1930’s and 1940’s

Laurita Grider Barber, BA ’37, wrote from Houston with the sad news that her husband of 64 years, Tom C. Barber, passed away in March.  He would have been 90 on July 31.

Margaret Pickering [Papoose] Douglass, BA ’42, and her husband, John Jay, celebrated 58 years of marriage in August.  Still very much employed as a tax law specialist, she received a high honor award from the Department of the Treasury for her work.

1970’s

Linda Klesel Millwee, BA, MT ’70, lives in Fair Oaks Ranch near San Antonio and has been teaching math at Alamo Heights Junior School since the spring of 1970, the same school where she did her student teaching.

Cindy Harder Finberg, BSN ’71, has been working as a counselor in the Arlington school district for the past eight years working with parenting teens.  She has two grown daughters – one is a policewoman in Fort Worth and her youngest just became an RN. She has also danced for the past 14 years, representing the gospel through movement. She danced at Ground Zero four months after the Sept. 11 attacks and also in Japan, Costa Rica, Haiti and throughout Europe.

Robert L. Perdiue, DP, MPH, BS Bio ’71, MS Nutr ’94, is in the doctoral program of Walden University.

Karen Ottis Murray, BA ’73, represented UIW at the inauguration of David W. Leebron as the seventh president of Rice University.

Laura Ellen [Laurie] Fitzpatrick, BA ’76, was the second runner-up in the 2004 San Antonio Express-News Original Fiesta Medal competition for her entry “The Divine Frivolous Order of the Flambeau-ant Flamingo.”

Norma Sheridan-Leos, RN, AOCN, CPHQ, BSN ’76, MSN ’93 [with distinction], was selected to attend the Oncology Nursing Society’s Leadership Development Institute as a 2004 Fellow. The institute gives oncology nurses the opportunity to hone their leadership skills as a means to ensure that oncology nurses remain a driving force in the cancer care arena. Only 50 nurses are selected to become fellows. She was selected because of her work in devising and implementing an oncology nurse residency program in Savannah, Ga.

Additionally, she was an invited speaker at the 2004 Oncology Nursing Society national convention held in Anaheim, Calif., to present her work in the nurse residency program and medication error prevention. Norma is an advanced oncology board certified nurse practicing in Savannah, Ga., and has been an oncology nurse for 29 years, with 11 of those years at the MSN level. She has worked at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio and the Veteran’s Health Care System.

Alan M. Craig, BA ’76, his wife, Laura, and their children, Stefani and Sean, visited the campus in June from their home in Bridgeport and took in all of the campus changes.

Maria Angelica Pena Rocha, BSN ’78, has been a bilingual nurse educator for more than a year at the Caremark Pharmacy, the largest managed care pharmacy services in the United States. She teaches disease management in the areas of asthma, COPD, and diabetes. Also, her daughter, Antoinette, is at Holmes High School and, since she is the twirler for the Golden Husky Band, was one of five feature twirlers at the Battle of the Bands at the Alamo Stadium. She also twirled at the Battle of Flowers parade this year, and competed at the Texas State National Baton and Twirling Association NBTA in San Antonio on Father’s Day weekend. She was a former state titleholder in 1997. Antoinette is thinking of attending UIW.  Maria also attended her 30th high school reunion last June.

James F.  Maginot, Jr, BS ’79, marked a major milestone in his life in August. He and his wife, Della, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They renewed their vows at Our Lady’s Chapel at UIW. Following the ceremony, they had a dinner/dance reception at the UIW Sky Room. The theme was “Disco may be dead, but we’re not!” There were rumors that Jim was spotted doing the hustle and maybe even dancing to the Village People’s YMCA (Flashback to Marian Hall), but those are only rumors. Hopefully, no pictures will surface on the Internet or in the tabloids to support these rumors.

1980’s

Mary Susan Gatton Owens, BA ’81, earned her master’s in library science degree on May 8 from the University of North Texas.  She is currently employed as the librarian at St. Cecilia Catholic School in Houston. 

Sister Jo-Michele Sierra, SSCJ, MA ’81, is now director of ministry for persons with disabilities for the Archdiocese of San Antonio after 15 years with the San Antonio Housing Authority. She says it is an awesome and wonderful undertaking.

Craig Davis, BBA ’82, is now the chief of staff for Texas State Representative Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee. Prior to that, Craig was grant auditor, telecommunications infrastructure fund board and director of the Texas alternate fuels council, both in Austin.

