Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Lewis V. Sayler
Retired building contractor
Private family services were held for Lewis V. Sayler, who died at his Menlo Park home May 11. He was 83.
A veteran of World War II, Mr. Sayler was a member of Palo Alto Lodge 1471, B.P.O. Elks; and Menlo Park Lions Club. He was the husband of Rose Ann Saylor, well-known Menlo Park dance instructor.
Mr. Sayler is also survived by daughters Rita Attebery and Lyonie Gorsline; brothers James, Roland and Delbert Sayler; sister Ruth Wasselle; three grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were held under the direction of O'Connell's Chapel, San Mateo.
Donald B. Wilcox
Menlo Park resident
Donald B. Wilcox, a longtime resident of Menlo Park, died April 23 at Stanford Hospital at the age of 90.
Mr. Wilcox is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his daughter, Dorothy C. Wright; his son, Donald A. Wilcox; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at the Chapel of Roller Hapgood & Tinney. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Stanford University Pulmonary Research, Office of Medical Development, 770 Welch Road, Suite 400, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
Charlotte Valenti
Menlo Park resident
A Mass of Christian Burial for Charlotte Valenti is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, at St. Pius Catholic Church, Redwood City. Mrs. Valenti died May 10 at age 81.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Mrs. Valenti had lived in Menlo Park for the past 30 years. She is survived by her son Peter J. Valenti of Menlo Park; daughter Beverly Hilliard of Menlo Park and her husband, Gerry Hilliard; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Valenti was the widow of Lawrence Valenti.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Redwood Chapel, Redwood City, with entombment at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Los Altos.
Adele Gist Davis
30-year Atherton resident
Adele Gist Davis, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University, died April 20 at her home in Atherton. She was 91.
A native of San Diego, Mrs. Davis was a past president of her Stanford University alumni class. Her community service included the Visiting Nurse Association, Mills Hospital Auxiliary, and the Atherton Garden Guild.
Mrs. Davies is survived by her sons Gregory H. Davis Jr. of Berkeley and Stuart G. Davis of Atherton; four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
After private services, she was buried
beside her husband, Gregory H. Davis Sr., in Napa, California.
Grace Elin Breslich
Former Menlo Park resident
Grace Elin Breslich died May 7 in Palo Alto at the age of 92. Until two years ago, she had resided in Menlo Park since 1975.
She is survived by her daughters, Diana Breslich of Santa Rosa, Helen Erickson of Crestwood, New York, and Paula Breslich of London, England; and five grandchildren.
Burial was private.
Lucie Schaff Comita
Pianist, music educator
A memorial service for Lucie Schaff Comita, a 15-year resident of Menlo Park, will be held Tuesday, May 30, at 3 p.m. at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Comita died May 23 at her home after an eight-year battle with brain cancer.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1955, Mrs. Comita attended the Boardman Schools and graduated cum laude from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1978 with a bachelor of music degree in piano performance.
She studied piano at the Paris Conservatoire, and in 1980 earned a master of music degree with emphasis on piano performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A student of the Dalcroze Eurhythmics Method of music education, Mrs. Comita received her Dalcroze Certificate from the Ithaca College School of Music in Ithaca, New York, and her Dalcroze License from the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1983.
Mrs. Comita joined the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the Preparatory Division and taught piano, solfege, eurhythmics and keyboard improvisation from 1983 to 1989. She performed as faculty for Dalcroze regional conferences, as improvisor-accompanist for dance companies and as eurhythmics instructor at the conservatory and public and private schools in the Bay Area.
A self-employed piano teacher from 1978 to 1995, Mrs. Comita founded Comita Productions to create and produce educational materials for teaching very young children the elements of music through movement and dance. Her cassette-book titled "Dance Around" was published in 1990.
Mrs. Comita was a member of the Dalcroze Society of America and the Music Teachers Association of California. She participated in Bible Study Fellowship and was a member of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Comita is survived by her husband of 19 years, Paul B. Comita; her daughters, Julia and Robin; her brothers, Charles B. Schaff Jr. of Menlo Park and Peter H. Schaff of Wilmette, Illinois; and her mother, Mary Alice B. Schaff of Youngstown, Ohio.
A reception for family and friends will be held at the church immediately following the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Brain Tumor Foundation, 414 13th St., Suite 700, Oakland, CA 95612-2603, or the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 1201 Ortega St., San Francisco, CA 94122-4498.
Lewis G. Karcher
Biology teacher, outdoor enthusiast
Lewis G. Karcher, longtime resident of Menlo Park and former biology teacher at Menlo-Atherton High School, died May 19 at the age of 74.
