Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Gerald Crowley
Longtime Woodside resident
Gerald Crowley, a 25-year resident of Woodside, died August 9 at Stanford Hospital after a two-year battle with heart disease. He was 64.
Mr. Crowley grew up in San Francisco. The family later moved to San Mateo where he graduated from San Mateo High School in 1955.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, worked for Steelform Corp. and the telephone company, before joining Bank of America in San Carlos.
He met his future wife, Erika, when both worked for Bank of America.
From 1969 to 1976, the family lived first in Brussels, then in London, while Mr. Crowley worked for the overseas audit department of Bank of America. After leaving the bank, Mr. Crowley enjoyed his retirement in Woodside.
Mr. Crowley is survived by his wife Erika; sons Michael of Tucson, Arizona, and Stephen of Redwood City; sister Donna Hayes, and two granddaughters.
Memorial donations may be made to Pets in Need, 873 Fifth Ave., Redwood City, or to The American Heart Association of San Mateo County, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame.
Georgette P. King
51-year Menlo resident
Funeral services are set for Wednesday, December 12, at 11 a.m. for Georgette P. King, who died December 7 at the age of 89.
The services will be held at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., in Menlo Park.
A native of Glenn Ellen, Illinois, Mrs. King lived in Menlo Park for 51 years.
She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Howard King; a son, David King of San Jose; a daughter, Donna Giboney of Dayton, Nevada; and four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Claudia.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Roller Hapgood and Tinney Mortuary.
Mary Lou Hilligoss
Former Atherton resident
Mary Lou Hilligoss died at age 73 in an auto accident near Stockton on December 1 while driving with her husband Lloyd, who remains in the hospital.
While residents of Atherton from 1965 to 1984, the Hilligosses were active members of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for 19 years and the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club.
Mrs. and Mr. Hilligoss worked as a team to build and operate one of the largest carnival companies in the United States, Foley & Burk Shows out of Redwood City. She was a past president of Show Folks of America, an association in California of people in the carnival business.
In 1985, they moved to Sebastopol and later retired to their home in Santa Rosa. An avid gardener, Mrs. Hilligoss most recently designed and managed the gardens at Knox Presbyterian Church in Santa Rosa, where she was a member.
"She was an exceptionally positive and loving lady," family members said.
Lloyd and Mary Lou Hilligoss were marriage for 56 years and have four children: Greg Hilligoss of San Jose; Stephanie Henon, and her husband Ron of Sebastopol; Robert Hilligoss of Santa Rosa; and Tom Hilligoss and his wife Kate of Redwood City. They have eight grandchildren: Marsee Henon, Stephanie Agnew, Lia Henon, Adam Hilligoss, Spencer Hilligoss, Justin Hilligoss, Patrick Hilligoss, and Caitlin Hilligoss. Mrs. Hilligoss' sisters are Coralee Adams of Oregon, and Sue Stewart of Hunington Beach.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life at a memorial service at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., on Friday, December 14, at 3 p.m.
Celestia Stone
Menlo Park resident
Celestia O. Stone died November 26 in Menlo Park. The native of Little Rock, Arkansas, was 91.
Mrs. Stone was an excellent homemaker, gardener and rose grower, say family members. She is survived by her children, Dale Stone, Noel Stone, Voy Stone and Carleen Stone Whittelsey; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at the home of her son, Dale, in Rancho Cucamonga. Arrangements were under the direction of John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Robert J. Gressens
Former president, GTE International
Services were to be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 18, at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park for Robert J. Gressens, who died at his home in Atherton on December 13. Mr. Gressens, who was 76, had been suffering from late term pulmonary disease.
Mr. Gressens spent his entire career in telecommunications with General Telephone and Electronics Corp. (GTE), now Verizon. He started with Automatic Electric in Chicago in 1952, prior to its acquisition by GTE, and advanced rapidly through a variety of posts.