Mardi Swift Marah, BA ’83, e-mailed in June of the untimely death of her husband, Kevin, at the age of 52. It was a sudden death due to double pneumonia. We sent condolences to Mardi and her son, Greg.

Paul Carl Spana, BA ’84, has moved from the Children’s Museum of Houston to the Johnson Space Center Visitor Center.

Bridget (Clifford) Sharp, BS MT ’85, listed in the 2004 Who’s Who Among American Teachers, is a recipient of “The President’s Volunteer Service Award,” organized the Archdiocese of San Antonio Science Fair 2004 (and 2005) and is currently teaching at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Selma.

Francisca E. Gonzales, BA ’86, Med, ’00, is now the school librarian for Knox and Woodlawn Hills Elementary Schools in San Antonio.

Sister Renee Turcotte, O.P., MA ’86, celebrated 50 years of religious profession as a Dominican Sister in July and is still busy as a parish volunteer and chaplain assistant in a Rehabilitation Center in Maine where she lives.

Vasee Nesiah, BBA ’89, has moved back to Colombo, Sri Lanka and his current mailing address is as follows: 30/6b Clifford Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka 00300, Mobile: (+94-77) 771-8617, Work: (+94-11) 537-0674 Home: (+94-11) 268-7547 [email protected] or [email protected]

He shares the following with us: “After my graduation in 1989, I worked in Austin for a year and then went to USC in Los Angeles to do my master’s in communications management at the Annenberg School. I’ve since worked for the United Nations in New York, the International Irrigation Water Management Institute, a television station and an ISP before deciding to become an entrepreneur.  Over the last six years, I’ve started and sold two technology companies that caused me to live and work in Colombo, Singapore, and San Jose. I have since moved back to Colombo, where I work as an industry analyst and consultant. I have a wife, two kids, two dogs and a pair of turtles. I look forward to hearing from my old friends at Incarnate Word and would especially be interested in making contacts with alumni in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.”

1990’s

Billy Lee Cooper, BA ’92, managed a number of marketing campaigns for American Express for the past two years, and now works directly for American Express’ New York office, but still lives in San Antonio.

Sharon Kroll Ledbetter, BA ’92, MA ’96, and her family have moved from Las Vegas to Valdosta, Ga., where Patrick is stationed at Moody Air Force Base after seven months last year of deployment to Iraq.  They have bought their first house, which is very much enjoyed by their children Raegan, 7, and Jarrett, 2.

Diane Richbourg Webber, BBA ’92, and Dan Webber, BBA ’93, were married in 1996 and both work in Houston. Dan is an international human resources manager at Baker Hughes, Inc. and Diane is director of public relations for the US Professional Tennis Association. Their first child, Grace, was born Dec. 16, 2003 (see future alumnae/i).

Dr. Keith Steinhurst, MED ’93, left federal civil service and is now in the private sector at Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he is one of two clinical documentation specialists who do 100 percent inpatient chart review for quality improvement. His wife, Chandra, is one of six clinical resource coordinators for NICU and manages the unit’s personnel and material assets in addition to being a neonatal RN.

Yvonne Gonzalez Sullivan, CRRN, IWHS ’84, BSN ’93, earned her CRRN  (Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse) in 2000. She is currently working in Austin at Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital as a RN. She was married to Sean M. Sullivan on June 7, 2003 (of Austin, formerly of Kansas City, KS) and they were expecting their first child in October.

Kenyon Anderson, BA ’94, is a freelance writer, editor and Web developer in Kansas City, Mo.  She also works part-time as a communications specialist for American Century Investments and as an actor in corporate training films and commercials. Her children, Taege, 9, Keile, 6, and Blane, 1, keep her busy as well.

Maria G. Irizarry James, BSN ’94, shares this with us: “I am writing with sad news. I bore a stillborn son on Aug. 27. My son’s name is Leonard James III and he only weighed 2 lbs 15 ozs.  It is still very hard dealing with this tragedy. Please keep my family in your prayers. Thank you.”

Veronica Cuellar, BA ’95, has been teaching elementary school in Laredo for the past five years.

Trevor D. Alexander, BA ’96, is the new UIW assistant director of campus ministry.

Marcos Fragoso, BBA ’96, is now the UIW coordinator for initiatives in Mexico and Latin America.

