Tammy. 

Tammy loved her school, her friends, and challenges. Her mother and I watched and nutrured her passion for life. Like all of us, we experience life with obstacles and try to avoid them; Tammy seemed to lasso them and tame them. You all know her life at Saratoga High. From there she went on to Sat Jose State and graduated 1992, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, mastering many talents and accomplishments. She had a network of very fine friends, mostly of photographic interest. Photography became her first love, after being, drum major for the San Jose State Marching Band for two years. It was an honor to see her at her best at the Stanford vs. San Jose State football games.

Her life was lived to the fullest and I must say most people don’t fill in a so-called lifetime.

Our family’s grateful witness was her acceptance of Jesus Christ in her life She chose to be with the Latter Day Saints church.

Her last few days she spent in Colorado seeing the awesome landscapes. Tammy's last view was looking, into a camera, viewing a meadow she could not resist taking.

She was struck and killed instantly by a pickup truck that had gone off the shoulder of the road where the was standing.

Tammy often wrote that each day is a gift from God; what you de with it is a gift to Him.

May this brief summary of Tammy's life tell us all that the value of each other's relationships is precious. 

Thank you Class of 1984 for just being.

—Tammy's loving family, Ray, Jeanne, and Cindy Herrick 

From Richard's father, Charles E. Huff:

Enclosed is a note from Richard's fellow employees at Hewlett Packard. 

Secondly, enclosed are my thoughts that were read at the celebration of his life. It pretty much summarizes that last nine years of his life in college, Richard was almost 28 when he died. Richard ended his life on August 19, 1993. 

"This note has been signed by friends of Richard Huff who feel the need to express deep regret regarding a tragic loss. We enjoyed both the privilege of working with Richard and the opportunity to be his friend.

"Here, at HP Labs, Richard will be remembered as an exceptionally talented, hard working, and congenial colleague and companion. His creativity contributed greatly to the success of our technical efforts. His absence is a great loss to his family, friends, and those who have not yet had the privilege of working with him. We all wish that we could watch Richard reach his fall potential. While this cannot happen, he will not be forgotten by those who knew him."

My thoughts (C. Huff) for the celebration of Richard Huff's life:

My son is gone. I believe his death was caused by a serious illness called depression.

Today, I want to look at the bright side of his life, namely his scholastic achievements. Few people are aware of what he accomplished in his short life. As a beginning, during 6 years of college course work he received only two A-minuses, and all the rest of his grades were As. In fact, only two classes challenged him. At Cornell, he had a programming class that had a lot of busy work, i.e. writing, computer code. The other was a math class. He said to me, "Dad, I have a class that only gives me 2 or 3 problems per session, and they take hours of work." I said, "Are you solving the problems?" His answer was simply, "Yes."

In late June of this year (1993), Richard presented a paper to the leading organization of mathematicians and professors interested in Computer Science. These people came from all over the United States. I asked him how his presentation was received. He said, "OK, it went well.” He left out a few details, After his presentation, professors came over to his mentor. They asked, "Who is this new professor Richard Huff? We have neither seen nor heard his name." Richard's professor told them Richard was a Ph.D. candidate. These professors later talked to Richard and asked him to apply to their universities as soon as he completed his Ph.D. The point here is that the people in the hall couldn't believe a mere Ph.D. candidate could produce such a paper on the cutting edge of compilers. His presentation was beyond belief But that was Richard, who was a perfectionist. This organization only publishes 25 papers per year. Richard’s paper will be published (1993). HP has already requested a copy of his paper. They indicated it will be used in commercial applications. 

Richard wrote two other papers this spring (1993). His professor is going to have the papers put into final form and published under Richard’s name posthumously (the papers were published in early 1994). 

Richard's mentor made it clear that he expected Richard to complete his Ph.D. by Christmas of 1993, Note: Most Ph.D. candidates take 2–3 years to write their dissertations. Richard essentially wrote his in 3 months. 

The grad students of the Comp Science Department get together to discuss their problems. When Richard started speaking, all others became very quiet. They knew he could offer suggestions for solving their problems, even though their projects were outside his expertise that related to compilers. When a grad student had a paper to turn in, it was common practice to have it reviewed. Richard was the first person asked to review their papers. His professor said Richard’s command of the English language was equal to or better than anyone he had ever known.

Although he felt he had few friends, all of the Computer Science grad students liked him. His disease (depression) prevented him from realizing how many friends he really had.

I know many people, in addition to his family, tried to help Richard, such as talking to him for hours. I hope all of you realize that we did not fail, but rather that it was pre-ordained that his would life would be short. I am thankful for the time he had with us. 

Hi. My name is Dan Jennings. I am Andrea's Jennings' brother.

I am sad to say Andrea passed away unexpectedly on May 24, 2019, in Santa Cruz, CA.

