Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Theodore Brassinga
Under overcast skies threatening rain, Theodore Brassinga, the third Palo Alto police officer in the department's history to die in the line of duty, was laid to rest by his family and hundreds of fellow police officers Thursday.
"The last few days there has been a lot of soul searching. . . There are no suspects, only victims. Many, many victims," said Palo Alto Police Chief Chris Durkin during services at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Redwood City.
Brassinga, a reserve officer, died
May 15, 1994 accidentally shot in the side of the chest by another officer during what should have been a harmless training drill in in Gilroy in preparation for the World Cup soccer crowds.
A corporate salesman for an East Bay moving company, the 33-year-old Brassinga had devoted many evenings and weekends since January 1993 as a reserve officer in Palo Alto. His greatest desire was to become a full-time officer.
"Ted had a great warmth and spirit and a genuine concern for others and for law enforcement. He had a sense of pride in the Palo Alto reserves," remembered Durkin. "I have a feeling things must be pretty boring in heaven. I can see Ted blasting around in a cloud cruiser looking for that first traffic stop."
Nearly 500 officers from around the state came to the church Thursday to honor their fallen comrade, joining Brassinga's wife, Angela, and the couple's 14-month-old son, Andrew.
Brassinga's sister-in-law, Carolyn McCarthy, remembered the reserve officer's warmth toward everyone. "We gave him the best gift we had, our sister Angela. Little did we know that six and a half years later he would give it back in Andrew. We will be reminded of Ted through his son Andrew."
Following the church service, a motorcade of police cars proceeded via El Camino Real to an interment
at Holy Cross Cemetery
in Menlo Park, where Brassinga's fellow Palo Alto reserve officers meticulously folded the U.S. flag that draped the casket.
At the time of his death, Brassinga was role playing as the "bad guy" in a training drill staged at the Gilroy Amtrak station in preparation for the tens of thousands of international soccer fans who will arrive by train for the World Cup games at Stanford Stadium in June and July. He was shot by a veteran Mountain View officer whose gun was supposed to be emptied and checked prior to the drill.
The results of an investigation by Gilroy police are now under preliminary review by Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Dave Davies. He is expected to release a report this week.
Davies declined to speculate Monday on what charges might be brought. The Mountain View officer, whose name has not been released, is on administrative leave.
Brassinga, an only child, is also survived by his parents, Rita and Theodorus Brassinga of Santa Maria, and grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Herman Toonen of the Netherlands. - by Peter Gauvin
Richard I. Buckwalter
Richard I. Buckwalter, 83, a 76-year resident of Palo Alto, died
May 24, 1994. A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, he was an investment consultant with E.F. Hutton & Co. for 12 years. He was an estate manager for many friends and relatives and was also a philanthropist. He was a member and former president of the Palo Alto Club and a charter member of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club. He was also a fund-raiser for Stanford University and Menlo School and College. He was a graduate of Stanford University. He is survived by his wife, Betty Buckwalter of Palo Alto; three daughters, including Louise Rising of Palo Alto; three grandsons; and a brother. Contributions may be sent to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.
Mary A. Fabbro
Mary A. Fabbro, 64, a 38-year resident of Atherton and Redwood City, died
May 22, 1994 after a long illness. She owned Fabbro's Restaurant in Redwood City with her husband. She was involved in various community activities and charitable organizations, as well as a weekly Bible study group. She is survived by her husband, Frank G. Fabbro of Atherton; three daughters; three sons; a brother; and five grandchildren. Contributions may be sent to St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room, 3500 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025; the American Cancer Society, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94401; or Catholic Worker House, 545 Cassia St., Redwood City, CA 94065.
Dickerson McAfee
Dickerson McAfee, 71, a 21-year resident of Palo Alto, died
May 23, 1994 of lung cancer. A third-generation Californian, he attended Stanford University. He worked as a copywriter for General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y. After moving to California, he worked for several advertising agencies in San Francisco. In 1965 he joined with Tom Hisata to form Hisata Design Associates. He was an active member of All Saints' Episcopal Church, serving as vestry member, senior warden and parish administrator. He is survived by his wife, Patsy McAfee of Palo Alto; two daughters, including Margaret McAfee of Palo Alto; and two granddaughters. Contributions may be sent to the All Saints' Church Parish Hall Building fund, 555 Waverley St., Palo Alto, CA 94301, or the Hospice Program, NHCU 331-C, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304.
Margaret H. North
Margaret H. North, 82, a 46-year resident of Palo Alto, died
May 23, 1994. A native of Scotland, she grew up in Wyoming. She co-founded a printing business, and after retirement, she worked at Sunset Magazine. She is survived by her husband, Harold North of Palo Alto; a daughter, Barbara Bogner of Palo Alto; a son; and four grandsons. Contributions may be sent to the American Lung Association of Santa Clara County, 1469 Park Ave., San Jose, CA 95126.
Gloria C. Riegler
Gloria C. Riegler, 44, a 20-year resident of Sunnyvale and Palo Alto, died
May 22, 1994 of a long illness. A native of Escondido, she is survived by her husband; her mother and father; a son; a daughter; a sister; and two brothers.
Harry C. Wooding
The Rev. Harry C. Wooding, 78, of Palo Alto died
May 22, 1994. A native of Danville, Illinois, he served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Mountain View from 1952 to 1978. He was a member of the Mountain View Rotary Club. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Wooding of Palo Alto; a son, Robert Wooding of Palo Alto; three daughters, including Constance Ring of Portola Valley; a sister; and six grandchildren.
Edward A. Custer
Edward A. Custer, M.D., a resident of Palo Alto, died
May 4, 1994. He was 82. A native of Washington, he attended the University of Washington and received his M.D. from Columbia University in New York. He worked as a physician for the U.S. Army during World War II. He ran a private practice from 1946-1949 in Peekskill, N.Y. After moving to California in 1950, he worked as chief of medical services at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto and as an assistant clinical professor of microbiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. In 1953, he also opened a private practice in general internal medicine on Cowper Street in Palo Alto, from which he retired in 1983. He is survived by his wife Dorothy Custer of Palo Alto; three sons; and four grandchildren.
