Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!Laurence Gregory FitzSimmons Jr.
Laurence Gregory FitzSimmons Jr., 79, a resident of Palo Alto for 43 years, died
April 13. He was a third-generation Californian. He was a 1940 engineering graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu. His career with the telephone company began with the Bell Laboratories in New York City. This was interrupted by World War II, when he served as a lieutenant commander of a minesweeper out of New York and a submarine chaser in the Pacific. Transferred to the Pacific Telegraph & Telephone in 1951, he was a chief engineer of the Northern California area at the time of his retirement in 1974. He was a fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and was active in Telephone Pioneers of America, Western Electronic Show and Convention (WESCON), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Bay Area Retired Telephone Men's Club. An avid hiker and fisherman, his joy was sharing the Sierras with his family. He was also an active supporter of the First Congregational Church and many youth and environmental groups. He is survived by two daughters, Ann FitzSimmons of Boulder, Colo., and Nancy FitzSimmons of Brisbane, Australia. Services have been held.
Obituary dated: Wednesday May 6, 1998
Carolyn Marie Lane Lacey
Carolyn Lane Lacey, 51, a graduate of Cubberley High School, died
April 5 at her home in Reno, Nev. Born in San Francisco, she was a third-generation Californian. She grew up in Palo Alto, graduated from Cubberley High School in 1964, and attended the University of California at Berkeley for two years. She and her first husband were co-owners of Eddie's Coffee Shop in Midtown Shopping Center on Middlefield Road. They moved to Reno in 1969 after their son was born. While in Reno, she pursued a nursing career and earned two degrees as a nurse practioner, one in geriatrics and one in family practice. She also taught in the Orvis School of Nursing at the University of Nevada and developed international extension courses touring India and China. She was active in her community and her church, and recently worked in a neighborhood medical clinic serving Hispanic families. She is survived by one son, James Christianson, one daughter, Anna Burnett, and a grandson to be born
in June, all of Reno, Nev.; and one sister, Linda Lane of Portola Valley. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Obituary dated: Wednesday May 6, 1998
Jane Eleanor Marks John
Jane Eleanor Marks John, 75, a resident of Palo Alto for 48 years, died
April 28. Born in 1922, she was a native of Glendale. She graduated in 1944 from Scripps College, Claremont. She was a member of the Association of University Women, and a longtime volunteer at Allied Arts, the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto and local Girl Scouts. She loved flowers, art, children and children's literature. She is survived by her husband, Gain John of Palo Alto; a son, David John of Menlo Park; two daughters, Barbara John of Laramie, Wyo., and Katherine John of Santa Cruz; and two grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 9 at 1 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Palo Alto.
Obituary dated: Wednesday May 6, 1998
Helen C. Wright
Helen C. Wright, 91, a resident of Palo Alto for 10 years, died
April 27. A native of Massachusetts, she moved to Los Angeles at age 13. She graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1924, and attended Mills College and Smith College, graduating in 1928. She returned to the West Coast in 1930. In 1933 she took her family to Washington, D.C. There she became active in Red Cross, P.T.A., early psychological group work in Bethel Maine, and teaching remedial reading. In 1948 she moved to Tucson Ariz., and received a master's degree in psychology. She opened a remedial education center, to which elementary schools, high schools and the University of Arizona referred students. During those years, she found time to become an ardent docent at the Tucson Desert Museum. She also invested with others in a boat, to go sailing all over Baja, Havasu Lake in Arizona, and the Catalina Islands. She moved to Palo Alto in 1988 to be nearer to her daughters. She took art classes at the Palo Alto Senior Center for three years, and enjoyed many trips around the country to visit her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is survived by two daughters, Ann Wright Burton of Palo Alto and Priscilla J. Wright of Mill Valley; and a son, John C. Wright of Austin, Texas. She donated her body to medical research, as had her husband before her. Donations may be sent to the Tucson Desert Museum, or to the Alzheimer's Association, Greater San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, CA 94022.
