Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Grace M. Mortsolf
Stanford benefactor, Filoli volunteer
A memorial service for longtime Atherton and Palo Alto resident Grace M. Mortsolf will be held at the Woodside Village Church on Sunday, November 21, following the 10 a.m. service.
Mrs. Mortsolf, descendent of a pioneering California family and benefactor of Stanford University, died at her home in Atherton on November 11. She was 95.
Born in Sacramento, Mrs. Mortsolf was the granddaughter of William Henry Myers, the owner of large land holdings in the Sacramento delta in the 1850s. As a girl, she moved with her family to San Francisco, and later attended Stanford University where she met her future husband, Kenneth Mortsolf. A member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority, Mrs. Mortsolf graduated from Stanford in 1926.
Mrs. Mortsolf was active in the Woodside Village Church, where she and her husband were members for more than 35 years. She served as president of the Altar Guild several times, and recently funded the building of the church's "Grace Courtyard." Mrs. Mortsolf loved gardening and flower arranging, and was one of the Filoli Estate's first volunteers. She was a large contributor to Stanford University and founded the Grace M. Mortsolf scholarship fund.
She is survived by her nephew Norman J. de Back of Novato.
The family prefers that memorial donations be sent to the Grace M. Mortsolf Memorial Fund at the Woodside Village Church, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside CA 94062.
William W. Newcomer
41-year Atherton resident
William W. "Bill" Newcomer, a resident of Atherton for 41 years, died November 8. He was 76.
He is survived by his wife, Bette; his daughters, Nicola Robertson and her husband Gordon, Wendy Newcomer, Kari Armstrong and her husband Thomas; his sons, Matt Newcomer and his wife Carolyn, and Grant Newcomer and his wife Julie; his brother Leigh Newcomer; and six grandchildren.
Services were held at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. The family prefers that memorial contributions be made to St. Anthony's Dining Room, 3500 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025; Cityteam Ministries, 2302 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95131; or International Students Christian Outreach, P.O. Box 5745, Stanford, CA 94309.
Ann Olafson Farrell
World War II veteran
Ann Olafson Farrell, a former nurse and 13-year Menlo Park resident, died November 9 at the age of 84.
Raised in the Icelandic farming community of Gardar, North Dakota, Mrs. Farrell graduated from nursing school in St. Paul, Minnesota, and attended post-graduate operating room training at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. She served as a captain in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II and was stationed in Iceland, where she met her husband, Roy B. Farrell.
After the war, the Farrells lived in Baltimore, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Reading, Pennsylvania. In Reading, Mrs. Farrell was a member of the Vestry and Altar Guild of Christ Episcopal Church. She served the American Red Cross as a volunteer nurse, and was a member of the Berks County chapter's board of directors. Mrs. Farrell was also a member of the board of directors of Horizon Center, the senior citizen organization of Berks County.
During her years in Menlo Park, she served on the Altar Guild of St. Bede's Episcopal Church and was a member of the Menertons.
Mrs. Farrell is survived by her daughters, Jay Sullivan of Menlo Park and Myra Phelan of Trabuco Canyon, California; her son Roy Farrell of Seattle, Washington; her sisters, Olivia Carson of Littleton, Colorado; and Lillian Fedler of West Des Moines, Iowa; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Services have been held. Memorial donations may be sent to St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 2650 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park 94025.
Mario F. Gaggioli
Menlo Park resident
Mario F. Gaggioli, a resident of Menlo Park for many years, died November 6 in Redwood City. He was 96.
Mr. Gaggioli is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Fred J. and Wilma "Sue" Gaggioli of Redwood City; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was held at St. Raymond's Church in Menlo Park. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
Pearl Etta Iliff Slack
Shriners volunteer, 61-year Menlo resident
Pearl Etta Iliff Slack, a resident of Menlo Park for the past 61 years, died in her sleep on November 10. She was 93.
Born in San Jose, Mrs. Slack attended San Jose High School, and graduated from Heald Business College in 1927. She marriage Warren Alfred Slack in 1929, and the couple moved to Menlo Park in 1938.
The Slacks were members of many organizations, including the Shriners Nomads, for which they traveled the continent raising funds for Shriners Children's Hospital. Mrs. Slack was a long-time contributor to both the Shriners Children's Hospital and Packard Children's Hospital, and was active in several fraternal organizations, including the Eastern Star.
Mrs. Slack is survived by her sons Thomas Slack of Los Altos and Terrance Slack of Menlo Park; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The family prefers that memorial donations be made to either the Shriners Children's Hospital or to the Packard Children's Hospital.
Winifred McIntyre
Family Service board member
Memorial services will be held at noon Sunday, December 12, at Roller, Hapgood & Tinny Funeral Home, 980 Middlefield Road, in Palo Alto, for Winifred McIntyre, who died December 1. She was 88.
Mrs. McIntyre, a former resident of Atherton and Menlo Park, was born in Chicago and moved to the Bay Area in 1946. She attended Smith College and later graduated from Stanford University at age 46. She also earned a degree in Fine Arts with Distinction from California College of Arts and Crafts in 1964, later serving on its board of trustees.
