College roommates among Oakland warehouse fire victims

College roommates among Oakland warehouse fire victims

(AP) — A fun-loving computer science graduate and 21-year-old college roommates were among the 36 people killed when fire engulfed a dance party inside an Oakland warehouse.

From an early age, he impressed friends and neighbors with his drawing skills.

Jennifer Mendiola was a psychology Ph.D. student who was gaining recognition in the field and had published research a year ago in a prestigious medical journal.

Mendiola, who was a doctoral student at the University of California, Merced, died in the devastating Oakland warehouse fire, her sister-in-law Anna Mendiola told the Sacramento Bee (http://bit.ly/2h7O6Co) on Wednesday.

Mendiola, 35, graduated with a master's degree in psychology from Sacramento State in 2010.

Last year, she co-authored a report for the Journal of Preventive Medicine about the willingness of immigrants from Mexico to get flu vaccines.

David Cline, 24, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in May 2015 with degrees in computer science and cognitive science, the university said.

Everyone who ever met David knows that his smile and his presence changed every person that was lucky enough to feel his warmth and light.

Both women volunteered at KALX-FM, the campus radio station, where another victim of the fire, Chelsea Dolan, was a volunteer DJ.

Morris was driven by a deep sense of justice and passion for understanding the world around her, officials with UC Berkeley's media department wrote in a prepared statement.

Morris believed that "combatting stereotypes and correcting some of the negativity found in media representations could help create positive change," the school officials wrote.

Billy Dixon, 35, went out of his way to make people feel special, his family said in a statement.

In a statement, his family said Dixon had "a hug for everyone no matter how long he has known them and has an amazing gift of making people feel appreciated."

Draven McGill, 17, was a member of Oakland's Pacific Boychoir Academy whose tastes ranged from classical to hip-hop to electronic dance music.

McGill's friend Faelan Westhead said the two were sitting on a couch on the warehouse's second floor enjoying the music when they noticed what appeared to be mist created by a fog machine.

McGill remained calm as panic rose among the crowd, Westhead said, but then the lights went out and the friends became separated.

Demitria Ruiz-Sauliere, who knew Igaz from the close-knit house and techno music scene, said his "unique warmth and charisma" earned him friends and fans.

A lover of synthesizers and electronic music, Igaz offered free tutoring sessions to younger musicians to help jumpstart their careers, Ruiz-Sauliere said.

Fungi, a duo that he formed with a close friend and longtime collaborator, CJ Chapman.

[...] despite the age difference, the two shared a passion for cars, urban art and electronic music.

Gregory was studying child development at San Francisco State University and was committed to her studies, said education lecturer Rama Kased, who leads the Metro College Success Program.

Jack Bohlka told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/2g4M0RP) that his daughter was a barista and "just a completely loving individual, truly a gentle spirit, thoughtful and philosophical."

Tanouye also helped organize music festivals and managed the social media accounts of a magazine store.

Dolan, whose death was confirmed by city officials on Tuesday, encountered overwhelming sexism and was working to get more women involved in electronic dance music, mentoring people and starting a musicians' learning group, Bhatt said.

Danemayer worked for an ongoing experimental music series called 'Trance Mutations,' under the company name of Obscura Machina.

Danemayer was a 2011 graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where he studied at the Studio for Interrelated Media, a self-directed program encompassing sound, installation, performance, conceptual art, and live event production.

Nita Sturiale, chair of the program, said Danemayer "was like a perpetual wide-eyed child, and always willing to try new things," and "was goofy and edgy."

Feral Pines, 29, a transgender musician and artist from Connecticut, recently moved to the San Francisco area to be with friends, according to her brother, Ben Fritz.

Pines graduated from Staples High School in Westport in 2005 and the School for the Visual Arts in Manhattan in 2010.

Siegrist, who played the synthesizer, was an outgoing "free spirit" who used herself as a canvas, painting black streaks or bold marks on her face to contrast with outfits like a veil, halo of flowers and white dress.

Ewing said one of her latest causes was to raise money and awareness for American Indians and others protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline Project in North Dakota.

Hough was an experimental electronic artist behind Ghost of Lightning, a project in which he created music to explore and understand his own psyche, said Michelle Campbell, founder of Mixtape, an artist management company based in Oakland.

Hough worked by day as a therapist in schools in the Bay area, using music to help children cope with trauma, Campbell said.

Hough played bass and keyboard and was a performance artist who was inspired by Prince and other male performers "who wear ruffles, glitter and makeup," she said.

Nick Gomez-Hall, 25, made a warm impression on friends and colleagues in California and Rhode Island as a musician, mentor and community advocate who most recently worked for an independent publisher.

"Whether he was recommending new music to listen to (and it was always so good), regaling us with tales of the bowling alley, offering his beloved truck for a ride if anyone needed it or sharing his much-appreciated opinions about a jacket or manuscript, he made everyone feel like they were his friend," the company wrote in a social media post.

The university on Monday said he "played an integral role" in the school's Swearer Center for Public Service.

Crewdson, 33, met Hoda in 2010 when they started a collective where artists and creatives could stay, avoiding the San Francisco Bay Area's high rent.

Luba Golburt, an associate professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, recalled Madden as "probably the most memorable undergraduate student I've had in my years of teaching."

Other professors described his thirst for knowledge, strong work ethic and passion for music.

The Oakland visual artist's dramatic light and video shows enhanced the performances of musicians in California and around the world.

Bernbaum's work is well known within the music genre, and he toured internationally with groups like electronic house music duo Knife Party.

"If you've seen a Knife Party show in the last ¾ years, there's a 99 percent chance you were watching Jon's visuals and know how talented he was," Knife Party musician Rob Swire wrote on Twitter, saying he would miss his good friend.

Friends who attended an impromptu memorial at the University of California's School of Cinematic Arts told CBS Los Angeles (http://cbsloc.al/2g74LJ9) that Bernbaum still made time for small venue shows.

John Matlock, the father of Joey Matlock, attended a gathering in Oakland where he quoted a few lines from one of his son's songs called "Share the cup, spare the sword," that said to put others first.

"Usually he'd say, 'Let's play video games,' and then he'd say, 'No, I just want to watch you play,'" she said, sobbing.

Nick Walrath, 31, of Oakland texted his girlfriend, Alexis Abrams-Bourke, from inside the burning structure, saying there was a fire and that he loved her.

Parker T. Gibbs, chief operating officer at Magnolia Media Productions, said when he'd walk into a rave full of strangers, he'd always spot Clark.

Friends say the Santa Rosa native was a sound engineer and DJ who was a "standup guy" and appeared always ready to help musicians and fellow DJs.