Obituary dated: Wednesday May 6, 1998
Bryce Irving Cann
Bryce Irving Cann, 78, A 63-year resident of Palo Alto, died
March 4. He was born
in Seattle and moved to Palo Alto when he was in grammar school. He attended San Jose State College, along with his wife, Jessie Cann, and studied commercial art. He was inducted into the Army, where he was honored with a silver star for bravery in action. Upon his return to the Bay Area, he worked for Standard Oil and went back to school at the University of California, Berkeley, where he took an interest in architecture. He got his license and apprenticed with William Hempel in Palo Alto. Some of his best work was on residential property in the 1950s. He began his own practice in the mid-1950s with various partners and won the Home of the Year award in the Palo Alto Times for 1955 and 1957. In the 1960s and 1970s, he became interested in larger projects and with his partners designed the Town and Country shopping centers throughout California. In the 1970s he developed an earthquake-resistant high-rise design, which was known as the "Upside-down Building" because much of it was constructed on concrete towers with the floors suspended from the top. He is survived by his wife of 57 years; and two sons, Nicolas Cann of Sausalito and Geoffrey Cann of Palo Alto.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Donette Lee Magoon
Donette Lee Magoon, 69, a resident of Menlo Park for 35 years, died
March 9 of cancer. She was born
in Honolulu, Hawaii and graduated from the University of Hawaii. She then moved to Menlo Park. She is survived by two daughters, Melissa Hall of Los Gatos and Mary Magoon of Anaheim; three sons, Michael Magoon of Boise, Idaho, Marshall Magoon of Alameda and Matthew Magoon of Orlando, Fla.; and one grandson. A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. at her residence, 1941 Oakdell Drive in Menlo Park.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Kathryn Moore
Kathryn Moore, 74, a 54-year resident of Atherton, died
March 9 of cancer. Born in San Francisco, she attended the University of California at Los Angeles. She moved to Atherton in 1944. She was a longtime member of Peninsula Volunteers and active in community affairs. She was also a member of the Menlo Circus Club and the Olympic Club. She was very artistic and loved decorating and entertaining. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, William G. Moore; a daughter, Cheryl Jones of Mill Valley; a sister, Gloria Kennett of Atherton; a brother, Joseph Greenbach of Atherton; and four grandchildren. Services have been held. Donations may be sent to The American Cancer Society, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 120, San Mateo, CA 94402, or to the Peninsula Volunteers, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Stanley P. Mott-Smith
Stanley P. Mott-Smith, 75, a 43-year Palo Alto resident, died
March 12 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was born
and raised in Hawaii. He graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he was a member and president of the UW chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. In 1965 he earned his MBA from Santa Clara University. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy in both World War II and the Korean War. He worked as a senior contract administrator at Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, retiring in 1987. He was always active in sports, and especially in tennis. He was one of the founders and a member of the University Club of Palo Alto. He was also active in Little League and at one time coached a team, the Santa Clara Sheriffs, to a first-place position in Palo Alto. He is survived by his wife. Jane Mott-Smith; a daughter, Mimi Mott-Smith of Fresno; two sons, John Mott-Smith of Davis and James Mott-Smith of San Mateo; and seven grandchildren. A celebration of his life will be held at a time and place yet to be determined. Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 330 Distel Circle, Los Altos, CA 94022, or a charity of the donor's choice.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Maurice Joseph Paquette
Maurice Joseph Paquette, 90, a 22-year resident of Palo Alto, died
March 8. Born in Portland, Ore., he moved to San Francisco and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1922. After graduation, he held various jobs, including working for retail coffee brokers and stock brokers. He joined the Home Owners Loan Corporation in 1934, serving as regional statistician on the regional manager's staff. He entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and was commissioned second lieutenant, Corps of Engineers. He was released from active duty in the rank of captain in 1946. After World War II he returned to San Francisco, and to Redwood City in 1948. He served in the Korean War, attaining the rank of major and earning the Bronze Star. He worked for several years as assistant finance officer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Menlo Park. He also worked for the VA in San Francisco, in the Loan Guarantee division, and retired as assistant loan guarantee officer in 1972. He moved to Palo Alto in 1976. An avid golfer, he was active in the Palo Alto Senior Men's Golf Club for many years. He was also active in SIRS (Sons In Retirement). He is survived by a daughter, Theresa Pilz of Los Altos, and three grandchildren. Services have been held. Donations in his memory may be made to the Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, 1055 Ellis St., San Francisco, CA 94109.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Helen Eleanor Pfeiffer
Helen Eleanor Pfeiffer, 81, a resident of Palo Alto for eight years, died
March 4 after a long illness. She was a native of Lincoln, Neb. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Palo Alto, and had been a Christian education director for the United Methodist Church. She was a longtime piano teacher in Washington State and Palo Alto. She is survived by a sister, Esther Pfeiffer of Palo Alto. Donations may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
Edward Yehuda Soomil
Edward Yehuda Soomil, 89, a former Palo Alto resident, died
Feb. 21 of cardiac arrest at his home in Cupertino. He was born
in Novgorod, Russia and emigrated to Palestine when he was 13. He moved to the United States when he was 20, and became a U.S. citizen. He worked his way through college and received a master's degree from the University of California at Davis in 1936. He worked as an electrical engineer at Westinghouse Corporation for about 40 years. He lived in Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and Cupertino most of his life. His interests included politics, literature, theater and music. He passed on his love of music to his only biological son, Steve Soomil, a musician and composer who died
just one week before his father. He is survived by two stepsons, Philip Roos and David Roos; and a grandson. A wake for both father and son will be held on Saturday, March 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. at The Forum, 23500 Cristo Rey Drive in Cupertino. Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Obituary dated: Wednesday Mar 18, 1998
