Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Sister Mary Henry
Nurse, patient advocate
Sister Mary Henry, a nurse, teacher of nursing and a pioneer in the field of patient counseling and advocacy, died February 25 at Oakwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Atherton.
Sister Henry, a native of Dublin, Nebraska, died of congestive heart failure. She was 95 and had been a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart for 70 years.
Sister Henry was a graduate of the Creighton University School of Nursing. She entered the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1933.
She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in nursing at San Francisco College for Women and a master's degree in education from Stanford University.
Throughout her long career, she taught science at San Francisco College for Women, Duchesne College in Omaha, Nebraska, and Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois. Later she worked as a nurse and a patient representative at Lake Forest Hospital and in a ministry to battered women and children in Lake Forest.
She was a founding member of the Society of Patient Representatives, formed in 1972. She went to Oakwood in 1981, where she provided nursing care for the elderly nuns until her retirement.
Sister Henry is survived by two sisters, Catherine Henry, a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart living at Oakwood, and Margaret Henry O'Neill of San Francisco.
A funeral Mass was held at Oakwood on March 10 with Burial at the Oakwood Convent Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Religious of the Sacred Heart, Oakwood, 140 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton, CA 94027.
Edgerton Scott
Venture capital partner
Edgerton "Edgie" Scott III, managing director of Lighthouse Capital Partners, a venture capital firm in Menlo Park, died unexpectedly February 22. He was 60.
Mr. Scott had more than 25 years of experience investing in emerging growth companies. He joined Lighthouse Capital Partners in 1999; prior to that he founded Imperial Bank's emerging growth division.
From 1984 to 1990, he was president and founder of BNP Venture Capital, the U.S. venture capital arm of Banque Nationale de Paris.
Mr. Scott lived in Point Arena, California, and is survived by his wife, Sandy; four children; and one grandchild.
A memorial was held February 28 at the Menlo Circus Club. Donations may be made to Friends of Coast Community Library Renovation Fund, P.O. Box 808, Point Arena, CA 95468.
Ethel Wolfe
Longtime Menlo Park resident
Ethel Anne Wolfe died March 5 at her Menlo Park home. She was 94.
Ms. Wolfe was born in Havelock, Iowa, to Jay and Katherine Williams. Her father was a descendant of the Zane family who founded Wheeling, West Virginia, defended Fort Henry during the Revolutionary War and for whom Zanesville, Ohio, is named, say family members.
Ms. Wolfe marriage Ben Wolfe in 1927. They moved to Pasadena, where their three children were born. In 1951, the family moved to Menlo Park, where Mr. Wolfe became employee No. 32 at Stanford Research Institute. Mr. Wolfe died in 1990.
Ms. Wolfe is survived by her sons, Ed Wolfe of Azusa and Stan Wolfe of San Jose; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was conducted by the Rev. Rick Line of the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park, with Burial at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney in Palo Alto.
George Pake, Xerox PARC founder, dies
George Pake, Xerox PARC founder, dies
<BR>(March 17, 2004) George E. Pake, who lived in Portola Valley while he nursed the computer revolution as founder and director of the famed Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, died March 4 in Tucson, Arizona, after a long illness. He was less than a month shy of his 80th birthday.
Founded in 1970, Xerox PARC is famed as the incubator for many of the innovations that shape our digital world. The talented scientists hired and guided by Dr. Pake developed such pioneering innovations as the personal computer, the technology for the Internet, the laser printer, graphical user interface, client-server architecture, and more.
The citation for the National Medal of Science, which Dr. Pake received from President Reagan in 1987, reads: "Every institution he has served has been measurably strengthened by his contributions. ... PARC has achieved world renown for its contributions to the computer age."
"George had an enormous taste for talent," said Bob Bauer of Portola Valley, who was hired by Dr. Pake in 1970 and is still based at PARC. "He was given a mission to change the world, and he hired the best and the brightest."
Dr. Bauer, now chief technology officer for Xerox Global Services, recalls Dr. Pake as saying: "We hire DNA; we don't hire skills."
In a 1987 interview, Dr. Pake described institution-building to the Almanac: "You don't do it all by yourself. You do it by hiring the very best people available and giving them support; you turn them loose to do their thing."
