Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 26 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Santa Barbara for Jesuit Father Luis Quihuis, pastor, who died from a heart attack at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Nov. 20. He was 56.
Father Quihuis was also Vicar Forane (Dean) of Deanery 2 in the Santa Barbara Region at the time of his death. Among his many pastoral and civic accomplishments, he co-led the first regional Santa Barbara diaconate formation group.
"He was a very warm, friendly person and had all kinds of things going on all the time. The parish will miss him a lot," said Jesuit Father Thomas McCormick, an associate priest at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, who led the regional diaconate formation program with Father Quihuis.
According to Father McCormick, Father Quihuis always sought ways to bring the Anglo and Hispanic communities together in Santa Barbara. Four years ago, he founded an Our Lady of Guadalupe procession attended by thousands who marched up State Street to Our Lady of Sorrows Church. The parish's Day of the Dead liturgy, Good Friday solemn services honoring Our Lady of Sorrows and the May 1 blessing of laborers' hands ceremony were always packed with worshippers.
"He was a very good leader, who had excellent relationships with the priests and parishes in the region, as well as with many public officials in the area," said Santa Barbara Region Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry. "Father Luis did much to promote Hispanic ministry and the Catholic presence in the area. And of course the diaconate formation was a very exciting, wonderful effort. His death is a great loss to us all."
Born in Phoenix, Father Quihuis attended seminary in Brazil. He was a member of the Jesuit community for 25 years and was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. Father Quihuis served as associate pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church for two years before becoming pastor on June 20, 2001.
Father Quihuis was also well-known in the Santa Barbara area for his many community service activities. He was a Santa Barbara Police chaplain, a Cottage Hospital ethics committee member and a board member for the Santa Barbara summer Mariachi Festival. He also periodically taught a UC Santa Barbara class in Latin American and Mexican culture and religion. Interment will be at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery in Santa Clara.
Paul Tompkins, former Tidings executive
Funeral Mass will be celebrated Nov. 30 at Queen of Angels Church, Alpine, for Paul W. Tompkins, longtime business manager of The Tidings, who died Nov. 23 at age 83.
In 1947, shortly after graduating from St. John's Seminary College in Camarillo, Tompkins was hired by The Tidings. He served for several years as classified advertising manager, and was then promoted to business manager of the newspaper. He served The Tidings and the archdiocese faithfully for 42 years before his retirement in 1989. In recognition of his years of distinguished and dedicated service, he received the Benemrenti Medal, conferred by Pope John Paul II.
A native of Newark, N.J., Tompkins moved with his family to Los Angeles at age three, and attended St. Columbkille School. Soon after he began his career with The Tidings, he was introduced to a coworker's roommate, Madelyn Bell. On their first date, he proposed, and they were married on Feb. 7, 1948.
The Tompkins family was among the founding members of St. Francis Xavier Church, Burbank, established in 1954. Tompkins will be remembered as a loving and dedicated husband, father and grandfather, son and brother, and a sincere and devoted friend to so many.
In addition to his wife of 59 years, Tompkins is survived by his daughter Mary Elizabeth and son-in-law Ruble "Ed" Edwards and their two children; son Paul Joseph and daughter-in-law Diana and their three children; son Christopher Patrick; and son-in-law John Bruns, husband of their eldest daughter, Madelyn Marie, who died last February.
Sr. Agnella Hauner, OP
Funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 26 in Fremont for Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose Agnella Hauner, who died Nov. 17, at the Sisters' Motherhouse in Fremont. She was 88.
Born in Guntersdorf, Germany, Sister Hauner served as a religious for 71 years, with child care her primary area of expertise, pride and joy. She served at St. Mary of the Palms (Serra Center), Fremont; Immaculate Conception Academy, San Francisco, and The Albertinum, Ukiah.
For 31 years, she served at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada, and generously gave her summers to youngsters at various camps administered by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. An avid Dodgers fan, she proudly wore her Dodger cap for a photograph with former manager Tommy Lasorda that was one of her favorites.
Sister Hauner is survived by four sisters, a nephew and a niece. A memorial Mass will be offered at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in the near future. Gifts in memory of Sister Agnella may be made to the Dominican Sisters, 43326 Mission Boulevard, Fremont, CA 94539. |