Louise Kanter

Died January 10, 2017

Louise Kanter, 89, a retired CSUS sociology professor, died on Jan. 10 at home. She had a full life and had a wicked, biting sense of humor. She rejected most mainstream ideas and was decades ahead of her time. Born Mary Louise Miller, to Calvin Daniel and Madge M. Miller, she was raised in Broken Bow, NE. She was educated at Stanford University (BS), Harvard University (MA), and University of Nebraska, Lincoln where she earned her doctorate. She retired from CSUS in 1998 after teaching in the sociology department since the 1960s. A third generation teacher, Louise's grandmother, Emma Jane Bishop, was a school teacher in a 1-room sod house & carried a shotgun to class to keep order; and Louise's mother, Madge, was a speech pathologist. She was a union activist and local president of the United Professors of California. Before her a teaching post, she worked at the former Department of Mental Hygiene (now Dept. of Public health) for several years. She was a voracious reader and collected modern art for more than 50 years. She was a fierce & loyal friend to many. In retirement, she said her job was walking her daughter's Labradors at the American River. She is survived by her daughter, Liz Kanter; brother, Thurston D. Miller.
Note: An extended obituary from the Sacramento Bee can be read HERE.

Valerie Wheeler

July 14, 1940 ~ January 16, 2017

Dr. Valerie Wheeler, Professor Emerita of Anthropology at California State University - Sacramento, died on January 16, 2017, after a sudden and brief battle with leukemia. Born on July 19, 1940, Dr. Wheeler spent her early childhood on farms in Ohio and Michigan, studied briefly at Oberlin College, then graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She earned her master's and Ph.D. degrees in Anthropology at the University of Oregon, then taught Anthropology at California State for 40 years, as well as courses in sustainable agriculture in its Environmental Studies program. She conducted research on many topics, including cross-cultural studies of warfare and particularly ethnographic studies of sustainable organic farming families in Ohio, California and France. She also shared ownership of a nearly 200-year-old family farm in Ohio that had been owned by Thomas Edison's sister and her husband; Edison himself was her great-great-uncle. Dr. Wheeler had an early and lifelong interest in photography, which she combined with her ethnographic research. In 2003 she was chosen by the Sac State Faculty Senate to present the Livingston Lecture, one of the university's highest honors; her topic was "The Art of Farming: Ethnography Enlightened by Photography." In retirement she earned an additional master's degree in photographic arts from Cal State, assisted in courses in the Art Department, and used traditional but rare platinum printing techniques to produce black-and-white art photographs of subjects from flowers to photo documentation of Sacramento's Italian men's outdoor bocce bowling community. An avid reader and intellectual, she also loved sewing, quilting and other artistic crafts. Dr. Wheeler was married to philosopher Jamil Nammour for 13 years, then for 32 years to fellow anthropologist Peter Esainko. She was the beloved and beautiful mother of two sons, filmmaker Edouard Nammour of New York (married to Nina Orville) and pianist Kymry Esainko of the San Francisco Bay area (married to Rebecca Burrington). She also leaves a sister, Hannah Wheeler Andrews and brother-in-law Pete Andrews of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; a cousin, Robert Wheeler, of Milan, Ohio; four grandchildren, Remy and Lucas Nammour and Kai and Stella Esainko; a niece, a nephew, and five great-nieces and great-nephews. Dr. Wheeler cared deeply about progressive political ideals.

Shotaro Hayashigatani

May 5, 1934 ~ February 26, 2017

Shotaro Hayashigatani was born on May 5, 1934 in Obama City, Japan and immigrated to the United States at 29 years of age. He passed away peacefully on February 26, 2017. He was a graduate of Kansai University Law School, as well as UC Berkeley California. He was a professor of Ethnic Studies Center at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) for 34 years, as well as the founder and principal for the Port of Sacramento Japanese School. He was respected as a successful program builder and cultural ambassador between the U.S. and Japan. For these efforts, he received an award from the Minister of Foreign Affairs from the Japanese government, as well as the Asian Pacific American Community Local Hero Award by KVIE-TV and Union Bank. His life's work was recognized when he received the prestigious 'Imperial Order of the Sacred Treasure", awarded by the Japanese government. As he was well respected in his community, he was also loved and honored by his family. He is survived by his dedicated wife, Hiroko Hayashigatani; his sons, Hiro Hayashigatani (wife Vida, children Lindsay and Kate) and Shujiro Hayashigatani (wife Vickie, children Erika and Marika), and his daughter Eiri Inenaga (husband Andrew, children Jimmy and Aijo).

