Memorial Tributes

Morgan Leslie Segal     1967 – 1996

Leslie Segal was a middle child, the peacemaker. She was quiet and gentle with compassion that encompassed anyone and anything that was troubled or hurting. In high school she first found her voice as a writer for the school paper and yearbook staff. In her college years she fell in love with the Spanish language and traveled to Washington, DC as an intern for the Latino Congressional Caucus. 

She visited a dozen countries with the Semester at Sea program. A year later traveling with a friend she backpacked through Eastern Europe indulging her talent as a photographer taking intimate detailed and revealing photos of young and old alike.

In her mid twenties the life that was soaring began to falter. She changed her name to Morgan -- "woman of the sea.” She almost completed a graduate psychology program, but decided she preferred writing and left to attend Sarah Lawrence College. Later she became a feature writer for the USC Daily Trojan and a literary magazine.

Though Morgan continued to grow as a writer, she increasingly lost touch with herself and retreated from those who loved her, finally ending her life shortly after her 29th birthday.

To learn more about Morgan and read “Morgan’s Voice”, click here.

Robert E. Fredricks, MD     1925 – 2005

Bob Fredricks grew up in the North Dakota prairie within a poor and loving extended family. After a sterling record in school he became a midshipman at the US Naval Academy. He served on a destroyer and the National Security Agency. Bob carefully saved his Navy pay and put himself through Marquette University Medical School. Various post graduate assignments led him to UCLA, where he became a Clinical Professor of Medicine. Bob practiced as an Internist/Hematologist for 13 years. He then served for 21 years as the Medical Director of St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

Bob was a leader in many national and local nonprofits. He was Board Chair of the Catholic Health Association. He took twelve trips to Romania, establishing a network of group homes and programs for developmentally disabled and abandoned orphans. Bob was a proud member of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica and served as the Club’s President.

Bob and Shirley were married for 51 years. Their five children and nine grandchildren gave him great joy. His enjoyment of life was enhanced by his enthusiasm for history, archaeology, politics, theater, music and art. Bob had the heart of an artist and constantly savored the beauty he found in nature, art and in the children around him.

Patrick David Wood          1982 - 2006

Patrick Wood accomplished more than most who live longer than his twenty-three years. He grew up in the rural town of Pomfret, Connectcut with his older brother Colin and twin sister Libby. He attended Pomfret School on a four-year academic scholarship, where he won numerous awards in math, science, English, French, history, and music and was the top scholar. He was a National Merit Scholarship winner and scored perfect SAT’s. He won the Connecticut State Music Teachers piano competition three times and performed chamber music at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. He graduated from Stanford with distinction in math in 2005.

Pat treasured family and the friendships he cultivated in the U.S. and Germany, where he spoke fluent German and was a programming intern at BMW and Siemens.  He was proud of his achievements but cared mostly about people, and they in turn loved him for his kindness, humility, charm, hysterical wit, and lightening-fast mind. Patrick was brilliant, loved, and successful, but deeply depressed when he took his own life in the depth of his pain. He gave us beauty in life. Let his death illuminate the mystery that is suicide. For stories, tributes, and music about Pat please visit: http://patrickwood.blogspot.com/

William Houston McWhinney, Ph.D.          1929 - 2007

Will was a designer, consultant, educator and writer. He worked in the early 1950's with the Bell System designing computer and operations research applications. After completing his doctoral work at Carnegie Mellon University, he co-founded a business school at Leeds University in England and created the first American Socio-Technical Systems program at the UCLA Graduate School of Management.

Following the civil rights riots in Los Angeles, Will joined efforts to rebuild housing and the arts community in central Los Angeles. In 1979 he helped found the innovative doctoral program in Human and Organizational Systems for mid-career professionals at the Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara. He was a scholar of transformation and a student of change, publishing Paths of Change in 1992.

While confined to a wheelchair for the last three years of his life, he faced his final challenge with the same compassion, dignity, courage, integrity and insight that had been his throughout his life. Will is remembered as a great teacher with a stunning intellect, spirited energy and deep heart. The generous gifts of his mind challenged us, his soul mentored us and his heart danced with us. He continues to be loved, appreciated and greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.