In 1963 he was promoted to president of Lenkurt Electric in San Carlos and returned to the Chicago area to head Automatic Electric as president in 1966. He moved to GTE's world headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut in 1976, where he completed his career as president of GTE International. He retired in 1989.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Mr. Gressens spent his youth on the North Shore of Chicago.
While serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II teaching radar design, he met his wife, Jeanne Sullivan. They were marriage in 1949.
Mr. Gressens received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University and a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he was elected to Tau Beta Pi, engineering honor society.
Mr. Gressens had been a member of Menlo Country Club since 1963. An expert in the sport of curling, Mr. Gressens was also a golfer, Giants fan, and keen viewer of his young grandsons' sports accomplishments, say family members.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; stepmother Dulcie Gressens of Evanston, Illinois; brother Peter of Baltimore; son Robert Jr. of San Francisco; daughters Sally Gressens of Stanford and Kathy Crawford of San Carlos; and two grandsons.
Donations may be made to the Stanford Medical Center, Pulmonary Clinic, c/o Dr. Rizk, in memory of Roberts Gressens.
Claude Artero
Consulting engineer
Claude James Artero, a resident of Menlo Park for 23 years, died November 28. He was 88.
Mr. Artero was born in Pittsburg, California, and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in mining and mechanical engineering. He traveled to South America where he mined copper and silver in Bolivia and Chile at altitudes of 13,000 feet.
Returning home on leave he marriage Ruth Marie Matschullat who became his wife for more than 60 years until her death two years ago.
They lived in Buenos Aires until World War II when Mr. Artero joined the U.S. Navy and served on a floating dry dock, repairing ships off the Admiralty Islands. He was decorated for valor for cutting electric cables with an ax when under attack from Japanese planes.
After the war he worked as a construction engineer for California Packing Corp., Tillie Lewis, Gallo Wineries and Almaden wineries. He started his own consulting firm, Artero and Assoc., in the 1970s.
Mr. Artero is survived by his children: Susan Basso of Menlo Park, James Artero of Camarillo, Dr. Mary Artero Brava of Trieste, Italy; a brother Peter Artero of Santa Rosa; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A daughter, Joanne, preceded him in death.
Interment was private. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller, Hapgood and Tinney.
Memorial donations may be made to the School of Engineering, University of California at Berkeley.
Philip Detwiler Jr.
Former Silicon Valley executive
Philip Bell Detwiler Jr., former Atherton and Menlo Park resident, died unexpectedly of a heart attack while skiing December 6 in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he resided. He was 51.
Mr. Detwiler was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and graduated from Lawrence University in Canton, New York. He received his MBA degree from the University of Washington in Seattle.
After he marriage Karen Evans in 1977, the couple moved to the Bay Area where he worked in the computer industry in Silicon Valley for 23 years.
He held various marketing management positions at Memorex, Verbatim, and Syquest, before joining Seagate Technology in 1986. He became vice president of sales for Seagate in 1988. He retired from Seagate in 1999, while holding the position of senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
After his retirement the Detwilers moved to Sun Valley and built their dream house where they enjoyed entertaining family and friends.
Mr. Detwiler is survived by his wife of 24 years, Karen; children Drew and Krista; parents Philip and Virginia Detwiler of Kirkland, Washington; sisters Margot Elsner of Woodinville, Washington; and Gina Lingbloom of Bellingham, Washington.
Remembrances may be sent to: The Community School, the Philip B. Detwiler memorial fund, P.O. Box 2118, Sun Valley, Idaho, 83353; or the Montgomery Heart Foundation, 1419 Mt. Carmel Road, Parkton, Maryland, 21120.
Carlton James
Memorials for Carlton Starbuck James of Woodside, who died November 4, may be made to the Sempervirens Fund or to the Stanford University Library Development Office.
A longtime Woodside resident, Mr. James was an active member of the Woodside Hills Garden Club and home owner's association; a patron of the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet and Opera; and a member of the Committee for Art at Stanford University and of Owl Feathers. He was a member of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences and a number of other scientific groups.
