Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Howard Blair Nelson
Hunting and fishing enthusiast
Howard Blair Nelson, 80, an Oregonian by birth, died at his home in Woodside Feb. 10. He was 80.
Mr. Nelson grew up in Oregon, working in the logging and sawmill businesses before joining the U.S. Navy, in which he served for 43 months during World War II.
After the war, he managed the Dolly Varden Lumber Co. in Arcata, Calif., and then worked for 34 years as a design engineer for the David D. Bohannon Organization in San Mateo.
A member of the California Waterfowl Association, Mzuri Safari Club, Safari Club International, Hillsdale Optimist Club, and a life member of both the Elks Lodge and Ducks Unlimited, Mr. Nelson shared his love of hunting, fishing and conservation with his late son, Steven E. Nelson, and his wife Frances.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Frances Bohannon Nelson; daughters Patricia Atassi of Redwood City and Linda N. Davis of Tahoe City; daughter-in-law Cathryn L. Nelson of Redwood City; four grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
At his request, there will be no services. The family requests that flowers not be sent. Donations may be made to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 660, Redwood City, CA 94061; Mid-Peninsula Hospice Foundation, 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025; or the Sequoia Hospital Foundation, 170 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City, CA 94062.
Humberto Ormeno
Native of Peru
Humberto G. Ormeno, who came to the United States from Peru in 1980, died Feb. 19 at his home in Menlo Park. He was 68.
He worked as a custodian at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton from 1980 until his retirement.
"We all thought of him as a very pleasant and gentle man," said Sherene Pjesky, Sacred Heart Schools business manager. "He always had a smile as he worked in the Morey Building."
Mr. Ormeno is survived by his wife Hermelinda Ormeno of Menlo Park; a son, Humberto E. Ormeno, and daughter, Evelyn Ormeno, both of Menlo Park; a brother, Haydee Ormeno of Menlo Park; a sister, Judith Rodriguez of Mountain View; and brother and sisters, Edmundo Ormeno, Violeta Ormeno and Alicia Ormeno, all of Peru.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Feb. 21 at the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park, followed by Interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park.
Judy McCutchan
Menlo Park resident
Judy McCutchan died at home on Feb. 22, surrounded by family and friends. She was 50.
A 25-year resident of Menlo Park, Ms. McCutchan owned her own marketing company. She is survived by her daughter, Ashleigh McCutchan-Olds of Menlo Park; her twin brother Jack McCutchan of Oklahoma; and brothers Robert McCutchan of Texas, Carl McCutchan of Texas, Roy McCutchan of Oklahoma, and Bert McCutchan of Oklahoma.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Unity Church, 3391 Middlefield Ave. in Palo Alto.
Memorials may be made to the Mid-Peninsula Hospice Foundation, 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; or the Breast Cancer Fund, 282 Second St., San Francisco, 94105.
Sister Rosa Corona
Relgious of the Sacred Heart
Sister Rosa Corona, who taught at Convents of the Sacred Heart in Latin America, Europe and the United States, died March 17 at Oakwood Retirement Center on the Sacred Heart Schools campus in Atherton. She was 90.
Born in Mexico, Sister Corona became an American citizen in in 1974. She had resided in Atherton since 1971 and was a member of the Sequoia Art Group in Redwood City.
She is survived by her sister, Sister Maria de los Angeles of the Monastery of Perpetual Adoration in San Francisco, and her brother Manuel of Daly City. The funeral was held at Oakwood March 23.
Memorials may be sent to Religious of the Sacred Heart, Oakwood, 140 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton 94027.
Leon Everhart
Aerospace engineer
Leon Percival Everhart of Menlo Park, who worked for Lockheed as an aerospace engineer from 1938 until retiring in his 70s, died March 4 at University Branch Convalescent Hospital. He was 82.
Born in Illinois, Mr. Everhart grew up in Pasadena where he was a gymnast in his youth. He went to work for Lockheed in 1938, the same year he and his wife, Barbara were married. The family moved to Menlo Park in 1958 when Mr. Everhart came to Northern California to work at Lockheed's Sunnyvale facility.
Mr. Everhart enjoyed working on cars and was a fan of the Sunday television talk shows on current affairs.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Libby Varty of Los Altos and Sally Calderon of Los Altos Hills; son, Chuck Everhart of Ben Lomond; sister, Blanche Marshall of Arkansas; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Private services were held under the direction of the Los Altos Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries. The family prefers donations to a charity of the donor's choice.
Kathryn Moore
Peninsula Volunteer
Kathryn Moore, a 54-year resident of Atherton, died at home on March 9. She was 74.
Born in San Francisco, Mrs. Moore attended Lowell High School and UCLA. A longtime member of Peninsula Volunteers, she was active in community affairs. She was also a member of the Menlo Circus Club and the Olympic Club.
