Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Walter Oppenheim
Fled Nazi Germany
Walter E. Oppenheim died at his Menlo Park home May 30. He was 88.
Mr. Oppenheim came to the United States after spending 9 years in Shanghai. He had gone to Shanghai after fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939.
He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Inez Oppenheim of Menlo Park; his children Renata Chase of Chula Vista and Michael Oppenheim of Los Angeles; two grandsons; and a great-granddaughter.
A memorial was held June 2. Arrangements were made by John O'Connor Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Elmus 'Lin' Ruff
Retired pilot
Elmus "Lin" Ruff, a 51-year Menlo Park resident, died June 10. He was 81 years old.
A native of Stockton, Mr. Ruff graduated from the University of California at Davis.
Before World War II, he entered the Civilian Pilot Training program; during the war he was a flight instructor for Army cadets at the Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics at Jackson, Miss., and later at Souther Field in Americus, Ga. In 1945 he joined TWA airlines, where he flew a variety of planes, including the DC-3, DC-4, Martin 404, and the Convair 880. He retired as a 30-year captain in 1974.
Mr. Ruff is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mildred; daughters Carol L. Woodward of Carson City, Nev., and Jeannette Tranberg of San Jose; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Private services will be held, and a memorial gathering for family and friends will be held at his home on Saturday, June 20, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 4810, Burlingame, CA 94011-4810, or to Serra Parents Association, c/o John King, 160 Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303.
Funeral arrangements were made by Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Elizabeth Rose Mannia
Longtime resident of Woodside
Elizabeth Rose Mannia, a longtime resident of Woodside, died May 12 in Vancouver, Wash. She was 96.
A native of Chicago, Ill. she is survived by her daughter Dolores D. Tillson of Portland, Ore.; her sister Lucille Simkus of Chicago; 12 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was said at St. Charles Catholic Church, followed by Interment at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto.
Robert Spencer Hoyt
Clinical pathologist
Dr. Robert Spencer Hoyt, a 32-year resident of Portola Valley, died June 17. He was 72.
Born in Korea, Dr. Hoyt grew up in Pacific Grove, Calif. He served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps during World War II.
A graduate of the University of California, he had a 35-year medical career as a clinical pathologist at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. He also spent a year in Ethiopia setting up a department of pathology at a university there.
He was a devoted Christian, said family members, and had a ministry set up to serve alcoholics. For 18 years he had a Christian radio broadcast on San Francisco station KFAX.
He is survived by Ernestine, his wife of 50 years; their seven children, Judi Marmon of Des Moines, Wash., Kathy Bannick of Redmond, Wash., Sally Tonyan of Wheaton, Ill., Jim Hoyt of Oaksdale, Calif., Bob Hoyt of Nashville, Mike Hoyt of Redwood City, and Jack Hoyt of Seattle; nine grandchildren; and two sisters, Dorothy Hall of Richmond, Va., and Helen Griffith of Canoga Park, Calif.
A memorial service was held Monday, June 22, at Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City. Memorial gifts may be made to Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center, P.O. Box 413, Mt. Hermon, CA 95051, or MidPeninsula Hospice Foundation, 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Mary Virginia Terrell
First Baptist Church member
Mary Virginia Terrell, a 20-year member of the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park, died June 19 at her Redwood City home. She was 74.
Mrs. Terrell is survived by her husband of 52 years, Charles E. Terrell; four children, including Jennifer J. Disibio of Atherton; one brother; one sister; 16 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is set for Wednesday, July 1, at 4 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Redwood City.
Felice "Fil" Giannotti
55-year resident of Menlo Park
Felice "Fil" Giannotti, a resident of Menlo Park and member of the Church of the Nativity for 55 years, died June 23. He was 94.
A native of Brooklyn, Mr. Giannotti is survived by his wife of 68 years, Julia; his children Gene Giannotti of Menlo Park, Judy Gibson and Joann Klee, both of Atherton, and Ginger Juels of Elk Grove; siblings Albert Giannotti of Menlo Park, William Giannotti of Reno, and Lillian Visconti of Redwood City; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was held June 27 at the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park, followed by Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mid-Peninsula Home Care and Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 135, Mountain View, CA 94040. Arrangements were made by Redwood Chapel.