Gerald Rothman

August 26, 1937 ~ February 24, 2017

Gerald Rothman grew up in Brooklyn, sojourned in Ohio and Michigan, while earning his bachelor's and 2 masters degrees and moved to Stockton with his wife soon after their wedding. He spent his life working, studying and discussing his passions, including helping the less privileged, insuring a caring government and political system, Judaism, science, art, and music. He was a lifelong learner, earning his doctorate degree at UOP, but constantly reading and juggling ideas.

Jerry worked as a social worker with the poor in Ohio, psychiatric outpatients in Stockton, elderly in Lodi and as a professor of social work at California State University, Sacramento. He spent time on Boards of Planned Parenthood, Stockton Emergency Food Bank, Temple Israel, the San Joaquin Commission on Aging, and was instrumental in bringing Chabad to Stockton. He will be missed greatly by his wife of 51 years, Sue, his daughter Miriam, son Eli (Laura) and brother Malcolm, his five grandchildren, Lily, Shalom, Mushky, Mendel Rothman and Ashley Spero.

Mary Phyllis (Miller) Dobson

Died May 7, 2016

Phyllis was born to Gerald and Ione Miller in Scranton, Iowa. She attended Scranton High School and Simpson College where she majored in English Literature and graduated as Salutatorian of her class in 1943. While a stewardess with United Airlines, 1943-1945, Phyllis reacquainted with fellow Iowan, Dale A. Dobson, a pilot in the United States Air Force. They were married in 1946 until the time of Dale's death in 1992. Dale and Phyllis moved to Sacramento, California after their marriage and were residents of Rancho Cordova from 1958. Dale and Phyllis could really cut a rug and the shimmy was a specialty! Phyllis is survived by her children Thomas Dobson (Jill) of Florida, Deborah Kaage (Jonas) of Sweden, Melinda Mejia, (Robert) of Bakersfield, Stephen Dobson (Virginia Rich) of Carmichael and her 3 grandchildren that brought her great joy: Isabelle Kaage (Stockholm, Sweden), Amelia Mejia (San Diego) and Adam Mejia (Santa Cruz). Phyllis was administrative assistant in the athletics department at CSUS from 1968-1988. She had many cherished friends from this time. For the past 15 years Phyllis was a volunteer at the Deane Dance Center of Sacramento. The past year, after being diagnosed with Alzheimers, Phyllis received loving care at the home of her daughter Melinda and her son-in-law Robert Mejia in Bakersfield. During that time she developed a fun and educational relationship with her homey, Nick Mejia. Phyllis and her children send a special thanks to Irene and Armand Sanders for their many years of devotion and friendship. Phyllis was predeceased by her infants Melinda Anne, Jack William, and Elizabeth Jane.

Brian Michael Sarantopulos

Died January 6, 2017

His smile was the first thing you noticed and will be most missed by everyone who knew him. Kind, gentle, thoughtful and creative, he was quick to laugh with a lightening-quick wit that kept friends and family laughing out loud. He loved children and animals and they loved him. An avid outdoorsman and environmentalist, he loved music, art, climbing, fishing and anything on, near, or in the water. After a 2 1/2 year battle with esophageal cancer, he left the body that could no longer support his dreams and is either climbing the highest mountain, sailing the seas, swimming with whales or flying above the clouds. He is survived by the loves of his life, his three young daughters, Allesandra, Delaney and Emily Sarantopulos. His love for them gave him great joy and sustained him through many of life's challenges. He is also survived by three other loves who entered later in his life - his beloved fiancee, Nicky McGovern, who was at his side until the end, and her two children, Peyton and Caity, as dear to him as his own. Other cherished family he leaves behind include his brother, and best friend, Todd Sarantopulos (sister-in-law Michelle and niece Lauren); father, Jeff Sarantopulos and stepmother, Stephanie Prima; mother, Vicki Sarantopulos, and stepfather, Dick Dowdall; former wife and mother of his children, Carolyn Sarantopulos, and her partner, Gus Silva. He also leaves behind numerous extended family, friends and coworkers he dearly loved. This tribe of loved ones provided many forms of love and support to Brian and his family during the hardest climb of his life. "It is so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it never shone." J. Steinbeck
Note : Brian worked in Reprographics

