KENNETH A. HANSEN
1/23/1938 - 7/12/2005
As in life, Ken was surrounded in death by his friends, after a fifteen-month battle with lung cancer. Born in Two Harbors Minnesota and raised in Mt. View, he was an Eagle Scout, and attended Mt. View High School. His family owned The Palm Motel in Mt View.
Ken held the rank of a first degree Black Belt instructor. He placed 16th in the 1954 Jr. World Olympics, at that time, he was the youngest man in the U.S. to obtain Black Belt.
Kenneth joined the Marine Corps in 1955, and instructed platoons in JuJuitsu, Judo and other hand to hand combat. Sergeant Hansen was awarded from the Department of Defense and presented by the USMC, The American Spirit Honor Medal for display of outstanding qualities of leadership in ground radio communications, amphibian tractor battalion, and hand to hand combat; for honor, initiative, loyalty and a high example to comrades in arms. This award is only presented to outstanding recruits in the Armed Forces.
Ken was a charter member of the Campbell Golden Lions Club in 1975, The VASA Order of America (SVEA Lodge 348), and on many boards relating to sheet metal workers’ organizations. He was in the HVAC business since 1964, and owner of Home Discount Heating & Air. Ken was an avid dancer, loved to party, cook and entertain friends with his jokes and colorful stories. He unequivocally loved children! A foundation in the name of Kenneth A Hansen is being set up to help troubled or needy children with education.
Ken and family would like to thank Hospice of The Valley, Dr. Wakelee and Denise Riclgliano of Stanford for all their help, devotion, love and concern for him. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of The Valley or The American Cancer Society.
LEOTA P. PABST
9/01/1919 - 7/16/2005
Leota (Lee) Pabst passed away on July 16, 2005 in Mesa, Arizona. She was born in McCune, Kansas on September 1, 1919. Lee grew up in Kansas, attended Kansas State Teachers’ College, and taught school before joining the Army in 1943. She was stationed in Hot Springs Arkansas, working as a physical therapist, when she met and married one of her patients, Ned Pabst. They left the service in 1947, drove across the U.S., and finally decided to settle in California. They lived in Los Altos until 1999 and then moved to Arizona to be closer to family.
While starting a family, Lee attended San Jose State. She taught school for a short time but realized she preferred the medical field so worked as a physical therapist for many years. Lee was active in several volunteer organizations, including Allied Arts and Sertoma. She attended Foothills Congregational Church until her move to Phoenix.
Lee loved to cook and entertain. She had a creative mind and a wonderful sense of humor. She will be missed by family and friends. Lee is survived by her two children, Chuck (wife, Chris) and Gwen (husband, Bruce), seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Services will be held in Mesa, AZ. Memorial donations may be made in Lee Pabst’s name to Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, 725 Welch Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94304.
LEROY CLAYTON “ROY” HOLSTINE
10/28/1917-7/16/2005
Passed away peacefully on July 16, 2005 at age 87. Clayton grew up on a farm in Idaho and had a life long love of farming, growing fruits and vegetables and tending to the land. He served in England and France in the U.S. Army during World War II.
In 1962 he started his own business, Roy Holstine Sales Company, selling automotive repair equipment. For the next twenty-five years he built his business which he located in Mtn. View. He was a resident of Los Altos for 55 years. In retirement he enjoyed his backyard orchard and
vegetables, fishing, walking and watching the Giants. Most of all he enjoyed his family and is survived by his wife Margaret of 63 years, daughters Donna Henkel, Sharon Pfann, and son Clay Holstine. Grandchildren, Victoria Hesenflow, Michelle Pfann, Jimmy Pfann, Katy Holstine, and great grandchildren Sara and Kyle Hesenflow.
Friends are invited to call Wednesday, July 20th, 2005 from 4:00 P.M., at The Los Altos Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries, 399 So. San Antonio Rd. Los Altos. Vigil services at the above chapel at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, July 21, 2005. at 11:00 A.M. at St. William Catholic Church, 611 S. El Monte, Los Altos. A reception will follow, with burial at 2:15 P.M. at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Dr., Los Altos. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association, 1 Almaden Blvd., Suite #500, San Jose, CA. 95113
CHRISTOPHER JAMES EGLEN
Beloved son of Angela and Richard Eglen and cherished brother to Kate and Andrew, Christopher, age 12 years, passed peacefully away on July 14, 2005 from complications arising from cerebral palsy.
His family would like to acknowledge all the wonderful medical staff at Palo Alto Medical Foundation and the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital. We would like to thank all the devoted teachers, therapists and caregivers who made his short life so special and rewarding. Angela and Richard would like to express their gratitude to the many friends who supported Christopher and our family over the years.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital.
JAMES OSCAR THOMAS
James Oscar Thomas, 88 passed away on July 19, 2005 at Pilgrim Haven rest home in Los Altos. He was the middle of five boys born to Rhoda and Clyde Thomas in Malad City, Idaho. Four preceded him in death; three of them in childhood. Fatherless by the time he was five years old, Jim and his brothers managed the farm as children. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1941 with a degree in agricultural chemistry, Jim took a job with Pan American Airways on Guam Island. There he was captured by the Japanese navy just days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He spent the duration of World War II in Japanese prison camps. He published his story of captivity in the book “Trapped With the Enemy.” His survival through many remarkable life challenges can be attributed in part to his well known sense of humor. Upon returning to the US he had a career in real estate appraisal, working most recently as Vice President of Personnel at Home Savings and Washington Mutual.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Barbara, of Mtn View, CA, four children, Joan Rohlfs of Rockville, MD, Teresa Cooke of Greensboro, NC, Christina Thomas of Spokane, WA, James C. Thomas of Chapel Hill, NC; and eight grandchildren.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the National Prisoner of War Museum. Write checks to “Andersonville Trust” and mail to PO Box 135, Andersonville, GA 31711.