Son of a college professor at Kent State University in Ohio, George Pake had a distinguished research and academic career before being recruited by Xerox. He earned bachelor and master of science degrees from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University), and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1948.
Starting with his Ph.D. thesis, Dr. Pake worked with a small group that pioneered research on nuclear magnetic resonance, the phenomenon that underlies today's MRI machines in many hospitals.
Dr. Pake spent more than 20 years as a physics professor and administrator at Washington University in St. Louis, where he became executive vice chancellor and provost in 1967, according to PARC. During that period, he was also appointed to President Johnson's Science Advisory Committee, and was a professor of physics at Stanford between 1956 and 1962.
In 1970, Xerox selected Dr. Pake to establish a new research center with a mission, in Dr. Bauer's words, "to diversify and become architects of information."
"He assembled the team and gave them the resources and the freedom and the context to change the world," Dr. Bauer said.
By some accounts, Dr. Pake was more interested in the physics endeavors at PARC than the more famous computer research. "He bet on the laser printer business for Xerox," said Dr. Bauer. "By 1980 it was the growth engine of the company."
From 1978 to 1986, Dr. Pake headed corporate research for Xerox. He also continued to be nationally prominent, becoming president of the American Physical Society in 1977, and serving on many professional and national committees.
He was co-author of three books, published more than 50 scientific papers, and received many awards. In 1983, the American Physical Society created the George E. Pake Prize to recognize physicists who combine original research with leadership in applying it in industry.
In 1987, Dr. Pake co-founded the Institute for Research on Learning at Xerox PARC with John Seely Brown, his chosen successor at PARC. From 1988 until this year, he was director emeritus.
Dr. Pake is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Tucson; three sons, Warren of Tucson, Stephen of Los Angeles, and Bruce of St. Louis; a daughter Catherine; and two grandchildren.
Friends may send messages or reflections to info@parc.com; or visit www.parc.xerox.com.
Henry Larson
Former Menlo resident
Henry Larson, who operated a gas station and repair shop on Willow Road and, later, worked for Peninsula Building Materials, died March 5. He was 94.
Mr. Larson was born in Sweden and came to the United States at age 18. He arrived in Mayfield (South Palo Alto) to stay with Swedish friends.
Mr. Larson worked many jobs, from unloading freight trains to building highways. One project he was involved in was the building of Hoover Tower at Stanford University. He watched the Golden Gate Bridge being built and was a spectator at the last lynching in California in San Jose, say family members. He marriage his wife Doris in 1934.
In 1946 Mr. Larson opened a garage repair shop and gas station named Larson and Hahn on Willow Road in Menlo Park. He operated the garage until Peninsula Building Materials purchased his equipment and made him their head mechanic.
The Larsons lived in Menlo Park from 1950 to 1975, when he retired from Peninsula Building Materials and moved to Sunnyvale. The Larsons also built their own weekend retreat next to Portola State Park near La Honda.
After Mr. Larson retired, he worked five years for his son, Bill Larson, founder of the Round Table Pizza chain, maintaining the company-owned stores in the Bay Area. The name, Round Table, came from the round redwood tables that Henry built for the restaurants.
Mr. Larson's hobbies were traveling, working in his blacksmith and tool shop, making miniature tools, repairing and building things for his grandchildren, going to his cabin and studying the Bible, say family members.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Doris; son Bill Larson of Menlo Park; sisters Marianne and Anna of Sweden; nine grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; a one great great-grandchild.
Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.
Rt. Rev. John Raymond Wyatt
Holy Trinity rector
A memorial service will be held for the Rt. Rev. John Raymond Wyatt, rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park from 1957 to 1967, on Monday, June 7, at 4 p.m. at Holy Trinity, 330 Ravenswood Avenue. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Bishop Wyatt died in his sleep on May 23 in Portola Valley.
Mary Kathryn Preuss
Longtime resident
Services will be held Thursday, June 3, for Kay Preuss, a 55-year resident of Menlo Park and Los Altos, who she died March 24 after a long illness. She was 91.
Services will start at 1 p.m. at Spangler Mortuary, 650 Live Oak Ave. in Menlo Park.
