OUR PARISH STAFF
[Parish Office Staff]
[Facilities Maintenance Staff]
[Music, Liturgy and Initiation Staff]
[Religious Education Staff]
[Parish School Staff]
Meet our parish staff. (Click on the photos to see
enlargements.) When you call or visit the
rectory or one of the parish offices, it helps to know the people who
serve you. Here they are.
PARISH OFFICE STAFF
Janet
Janet works in the parish office as bookkeeper and secretary. She
is married to Rodney and they have 5
grown children. Janet enjoys reading
books and the Sunday morning edition of the newspaper. She also likes
surfing the net in her free time. Janet has been a parish member since
1985
Suzette
Suzette works with Janet in the parish office as
receptionist and secretary. She is married to William and they have 3
children. She is also a Eucharistic Minister to the Sick/Elderly. Suzette
and her family have been parish members since 1990.
Mary Powell
Mary
Powell was born in Madrid, New Mexico, and came to California at the age
of 19.
As a professional, she rose within the ranks at GTE,
training many, managing hundreds, and serving as a valued consultant.
Choosing an early retirement, Mary brought her management skills and
personal gifts to Our Lady of Refuge. Hers is often the first friendly voice on
the phone or the first smiling face greeting those who are new to our
parish.
Anita,
Volunteer Worker
Anita volunteers her services to help with parish office work. Anita
is married to Jerry and they have two grown children. She is an avid
golfer and enjoys traveling with her husband. Anita has been a parish
member since 1954.
Ray, Office Aid
Ray works in the evenings, on weekends and holidays when other
staff are not available. He handles phone calls, inquiries from
visitors to the office, and other tasks. Ray's hobbies include
hiking, bicycling and reading.
Fernando, Office Aid
Fernando works as an office aid in the evenings and on
weekends. He is a student at Millikan High School, and in his free
time enjoys movies, skateboarding, wrestling, swimming, drawing,
listening to music and hanging out with friends. Fernando is also
active in working with the parish Confirmation Team.
Don Brown,
Facilities Maintenance Administrator
Don Brown is a
home-grown talent. Born at St. Mary's Hospital in Long Beach, he attended
St. Anthony High School, Long Beach City College, and Loyola University,
where he received a degree in electrical engineering. His years at
Rockwell/Boeing involved work on missiles, the Apollo Lunar Landing
project, the C-17, the Space Shuttle and the B-1 Bomber.
Don’s parents raised three sons. Don and his wife
Mary continued his family's gender tradition by raising five sons of their
own, all of whom attended Our Lady of Refuge School. They extended the
family matrimonial tradition when they celebrated their own 50th wedding
anniversary in 2004. As his most memorable lifetime event, Don states,
“My wife married me.” He claims he’s still trying to figure out why.
Don’s hobbies and special abilities include
making and fixing things, which is both factual and an understatement -
he can make just about anything, and when necessary, he can fix it. He
also enjoys sailing, steak, TV, and traveling the US, especially the state
of Alaska.
John Visio - Custodian
John is a native Californian, born and raised in Los Angeles. He
attended
Garfield High School (where, later, an outstanding math teacher named
Jaime Escalante was portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the movie Stand
and Deliver.)
John's previous work prepared him well for the many challenges of serving
on the staff of a parish church, school and religious education
department. His typical day begins at 7:00 a.m., setting up safety cones
to guide cars bringing parishioners to Mass and children to class.
The day can range from clearing leaves and trash to polishing the church
floor, replacing electrical outlets, setting up the hall for a parish
event, attending a Staff meeting, repairing a broken hinge, checking
safety regulations, and responding to a plumbing emergency
- John does it all with expertise, caring and a great sense of
humor.
John's wife, Elvera, is the love of his life, a very special woman and an
excellent cook. They have three children: Alberto, Juan and Arlene, and
one grandson. In his spare
time, John enjoys taking weekend trips and working on cars. He likes
listening to Spanish music and rock ‘n roll, and taking Elvera out for
dinner, especially when it's seafood.
MUSIC, LITURGY AND INITIATION STAFF
Art
Maramba, Director of Music
Art Maramba is the Director of Music at Our
Lady of Refuge Parish. He
uses his experience in working with children and youth by teaching 
music for all grades at Our Lady of Refuge School and assisting
as needed in our Religious Education Department.
Art is a native of the Philippines, who
immigrated to the United States when he was eleven years old. He is the
eldest of three brothers in a family of musicians. Art began his
involvement in music ministry while a student at La Salle High School, and
remained active in it ever since.
