Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Perry Hall Lisman
Worked at SRI
Perry Hall Lisman of Menlo Park died August 26 after being struck by a car in Redwood City while riding a motor scooter. He was 71.
Mr. Lisman was born in 1932 in Sweetwater, Texas. He attended high school in Japan and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin.
He served in the Navy from 1953 to 1968 on active duty and in the Naval reserve. He was a fighter pilot in the Mediterranean on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt.
After leaving the Navy, he worked for Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in defense research. From 1974 to 1991 Mr. Lisman worked for SRI in Menlo Park as the deputy division director in research and development.
Mr. Perry was an active member of the Sierra Club, volunteering as a hike leader. He was an active skier, hiker and backpacker, and enjoyed hiking in Edgewood Park, family members said.
A memorial service celebrating his life is planned. The family prefers donations to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah 84741.
James Henry Black
Chemical company co-founder
James Henry Black, who lived in Atherton and Menlo Park, died at Stanford Hospital on September 2 from cancer. He was 81.
In 1951, Mr. Black and his friend J. Kern Hamilton founded Jones-Hamilton, a chemical-producing and distribution company headquartered in Newark, California.
Born in Hugo, Oklahoma, Mr. Black graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1942. He moved with his family in 1948 to Menlo Park, where they lived for many years.
Mr. Black was president of the Newark Rotary, president of the Chemical Industrial Council of California, and a member of the American Chemistry Council.
In the 1950s he was president of the PTA and was elected to the Menlo Park school board. He was an avid fisherman and hunter, family members said.
He is survived by his wife, Gamalier, of Atherton; children John Black of Palo Alto, Judith Barath-Black of Santa Cruz, and Richard C. Minnis of Sacramento; and a brother, William Black of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
A memorial service was held at the First Baptist Church of Palo Alto. The family requests donations be made to Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Radiation-Oncology, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto 94301.
Alan Strain
Educator, social justice advocate
Memorial services for Alan Strain, an educator, Stanford University assistant dean and former Portola Valley resident, were held September 13 at the Santa Cruz Friends Meeting House in Santa Cruz.
Mr. Strain, 79, died August 26 of congestive heart failure at his home in Santa Cruz. He was known for his commitment to social justice.
He graduated from Stanford University, where he majored in psychology. While at Stanford, he helped to organize a group of students to bring horses to Poland as part of a relief effort after World War II.
He also met his first wife, Joanne Hunnicutt, at Stanford. She is remembered by many as the helpful children's librarian at the Menlo Park Library for many years.
After he received a teaching credential from Stanford, he taught at Woodside Elementary School. During the 1960s, he taught at and served as director of the Peninsula School in Menlo Park. He later helped found Pacific High School, an alternative school near Los Gatos, and taught there until he left to serve as the western field secretary of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors.
In the 1970s, he joined the Dean of Students Office as director of special services, responsible for all draft counseling at Stanford.
After the Vietnam War ended, he was appointed associate dean of Student Affairs at Stanford and served as interim dean of Native American Affairs. He helped organize the first spring Inter-Tribal Pow Wow at Stanford, and helped found Synergy, a cooperative house on campus.
Mr. Strain anchored an important era at Stanford, said Jim Lyons, emeritus dean of student affairs, who worked with Mr. Strain.
"Alan had magical qualities that enriched the lives of students and colleagues. He had special qualities of person, principle, social mission and compassion, and was a master teacher in the informal curriculum of student affairs," said Mr. Lyons. "His work bears fruits even today -- 30 years later."
In 1975, Mr. Strain was awarded the Lloyd D. Dinkelspiel Award for outstanding service to undergraduate education.
He loved to design and build houses, said his son, Larry Strain. He built a home in Portola Valley off Westridge Drive, then renovated the family home, a 26-year project on Wayside Road in Portola Valley.
Mr. Strain also was active with the religious Society of Friends throughout his life. He served on the National Board of the American Friends Service Committee, and on two occasions, was a Friend in Residence at Pendle Hill, a Quaker study center in Pennsylvania.
He was born in Fairfield, Idaho, in 1924 and moved to California with his family in 1935. During World War II, he was a conscientious objector and served his alternative service at boys' ranch in the San Fernando Valley.
He is survived by his wife, Rosalie Pizzo Strain; his sons, David Strain and Larry Strain of Berkeley; his daughter, Laurie Friedman of Davis; 16 grandchildren; and his brothers, Douglas Strain of Oregon and Robert Smith of Illinois.
Contributions in Mr. Strain's memory may be made to the Santa Cruz Friends Meeting Building Fund, 220 Rooney St., Santa Cruz, CA 95065; or the Stroke Center, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
Mary Elizabeth Kaattari
Longtime community volunteer of Menlo Park
A memorial service is scheduled at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park on September 20 at 3 p.m. for Mary Elizabeth Kaattari, a Menlo Park resident for more than 40 years, who died at home on July 27. She was 88.
Mrs. Kaattari was born in Ogden, Utah, and studied business English and office procedures at Ogden Business College.