Born in Walt Hill, Nebraska, she was a graduate of Saint Catherine's Nursing School in Omaha, and was a registered nurse.
Her husband was a longtime owner of Preuss Pharmacy in Menlo Park.
She is survived by her son, Thomas of Long Beach; and two sisters, Beatrice Bruce of Redwood City and Margaret Merriman of Walnut Creek. She also leaves companions Norma Trance and Apolonia Garza.
Rex Rice
Computing pioneer
Rex Rice, a resident of Sharon Heights for more than 40 years, died May 16 in Menlo Park after a short bout with stomach cancer. He was 86.
Mr. Rice was born in Douglas, Arizona, and graduated from Stanford University in 1940 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He joined Douglas Aircraft and later Northrup Aircraft and conducted research in stress analysis of sloped-wing design. At Northrup he became assistant director of computer services.
In 1955, Mr. Rice joined the IBM laboratory in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he took part in the development of the first fully transistorized digital calculator. His expertise in high-level language computing led him to join Fairchild Instruments, where he co-invented the dual-in-line package that became the industry standard. During his career with Fairchild, he became director of memory development with 16 patents to his credit.
Mr. Rice received the prestigious W. Wallace McDowell Award for highest professional achievement presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
During his younger years, Mr. Rice and his wife, Janet, were sports enthusiasts and had a ski boat they took to Lake Berryessa for water skiing. Loyal Stanford Cardinal football fans, they held season tickets to the games for many years. Until his last illness, Mr. Rice walked the hills of Sharon Heights every day.
When Janet Rice became hospitalized with Alzheimer's Disease, Mr. Rice visited her daily for several years. She died in 1998.
Mr. Rice is survived by his sister Mayanne Kirk of Evergreen, Colorado, and nephews Richard Orr of Hillsborough, David Orr of Tucson, Arizona, and Stephen Orr of Perth, Australia.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, 1109 Hopkins Ave., Redwood City, 94065, where Mr. Rice's wife, Janet, had been a founding board member.
Theda Darley
Retired teacher
Theda M. Darley, a longtime Menlo Park resident, died May 8 at the home of her son, William Darley, in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, of complications resulting from multiple strokes. She was 83.
Ms. Darley was born in Clarksville, Cache County, Utah, and graduated from Utah State University. She taught elementary school in Cache Valley before marrying William M. Darley on the eve of World War II.
In 1957 Ms. Darley moved to Menlo Park with her husband who had been accepted for doctoral work in educational studies at Stanford University. She taught at Hoover Elementary School and, later, at Kennedy Junior High School in the Redwood City School District, specializing in English and art. She retired in the early 1980s.
Ms. Darley was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is survived by son William of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; brother Conrad McBride of Boulder, Colorado; and five grandchildren.
Services were held May 13 at the Church of Latter-day Saints, Menlo Park Stake. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.
Nina Wells Cochran
Formerly of Atherton
Services were to be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, for Nina Cochran, a former resident of Atherton. She died on May 22 after a brief illness at age 91.
Born in Texarkana, Texas, she attended Texarkana College and Sacred Heart Convent in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In 1931, she came in second for the title of Miss Missouri.
She and her husband Ottis Wells moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, to pioneer Coca-Cola in New England, say family members. Later they lived in Salt Lake City, Oakland and Palo Alto. Mr. Wells died in 1970. She later marriage Fred Cochran.
Ms. Cochran was a member of PEO Sisterhood, Peninsula Volunteers and the Palo Alto Auxiliary. She served on the boards of the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet and Opera and was a member of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and the Menlo Country Club. In 2000 she moved to San Mateo.
She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Wells of Menlo Park; stepdaughter Beverly Aarts of Washington, D.C.; three granddaughters; and five stepgrandchildren. Her daughter Susan died in 1987.
The family prefers donations be made to the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Peninsula Volunteers, or the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney.
Helen M. Beikman
Retired geologist
Helen Beikman died May 19 at her home in Columbus, Indiana. She was 75.
A retired geologist for the Department of the Interior, she served 34 years in various locations including Menlo Park.
Born in Seymour, Indiana, she was a graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor of arts degree.
