Dr Frances Wrightson
Dr Frances Wright Dr Frances is also in the class of 1932
Frances Mary Wrightson passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on December 25, 2017.
Frances lived a remarkable life during her nearly 102 years. She was born in England during World War I as her father fought with the Canadian Army for Britain. The family returned to Canada where Frances grew up on a rural homestead near Kamloops, British Columbia, where her father had been given rural acreage due to his service in the army.
Frances only began formal schooling at the age of nine when the family moved into Kamloops. After graduating from high school in three years, she attended the University of British Columbia on scholarship, receiving a first-class honors Bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics and a M.A. in chemistry.
In 1941 Frances became the fourth woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University. It was at Stanford where Frances met and married a fellow chemistry graduate student, John M. Wrightson. The young couple moved to New York for John to obtain his doctorate at Cornell University while Frances taught at Wells College.
During World War II, she became first woman to complete the Harvard Radar Program and installed and calibrated radar on B17 bombers. After the war, they both joined the M.W. Kellogg Company to conduct chemical research and development.
Frances and John returned to California as John began a career in the aerospace industry, first in Southern California where Frances' three children were born, and then in Carmichael when John began work at Aerojet. Frances raised her three children and began her teaching career in the Physics Department at Sacramento State University. She did not retire until she was 80 years old.
In retirement, Frances was a very active volunteer who assumed leadership roles in community planning committees and hospice organizations. She was also active in St. Francis Episcopal Church in Fair Oaks, where she applied her gardening passion and expertise in designing and maintaining the church landscaping. Frances also enjoyed her home garden, sports, her beloved dogs, and visiting family and friends in Canada and England. She is survived by her children, Mary Wrightson, Maud Hinchee, and Jack Wrightson, and three grandchildren, Kathryn Hinchee-Rodriguez, Cole Wrightson, and Kendall Wrightson.
Cory Yamaoka
Cory is also in the class of 1987
Lisa Yamaoka
Tom Yerbury
Richard Youds
Cheryl Zordell
Gene Zwick
Feb. 28, 1939 – Sept. 30, 2018 It is with great sadness to announce, that with his daughters by his side, Gene Zwick of Kamloops, passed away at age 79. Dad is survived and will be soulfully missed and remembered by his two daughters, Laurie ‘Rosa’ Zwick and Sharlene Zwick. He is predeceased by his father Wasyl ‘Bill’ Zwick and mother Maria (Nikolajenko/Lopatenko) Zwick. Gene was born in Kiev, Ukraine as an only child. After WWII, he and his parents, lived in various refugee camps before immigrating to Canada at age 11. Via a brief stay in Toronto, they went to Vancouver to live. Here, on the coast, is where Gene met his dearest and oldest friend, Ken Haraldsen. Later, Dad and his family settled in Kitimat, BC when he was a teen. But it was a beautiful sunset in Kamloops, that made Gene, as a young adult, fall in love with the area and is where he decided to start his career and live. For over 30 years Dad taught high school (mathematics, mechanics and science) the majority at John Peterson and shortly before he retired, at Kam High. Dad, known by many as Mr. Zwick, was always so proud of his students and will also be remembered for his chalk throwing abilities. All his life Dad loved the outdoors and his hobbies. He had an ingenious ability to create, build, design and fix almost anything. You would see him skiing, fishing, gardening, flying and many other activities, that he loved to pursue with family and friends or just by himself. Dad’s first love though was skiing, which he took every opportunity to do. Sharing in Dad’s love, was his dearest and nearest friend, Ian Mackenzie and Dad would always talk about his skiing buddy with such warmth. Dad then took on growing tomatoes…hundreds of them. Plants not just for himself but mostly to sell in the local community, which endeared him the name “The Tomato Guy”. Dad also had over 15 years with driving bus (Thompson Valley Charters) where he loved interacting with tourists and his co-workers. At age 60 Dad earned his pilots license. He loved restoring his ultralight aircrafts and would start his tales of getting them to fly with….” Don’t worry, I wasn’t hurt…”.
