In Memoriam
From the Spring 2010 Public Record:
Barton B. Beck ’55 of Corona del Mar passed away on January 2, 2010. He was a senior partner with O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Beek was a long-time sailor from Newport Beach and a supporter of junior sailing through the California International Sailing Association and other organizations. On his 70th birthday, he rowed a dory from Newport to Avalon.
Harold H. Gartner III ’72 passed away on November 20, 2009 in an airplane accident. Gartner worked for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and then moved to Glendale-based Patterson, Ritner, Lockwood, Gartner and Jurich, where he specialized in medical malpractice defense. In 2005, Gartner relocated to Lassen County and reestablished himself, working as a general practitioner in family law and personal injury at the Law Offices of Eugene Chittock in Susanville, CA. He also had also been named general counsel to the Lassen Municipal Utility District. In addition to flying, Gartner enjoyed deep-sea diving and sailing. He is survived by one brother, two sons and one granddaughter.
Hon. Francis A. Gately. Jr. ’71 died December 24, 2009. Judge Gately was born in Rockville Center, NY, and grew up in Los Angeles. He attended Loyola High School, Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. Prior to law school, Judge Gately served in the U.S. Navy, where he was promoted to lieutenant commander and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Upon graduation, he practiced criminal, family and civil law in El Monte, CA for 18 years before being elected to the Rio Hondo Municipal Court in 1987. Thirteen years later, Judge Gately was elevated to the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County. Gately officially retired in 2008 following 19 years on the bench. He is survived by his wife Nancy, and his three children Frank, Phillip and Katy, and three grandchildren.
Prof. Max A. Goodman ’48 passed away on December 31, 2009. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Goodman became a certified family law specialist and maintained a successful law practice up until joining the faculty at Southwestern Law School in 1966. Goodman was elected a fellow of the American Bar Association and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He chaired the ABA Family Law Section’s Law School Curriculum Committee and Ethical Practice and Procedures Committee for many years, and he was a prominent member of the Family Law Sections of both the California State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. As a delegate to the State Bar Convention, Goodman authored family law questions for the California Bar exam. Goodman is survived by his brother, three children and eight grandchildren.
Frank L. Hirst ’41 died February 15, 2010. Hirst was born in Pennsylvania in 1918 and at the age of nine moved with his family to Los Angeles. Hirst attended both Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. After receiving his juris doctor, Hirst worked for the federal government for 12 years, and then went into private practice in San Diego, CA. He retired in 1995. Hirst is survived by his wife Edith and children, Vicki, Norman, Charles and Rodney.
Elizabeth Hoult Fontaine ’99 of San Clemente, CA passed away on December 14, 2010. She was a litigator with Howrey LLP in Irvine.
Andrew D. Stein ’63 died on December 13, 2009. Stein grew up in Los Angeles, attending Los Angeles High School and Los Angeles Community College before obtaining his B.A. from USC in 1960 and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1963. Stein practiced civil litigation for 45 years, trying more than 250 jury trials. Until his death, he practiced law with his wife Rebecca at Andrew D. Stein & Associates, Inc. in Los Angeles. Stein is survived by his wife, two daughters, one son and one granddaughter.
John E. Stockdale ’54 passed away on February 10, 2010. The Chicago native was 85 years old. With the onset of WWII, Stockdale joined the U.S. Army and became a pilot in the newly formed Army Air Corps, the precursor to the U.S. Air Force. Upon being discharged in 1945, Stockdale worked in the insurance industry while also attended Loyola Law School. Stockdale practiced insurance defense for 54 years, founded his own firm in the mid-1970s and employed 52 attorneys in five offices throughout California during the early 1990s. More than a dozen active firms trace their lineage to Stockdale. He is survived by his wife Susan, three children and four grandchildren.
Joseph T. Thompson ’49 of Encino, CA died in February. He was born on May 7, 1922 in Lexington, MO. He attended Wentworth Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII. Following the service, and graduation from Loyola Law School, he founded the law firm of Thompson, Malone and Conti. At the time of his passing, Thompson was retired from legal practice. He is survived by his wife Mary Margaret Thompson, his daughters Diana (Dennis) Brandt and Carolyn (Lewis) Goldstein, and five grandchildren.
Welford R. Wilson II ’51 passed away at the age of 94. He had resided in Kalamazoo, MI, with his daughter, the president of Kalamazoo College. Funeral services were held in Winston-Salem, NC, where his daughter had been dean at Winston-Salem College.