Gerald "Gerry" Frincke

Died in April, 2017

Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Frincke passed away in April 2017 in Sacramento, California after several years of bravely living with the challenges of Parkinson's Disease. He was a professor of psychology for several decades at California State University, Sacramento in addition to being one of the early computer science and robotics instructors when the field was first being established. He promoted teaching and learning on the internet in addition to "Telecooperation through Telecommunity Developed by Telecommunication." His robot, "Lizzie", who joked he had the intelligence of a lizard, was known to wander the halls of the psychology department from time to time. Dr. Frincke lived a life of service to the Sacramento community as well as to the world at large. Some of his contributions included acting as a Chaplain for the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy in Sacramento, working for Love, Inc., helping to establish and man phone lines for those living with mental illness via Contact Talkline in cooperation with Interfaith Service Bureau, filling bags and delivering groceries to seniors for a chapter of the California Emergency Foodlink run by his wife, Dorothy Frincke), and serving in South Africa as a professor and advocate for students at Nazarene Theological College outside Johannesberg. In addition he hosted a men's retreat for Sacramento Friends Community Church at his property in Tuolumne, was an active contributor to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, supported Western Service Workers, Lutheran World Services, and the Salvation Army. One of his favorite charities was World Vision, for which he made full use of their gift catalog, buying numerous farm animals to honor family birthdays, funded many microloans, and sponsored numerous children to help combat world poverty. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy along with his children, Deborah, Patricia, and Brian Frincke and Kathy Fanning, as well as eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

John Joseph Liberty

December 14, 1927 ~ May 30, 2017

On May 30, 2017, John Joseph Liberty passed away peacefully at the age of 89. Born in Sacramento, CA on December 14, 1927 to Josephine (Zobac) Liberty and John (Svoboda) Liberty he lived a long and fulfilling life. Ever a believer in the power of education, John graduated from Grant Union High School, went on to get his Bachelor or Arts in Social Science from CSUS and his Masters in Library Science from the University of Denver. His love of books led him to employment at Levinson's Book Store, the California State Library and ultimately joined the faculty of the CSUS Library as a Social Science Reference Librarian. This position suited him well as he loved to help students and also pursued his academic research on far right and far left political groups. He was very proud of his Dissent and Social Change Project bibliography which earned him national recognition. John was active in the Sacramento peace and civil rights movements and remained interested and informed on politics to the very end of his life (including trying to get the Kaiser nurses to talk politics). In his retirement John was able to spend time enjoying movies, playing the clarinet, listening to jazz, reading political news, and doing online research. He supported many humanitarian and civil rights causes throughout his life. John loved to talk, as his friends and family will attest. He wanted to share anything he loved and will be remembered for his persistence on movies that had to been seen, political articles that had to be read, voting that must be done, music that must be heard. He also had a sentimental and playful side, reading books or cartoons in silly voices to his children and grandchildren, drawing cartoon dogs on his homemade birthday cards, searching for chocolate Easter bunnies with sincere faces. He also wrote poetry. John had two daughters with Irma Liberty (divorced), Kristine Elizabeth Liberty (deceased) and Marya Liberty (Robert Dunn). Later in life he had a wonderful relationship with Arlene Levinson (deceased). He loved and was very proud of his two grandchildren, Joseph Edward Liberty Dunn (Casey Rumble) and Rita Meridian Liberty Dunn (Ryan Bieker).

