In Memoriam: Ken Thompson
The wedding party of Erica (Ruggeri) Mendonca (SJS ’01, SHP ’05) included cousin of the bride Kimberly Lautze (SJS ’02, SHP ’06) and SHP ’05 classmates Kirsten Harmon, Rachel Taylor, Lynn (Rudolph) Rosendin, Christina Baladi (SJS ’01), and Kate Carroll.
president for HP’s Bay Area Young Employee Network, and in 2015, cofounded the San Francisco chapter of national campaign “Represent Us”— successfully leading a campaign to pass the ballot measure Prop T (the Lobbyist Gift Ban).
In summer of 2016, the Sacred Heart school community suffered another devastating loss: colleague and mentor Ken Thompson. Serving nearly three decades on the Atherton campus across a variety of capacities—in sports, arts, academics, and most recently, mathematics department chair—Thompson embodied the Sacred Heart spirit and impacted countless students under his guidance.
SHP Class of 2012 Hogan Bradford was promoted from a summer internship to marketing associate with the firm Tripping, founded by fellow grad Jen O’Neal (SJS ’93, SHP ’97). Tyler VauDell (SJS ’09, SHP ’13) with Jean Bartunek, RSCJ.
SHP Class of 2013 Tyler VauDell (SJS ’09) is a senior management major with a concentration in finance and operations management at Boston College. He serves as an undergraduate assistant in the Management & Organization Department of the Carroll School of Management, alongside Jean Bartunek, RSCJ.
SHP ’06 newlyweds Diana Tarantino and Kevin Deggelman.
Beloved teacher, coach, dean, performer, & friend
Called a true “Renaissance man” by Rep. Anna Eshoo, in 2008 Thompson received the St. Madeleine Sophie Award, among the highest honors given by the school. Sharing news of his passing with the campus community, Director of Schools Richard Dioli said, “Battling illness for more than a decade, Ken’s unfailing courage, compassion, and commitment to the school was a source of inspiration, and his presence will be sorely missed.” Honoring Thompson’s legacy at a campus memorial in October, more than 200 colleagues, former students, and friends came together in celebration of his life.
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