She is survived by sister Mildred Graves of Seymour, Indiana, and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held at the Riverview Cemetery, Seymour, Indiana. Memorials may be made to the Hospice of South Central Indiana.
Iole Bruno
45-year Menlo Park resident
Iole Bruno, a 45-year resident of Menlo Park, died on May 23. She was 78.
Born in Ceva, Italy, she was an electrologist for 20 years. She is survived by her son Ermanno Bruno of Berkeley.
Private services were held at Woodside Chapel of Crippen & Flynn in Redwood City. At a later date, Interment will be held in Italy.
Dolores Klika Stadler
Longtime Menlo resident
Dolores Klika Stadler, who lived in Menlo Park for 52 years, died April 6. She was 87.
Ms. Stadler was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to the Bay Area in 1948. For several years in the 1960s she lived in Japan, where her husband, the late George Klika, was stationed in Tokyo as the chief pilot with Japan Airlines. Mr. Klika died in Japan in 1974, and she later marriage Joseph Stadler, who died in 1980.
Ms. Stadler served as a secretary at Vallombrosa Retreat Center in Menlo Park and volunteered as a Pink Lady at Stanford Hospital and as a member of the Palo Alto Auxiliary to the Children's Hospital at Stanford. She was an active member of Little House and St. Raymond Catholic Church.
Ms. Stadler is survived by her children, Auralee Dallas of Clements, California, Suzanne Klika Ury of Menlo Park, and George Peter Klika of Mercer Island, Washington; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was held April 12 at St. Raymond Catholic Church with Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park.
Arrangements were under the direction of Woodside Chapel of Crippen & Flynn, Redwood City. The family prefers memorials in Ms. Stadler's name to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 675 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95112.
Lexie Nall
Stanford researcher
Lexie Nall of Palo Alto, who established the Epidemiology Laboratory in the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, died February 23. She was 81.
Beginning in 1968, she studied the genetics and epidemiology of skin diseases for more than 35 years at Stanford University. She was a co-author and co-editor of eight books, most recently, "Skin Diseases in the Elderly."
In addition to studying skin diseases, she was active in patient support organizations, including the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association (DebRA).
Ms. Nall was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and graduated from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Before her work in the medical school, she earned a degree in anthropology at Stanford University and worked closely with the late Dr. Bert Gerow, professor of anthropology, on archiving archaeological specimens at the Leland Stanford Jr. Museum. She later earned a doctorate in anthropology.
When Ms. Nall lived in Portola Valley during the 1960s, she was a founder of the Friends of the Library of Portola Valley, which advocated the establishment of the Portola Valley Library. Ms. Nall was also active in the Friends of California Libraries and helped establish local chapters throughout the state.
Ms. Nall is survived by daughter Beva Nall-Langdon of Hamden, Connecticut, and son Blaine Nall of Burlingame. A private memorial service was held March 3.
The family prefers that donations in memory of Ms. Nall be made to DebRA of America, 5 West 36th Street, Suite 404, New York, NY 10018.
Marjorie Learned
Former Menlo Park resident
Marjorie Morrill Learned, a member of St. Bede's Episcopal Church and a former resident of Menlo Park, died April 6 in Cupertino. She was 90.
Ms. Learned was a graduate of the University of Minnesota where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and Mortar Board honor society. She was a past president of the Palo Alto Auxiliary to the Children's Hospital at Stanford, and an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Ms. Learned is survived by her daughter Diane Cox of Brentwood, Tennessee; a son, Park Learned III of Gulf Shores, Alabama; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Park Ritchie Learned Jr.
Private family services will be held in Minneapolis. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.
Lewis Alba
Former Anderson Buick-Cadillac employee
Lewis Alba, who lived in Menlo Park for 40 years, died April 5. He was 86.
Mr. Alba was a native of New York City. During his business career, he operated a service station in Mountain View, worked for the San Francisco Chronicle's circulation department, and was employed by Anderson Buick-Cadillac Agency in Menlo Park until he retired in 1993.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Alba. He was the brother of the late Peter Spitola. Private funeral services have been held. Arrangements were under the direction of O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.
Nan MacGregor Scott
USGS employee
Nan MacGregor Scott, a former Woodside resident, died March 12. She was 69.
