Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Vaden Mayers
Teacher, Navy commander
Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, February 26, at the Redwood Chapel, 847 Woodside Road, for longtime Woodside resident and retired U.S. Naval Commander Vaden R. Mayers. Mr. Mayers died February 17.
Originally from Macom, Missouri, Mr. Mayers served in the U.S. Naval Reserves for 27 years. He received a bachelor's degree from Chico State and a master's degree from Stanford University. He taught at San Mateo High School for 37 years as head of the math department, retiring from teaching in 1972 at the age of 60.
Mr. Mayers is survived by his wife of 30 years, Geri Mayers; son Rexford Mayers; stepson Fred Ganjei; brother William Mayers; and three grandchildren.
Committal services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 27, at the Oak Hill Memorial Park, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. Funeral arrangements will be handled by the Redwood Chapel.
Memorial donations may be sent to: The Woodside Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Key Club Scholarship Fund for a Sequoia High School student, care of Treasurer Scholarship Chairperson M. Fish, P.O. Box 2745, Redwood City, CA 94064.
Dorothea Fernstrom
Portola Valley
Dorothea Fernstrom, a Portola Valley resident for 18 years, will be honored at a memorial service Friday, March 5, at 11 a.m., at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave.
Ms. Fernstrom died February 18 at the age of 86. A Minnesota native, Ms. Fernstrom taught elementary school in that state. She is survived by her two sons Richard and John Fernstrom; her daughter Karen McCown; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Menlo Presbyterian Church or the Sequoia Hospital Foundation, 170 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City, CA 94062. Funeral arrangements are handled by Crippen and Flynn Chapel, 400 Woodside Road in Redwood City.
Norman Roth
Interior designer
Norman Roth, an award-winning interior designer who worked for Flegel's Home Furnishings in Menlo Park, died February 17 at the age of 72.
Mr. Roth, who lived in Redwood City, served clients as far away as Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Phillipines and Spain. Closer to home, he designed the interior of the Napa Valley Wine Train.
Funeral arrangements had not been finalized as of press time, but will be handled by Redwood Chapel, 847 Woodside Road, Redwood City.
Doris Hirzel
Hirzel Jewelry partner
Doris Hirzel, who with her husband, George, owned and operated Hirzel Fine Jewelry at 728 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, for 41 years, died Jan. 3 at home in Menlo Park. Funeral services will be announced.
Mrs. Hirzel, a native of San Francisco, was 84. She and Mr. Hirzel opened their jewelry store in 1952 and both were active in the business until their retirement in 1993. They sold the business to employee Carl Weimer who continues to use the name Hirzel Fine Jewelry.
Mrs. Hirzel had been an active member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Menlo Park since 1953. She worked tirelessly as a member of the Mary-Martha Guild serving as its president, as well as volunteering in other other areas of ministry.
She is survived by her husband, George; son Donald of Livermore; daughter Carolyn Parker of Belmont, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to a favorite charity. Arrangements are under the direction of John O'Connor Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Barbara Larson
Laboratory technician
Barbara A. Larson, who was a laboratory technician at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame for 25 years, died at home in Menlo Park January 3 after a long illness.
A native of Portland, Oregon, she was 72. She is survived by her brothers Robert D. and Walter J. Larson, both of Oregon. She is also survived by nephews Steve Larson of Los Altos, John Larson of San Rafael, Bob Larson of Las Vegas, Jack Larson of Hawaii and niece Julie Stabler of Keizer, Oregron. Miss Larson's constant companion was her dog, Max.
Private family services were held. Arrangements were under the direction of the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
Doris Hirzel
Hirzel Jewelry partner
Doris Hirzel, who with her husband, George, owned and operated Hirzel Fine Jewelry at 728 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, for 41 years, died Jan. 3 at home in Menlo Park. Funeral services will be announced.
Mrs. Hirzel, a native of San Francisco, was 84. She and Mr. Hirzel opened their jewelry store in 1952 and both were active in the business until their retirement in 1993. They sold the business to employee Carl Weimer who continues to use the name Hirzel Fine Jewelry.
Mrs. Hirzel had been an active member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Menlo Park since 1953. She worked tirelessly as a member of the Mary-Martha Guild serving as its president, as well as volunteering in other other areas of ministry.
She is survived by her husband, George; son Donald of Livermore; daughter Carolyn Parker of Belmont, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to a favorite charity. Arrangements are under the direction of John O'Connor Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Barbara Larson
Laboratory technician
Barbara A. Larson, who was a laboratory technician at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame for 25 years, died at home in Menlo Park January 3 after a long illness.
A native of Portland, Oregon, she was 72. She is survived by her brothers Robert D. and Walter J. Larson, both of Oregon. She is also survived by nephews Steve Larson of Los Altos, John Larson of San Rafael, Bob Larson of Las Vegas, Jack Larson of Hawaii and niece Julie Stabler of Keizer, Oregron. Miss Larson's constant companion was her dog, Max.
