WARREN “SWEDE” NELSON
Warren “Swede” Nelson of Mountain View, California passed from this life into eternal life in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Monday, July 31, 2006.
He was born on October 5, 1924 in Mount Vernon, New York to Swedish immigrants, Joel and Hildur Nelson. He is survived by his wife, Betty “Castle” of 59 years; three daughters and one son: Susan Larson, (Rick), Linda Ribary (Jim) both of Gig Harbor, WA, Craig Nelson (Linda) of Lebanon, OR, and Peggy Byrd (Ken) of Colorado Springs, CO, eight grandchildren, sister-in-law, Sylvia Castle and seven nieces and nephews.
Swede was an Aeronautical Research Scientist at NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. He was a Palo Alto Elk, an avid gardener, skier, fisherman, golfer and enjoyed spending time at his cabin in the Sierras. He was a fan of the SF 49ers and SF Giants. Hw was a dynamic, caring and positive person whose parting comment was always “Keep Smiling.”
A funeral service will be held at the Mountain View Spangler Mortuary 799 Castro Street at 11 am on Friday, September 22.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association 2065 W. El Camino Real Suite C M.V. 94040 or a charity of your choice.
ONA LEA MITVALSKY 1/9/21-9/10/06
Ona Lea Mitvalsky was born in Berkeley, CA, in 1921 to Edythe A. (Bobbie) & James A. Hall. She crossed over peacefully with her family by her side in the comfort of her home on Sun., 9/10. Ona Lea was a resident of the S.F. Peninsula most of her life. She met Earl Mitvalsky, Jr. in 1939 & married in 1944. They lived in Menlo Park from 1948-1964, at which time they purchased an acre of land & had a ranch-style home built in Los Altos Hills. Ona Lea devoted her life to her husband, 3 children & her beloved garden & pets, & later to the long-term care of her mother at home. She was an expert bookkeeper for her husband’s business, Henry’s Garage in San Mateo, for over 30 years & worked as a bookkeeper for ESL in Sunnyvale for 8 years back in the 70’s.
Ona Lea’s driving passion was gardening & being outside in nature & in the fresh air. She had an innate talent for making almost anything grow despite all odds & creating natural landscapes of variety & beauty. She had an unsurpassed depth of love, understanding, respect & wonderment for the cycle of life. Her unselfish, generous nature was magnetic, not only to family & friends, but to animals as well. Stray dogs, cats, bunnies, injured birds & even a chicken found their way to Ona Lea’s garden & to her tender loving care all throughout her life.
She is survived by three children & one grand-child: son, Darrell of Melbourne, Australia, his wife, Marcella, & daughter, Chantal; daughter, Carla Bowers of Volcano, CA; & son, Jeff, of Sunnyvale, CA.
She was one of the most innocent, open-hearted souls anyone could know, always looking forward to the next new day despite suffering from severe, painful, crippling rheumatoid arthritis & several other health challenges the last 25 years of her blessed life. Ona Lea’s presence on this Earth will be so greatly missed by all who were so privileged to know & love her & receive her blessings in return. Fly free, gentle strong soul, Ona Lea.
LUCILLE (HOOD) LANG May 24, 1920 - August 21, 2006
Born Lucille Elizabeth Simpson in Pontiac, Michigan. Preceded by husbands Jack Hood and Henry Lang, sister Netta Helm Ramsey, parents James and Jane Simpson. Lucy and Jack Hood moved to southern California following World War II settling in San Fernando, California, then to Lompoc, California where Lucy was in real estate and Jack was in automobile sales until his death in 1977. Her brother-in-law, Hal Lang, was widowed in 1974 and he and Lucy married in 1978. They resided in Los Altos Hills on an apricot orchard that had been in Hal’s family since the 1920s. Lucy is survived by her stepsons Bob Lang (Sandy) and Dick “Stretch” Lang (Paula), several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lucy will be remembered for her sharp wit, intellect, and interest in the world around her. She will be greatly missed by everyone. The family is especially grateful for the friendship and care provided by Julianna “Lonnie” Moran during the final years of Lucy’s life. Family and friends suggest any remembrances be made in Lucy’s name to your preferred charity.
DOROTHY LOU JENSEN
Dorothy Lou Jensen, born February 27, 1933 in Washington, passed away September 8, 2006 in Mountain View. Internment in Cashmere Cemetery, Cashmere, Washington. Private family services will be held. Spangler Mortuaries entrusted with arrangements.
LORRAINE GUIDI
Lorraine Guidi passed away at home surrounded by her family on August 30, 2006 after a 15 month battle with lung cancer. Lorraine was born and raised in Loomis, California and lived in Los Altos with her husband for the past 54 years.
Lorraine is survived by her husband Leo Guidi, her children Loralee Cambier and Larry Guidi and four grandchildren, Brian Cambier,
Melanie Cambier, Angela Guidi and Lyra Guidi, and her sister Alma Giovannoni.
At her request, no funeral will be held. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be on September 23, 2006 at 2:00 pm at Peninsula Bible Church at 3505 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, CA.