From the Winter 2010 Public Record:
Ernest Milton Clark, Jr. ’49 passed away on June 25, 2009 in Montecito, CA. Clark was born on April 21, 1919 in Los Angeles. He attended Los Angeles High School and Stanford University. Upon graduating from Loyola Law School, Clark worked as an attorney with O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles and later with Donnelly, Clark & Chase.
Hon. Robert G. Beverly ’51 passed away at his home in Manhattan Beach, CA on October 14, 2009. Beverly was born in 1925 in Belmont, MA. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Beverly moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1940s, married his high school sweetheart, and went to law school. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Beverly worked as a city attorney for the following California cities: Lawndale, Industry, Cerritos and Bell Gardens. Beverly began his political career serving as a member of the Manhattan Beach City Council. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1967 and to the California State Senate in 1976. He retired in 1996, after nearly 30 years of service with the state legislature. Beverly co-authored the Song-Beverly Acts, one of which evolved into the state lemon law that today protects owners of problem cars. He is survived by his wife, Bettelu, three children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Lambert M. Javelera ’59 of Pasadena, CA passed away on May 25, 2009. While a law student at Loyola, Javelera was a member of Phi Delta Phi, a legal fraternity. Javelera is survived by his wife, Barbara, three children, four grandchildren and his sister.
William J. Allard ’73, a Santa Monica, CA native living in Orange County, CA, passed away on September 10, 2009. Allard received his B.A. from St. John’s College in 1958, his M.A. in 1969 from Western New Mexico University, and his J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1973, where he was a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. Allard, a past president of the Surety Claims Association of Los Angeles, practiced surety and fidelity, construction, probate, and insurance law with Lanak & Hanna.
Michael A. Oswald ’79 passed away at home on June 8, 2009. Born July 17, 1949, Oswald graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in philosophy and served in the U.S. Army Security Agency as a Russian linguist in the early 1970s. Oswald attended Loyola Law School, where he was a member of the Loyola University of Los Angeles Law Review. Following Loyola, he practiced law throughout the counties of Los Angeles and Orange County and formed the partnership of Oswald and Yap in 1985. Oswald, who was fond of traveling, football and surfing, is survived by his wife of 20 years, Vicki, two brothers and a sister and their families, and numerous friends.
Agnes Mulhearn ’81, born in Hollywood on Halloween in 1943, died on October 17, 2009. As a teenager, Mulhearn became a nationally ranked tennis player and was the South Pasadena High School homecoming princess in 1961. She was the only woman to remain in her section after her first year at Loyola Law School. After completing her law degree, she worked as a research attorney for the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District. Mulhearn served on the board of directors for the Long Beach Symphony for 25 years, and the symphony’s November 21, 2009 performance was dedicated in her memory. Mulhearn is survived by her husband, Robert, two stepsons, her sister and numerous nieces and nephews.
Barbara J. Klass ’87 of Calabasas, CA passed away on August 14, 2009. Klass was a partner with Brown, Brown & Klass, practicing civil litigation. Klass formerly practiced with Lord, Bissell & Brook and was an adjunct professor for Whittier Law School. She also served as a panelist for continuing legal education programs and served as an arbitrator for the Los Angeles Superior Court. A member of the Inns of Court, Klass is survived by her husband, Allan Klass, M.D.
Julia A. Stanton ’93 passed away on July 10, 2009 from an aggressive form of cancer. She was born in 1969 on Valentine’s Day. Following her studies at Loyola Law School, Stanton began her legal career specializing in family law matters. In 1996, she helped establish the law firm of Brandmeyer, Stanton and Dockstader in Long Beach, CA. Stanton frequently volunteered at the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, where she provided legal assistance to low-income families. Her accomplishments led the Los Angeles County Bar Association to recognize her as an “up and coming” young lawyer. Stanton is survived by her husband, Harrison Yerden, and her son, Pieter.
Nimisha Gohil ’96 passed away on February 17, 2009 in an automobile crash while on her morning commute to work at the Chino, CA courthouse. Gohil lived in Anaheim Hills, CA and worked as a deputy district attorney for San Bernadino County since 1998. She is survived by her husband, Kerry, two daughters, her parents, and immediate and extended family, as well as many coworkers and friends.