Elinor Simson Benes

October 5, 1924 ~ July 18, 2017

Elinor Simson Benes passed away peacefully of natural causes at her home in Cottonwood, AZ on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, with family and loved ones present. She was 92. She was born on October 5, 1924 in Yreka, California to Charles Henry Simson and Catherine Cave Simson. Growing up in the depression, she and her sister Dorothy lived in different areas of California with their mother Catherine as she found work as a teacher. Elinor met Norman Stanley Benes at a USO dance in San Jose; they were married in 1945 and together they had four children. Elinor graduated with a B.A. from San Jose State College in 1945 and went on to attain an M.S. at Arizona State University in 1961, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. She completed a Ph.D. in 1966 at University of California, Davis and was a member of the Society of the Sigma Xi. She taught in the Biology Department at California State University, Sacramento for 23 years and retired as a professor emeritus. Elinor and Norman divorced in 1971. In 1976, she married Marion Murphy, a fellow member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento. After Marion's death in 1987, she retired to Carson City, NV and then moved to Cottonwood, AZ in 2001. She was a dedicated gardener and an active member of Master Gardeners for over 30 years. She enjoyed travelling and visited Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Kenya. With Marion, she toured England and Australia and they spent her sabbatical year in New Orleans, LA at Tulane University. She loved having animals around her and throughout her life maintained a home with a variety of species in residence. She also volunteered at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and Arizona State University Extension after retirement. Elinor is survived by her sister Dorothy Thom of Walnut Creek, CA, her children Greg Benes (Susi) of Modesto, CA, Heather Benes (Jere Calef) of Mojave, CA, Michelle Benes (Tim Pelton) of Cottonwood, AZ, and Francine Bettger (Brian) of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, her niece Kathleen Mesick, three grandchildren Seth West, Steve Benes and Morgan Mueller, six great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

Rene Burghgrave

September 29, 1926 ~ August 13, 2017

Born September 29, 1926 in Moline, IL; passed away August 13, 2017 in Sacramento, CA, at the age of 90. Rene was beloved by all who knew him as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. Preceded in death by his wife of 67 years Mary Ann, brother Louis Burghgrave, and parents Peter and Gertrude Burghgrave. He leaves behind sons Randy and Rick, granddaughters Chris (Roger) and Jadie (Paul), and great-grandchildren Taylor, Skyler, Daphne and Madden.E

Remembering Rene, from Jim Ster
For those of you who didn’t know Rene, here’s a few tidbits that I warmly recall about him.
Rene spent time in the US Navy during WWII and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. On August 2th, 1942 the Hornet was attacked and eventually sunk by Japanese torpedoes and a Kamikaze aircraft that crashed thru the ships wooden flight deck elevator and set the deck ablaze. Rene was one of hundreds of sailors who jumped off the stern of the ship when the fires they were fighting overtook them and left them no other option. He and others spent the next several hours floating in shark infested waters before they were finally rescued.
Rene was a certified Master Machinist and certainly was one of the finest to have ever worked for the college. He learned his trade at the Rock Island Armory in Illinois. He went on to become a model maker, which was about as good as it gets in the machine shop world in the day. He was hired in the 1960’s by the now defunct Sacramento Union newspaper and worked on maintaining their huge offset press, a job considered to be a “Cadillac Job” for a machinist. When the newspaper shuttered its doors in 1980, he found employment with the ECS Tech Shop. (Rene and I were hired into the Tech Shop on the same day back in the fall of 1981!) As you walk thru the ME and CE departments Labs in Santa Clara Hall, much of the older equipment in there was designed, built, and maintained by him. I fondly recall Rene and I having friendly competitions during the summer to see who could make the most 505 tensile specimens in one day. We’d both be on our lathes cranking out steel and aluminum specimens as fast as we could. We’d end up making over 300 specimens per day! Not too bad in the days before CNC equipment came around. He was also a vicious player of Pinochle and won many games held during our breaks every day.
Rene was also a proud member of the local Shriners and amongst his various duties, he maintained their Keystone Cops go-carts that they use in parades.
Jim Ster, Lead Equipment Technician III, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Muriel Linder