Art previously served as music director
at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino, at Holy Innocents in Long Beach and
at historic Mission San
Gabriel. He comes to our
parish from his most recent work as choir director at St. Pius X in Santa
Fe Springs and ensemble director St. Irenaeus in Cypress.
Art is experienced in providing music
for weddings and funerals, and is fluent in English, Spanish and Tagalog.
He
has his own studio where he utilizes his skills in digital audio
recording. He is a big movie fan, and also plays in a professional
band.
At Our Lady of Refuge, Art encourages the full, active, and conscious participation of assemblies in
the liturgy through music, and encourages our music ministers toward
that goal.
Mary Eaton, Secretary Liturgy and Initiation Programs
Mary is a 5th generation native of
Los
Angeles. She graduated from St. Anselm's grammar school and
Catholic Girls High School (better known as Conaty). She enjoys her 2
brothers and sister, 14 nieces and nephews and 26 great nieces and
nephews.
Upon retiring from selling steel and purchasing for a brass bathroom
fixture manufacturer she sought a more meaningful career. As luck would
have it she fell into the position of scheduling the Eucharistic
Ministers. She was then in the right place at the right time and
received the position as Jackie's secretary.
Mary enjoys "playing at" golf, movies and her cherished get-togethers
with the Conaty girls.
Anna Marie
Delgado, Director of Religious Education
Our Director of Religious Education (DRE),
Anna Marie Delgado,
was born in Montebello, California. She is the eldest of three
childr
en
and the mother of a son, Christopher, aged 25. Anna Marie brings to
our parish extensive experience in catechetical work and church ministries
in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as great energy and an
infectious sense of humor.
An avid reader of anything from horror
stories to “church stuff” to great literature, Anna Marie also enjoys
music and opportunities for travel. The good things in life also
include cooking and wine tasting. But when the beach or park beckon
on a perfect day, you will find her relaxing in a folding chair, good
friends nearby, with, perhaps, the background of a band concert or a bit
of summertime Shakespeare. Her Bookworm Recommendations:
Life of PI and Vatican II: the Documents.
Sharon
Onorati,
Secretary Religious
Education and Sacramental Preparation
Sharon was a Memorial Day baby, the second of six
girls born to the
Dunigan family of Torrance, California. A graduate
of St. James Elementary School in Redondo Beach, Bishop Montgomery High
School, and El Camino College, she worked for several years at Hughes
Aircraft, both before her marriage to husband John in 1988 and four years
afterward After their second child came along, however, Sharon became a stay-at-home Mom until their youngest
entered first grade.
Eldest son Jaron, a 2003 graduate of Our Lady of
Refuge, attends Wilson High School. Teresa, 11, and Ryan, 7, are
OLR students. The family enjoys involvement in parish, sports, and
scouting activities. Sharon is a Minister of Communion at Sunday
liturgies; John is a Minister of Communion for the Sick. Jaron and
Teresa serve at Sunday Masses and special liturgies, and Ryan continues
the family tradition by participating in processions and school Masses.
As leader of a parish Girl Scout troop, Sharon is
glad to have the opportunity to impart values which scouting can bring to
young women of faith - among them service to others, ethical
conduct, respect for the environment, and teamwork. Other special
joys in life are vacations with her family, rooting for her children's
sports teams and, on a clear
day, relishing the view from Signal Hill.
Rosalia,
Part Time Religious Education Office Assistant
Part-time Religious Education Office
Assistant Rosalia
is one of those rare
lifetime Long Beach residents no one ever seems to find: She was
born at St. Mary’s
Hospital, the third of seven siblings. She graduated from Wilson High
School, and (when not working at OLR) she is full-time employed at Verizon.
For Rosalia, life’s most memorable moments so far
include the births of her two children, on the same day exactly one year
apart. Daughter Lauren is a visual arts major in college, and son
Francois attends college locally..
Rosalia’s favorite activities include
reading, movie going, participating in small church communities, and
gathering with fellow parishioners at the 8:00 Sunday Mass. A fan of
the Yankees and 49ers; a connoisseur of sushi, Mexican lunches, barbecues
and vegetarian dishes, a lover of quiet time on the beach and hanging out
with friends, she is a woman of range and contrast!
PARISH SCHOOL STAFF
Our Lady of Refuge School maintains its own web
site. For information about the school and its staff,
click
here.
