Garces honors fallen alumni
-
1 of 2By Casey Christie / The Californian
Garces Memorial High School alumni Judge Gary Friedman, left, and President of the Alumni Board Tom Franconi hold the plaque after the ceremony they presented Friday honoring Garces alumni who died while in service to their country. The four veterans listed on the plaque are Denis Roche, Thomas Soliz, John Perich and David Reis.
click to collapse -
2 of 2By Casey Christie / The Californian
The statue of Padre Francisco Garces (known as Father Garces) stands alone on a cloudy afternoon at Garces Memorial High school. The Spanish Franciscan was known to have visited this spot where the statue is on May 8, 1776.
click to collapse
By THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN
In honor of Veterans Day, Garces Memorial High School on Friday unveiled a plaque bearing the names of four alumni who had been killed while serving in the armed forces.
Tom and Patti Reis were among those who attended a lunch-hour ceremony at which the plaque was presented to school administrators. The name of their son David was on the plaque.
The 25-year-old Navy fighter pilot and 2004 Garces High School graduate was killed along with his sister and two others in a tragic New Years Eve murder-suicide in the San Diego area. Authorities said David Reis' roommate was the shooter.
The other alumni named on the plaque were:
* Denis Roche
Class of 1954
Lt -Navy
* John Perich
Class of 1965
Private First Class - Marines
* Thomas Soliz
Class of 1965
Corporal - Marines
Tom Reis said it was "neat" that the school had recognized his son "and the other, I'll just call them kids, who perished."
It will be nice, Reis said, to see his son's name whenever he visits the campus.
About 50 veterans attended the ceremony in which Kern County Superior Court Judge Gary Friedman presented the plaque.
The private Catholic school had invited all veterans who were alumni or family members of Garces students.
Facebook
Twitter
Mobile
RSS
Most CommentedMost Popular
Responding to what he called a case that “has consumed the media and our community,” Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he has asked the FBI to conduct a “parallel” investigation into the death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva, who died May 8 after he was beaten by...
Two cellphones confiscated last week from witnesses to the in-custody death of David Sal Silva were returned Wednesday to the attorney representing the witnesses.
About two dozen protesters stood in front of Kern County Superior Court next to the Liberty Bell Thursday morning to make a statement about police brutality.
The death of a man in custody following a prolonged struggle with Kern County Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers and the subsequent fracas over confiscated witness cellphones have gained international attention and raised concerns here that the incidents could tarnish the county's emerging...
Blood stains are still visible on the sidewalk at the corner of Flower Street and Palm Drive, where a Bakersfield man struggled with as many as nine officers and later died this week.
Responding to what he called a case that “has consumed the media and our community,” Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Tuesday he has asked the FBI to conduct a “parallel” investigation into the death of Bakersfield father of four David Sal Silva, who died May 8 after he was beaten by deputies.
A war of words erupted Friday over video footage taken of David Sal Silva’s deadly encounter with law enforcement officers.
Bakersfield College will vacate its 2012 state football championship and forfeit its regular-season wins from the 2011 and 2012 seasons because of California Community College Athletic Association rules violations.