Carolyn Hills O'Connor
Atherton resident
A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, July 1, for Carolyn Hills O'Connor, who died June 26 at her Atherton home. She was 58.
The Mass begins at 9:30 a.m. at Menlo Park's Church of the Nativity.
A native of San Francisco, Mrs. O'Connor graduated form Mercy High School in 1957 and from San Francisco State University in 1961. She was a past president of the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary.
Mrs. O'Connor is survived by her husband of 36 years, Thomas; her children Thomas H. O'Connor Jr., Carolyn O'Connor Bacci, Christine Margaret Ricci, Timothy Hills O'Connor, and Cathleen Reddington O'Connor; siblings Joan Bernhard and Ned Hills; 23 nieces and nephews; and two grandchildren.
A rosary service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, at Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Avenue, in Menlo Park.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1715 Bascom Ave. No. 100, Campbell, CA 95008.
Funeral arrangements were made by Spangler Mortuaries.
Estellene F. Holloway
37-year Peninsula resident
Estellene F. Holloway, who divided her 37 years of living on the Peninsula between the towns of Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Portola Valley, died June 14. She was 97 years old.
A native of Chicago, Mrs. Holloway attended Northwestern University, where she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. She was also a member of the POE Sisterhood, another sorority, and did volunteer work for the Children's Health Council in Ladera and later Palo Alto for 20 years.
The widow of Milton J. Holloway, who founded the M.J. Holloway candy company of Chicago, was preceded in death by her sons, Edwin G. and Charles A. Holloway.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Barbara June Holloway; three grandchildren; one sister, Gloria Taylor of Florida; and two great-granddaughters.
A private Interment was held at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. Arrangements were made by Roller, Hapgood & Tinney Funeral Directors.
Helen Smith
44-year resident of Menlo Park
Helen Smith, a homemaker who lived in Menlo Park for 44 years, died June 2. She was 89.
Born in Greeneville, Tenn., she moved to San Francisco with her husband in 1943 and then to Menlo Park in 1954.
She is survived by her husband, Edward M. Smith; daughter Carolyn Fagerhaugh of Hayward; two granddaughters; and one great-grandson.
A memorial service will be held during the morning service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 12, at First Lutheran Church, 600 Homer Ave. in Palo Alto.
Elizabeth A. Baker
13-year resident of Menlo Park
Services will be held Sunday, June 28, at 1:30 p.m. at the Palo Alto Unitarian Church for Elizabeth A. Baker, who died June 19. She was 95 years old.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mrs. Baker grew up in Monrovia, Calif., attended Pomona College, and graduated from the University of Southern California.
With her husband, G. Derwood Baker, she retired to Menlo Park in 1973 and, in 1985, moved to Webster House in Palo Alto.
Mrs. Baker was active in community affairs, chiefly involved with the League of Women Voters, which she joined in 1937 and of which she was designated a lifetime member. Locally, she was a member of the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County, which honored her in connection with celebrations of the League's 75th anniversary in 1995. She was also a member of Stanford University's Committee for Art and Music Guild. For several years she volunteered at the Downtown Food Closet in Palo Alto.
She was preceded in death by her husband. Mrs. Baker is survived by her daughters, Diana Steeples and Susan Hartzell, both of Palo Alto; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
The Palo Alto Unitarian Church is at 505 East Charleston Road, in Palo Alto. Memorial gifts may be made to the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, 94025.
Georgie E. Steele
Cookbook author
Friends are invited to a 2 p.m. memorial service on Thursday, June 25, for Georgie E. Steele, who died June 16. She was 84 years old.
Born in Kansas, Mrs. Steele was a graduate of Kansas State University. She moved with her husband, Orin Steele, to Menlo Park in 1956.
