Obituaries Obituaries (May 11, 2005)

Burt Avery

Avery Construction founder

Lewis Burtis "Burt" Avery died at his home in Atherton on May 3. He was 82.

Mr. Avery was born in Oakland. After attending University High School, he entered Stanford University in the class of 1945, transferring to UC Berkeley's Navy V-12 program as a junior. He lettered in football, rugby and crew at Stanford, and in football and rugby at Cal.

He served as a deep-sea diving officer in the U.S. Navy in Okinawa, clearing Naha Harbor of sunken ships. He dove every day for two months, carrying dynamite down to 40 feet in a diving suit weighing 200 pounds, say family members.

After the service, he attended Stanford Business School. He married Marion Peterson in 1949 and worked as a sales engineer.

In 1960 Mr. Avery formed Avery Construction Company, building garden apartments in Santa Clara Valley. The company grew to 140 employees. He was a founder of the Housing Industry Foundation, which renovates shelters and supplies emergency grants for housing to families. He was also a founder of the California Housing Council and Mountain View Council.

Mr. Avery was a member of Menlo Country Club, the Bohemian Club, Palo Alto Club, and Hal's Domino Club in Glenbrook, Nevada. Fly fishing on the Babine river in British Columbia was a passion for 30 years, say family members.

His five sons swam and played water polo during their school years, leading him to be a founder of the Stanford Water Polo Foundation. In 2001, the Averys were the lead donors for the Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford, the nation's largest. They also endowed a professorship in immunology in 1989.

Mr. Avery is survived by his wife, Marion, of Atherton; his sons, Chris, Bruce, Brian, Matthew and Regan; a brother, Robert Avery of Walnut Creek; and nine grandchildren.

Funeral services were private. Donations in Mr. Avery's memory may be sent to the Housing Industry Emergency Fund, 1845 S. Bascom Ave., The Annex, Campbell, CA 95008; or a favorite charity. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney.

Louise Cheney

Longtime Menlo Park resident

Louise Dahlberg Cheney, a Menlo Park resident for 39 years, died April 26 from lymphoma. She was 76.

Ms. Cheney, who was born in Berkeley, graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle as an art major. Before her marriage to William Ray Cheney, she was a fashion model at Frederick and Nelson department store in Seattle, and later worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in San Francisco.

The Cheneys lived in Williamsburg, Virginia, before returning to California to live in Menlo Park. For 22 years she was an Avon representative. She continued her art, making stained-glass designs and greeting cards, say family members. She enjoyed gardening and studying Japanese flower arranging.

Ms. Cheney is survived by her children, Catherine Curtis of Fairfax, Virginia, Richard Cheney of New York City, and James Cheney of Santa Rosa; a sister, Mary Dahlberg of Menlo Park; and four grandchildren. Her husband of 52 years, William Ray Cheney, died in February. At her request, there were no services.

Memorials may be made to "Walking for Ben," the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 675 North First St., Suite 1100, San Jose, CA 95112.

Gertrude Nelligan

J. Magnin saleswoman

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at St. Raymond Church in Menlo Park for Gertrude Meade "Pat" Nelligan. Ms. Nelligan, a Menlo Park resident for 30 years, died April 21. She was 89.

Ms. Nelligan was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1915. The youngest of nine children, she was raised by her family after her parents died when she was a child. She attended Simmons College in Boston, where she majored in merchandising.

Ms. Nelligan moved to California during World War II when her husband was sent to the Pacific. In the 1950s, as a single parent, she worked part time at J. Magnin in the Stanford Shopping Center, becoming a top saleswoman. She worked for the store until it closed, then as a saleswoman for I. Magnin until her retirement.

In her later years, she lived at Crane Place in Menlo Park, where her sister, Francis Meade Corby, also had an apartment. She is survived by her children, Judith Nelligan Blommer of Atherton, and John Patrick Nelligan of Redwood City; her sister, Francis Meade Corby; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made in her name to the Peninsula Volunteers, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.

Olive Weddle

Former Las Lomitas teacher

Olive Weddle, who taught kindergarten and first grade in the Las Lomitas School District for 20 years, died April 30. She was 93.

Ms. Weddle taught at both Las Lomitas and Ladera schools. After her retirement in 1976, she volunteered at Las Lomitas School and, later, at Santa Rita School in Los Altos. She was known for the beautiful floral bouquets from her garden that she brought to the teachers' lounge.

Ms. Weddle was born in Ramona, in San Diego County, where both her mother and grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse.

At the time of her death, Ms. Weddle lived at Pilgrim Haven Retirement Community in Los Altos, where she had resided for 11 years.

She is survived by a son, Perry Weddle of Sacramento; a daughter, Susan Voorhees of Santa Fe; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Her husband of 42 years, Carroll "Cal" Weddle, died in 1977.

As a memorial to Ms. Weddle, the family suggests reading a story to a child or finding excitement in learning.

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