August 5, 1932 ~ August 25, 2017

Muriel Linder, our valiant Viking warrior, has fought her last battle. Muriel was born to the late Joseph and Clara Dado in Minneapolis, MN, on August 5, 1932. She left us for her next adventure on August 25, 2017, one week shy of her 66th wedding anniversary with her husband Rudy, living in Rio Linda for the entirety of their marriage. She grew up in San Francisco and graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento. Surviving her are Rudy, sons Roger Linder (Cece) and Michael Scully-Linder (Peggy) and daughter Tracy Bowen (Jeff). In addition, she cherished her eight grand-children and their spouses and four great-grand-children. Muriel retired from CSUS School of Engineering and Computer Science as a Department Secretary for more than 20 years, as well as other clerical positions throughout the years. She had an avid interest in sewing and knitting and other crafts, including a recent interest in adult coloring books. She loved hummingbirds. She was well traveled and toured much of the United States and Canada and visited her grandparents' homeland of Norway as well as Sweden. She was a caring and loving wife, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother who enjoyed every minute with her family.

Douglas Johnson

Died September 11, 2017

Douglas Johnson entered his new life on September 11, 2017. He was 87 years old. He was a native of Michigan and has lived in Sacramento since 1959. Dr. Johnson retired from the Naval Intelligence Program as a 35 year Navy Captain. He was a professor and administrator for 39 years at California State University, Sacramento. He and Jean were married 53 years. He is survived by his children, Mary Martha (Merv), Drew (Pamela), Marie, seven beloved grandchildren and two great-grand children. He loved being "Papa."
Note: Douglas taught in the Teacher Education Department

Herbert Anthony Perry

Died October 16, 2017

After a long and full life, Herb passed away on October 16, 2017. He was 94. Herb was born and raised in Niles, California, and when his father died three days before his high school graduation, he joined the Merchant Marine to provide for his mother and his three younger siblings. He then served in the Navy as a diesel engineer and was working on an LST boat that landed on Normandy on D-Day during WW II. After several more years at sea he enrolled at San Jose State at the age of twenty-eight. He went on to Cornell University and then to the London School of Economics where he earned his doctorate in Labor Economics. While in London he met Mavis Wynne on a blind date. She visited him upon his return to California where they married in 1956 and started a family. They celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary in February, 2015, two months before she died. Herb and Mavis settled in Sacramento in 1966, and Herb began teaching at CSU Sacramento, where he taught until he retired. In 1975 Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the newly formed Agricultural Labor Relations Board where he served for five years, working to improve working and living conditions for farmworkers in California. He was a member of the Sacramento Labor Council, an arbitrator for Regional Transit, and he was active on the board of the Towe Ford Museum. He cherished his Portuguese heritage, and he served a term as the president of the Portuguese Historical Society. Herb Perry believed strongly in the rights of working people, in the importance of family, and in a well-made martini. He had a zest for life and a big heart. He told great stories, and he loved a good joke, homegrown tomatoes, and old cars. He was an irreverent wisecracker, a loving husband, and an engaged and caring father and grandfather. He is survived by his three children, Michael, Anthony, and Lynne, his grandchildren, Lilah, Ellie, Bela, and Bevan, his great-granddaughter Freyja, his soon to be great-grandson due in November, his sister Bernice, and his niece and nephews. He will be sorely missed but will live on in our hearts.

Kenneth Nelson Owens

Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, historian/scholar, author, Professor Emeritus, musician, flyfisher, boatbuilder, philanthropist, activist, a kind and generous man. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Ken attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and the University of Minnesota where he received his doctorate as a Woodrow Wilson Scholar. He had a distinguished teaching career, including over 30 years in the History faculty at California State University Sacramento, where he was instrumental in the creation of a degree in Public History, helped found the California Council for the Promotion of History and institute a joint doctoral program in History with UC Santa Barbara. He authored a number of books on the American West, including his final work Empire Maker, a biography of the founder of Russian settlements in colonial Alaska and Northern California. In his early years, he aspired to be a musician. He played in jazz bands as well as in the Oregon Symphony, and later in the Camellia Symphony in Sacramento. Ken was a good friend and a great storyteller who will be deeply missed by his wife of 63 years, Sally Owens, his daughters Victoria Owens and Melissa Owens (Paul McWhirter), grandchildren Geneva Stevahn, Avalon Owens, Ryn and Seth McWhirter, brother Jim Owens, and sister Judy (Wayne) Smoot as well as a large extended family and many friends.

