Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Howard Douglas
Chevron executive
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, December 27, at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for Howard Billings (Bill) Douglas, who died December 19. He was 81.
Mr. Douglas, who lived in Menlo Park for many years, moved to the Forum in Cupertino after his wife, Ruth, died in 1993.
Mr. Douglas was born in Rupert, Idaho, and grew up in Southern California. He graduated from UCLA and served as a captain in the infantry in Alaska during World War II.
After the war he attended Harvard Business School and then joined Chevron USA where he was an expert on organization and cost control. He retired from Chevron in 1984, and took several trips to Europe and Asia before suffering a stroke in 1997.
Mr. Douglas is survived by his daughter Laurie Douglas Bassin of Atherton; son Bruce of Palo Alto; and eight grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to the Russian Orphanage Fund of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.
Dana Louise Parker
Attorney, avid outdoors person
Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 22, for former Woodside resident Dana Louise Parker, who died December 19 at the age of 39.
Ms. Parker received a law degree from the University of San Francisco, and had her own law practice for many years. She most recently worked as an attorney for the law offices of Mullen and Filippi in Oakland, and lived in Berkeley.
She was an avid outdoors person who loved riding her bike and hiking, her family said.
Ms. Parker is survived by her mother and step-father, Margaret Parker and Glenn Addleman of Woodside; her father, Samuel Parker of Gilroy; her sister and brother-in-law Ondine Parker and John Jay of Portola Valley; and her grandmother, Bea Parker of Wisconsin.
Services are set for 10 a.m. December 22 at Woodside Chapel of Crippen and Flynn, 400 Woodside Road, Redwood City, with Chaplain Marsha Davis officiating. Interment will be at 11 a.m. December 24 at Italian Cemetery in Colma.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Peninsula Open Space Trust, 3000 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, 94025; or to the American Cancer Society, Memorial Program, San Mateo County Unit, 1720 S. Amphlett, #220, San Mateo, 94402.
Maria Guangorena
Atherton resident, great-great-grandmother
Maria Guangorena, a resident of Atherton for 58 years, died December 31 in Redwood City. She was 90.
Born in Mexico, Mrs. Guangorena was an active bowler who also enjoyed gardening, tennis, golf and swimming, according to family members. She also enjoyed playing bingo and cards.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jesus in 1986. She is survived by her daughter Emma Towle of San Francisco, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements were by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
David Pratt Roush
Founder, Rocor Transportation
David Pratt Roush, a 27-year resident of Woodside, died December 27 in Albuquerque. He was 66.
Mr. Roush was born in Akron, Ohio, and graduated from Dartmouth College and Stanford Business School. He devoted his career to the trucking industry, founded Rocor Transportation and served as chairman until his retirement in 2000.
Since 1984, he divided his time between Paradise Valley, Arizona, and Wilson, Wyoming. Among his many hobbies were fly fishing, sailing, polo and vintage car racing, family members said. He served on the boards of the Phoenix Art Museum and the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Mr. Roush is survived by his wife Diane; three sons, David Roush of Oklahoma City, Greg Roush of Oklahoma City, and Brian Roush of King George, Virginia; and seven grandchildren.
Services were held January 3 at Messinger Indian School Mortuary in Scottsdale, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Western Art Associates of the Phoenix Art Museum, 1925 North Central, Phoenix, AZ 85004, or to National Museum of Wildlife Art, P.O. Box 6825, Jackson, WY 83002.
Susanna Jane Alexander Bruff
Resident of The Sequoias
A memorial service for Suzanna Jane Alexander Bruff, a resident of The Sequoias retirement community in Portola Valley since 1984, is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, January 13, at the Portola Valley Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Bruff died December 13 at the age of 87. Born in Holtville, California, she graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1932, and from Santa Ana Junior College in 1934. She earned her bachelor's degree in English literature from Scripps College in 1937, and marriage Stephen Cartland Bruff in 1940. After moving 16 times during the war years, the couple settled in Novato.
Mrs. Bruff is survived by her daughters, Barbara Bruff Hemmingsen of La Jolla and Dana Bruff Pfuetze of Overland Park, Kansas; her son Stephen Russell Bruff of Reno; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at Waverly Church in Santa Ana on February 23., with Burial at the Santa Ana Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that memorial contributions be made to the donor's local hospice organization.
Milton C. Iverson
Stanford athletics enthusiast
Milton C. Iverson of Menlo Park, a longtime supporter of Stanford University and Stanford athletics, died December 15. He was 76.
Mr. Iverson graduated in 1949 from Stanford University, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and played on the varsity basketball team.
