Read more here. Steve and his writing partner Christopher Markus have written screenplays for all the Chronicle of Narnia movies, all the Captain America movies, and many others. Steve taught English at SI for three years in the 1990s.

SI's Youth Learning About Business Club (YLAB) visited Google Thursday, where they met with Google Venture's CEO David Krane. Photo by Carlos Gazulla.

Bernard "Bernie" Simpson '54, a former student body president for his class and champion athlete and coach, died Feb. 28 at the age of 81 surrounded by loved ones.

Born Oct. 11, 1936, in Omaha, he moved to San Francisco with his family and attended Notre-Dame Des Victoires until 1950 before going on to SI, where he played baseball and basketball all four years. He played 120s basketball for Rene Herrerias '44 as a freshman; when Rene moved to the varsity team, Bernie played for him the next three years, culminating in the championship 1954 season and a Tournament of Champions title. He also helped coach Grove Mohr's baseball team win the AAA title, the first since 1930.

He went on to Cal, where he played on the NCAA championship baseball team in 1957 and the 1959 national championship basketball team, coached by Pete Newell. He later earned entry into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame for his athletic prowess.

He was a Lt-jg in the Navy and married Jacqueline Minenna in 1960. They had two sons: Craig and Chris Simpson and a daughter, Dana Freudenberger.

He returned to SI in 1962 to teach English and coach the boys' basketball team. In 1965, he led the squad to one of the key games in the history of the school when SI beat SH with a last-second basket by Bob Portman '65 (Creighton, NBA Warriors). The victory led to an AAA championship and a place in the Tournament of Champions, where SI beat Gilroy and Richmond before losing the crown to Fremont of Oakland.

"Coach Simpson was known as an excellent tactician who promoted aggressive play with multiple presses," said former SI Principal Charlie Dullea '65, who played for Bernie. "He was fun to play and practice for, though he was always tough. He made his good players even better, including my teammate who would go on to play for the Warriors."

Bernie later earned a master's degree from SFSU and coached at Laney College and Seattle University. His players remember him as an exceptionally knowledgeable, skillful and passionate coach. He later went into sales and retired as regional sales manager at Cerro Copper in San Francisco.

A Memorial Mass at St. Ignatius Church will be offered at 10 a.m. April 14 for him and his late-wife, Dona J. Simpson, who died Nov. 9, 2016.

The couple are survived by Bernie's three children, Dona's two children, 11 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and lifelong friends.

Robert Merjano

April 6, 1963 - January 5, 2018

Bob, Bobby, Uncle Bob

Bob was born on April 6th, 1963 to Helen and James Merjano in San Francisco, CA. Loving husband to Terri Merjano, son-in-law to Ron & Linda Asti, and brother-in-law, Kevin Asti; loyal brother to Karen Miller and attentive nephew to Angela Merjano. "Uncle Bob" to Daniel, Helena, Marla and Jamie, "Bobby" to his sister-in-law Maria. His parents James and Helen Merjano and his brother Peter precede him in death in. Bob had many friends in his short 54 years, those extra special to him were Tom Haunert, Melan & Karen Jaich, Richard Linstrom, Lauren Blatt, Lisa Baird, Rt. Cpt. William B. Darr Jr., Edward Cooke and Frank Giugliano.

A native San Franciscan, Bob Merjano attended Epiphany Catholic School before graduating to St. Ignatius College Prep. While attending SI, Bob was an active member of the Debate Team. Bob continued his love of debate at the University of San Francisco where he served as President of the Speech and Debating Society and won the Philistorian of the Year Award in 1981. After graduating from USF with a major in Communication Arts and a Minor in English he began his career in management with Crown Books, managing the store on Clement Street where he built a strong and steady stream of customers in a neighborhood that came to know him well.

After his time at Crown Books, Bob began a long career in the non-profit sector, serving as a development professional for diverse organizations including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Marin Theatre Company and the USA West Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Bob met Terri Asti at the San Francisco Elks Lodge on January 21, 2004. Bob and Terri were married on April 21, 2007 at Saint Ignatius Church on the campus of the University of San Francisco. Bob and Terri enjoyed a full life of traveling and experiencing a variety cultures and cuisines. Through the ups and downs of life, love trumped all.