Ellen M. Murphy, BA Mus ’96, is still working for the Department of Defense Schools and has moved from Yokosuka, Japan, to Naples, Italy. She is an education technologist. She graduated in 1998 from Texas A&M Corpus Christi with a master’s in education and computer science and is currently studying at Nova Southeastern University of Florida for a degree in management information systems.

David L. Taylor, III, BSN ’96, MSN 04, writes that “It is now June, and all is well after graduating with my master’s from UIW. I thought I would write a few lines for the next magazine so my friends can keep up with all of my changes and constant moves. I am currently a captain in the U.S. Army station at Bravo Company Academy Battalion. I have taken the deputy chief position of the 91 Delta Branch, which is responsible for training all of the Army’s Operating Room Technicians. We conduct five training cycles each year, graduating more than 400 highly skilled or technicians. I am responsible for 22 phase two training sites located all over the United States, maintain our Web page, conduct two end-of-cycle surveys for both our phase one and two training sites. I maintain our QI program, and teach several classes each time students rotate through our classrooms. My wife, Donna, has been accepted into the UIW family and began classes in August. She has been admitted into the pre-pharmacy program and is looking forward to the challenges that await her. Our four children are doing well and continue to grow and add new dimensions to our lives.  Each one of them holds a special place in our hearts.”

John D. Tran, BS ’98, passed the Patent Bar and the February 2004 California Bar Exam, which many consider the toughest Bar in the nation. John is happily married and currently a registered patent attorney practicing law in Orange County, Calif.

Alana J. Walsh, BS ’99, is in her second year of teaching integrated physics and chemistry at Del Rio High School after completing the alternative certification program at Region XX. Alana is the sister of alumnus Patrick Walsh and niece of alumna Sister Nora Marie Walsh, CCVI.

2000’s

Ehren S. Roehl, BBA ’00, is the human resources coordinator for the Head Start Program of Neighborhood Centers, Inc in Houston. This is a non-profit United Way agency that assists children in disadvantaged neighborhoods throughout Houston in receiving proper medical, educational and after-school care.

Dzao C. Vu, BA ’00, received a National Young Community Leaders Recognition Award to honor Vietnamese American community leaders and develop future leaders at a national conference in Houston in late September.

Ronald J. Wojnar, MA ’00, is an assistant professor in multimedia technology at Northwest Vista College of the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio.

Kristy Navaira, IWHS ’97, BBA ’01, MBA ’03, former associate director of UIW Public Relations, in June became the communications and marketing specialist for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care.

Anthony Cristo, BA ’02, recently resigned his position as a cancer information specialist with the American Cancer Society and moved out to Hollywood, Calif. to pursue his ultimate goal as an actor. He sold everything that would not fit in his car and drove out on appropriately enough, Independence Day. He lives in a small apartment in the heart of Hollywood and has managed to eke out a living doing background extra work on television and films. He has been an extra on several TV shows, including “ER,” “NYPD Blue,” “Judging Amy,” and “The Gilmore Girls.” He will also have a part in a movie directed by Rob Reiner starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Aniston. Anthony credits alumnus Rick Chavira, BA ’96, as “one of my motivating factors to come out here, as was Dr. Mary Beth Swofford, BA ’74, MA ’77.” He adds that “Hollywood is not all the glitz and glamour people may think it is. Anyone coming out here thinking they’ll be an instant star is sadly misinformed. It is a lot of work and a lot of patience in waiting for your day to come. Like Rick before me, I hope to be somewhat close to where he is in the next five years.”

Dr. Angela McPherson Williams, PhD ’02, has joined the UIW staff as the director of student leadership activities. 

Meagan Lee Block, BA ’03, has entered law school at the University of Notre Dame.

Lisa Jurgajtis, BBA ’03 ADCaP, was promoted to the athletic business manager position at the University of Texas at San Antonio on May 8. “I continually thank God,” Lisa says, “my dear friend Sister Luz Moreno (instructor at St. Anthony High School) and UIW for my continued success and achievements in my career and life.”

Gina Montemayor, BAAS ’03, is the communications coordinator for Brighton, The Center for Inclusive Communities in San Antonio. 

Megan Morton, BA ’03, Justin Bennett, BA ’04, and Mark Stringham, BA ’04, were in the August production of “Footloose” at San Antonio’s San Pedro Playhouse. Mark also earned a graduate fellowship for theatre study at Ohio University.  The San Antonio newspapers almost weekly report theatre activities of UIW alumni and alumnae.