Obituaries

(October 1959 – November 2018) David Baumgartner lived a full and well-traveled life. Growing up in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, he graduated from Chester F. Awalt High School and studied at UC Santa Barbara and Westmont College. His many interests included traveling the USA – especially to beaches and national parks, music, gardening, and also protecting animals and butterflies. David’s enjoyed working as the World Music Manager at Tower Records for many years, and also at several West Coast nurseries caring for the plants and giving advice about gardening. One of David’s best friends from Tower Records complied a short play list (https://tinyurl.com/ycpkyomp), highlighting some of David’s favorites – which also included Colombian cumbias, gospel music, and Hawaiian music. Over the years, David moved around a lot, but he made friends everywhere he landed, especially through fellowship at churches and support groups.

Gordon Stewart Inghram, 94, passed away in Ashland, Oregon on January 7, 2019. By his request, no funeral was held. He was born on May 15, 1924 to Allen Inghram and Grace Kirkman Inghram, in Portland, Oregon. Gordon graduated from Mountain View High School in California in 1942. He served in the Army Air Force from February 4, 1943 to January 18, 1946. He served as a radio and radar man, in the rank of Private First Class, and was a part of the Leyte Gulf Invasion. Gordon’s first marriage was to Joan Espinoza in 1948, with whom he had two sons, David Inghram and Brad Inghram. Gordon owned Los Altos Auto Parts from the 1960s until he retired in 1984. Gordon met Phyllis in 1978 when her daughter introduced them when she worked in a shop next to Gordon’s. They married in 1983, and lived in Fort Jones from 1985 until they moved to Ashland, Oregon in 2015.

August 25, 1948 – January 22, 2019 Helen Regnery passed away peacefully in the arms of loved ones on Tuesday January 22, at home in Windsor, California after suffering from Alzheimer’s for many years. Helen was born in Palo Alto, California and was raised in Los Altos with her siblings, Frank, Rolland & Charlotte. A 1966 graduate of Los Altos High School, Helen earned a degree in Kinesiology from Cal State San Francisco and in Physical Therapy from Cal State Northridge. While living in Southern California she met and married her beloved wife, Sandra Peace. After moving to Windsor, Helen loved her job as a Home Health Physical Therapist.

Long time resident of Los Altos, Barbara L. McCall, 79, passed on December 8, 2018, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Barbara was born December 23, 1938, in Long Island New York, to Robert and Anna Leonard. She graduated from High School in Amityille, New York in 1956. She married Thomas M. McCall on September 18, 1959, in New York City. They had two children. Nicholette (Nikki) born in 1960 in Merced, California; Linda born in 1962 at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. After traversing the United States several times they settled in Los Altos in 1975, where Thomas and his long time friend, Donald Andersen, started the very successful technical sales representative, Manco, in Santa Clara. Tom and Barbara were active in the community belonging to many clubs and groups. Tom was the President of the Instrument Society of America in 1980. They square danced monthly for many years. Barbara was active in a local book club, and was a member of the Chapter OZ PEO. Barbara also worked at the Sunset Garden’s Hospitality House in Menlo Park, in the 1980’s and 90’s. In October of 2018, she was recognized for forty years of service from the Palo Alto Auxiliary for Children of the Luicile Packard Children’s Hospital.

Dorothy Theresa Guest Benes died peacefully on November 19, 2018 at the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights, Illinois after a long illness. She was born on November 7, 1932 in the mining town of Montreal, Wisconsin and was the fourth of five children born to Arthur and Evelyn Guest. After graduating from high school, Dorothy attended community college in Ironwood, Michigan. In 1956, she visited California on vacation. She loved it there so much that she moved to Los Altos, California and continued her education at Foothill College. Following college, she worked at the Philco Ford Corporation as an executive secretary and administrator for over forty years.

Dr. Barbara Blancke, 93, of Happy Valley, OR, passed away January 11th, 2019. She was born in New York City on February 27th, 1925. Barbara graduated from Adelphi College with a B.S. degree in 1947 and earned her M.D. degree from New York University in 1951. She was married to Dr. Wilbur Koester on June 28th, 1952. Together they had two children, Douglas and Meredith. They were married for eighteen years. Dr. Blancke worked in private and group practice for 30 years specializing as an OB/GYN. At age 56 she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a Lt. Col and served six years at various base hospitals. Dr. Blancke was also a member of numerous medical societies.