Class Notes

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The Conway twins, Class of 1960, enjoying Yosemite this past March.

Marilyn Martinelli ‘58 was sad to report that Cecilia Hutmacher Surprise ‘58 was called home this past February. Cecilia was the sister of alumna Ursula Hutmacher ‘59. To all her classmates, may we pray for her soul.

1960

Patricia Conway Putkey ‘60 is enjoying retirement in Sun City Lincoln Hills, California. The Conway twins, enjoyed a visit to Yosemite this past March. Pictured left, Mary Conway Zodrow ‘60 and Patricia Conway Putkey.

1961

Carolyn Buhs ‘61 shared that 2021 was the year of her special Diamond Jubilee with Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Carolyn was delighted to celebrate her Jubilee with the Sisters of Notre Dame in Belmont, the SF Archdiocese, and then Mercy Sister and classmate Pat Harney in Redwood City. Afterwards, Carolyn flew to Africa to join her Kenya Unit in the Notre Dame Educational Center in Malava, western Kenya where she is working with Zimbabwean novice Benhildah and two Kenyan postulants, Mary and Vivian, to organize the Resource Center. What a new life!

1962

Maureen Murphy Jenkins ‘62 reported that, “The Jenkins family has just welcomed grandchild number 8!” They are all being “COVID conscious” around the newborn and the toddler siblings, so she is unable to travel to the upcoming Class Reunion. Maureen sends her “warmest greetings” to the Class of 1962!

1966

Marie Henry ‘66 has two poems published in the new anthology Wild Gods: The Ecstatic in Contemporary Poetry and Prose from New Rivers Press. She will also be taking part in a reading by the winners of the International Lawrence Durrell Society’s Poetry Contest. The presentation of winners was originally scheduled for 2020 in Toulouse, France, but was delayed by the pandemic. The reading will now take place online this summer from Toulouse.

1967

After 45 years in their Redwood City home, Jan Pariani Caron ’67 and her husband Joey decided to move to the country where they can relax and be peaceful. Peaceful… YES! Relaxing…no! They are always busy with something—the orchard, vegetable garden, and more. It was a big change but one they wish they had done sooner. In their country life there are no stop lights, all country roads, lots of wonderful people, and only about an hour away. Their kids are older and their four granddaughters are busy high schoolers who are very active in sports. They celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary in May. Jan says, “Life is good. My best to all my classmates. It doesn’t seem that long ago we were Mercy Girls!”

Joey has given Jan a few pointers on driving a tractor. Who would have thought? I love it!

1970

Deborah Rodondi ‘70 has been active in the Italian Catholic Federation (ICF), which was founded 98 years ago in San Francisco. This year she is the Grand President of the Central Council of the ICF. She writes a monthly column that appears in the ICF Newspaper The Bollettino and usually contributes recipes. In the June 2022 issue, she mentioned her lasting friendships formed at Mercy like the one with “Sister Joan” (Mercy Sister Joan Marie). They work together one day a week at Duggan’s Serra Mortuary in Daly City.

1975

Lynn O’Halloran Akeyson ‘75 and a group of her Mercy friends shopped and had a wonderful time at Christmas at Kohl this past December! Pictured above.

1978

LIZ BRUNO WAS AHEAD OF HER TIME: Somehow, it seemed fitting. On the evening of June 23, Liz Bruno was inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. That date happened to coincide precisely with the 50th anniversary of the signing into law of Title IX, the landmark 1972 federal legislation that mandates equal athletic opportunities for girls and women, among other federal requirements. Bruno graduated when the women’s sports boom was barely getting started and she was ahead of her time. She was a pioneer. She was a tall, talented basketball player, an imposing figure among her prep peers,

who wound up later starring at Santa Clara University; her name is still in the school’s record book; her Number 42 has been retired. Bruno, as she recalled during her induction at the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City, competed in her chosen sport well before the nuts and bolts of Title IX’s regulations really kicked in with significant force. Mercy, in those days, had to scramble to field a basketball team, Bruno noted. “There were only a few of us who wanted to play,” she said. (Partial story - excerpt from San Mateo Daily Journal)

1981

Kimberley Garrett Paulus ‘81 and her husband Dan recently returned from Spain where they hiked and backpacked the Camino de Santiago. The pilgrimage was on Kim‘s bucket list for her 50th birthday in 2020, but COVID delayed it until this year. The Camino is an ancient Catholic pilgrimage across Spain that leads the pilgrim to the tomb of Saint James, one of Jesus’ beloved and martyred apostles. Kim and Dan walked every single day over a two week period to complete 200+ miles from León to Santiago de Compostela. It was an adventure of a lifetime and brought them many spiritual graces and blessings. Buen Camino! Pictured above Dan and Kim arrive at the Catedral de Santiago after their 200+ mile journey as pilgrims.

1991

Charlenne Falcis-Stevens ‘91 of Torrey Pines will be honored as the San Diego Section Athletic Director (AD) of the Year. A graduate of UC Davis, Falcis-Stevens is in her 7th year as AD at Torrey Pines and her 16th year at the school. Charlenne also teaches chemistry and is the school’s track coach. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/highschool-preps/story/2022-04-21/three-local-high-schooladministrators-to-be-honored-at-conference

1995

Tessa Manni O’Dowd ‘95 shared a special weekend with Mercy classmates all sharing friendships and the special bond between Mercy girls! This past March, they spent a weekend away in Paso Robles, California. They decided, after 30 years, it was time for another senior trip! All 9 have so many things going on in life, but were determined to make it happen! They committed to a weekend, organized their households PIctured above L to R: Melissa Zugar Segreto, Tessa Manni O’Dowd, Deanna Canepa, Maria Vasnaugh, Jacqueline Dowd Mendel, Megan Carey, Tiffany Nesson, Nicole Narlock and Nicole Albee Burleson

before they left, and reunited as if time had never passed. They had seen each other over the years with dinners here and there, but this weekend reminded them of how they can just pick up right where they left off. Tessa said, “It doesn’t matter how much time goes by, the bond we all share is just so strong. It’s a special bond that cannot be replaced—nurturing, no place for pretending, and has everyone’s full support and trust. Thank you Mercy for giving us this beautiful gift of friendship!”

1996

Jocelyne Takatsuno ‘96 enjoyed bringing her daughters to Mercy and showing them the locker she shared with Christina Beck Drogin ‘96 for all four years. They also visited Señora Castillo’s (Gamma Lulu’s) class. The Mercy generational ties continue —Once a Mercy Girl, always a Mercy Girl!

1999

Evita Rapadas Isleta ‘99

recently collaborated with the investigative and digital innovation teams at KNTV/NBC Bay Area as a video editor. She cut an entire 80-minute documentary that won a 2022 duPont-Columbia