Lloyd Greeley
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 20, at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 320 Moorpark Way, in Mountain View, for Menlo Park resident Lloyd Greeley of Menlo Park, who died December 14. A viewing is set for 5 to 7 p.m. December 19 at Roller, Hapgood and Tinney Funeral Home, 980 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.
Gray W. Hughes
Graveside services are set for 3:30 p.m. Thursday, December 20, at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo for Gray W. Hughes of Menlo Park, who died December 17. For more information on the services, call Spangler Mortuaries, 323-6500.
Dene Zahn
Insurance executive, gallery owner
Dene Walter Zahn, who retired from the insurance business to establish the Zahn Galleries in Menlo Park and Palm Springs, died November 20 at his home in Atherton. He was 86.
An Atherton resident since 1956, Mr. Zahn was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and grew up in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Illinois where he was a member of Zeta Psi Alpha Epsilon, and the golf and track teams.
He served as a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, flying missions in the North Atlantic and South Pacific. He also served as a pilot for military and civilian dignitaries, among them First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, whom he flew to Christmas Island to celebrate Thanksgiving with the troops.
After the war, Mr. Zahn lived on Maui for five years, where he taught elementary school until he joined Franklin Life Insurance Co.
Moving to California, he established his own insurance agency in San Mateo in 1956. He and a group of associates built the Villa Chartier Hotel on the site of his original insurance office.
During the time he was studying business law at Stanford University, Mr. Zahn began collecting art. Eventually he retired from the insurance business and opened the Zahn Galleries, which have since closed. Mr. Zahn donated a number of paintings by his favorite artist, Robert Wood, which hang in the Krannert Art Museum, Harker Hall and the Chancellor's offices at the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana.
An avid golfer, Mr. Zahn was National Junior Amateur champion when he was 16 and played golf courses all over the world. He was a member of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club since 1961, and belonged to the Desert Island Golf and Country Club in Rancho Mirage and Del Rio Country Club in Modesto. He was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist, Menlo Park, and the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Mr. Zahn is survived by his wife of 32 years, Marie; son Tim Cookston of Santa Rosa; daughter Lynne Meyer of Morgan Hill; sister Ara Pedote of Phoenix; father-in-law John La Barbera; and one granddaughter.
Contributions may be made to First Church of Christ Scientist, Menlo Park; the Sequoia Hospital Foundation; or the University of Illinois Foundation, Harker Hall, 224 Illini Union, 1305 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61810.
Susan May Pitt
Portola Valley business owner
Susan May Pitt, an owner of S.P. McClenahan Co. of Portola Valley for 40 years, died in Mountain View on November 24. She was 58.
Mrs. Pitt was a graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School and attended San Jose State University. She handled the business side of the family-owned tree service and pest control company with her brother Jim McClenahan and his son John. S.P. McClenahan Co., founded in San Francisco in 1911 by Mrs. Pitt's grandfather, was the first arboricultural firm west of the Mississippi. The company has been located in Portola Valley since 1968.
She is survived by her husband, George Pitt of Mountain View; her son Bill Pitt of Mountain View; her daughter Laurie Toreson of Carson City, Nevada; her mother Edna McClenahan of Menlo Park; her siblings, Maggie Bortz of Oregon and Jim McClenahan of Menlo Park; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at Valley Presbyterian Church, with arrangements by Roller, Hapgood and Tinney.
The family prefers that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 2065 West El Camino Real, Suite C, Mountain View, CA 94040 or to the American Institute for Cancer Research, Washington, D.C. 20070-2012.
Joan Warmbrunn
Former co-director of Peninsula School
Joan Strong Warmbrunn died December 18 at her home in Portola Valley after a long period of declining health. She was 79.
Mrs. Warmbrunn was born in New York City and attended schools in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Chateau d'Oex in Switzerland and the Putney School in Vermont. She graduated from Bennington College.
