Farewell to Friends
Sarah Joy Streicher By Lindsay Oda Business Manager
Sarah Joy Streicher enjoyed dancing and cooking, spent time with her family and friends, and wanted to be a high school history teacher when she grew up. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and worked at the PW Market as a courtesy clerk where customers described her as “a pleasant, young, helpful girl with the most beautiful smile.” Sarah was “sweet, kind and caring,” according to many of her friends. “It hurt Sarah to see anyone she cared about in pain,” said Allie Levy. “She always had a way of making her friends feel special, and boy, was she good at it.” Someone very special and close to Sarah was her older sister Jennifer Miles of Tacoma, Washington, who’s expecting a baby in March; Sarah was very excited about being an aunt. Jennifer has a special memory of Sarah being her bridesmaid at her wedding. “Our pictures together are priceless,” she said. “I was supposed to pose with her and be all serious, but she wouldn’t stop cracking jokes. So in all of the pictures of us together we are rolling laughing so hard. The pictures came out way better because of that and I am so grateful to her
for that gift.” Sarah was about to start her senior year at CVHS. To her former teachers she was “inspirational,” “bright” and “gifted.” Many describe her as a girl with much motivation and ambition. Sarah was intelligent, brightened the classroom, and was “quick to smile,” her teachers said. “She made every person in her presence feel accepted and cared for, giving them cheer and hope. Inspiring students to treat and support each other in similar ways is how I will keep her memory alive,” said teacher Deborah Yager. “My fondest memory of Sarah was her warm, inviting smile. Since the first day of Freshman English, Sarah was forever smiling and had kind words for everyone,” said teacher Michelle Lew. Sarah was born June 13, 1991 and died on August 12, 2008. She is survived by her mother Deborah Pimentel, her father Ralph Streicher, her sister Jennifer Miles and brother-in-law Erik Miles, her grandparents, many aunts, uncles and cousins, countless friends, and Dane Niderost, Sarah’s boyfriend and the “love of her life.” Sarah's family plans to establish a scholarship in her name to support students who share the passion she had for history. Donations are accepted at Washington Mutual Bank at 3449 Castro Valley Blvd.
Clark Matthew Wright By Joseph Wan Copy editor
Clark Matthew Wright graduated from CVHS last June, worked at PW Market, and planned to start classes at Las Positas College in Livermore this fall. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Castro Valley. Those who knew Clark described him as charming and easygoing, with “a kind and sincere smile.” Many also remembered him as a religious, generous, caring and responsible young man. As far as fun and games went, he loved practical jokes, Hawaiian-themed shirts, video games, and roller coasters. “Clark was quiet in class, but when he did speak I could tell he was a deep and thoughtful person,” recalled social studies teacher Nick Whitaker. “Here was a young man who could look outside of his own bubble to see the real world and not the one most people take for granted. For that and so may other reasons, I will miss Clark.” So will many relatives and friends who treasure special memories of Clark. “To have been able to call myself a friend of Clark’s is truly a gift I will cherish my entire life,” said Cristina Resendiz, a classmate and fellow 2008 graduate. “There are very few people in this world that, especially in as little time as Clark
had, can say they have impacted the lives of everyone around them, let alone their entire community. It wasn’t just because of his charm or easygoing personality that drew people towards him; it was his kind and sincere smile that instantly revealed that he genuinely wanted to know you and learn how to make you laugh. “There isn’t one memory I have about Clark that I can look back on without smiling. I just wish I could tell him now how greatly I treasured his friendship,” she said. “Clark’s family and friends were precious to him,” his family wrote. “It is a great comfort to us to know that he touched so many lives and that his love and kind heart and light-up-the-room smile will continue to live on, in some small way, in each of our lives.” Clark was a Little Leaguer, a Boy Scout, a Link Crew volunteer, a Mexico missions participant, a fisherman and a nature lover. Clark was born on March 8, 1990 and died on Aug. 12, 2008. He is survived by his parents, David and Becky Wright, his sister Courtney Wright, his grandparents, many aunts, uncles and cousins, and many friends. Donations to establish a scholarship in his name are accepted at Washington Mutual Bank at 3449 Castro Valley Blvd.