Obituaries Obituaries (July 14, 2004)

Gordon L. Poole

Maritime and finance attorney

Gordon L. Poole, a nationally known maritime and corporate finance attorney in San Francisco, died July 7 in Menlo Park from a rare bone marrow disease. He was 77.

Born on December 25, 1926, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he lived in Mt. Kisco, New York until 1938, when his family moved to Atherton. His father, Arthur B. Poole, was sent by Joseph P. Kennedy, then-Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission, to reorganize the Dollar Steamship Co. in San Francisco, sparking Mr. Poole's lifelong interest in ships. The family lived on the Stanford campus from 1940 until the 1960s, during his father's tenure as an associate professor at the Stanford Business School.

Mr. Poole graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1944. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1947 in Korea, then continued his education, graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1949 and from Harvard Law School in 1952.

After practicing as an associate with Treadwell & Laughlin in San Francisco from 1953 to 1955, he joined Lillick, McHose & Charles, now Nixon Peabody.

During his career with Lillick, he headed the Washington, D.C., office from 1960 to 1962 and was chairman of the management committee from 1981 to 1984. He was a member of the California, San Francisco and American bar associations and the Maritime Law Association.

A lifelong Republican, he was a member of the San Mateo County Republican Central Committee. He was a member and vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Parish in Menlo Park, serving as senior warden in 1970.

Mr. Poole was a longtime member of the Bohemian and the World Trade clubs in San Francisco. He was an enthusiastic San Francisco Opera attendee and an avid Stanford football and basketball fan, and enjoyed swimming, skiing and wildflower hikes, family members said.

Mr. Poole is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lois Teasdale Poole of Woodside; his children, David of San Jose, Edward of San Francisco and Elisabeth Parker of New York City; his brother, Warren G. Poole of Portola Valley; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 15, at St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 2650 Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers a donation to a favorite charity.

Arrangements are by Roller Hapgood & Tinney.

Blanche Delucchi

Woodside resident

Blanche Delucchi, a resident of Woodside and Redwood City for 63 years, died July 8. She was 88.

She was well-known for her French and Italian cuisine, and she had a great sense of humor and a welcoming smile, said her family. She said that her home was her favorite place and she especially enjoyed working in the garden, they said.

Ms. Delucchi is survived by her husband of 70 years, Richard Delucchi of Woodside; her three daughters, Claudette Vogel and Susan Sanchez, both of Los Altos, and Dorine Secrest of Portola Valley; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchilren.

A visitation will be held at 6 p.m. followed by a Rosary Service at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13, at the Redwood Chapel, 847 Woodside Road in Redwood City. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 14, at Our Lady of the Wayside Chapel, 930 Portola Road, Portola Valley.

Memorial contributions may be made to The American Heart Association, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Suite #100, Burlingame, CA 94010 or to Ronald McDonald House, 425 Sherman Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94305.

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