Andrea was a stellar individual, incredibly intelligent and caring.

It’s hard to put into words what a loss it was for our family, and I am not sure what to say, so I'll give you the CliffsNotes version of her life and then a summary of things about Andrea in her own words that I was able to put together for her memorial service.

Andrea had a diverse set of life experiences, growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Jose and Saratoga, CA. After graduating from high school in Saratoga she attended Cuesta College for a time and then moved back to the Santa Cruz area, living in Bonny Doon, Ben Lomond, and Felton. She had two wonderful kids, Brody and Kalindi, whom she treasured. 

She married and got divorced and then remarried a number of years later and moved to Manchester, Michigan, pursuing love, prosperity, and happiness There she finished raising her two children, and again, as is so common in today's society, got divorced.

She had a variety of work experiences over the years. In addition to being a full-time mom, she worked at the Flower Shop in Santa Cruz and as an office manager for an annuity brokerage in Michigan. She and her second husband also built a successful, top-tier Quixstar franchise, which enabled them to travel in the US and internationally giving motivational and leadership training.

Andrea loved yoga and began teaching yoga professionally in Michigan. She dreamed of moving to Costa Rica to start a yoga retreat. 

Ultimately she moved back to the Santa Cruz area about a year before she passed. 

Andrea wrote about her life:

"The most significant experience I have had to this point in my life, besides having and raising my kids, was my trip to the Gulfport, Mississippi, area after Hurricane Katrina, where we gutted houses which were demolished by the storm. I've never worked so physically hard in my life or been so impacted emotionally…to see hope come back into the eyes of people who were so obviously hopeless and witness the strength of the human spirit…I still cry when I think of some of those moments.

"I met Jimmy Page in the lobby of the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz on my best friend's wedding eve. He was wearing jeans, a yellow t-shirt and a tan corduroy blazer and was with his new, very young wife...I said, "You look like Jimmy Page." He said "That’s cause I am, darlin'." I said, "Jimmy, give me a hug!" and he did…

"My favorite quote: 'Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.' - Helen Keller 

"Music and travel are my passions...nature is my refuge. 

"A vegetarian for 20 years, I find beauty in ordinary things or at least that's what my fortune cookie says.

"I've been a mom for a large portion of my life, much of that single, two awesome kids, Kalindi & Brody; they have been a wondrous gift and two of the most profound mentors in my life. 

"My nickname in college was 'sarcandrea.' I've grown a bit since then but still find sarcasm to be a tool in many cases; I think it’s my brother's fault. 

"I still feel like I'm 18, the mirror argues but can never win…"

Andrea was truly a stellar individual. Her friends and family miss her.

—Dan Jennings

Francis Matthew Juliano, loving father, kind and giving man, passed away suddenly at the age of 54 on Monday July 5th, 2021 in San Jose. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, he moved to Saratoga, CA in 1978 with parents and family. A computer wizard, he started his first company at age 13. Eldest Son of Francis A. and Ruth Ann Juliano, he graduated Saratoga H.S. in 1984 and later received a degree from NYU in computer science.

In 1987, he married loving wife Hazel Grey, and were together until she passed in December 2015. Francis has numerous professional accomplishments including various patents and software packages like online auction streaming, e-commerce, and successful endeavors as a consummate entrepreneur across start-ups. He was most recently CTO of Bidpath, Inc....

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Dear Mavis,

Although you are not physically here with us for our 40th reunion, we know you are with us in spirit, smiling down on all of us, and wishing everyone well. What I (and your classmates) remember about you is your smile, your kindness, your brilliance, your easy-going nature, your natural athleticism, and your love of the outdoors and children.

We were born 11 months apart and, due to our birthdays and the grade cut-off date, ended up in the same grade. We were known as the "Lee Sisters" and many assumed we were twins, as we were inseparable. By choice, we did virtually everything together—roomed together whenever possible, took the same classes, did our homework while listening to KOIT, swam on SHS's swim team with Coach Devine, were speech and debate and lab partners, suffered through piano lessons with Mrs. Daniels (ugh!), skied endless runs during the Christmas break at Squaw Valley while listening to Julie Andrews on our Sony Walkman, attended the same college (MIT, where you graduated at the top of your class), and then Stanford Law School, traveled, clerked on the same district court, and took jobs in DC together after law school. 

Our paths diverged a bit after you received your appointment as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California (in LA). We were so happy for you when you got your dream job! In this role, you made our world a better and safer place, successfully prosecuting criminals and winning one of the first convictions for anti-Asian hate crimes. You did all of this with grace, skill, and compassion. When not working, you could be found rock climbing, swimming, hiking, competing in triathlons, or teaching young children to swim. 