All friends are invited to attend and share their personal JOYFUL memories. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to El Camino Hospital Chaplancy or Peninsula Bible Church or Hospice of the Valley.
KUNIGUNDE AGNES GOLZEN February 17, 1914- September 9, 2006
Kuni is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Frank, her four adoring children, Renee Roberts, Mady Fell, Robert Golzen and Sandy Salisbury, twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She was a wonderful woman, caring wife and mother who loved life to its fullest. She loved to sing, dance, travel and dress to the “nines” in her famous high heeled shoes. She will be truly missed by all her family, friends and the many lives she touched through her life’s journey. Celebration of her life will be held at the Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave., Los Altos on Sunday, October 1st at 2:00 PM. Donations in honor of Kuni can be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
GENE SPILLER 1927-2006
Gene Alan Spiller, very dear and much loved by his wife Monica, passed away on Tuesday September 12, 2006. Gene was in a single car accident on San Antonio Road, Los Altos on August 23,2006, and was taken to Stanford University Medical Center, where he contracted pneumonia following treatment of a neck injury.
In the 1950’s when Gene first came to Los Angeles from Milan, Italy, he produced educational films including The Living Soil, about organic agriculture.
Gene was known as Dr Spiller- he received his Ph.D in Nutritional Physiology from UC Berkeley in 1971. He taught Nutrition at Foothill College for 26 years, and enjoyed presenting nutrition topics in simple and popular style in books, including The Power of Ancient Foods, Healthy Nuts, and What’s With Fiber? Dr Spiller was also affectionately known as Dr Fiber following his efforts in the mid 1970’s to expand on and draw attention in the scientific community, to the earlier work of Drs Hugh Trowell and Denis Burkitt, in Africa. They had seen that Western diseases of the heart, diabetes and bowel cancer do not exist in rural Africa, where people eat whole grain and legume dishes, plenty of other simple plant foods and have no access to Western refined foods.
Among Gene’s most interesting studies with local participants, at his Health Research & Studies Center, in Los Altos, were when he demonstrated the cholesterol-lowering power of eating whole almonds in 1989, and later, the antioxidant advantage for athletes of eating raisins.
Gene loved the outdoors, especially photography and hiking in the Sierra Nevada, and playing and umpiring tennis at Alpine Hills Tennis Club. He enjoyed keeping slim and fit easily with his outdoor activities, and cooking and eating meals based on whole grains, legumes, cultured milk and products from local Farmer Markets.
A private ceremony of farewell and gratitude was held on Friday, September 15, 2006, and a family ceremony for the burial, will be held in Mantova, Italy.
LYSLE D. BROWN
Lysle was born in 1927, at Bremerton, WA and passed away peacefully September 14th, 2006 of Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by Mary, his loving wife of 29 years and his children Kris Chavez, Kathy Kopecky, Cindy Brown Salazar, and his bother and sister-in-law Richard and Rose Brown. His stepchildren Janice Stroebe, Michael Hawkes, Steven Hawkes, John Hawkes, Kathie McIntyre and his eleven grandchildren also survive him. Lysle and Mary have been living in Los Altos for 22 years.
Lysle graduated from Cal and served his country in the Korean War. He worked for GTE Government Systems for 24 years and subsequently earned his Real Estate Broker’s license. He and Mary loved to travel to Hawaii and to Europe.
A funeral Mass will be held Thursday, September 21st, at 11am at St William Church in Los Altos. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
KERMIT F. CUFF
Kermit F. Cuff, a long time resident of Los Altos Hills, passed away on September 15th, 2006 at the age of 80. Born in Illinois in 1926, Kermit grew up in a suburb of Chicago. Kermit was a proud WWII veteran serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS San Jacinto. After his Navy service, he enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies receiving his PhD in Physics in 1956. While at MIT, Kermit met his future wife Jean. After graduation and marriage they moved to California in 1957 and settled in Los Altos Hills.
Kermit spent his entire career at the Palo Alto Research Laboratory of Lockheed Missiles and Space Company starting as a Senior Research Scientist and retiring as Director of the Electro-Optical Sciences Laboratory. Throughout his career he made major contributions to the development of infrared sensor technology and other electro-optical systems. He was the driving force behind the establishment and growth of the Electro-Optical Sciences Laboratory at Lockheed to an organization of several hundred professionals at the time of his retirement. Kermit was very proud of his work, his contributions to the Country and especially the people he worked with. During his tenure and after retiring, he remained active dong consulting work and serving on a number of national committees and advisory groups including membership in the Department of Defense Advisory Group on Electronic Devices. He also enjoyed interacting with former colleagues at luncheon gatherings.
Kermit and Jean celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. He was a devoted husband to his wife Jean and a proud father to his children Kermit Cuff Jr., James Cuff, Carolyn Kendrick and Cindy Heintzelman. He is also survived by his brother Robert Cuff and his sister Barbara Cuff and sons-in-law Steve Kendrick and Keith Heintzelman. He took great delight in spending time with granddaughters Brooke and Kensey Kendrick.
A private internment has been held. Memorial contributions can be made to Pathways Hospice Foundation at 585 North Mary Avenue, Sunnyvale CA 94085 or your favorite charity.