Ms. Scott became a resident of Woodside in 1978 when she purchased the historical house at the corner of Albion Avenue and Woodside Road from the Jenkins family trust. She was a member of the Woodside Historical Society and active in the preservation of Independence Hall.
Ms. Scott was a graduate of UC Berkeley and was employed by the US Geological Survey in Menlo Park exploring the movement of earthquake faults in Alaska. In 1995 she became a resident of Fairbanks, Alaska. She will be remembered for her passion to preserve historical memories and for her love of nature, friends and family, said her associates.
Dr. Orland Soave
Veterinarian
Dr. Orland Soave, a resident of Menlo Park for 29 years, died April 8 at Stanford Medical Center. He was 83.
Dr. Soave, who was born in San Francisco, graduated from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. His career focused on animal care and research. For many years he was head of the Division of Laboratory Medicine at Stanford Medical School. After retiring from Stanford, he worked in research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Soave also obtained a law degree. He published a book of veterinary law and a book on the animal-human bond. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II and retired as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Dr. Soave is survived by his wife, Phyllis; son Clark of Corte Madera and daughter Kathryn Koch of Aspen, Colorado; a granddaughter; and three great-grandchildren. No services will be held.
Robert Keine
Holy Trinity organist and choirmaster
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 1, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park for Robert Thomas Keine, who died March 6. Mr. Keine served as organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church in Menlo Park from 1951 to 1984. He was 78.
Mr. Keine was born in Aurora, Illinois, and attended Harvard University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1946 and a master's degree in 1949. He moved to California to pursue postgraduate studies at Stanford University, where he was also a senior lecturer in music.
During his years as organist and choir director, he was instrumental in securing a Schonstein pipe organ from a church in Stockton, transporting it to Menlo Park, and refurbishing it with the help of organ builder John Swinford and his associate, Charles Fisk. Mr. Fisk, a member of the Holy Trinity choir, later became a noted designer and builder of organs.
During his tenure at Holy Trinity, Mr. Keine directed the senior choir and established a junior choir, which took first place one year in the church choir division of the Junior Bach Festival in Berkeley. He also taught piano and organ, and directed several groups of local singers. He was a member of the American Guild of Organists and the Fortnightly Music Club in Palo Alto. Mr. Keine, a Palo Alto resident, worked for the U.S. Post Office as a letter carrier in Menlo Park.
He is survived by his sister, Barbara Goldtrap of Florida.
A choir of his former choristers will sing at his memorial service, and his ashes will be interred in Holy Trinity's Memorial Garden. Donations may be made to the Trinity Parish organ fund.
Margaret Doran
Elementary school teacher
Margaret H. Doran, a resident of Atherton since 1967, died April 19. She was 80.
A native of San Francisco, Ms. Doran was born in 1924 to Peter and Ida Pariani. During her youth, she also lived with her grandparents in Redwood City. She attended San Jose State University, and San Francisco State University, where she graduated with a degree in education. She also took graduate school classes at the University of San Francisco.
Ms. Doran was an elementary school teacher in San Francisco from 1946 to 1958. She was also acting principal of Grattan Elementary School in San Francisco. After her children reached high school age, she sometimes substituted in the Redwood City School District.
Ms. Doran taught religious education classes at the Church of the Nativity, where she had been a parishioner since moving to Atherton. She was active in the PTA, mothers' clubs, Brownies and Cub Scouts while her children were growing up. She loved to garden, cook, and spend time with her grandchildren, say family members.
She is survived by her husband of 47 years, John J. Doran; children Kenneth Doran and Diane Doran Garver; and three grandchildren.
A Mass of Resurrection was held April 26 at the Church of the Nativity, with Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. The family prefers donations to a favorite charity.
Frank Siino
Former manager of Menlo Park Hardware
Frank Horace Siino, former manager of Menlo Park Hardware, died April 10 in Redwood City. He was 67.
Mr. Siino was born in San Mateo County and was a 1955 graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School. He owned Siino's Hardware before going to work for Menlo Park Hardware. He was an accomplished accordion player, photographer, locksmith and boater, say family members.
He is survived by his daughter, Lynette Marie Christensen; son Tony Siino; and one granddaughter.
Memorials to the American Heart Association are preferred by the family.
