Debs Hear Message of Inspiration From Cardinal-Elect

Cardinal-elect Roger Michael Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, urged the young white-gowned, long-gloved Social Service Auxiliary presentees to adopt “a willingness to take risks to be of service to those in need” at the Presentation Ball (“the Cardinal’s Ball”) at the Beverly Hilton. “Whenever you see human suffering . . . Almighty God looks to you to come forward,” he said.

The large crowd was excited about the archbishop’s elevation to cardinal, and many were planning to fly to Rome this month for the ecclesiastical ceremonies. At the ball, chairman Annelle Guss and last year’s chair, Marjorie Pings, sat to his right and left. Auxiliary president Mary Lou Workman and her husband, Thomas, hosted a table nearby.

The debs: Erin Lynch, Michele Lorne, Margaret Hayden, Jennifer Clark, Melissa Antonini, Angelique Nicholson, Jennifer Mikos, Carol Nunn, Gabrielle Porter, Kristin Vogelsang, Hilary Poulsen, Jennifer Beauclair, Melissa Johnson, Nicole Biles, Linda Cashin, Darcy Long, Shannan O’Mara, Elizabeth Yuja, Melanie Sodini, Carolina de la Torre, Elizabeth Vanis, Carrie Cogbill, Kelly Dee, Lauren Hunt.

Next year’s program will be adorned with an engraved crest with the red cap of a cardinal rather than the green hat of the archbishop.

The crowd was handsome, especially the young men, who reported to Stephen Ackerman, and were introduced by John McNicholas. The cardinal-elect was marched to the stage by a phalanx of knights of the Roman Catholic Church including Peter Nigg and George Dunning.

The many flying to Rome for the ceremonies include Cyril and Dorothy Nigg, Peter and Gerry Nigg, Tom and Kathleen McCarthy and Peter and Pam Mullin.

A RECORD: Rarely have so many Dohenys been together at one time--at least that is what family members were saying.

The Doheny Eye Institute has decided to establish the Doheny Award for distinguished professional accomplishment in response to the continuing legacy of the late Carrie Estelle Doheny (who lost her vision to glaucoma in the mid-1940s) and the Doheny family.

At a black-tie gala at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, Orange County entrepreneur and philanthropist George L. Argyros, accompanied by his wife, Judie, announced the award will be given next year.

Doheny heirs from Edward Laurence Doheny’s first marriage to Carrie Louella Wilkins (Carrie Estelle was his second wife and they lived in Chester Place) were prominent in the crowd, including great-grandson William Doheny Jr., on the institute board, and his wife, Libby. Three of the late oil magnate’s five grandchildren--Patrick Doheny and his wife, Patti, Timothy Doheny and his wife, Topsy, and Lucy (Dickie) Doheny Washington and her husband, Porter--were there. The Patrick Dohenys’ son Patrick (Ned) Doheny Jr. and his wife, Leslie, and their daughter Kacey McCoy (and her husband, Peter, and their daughter Shane and son Patrick McCoy) were also in the happy audience.

Celebrating the culmination of the institute’s $32-million Tower Campaign were the evening’s honorary chairs Dr. Simon and Virginia Ramo; also attending were Nadine and Bill Tilley, Montgomery and Jo Fisher, Dr. Ron Akashi, Mary D. Allen, Dr. Stephen and Janet Popovich, Dr. Stephen and Anne Ryan and foundation president Robert and Joanne Smith.

TRIUMPH: Susan Hutchison riding Samsung Woodstock won the Grand Prix Jumping Classic for the fifth time at the Oaks Classic in San Juan Capistrano to the cheers of Joan Irvine Smith and her mother, Athalie Clarke, who hosted the Grand Prix Luncheon for their friends.

Cheering too: Renee and Henry Segerstrom, Bob and Betty Strub, Frances Clayton, Cappy Smith, Alfred and Regina Grasselli, Frances Hilton and Dr. Howard House, Susan Vander Strict (Clarke’s granddaughter), Margaret Moseley of Dallas, Gerry Keller, Odell O’Connell, Carol Penniman and her two youngsters--Elizabeth and Russell Penniman V (sixth generation Irvines--descended from the Irvine Ranch founder James Irvine), Morton Irvine Smith, James and Madeline Swinden, Christine Barrie, Linda Gaede and her two pretty daughters Diana and Tracy, Randall and C. C. Presley (she’s the late Cecil B. DeMille’s granddaughter) and Gay Bryant of Santa Barbara.

TOGETHER: Lots of friendship at the 43rd annual National Conference of Christians and Jews Brotherhood Ball at the Beverly Wilshire. Comedian Byron Allen loosened up the crowd with his good humor. Benefit chair Kirk K. Calhoun announced a gross of $190,000 and disclosed that Bob Jones was retiring as executive director after 26 years.

Then the three honorees--First Interstate’s Edward M. Carson; Mildred Lillie, presiding justice of the California 2nd Court of Appeal, and Eldon Industries chairman Robert Silverstein--were presented their awards, respectively, by Charles C. Reed, Roger M. Sullivan and Irving Feintech.

For dancing, Michael Paige’s Orchestra carried on without the well-known orchestra leader, who died recently.

KUDOS: To retired Superior Court Judge David A. Thomas, elected chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Huntington Library . . . City Councilman and contemporary art collector Joel Wachs, chair of the ART/LA 91 Advisory Board . . . Alyce Williamson, Patron of the Arts Award at the Pasadena Arts Concil banquet . . . Rocco C. Siciliano, new president, Eisenhower World Affairs Institute . . . and Smith College Club of Pasadena president Brenda Banta Williams.

PAST PERFECT: Wendy and Len Goldberg and Yvette and Howard Ruby feted Sen. William S. Cohen (R-Me.) at a reception on the publication of his novel, “One-Eyed Kings” . . . .

Kirk Kerkorian presented the ladies of SHARE with $100,000 for mentally retarded young people.