Private family services were held. Arrangements were under the direction of the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
Thomas Osborne Dolan
Veteran therapist at VA Hospital
Graveside services for Thomas Osborne Dolan of Menlo Park were held January 7 at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto.
Mr. Dolan, who would have celebrated his 96th birthday next month, worked as a physical therapist for 40 years at the Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto. He served as president of the local union, representing VA employees.
In his spare time, he coached three sports, including basketball, at St. Joseph's School, and also girls' teams for two years at Sacred Heart School, both in Atherton. For years, he was active in scouting.
He served two terms as grand knight of the Palo Alto Council, Knights of Columbus, and also as district deputy and state chairman of the organization's youth department.
Mr. Dolan organized the Belle Haven Improvement Association, which worked toward the area's eventually becoming part of Menlo Park. Mr. Dolan was a descendant of pioneers who settled in 1790 in Gayugua County, Auburn, New York. His great-grandmother lost four of her sons in the war between the states. His father served with the so-called "Fighting 69th" in two wars. Mr. Dolan was a medical corpsman with the U.S. Navy during the insurrection in Nicaragua.
He was educated at Auburn Academic High School and studied at William and Mary College.
Mr. Dolan is survived by his wife, Juanita, of Menlo Park; sons, Thomas Michael Dolan of Tucson and Paul Dolan of Baker, Oregon; and a granddaughter, Jazz America Dolan, now teaching at a university in South Korea.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.
Doris Hirzel
Jewelry store partner
A memorial service for Doris Hirzel, who died January 3 at Sequoia Hospital, will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, January 17, at Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Ave., Menlo Park.
Mrs. Hirzel was born in San Francisco in 1914. She marriage George Hirzel in San Francisco in 1936. They were to celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary next month.
The family moved to Menlo Park in 1952 to open George Hirzel Jewelers at 728 Santa Cruz Ave. Mrs. Hirzel was an active partner in the store, as well as a homemaker.
Mrs. Hirzel is survived by her husband George, son Donald of Livermore, daughter Carolyn Parker of Belmont, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The family requests contributions be made to the Mary-Martha Guild of Bethany Lutheran Church, of which Mrs. Hirzel was a past president, or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Geoffrey Martin
Peace Corp volunteer
Geoffrey Howard Martin, a former Menlo Park resident, died January 2 in a hiking accident in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near Bishop. He was 29.
A memorial service for Mr. Martin will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, January 16, at the Menlo Park Recreation Center, 700 Alma St., Room 105.
Mr. Martin was a graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School and Humboldt State University. He lived in Ashland, Oregon, and worked in forestry management for The Fruitgrowers Company of Hilt, California. He recently completed two year's service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay.
He was an avid rock climber, skier and moutaineer.
He is survived by his parents, Frederick and Frances S. Martin of Menlo Park, and his sisters, Fiona Martin Ortiz of Guatemala City, and Stephanie Martin of Menlo Park.
Virginia Housman
Advertising executive
Virginia Housman, a former advertising executive with Johnson & Johnson Corp., died January 8 at the Sequoias in Portola Valley. She was 91.
Memorial services were to be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 12, at the Los Altos Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries, 399 South San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Private Interment was at Home of Peace Cemetery, Colma.
Mrs. Housman was preceded in death by her husband, Mike Housman. She is survived by her daughter, Betsy Cavender of Cupertino, and three grandchildren: Ken Cavender of Slidell, Louisiana; James Cavender of Tuscon, Arizona; and Virginia Bulkowski of Norwalk, California.
Donations may be made to the El Palo Alto chapter of DAR Scholarship Fund, c/o Treasurer Mrs. John Greenland, 547 Jefferson Drive, Palo Alto, 94303-2834; or the El Camino Hospital Auxiliary, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View, 994040.
Dolores W. Kirkbridge
Active in Little House
Dolores W. Kirkbridge, active Little House member for many years, died January 11 in Menlo Park. She was 93.
Born in Lancaster, Ohio, Ms. Kirkbridge graduated from St. Mary's of the Springs Academy and attended Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She marriage the late Joseph C. Kirkbridge in Boston and was a homemaker before moving to California in 1978.
She is survived by her sister, Adele, of Columbus; a son, Tom, of Menlo Park; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Friends are invited to a memorial mass at St. Denis Church on 2250 Avy Ave. in Menlo Park at 11 a.m. January 14. Contributions can be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 50 North B. St. in San Mateo or Pets in Need, 873 Fifth Ave. in Redwood City. Arrangements will be handled by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel in Menlo Park.
Isolde Mein
Former resident of Menlo Park
A memorial Mass was set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 26, at St. Denis Church for Isolde Constantini Mein, who died January 20 in Southern California. She was 66.