Mr. Karcher, who was born in Boise, Idaho, participated in school theater during his 30-year tenure at Menlo-Atherton and spent many summers working as a park ranger in the Yosemite and Lassen national parks.
Mr. Karcher is survived by a daughter, Katherine Brandt of Norman, Oklahoma; a son, Kevin Karcher of Seattle, Washington; a brother, Kenneth Karcher of Boise, Idaho; a sister, Dorothy Efron of Bend, Oregon; three granddaughters; two great-grandchildren; and dear friend, Lucie Burak of San Mateo.
A graveside service was held May 24 at the Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto.
Doris Ersted McNamara
Stanford fellowship founder
A memorial service will be held Thursday, June 1, at 11 a.m. for Doris Ersted McNamara, a resident of Woodside for 29 years, who died on May 19 at the age of 93.
Mrs. McNamara, who was born in Brookings, South Dakota, in 1906, graduated from the University of Minnesota with honors from the School of Business Administration in 1928. She pursued a career in merchandising in Minneapolis and was active in public affairs there, serving several years on the board of the Women's Club of Minneapolis and as president of the Minneapolis League of Women Voters from 1945 to 1949.
After moving to Woodside in 1956, Mrs. McNamara became involved in Stanford University activities. She supported the Committee for Arts and the Music Guild, and served as a longtime volunteer in the art library.
Her promotion of activities for women in Stanford's Graduate School of Business included the establishment in 1982 of several student fellowships that made financial assistance available to women in the MBA program.
Mrs. McNamara founded the Women's Support Network at the GSB, which was used as a model for similar programs at Stanford. She also funded the James and Doris McNamara Faculty Fellowship at the GSB and contributed funds for use in research by young faculty in Stanford's art department.
Mrs. McNamara moved to Webster House in Palo Alto in 1985.
Mrs. McNamara is survived by her brothers, Gordon Ersted of Dayton, Ohio, and Woodrow Ersted of Palo Alto. She was preceded in death by her husband, James.
The memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Hamilton and Webster avenues, in Palo Alto.
Henry Tagler
Menlo resident, gardener
Henry Tagler, who resided in Menlo Park for 50 years, died May 10 at the age of 90.
He was a professional gardener in the local area for 40 years, and a member of the Palo Alto Gardeners Association, the Woodside Gardeners Association and the San Francisco Gardeners Association.
Mr. Tagler is survived by his wife of 63 years, Gladys; his son, Carl of Avery; his daughter, Holly Pederson of Wilsonville, Oregon; his brother, Hubert of Redwood City; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Timothy.
Philip M. Gee Sr.
Atherton resident
A memorial service will be held June 3 at 10 a.m. for Philip M. Gee Sr., who died May 21 at the age of 95.
Mr. Gee came to the United States from southern China in 1922 at the age of 16. In 1925, he founded United Meat Company, the oldest minority-owned wholesale meat purveyor. He was the first Asian to be admitted to the Pacific Coast Meat Association, of which he later became a director. He served two terms as president of the Kow Kung Association, a large Chinatown organization.
Mr. Gee enjoyed ballroom dancing, cooking, gardening, and investing in the stock market.
Mr. Gee is survived by his wife of 69 years, Nancy; his seven children, Hugh, Sue, Doug, Bill, Phil Jr., Leonard, and Michael; 21 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
The service will be held at St. Raymond's Catholic Church, 1100 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park.
Kenneth McLean Cuthbertson
Memorial service June 5
Memorial services for Kenneth McLean Cuthbertson, former Stanford University vice president for finance and development, are scheduled for Monday, June 5, at 3 p.m. in Memorial Church at Stanford University.
Friends attending the service are advised to car pool and park in the Stock Farm Road lot and ride the park and ride shuttle to the church. Mr. Cuthbertson died April 30 at The Sequoias, the retirement community in Portola Valley, after a long illness. He retired from Stanford in 1977, and then worked for the James Irvine Foundation in San Francisco and Newport Beach.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Memorial Gifts, Development Office, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
Edward James McLoughlin
Menlo Park resident
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on May 30 at 10 a.m. for Edward James McLoughlin, who died on May 25 at Stanford Hospital at the age of 47.
A native of Menlo Park, Mr. McLoughlin attended Nativity School and graduated from St. Francis Catholic High School in 1970. He was employed by Snap on Tools as a training manager.
Mr. McLoughlin is survived by his parents, Bernie and Yvette McLoughlin; his brothers, Patrick and Timothey; and five nieces and nephews. He was the grandson of the late E. J. McLoughlin, who established Menlo Shoe Store in 1920.
The service will be held at Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to Church of the Nativity School, 1250 Laurel Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, or St. Francis Catholic High School Alumni, 1885 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View, CA 94041.