An active supporter of the San Francisco Symphony, Bob loved to attend community events and charity functions. Additionally, over 20+ years, Bob held several positions of esteem at the San Francisco Elks lodge. In September, he began his final adventure by moving to the village of Chon Thanh, Vietnam to teach English to elementary students in the local public school. Bob became a well-liked and respected member of that community.

"Bobby" was the kind loyal friend that everyone wanted to have. He had a quick wit and was a man for others. To Bob, as to Yates, there were truly no strangers, only friends he had yet to meet.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday April 6th at 2pm, Saint Ignatius Catholic Church located at 650 Parker Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the San Francisco Symphony in Bob Merjano's memory. Donations can be made online at https://www.sfsymphony.org/Support-Volunteer/Give

Published in San Francisco Chronicle on Mar. 22, 2018

SI is proud to host FIRST Robotics competition @FIRSTweets with 43 teams including 2 from Turkey. Go Cat Machine! See photos here: http://goo.gl/5qxeYw

Here's a message from Alex Ring '18:

Hey SI,

Team 5924: The Cat Machine and our robot, Vise Cube, are competing right now in McCullough Gym at the second annual San Francisco FIRST Robotics Regional. In this video game-themed event, two alliances consisting of three robots compete to place cubes onto plates to control switches and scales on a 30x50ft field. Robots are both driven by students and well as move autonomously during the 2 minute and 30 second matches. In total there are 43 high school teams from the Bay Area and beyond (including Turkey).

There are matches throughout today and tomorrow, and admission is free and open to the public. If you can't make it out to the gyms, you can watch the livestream here:

http://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2018/casf

Team 5924 has matches about every hour, and if you'd like to see when we are competing, the match schedule is here:

https://www.thebluealliance.com/team/5924/2018

Let's go Cat Machine!

Ruby Luu '20, one of the Orchestra Concertmasters at SI, was selected to perform at the Junior Bach Festival at the Crowden Music Center March 24 at 2 p.m. Also she has been accepted to the prestigious Conservatory Audition Workshop in Vermont this summer to work with teachers from Curtis, Juilliard and the New England Conservatory.

Read more here.

SI hosted the California Scholarship Federation Central Coast Regional Conference on March 10. More than 120 students, moderators and parents from around the Bay Area attended to attend workshops and hear from guest speakers Caroline Wong '01, an expert in cybersecurity, and Mike Mibach '94, anchor at KTVU News. Megan Joson '18 won $2000 as a Seymour Award Finalist. Co-moderators included Carol Quattrin, Brian Murphy & Christine Wilkinson. SI students played in a musical ensemble for some afternoon entertainment.

Francis Jue '81, who is starring in Soft Power, a play that will open in Los Angeles before coming to San Francisco, praised his former SI director Peter Devine '66 in a recent ad.

See the rankings here.

Read more here.

Read more here.

From left: Jim Christian '72, Tom Christian '78, Fr. Robert Christian, O.P. '66, and John Christian '76 -- four of seven siblings who came to the Archdiocese of San Francisco's Chancery Office on March 28 to hear Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announce that Fr. Christian would be ordained an auxiliary bishop shortly before summer.

Also, below is a story Bishop Christian wrote for the spring 2012 edition of Genesis magazine regarding his work on a Vatican commission that hopes to pave the way for a reunification of the Catholic and Episcopal churches.

E Pluribus Unum and Christian Unity

Since March 2011, Rev. Robert Christian, OP '66, based in Rome, has worked to unify the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches. A member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, Fr. Christian works as part of a 20-person committee (10 from each Church) towards the goal of achieving "full, visible unity—a unity based on a shared faith, a shared government, and a shared worship—but a unity that makes due allowance for legitimate differences."

In August, he came to Oakland's Claremont Country to speak to the local chapter of the Knights of the Order of Malta, led by his brother, John Christian '76. He wrote the article, below, a few months after his talk.

By Rev. Robert Christian, OP '66

American coins bear the words e pluribus unum – from many, one. Throughout its short history, the U.S. has struggled to define – and to live – the relationship between unity and diversity. At one time, our country seemed to endorse the 'melting pot' theory: diversity fusing into unity. Now we 'celebrate' diversity, but at the same time worry whether diversity fractures unity.

Although the Catholic Church takes her mandate for promoting unity among all Christians from Jesus' prayer that all his disciples be one (cf. John 17:21), the working motto for the ecumenical endeavor could well be unum tamen plures: one while yet many.

