 John Graham Stenovich DDS May 20, 1936-August 31, 2012 Resident of Santa Cruz Born in Madera, California to John and Lucile Stenovich, John Graham Stenovich graduated from Madera High School in 1954, where he played football, wrestled and was also student body president. He found a love for music, as he played the trumpet and had a jazz band that played during the summers. After high school, he attended Occidental College and was a member of the SAE fraternity. After three years at Occidental, he went to Dental School at the SF College of Physicians and Surgeons for four more years. It seemed almost fitting that he passed at the beginning of Labor Day weekend, because he did so much in his life with his work, as well as helping others to get jobs themselves. In 1961, he moved to Capitola and opened his first one-man office, before moving to Aptos several years later and practicing for 42 years. His respect for his profession, his patients, and his staff was legendary. John had a sense of humor and irreverence, as well as professional integrity and loyalty, and he provided all of his patients with the best. He was an active member of the Monterey Bay Dental Society and chaired the Peer Review Committee for many years. John loved to teach and was on the Dental Hygiene faculty at Cabrillo for 40 years, training hundreds of future hygienists. He considered his students to be his friends and family, and he took great pride in providing them an education as well as perspectives on life. He also taught at Western Career College in San Jose for three years. Even with a very busy life, John always made time for his favorite things in life, all of them having to do with family. He was an avid outdoorsman and taught all of his children how to fish and ski, both on the water and in the snow. He took them camping to his favorite spots in the Sierras, including his beloved Long Lake, always cooking up his famous "Cowboy Bread" for everyone. He loved to go to his kids' and grandkids' Little League games, basketball tournaments, football games, soccer matches, and horse shows. After retiring, he began playing jazz trumpet again with several groups in Santa Cruz County and especially with Jazz A, which performed every Sunday at Aptos Coffee Roasting shop. They were also seen at Caf‚ Mare in downtown Santa Cruz, and along the route of the annual Wharf-to-Wharf race from Santa Cruz to Capitola. John was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and fought it valiantly until he died peacefully on August 31, only two weeks after his last musical performance in Aptos. He is survived by his wife Judy, and four step-children and their families: Daughter Lynne Domhoff of Prunedale; daughter Lori Hill, son-in-law Glenallen Hill, granddaughter Heleyna, and grandson G. J.; son Bill Domhoff and granddaughter Lorrynn Hamel-Domhoff, and son Joel Domhoff, all from Santa Cruz. He is also survived by his first wife, Janet Whitney of Bend, Oregon; son Curtis Stenovich of Austin, Texas; son Andrew Stenovich and daughter-in-law Meagan, grandson Sequoya and granddaughter Lilikoi Rose, from Kauai, Hawaii; daughter Jen Rusk, son-in-law Tim Rusk, grandsons Will and Neal Rusk, of Bend, Oregon; and daughter Julie Kealey, son-in-law Tom Kealey, grandsons Thomas and Nicholas Kealey, also from Bend, Oregon. In addition, John is survived by his sister, Janice Fortune, nieces Chris Fortune and Laurie Parker, Laurie's husband Loren, nephew Garrett Parker and niece Meghan Parker, all originally from Madera. His very close, long-time friends Pat Blanchette and Jerry Dannemiller will miss him dearly, as will the many friends with whom he played music. Since its inception more than twenty years ago, John was a supporter of Dientes Community Dental Care, a nonprofit clinic that provides low-cost dental services to the community's underserved. He was an advocate and a committed member of their Board of Directors for three years and a member of its Advisory Committee for many more. The family requests that those wishing to honor Dr. Stenovich may send donations in his memory to Dientes-Attn: Stenovich Fund, 1830 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz 95065. A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church, 900 High Street, on Saturday, October 13th, at 2pm.
Published in Santa Cruz Sentinel on September 16, 2012
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