Jeremy Joseph Nevin
Graduate of Menlo-Atherton
A memorial service will be held for Jeremy Joseph Nevin at 11 a.m. Friday, July 21, at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. Mr. Nevin died July 2 in an automobile accident in Placer County. He was 24.
Mr. Nevin lived in Menlo Park for 18 years, graduating from Menlo-Atherton High School in 1994. He attended Colorado State University and the University of Nevada at Reno, where he was a business major.
He recently moved from the North Shore of Lake Tahoe to Huntington Beach, where he was working as a painting contractor.
Mr. Nevin is survived by his mother, Audrie Nevin of Rochester, New York; his father Joseph and step-mother Nancy Nevin of Aspen, Colorado; his paternal grandmother Helen L. Nevin, a longtime resident of Menlo Park but now of Aspen; and his brother Justin Nevin of San Jose.
He will be buried
in Evergreen Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Dr. Alfred Bochner
Menlo Park psychiatrist
Dr. Alfred Bochner of Menlo Park, who practiced psychiatry for more than 60 years, died June 26 at Stanford Medical Center. He was 88.
Dr. Bochner was born in Ontario, Canada, and received his medical degree from the University of Toronto. He served as a squadron leader in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II.
After the war he practiced medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was medical director of the Cleveland Center on Alcoholism. He was an assistant professor of psychiatry at Western Reserve University and a partner of Dr. Benjamin Spock in child-rearing studies, which followed subjects into adulthood.
Dr. Bochner moved to Palo Alto in 1963. He established a private practice in psychiatry, and was a guest lecturer at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Bochner also counseled Stanford pre-med students as a freshman adviser for 35 years. In 1964 he served as physician to the 1964 U.S. Men's Olympic Swim Team.
Long a proponent of electro-convulsive "shock" therapy for severe cases of depression, he taught its use to generations of new physicians.
Dr. Bochner was a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the Royal Society of Medicine in London. He was a 30-year member of the Menlo Circus Club.
He is survived by his daughter, Mary Ord of Kirkland, Washington; son William Bochner of Kentfield; sisters Claire Palmer and Pearl Schwartz of Toronto; two grandchildren; and stepchildren Ridgeley Evers of San Francisco and Sally Everett of Washington, D.C.
Funeral services were private. Memorials to support research in psychiatry may be made to Stanford University, A. Bochner Fund, c/o Lori Arthur, Office of Medical Development, 770 Welch Road, #400, Palo Alto 94304.
Doris Agnes Pardini
Longtime Menlo Park resident
Doris Agnes Pardini, a longtime Menlo Park resident, died July 12 in Atherton. She was 91.
Born in Half Moon Bay, she lived in Menlo Park for 25 years.
Mrs. Pardini is survived by her sister, Pauline Ames of Morgan Hill; daughters Edna Claudine of Marysville, Lorraine Meade of Menlo Park, Barbara Davis of Fresno, and Linda Pardini of Menlo Park; and son Geno Pardini of Novato.
A funeral service was held July 14 at John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
Elsie Wallin Miller Kelly
Portola Valley homemaker
A memorial service and private Interment were held July 15 at Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley for Elsie Wallin Miller Kelly, who died July 11 at The Sequoias in Portola Valley. She was 92.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Mrs. Kelly was the first in her Swedish family to be born in the United States. From Omaha, she went on to live in Portola Valley where family members say she was a proud homemaker.
Mrs. Kelly's first husband Clarence H. Miller died in 1970. She is survived by her second husband of 22 years Raymond D. Kelly; a son Robert E. Miller of San Luis Obispo; a daughter Marilyn M. Miller of Denver; grandchildren Brett Miller, Roma Miller and Lauren Stokes; and a stepsister Mary J. Kelly.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2065 West El Camino Real, Suite C, Mountain View, CA 94040, or to the Portola Valley Presbyterian Church, 945 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028.
Virginia Hudson Hyde
Woodside resident
Virginia Hudson Hyde, a longtime resident of Woodside, died July 8 in her sleep at her home. She was 91.
She is descended from Don Jose de la Guerra who settled in Santa Barbara in 1801.
"Ginny" was a master bridge player, a member of the Burlingame Country Club, an avid gardener both in Woodside and at the family Napa residence, and an enthusiastic world traveler. She and her husband, the late Richard E. Hyde, enjoyed seeing new places as well as visiting friends all over the world, family members said.
She is survived by her children, Richard of Belvedere, Diana of Missouri, and Larry of Napa Valley. In addition she has six grandchildren, and a great grandson.
Contributions on behalf of Virginia Hyde may be sent to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 150 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA 94612.