Philip D. Audette ’07 passed away at Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach, CA on October 28, 2009. Audette was born July 3, 1976 in North Providence, RI. He graduated from Bishop Hendricken High School, and from Middlebury College with a double major in German and International Politics and Economics. Before attending Loyola Law School, Audette worked for five years as a senior associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers. As a law student, he represented Loyola at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court competition held in Vienna, Austria, where he received an honorable mention in the category of best oral advocate. Following law school, Audette worked as an associate attorney in mergers and acquisitions at O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Newport Beach. Audette is survived by his wife, Ashley, and by his parents, sister, uncle and grandmother. A scholarship at the Law School in Phil’s memory has been created. Visit http://alumni.lls.edu/giving/PhilipAudette.html to make a donation to the Phillip D. Audette Memorial Scholarship.
From the Summer 2009 Public Record:
George M. Goffin ’56 passed away on April 18, 2009. Goffin was born in Berkeley and was a graduate of both Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. He practiced law for many years in Los Angeles and in North Hollywood. George is survived by his wife of 33 years, Paulina, his children Michelle, Colette, John and Adrienne, and four grandchildren.
Herbert A. Braun ’61 of Bainbridge Island, WA passed away on June 27, 2008. Originally from Stuttgart, Germany, Braun came to the U.S. as a child. He performed in the Los Angeles High School Orchestra, the Los Angeles Unified School District All City Orchestra, the Los Angeles Junior Symphony and the UCLA Marching Band. He was a lifelong fan of music and a longtime contributor to the Los Angeles Opera. Upon his death, contributions in his name went to the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. Braun was a U.S. Army veteran. He was a solo practitioner with an office in the San Fernando Valley. Braun is survived by his wife, Susan; three children: Lyndon, Stephen and Laura; and seven grandchildren.
Patrick J. McDonough ’71, a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, passed away on March 24, 2009. He was a partner with Howrey LLP and practiced in its insurance recovery group. Before joining Howrey, McDonough was a partner with Troop Meisinger Steuber & Pasich; general counsel with Johnson & Higgins; and counsel to the Automobile Club of Southern California. He also was active with bar associations and legal leadership groups like Corporate Counsel, which he helped found. McDonough made a point of being a mentor to new attorneys and was helpful with many in their early careers. McDonough is survived by his wife of 41 years Susan, his daughter Colleen and her spouse, and two grandsons. The Patrick J. McDonough Memorial Scholarship was created at Loyola Law School and funded by colleagues, friends and family members.
Michael R. Concha ’72 of Los Angeles passed away on March 5, 2009. Concha grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He attended California State University at Northridge. Concha practiced criminal law for 36 years, most recently as an acting assistant Los Angeles County public defender. He was to be promoted in April to assistant public defender. Outside of work, Concha volunteered for nearly 20 years with the Constitutional Rights Foundation mock trial program for middle and high school students. He is survived by his daughter Alyssa and his parents Rudy and Faye.
Hon. Douglas Daily ’78 of the California Superior Court Ventura County died on May 2, 2009. Judge Daily was a Ventura County commissioner from 2003 to 2007, when he was appointed to the bench. Earlier in his career, Judge Daily was a supervising attorney for Grey Law Inc., and then a senior deputy public defender for Ventura County. In April, Daily received the 2009 Public Safety Award from the Oxnard Knights of Columbus; the award recognizes men and women in the judiciary, law enforcement and fire protection who protect the public. Daily was a fan of the guitar and played the blues with local groups in the Camarillo area.
Kellen (Kelley) K. Rogers Sabot ’79 passed away on March 21, 2009. She was a partner at Bush, Sabot & Associates, Inc. She spent her career in benefit consulting firms designing, implementing and maintaining retirement plans for thousands of clients. Rogers Sabot also authored numerous articles and training manuals.
Brian Nutt ’83, who lived in Pasadena his entire life and practiced law for more than 25 years, passed away on March 25, 2009. He was an attorney with Phillipi & Nutt LLP, and practiced complex actions involving personal injury, medical malpractice, premises liability and insurance bad faith. His courtroom successes ranged in millions of dollars, and he was well-known and well-respected in the legal community. In 2001, Nutt received Loyola Law School’s Board of Governs Award in recognition of his pro bono work on behalf of injured persons facing health insurance issues. Nutt was a volunteer attorney for the Cancer Legal Resource Center at Loyola Law School, served on philanthropic committees for the City of Hope and was a Mayfield Junior High School board member. Nutt was a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Consumer Attorneys of California and the Pasadena Bar Association. He was admitted to practice before state courts in California, the U.S. Federal Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.