A native of Mannheim, Germany, Mrs. Mein came to the United States in 1955. She was marriage to William (Bill) Mein in 1957.
The Meins lived in Stanford Hills in Menlo Park for many years before moving to Southern California several years ago. Mrs. Mein was a member of the St. Raymond's Mothers' Club and the Peninsula Volunteers. She was a competitive tennis player and an avid duplicate bridge player. She was a member of the Menlo Circus Club, Palisades Tennis Club and the Phoenix Club.
A dedicated volunteer, Mrs. Mein worked at the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop in Corona del Mar and Share Ourselves at Our Lady Queen of Angels parish. She loved music and sang with several choral groups. Travel was a passion for the Meins, and they visited places all over the world.
Mrs. Mein is survived by her husband of 41 years, Bill; her sons, John, Roger, and David, and daughter, Cynthia; daughters-in-law, Stephanie, Rose and Valerie; seven grandchildren; brothers, Rudi and Edgar, and sisters Ingrid, Lioba and Beatrix.
The family prefers memorials to a favorite Catholic charity, the American Cancer Society, or the American Leukemia Society.
Jennie M. Becken
Longtime resident of Menlo Park
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 27, at 11 a.m. for Jennie M. Becken, who died January 22. She was 83.
A native of Barnesboro, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Becker had lived in Menlo Park since 1960 and was a long-standing member of Grace Lutheran Church.
She was employed at Macy's department store for many years before establishing Able Tax Services with her husband, Joseph Becken. Family members said she was devoted to her family and enjoyed gardening and sewing.
She is survived by her husband Joseph Becken; children Richard Cusimano and Virginia Johnstone; grandchildren Deborah Tislau, Cameron Johnstone, Felisa Cusimano, Dana Cusimano-Bates, and Andrew Cusimano; great-grandchildren Evan Tislau, Noelle Tislau, Nicky Jones, Austin Hadley, and Trevor Johnstone; and sister Josephine Cusimano of Jamestown, New York.
The January 27 service will be held at the funeral chapel of Roller, Hapgood & Tinney, 980 Middlefield Road, in Palo Alto. Memorial donations may be made to the memorial fund of Grace Lutheran Church, 3149 Waverly Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306.
Nancy Kelley Thesing
Artist
Nancy Kelley Thesing, a painter who studied in the graduate program at the San Francisco Art Institute, died January 17 after an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 55 years old.
Mrs. Thesing lived in Palo Alto, then Atherton for 35 years. Family members said she participated in many community organizations and was a member of the Stanford Chorus for over 20 years.
She is survived by her husband, Richard Thesing; children Brian, Mark, and Alicia; and five grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service at 3 p.m. Monday, February 1, in Stanford's Memorial Church. A reception will follow at the Stanford Cantor Art Center. Donations may be made to the Stanford Cantor Art Center for the Nancy Kelley Thesing Memorial Fund, which will provide art education for children at the center.
Margaret Aspinwall Russell
Environmentalist
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, January 29, at Portola Valley Presbyterian Church to honor Margaret Aspinwall Russell, who died January 21. She was 98 years old.
A resident of Woodside since 1932, Mrs. Russell was born in Washington, D.C., and attended the Holton-Arms School there before attending Bennett Junior College in Millbrook, New York.
Her life was centered on volunteer work of many kinds, family members said. She did volunteer work for the Travelers Aid Society of San Francisco, going on to become a director of the society, and later president of its board. Later she was also appointed to the society's national board of directors.
She served as deputy director of volunteers of the Pacific area of the National Red Cross for several years, and was the national chairman of the Redwood Grove Committee of the Garden Club of America, working closely with the Save the Redwoods League, which acquired several new memorial groves through her efforts.
She was deeply involved in environmental issues as a member and past president of the Woodside-Atherton Garden Club for over 50 years. She also served on the board of UCSF's medical research institute, and was a member and past president of the Town and Country Club of San Francisco.
An early marriage to the late Col. Carlisle V. Allan produced her only child, Donald A. Allan. She was marriage for over 35 years to John Glascock Baldwin and after his death to George S. Russell, grandson of author Gertrude Atherton. She is survived by her son Donald Allan of Woodside; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Peninsula Open Space Trust or to the Save the Redwoods League.
Marcel Lazzareschi
Atherton resident
Marcel Lazzareschi, a longtime resident of Atherton, died at his home January 17. He was 78 years old.
A native of San Francisco, Mr. Lazzareschi graduated from the University of San Francisco in 1942 and served as a member of the President's Ambassadors. He fought in the South Pacific during World War II.
Mr. Lazzareschi is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lula; children Linda Friedel of Healdsburg, Larry Lazzareschi of San Mateo, Bart Lazzareschi of Fremont, and Lisa Beeso of Tracy; sister Leona Tarantino; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service has been held. Donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 150 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94612.
