In Memory Archives for the year 2024
Dr. Joseph Brun DiGiorgio
August 4, 1932 ~ December 17, 2023
Dr. Joseph Brun DiGiorgio, age 91, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2023, in Sacramento, CA. He was born on August 4, 1932, in San Francisco, CA. Joseph was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, neighbor, partner, and teacher. He is survived by his children: Joseph Brun DiGiorgio Jr., Ann DiGiorgio Khan, Edward Valdis DiGiorgio, James Irwin Bourbeau, Kathleen DiGiorgio Wright, Carol DiGiorgio Kensiski, James Salvatore DiGiorgio, and Heather Frances Bourbeau. He was also survived by his sister, Carmela Catherine (CeCe) DiGiorgio Brooks, and eleven grandchildren. Joseph was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Brun DiGiorgio, father, Salvatore Armond DiGiorgio, sister, Paula DiGiorgio Brooks, his first wife Velta Erdmanis DiGiorgio, and his second wife Carol Bourbeau DiGiorgio.
Joseph had an impressive educational background, having attended Wenatchee High School and Johns Hopkins University. He met his first wife Velta when giving tours of campus to new students. They both received their PhDs in Chemistry while studying together at JHU. He was initiated into Tau Beta Pi in 1954, and would later join and serve as an officer in Phi Kappa Phi.
Joseph was a great nephew of Joseph DiGiorgio, founder of the family named international fruit company of the 20th Century. He worked in the company orchards near Wenatchee, WA with his high school friends, and with his father at the fruit exchange auctions at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Joseph developed an early interest in science, including engineering rapid exothermic reactions while in High School. While at JHU he converted his family’s dog kennel into his own private chemistry lab where he entertained family and neighborhood children with his experiments.
Dr. DiGiorgio’s scientific career spanned several notable positions, including working at the National Research Council Canada in Ottawa from 1961 to 1964. He then became a Chemistry Professor at California State University, Sacramento, where he dedicated himself to his passion for teaching for the next 50 years. He was proud of his involvement in the design of the labs and obtaining grant funding for instruments for students’ use at the new Sequoia Hall science building at CSUS. His expertise led him to become an owner of AAI and then NTT Labs, where he developed national standard methods and crafted handmade apparatus for transformer oil dissolved gas analysis, serving electric utility clients worldwide.
Outside of his professional life, Joseph enjoyed engaging in scientific education by serving as a science fair judge and building gadgets to demonstrate scientific principles at his children’s and grandchildren’s neighborhood schools. He joined both his wives in attending his children's and grandchildren's sporting and special events, continuing with this on his own well past his 90th birthday. He served as President of the River Park Little League. He was also an avid coin and stamp collector and would solve crossword and sudoku puzzles using an ink pen. He had a love of classical music and opera, especially that of Luisa Tetrazzini, who was a family friend and godmother to his mother.
A memorial service will be held on February 2, 2024, at 10:00 am at W.F. Gormley & Sons Funeral Chapel, located at 2015 Capitol Ave. Sacramento, CA. Burial with his wife Carol following at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests tribute donations be made to the charity of your choice and/or the Building for God Community Foundation. The vision for this foundation was planted by his sister Paula in the heart of her oldest son, Michael O. Brooks. Its mission is to provide seed funding and business expertise for local charities in the Baltimore area, so they can grow sustainably, without relying on government grants, thereby ensuring their missions truly Perseverando. Donations can be made online at https://buildingforgod.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/buildingforgod/donation.jsp
Richard R. Perry
1956 ~ 2024
Human & Civil Rights Activist, Sacramento State Groundskeeper, Red Sox fan, and all-around good guy Richard R. Perry has passed. He tabled activist events, marched the marches, sat the vigils, protested every indignity, and always with a smile and a kind word. R.P. had an encyclopedic knowledge of social justice history and was the devoted spouse of L.R. Roberts.
