June 30, 2004

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Publication Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Obituaries

Marjorie Brown Liebes, who with her family survived the 1906 earthquake and found shelter in a Berkeley public park, died June 25 in Portola Valley. She was 99.

Ms. Brown was born in San Francisco where her father, Bernard Charles Brown, was president of the hardware store, Charles Brown & Sons, founded in the 1850s. She attended Mills College.

She and Sidney Liebes, who were childhood sweethearts, were married in 1927. Mr. Liebes, who died in 1977, was president and board chairman of H. Liebes & Co., a family business, featuring retail women's clothing, founded in 1864. At one time there were nine H. Liebes' stores in the Bay Area.

The young couple moved to San Mateo, then built a home in Hillsborough in 1932. During World War II, the Liebes built chicken coops for a supply of fresh eggs and acquired a Guernsey cow, which Ms. Liebes milked to provide the family with milk and butter during the war, say family members.

For the past 20 years Ms. Liebes had been a resident of The Sequoias in Portola Valley. She devoted her life to her family, garden, friends and relatives, say family members.

She is survived by her sons, Sidney Liebes of Atherton and Stephen Liebes of Palo Alto; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; niece Ruth Shavel and nephew Lloyd Liebes.

A memorial service will be held in August. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney.

Memorials may be made to NCPHS Foundation for the Sequoias Portola Valley Health Center Project, 1525 Post St., San Francisco CA 94109 or a favorite charity.

Graham Taylor
Pathologist and professor

Leland Harris Graham Taylor, a resident of Portola Valley for 30 years, died June 14. He was 70.

Dr. Taylor was born in Oakland and attended Piedmont High School. He was an Eagle Scout and avid backpacker.

He graduated from Stanford University in 1955 and earned a medical degree from Harvard University in 1959. After completing a residency in pathology at the University of California in San Francisco, he served in the U.S. Navy for two years and was stationed in San Diego.

Dr. Taylor's medical career spanned more than 30 years as a pathologist at Mills Memorial Hospital and Mills Peninsula Hospitals in San Mateo. He was also an adjunct clinical professor at Stanford University. He retired in 1994.

Dr. Taylor took part in Alpine Little League and soccer programs in Portola Valley when his children were young. He loved traveling and was an ardent history buff, say family members.

In later years, he spent many hours studying the genealogy and stories of his ancestors, including Isaac Graham, a key player in the movement to annex Alta California to the United States. He was an active member of Sons in Retirement (SIRS) and counted their weekly golf games as one of his favorite activities, say family members.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Loverine P. Taylor; children John Taylor of Moraga, Steve Taylor of Concord, Ann Taylor of Walnut Creek, Jim Taylor of Half Moon Bay; stepchildren, Eric Reed of Belmont and Ian Reed of Paris; a sister, Elizabeth Ferguson of Walnut Creek; and seven grandchildren.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Mission Hospice Inc. of San Mateo.

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