Mrs. McIntryre was on the board of trustees for the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and the Athenian School in Danville. Active in civic affairs, she was a long-time fund-raiser and board member for the Family Service Association and World Neighbors.
Mrs. McIntyre is survived by her former husband, Henry McIntyre of Atherton; two sons, Robert of Palo Alto and Shelby of Menlo Park; two daughters, Virginia Stache of Honduras and Penelope Racheff of San Jose; 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Donations in her memory may be sent to the National Alzheimer's Association, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60611-1676.
Elaine Harrington
Registered nurse
A Mass of Christian Burial was to be held at Church of the Nativity at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, for Elaine Emmons Harrington of Menlo Park who died December 2. She was 84.
Mrs. Harrington was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Oregon School of Nursing. After graduation she came to Menlo Park to begin her nursing career at the Veterans Hospital. She also worked as a nurse at Stanford Medical Center, Menlo School and in private practice.
She was maried to Richard J. Harrington at Church of the Nativity in 1941. After she was widowed in 1971, Mrs. Harrington continued her nursing career, working for Dr. William Tevis until retiring at age 70.
She was a longtime member of the Thursday Prayer Group at Church of the Nativity. She was known as an excellent baker and made jams and jellies which she shared with her family and friends.
Mrs. Harrington is survived by her four children: Richard of Redwood City, Thomas of Las Vegas, Marry Ellen Harrington of San Mateo, and Barbara Walczykowski of Alexandria, Virginia; and one grandchild.
Burial was to be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.
Robert Beveridge Walker
Former Woodside resident
Robert Beveridge Walker, a Woodside resident for 21 years, died at his home in Carmel on November 26. He was 75.
Born in San Francisco to Joseph and Bess Walker, Mr. Walker attended Stanford University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1945 and his master's in business in 1950.
Mr. Walker is survived by his wife Betsy Ross Walker of Carmel; his daughters Nancy Walker Low of La Canada and Margaret Walker of Salem, Oregon; and his grandchildren, Elizabeth Walker Low and William Robinson Low.
Funeral arrangements were by the Neptune Society. The family prefers memorial donations be made to the SPCA of Monterey County, P.O. Box 3058, Monterey, CA 93942; or the Glaucoma Research Foundation, 200 Pine St., Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94104.
John Joseph Jacobs
Longtime resident of Portola Valley
John Joseph Jacobs, a retired insurance company executive, died November 9 at his home in Portola Valley after a long battle with cancer. He had lived in Portola Valley for more than 30 years.
Services will be private.
Mr. Jacobs, 74, was the husband of Carol Campbell Jacobs. They were marriage 49 years ago, after he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1950.
He began his insurance career in San Francisco with Pacific Mutual Insurance Co. Later he joined Fred S. James Insurance Co., where he became office manager and executive vice president; he worked there until his retirement.
Born in Syracuse, New York, Mr. Jacobs served in the Pacific with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He was an avid golfer at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club and enjoyed hiking in the Bay Area and in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada.
Mr. Jacobs is survived by his wife Carol; their sons, who grew up in Portola Valley, Donald R. Jacobs of Santa Cruz, Richard D. Jacobs of Portland, Oregon, and Chris C. Jacobs of Monterey; eight grandchildren; and his brother, Robert Jacobs of Los Gatos. A son, John C. Jacobs, died two years ago.
Memorial donations may be made to MidPeninsula Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 135, Mountain View, CA 94040; or to the charity of the donor's choice.
Gerald A. Fields
Retired executive, Menlo resident
Gerald A. Fields, a Menlo Park resident since 1957, died at his home November 11 at the age of 89.
Born in Marysville, Washington, Mr. Fields attended the University of Washington, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and earned his bachelor's and law degrees.
After being admitted to the Washington State Bar Association, he worked for San Francisco-based Sperry Flour Company, a predecessor of General Mills. During his 36 years with General Mills, Mr. Fields held various executive positions at several locations, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and Minneapolis.
Mr. Fields' interests included domestic and foreign travel, growing flowers and cultivating bonsai. Of particular note was his annual chrysanthemum garden, which family members said was a truly beautiful sight.
His survivors include his wife, Kathryn "Sue"; his two sons, Gerald Fields Jr. of Saratoga and James S. Fields of Menlo Park; and two grandsons.
Joe Starr
Peninsula School teacher
An informal gathering to remember Joe Starr, a much-loved teacher at Peninsula School in Menlo Park, will be held on Friday, November 26, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the school. His friends are encouraged to bring photos and a musical instrument. A tree will be planted in his memory at school.
Mr. Starr, known as Joe to Peninsula students and their families, died October 29 after a long illness. He came to Peninsula School in 1969 as the caretaker, then became an assistant in the younger grades before moving into the Upper School in 1973.
From 1975 to 1987, he taught eighth-grade.
