MATTHEW ALAN GRAVIANO
September 26, 1984 -
April 14, 2007
Matt was born and raised in Los Altos. He graduated from Saint Francis High School and was a proud senior at U. C. Santa Cruz. His Bachelor of Arts degree will be awarded posthumously in June.
Matt was a kind and gentle soul, unassuming and unpretentious. He was warm and engaging, independent, fearless and full of adventure. His endearing smile and unique charm captured many hearts.
“Little Gravs” was a friend to many, as evidenced by the tremendous outpouring of support his family has received. He was dearly loved and will live forever in the hearts of his parents, Bob and Carol, and his brothers, Danny, Bobby and Jay.
The Matthew Graviano Stevenson College Scholarship has been established to honor his memory. Checks can be made payable to UCSC Foundation. Please indicate Matthew Graviano Stevenson College Scholarship and mail to:
Provost Ellen Suckiel
Stevenson College
UCSC
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
CHARLES SHANE DIGGINS (CHARLIE)
September 9, 1958 -
April 17, 2007
Most beloved husband and proud papa, son, brother, uncle, brother and son-in-law, sponsor, friend, craziest attired golfer, DJ extraordinaire, world-class T-Ball coach, completely committed Pacific Community Charter School parent, electrical magician, compassionate listener, community member, radio DJ, generous volunteer, passionate music lover and collector, and unending humorist. And so many “yets” we can’t list them all. Charlie, our time was so short - and we are so grateful for all we had. Blessed be.
Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Sunday May 6th at Oz Farm, Manchester. See www.charliediggins.net for more information or www.oz-farm.com for directions.
A trust fund for the family has been so generously established at Westamerica Bank, Gualala, California.
In Memory of:
AMBROSE VINCENT KARPEN
Ambrose Vincent (known as George), age 90 passed away Tuesday, April 24 at his home in Redding California. He was born 16 October 1916 in Ashton, Iowa. He graduated in 1934 from Slayton Minnesota High School and served in the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard before joining NASA as an aeronautical engineer in 1947. He graduated from San Jose State College in 1954 with a degree in aeronautical engineering and resided in Los Altos, California for 50 years.
He was one of seven brothers, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his three daughters, Alice Knox and Anne Hanna, both of Redding, California, Judy Timmins, of Toowoomba, Queensland in Australia, his 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Graveside services were held Monday, April 30, at Northern California Veterans Cemetery, Igo, CA. Please sign the guestbook at www.obituaries.redding.com.
CHARLES FREDERICK COE
It is with much sadness that the Coe family announces the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, uncle and friend, Charles F. Coe on April 17th at The Forum in Cupertino. Charles was born on March 15, 1923 in San Mateo, CA to Gei and Ida (Hinze) Coe. His family remained in Burlingame, CA and it was here that he graduated high school, attended two years at San Mateo Junior College and enlisted in World War II.
During the War, Charlie flew 31 missions as a navigator on B-17’s in the European theater as a member of the 303rd Bomb Group - the Hell’s Angels. On several occasions the crew relied on him to find alternate landing strips on the British coast because their aircraft was too shot up to make it all the way back to the airfield at Molesworth. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and a European Theater of Operations Medal. He returned to the U.S. and became a navigator instructor on B-29’s and then an instructor of instructors. After leaving active duty he served in the Air Force Reserve until 1967.
In 1945 he married Shyrle Uhalt, of New Orleans, and together they built their lifetime home on Cuesta Dr. in Los Altos. Theirs was the first house on the street, which was a cul de sac ending at Springer Rd. Their backyard, a prune orchard, extended all the way to the railroad tracks - now Foothill Expressway. In 1947 he graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in Mechanical Engineering.
Charlie retired from NASA Ames Research Center after 32 years of research on subjects of aerodynamics, dynamic loads, aero elasticity, structural dynamics and instrument design. He authored over forty NASA reports primarily on the subjects of dynamic airloads and buffeting. As a member of the Space Shuttle Structure Team he proposed and carried out special wind-tunnel tests on the Space Shuttle tiles that provided the first measurements of steady-state and dynamic aerodynamic forces and moments. He designed the unique tile airload instrumentation that made these tests a success. In recognition for this work, Charlie received NASA’s Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal in 1981.
After retirement from NASA in 1981, Charlie started COE Engineering, Inc. and worked on the correlation of wind tunnel and flight measurements of buffet loads and the prediction of buffeting of aircraft, support of wind tunnel tests for the prediction of buffeting of Titan IV and Delta launch vehicles, design and development of a patented electronic pressure scanner, and research on flexible thermal protection materials in an aerodynamic environment.
Two years prior to his death, NASA requested his participation in a select group of experts (known as the “greybeards”) to support wind-tunnel tests to measure and specify the aero acoustic and buffet loads on the Space Shuttle Orbiter and External Tank.
Charlie will be remembered as a committed “do-it-yourself-er” and for his keen intellect, love of travel, wry sense of humor, extraordinary kindness and loving heart by his many colleagues, life-long friends from St. William Church, and fellow residents at The Forum of Cupertino.
Besides his many friends, Charles will be deeply missed by his daughters Lizabeth Coe of Los Altos and Francesca Coe Sherrill of Blackhawk; and grandsons Charles Alexei Coe and Peter Frederick Coe.
Memorial Services were held on Friday, April 27, 2007 at St. William Catholic Church, 611 S. El Monte Ave., Los Altos Hills, CA 94022. In lieu of flowers a gift may be made in memory of Charles Coe to the scholarship he established, the Coe Family Scholarship Endowment through the UNR Foundation. Contact Melanie Perish, College of Engineering - Dean’s Office, Mail Stop 256, UNR, Reno, Nevada 89557.