A civil society or a Church that insists that unity demands uniformity is totalitarian, intolerant of deviations from prevailing norms and orthodoxies. In her long history, the Catholic Church has lived through periods in which Roman authorities tried to ensure unity by promoting uniformity. One only has to recall the suspicions engendered by the work of the Jesuit missionary to China, Matteo Ricci (d. 1610), and the "normative" corrections issued by the Inquisition (at that time under the control of my own Order, the Dominicans) to have an example of a mentality that sees difference as threatening.

But the Church has also lived through long periods in which diversity was seen as a positive and enriching expression of underlying unity. Until quite recently, the Latin Church (the Church directly governed by the pope) approved of many distinctive liturgical rites – the Mozarabic Rite in Spain, the Ambrosian Rite in Milan, the Gallican Rite in France, the Sarum Rite in England, as well as the rites proper to many religious Orders: the Carthusians, Cistercians, Premonstratensians, Dominicans, and Carmelites, among others. Since the Church holds that how we pray conditions how we believe (lex orandi lex credendi), approved liturgical differences indicate that even theological differences can be seen as potentially positive contributions to the human quest to know the God who is Love. While worship of false gods is incompatible with the Church's life, there are many ways of offering true worship to God, all of which trace their authority back to the Last Supper.

In recent centuries, some communities have entered into full communion with the Catholic Church, coming from the Churches we call Orthodox or Eastern. These communities are properly called churches since they have always had a hierarchy enjoying apostolic succession by means of episcopal ordinations, and have, therefore, always had the valid celebration of the Eucharist. Thus, there is the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Chaldaean Catholic Church, the Coptic Catholic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church and so on. And from its beginning, the Maronite Church in Lebanon has been a church in its own right (sui iuris), in full communion with Rome. These churches have not only distinctive liturgies, but also distinctive legal systems and particular cultural and historical patrimonies. In many of these churches, married men can be ordained. Theological terms common in Latin Christianity, such as original sin, sacramental character and even confirmation, are expressed quite differently from, say, the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

For the first time since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the Catholic Church has now extended a welcome to communities of the Anglican Communion to come into full communion with the Catholic Church without renouncing their own distinctive spiritual, cultural, and historic patrimony. Although the Catholic Church does not view Anglican holy orders as valid, she does view positively many characteristics of Anglican life and sees them as indeed graced by the Holy Spirit. Since 2003, communities of Episcopalians who have entered the Catholic Church have prayed with The Book of Divine Worship¸ which contains many elements taken from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Now, under the leadership of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., these communities are being grouped together into a non-territorial diocese, or ordinariate, just as is happening in other parts of the English-speaking world. For the time being, at least, the clergy in the ordinariates can be married as has long been the practice of Anglicans.

Understandably, the phenomenon of communities of Anglicans becoming Catholics has put some strain on ecumenical relations between the two bodies. On the one hand, the provision for legitimate diversity calms any fears the participants in the dialogue may have about whether unity means absorption: The melting pot image does not pertain. On the other hand, some suspect that the Catholic Church is unfairly offering refuge to Anglican faithful who are choosing to become Catholic because of their anger with the situation in their own communion rather than because of a deliberative, calm discernment.

In March of 2011, Swiss Cardinal Robert Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, appointed me to be one of the Catholic members of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), the body that conducts the dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans at the worldwide level. Led by Catholic Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, England, and Anglican Archbishop David Moxon of New Zealand, the 20 participants – 10 Catholics and 10 Anglicans – come from England, the USA, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, South Africa, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

The stated goal of the dialogue is the achievement of full, visible unity – a unity based on a shared faith, a shared government and a shared worship – but a unity that makes due allowance for legitimate differences.

In the current climate, such a goal can seem remote indeed, and within the Protestant world there are examples of bilateral agreements that settle for much less, basically declaring that a recognition of many elements of sanctification and truth, without agreement on all such foundational elements, is as much as can realistically be attained. ARCIC has resisted lowering the bar, confident that the unity for which Christ can be brought about with the help of Divine Providence. Nevertheless, ARCIC is realistic enough to recognize that unity will only be achieved by taking small, sure steps. Already ARCIC has taken small steps in the form of some consensus regarding authority, ministry and the place of Mary in the Church. The current mandate of ARCIC, given it by the pope and by the archbishop of Canterbury, is to explore the notions of communion at the universal and the diocesan levels, and the way the Church arrives at moral decisions on both levels. My own task lies in the first area, and in addition to participating in the plenary meetings, I am responsible for working jointly with an Anglican theologian to formulate proposals for common consideration.