After leaving Peninsula, he received a marriage, family and child counseling certification. He maintained a private practice, and also worked for Santa Clara County in counseling at-risk kids.
He is survived by his daughter Melody, Peninsula Class of 1981, and two grandchildren.
Marjorie Anne Goldman
Menlo resident
Marjorie Anne Goldman, a longtime resident of Menlo Park, died November 17 in Clayton, Missouri. She was 69.
Mrs. Goldman was a native of Seattle. She was preceded in death by her husband, Malcolm Goldman.
She is survived by her children, Anita Matlock of Los Angeles and Barry Goldman of Clayton, Missouri; her brothers, Ted Rosenblume and Joe Rosenblume of Seattle; her sister, Judy Silver of Boston; and seven grandchildren.
Services were held at Alta Mesa Memorial Park Chapel in Palo Alto. The family prefers that memorial donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 97100, Dallas, TX 75397.
Louise O. Miller
48-year resident of Atherton
Louise Oliver Miller, a 48-year Atherton resident, died November 19 at the age of 88.
Born in Scarsdale, New York, she graduated from Sacred Heart Convent in New York. Mrs. Miller worked as an assistant editor at House Beautiful Magazine, and served overseas during World War II in the city of Kandy in what is now Sri Lanka. At the end of the war, Mrs. Miller worked as an assistant in Nelson Rockefeller's office.
After her wedding in Scarsdale to San Francisco native William G. Miller, the couple moved to Atherton in 1951.
Mrs. Miller is survived by her son, William S. Miller of Atherton; her brother, Paul W. Oliver; and her grandchildren, Stefanie and William Gregory Miller. A funeral Mass was held at St. Pius Catholic Church, with Interment at the Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Los Altos Hills.
Philip H. Heersema
Stanford professor, noted psychiatrist
Philip H. Heersema, founder of the Peninsula Psychiatric Society and a clinical professor emeritus of neurology and psychiatry at Stanford University, died of Alzheimer's disease on November 15. He was 95.
A longtime Portola Valley resident, Dr. Heersema was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and spent 12 years at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was its first on-staff psychiatrist.
In addition to his private practice on Welch Road in Palo Alto, over the years Dr. Heersema was a member of the board of directors of Peninsula Family Services and the Santa Clara Mental Health Institute of Palo Alto, where he also served as its director of education. He was a life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a fellow of the Royal College of Medicine in London.
Dr. Heersema is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his daughters, Margot Phillips of Littleton, Colorado, and Mimi Smith of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; his stepchildren, Ellen Maunder, R. Stephen Doyle, Brenda Crane and Micaela Doyle; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Burial was in Madeline Island, La Pointe, Wisconsin. Memorial services will be held latter. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer Center, UCSF, 400 Parnassus, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Sergei Rebisoff
Museum entomologist
Sergei Rebisoff, an entomologist and a Woodside resident, died November 20. He was 84.
Born in Poland, Mr. Rebisoff had a varied career, including 10 years in Brazil as a land surveyor. He was an entomologist for the California Academy of Sciences.
According to family members, besides his love of insects, Mr. Rebisoff loved traveling, flowers and spending time with his family, and he spoke six different languages. He was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church of Palo Alto and taught Sunday school there.
Mr. Rebisoff was preceded in death by his wife, Tatiania. He is survived by his daughter, Victoria Wang, and her husband, Chen, of Woodside; his sister Eugenia Rebisoff of Russia; and four grandchildren.
Services were held in Livermore. Memorial donations may be sent to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Charles W. Baker
Administrator at Circle Star Theater
Charles W. Baker, who lived in Menlo Park for some 72 years before moving in 1997, died on November 24. He was 84.
Mr. Baker was born in San Francisco in 1915 and moved to Menlo Park in 1925. He served in the United States Navy from 1941 to 1945, and marriage Dorothy P. Kroger in 1946.
Before his retirement, Mr. Baker was an administrator at Circle Star Theater.
He is survived by a daughter, Charlene M. Ezell; and a son, Kenneth C. Baker.
Private services were held on November 29 at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, with arrangements by the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries in Menlo Park.
Roy Bunker
Ham radio enthusiast
Roy "Larry" Bunker, who lived with his daughter and family in Menlo Park for the past four years, died November 23. He was 94.
Mr. Bunker was born in Richmond, Michigan, and was raised in that state. For many years, he worked as a test driver for General Motors. He was marriage to Ealeen Wilmot in 1937. During World War II, he built Liberty ships in Long Beach.
In 1945 the Bunkers settled in Pomona, where they lived until his retirement in 1974. After retirement they lived in the town of Lucerne on Clear Lake.
Mr. Bunker had many friends with whom he kept in touch by letter and ham radio. He was most at home with Morse code, and through his call sign WD6CTQ he maintained contacts all over the world.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Carol and John Higham, a granddaughter, and many friends and relatives. At his request he will be cremated and his ashes placed on the grave of his late wife, Ealeen, in the Cemetery at Upper Lake, California.
