| 1935Lawrence “Brick” Schneider observed his 100th birthday in February. He and his wife, Ruth, live on their Clarksburg-area farm. He fondly recalls his student days living in old West Hall. After farming some three decades in the north Delta, he directed a UC Davis chemistry stockroom in “the Basement” during 1967–77. He often wonders whatever happened to his colleagues and “all those kids.” He can be reached through daughter, Mary McTaggart ’67, MA ’68, at lrbs3ld7@yahoo.com. |
| 1948Lawrence Kempker, Cred., died of natural causes in Carmichael at age 90. A World War II Army Air Corps veteran, he worked in the food industry and later as a driver’s license examiner for the Department of Motor Vehicles in San Francisco and Sacramento. He retired as a California driver improvement analyst. Survivors include his wife, Theresa; son, David of El Dorado Hills; and a sister, Ruth Provenza. |
| 1955Marilyn Slater Mccapes, a farmer and lifelong campus supporter with family ties going back to the early days of the University Farm, died in her Davis home in January. She was 78. Her father was Aggie Hall of Fame athlete and Olympic gold medal rugby player Colby “Babe” Slater ’17. Her aunt, Marguerite Slater, a UC Berkeley student, in 1914 was one of the first three women to enroll in courses on the new Davis campus. As an undergraduate, Marilyn Slater met her future husband, fellow student Richard “Dick” McCapes ’56, D.V.M. ’58, who joined the School of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1970. She later managed the Clarksburg farm where she had grown up. She was a supporter of the UC Davis Arboretum and the men’s rugby club. In 2003, she donated her father’s 1920 and 1924 Olympic medals and other sports and personal memorabilia to the library. She was a past president of the University Farm Circle and the Prytanean Women’s Honor Society, among other activities. In addition to her husband of 57 years, survivors include her children Patricia Bahrijczuk, Jeffrey McCapes, Elizabeth McCapes ’84, John McCapes and Carolyn Jensen; and nine grandchildren. |
| 1958Lowell “Jake” Walgenbach, who spent 50 years managing fairs, died in January at Biggs-Gridley Memorial Hospital after a battle with cancer. A resident of Gridley, he was 76. He retired in December 2010 as the Glenn County Fair manager. He previously managed the Butte County Fair, the Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, Nev., and the San Francisco Cow Palace Horse Show. Survivors include his wife, June; sisters Germaine Hupe, Judith Braden and Susan Telford; brothers Gary, Fred and Wayne Walgenbach; stepdaughter Cynthia Johnson; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. |
| 1964Chuck Rose, D.V.M. ’66, lives with his wife, Inga, in Nuuk, Greenland, and would enjoy hearing from his former classmates. His email address is greenvet@greennet.gl. He retired in 2004 as Greenland’s chief veterinary officer. |
| 1969Anne Gibbs, Cred. ’70, M.A. ’86, a Davis elementary school teacher, died last December at age 63. As an undergraduate, she was part of a folk trio—Unky, Phoebe and Fatty Anne—that performed at campus events and, during one summer, in Nashville, Tenn. A reading specialist at Davis’ Pioneer Elementary School, she wrote and directed children’s musicals and for 15 years co-directed the school talent show with her spouse, fellow teacher Bev Benedum. In addition to her partner of 17 years, survivors include her sister, Kathy; brother Dave; Bev’s daughter, April; and two grandchildren. |
| 1973Clifton “Randy” Weyeneth’s wife, Sandy, has written a book about their love story, Love Worth the Wait: Trusting God for Real Romance and Real Relationship (Plum Tree Ministries, 2009). They met through their work with the Navigators interdenominational mission. |
| 1974Valori (Richie) Lee, a Stockton educator, died peacefully in her sleep in July 2010 at age 59. She taught at San Joaquin County charter school Venture Academy, and previously worked as an elementary school teacher, Modesto Junior College art gallery director, home-school teacher and counselor. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in art history and Spanish from UC Davis, she earned an M.B.A. from the University of Denver and a Master of Education from California State University, Stanislaus. At the time of her death, she was halfway through a doctoral program in multicultural education at University of San Francisco. Ms. Lee, who participated in fall 1969 in the World Campus Afloat program, later became a board member for what became Semester at Sea. She was also a member of Sacramento’s Golden State Museum and the California Arts Commission. The San Joaquin County Office of Education's Educational Foundation established a scholarship in her memory. Her husband, Thomas A. Lee Jr., predeceased her. Survivors include her children, Andrea and Thomas.