She is survived by her husband, William G. Moore of Atherton; a daughter, Cheryl Jones of Mill Valley; a sister, Gloria Kennett of Atherton; a brother, Joseph Greenbach of Atherton; and grandchildren Rachel Moore of Atascadero, Cache and Ryan Jones of Mill Valley, and Fletcher Hill Moore of Palo Alto.
Private family services were held March 12. Donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 120, San Mateo, CA 94402, or to Peninsula Volunteers, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Frances Armstrong Bioletti
Professional sailor
Frances Armstrong Bioletti 81, a professional sailor to the age of 75, died of pancreatic cancer March 3 at her home in Portola Valley. She was resident of the South Peninsula for more than 50 years.
Mrs Bioletti was born in Evanston, Ill., in 1916. She was a graduate of St. Margaret's Academy of Waterbury, Conn., and Northwestern University in Chicago.
Her friends says that her great-grandfather was the mayor of Chicago during the great fire; and her grandfather, William N. Armstrong, was a missionary in Hawaii, became the prime minister to King Kalakaua, and was author of "Around the World with a King," written in the late 1890s.
In 1942 she moved to Palo Alto and worked for the Office of War Information in San Francisco as well as the San Francisco Chronicle.
In 1945 she marriage Carlton Bioletti. During their 26 years of marriage she shared with him the triumph of man in space during his career with NASA.
They traveled extensively. Quite often, they would make long voyages working as crew on private yachts. She also worked for the Hoover Library in various capacities for a number of years and was the curator of the India-Pakistan Salon. During those years she was very active in Planned Parenthood.
In 1971 her marriage ended in divorce and she found a new career as a professional sailor in International Yacht Racing.
Between Hawaii, Mexico and Tahiti, she spent many thousands of miles at sea, often with only one or two aboard, delivering yachts. In addition, she wrote extensively for yachting magazines.
"She was a great crewman, demanding that she take her turn at the helm, but her specialty was cooking and provisioning for long distance voyages," said a friend. "Those she sailed with loved and respected her."
In the local community, the friend said, she will be remembered as the white haired lady driving "Lady Chumbley," her ancient turquoise Sunbeam Alpine, top down, rain or shine.
She is survived by her sister, Nancy Armstrong of Hamburg, Germany; three nieces, Camilla Jacobs, Ellen Mcpherson and Priscella Mcpherson-Phillips; and three great nieces and nephews, all of the Washington, D.C., area.
Zita Yvonne Pierce
37-year Atherton resident
Zita Yvonne Pierce, a 37-year resident of Atherton, died March 23 at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. She was 82.
Born in Chicago and raised in Akron, Ohio, Mrs. Pierce graduated from Smith College after having spent her junior year at the Sorbonne, and received her master's degree in drama at Yale University.
She traveled extensively when she was young, serving as the social director of the American Church in Paris and teaching literacy in South America.
Mrs. Pierce settled in Santa Barbara, where she planted the first carob ranch in the state, and oversaw the building of a Montecito hilltop home based on her knowledge of classical architecture, family members said.
In 1961 she purchased a home in Atherton, where she jogged avidly to the sound of one of the first transistor radios in town, say family members. An avid Elvis Presley fan, she attended 109 of his concerts.
She is survived by her daughters, Sylvie Martin of Stonington, Conn., Nicole Gisele of Atherton, and Z. Yannique Purman of Milwaukee; two sons-in-law; and two grandsons.
Graveside services were held at Skylawn Memorial Park. Funeral services were arranged by Crippen & Flynn Chapel of Redwood City.
Roy Lee Warkentin
Insurance field supervisor
Roy Lee Warkentin, a resident of Menlo Park for nearly 38 years, died at his home March 21. He was 85.
Mr. Warkentin, born in Hillsboro, Kans., was a commissioner of labor for the state of Kansas during the Eisenhower years. He and his family moved to the Bay Area 38 years ago where he became a field supervisor for United Transportation, an insurance company.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Topeka, Kan., and Islam Shrine Temple in San Francisco. His hobby was working with clocks, and their home was filled with them, Mrs. Warkentin says. He also enjoyed photography, especially on the many trips to Europe and cruises the couple took together.
Mr. Warkentin is survived by his wife of 62 years, Eva Kay; a daughter, Susan Kay Loeffler of Fremont; a son, Barry Warkentin of Temecula; and seven grandchildren.
Services were held at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, where Mr. Warkentin was a member. Memorials to Menlo Park Presbyterian Church are preferred. Arrangements were by the Neptune Society of Belmont.
Verna Jean Combellick
40-year resident of Portola Valley
Verna Jean Combellick, a 40-year resident of Portola Valley, died March 21. She was 76.