During World War II, she was employed by the O.S.S. in Washington, D.C. After the war she returned to the Putney School, where she taught English.
In 1946 she was marriage to Werner Warmbrunn, and they moved to California. She taught at Peninsula School, later becoming, with her husband, co-director of the school. She was later employed for many years, until her retirement, as research assistant at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford.
Mrs. Warmbrunn was a longtime member of Ladera Community Church in Portola Valley, where she played cello in the string ensemble that provided music during services.
Her interests included creative writing, with short stories published in magazines and an anthology.
Mrs. Warmbrunn is survived by her sister, Stephanie Stewart, of Bellows Falls, Vermont; three nephews; two grand-nephews, several cousins; and her former husband.
A memorial service will be held in January at Ladera Community Church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Funeral Consumer Alliance of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Memorials may be made to the Joan Stewart Memorial Fund, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 633 3rd Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017, a fund established by Mrs. Warmbrunn in memory of her niece.
Miriam Gilmore
Substitute teacher
Miriam (Mimi) Gilmore, who worked as a substitute teacher for Las Lomitas School District, died December 18. She was 82.
Mrs. Gilmore was born in Dale, Indiana. After graduating from Indiana University, she worked as a civilian for the U.S. Navy in Panama, where she met her husband, the late Richard P. Gilmore. Both had a love of travel, and they lived in Germany, Cuba and Venezuela before moving to the Bay Area in 1957.
Mrs. Gilmore was a member of Ladera Community Church, where she taught Sunday School for 35 years. She volunteered at Treasures, a thrift store of the Mid-Peninsula Hospice. Friends say she will be remembered for her love of life and family.
Mrs. Gilmore is survived by her sons, Terence of Ft. Collins, Colorado, and Gregory of Lake Tahoe; and two grandchildren.
Services were held December 22 at Ladera Community Church. Memorial gifts may be made to the Endowment Fund, Ladera Community Church, United Church of Christ, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley 94028, or to Mid-Peninsula Pathways Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 101, Mountain View, 94040.
Lloyd Greeley
Owner of Trailer Villa
Lloyd Greeley, a 45-year resident of Menlo Park, died on December 14 of cancer. He was 75.
Mr. Greeley was born in Alden, Minnesota, and for 45 years was owner of Trailer Villa near Menlo Park, reportedly one of the oldest trailer parks in the area.
He worked as a banker in Alden and as a mutual fund investment manager.
He was active in San Mateo politics related to land use issues, and was noted for a keen sense of humor, his family said.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Odie Greeley of Menlo Park; his children, Dr. Kerry Greeley, Brenda Opine and Rebecca Greeley; and three grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Mountain View.
Donations in Mr. Greeley's memory can be made to the MidPeninsula Pathways Hospice Foundation, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 104, Mountain View, 94040; Sequoia Hospital Foundation, 170 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City, 94062; or St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 320 Moorpark Way, Mountain View, 94041.
Gray W. Hughes
Pharmacist, WW II veteran
Graveside services for Gray W. Hughes of Menlo Park, a retired pharmacist and a veteran of World War II, were held December 20 at Skylawn Memorial Park off Highway 92 in San Mateo.
Mr. Hughes died December 17 at Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City. He was 86 and a native of Mitchell, South Dakota.
A resident of Menlo Park, he was employed at Flood Park Pharmacy from 1960 to 1968. He also was a pharmacist for Walgreen's. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and gardening, said his family.
Mr. Hughes, a veteran of World War II, served in North Africa and Italy. He was a member of the American Legion. He also was a member of Little House senior center in Menlo Park, the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, the Civilian Conservation Corps and the NRA.
He is survived by his wife Dorothy Hughes of Menlo Park, daughter Carolyn Read of Fremont, and sister Elizabeth Sayer of Gaithersberg, Maryland.
The family prefers that contributions in his memory be sent to the Diabetes Society of Santa Clara Valley, 1165 Lincoln Ave., Suite 300, San Jose, CA 95125.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
