Cecilia
Bob, Vince, Sara, Tim, Tom, Brian, Tina, or Terry.
Cecilia with Lee Anderson on her 60th birthday, July 17, 2002, Sacramento, California.
Cecilia Gray, PhD, retired from her position as Dean of General Education and Associate Vice-President of Academic Affairs and returned to teaching at CSUS, for a year. She is currently employed. See also 2003.
Cecilia Dolores Gray, PhD, was born on July 17,
1942, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to Ceil and Bob Gray.
Cecilia grew up in Texas where she graduated from Bishop Forest High School in Schulenburg, and Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio. OLL is now a University. See the Sisters of Divine Providence.
Cecilia received her Master's Degree in Kansas and her PhD in Oregon. She retired in 2002 after many years as Professor, Dean, and Academic VP at California State University at Sacramento, CSUS, CA.
1962-81:
Bob and Ceil Gray were invited to cocktail parties often during the Christmas season in Prescott, and they took Cecilia along. Cecilia met Helen Evans and they became good friends. Cecilia and Helen would occasionally go to dinner at the Pine Cone Inn. Cecilia played bridge with Helen during the summer when she visited her family in Prescott. She spent summers and Christmas in Arizona. Later she started working summers at CSUF, but she kept up her visits to Prescott for her birthday, July 17.
"The guy who wanted to marry me was Tom Glenn. I did think that if you are doing a family history that you haven't interviewed me......maybe next time we're together...
"I worked one summer at Yavapai Title Office in Prescott, writing notes to remind people of late payments...what fun!"
"I was also a substitute teacher at one time..."
Cecilia had a big party at her home in Sacramento for Bill Sullivan's 50th birthday. Mom wanted to go so Bobby took her. Bob took some movies and Cecilia hired a chef who served Salmon. Bill's sister, Terri, hired a clown.
The kids and I with Cecilia, celebrated Mom's last birthday at Bill's house
in Sacramento. He took Noah to a baseball game too, with the tailgate party and all.
He also took the ladies to Germany (Mom, Cecilia, and Marian). He was a nice gentle-man.
Love, Sara
He also took Terry Gray to a game???
Subject: Friday, December 10, 2004, 12:50 pm
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Bill Sullivan passed away at 12:50 this afternoon. He was in a quiet room, with
Mozart playing softly in the background, and small cheery Christmas
tree nearby. Our friend Wernfried was holding his hand. The life support
equipment had been removed on Wednesday, and since that time he has
been drifting away, eased by pain medication and sleeping ever more deeply.
Such an abundance of thoughts and prayers accompany him. What a
lifetime of friendships he leaves us with. Each of us, some who have
known him for so long that to say precisely how long is a struggle, and
some who have known him for a comparatively short period of time,
cherish our times with him.
Each of us will find our own words and our own ways to secure his place
in our hearts.
Plans are under way for a memorial mass in the next several days, and
then a celebration of his life on the CSUS campus at the beginning of
the Spring semester. I will inform you as soon as I know the particular information about the Mass.
I'm sure that each of you has someone you can turn to when a new
perspective is needed about a deep loss. My comfort today came from
daughter Emily. When I told her just now, and described the tree in
Bill's room, she said (knowing that Christmas was Bill's favorite
holiday) "At least it will be Christmas for Bill forever."
Linda
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Obituary: William Sullivan Jr., CSUS dean
By Jennifer K. Morita -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, December 13, 2004
William J. Sullivan Jr., California State University, Sacramento's longest-serving dean who loved Christmas and played Santa Claus every year for kids on campus, died Friday. He was 63.
"He was extraordinarily well-liked by the faculty at-large and he'll be greatly missed," said colleague and friend Nancy Tooker. "He was this jovial, large Irish man, who had a way of making everyone feel comfortable."
Mr. Sullivan died from complications from a stroke he suffered last month.
Friends remember Mr. Sullivan for his love of dancing, singing and throwing tree-trimming parties at his house and especially for his fondness for Christmas.
"Christmas was his very favorite time of the year," said Tooker, acting dean of the College of Arts and Letters. "He loved Santa Claus and had a collection of Santa Clauses. He had Santas of all varieties, from ceramic to carved wood. He just couldn't resist them."
A longtime member of the Turn Verein, a German American social organization, Mr. Sullivan played St. Nick at the group's annual holiday party.
He also donned a Santa Claus suit for children at the CSUS day-care center every year.
"He was the perfect Santa," Tooker said.
Mr. Sullivan was born May 6, 1941, in New Jersey. He graduated from St. Peter's College in Jersey City and earned his master's degree and doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, where he taught before joining the U.S. Army.
He began his career at CSUS in 1970 as a German instructor. By 1984, he was on his way to earning the nickname "the dean of deans" when he was chosen to head the School of Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Sullivan served as a dean for 29 years. As the campus grew, the school went through several reorganizations.
"He managed to really hold together the faculty through times like these when we're our budget is tight," Tooker said. "Through thick and thin, he was a very stabilizing influence."
Mr. Sullivan retired last July as dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
"He was a very thoughtful, caring individual who was very committed to his job at the university," said another friend and colleague, Cecilia Gray, the retired associate vice president for academic affairs.
Mr. Sullivan, who sang in the Turn Ver ein's Sacramento Turner Harmonie choir, was also a major patron of the arts, Gray said.
Mr. Sullivan was instrumental in developing the systemwide CSU Summer School of the Arts for high school students and helped start the CSUS School of the Arts.
William J. Sullivan Jr. (Born: May 6, 1941-Died: Dec. 10, 2004)
Remembered for: former Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at California State University, Sacramento; active member of the Turn Verein; singer in the Sacramento Turner Harmonie and the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament choirs.
Survived by: sister, Mary-Terese Sullivan of Hamburg, N.J.
Memorial mass: Today at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church in El Dorado Hills. A campus celebration of life will be held at the beginning of spring semester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to William J. Sullivan, College of Arts and Letters, Deans Fund, 6000 J St., Sacramento, CA 95819-6049.
About the writer:
The Bee's Jennifer K. Morita can be reached at (916) 773-7388 or [email protected].
Gloria, Here's a great cooky recipe for the tea you are planning to have for Kelsey. I'm sending it on to the rest of the family, too. Cecilia -----Original Message----- From: Cecilia Gray [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:07 AM To: '[email protected]' Subject: RE: Cookie Recipe Thanks. Looks like a heart attack waiting to happen. But were they good. Cecilia -----Original Message----- From: BonnieChatfield [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 8:37 AM To: Cecilia Gray Subject: Cookie Recipe Here is the recipe. Cabrillo Almond Triangles (from an old Carmel Cookbook) 1 lb butter (room temperature)(divided) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. Salt 3/4 tsp. Almond extract 1 egg 2 3/4 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup honey 1/4cup heavy cream 1 lb sliced almonds (about 5 1/4 cup) Line 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with foil. (grease) (I use the disposable foil pans) Beat 1/2 lb. Butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, salt and almond extract. Beat in egg and then flour. Press dough into pan and refrigerate at least one hour Heat oven to 375. Prick dough with fork. Bake for 10 minutes In a sauce pan, combine brown sugar, honey, the remaining 1/2lb. Butter and the the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil without stirring and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and almonds. Spread over crust. Bake until bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool and cut into triangles. Makes 80 triangles. Bonnie Chatfield Dunnigan Realtors, Sacramento, CA 916-441-7375 (Home Office) 916-454-5753 Dunnigan Office