• Jack De Golia, three years after his retirement from the U.S. Forest Service, is pursuing a new career in voice-over narration for radio and TV commercials, websites, audiobooks and iPad apps. To hear samples of his work, go to www.voices.com/people/jackdegolia. • Ernest “Ross” Wade of Vacaville died in January after a battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. His death occurred two days before his 61st birthday. He worked 30 years as a Travis Air Force locksmith, retiring last July. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Julianna; son, David; daughters Candace (DeOrio) Scarlett and Angela (DeOrio) McCord; and six grandchildren. |
| 1975Sara Head, an atmospheric scientist and vice president at AECOM Environment, is president-elect of the Air and Waste Management Association. She will serve as president of the international professional organization in 2013. She has spent the past 18 years of her 36-year environmental career at AECOM, consulting on solar thermal and photovoltaic projects in California and Arizona. She also serves as vice chair of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District Advisory Committee, and was named a 2009–10 VIP/Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women. Her husband, Larry Young ’73–76 is retired after 25 years as an account executive with industrial chemical distributor Univar. They have two grown children. |
| 1976Salvatore Cirone, M.P.V.M., received the Department of Defense’s highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, in November, for his more than four decades of government service, including more than 29 years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. He has worked in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs since July 1996; served on numerous scientific panels on biomedical research, food safety and agricultural biosecurity; and helped win Food and Drug Administration approval for alternate applications of existing medical drugs to protect troops’ health in combat situations. • Bruce Hartsough, M.S. ’83, a UC Davis professor of biological and agricultural engineering and an associate dean in the College of Engineering, was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers last fall for his “outstanding contributions to the advancement of forest engineering and the professional development of agricultural and biological engineering education.” • Mark Steiner, a partner in Duane Morris’ San Francisco law office has been named co-head of the firm’s newly formed trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition division. Steiner has represented companies ranging in size from startups to Fortune 500 in a wide variety of industries. |
| 1978Juli (Spikes) Jensen was named Sacramento County agricultural commissioner/sealer of weights and measure last fall. She most recently served as agricultural commissioner for El Dorado and Alpine counties, but spent most of her career as a Sacramento County deputy commissioner. She enjoys spending time with her family, jumping her horse, and raising, training and showing English setters. • Composer/guitarist Steve Mackey’s latest CD, Lonely Motel: Music From Slide, won a Grammy award for Best Small Ensemble Performance in February. He is chair of the music department at Princeton University. • Stephen Verigin was promoted last November to Pacific region manager and senior vice president at GEI Consultants. An expert on dam and levee safety, he joined the firm in 2006. He is a member of the National Committee on Levee Safety, established by Congress in 2008, and previously served as president of the Association of Dam Safety Officials and acting chief deputy director for the California Department of Water Resources. |
| 1979Rick Browne, senior vice president for grain marketing at CHS Inc., was selected in December to lead the company’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. Browne will be based at CHS’ new office in Singapore. Browne joined the farmer-owned cooperative in 1979 as a grain merchandiser and has held a variety of positions in St. Paul, Minn., and Portland, Ore. |
| 1980Ginny Clarke, founder, president and CEO of Talent Optimization Partners, is a job and career contributor on CBS2 Chicago’s morning newscast. She made her debut appearance in January. The author of Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work (Morgan James Publishing, 2011), Clarke is a frequent writer, speaker and media guest on issues related to career development and job search. Before forming her own firm in 2009, she was a partner at Spencer Stuart, the global executive search firm. She lives in Chicago. • Eric Herzog was recently promoted to senior vice president of product management and product marketing at EMC, the world’s largest computer storage company. He previously worked as a vice president at several start ups and IBM’s storage division. |