John N. Hester

December 1,1930 ~ November 30, 2017

20th Century "Renaissance" man, John Hester, passed on November 30, 2017. John Hester was born on December 1, 1930, to the late John and Ethel Hester, in Washington, D.C. where he and his sister Vivian (now deceased) attended public schools. Later he attended Howard University. He played football, baseball and tennis and ran track in high school and college. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as an infantry unit commander with the rank of captain. John married Mitsue Hisanaga in 1954 and they had one son, Victor. John Hester graduated from Tri-State College with a degree in chemical engineering. He earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from Michigan State University and completed his doctoral studies in applied mathematics and higher education at the University of California and Walden University. He worked for nine years in the aerospace industry as an engineering analysis manager at the Aerojet General Corporation. Later, he was General Manager of the Alternative Energy Corporation and Vice President for Technology at the Clean Custom Fuels Corporation. He was co-inventor of the Thermolysis process for the conversion of carbon-based wastes into energy. He served on the faculty of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at California State University in Sacramento from 1969-1995, first as an associate professor of mechanical engineering, then as a professor of mechanical engineering and finally as the associate dean for academic programs and research. He developed and introduced the use of design problems and computer problems in thermal science courses. In addition, he served as as a reviewer for several publishing companies on their introductory and intermediate thermodynamics texts. He developed the course content and team taught several interdisciplinary courses, including the creation of instructional materials in group dynamics, simulation games, multimedia and small group, and experimentation and adaptation of new teaching methods and techniques. He published a number of journal articles and essays for general publication and one book - Acceptance. Also, he was a member of the faculty of the Individual Learning Program, an interdisciplinary project, serving as director in its second year. Dr. Hester received the Outstanding Faculty Award in 1987. He was a television producer for 24 years, receiving awards for hosting and producing six public service television series and three specials. He was a member of the board of directors of Women Escaping an Violent Environment (WEAVE) for 17 years, serving as president for three terms and he served on a number of other community boards including the California Center for Civic Renewal. Dr. Hester was the recipient of the 1995 Violence Free Community Award and the 1998 Sacramento Angel Award as the Outstanding Non-Profit Board Member. Dr. Hester received the 1999 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Tri State University Alumni Association. He was elected to the Tri-State University (now Trine University) Board of Trustees in 2000 and he served as the Chair of the Committee on Trustees and Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. His interests included viewing and participating in sports, traveling, visiting with friends and relatives and reading. During the latter part of his retirement years, he studied human evolution and cosmology, two topics of lifelong interest. Dr. Hester is survived by his son Victor and a number of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Remembering John, From Don Gillott, Emeritus Dean, College of Engineering
On Thursday, November 30, Sacramento State University lost one of its most respected and highly professional colleagues with the death of Professor Emeritus John Hester. Professor Hester inspired his students in the classroom with his ability to emphasize the many positive contributions made by engineers and the tremendous opportunities for students seeking degrees in their chosen profession.
On a personal note, throughout my career in engineering and computer science education, I have had the privilege to interact with many highly professional individuals. Without question, I can state unequivocally that Professor Hester possessed the qualities and professionalism of the finest of them.
Although I knew John as a colleague from early 1970, it was the later years as dean of the college when he served in my administration as associate dean that I really had the opportunity to experience first hand the positive role John played in the life of that academic unit and the very important influence he had on his students. This was evident during commencement when his students approached the podium to receive their diplomas. Each student took the opportunity to pause and shake John’s hand or hug him, showing their appreciation for his role in their success.
Betty and I continued our close friendship with John after retirement. We always knew that there would be a cake, baked by John, to celebrate Betty’s birthday or any opportunity to present one of his prize cakes for Betty. The love and respect Betty and I have for John will remain for the remainder of our lives.