By Sheila O'Brien Kennedy
Sheila O’Brien Kennedy died June 17 after a short battle with cancer. She was a native of Belfast, Ireland.
Mrs. Kennedy came to the United States in 1956 to begin a new life and start her family. She was a longtime volunteer for the American Cancer Society and the Children’s Home Society.
She was an avid tennis player and golfer and enjoyed listening to the San Francisco Giants on the radio.
She worked for St. Nicholas Catholic Church and the Diocese of San Jose for 28 years. She also served on the Parish Council and was a member of the finance committee.
Mrs. Kennedy is survived by her three sons, Adam, Stephen and Nicholas Seewer and his wife Nadia; siblings, Katie O’Brien of Mountain View and John O’Brien; and nieces Nicole Arretche and Kerry O’Brien.
Ruben Rathjen
Ruben Rathjen, a former Los Altos Hills resident, died June 22. A native of California, he was 79.
Mr. Rathjen was a self-employed carpenter.
He was the widower of Doris Rathjen. Mr. Rathjen is survived by his siblings, Walter, Rinold and Benny Rathjen and Annieta Birch.
Elmo Samuel
Thomas Barrett
Elmo Samuel Thomas Barrett died June 23 at his Los Altos home. He was 83.
Mr. Barrett was a postal clerk at the Los Altos Post Office for 11 years.
He had lived in Los Altos since 1947.
He was a member of the American Legion for 55 years.
Mr. Barrett was the widower of Evelyn L. Barrett.
He is survived by children, Gregory Barrett and Yvonne Johnson; brother, Warren Barrett of Los Altos; grandchildren, Daniel and David Barrett, Dennis, Jeromu and Alisha Johnson; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Joseph Elliott Meek
Joseph Elliott Meek died June 22 at his Los Altos Hills home. He was 55.
Mr. Meek was a sales consultant for Surplus Bridge. He is survived by his wife, Mitzi, and three children, Lindsay, Jeff and Andy.
Merrill Hutton
‘Bill’ Mead
Merrill Hutton “Bill” Mead, a former Los Altos resident, died of lung disease May 7. A native of Los Angeles, he was 75.
Mr. Mead was an aeronautical engineer for 33 years at NASA-Ames Research Center. He was in the first class to enter Jordan Junior High School in Palo Alto and graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1943.
As a member of the Navy’s V-12 program, he earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Minnesota.
He obtained a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Stanford University in 1954.
Mr. Mead moved into a series of management positions,and was Deputy Director of Administration when he retired from Ames in 1981. In 1962, he was awarded a prestigious MIT Sloan Fellowship, attaining an master’s degree in industrial management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963. In 1965 he also completed an assignment at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as Director of Programs and Resources in the Office of Advanced Research and Technology.
Mr. Mead was an accomplished fine woodworker and genealogist. He also had a love for music of all kinds, expressed for several years singing “barbershop” as a member of the Claypipers group, performing old-time melodrama and olios in Drytown.
Mr. Mead was predeceased by his daughter Laura and his son Richard. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Susan Collins Mead; daughters Ann Mead and Melinda Padgett; granddaughter Lorraine Padgett; sister Martha Borland; and his first wife, Carol Wood Mead of Los Altos.
Bernice Costa
Obituaries run on a space-available basis. All items will be edited for length and newspaper style. Notices must be typed and include name of the deceased, death date, age, place of birth, occupation, club affiliations, service date, connection to Los Altos, Los Altos Hills or Mountain View and names of surviving family members. Please include a contact name and phone number. Mail obituaries to Town Crier, 138 Main St. Los Altos 94022; fax 948-6647; or e-mail lindat@latc.com.
Bernice Costa died May 15. A native of Long Beach, she was 72. Mrs. Costa was manager of Kirk’s Restaurant.
She is survived by children, Ted Costa, Judy White of Mountain View, Sandi Malik and Don Costa; siblings, John Kinkley; six grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.
Bonnie Walker Johansen
Bonnie Walker Johansen died May 22. A native of Oklahoma, she was 79,
Mrs. Johansen was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mountain View. She taught Sunday school and was president of the Women’s Association.
She is survived by her husband, Lt. Col. Thomas Stevenson Johansen; children Michael and Eric Walker Johansen, Evelyn Gayle Kempski and Linda Ann Gerber; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
