In Memory of Our Teacher
Ernest Ribera
September 25, 2007
Ernest J. Ribera was born in San Francisco on January 7, 1922 to Ernest F. Ribera and Gertrude Pomisel of San Francisco. Ernie started school at Our Lady of Angles School in 1927 and continued on with the Sisters of Mercy at St. Joseph's Academy in Belmont after his mother died from pyelonephritis at Mills Hospital in 1928. He graduated from Washington High School in San Francisco in 1940 and starring in football as quarterback and in track. He attended the original San Mateo Junior College campus. He played football, soccer and track and placed sixth in the mile run in the National Junior College championships in Denver, CO in 1942. He was one of Coach Bud Winter's first track recruits at San Jose State, where be also boxed and developed into a star on the track team. His college career was interrupted by World War II, as he served as a Marine Corps Officer in the Pacific Theater.
Ernie graduated from San Jose State and received his masters degree in education from Stanford. He also served in the Korean War with the Marine Corps. He retired from the USMC Reserves in 1963 with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He started his career in education in 1949 at Jefferson High School where he taught history and coached football and track. Ernie moved on to the new Westmoor High School in 1956 and immediately established Westmoor as a state powerhouse in track and field. He had five 880 yard runners under 2:00 one year, and his best runner, Dave Dunbar won the California State Meet in 1959 with a time of 1:53.
Ernie was vice principal for the new Terra Nova High School from 1960-1962 and opened Oceana High School as its principal in 1962. He was a long time member of the Pacifica Rotary Club and served on the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Commission. He was called back to Jefferson High School as principal in 1966 and was appointed assistant superintendent of the Jefferson Union High School District in 1968. After 30 years with the Jefferson District, Ernie retired to become the business manager at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton. He held that position for seven years and concurrently was the driving force in designing and installing the new track and field facility at Sacred Heart. After moving to Solano County in 1987, Ernie coached at the St. Patrick's/St. Vincent's and Benicia High School track teams. In fact, Ernie and the other coaches sent nine hurdlers to the California State meet in nine years. He was also a proud member and Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus at St. Dominic's in Benicia.
Ernie is survived by Shirley, his wife of over 54 years; sons, Ernest F. (Maria) Ribera, James E. Ribera, William L. (Sherri) Ribera, John J. (Bobbie) Ribera; daughters, Theresa M. Belliardo, Carol Ann (Gary) Nordine, Marilyn J. (Patrick) Cacho and Nancy L. (James) Saraiva and 23 grandchildren. Also survived by his brothers Gilbert, Paul and Anthony Ribera and his sisters Carmen Ribera and Victoria Bruguara.
The Ribera family prefers donations to the ERNEST J. RIBERA Track and Field Scholarship at the UNIVERSITY of NOTRE DAME, Norte Dame, Indiana.
http://whs6061.com/memorials_faculty/Ribera.php
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