She was an active volunteer and community worker in the Bay Area. She served in the American Red Cross in the chaplaincy of the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital; the Stanford University Medical Center Auxiliary; and the Altar Guild and the council of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park. She also was a member of the Peninsula Volunteers Little House and Retired Seniors Volunteer program.
She taught English to foreign students in Menlo Park middle schools for six years, and she tutored English to adults in her home.
Mrs. Kaattari is survived by her children, Stephen Kaattari of Yorktown, Virginia, and Katie Ann Kaattari of San Carlos; three grandchildren; and sisters Eugenia Piersanti and Kathleen Peterson of Ogden, Utah.
Carol Dempster Bliss
48-year resident of Menlo Park
Carol Dempster Bliss of Menlo Park died in Palo Alto on September 8. She was 81.
Born in San Francisco in 1921, Mrs. Bliss worked as a telephone operator for 25 years in Burlingame and Redwood City.
She is survived by her children, Lyn Ulrich of Menlo Park, Patti Jean Verwey of Fremont, and Edwin Dempster Bliss of Sparks, Nevada; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood Tinney of Palo Alto.
Thomas Stevenson
Retired ophthalmologist
Services will be held Wednesday, October 29, for Dr. Thomas C. Stevenson, who died October 11 at Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City. He was 83.
The services will start at 3 p.m. at Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel, 400 Woodside Road in Redwood City.
A native of Palo Alto, he attended Stanford University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and Stanford Medical School.
He practiced ophthalmology for 50 years, with offices at 630 Menlo Ave. in Menlo Park for many years. He retired from surgery in 1988, but continued to practice in Redwood City until 1998.
Dr. Stevenson was the son of artists and an artist, himself. He painted portraits and landscapes in watercolor and was a member of the Menlo Art League and the Palo Alto Art League.
He and his wife, Elaine, were marriage in 1956 at St. Raymond Catholic Church in Menlo Park. They lived in Menlo Park and Woodside before moving to Redwood City.
Dr. Stevenson is survived by his wife of 47 years, Elaine, of Redwood City; sons, Robert Stevenson of San Leandro and Michael Stevenson of Pleasanton; and one grandchild.
Mary Pottorff
Former Portola Valley resident
Mary V. Pottorff, who lived in Portola Valley for many years before moving to the Forum retirement community, died October 15 in Cupertino. She was 84.
Ms. Pottorff was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and attended Iowa State University. She became a flight attendant for United Airlines and flew until her marriage to George Pottorff on Valentine's Day 1956.
She had a quiet determination that saw her through polio, breast cancer, and the loss of her husband, say family members.
She is survived by her sons, Robert Pottorff of Dupont, Washington, and James Pottorff of Menlo Park; two grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.
The family prefers remembrances to Woodside Priory School or the American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Prevention and Awareness.
John Hoffman
Raychem executive
A celebration of the life of John Hoffman of Menlo Park will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, November 7, at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hoffman died October 10 from complications of lymphoma. He was 65.
Mr. Hoffman grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Swarthmore College with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He received an MBA from Columbia University.
A resident of the Bay Area for more than 35 years, he retired several years ago as an executive with Raychem Corp.
After retiring, his hobbies included travel, gardening, calligraphy, photography and making baskets.
Mr. Hoffman is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary; children Greg, Laurie Berry, and Doug; and two granddaughters.
The family prefers donations to Stanford University, Division of Oncology, Dr. Advani's Lymphoma Research/John Hoffman, 269 Campus Drive, CCSR 1115, Stanford, CA 94305-5151. Arrangements were under the direction of Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
Anne Gray
Former Junior League member
Services will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, at St. Bede's Episcopal Church, Menlo Park, for Anne Outhwaite Gray. Ms. Gray died November 2 at the Redwoods in Mill Valley, where she had recently moved from Menlo Park.
Ms. Gray was born in Columbus, Ohio, on June 13, 1907. In 1933 she and her husband, Charles, moved to Los Angeles. They settled in Menlo Park in 1955. Mr. Gray died in 1986.
Ms. Gray was active in the Junior League of Palo Alto, serving as sustainer chairman. She was named Sustainer of the Year in 1984. Ms. Gray was a member of the Valley Auxiliary of Family Service and St. Bede's Episcopal Church, where she served in the Altar Guild for many years. Thirty of her friends attended a party in St. Bede's social hall on the occasion of her 95th birthday.
Ms. Gray is survived by her daughter, Holland Gray, of Sausalito; a niece, Lynn, and nephew, Peter.
The family prefers memorials to St. Bede's Church, the Junior League of Palo Alto/Mid Peninsula, or Family Service Agency of San Mateo County.
Coline Cuthbertson
Community volunteer
Coline Upshaw Cuthbertson, who was active in the Stanford University community for many years, died October 20. A former Atherton resident, Ms. Cuthbertson was a resident of The Sequoias in Portola Valley. She was 85.
Ms. Cuthbertson was the widow of Kenneth MacLean Cuthbertson, a vice president at Stanford University for 17 years. Both were members of the class of 1940 at Stanford. He was student body president; she was student body vice president. They were marriage in 1941.
