In Memoriam

Richard "Dick" Jensen '06 - November, 2020

died Nov. 29 in Santa Barbara. He served in a number of administrative and consulting roles for the University of California. He came to UC Santa Barbara in 1964 as an assistant dean of students and eventually became the assistant chancellor for planning and analysis. He held that role until 1990 when he took the job of associate chancellor at UC Santa Cruz. He retired in 1999 but spent many years as a consultant for the Office of the President reviewing system budgets and finances. In 2005 he was asked by Chancellor Henry Yang to become interim executive director of the UCSB Alumni Association, a position he held for two years. He also did consulting work for the University of Illinois on their capital budget and planning. He was very active in community affairs and a prolific philanthropist. He served on the Board of Directors of the Community Environmental Council and later as a member of their President’s Council. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington State in 1959 and his master’s degree in economics from the University of Washington in 1964.

Geoff Jewel '07 - November, 2020

died Nov. 12 at Campus Point on the UCSB campus. He was the work desk manager in the Bren School and had worked at UCSB since 1996. He graduated with a degree in paleobotany and environmental studies. For many years he led trips for the UCSB Adventure program that involved climbing, ocean kayaking and canyoneering.

Jayden Quinn Lotz '21 - November, 2020

died on Nov. 6 in Bakersfield. She was a senior majoring in economics and accounting.

Chad James Thondos '21 - November, 2020

died Nov. 5 in San Mateo, CA. He was a fourth year majoring in Film and Media Studies.

Penelope “Penn” Borden '85 - October, 2020

died Oct. 10 in Santa Barbara. She received her BA and MA in history from the University of Montana in Missoula. Lecturer Emeritus in Spanish and Portuguese Esperanza

James Thomas Huebner '99 - October, 2020

died Oct. 5 in Santa Barbara. He received his degree in American and Iberian studies. He lived on the Hollister Ranch for many years and was a well known local surfer.

Mary MacRae '91 - October, 2020

died in Santa Barbara on Oct. 26. MacRae was the office manager for Alumni Affairs and the manager of the Mosher Alumni House. She handled the hundreds of reservations for Mosher and oversaw the operations of the building. Previously she had been the Executive Director of Center Stage Theater in Santa Barbara, which hosted numerous community theater productions. She had a long career in the Santa Barbara theater community after her graduation with a degree in English.

Joan Swanger '56 - September, 2020

died Sept. 14 in Florida. She received her degree in early childhood education and taught kindergarten for more than three decades in private and public schools in Florida. She was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority.

Judy McKee '66 - September, 2020

died Sept. 2 in Santa Barbara. In the 1990s McKee created a successful Brentwood boutique, Alison. It featured American folk arts and crafts gathered from around the U.S. After Alison closed McKee worked at UCLA in their Slavic Languages and Literatures department. When she returned to Santa Barbara she worked at the UCSB Art Museum and was a longtime supporter of
the Women’s Fund.

Thomas Lindsay Peters '73 - September, 2020

died Sept. 5 in Laguna Beach. He spent his entire career in environmental planning at CH2M in Portland, Ore. He retired as the Senior Vice President of the Western Region for CH2M. He was a supporter of the Bren School and helped reform national organ transplant policies. His family has established the Tom Peters Memorial Fellowship Fund.

Doran Ross '75 - September, 2020

died Sept. 16 in Los Angeles. Ross was a renowned museum curator of African and African-American art at the UCLA Fowler Museum. Ross helped develop the museum’s $22 million renovation in 1992 and became the first full time non-faculty director of the museum in 1996. He was a prolific scholar making more than 40 research trips to 18 different African countries to study art. His focus was Ghanian art and he helped edit a textbook on Ghanian textiles. During his career he was a lecturer at Santa Barbara City College, UC Berkeley and the California Institute for the Arts.

Carl Sjovold '70 - September, 2020

died Sept. 19 in Santa Barbara. He served four years in the U.S. Navy and worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 30 years.

Carl Sjovold '70 - September, 2020

died Sept. 19 in Santa Barbara. He served four years in the U.S. Navy and worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 30 years.

Darryl Richard Tate '76 - September, 2020

died Sept. 1 in Ventura. He spent 33 years as a criminalist with the California Department of Justice at the Criminalistics Lab in Goleta. He started as a part-time lab technician while attending UCSB and retired as the Laboratory Director in 2009.

Craig Steven Palonen '69 - July, 2020

died July 24 in Santa Barbara. He had a long and successful career in real estate development. While pursuing a master’s degree in business from CSU Long Beach he discovered his passion for building and construction. He completed 23 residential and commercial projects in 24 years.

Melanye Gmerek '72 - March, 2020

Melanye touched the hearts of everyone she met. She was one of the kindest, smartest, generous, most fun-loving ladies I will ever know & love. Mel nurtured friendships formed in 1st and 2nd grade as some of her closest friends - WHO ELSE CAN SAY THAT? When I was failing ECON 101 (again!), she graciously stepped in to tutor me. For reasons I'll never understand, she fell in love with my dad and became my best friend. She brought life and light to our family in ways we had never known. Our lives were forever changed. Miss you Mel, forever & always.