Ecumenical dialogue requires patience, candor, charity and a willingness to see one's own position through the eyes of others, along with a willingness to hazard opinions provisionally in the hope of being able to express the truth in a common language. Full unity is a long-term project. It is a privilege to try to nudge our communities a little closer to that goal, and it is spiritually rewarding to learn the timeless lesson that failures and dying to established ways of doing things are often God's way of bringing about his design.

This story appeared in the Spring 2012 edition of Genesis. (PDF)

San Francisco, CA – San Francisco Department of Police Accountability (DPA) (www.sfgov.org/dpa) announced today that Paul Henderson has been confirmed Executive Director of DPA. Henderson's confirmation comes after three separate nominations by the Police Commission, appointment by the Mayor(s), and unanimous approval by the Board of Supervisors. In a statement to the Examiner, Supervisor Malia Cohen said, "I believe our city will greatly benefit from [Henderson's] leadership." In 2016, Cohen introduced Proposition D and Proposition G, measures that expanded the powers of DPA, giving the department the ability to audit the San Francisco Police Department and requiring investigations of all police shootings.

Paul Henderson has been serving as interim director of the Department of Police Accountability since July 2017. Prior to his appointment, Henderson served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Public Safety Liaison for Mayor Ed Lee. Henderson supported the Lee Administration and various City departments by advising the Mayor on the criminal justice system and encouraging greater cooperation between local, state and federal partners. Before joining the Mayor's Office, Henderson served as Chief of Administration under then-district Attorney Kamala Harris. Henderson has over a decade of prosecutorial experience, winning dozens of trials, and has handled every type of case from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including homicide.

"Paul Henderson is a dedicated employee who served the City with professionalism and poise in his role as interim director of the Department of Police Accountability," said Mayor Mark Farrell. "From his tenure at the District Attorney's Office to his time at the Mayor's Office, Paul has always earned the respect and admiration from his peers for his tireless work ethic. As the head of the DPA, he is a crucial intermediary between the police department and the communities they represent, and I am confident he will continue to effectively provide leadership as the full-time executive director. I was honored to appoint him to the position and I wish him all the best in the future."

As Executive Director, Henderson will continue DPA's recent successes achieved during his brief tenure, which include key internal reforms, continuing the agency's work on the COPS Collaborative Reform Process, and making progress to reshape policy and auditing functions. Henderson comments "Leadership in law enforcement oversight benefits not only the individual complainant, but also the larger community, police, and even elected officials. I've spent almost my entire career in public service and remain committed to improving the lives of our community members with an effort to increase inclusion and justice. I want to make sure that there are no barriers to any groups or person exercising their civic duties or their rights as they relate to law enforcement. As a native San Franciscan, I want to see a greater collaboration with and inclusion of community stakeholders; to improve training, policies and practices to reduce the use of force; and to encourage stronger mechanisms for transparency and accountability. My vision is a model for other cities and states to follow that defines San Francisco as a city where no community has to fear law enforcement and where arrest and use of force by law enforcement agencies are a last resort."

About San Francisco Department of Police Accountability

The DPA (formerly the Office of Citizen Complaints or OCC) was created by Charter amendment proposed by the Board of Supervisors, was adopted by the voters on November 2, 1982, and began its operations in 1983. By subsequent Charter amendments, the DPA was guaranteed minimum staffing of one investigator for every 150 police officers, and its Director was given the authority to file charges against police officers directly with the Police Commission, if after meeting and conferring with the Police Chief, an agreement could not be reached. (San Francisco City Charter, Article IV, section 4.127.)

Mission & Responsibilities

To promptly, fairly, and impartially investigate complaints against the San Francisco Police Department, make policy recommendations regarding police practice, investigate all officer-involved shootings, and conduct periodic audits of the San Francisco Police Department.

Goals

To ensure community safety, enhance community police relations, make policy recommendations regarding police practices, and provide an independent review process.

