Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Mary Machado
Mary Machado, a 76-year resident of Mountain View, died
May 27 at her home on California Street. She was 101 years old.
Born July 15, 1901 in Alvarado, Ca. (now called Union City), Machado is survived by her foster son, George Lotierzo, nephew Gilbert Gaspar and nieces Melba Futini, Bernadette Glenn and Ernestine Cantrell.
After her husband had a stroke 1950's, Machado became her family's sole source of income, supporting her bedridden husband and foster son by running a laundry business out of her home. Friends remember her for never raising prices over 50 years, charging 20 cents to iron a shirt until she retired at age 90.
Obituary dated: Friday, June 27, 2003
Earlene Larsen Pierce
Earlene Pierce, a mother, nurse and community activist, died
in her home on June 20 at age 51. Pierce spent her adult life dedicated to the practice of healing others physically, mentally and emotionally. She is survived by her husband Martin, son Craig daughter Lisa Matoes, mother Marion and sisters Suzie, Geri, Sonya, Thalia and Cynthia. As a longtime resident of Los Altos, she was an active member of the Cancer Support Network.
Cynthia Larsen, in memory of her sister, is in the process of creating a nonprofit that will provide physical comfort to the ill. Friends who wish to contribute the organization, to be called Earlene's Angels -- Comforting Touch and Massage, can mail donations to 1575 Villa Street #5, Mountain View, Ca. 94041. No services are being held at this time, but a celebration of life party will be held later in the year.
Obituary dated: Friday, June 27, 2003
Erwin Diessner
Erwin Diessner, a longtime Mountain View resident, died
July 28 in Reno. He was 79. Diessner moved to Mountain View from his native Nevada when he was 17. His family set up an orchard on California Street, where they grew cherries, walnuts and almonds until the land was developed; it is now the site of the Emerald Apartments.
Diessner served as the apartments' business manager, but continued to pursue his love of farming with a five-acre plot that he bought with other family members. It is now part of Shoreline Park. His niece, Katherine Bohn, remembers that Diessner especially enjoyed planting trees and riding tractors on the site.
Vigil services were held for Diessner at Spangler Mortuary, with a funeral mass at St. Joseph Church.
A lifelong bachelor, Diessner is survived by his brother, Oscar Jr. and sisters Emily Gilmartin, Olga Heckey, Emma Winans, Bertha Cochran, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 08, 2003
Edward H. Schnitker
Edward Schnitker, one of the first NASA employees at Moffett Field, died
Aug. 5.
A native of Toledo, Ohio and a 63-year Mountain View resident, Schnitker was born
in 1906, and worked for the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics (which later became NASA) at Langley Field in Virginia. He was transferred to its Moffett Field location in 1940, serving as one of the first 50 employees at the facility.
As an engineer, Schnitker headed up the drafting department and later worked in the budget office. During his career, he helped design and oversee the building of what was then the world's largest wind tunnel. He was employed there until his retirement in 1964.
A past recipient of the City of Mountain View's Citizen of the Year award, Schnitker was active in a number of volunteer groups. These included the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America, where, as a troop leader for 20 years, he earned a Silver Beaver Award. He was a member of the Mountain View Rotary Club for 62 years and the organization's secretary/treasurer. Schnitker was also a 64-year member of the Masonic Lodge.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 29, 2003
James Olivari (1 of 2)
Longtime Mountain View donut maker James Olivari died
July 18; he was 76. Born in Gardner, Mass., James began making donuts in 1954, and owned several shops on the Peninsula, including Mountain View's Olivari Donuts and the including The Donut Cottage in Palo Alto.
Olivari is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jo Olivari, his four daughters and four grandchildren.
Obituary dated: Friday, July 25, 2003
James Olivari 2 of 2)
Longtime Mountain View donut maker James Olivari died
July 18; he was 76. Born in Gardner, Mass., Olivari began making donuts in 1954, and owned several shops on the Peninsula, including Mountain View's Olivari Donuts and the The Donut Cottage in Palo Alto. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jo Olivari, his four daughters and four grandchildren.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 08, 2003
Ruth M. Spencer
Ruth M. (Perry) Spencer, a longtime Mountain View resident and member of a pioneering Santa Clara Valley family, died
Aug. 6 at age 87.
Spencer's great-grandparents emigrated from Cornwall, England in the 1850s to work in the Almaden Quicksilver Mines. In 1860, the Perry family established 15 Mile Station, a hotel and stagecoach depot north of Morgan Hill. With the arrival of the railroad, the local train station there was named Perry Station. In the mid-1880s, the Perrys moved to Hollister, where Spencer was born
and raised.
After marrying Ross Spencer in 1939, the couple made their home in Mountain View. Over the years, Spencer was active in St. Joseph's Catholic Church, YLI, local PTAs and parent groups. Recently, she was awarded a 1,000-hour pin for her volunteer work with the El Camino Hospital Auxiliary.
She also enjoyed music, dancing, and working in the garden and was known for her sense of humor and love of animals.
Spencer was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by children Bradley of Morgan Hill, Robert of San Jose, Susan Moore of Mountain View, five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial mass will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Inurnment services will be conducted at Santa Clara Catholic Cemetery
Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. Donations in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Activity Center, 2380 Enborg Lane, San Jose, CA.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 15, 2003
Eva Mockbee
Eva Mockbee, a longtime educator and active community member, died
Aug. 11 in her Mountain View home at age 83. Born on Dec. 8, 1920 in Vienna, Mockbee immigrated to California with her parents in 1938.
After graduating from Santa Barbara State College, earning a Masters Degree from San Jose State and doing graduate work at Mills College, Mockbee worked for the Mountain View/Los Altos High School District from 1943 to 1983. She was a physical education and science teacher, as well as the dean of girls, a counselor, and the head of the counseling department.
An active community volunteer, Mockbee was a member of the Quota Club of Mountain View, the Business and Professional Women's Club (BPWC), and a life member of the Mountain View Historical Association.
She received the Woman of the Year award from the BPWC and the Women of Achievement award from the Women's Forum in 1990 for her volunteerism. Mockbee also spearheaded the Mountain View War Memorial effort and the Infant Hearing Assessment Program at El Camino Hospital.
Mockbee was preceded in death by her husband, Bud. Donations in her memory may be made to the Quota Club of Mountain View, 482 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 22, 2003
Edward H. Schnitker
Edward Schnitker, one of the first NASA employees at Moffett Field, died
Aug. 5.
A native of Toledo, Ohio and a 63-year Mountain View resident Schnitker was born
in 1906, and worked for the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics (which later became NASA) at Langley Field in Virginia. He was transferred to its Moffett Field location in 1940, serving as one of the first 50 employees at the facility.
As an engineer, Schnitker headed up the drafting department and later worked in the budget office. During his career, he helped design and oversee the building of what was then the world's largest wind tunnel. He was employed there until his retirement in 1964.
A past recipient of the City of Mountain View's Citizen of the Year award, Schnitker was active in a number of volunteer groups. These included the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America, where, as a troop leader for 20 years, he earned a Silver Beaver Award. He was a member of the Mountain View Rotary Club for 62 years and the organization's secretary/treasurer. Schnitker was also a 64-year member of the Masonic Lodge.
After retiring, he and his wife Betsy built a cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which became a favorite spot to relax and spend time with family and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years and daughter Elizabeth Kay, and is survived by daughter Carol Anne, three grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Obituary dated: Friday, August 22, 2003