From the Spring 2009 Public Record:
Brian Bennett ’75 passed away on December 30, 2008. Following law school, Bennett taught in Watts, Torrance and Inglewood and then served as a principal at a Catholic school in Pomona. He returned to San Diego, where he attended college, to serve as principal and teach at Blessed Sacrament Parish School. Bennett helped establish charter schools throughout the US and for three years directed the Office of School Choice for the San Diego Unified School District. Most recently, Bennett was the western regional director for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers. Last October, Bennett was honored for 35 years of fighting for equal opportunity and quality education for American children with the Remarkable Leader in Education Award, presented by the University of San Diego. He is survived by his wife of 37 years Jeanine, his daughter Annie and two son-in-laws – Bennett’s daughter Monica died two months prior to Bennett’s passing.
Samantha Osheroff Freeman ’97, wife of law school classmate Dan Freedman ’97, passed away on December 15, 2008 following the birth of her third child. Osheroff Freeman was a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, where she was a mentor to women attorneys and summer associates, and a role model for those who hope to succeed at major law firms while also having a meaningful family life. Osheroff Freeman was also a friend of Loyola’s Office of Career Services and law students; she interviewed on campus and was instrumental in attracting students to her firm. Osheroff Freeman is survived by her husband Dan and three children Jake, Lexi and Cate, her mother Mina and her sister Stephanie.
Allan L. Fredland ’67 of Las Vegas died on October 3, 2008. Services were held in his former home city of Boise.
Stephen A. Leventhal ’63 died on January 4, 2009. Leventhal, a life-long resident of LA, was a prosecutor and a commissioner for Los Angeles County’s Municipal and Superior courts. After graduating from Loyola, Leventhal worked for his family’s textile business for nearly a decade before joining the city attorney’s office. In 1977, he was elected a commissioner in LA, handling misdemeanor and small claims trials. Leventhal also was an LAPD reserve officer, specializing in traffic matters. In 2000, he was elevated to the Superior Court, and in 2005, Leventhal retired from the bench and taught classes to police officers on testifying in traffic cases. Leventhal is survived by his wife Brenda and their children Dana, Sandy, Eric and Marc, and nine grandchildren.
Terrance N. McGovern ’50 died on October 4, 2008 at home in Mission Viejo. Originally from Des Moines, McGovern attending high school in St. Paul and following graduation in 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, as a Japanese interpreter and part of the 3rd Marine Division, McGovern participated in the final phases of the retaking of Guam and the battle for Iwo Jima. With the end of WWII, McGovern joined his mother in Los Angeles and studied law at Loyola under the GI Bill. McGovern practiced law and eventually became a real estate developer of homes and apartment complexes throughout LA. In another career change, McGovern moved east in the 1960s and became a business executive for Tampax, Inc. in New York City and later moved back west to Irvine to become CEO of Allied Education and an associate faculty member at Chapman University. McGovern is survived by his wife Mary, with whom he traveled extensively, his son Terrance and three granddaughters.
Mary Katherine (Mary Kay) Reynolds ’79 of the Law Offices of Mary Kay Reynolds in Culver City died of cancer at home on October 12, 2008. Born in Chicago and raised in Eagle Rock, Reynolds was one of 10 children. Following law school she became a trial attorney, handling hundreds of tariff undercharges. She served as national secretary for the Association for Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy; was a long-standing member of the Association of Transportation Law Professionals, chairing a national litigation committee; and served on the executive committee of the Transportation Lawyers Association. Reynolds is survived by her husband Barry of 37 years, two children and two grandchildren – as well as all of her siblings. She is remembered by the family for hosting large holiday get-togethers and for her 425 mile pilgrimage through Spain, along the Camino de Santiago.