Over the years, he was a substantial contributor to Stanford athletic facilities, and sponsored numerous Stanford athletes in football, basketball, water polo and volleyball.
"Milt was a great friend to the Stanford community and Stanford athletics, especially basketball" said Mike Montgomery, Stanford men's basketball coach. "He was an integral part of our basketball success, contributing not only financially to provide scholarship opportunities, but also serving as a mentor for young players as they looked for experience in the job market."
A second generation San Franciscan, Mr. Iverson was a graduate of Lowell High School and had been involved in commercial real estate on the Peninsula for more than 30 years.
He served in the Navy during World War II, from 1943 to 1946, and then in the Naval Reserve until 1949.
He and his wife, Nellie Jo Iverson, moved to Ladera in 1957, and later moved to Sharon Heights.
In addition to his wife of 52 years, Mr. Iverson is survived by his four children, Steve Iverson of Redding, Kristine Valk of Redwood City, Ann Iverson of San Carlos, and Bruce Iverson of Salt Lake City; and eight grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother and sister, Scott and Jennifer Iverson.
Private services have been held. Memorial donations may be sent to St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room, 3500 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park CA 94025.
Anita Zumach
Community volunteer
Mary Anita Zumach, one of the first residents of Sharon Heights, died December 21 at her home in Atascadero. She was 85.
Mrs. Zumach lived in Menlo Park from 1960 to 1973, when she moved to Carmel Valley. In ill health, she relocated in Atascadero in 2000 to be closer to her daughter, Mary Pat George.
Mrs. Zumach was born in Baltimore and grew up in Forest Hills, New York. After completing high school she went to work at Macy's in New York City, where she was hired by company president Adam Gimbel and rose to the position of buyer.
In the early 1950s she was hired by Saks Fifth Avenue as a buyer of children's clothing for its Beverly Hills store. Many movie stars, including Judy Garland and Lucile Ball, came to her for their children's clothes.
In 1952 she was marriage to William Zumach. The couple moved to Bakersfield and later to Endicott, New York. They returned to California, moving to Sharon Heights.
Mrs. Zumach was the first president of the Women's Guild at the new St. Denis Catholic Church and was active at La Loma and La Entrada schools, which her daughter, Mary Pat, attended. Mrs. Zumach helped set up libraries in both schools. She also was active in the American Cancer Society and the Crippled Children's Auxiliary.
After the Zumachs moved to Carmel Valley, they were tireless volunteers and benefactors of the Community Hospital of Monterey. Mr. Zumach died in 1992.
Mrs. Zumach is survived by her daughter, Mary Pat George, and son-in-law, Ron, of Atascadero; brother Joe O'Brien of Uncasville, Connecticut; sister-in-law Jeanne O'Brien Rodgers; and many nieces and nephews.
Services were held December 29 at St. William's Catholic Church in Atascadero. Memorials may be made to Hospice Partners of the Central Coast, 277 South St., Suite R, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
Fred Phillips Naber
President, Management Resources Co.
Fred Phillips (Phil) Naber, a 35-year resident of Menlo Park, died of pneumonia December 19. He was 74.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Naber graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master of business administration from Northwestern University.
He was an industrial engineer with Bell & Howell Co., and then held general management positions as an associate of Booz, Allen & Hamilton in Chicago, then Booz, Allen & Hamilton International in London.
In 1967 he moved to Menlo Park, where he joined Management Resources Co. Inc. He retired as its president in 1993.
In retirement, Mr. Naber served as a volunteer for Stanford University's "English in Action" program and Menlo Park Library's "Project Read" program. He also served on the Community Editorial Board of the San Mateo Tribune and was treasurer for the Stanford Hospital Auxiliary, managing its loan program for medical residents.
He is survived by his wife Joan; his four children, Fred Naber of Herndon, Virginia, John Naber of Pasadena, Nancy Naber Campbell of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Robert I. Naber of Los Gatos; and five grandchildren.
Services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Frontal Lobe Dementia Research, located at 2065 West El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040.
Hilde Biermer
Native of Germany
Hilde Biermer, former Menlo Park resident, died December 23 at age 94. Mrs. Biermer came to California from her native Germany in 1938. She lived in Menlo Park from 1971 until moving to Palo Alto Commons in 1998.
Mrs. Biermer, widow of the late Dr. Hermann Biermer, is survived by daughters Helga Medearis of Palo Alto and Ilse Newman of Sequim, Washington; brother Otto Stapelfeld of Neumuenster, Germany; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Private services will be held. Arrangements were under the direction of O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