Donations can be made to the Parkinson Association: www.panctoday.org
Joan Al-Kazily
February 11, 1938 ~ January 20, 2024
It is with great sorrow that we announce the loss of an amazing human being, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Joan Al-Kazily. Joan left us on January 20, 2024, after a brief illness due to unexpected complications following a heart attack. During her final hours she was surrounded by her devoted family.
Joan was born on February 11, 1938 to Annie and Thomas Gaskell in Ulverston, UK. She grew up in a loving home with her parents and sister Margaret before leaving to study Civil Engineering at the University of Liverpool. While at university, Joan met her soul mate and the love of her life, Fadhil Al-Kazily. Joan and Fadhil married in 1959 and emigrated to the United States about five years later. After settling in the California Bay Area, they started their family.
Joan was an adventurous soul. With her family, she lived in England, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Rhode Island, and California, and she traveled even further. She and Fadhil chose Davis, California as their “forever” home in 1984, and this is where she established and nurtured her bountiful garden, and continued to build her network of close friends.
Joan was a remarkable woman with an impressive list of accomplishments. Joan was one of the first female students in her department at the University of Liverpool, and later she earned her PhD in Civil Engineering while raising her children, going on to teach Transportation Engineering at the University of Rhode Island and then California State University, Sacramento. She became the first female Civil Engineering Department Chair at Sacramento State University before retiring in 2002.
After retirement, Joan embraced life by spending quality time with her grandchildren (Tarkan, Kamila, Wyatt, Temaej and Sabrina), going on adventures with her sister Margaret and brother-in-law Les, and delving into new interests including Tai Chi, Spanish classes, meditation, and writing classes. She even took an online class on Happiness, which her family believes she could have taught herself.
Joan passed away on January 20th, 2024 lovingly surrounded by her close family. Joan is survived by her husband Fadhil, her sister Margaret, her three children Riyadth, Reim and Buthaina, and a sizable family that she “adopted” along the way. She touched the lives of so many and will be dearly missed by all.
We invite you to join our family as we remember and celebrate the life of Joan on February 10th at 2pm at El Macero Country Club.
Together, we will recall the memories, stories, and moments we shared.
William Lloyd Johns
May 25, 1930 ~ January 8, 2024
Johns, Dr. William Lloyd, President Emeritus, CSUS. He peacefully passed on January 8, 2024, at the age of 93. Lloyd met his life partner Fran in October of 1989 while Lloyd was playing the trumpet, and she was dancing! They fell in love and married on August 26, 1990. Combined, they have 6 children, 19 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one grandchild. He has a sister, Betty Johns in St, Louis, MO. During their 34 years of marriage, they traveled to all 50 states and over 32 countries. They shared a wonderful and fulfilling life together. Per Lloyd's request, there will be no services.
Gus Peter Plessas
July 30, 1928 ~ February 3, 2024
Gus Peter Plessas, (95), of Sacramento, California, passed away peacefully on February 3, 2024.
Gus was born as Constantine to Peter and Toula Plessas on July 30, 1928, in San Francisco, California. He had the typical immigrant upbringing and as a youth worked in his father's restaurant.
He received a Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master's degree from San Francisco State University, a Doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley, and pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Chicago.
He attained the rank of Captain in the United States Naval Reserve, initially serving during the Korean conflict aboard the aircraft carrier Valley Forge.
He embarked on his illustrious career in education in 1951, as a public school teacher in Richmond, CA. From 1957 to 1994, he distinguished himself as a professor at California State University, Sacramento. He was a visiting professor and consultant, throughout the United States and in more than 75 countries. As a professor, he conducted more than 250 in-service sessions for teachers in various school districts throughout California and he contributed to numerous educational periodicals and textbooks.
He provided valuable leadership as a member of the Board of Governors of the California Maritime Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Modern Greek Studies Foundation of San Francisco State University, a member of Phi Delta Kappa, a Fellow of the National Conference of Research in English, a Fulbright scholar in Malaysia, and as Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at CSUS.