Roy A. Saari ’73, a gold and silver medalist swimmer in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and a gold medalist in the 1963 Pan Am Games, passed away on December 30, 2008. Saari was born in Buffalo, NY and grew up in El Segundo where his father coached high school swimming. By the age of 14, Saari won the first of his 17 Amateur Athletic Union swimming titles. Saari served as captain of the USC men’s swimming team, leading them to several national championships. Saari’s world records include breaking the 17-minute barrier in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Upon graduation from Loyola, Saari practiced law for a number of years in Orange County. In 1976, Saari was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame and in 1982 the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. By the late 1970s, Saari moved his family to Mammoth Lakes, where he worked in construction and real estate development, and became the town’s planning commissioner. He was an outdoorsman and fitness enthusiast. Saari is survived by his wife of 41 years Sheryl, their son Jeff, and four grandchildren.
From the Winter 2008 Public Record:
Elsa H. Butts ’55 passed away on February 22, 2008. A memorial service was held for her at Westwood United Methodist Church.
Raymond G. David ’60 passed away on July 26, 2008 in Green Valley, NV. Born in Detroit, David was a US Army sergeant in Korea. He was an attorney, mortgage broker and judge, sitting pro tem for the LA Superior Court. A member of the California Workers Compensation Senatorial Committee, he received commendation from Governor Ronald Reagan for work performed in writing new laws for the Senate. David was a senior partner in the law firm of Masry & David, an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and later co-partner of David & Schmidt Law Offices. David also became the president of Preiss International Liquor Importing Co., traveling the globe importing and exporting fine liquors. He was semi-retired in Hawaii, purchasing three Arby's restaurants and forming RefreshHawaii (imported beers and natural soft drinks). He is survived by his wife, Cynthia; four children, and three grandchildren.
Edward Duddy ’67 passed away on March 23, 2008. Following service in the Navy during WWII, Duddy enrolled in Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Years later he moved to California, where his interest in law led him to Loyola Law School. He worked for the state attorney general and later accepted a position as the assistant city attorney in Riverside. He remained in San Bernardino County, where he became the first City Attorney in Moreno Valley. After retiring, he maintained a life-long interest in the happenings in Riverside and Moreno Valley. Duddy is survived by his sons James, Marty and Thomas; his daughter, Mary; 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Professor Vicki J. Michel ’79 graduated at the top of her class from Loyola Law School in 1979. She was a full-time member of the Loyola Law School faculty from 1986-91 and taught at Loyola regularly as an adjunct professor from 1991 until this past year. Prior to her juris doctor, Michel earned master’s degrees in zoology and psychology. At Loyola, she taught a wide range of law courses in science, including bioethics, medical research and health care. She served as an associate director for the Pacific Center for Health Policy and Ethics, USC. Michel is remembered by colleagues at the law school as an upbeat, friendly, unpretentious and dedicated teacher and an advocate for law students.
Hon. Deanne Smith Myers ’74 passed away on August 20, 2008 following a four-year battle with cancer. Her first job after passing the bar was with the US Attorney’s Office as a federal prosecutor. After six years there, she worked in private practice until joining the bench. Meyers was appointed to the South Bay Municipal Court bench and assigned to preliminary felony hearings. She moved from criminal to probate court, then on to civil matters. Judge Smith Myers transferred to the Long Beach Courthouse in 2007. She is remembered by many as gracious, humorous and caring. Just prior to her passing, the judge took a bike tour in the wine country with her spouse. Meyers is survived by her husband and two daughters.
Thomas C. Morgan ’91 of LA’s South Bay area passed away in mid-July 2008. A litigator, Morgan practiced law for 18 years in a wide range of legal areas including civil, personal injury, probate, malpractice, estate planning and wills. Morgan was described by friends and colleagues as gregarious, funny, having a talent in communicating and getting along with everybody; and that his happy demeanor was infectious even in court -- the defense loved him, plaintiffs loved him, juries loved him and the judges loved him. Morgan is survived by his mother and brother.
B. Brook Shekarestan ’99 passed away on July 24, 2008 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Shekarestan worked for various law firms as a litigator. Upon her diagnosis in 2004, she dedicated all her time and energy to seeking a cure as well as inspiring others with cancer to fight hard and to think positively. Despite numerous surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, she never gave up hope or the will to live. She was interviewed by several magazines and was an inspirational speaker at a Cedars-Sinai Hospital cancer survivor’s benefit. She was a newlywed at the time of her passing and is survived by her husband, parents, siblings and a bevy of family and friends. Alumni and friends of Loyola interested in making a donation in her name are asked to visit www.eifoundation.org and have the acknowledgment sent to 2103 Overland Ave., LA, CA 90025. All acknowledgments will be forwarded on to her family.