Roger "Alex" Franklin '84

Roger "Alex" Franklin, age 53, passed away April 5, 2010. He ran a private practice in Philadelphia with the help of his wife, Michelle. While attending California Western, Franklin was a member of Phi Alpha Delta, the largest international legal fraternity, and the Student Bar Association. He also participated in the California Western Law Review. Following graduation, Franklin gave back to the law school by volunteering as a Class Reunion Co-Chair. A regular attendee of California Western's Alumni Weekend, his presence will be missed at this fall's event.

Michael D. Stevenson '93

Michael D. Stevenson, age 43, passed away April 9, 2010. He was employed with Gordon & Rees, L.L.P. in Las Vegas. Prior to that, Stevenson was with the Law Offices of Anthony T. Case in Henderson, Nevada. The Southern Nevada native graduated from California Western in 1993. Friends and classmates remember his witty sense of humor and diehard sports fanaticism. Stevenson attended multiple sporting events for California Western alumni the Las Vegas area. He is survived by his sons, brother, and parents.

Dwight E. Stanford

Dwight E. Stanford, age 94, passed away from complications of heart failure on March 8, 2010. He served as president of Balboa Law School from 1939 to 1951, moving the school from the Hillcrest area to its Point Loma location and paving the way for what would become California Western School of Law. After his tenure as president, Stanford served on the Balboa Law School board of trustees and received from the school an honorary degree in 1975. In 1994, the Stanford Reading Room at California Western School of Law was named in his honor.

Julie J. Bethune '91

Julie J. Bethune, age 44, passed away in early February. Following graduation from California Western, Bethune worked in legal sales for LexisNexis, a subsidiary of Reed Elsevier, Inc. Her interests in labor and employment law led Bethune to transition careers to Chase Legal Professionals, Inc., a national legal placement company. As vice president of Chase, she specialized in permanent placements of attorneys in lateral and vertical positions. Bethune also worked as a freelance film critic with bi-monthly reviews in several local San Diego, North County, and Rancho Santa Fe publications.

Michael V. Sage '06

Michael Sage, age 29, passed away suddenly on February 5, 2010. He was working on his LL.M. at University of Connecticut and was employed with Suisman Shapiro Wool Brennan Gray & Greenberg in New London, Conn. Sage graduated from California Western in 2006, where he was a member of the Law Review and the International Law Journal, the Dean’s List, and Pro Bono Honors Society. He also volunteered as a "face of California Western" and is featured in the law school’s promotional material.

Josiane "Josi" M. Dixon '06

Josianne "Josi" M. Dixon, age 33, passed away on December 24, 2009, following a courageous battle with leukemia. While attending California Western, Dixon was a Trial Team member, the president of the Public Interest Law Foundation, and involved in Moot Court competitions. Perhaps Dixon’s most noteworthy impact on California Western was her pivotal role in establishing the Adrianne Baker Fellowship, California Western's loan repayment assistance program. In her honor, the PILF has named its scholarship after Dixon.