It was a privilege to have you as my sister. Although you left us too early, we managed to squeeze a lifetime of sisterhood and togetherness into a short period of time! So, as you smile down on all of us during our 40th SHS reunion, know that the memory of you brings warmth to our hearts and smiles to our faces.

Yours always,
Michelle

Paul John Lisick passed away on May 11, 2015 at his home in San Jose. He was born in Indianapolis, IN on April 29, 1966, the first son of Ronald Paul Lisick and Anne Lisick. Paul graduated from Saratoga High School before taking a degree in Political Science from The University of California at Santa Barbara. After several years working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Guam, Seattle and Oakland, Paul held accounting positions at a number of firms in the Bay Area. He was heavily involved in volunteer work throughout his life including Sacred Heart Community Services, Children's International and the San Jose Chapter of Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen where he was recognized as Volunteer of the Year in 2003...

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The body of a man found in an East Bay marsh was identified yesterday as the boater who had been missing for two weeks after he capsized his catamaran in Redwood City.

James Lynch, 29, of Campbell, was found in the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge by two biologists Tuesday morning. The badly decomposed body was clad in a wetsuit and lying face down.

The Alameda County Coroner's Office used dental records to confirm the identification of the body. Lynch and a friend had been practicing how to capsize and right a catamaran on June 11 when the boat's mast got stuck in mud in shallow waters near Redwood Creek. The friend was rescued and treated for hypothermia.

Source: SF Gate article, June 23, 1995

John Gibson O'Meara, known also as Omega Man, Omes, and Yandall Perkins, passed away in Naples, Florida, on September 4, 2013, at age 47. John worked locally as an auto detailer and volunteered at the Naples Humane Society. His lifelong love for all animals made him into an “animal whisperer” who could connect with any four-legged animal he met.

If you knew John as a kid, you’ll remember his infectious smile and mischievous grin. He loved to have fun. This free spirit prompted him to be risk enthused, always looking for a fun rush, creating a super stylish and aggressive, skateboarder, skier, and surfer. In high school he shredded the backyard halfpipes and empty swimming pools around Saratoga and Los Gatos. Later, he charged the big waves along the Santa Cruz coast and in Hawaii, where he lived for a few years. He slid some big mountains with his brother in Colorado, where he also lived for a spell. One winter, John left the Falcons and attended Squaw Valley Ski School, where he competed in downhill slalom. He had incredible talent that we all saw and admired.

Kindness shined from John, and he made friends wherever he went—not mere acquaintances, but genuinely meaningful relationships. He was deeply loved by so many of us. Family formed around John. He had a sharp wit, always with a smile and positive energy and never a mean spirit. He was an excellent movie critic and gifted singer, and he could recite from memory the lyrics of any song that came on the radio. John always found the best new music for us to listen to.

After graduating from Saratoga High, John attended De Anza Community College in Cupertino, California, and later joined the U.S. Navy as a signalman. With the Navy he completed a tour in Southeast Asia, becoming proficient in morse code and semaphore. He had incredible focus when required.

After his passing, we celebrated John on the water in Santa Cruz. A solid crew of friends and family spread his ashes on the sea, the place he so loved to be. We are honored that John’s family understands how much he meant to all of us, his friends and acquired family. We miss him terribly, but find comfort in knowing he is at peace and can chase his rush however he pleases in Heaven.

John is survived by his parents, Bill and Joyce O'Meara of Naples, Florida; his siblings, Patti Cauchon of Boston, Bill O'Meara, Jr., of Denver, and Jim O'Meara of Naples; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews from across the country.

—Friends of John

Our Live Oak Waldorf family has just lost a very special member. Bernadette Pambianco Fudge, mother of Kalina and Louis Fudge, has passed by her own hand after a long battle with bipolar disorder. We are all saddened by this tragic loss of an amazing woman who offered so much love and service to our beloved community.

Bernadette is survived by her two children, Kalina and Louis, her father and step-mother, Louis and Paula Pambianco, her mother, Elaine Anderson, brother Joe Pambianco, step-sisters Bonnie Thomas and Stephanie Hardy, step-brother Stephen Pacetti and niece Victoria Thomas and nephew Kyle Thomas...

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Did you know Mary? The reunion committee doesn't have much information on her life. If you would like to share something about Mary or know her family so we can reach out, please let us know. We’d love to honor her.

Thom is gone from us. He was truly a good-natured, fun-loving, and energetic young man. He cared about his friends, and they cared about him. Thom loved surfing, and he attempted the ultimate challenge that December day. Know that his spirit is with us all. Remember him.

—The Rees Family 

Christine Renee Rickabaugh, 51, of Saratoga and Los Gatos, died May 2, 2017, surrounded by her parents, family and close friends.