He was honored for his professional and community service with the Outstanding Education of America Award, and recognized in Who's Who of Greek Origin, Who's Who in Greece, Who's Who in the Far West, and Leaders in Education. The contributions that he made to California's students and throughout the world were invaluable. He served as a worthy model for all education professionals in the state.
He loved to travel with his wife Betty, and together they visited over 110 countries. His heart was with his Hellenic upbringing and helping people. He lived life to the fullest and always remembered his roots.
Gus Peter Plessas was preceded in death by his mother and father, Peter and Toula Plessas, his older sister, Christina Lamerdin, his older brother John Plessas, and his younger brother Jim Plessas. Gus is survived by Betty, his wife of 70 years, and their 5 children, Christina, Connie, Peter (Genise), Steven (Tracy) and James. He is also survived by his grandchildren Stephanie, Constantine (Jenna), Gina, Elizabeth, Christian James, and Cosette along with his great-grandson Easton Stone Plessas and many nieces and nephews, their children and grandchildren.
Services will be held at St Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Elk Grove on Saturday, Feb. 17th, at 10 am, followed by a memorial luncheon at the church hall. Interment will follow at East Lawn Cemetery in Sacramento.
In lieu of flowers, we invite you to donate to St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Elk Grove, CA.
Karen Moore
December 5, 1950 ~ January 24, 2024
Kay Moore was born and raised in Maryland, where she was surrounded by sites of importance from many historical events. Exploring these turned her into an incorrigible history buff at an early age with a special interest in the lives of women and children. Moving to California to become an elementary school teacher and later university educator, she lived for many years in Placerville.
Upon retirement from California State University, Sacramento after decades of preparing future educators, Kay moved to Las Vegas where she and her grandchildren started exploring the historical sites of Nevada. She is the author of several nonfiction juvenile books including the award-winning The Great Bicycle Experiment: The Army’s Historic Black Bicycle Corps, 1896–97, If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution, and If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War. She was also the author of two books in the Bold Women in History series – Bold Women in California History and Bold Women in Nevada History. Kay is survived by her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting the donation of children’s books, such as the Tuttle Twins series, to local schools and libraries.
Her family will be having a private service at a later date.
Charles Moore
November 25, 1935 ~ February 13, 2024
Charles Arthur Moore died peacefully in his sleep on February 13th. Charles was a professor of English at Sacramento State University from 1968 until his retirement in 2000. He is survived by his partner of 40 years, Kerry Phillips, sister Julia White of Lafayette, LA and special friends Sally Phelan and Robby Ching of Sacramento and Richard Honey of Volcano, CA. There will be no service.
Miroslav Dragutin Markovic
January 9, 1941 ~ 2024
Dr. Miroslav Markovic, also known as Miro, was born on January 9, 1941, in Grbice, Serbia, to Dragutin and Stamena Markovic. He pursued his education at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering.
Continuing his academic journey, he became a PhD candidate at the University of Missouri, Columbia, graduating with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in December 1977. In 1978, Miro began his career at Sacramento State University-CSU Sacramento as an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering. During his tenure, he significantly contributed to the advancement of Electrical Power Engineering and Electrical Machines, establishing advanced laboratories and imparting knowledge to numerous engineers currently active in the western US. He authored seven books in the field, utilizing advanced applied mathematics, which he generously shared with his students.
Upon retiring, he held the esteemed title of Professor Emeritus at California State University-Sacramento, leaving behind a legacy of admiration from his former students.
Outside of his academic pursuits, Miro tended to a flourishing vegetable garden and an array of fruit trees at his residence, generously distributing the harvest and providing insightful gardening tips to his neighbors and friends. His leisurely strolls through the neighborhood and along the American River Parkway, an area he loved, further cemented his presence in the community. He will be fondly remembered by the countless individuals he encountered during his 50-year residency in the United States and all those whose lives he influenced.
Services commemorating Miro's life will be conducted at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Serbian Orthodox Church in Fair Oaks, CA, on Saturday, March 16, at 10 am. His internment will take place on Monday, March 18, at 1:00 PM at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Jackson, CA. All are welcome to attend.