USD Magazine Fall 2005

MIKE GERGEN (B.B.A.) and wife Melanie welcomed their first child, daughter Payton Neeley, on Jan. 18, 2004. Mike, Melanie and Payton live in Las Vegas, where Mike is director of marketing for LVI Global. RICHARD HEALY (L.L.M.T.) works for the McGeorge School of Law’s Institute for Administrative Justice as a staff attorney managing contract attorneys for the California Parole Advocacy Program. He reports that his wife, Toni, was selected as one of the top attorneys of the year by California Lawyer magazine. TIFFNI JELLINEK (B.A.) married “the most amazing man on earth,” Steve Altes, on Aug. 20, 2004, on Shelter Island in San Diego (see page 40). The following USD alumni attended their wedding: Michelle (Majchrzak) Jacko (B.A. ’93); Tina (Strelchun) Demarchi (B.A. ’92); and Laura Lee Juliano (B.A. ’96). Also attending was Eric Grischkat, a former assistant pro- fessor in the theatre department. Tiffni, now going by the stage name Diana Jellinek, lives with her husband in Los Angeles and teaches voice and “the business of show business” at The Acting Corps in North Hollywood. One of her recent stu- dents was Brennan Taylor (B.A. ’02). CATHERINE (DUFORT) KUIPER (B.A., M.ED. ’94) still teaches at Julian High School. She plans to begin teaching part-time to make extra time for her second child, due Oct. 1. Cathy and husband Jason also have a“beautiful 2 1 / 2 -year-old daughter, Tierra Jasmine.” DANIEL KUNKEL (J.D) is a staff attorney for the Supreme Court of Hawaii. ERIC MAGNUSON (B.B.A) and wife Jennifer welcomed their first child, Cole Thomas, on March 1, 2004. They recently relocated to Virginia, where Eric manages CRM marketing for Circuit City. KAY (MANN) OWENS (M.ED.) has been working in the field of information technology for the past 10 years. She and her husband had their first daughter, Isabella Rose, on March 31.

ALLAN BURCH

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CATHERINE DICEY [1908-2005] was a longtime San Diego County teacher whose legacy will live on at USD. Although she never taught at Alcalá Park, she was well-connected to the school through her many friends here. Dicey, who died on Feb. 15 at the age of 96, left her home and other gifts to USD to fund no- and low-interest student loans. Born on a Mennonite farm in Canada, she spoke only German in her early years, and made education her priority. Dicey, who taught first grade for more than 30 years in Fallbrook and San Diego, made learning fun. On a field trip, she once convinced workers to let her students deco- rate dynamite boxes being used to level a mountain. “She made education her lifelong passion,” said Lisa DeBolt (B.A. ’04), who along with twin sister Karen DeBolt (B.A. ’04) got to know Dicey in recent years. “Just by donating her home in Point Loma to USD, she still can continue that passion — teaching and helping students.”

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USD MAGAZINE