With her husband, she started the Moonlite Car Wash in Menlo Park and nine other towns on the Peninsula, while starting her own firm, Home Maker Services. She also ran barbecue contests at the county fair, and wrote a book of recipes, "A Winer Every Time." She organized focus groups for food product testing of many national products including Shasta Drinks. She and her husband were longtime members of the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce.
She is survived by her children, Georgie Chivington of Woodside and Grover Steele of Saratoga.
Services will be held at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, 695 Arastradero Road, in Palo Alto. Contributions may be made to Stanford Athletics, c/o Arillaga Family Sports Center, Stanford, CA 94305-6150. Arrangements were made by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Betty Taylor Wersted
Hospital volunteer
Betty Taylor Wersted, a longtime resident of Menlo Park, died June 1 in her home. She was 81.
Mrs. Wersted was born in Michigan and raised in Winnetka, Ill. She served as a Gray Lady at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Long Beach during World War II, and continued her volunteer work at the veterans hospital at San Francisco's Presidio. She later volunteered her time at Stanford University Hospital.
An avid bridge player and golfer, Mrs. Wersted organized and participated in many golf tournaments at the Sharon Heights Country Club. She also edited and took photographs for the club's newsletter.
Mrs. Wersted studied the piano for a number of years and loved to play classical and popular pieces.
In addition to her husband Bob, she is survived by four children, Marilyn Knorr of Framingham, Mass., Judith Kelley of Fall City, Wash., John Wersted of Elk Grove, Calif., and D. Bruce Wersted of Novato, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
According to her wishes, her ashes were scattered at sea. There will be a private family memorial service.
James N. Weaver
Microwave engineer
James N. Weaver, who lived in Palo Alto and Menlo Park for 30 years, died from leukemia July 3. He was 62.
Born in Yellow Springs, Ohio, he traveled widely in his youth, living and studying in India, Switzerland and Australia.
The family settled in Pacific Grove, where Mr. Weaver graduated from high school. With a strong academic record and interest in mechanics and electronics, he was accepted by Cal Tech and received both bachelor's and master's degrees there.
After serving in the Navy, he began employment as a microwave tube designer at Varian. He continued graduate study, earning a degree in electrical engineering from Stanford in 1964.
During the next 30 years, Mr. Weaver worked at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, solving problems of microwave excitation for research accelerators built there.
He also accepted exchange appointments at other accelerator centers, including MIT; Bariloche, Argentina; and Sandia National Labs in New Mexico.
Mr. Weaver led camping, backpacking, and cross-country skiing trips for the Sierra Club.
Married and divorced he leaves behind no immediate family, but many devoted friends.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Palo Alto, 505 Charleston Road.
Friends suggest donations in his name to the Sierra Club.
Mary Jane Aguilar
Neuropathologist
Mary Jane Aguilar, 73, a neuropathologist and longtime resident of Atherton, died April 27 in Tuscon, Arizona, after a lengthy battle with lung cancer, family members announced last week. She was 73.
She graduated first in her class at the University of Colorado Medical School and then practiced neuropathology at UCLA and later at the Pacific Medical Center, where she worked for 24 years.
She earned her undergraduate degree in geography from the University of California at Berkeley, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa scholastic society, Pi Beta Phi sorority, and the tennis team. She was twice editor of the yearbook.
She attended the University of Denver to complete pre-med requirements, and after receiving her medical degree, trained at McGill University in Montreal.
Dr. Aguilar is survived by her husband Tony; son Carlos Aguilar of Menlo Park; daughter Martha O'Neill of Atherton; four brothers, James Boles of Santa Rosa, Roger Boles of Woodside, Dick Boles of Vallejo and Dan Boles of Canada; and five grandchildren.
Services have been held. Contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Elinor Ford Swenson
31-year resident of Woodside
Elinor Ford Swenson, a 31-year resident of Woodside, died July 18. She was 86.
Mrs. Swenson was preceded in death by her husband A. George Swenson. She is survived by her daughters Patricia S. Klitgaard of Foster City and Linda L. Sylva of Pioneer, California; and two grandchildren.
Mrs. Swenson requested that no services be held.