Strategy

The DPA is staffed by a diverse group of civilians who have never been San Francisco Police Department officers. The DPA conducts impartial and thorough investigations into complaints of police misconduct and inadequate services involving the San Francisco Police Department with respect to the rights of all parties involved. In addition, the DPA builds bridges between the community and the San Francisco Police Department through mediation and other restorative practices. The DPA conveys concerns and needs of the community to the Police Commission and reports back to the community through outreach.

Press Contact

San Francisco Department of Police Accountability

Sarah Hawkins, Chief of Staff 415-241-7711 Sarah.Hawkins@sfgov.org

Mark Vincent Groshong passed away peacefully in the early morning on March 21st at his home, surrounded by his beloved family. Mark was the fifth born of twelve siblings, son of James and Helen. He was a fourth generation San Franciscan and a third generation member of the San Francisco Fire Department, retiring after 30 years in the rank of Battalion Chief. Mark enjoyed vacationing with family, riding the rails in Europe, extensive hikes, fly fishing, volunteering, and dishing out elbows on the basketball court. Mark is survived by his wife Monica Houlihan Groshong, his two sons John (Windsor) and Matt (Brittany), and his two grandchildren, Lucas and Olena. He is predeceased by his wife, Paula Franceschina Groshong, mother of John and Matt. In lieu of flowers, the Groshong family asks you to make a donation to the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation: sffcpf.org.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 4 at 10:00AM at Saint Ignatius Church, 650 Parker Ave. @ Fulton St. San Francisco. Parking will be available at the USF Koret Center, Turk St. and Parker Ave.

Published in San Francisco Chronicle on Apr. 1, 2018

April is National Poetry Month, and to celebrate this, SI is publishing works by alumni and student poets. Here is the first.

Palm Sunday

by Vince Gotera '71

When I was a kid at Saint Agnes
in San Francisco, on Palm Sunday
we would weave crosses from our palm leaves,

just long dried sprigs, almost like flat sticks.
You were supposed to keep them a year
till next Palm Sunday, and then burn them.

Today in church, the kids got green leaves,
soft and pliable. I found I yearned
for stiff blades of palm. Sweet memories.

Vince Gotera is a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa, where he was Editor of the North American Review (2000-2016). He is now Editor of Star*Line, the print journal of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association. "Palm Sunday" has 9 lines of 9 syllables each, modeled after Sylvia Plath's poem "Metaphors."

The spring edition of Genesis magazine won't arrive at homes until the third week of April, but you can read it now at our online site.

March 12, 1987 - March 18, 2018

Benjamin Kennedy Riney died Sunday March 18, 2018 in his home state of California at age 31. He is survived by his wife Meaghan Riney, his mother Liz Kennedy Myers, his sister Samantha Elizabeth Riney, and his stepmother Elizabeth Sutherland Riney. Ben was the son of renowned adman and loving father Hal Riney (d. 2008), and enjoyed a close relationship with his caring stepfather Michael Edward Myers (d. 2015).

Everyone fortunate enough to have known Ben understands the meaning of loyalty and has a story or two to tell. A true San Franciscan, Ben grew up on Telegraph Hill and migrated only as far as Russian and Nob Hills. He graduated from Town School for Boys, where he was nicknamed "The Rhino" and excelled at basketball and baseball, once striking out 17 batters in 6 innings. In 2005, he graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory where his nickname became "Bear" and he starred in yet another sport, football, winning Freshman Lineman of the year award. Feared by opponents and admired by teammates, Ben played as he lived – with intensity – and he left everything on the field.

In 2010, Ben graduated from the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management. He earned straight A's in his major, but his most important undergraduate achievement was meeting his future wife, Meg. Ben and Meg were married in 2015, celebrating at the Fairmont San Francisco with hundreds of friends and loved ones. Avid travelers, Ben and Meg have explored the world from the Americas to Africa to Europe, to their favorite getaway – Jones Cay off the coast of Honduras.

Ben started his first job in advertising as an intern at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, before joining Publicis & Hal Riney full-time, honoring the memory of his father. Ben was a natural at copywriting and strategy, fueled by his innate creativity and relentless work ethic. Eventually the desk job could not contain Ben's adventurous spirit, and he left the agency in 2014 to pursue a career in law enforcement. Ben joined the Daly City Police Department, and during his first year was awarded Officer of the Quarter for assisting a family impacted by domestic violence. He later earned a spot on the elite SWAT team and took a leadership role in the recruiting and field training of new officers. Ben proudly served on the force for more than three years, and was recognized by his colleagues as both a top achiever and a selfless team player.