Ms. Cuthbertson was an active supporter of the Las Lomitas District's schools, which her children attended, and a member of the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary to Children's Hospital at Stanford.
She is survived by her four children: Janet Whitchurch of Palo Alto, Tom Cuthbertson of Santa Cruz, Jim Cuthbertson of Orinda, and Nancy Cuthbertson of Yountville; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Donations in her memory may be made to Southern Poverty Law Center (http://web.archive.org/web/20040105130533/http://www.splcenter.org/) or Swords to Ploughshares (http://web.archive.org/web/20040105130533/http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/).
Russel Fey
Former Ampex employee
Russel C. Fey, a resident of Menlo Park for 41 years, died November 5 of heart failure. He was 72.
Mr. Fey was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in industrial engineering. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean War. In 1961 he and his wife, Eunice, were marriage in Cleveland, Ohio. They moved to Menlo Park the next year when Mr. Fey was recruited by Lockheed Corp..
Throughout his career, he was a contract manager, working for Ampex Corp., and, earlier, in contract sales for Stanford Research Institute, now SRI. Mr. Fey retired from Ampex in 1991.
Family members said Mr. Fey was a descendant of Brig. Gen. John Paterson, who served in the Revolutionary War with George Washington. He was a member of the Society of Descendants of Washington's Army at Valley Forge and the Sons of the American Revolution. He was also a member of the Palo Alto chapter of SIRS and Yale Alumni Association.
Mr. Fey is survived by his wife Eunice of Menlo Park and children Elizabeth Nyman of Sacramento and Christopher Fey of Redwood City. Private family services have been held.
Memorials may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Arrangements were under the direction of John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Sally Basler
Mathematician
Sally Basler, a resident of Menlo Park for 28 years, died November 15 after a 19-year battle with cancer. She was 58.
Ms. Basler was born at Brooklyn Naval Hospital, the eldest of six children. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and worked as a mathematician and in computer science and accounting, except for the years she spent raising her family.
Ms. Basler was a member of the Menlo-Atherton branch of the American Association of University Woman, the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Club, and four book clubs.
She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Roy Basler of Menlo Park; sons Jason Basler of San Jose, Julian Basler of San Mateo, and Joshua Basler of Menlo Park; stepchildren Elizabeth Basler of Houston, Texas, and Ethan Basler of Godfrey, Illinois; siblings Greg, Chuck, and Ted Ferris, and Laurie Wilhelm, all of Phoenix, Arizona, and Tim Ferris of Mission Viejo, California; and nine grandchildren.
The family prefers donations to Kaiser Hospice, 1150 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City, 94063.
Beth Harper
Longtime Portola Valley resident
Beth Harper, who lived in Portola Valley for 40 years, died at Stanford Hospital on November 18 from leukemia. She was 68.
Mrs. Harper was born in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1935. She marriage Gordon Harper in 1957 in Palo Alto; they moved to Portola Valley in 1959.
Mrs. Harper was the director of occupational therapy at Stanford Medical Center in the early 1960s. She held a certification in sensory integration that measures and observes childhood development. She treated children in Portola Valley.
She is survived by her husband Gordon of Portola Valley; sister, Jean Farrell of College Park, Maryland; children, Jacque of Chicago and Jim of Washington, D.C.; and one granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at the Harper home at 2 p.m., Sunday, November 30.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations to Peninsula Open Space Trust; the Nature Conservancy; the Palo Alto Medical Foundation; or the Stanford Hospital.
Louis Molteni
Founder of Allied Iron Co.
Louis John Molteni of Menlo Park, founder and former owner of Allied Iron Co., died September 28. He was 84.
Mr. Molteni operated his company in Belmont for 30 years. Proud of his Italian heritage, he enjoyed cooking and making his own wine vinegar, say family members.
He is survived by his children, John Joseph Molteni of Redwood Shores; Mary Ann Molteni of Belmont; Kathleen Louise Sammut of Redwood Shores; Louis Michael Molteni of Sacramento; Sheila Ann Barrett of Menlo Park; Theresa Ann Tavernier of Reno, Nevada; and four grandchildren. He was marriage to the late Kathleen Molteni for 50 years.
A private funeral was held at Church of the Nativity, followed by Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery in Menlo Park. Donations in Mr. Molteni's memory may be made to the American Heart Association, County of San Mateo office, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Suite 100, Burlingame, CA 94010-1311.
Rosario Martin
Accountant and volunteer
Rosario "Rose" Martin, a resident of Menlo Park for 24 years, died October 2 after battling leukemia for one year. She was 48.
Ms. Martin was born in Mexico and moved to Redwood City in 1973. Three years later she marriage Jose G. Martin. She earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from California State University at Hayward while raising two daughters and working part-time.
She enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing and traveling, say family members. She was a volunteer at the Parent's Institute and prepared taxes for local seniors.
Ms. Martin is survived by her husband, Jose, and two daughters, Gladys and Arianna.
A funeral Mass was to be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 7, at Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park. Donations may be made to the Northern California Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 1390 Market St., Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94102. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood and Tinny, Palo Alto.