Chris was born February 28, 1966, in San Jose. She graduated from Saratoga High School in 1984, and from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1988, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in political science. In 1988, Chris launched her professional career as a human resources recruiter for Apple. Thereafter, she parlayed her success at Apple into a job at Acuson as the Technical Recruiter.

In 1993, Chris was injured in a river rafting accident on the American River. As a result of her injuries, she was required to move into the Stonebrook Skilled Nursing Facility in Los Gatos, where she lived until she passed. At this facility, she was treated with the utmost care, love and kindness...

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Did you know Cindy? The reunion committee doesn't have much information on her life. If you would like to share something about Cindy or know her family so we can reach out, please let us know. We’d love to honor her.

Ann Marie didn't let her lifelong struggle with cystic fibrosis limit how she lived. Carrying portable oxygen, she attended West Valley College to pursue her interest in Early Childhood Education. Her sense of humor and concern for others continued all her life. She died on September 25, 1987, a few days after her 21st birthday. 

—Ann's family

Karen was a light to all who met her. Her intelligent, calm, caring disposition and infectious laugh brightened so many of our days.

Karen was passionate about helping creatures who had no means of helping themselves. After graduating from UC Davis, she dedicated her life to healing and caring for animals who were abused or abandoned by others. It was her passion.

We love and miss you, Karen.

Peace.

—Marianne Tougas Vernacchia

Brett Shoji Uchiyama
Resident of Santa Cruz
43, born Sept. 9, 1966, drowned on April 29, 2010 as a result of an abalone fishing accident off the Sonoma coast. His life was sadly cut short while enjoying one of his many passions, fishing. Brett had a tender and generous heart and will be remembered for his bright smile, spiritual nature, great humor and his zest for the outdoors, good health, and new fatherhood.

Brett grew up in Saratoga and loved baseball, fishing, surfing and snowboarding. He was a born teacher and enjoyed rearing two stepsons. He was equally triumphant over his own toddler's rapid development...

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After graduation, Peter traveled to Cambridge to study physics at Harvard University. His field of concentration was SETI Signal Detection and Analysis. While at Harvard, he sang in the glee club and was also the sound director for the productions at the Harvard Theatre. During the summers, he worked for two years at NASA and another two years at Lockheed.

Peter came home for Christmas vacation in his senior year and never returned as a student, although he continued to study, and his professors mailed his exams to him, which he took under the supervision of teachers at Saratoga High School. He was able to travel back to Harvard to see his friends graduate in June. After his death, his friends established the Peter Wilson Memorial Scholarship at Harvard for undergraduate or graduate students with disabilities. The scholarship is awarded, as Peter had requested, based on merit rather than need.

—Peter's family

John Wingrove was one of my closest friends through junior high and high school, despite our being almost two years apart in age. He was one of two sons of Margaret Wingrove (founder of the Margaret Wingrove Dance Company). The age difference served me well, as John was always more knowledgeable of worldly things, while I was naive and ignorant about so much. He was also very blunt, which I appreciated most of the time. He was the older brother that I never had, and I trusted him. In junior high, it was John who told me to start wearing deodorant, saying, "Mark, you stink! Get some deodorant!" He was also the one who realized that I had chicken pox at age 16, rather than a bad acne breakout. He told me, "Mark, go home! You have chicken pox!" 

John was insanely funny. He was a huge fan of Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, Phil Silvers, Monty Python, the movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, New Wave music, and Disneyland. His wacky sense of humor got me kicked out of Mr. Wild's biology class on at least one occasion, due to my laughing so hard at John's antics.

John was with me (along with Andy Reetz and Robert Corzo) on Grad Night, and we spent lots of time together after school. After graduation, John and I continued to see each other. By that point, John had come out of the closet, and we made regular trips to San Francisco. We spent one crazy weekend in 1985 on a spur-of-the-moment drive down to Disneyland, something we had always hoped to do. On that trip, John became convinced that I was also gay and slipped me some acid, thinking it would loosen me up and help me come out of the closet, too. Unfortunately for John, I'm not gay, and I politely told him so. I said that I didn't have girlfriends in high school because I had been quite shy about such things back in school. It wasn't till college that I started to gain confidence. 

I wish I could say that John and my great friendship continued for years, but that is not what happened. After John came out, he also started dabbling in drugs. This drove a wedge deep into our friendship, and we eventually parted ways. And then, in those early days of AIDS, John contracted the disease. Back then, the diagnosis was a death sentence. John died too young at the age of 24 from complications of the virus. I learned of his death from the newspaper, and I sent a letter to his mother expressing my grief.

I miss John. He comes to mind from time to time. These high school reunions strike a nerve as he's always mentioned in the memorials. I hope that my writing about him here will help everyone remember what a wonderful, if flawed, person he was. If he were here today, I'm not sure he would want to come to any of the reunions. But I'd like to think that I could have coaxed him into joining me.

—Mark Arnold