With diverse talents and interests, Ben was driven to maximize every spare moment of life. From a young age, he was a competent outdoorsman like his father. Ben was a skilled fly fisherman, duck hunter, and dedicated steward of the coral reefs surrounding Guanaja, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras. When not on the road, Ben could be found barbecuing on his balcony on Nob Hill, or out in North Beach enjoying a beer with his many friends from all walks of life. For Ben, life and friendship were synonymous. We will miss his dry wit and his ear-to-ear smile. We will always remember the epic adventures, late nights, and countless laughs he shared with us. Above all, Ben was deeply loyal and would do anything for those he loved: country, community, family and friends.

A celebration of Ben's life will be held at Golden Gate Club in the Presidio on Sunday, April 15th at 3:00pm to 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited or The Coral Reef Alliance. And especially, go fishing and think of Ben.

Lt Col John Joseph Lally (USAF Retired), 84, entered heaven on Easter Sunday morning in Sacramento, CA. Born and raised in San Francisco, John was a 1947 graduate of St. Cecilia Catholic Grammar School (the Greatest, the Finest, and the Best), and a 1951 graduate of St. Ignatius (SI) College Preparatory High School, where he was a tight-end for the SI Wildcats (#15) with All-City honors. Upon graduating from high school, John attended the United States Naval Academy (USNA), where he earned a BS in engineering and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1956.

John spent 22 years on active duty as a Command Pilot and was qualified in several aircraft, including the B-25, B-47 and B-52 Stratofortress. A few of the many accomplishments of his illustrious career include his command of deployed elements of 441st Bomb Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base (AFB) in Guam. At the end of the Vietnam War, by direct orders from U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, John led the redeployment of B-52s back to the continental United States. He culminated his career as Commander of the 441st Bomb Squadron at Mather AFB in Sacramento. After retiring from the Air Force and settling his family permanently in Sacramento, John became an engineer for Pacific Bell Telephone Company. When he permanently retired from the work force in the late 90's, he pursued his passion for adventure and travel, which began 40 years earlier during his years at the USNA. Baseball, football, basketball, golf - John LOVED sports! He organized numerous trips to attend games across the country with family and friends, always capturing memories with his camera and generously sending them for all to enjoy.

John was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Patrick Lally, and his mother, Agnes Cecilia Liguori of Forest Side Ave., San Francisco. He is survived by his cherished wife of 61 years and St. Cecilia and St. Rose alum, Rosemary D. Lally; his seven daughters: Marie K. Reilly (Michael) of Manteca, CA; M. Theresa Lally (David Van Wagoner) of Yorktown, VA; Rosemarie E. Lally of Sacramento, CA; Bernadette A. Tate (Ellis) of Omaha, NE; Diane A. Lally of Sacramento, CA; Susanne E. Lally of Walnut Creek, CA; and Christine J. Lally of Sacramento, CA. John was the greatest grandfather in the world to Maura R. Reilly Albert, Mikaela M. Reilly, Sean J. Tate, Ryan T. Tate, Olivia R. Tate, and his great-granddaughter, Kathleen S. Albert.

A celebration of John's life and legacy will be held Saturday, April 7, 2018, at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church located at 4123 Robertson Ave., Sacramento, CA 95821. An 11:30 am Rosary will be followed by Mass at 12:00 pm. The burial will immediately follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA 95820. Please join the Lally Family for a celebration at 2:30 pm at Mix Downtown, 1525 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, to toast John - because he always enjoyed a good party and a stiff drink!

If you would like to commemorate John's life and generosity, donations may be made in his name to the Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850 (www.fisherhouse.org) or Loaves and Fishes of Sacramento, 1351 North C Street, Sacramento, CA 95811 (sacloaves.org).

GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!

Beannacht leat go bhfeicfidh mé arís thú (Irish Gaelic: Blessings until we meet again)

Published in San Francisco Chronicle from Apr. 5 to Apr. 7, 2018

The students had a performance clinic at Tulane University with the Tulane Orchestra Director and also toured Loyola University where they spoke with the head of the Music Industries Department. Students performed at the World War 2 Museum in New Orleans and also attended an Open Rehearsal of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

See photos from the journey here.

See the ABC7 story here on the Governor's 80th birthday.