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Schools recognize Dot Perry's dedication
By Mary Ann Cook
PERRY RECOGNIZED: Longtime teacher aide and school advocate Dot Perry received a special recognition at the End of School Party given by the Los Gatos Union School District earlier this month. Perry has been retired for several years, but served for 13 years as a teacher aide at Van Meter and other schools.
The idea was Kathy Murphy's, a Van Meter teacher. "Dot is so loving and caring. She is one of a kind in and out of the workplace. She always sent personal congratulations to her students, followed up on how they were doing. She did it for my sons and I'm sure she did it for others," says Murphy.
Perry was a presence at school board meetings, keeping a constant, vigilant eye on school doings. She has seven children, and her husband, Roland, was a mayor of Los Gatos. Perry was presented with a certificate of merit for outstanding service to students and staff of LGUSD.
Also honored were these retirees: Lynn Dahms, P.E. teacher at Fisher Middle School; Cullen Hewitt, principal of Fisher; Diane Kellogg and Elsie Ng, both third-grade teachers at Van Meter.
Also honored were Ann Ravenscroft, speech therapist; Anne Richol, special-ed aide, Van Meter; Norene Ward, secretary at Lexington; Carolyn Wold, teacher at Fisher; and Jane Yap, secretary at Blossom Hill.
MADAME PRESIDENT: The first woman in Los Gatos Rotary is now set to become that group's first woman president. She's Rosemary Pierce of Monte Sereno. Blazing new trails is nothing new for Pierce. She was the first female city manager of Monte Sereno.
She retired in 1993 and since then has devoted herself to volunteer work, including as Rotary secretary for the last eight years. Al Kendree was president of LG Rotary when women were first admitted to the organization and he was the one who sponsored the Pierce entry.
"I just knew she would be a great Rotarian and club leader. I was proud to be her sponsor into the club," he says.
Pierce and her husband, Burt, are the parents of five and grandparents of 10. They have been married 47 years. Of the total 128 membership in the local Rotary club, 15 are women. Two women sit on the board of directors of the club.
BILLY JONES: New president of the Billy Jones Railroad and W.E. Mason Carousel is Joseph Fletcher of San Jose. Bill Mason Jr. is retiring as president, and he and his wife, Barbara, are moving to Wyoming, where they have purchased a hunting and fishing lodge.
Fletcher is vice president of Aqua Treat chemicals, a company he founded with a partner. He is president of the Aschem Group, a conglomerate of 15 chemical companies. He and his wife, Cookie, have four children and 11 grandchildren. Fletcher is an elder at Christ the King Church in Campbell. He has volunteered with the railroad for the past five years.
HOSPICE GALA: Paula Wienkoop of Saratoga was chairwoman of the Hospice of the Valley fundraiser held at the Hayes Mansion. The event raised money and visibility for the hospice, now in its 20th year. Money raised enables every family that needs help to get it, regardless of ability to pay.
Wienkoop, who lost her brother to cancer, says, "I know how important it is to have hospice care at this critical time." She has been a hospice volunteer for the past five years.
About $10,000 was raised on the spot for a Fund-a-Need drive after Isabel Sandoval told her story. Sandoval dropped out of high school to care for her mother who was under hospice care.
The hospice team obtained a $11,600 grant from Community Foundation Silicon Valley for her. She graduates this month from high school and plans to attend college. "Hospice saved my life," she says.
Unusual auction items included a Labrador puppy and an olde English holiday for 10 days in England. Corporate sponsors were Hitachi Data Systems, Community Hospital of Los Gatos; Adaptec, Kirkorian Enterprises; L.L.C. and Berliner Cohen.
Valley has a pediatric program specializing in appropriate-to-the-age counseling for clients, ages 5 to 18 years. Jessica Klinghoffer is director. David E. Roberson was chairman of the corporate sponsors.
STYLISTS: Roberta Nespole and Rachelle Gavert spent LGHS grad night wielding combs, sprays and extensions in the spa tent during grad night festivities. They are associates of George Brandau of Brandau Brandau Salon, that also serves a stint at the grad night party.
Nespole is a hair-weaving expert and graduated from LGHS in '88. "It's so much fun," she says about the all-nighter. "I get to relive being back in high school. We dress like the theme, which this year was futuristic, so I brought bright orange and green extensions (hair swatches).
"Sometimes we'll give a whole new look. One year George transformed a girl with long hair into an ultra sleek style. She looked great. After all, it's a new beginning." So popular is the spa area that students sometimes have to wait two hours to get in.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