She devoted her life to the happiness of her family and the well-being of others, said family members.
Among her interests were the Westridge Garden Club, the Peninsula Children's Council, and the Pan Am Wives Clipper Club. She also served on the Westridge Architectural Committee.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert K. Combellick; a son, Robert Thomas Combellick, and his wife, Barbara, of Saratoga; a daughter, Kimberly Combellick Kolbeck, and her husband, Ebbe, of Santa Rosa; a sister, Helen Bryant of Hampton, Va.; and three grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 2, at Valley Presbyterian Church, 945 Portola Road, Portola Valley.
The family prefers donations in her memory to: Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; Charles Armstrong School, 1405 Solana Drive, Belmont, CA 95002; or a charity of the donor's choice.
Sarah Brown Shelby
Portola Valley resident
Sarah Brown Shelby, a longtime resident of Portola Valley, died March 19 at The Forum in Cupertino. She was 77.
A native of Spokane, Wash., she was a graduate of Washington State University, where she served as president of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and did graduate work in dietetics at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston.
After working as a hospital dietitian, she volunteered in the Stanford University Medical Auxiliary, where she recently received recognition for 7,000 hours of service. She also volunteered in public schools and at The Forum, where she moved in 1991.
Mrs. Shelby is survived by her husband Bob, with whom she recently celebrated 50 years of marriage; four children: Susan Rushton of Auburn, Bob of San Jose, and Julie and Jim of Menlo Park; and two grandchildren.
Family and friends gathered in her memory March 29 at The Forum. The family prefers memorial donations to the Peninsula Open Space Trust, 3000 Sand Hill Road, Suite 135, Menlo Park, CA 94025; or to the American Cancer Society, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 220, San Mateo, CA 94402.
Viola Stephenson Rose
30-year local resident
Viola Stephenson Rose (Vi), a 30-year resident of Menlo Park and Atherton, died in Placerville on March 7. She was 82.
Mrs. Rose was co-owner of Deluxe Janitor Service Inc., which provided domestic and commercial services on the Peninsula for 39 years.
She started "La-O-Lise," a ladies' club formed to support Lion's Club activities in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. In the mid 1960s Mrs. Rose joined the Professional Business Women's Club where she served one term as chapter president.
In 1968 she joined the Palo Alto chapter of Soroptimist International, where she chaired various committees and served two terms as chapter president. When she retired to Placerville in 1985, she continued her participation in the Placerville chapter of Soroptimist, where she served one term as president.
She is survived by her husband, Robert E. Rose of Placerville; her daughters, Marsha C. Stivers of Menlo Park, Cynthia G. Rose Camuso of San Jose, and Sheila G. Rose of Menlo Park; her sisters, Pearl Ogle of Tennessee, Thelma Loeb of Connecticut, and Vivian Guyer of Cameron Park, CA; and four grandchildren.
Services and Interment were at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo. Contributions may be made in Mrs. Rose's name to the charitable organization of the donor's choice.
Howard Johns Boyer
25-year resident of Atherton
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, for Howard Johns Boyer at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., in Menlo Park.
Mr. Boyer died on March 27 at Stanford Hospital. He was 87 years old.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Boyer was a 1933 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
A marketing manager at Gulf Oil Corp. for 25 years, he retired to Atherton in 1973.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Katherine C. Boyer; daughters Mary Lu Maxwell of San Mateo and Emily B. Spiegel of St. Petersburg; and four grandchildren.
Donations may be made to the Stanford Hospital Pulmonary Research Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA. Arrangements were made by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Stanley Yale Shepard, Jr.
Navy fighter pilot
Stanley Yale Shepard Jr. died in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 16. He was 74.
Born in Menlo Park and raised in Atherton, he attended Central School and Sequoia High School, graduating from Stanford University in 1955 with a degree in mining engineering.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy as a fighter pilot, flying off the carriers Wasp and Antietam.
He achieved the rank of lieutenant commander. In 1978 he retired from the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Virginia; five children; nine grandchildren; and his sisters, Dorothy Cooper of Ukiah, Barbara Cleveland of South San Francisco, Jeanette Marsh of Eugene, Ore., and Marguerite Paponis of Atherton.
Memorial services were held in Anchorage. Donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 220, San Mateo, CA 94402.
Claudia Stadler
Former Menlo Park resident
Claudia Stadler died in Palm Springs of cancer on March 12. She was 73.
Mrs. Stadler had lived in Menlo Park with her husband, Art, for most of the 1950s. In 1963 they left the area to run the Benbow Inn in Garberville, Calif., returning to Menlo Park to retire in 1974. Upon the death of her husband, Mrs. Stadler moved to Palm Springs.
She is survived by a niece and nephew in Garberville and a niece in Encino.
A memorial service was held in Palm Springs, and a graveside service at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto.
