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Obituaries

Ruth F. Mathison

Ruth F. Mathison, a resident of Menlo Park for more than 58 years, died Aug. 24 at Nazareth Classic Care Community in Menlo Park. She was 97.

Ms. Mathison was born in Burlingame. She graduated from San Mateo Union High School, where she was class valedictorian. She attended San Mateo Junior College, then graduated from UC Berkeley. While attending Berkeley, she worked for the County of San Mateo, first in the county tax collector's office, then in the county recorder's office.

In 1939 she went to work for the San Mateo County Library. After taking a leave to study for a library sciences degree at the University of Southern California, she became branch supervisor.

Since the library did not have a vehicle for making book deliveries, she bought her first car so that she could deliver and pick up books at 22 library branches and "stations" — small book collection areas in post offices, drug stores and schools — that stretched from Redwood City to South San Francisco, and over to Half Moon Bay and Pescadero.

She married John "Jack" Mathison in 1942, and resigned her job two years later to raise a family. In 1954, she returned to her branch librarian position, and became assistant county librarian 10 years later. After 31 years in the library system, she retired in 1975.

Ms. Mathison was a member of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years. She was a member of the Menlo-Atherton branch of AAUW and also Little House. She enjoyed playing bridge and traveling the world. Even after the dementia that came in her later years, she still enjoyed reading, music, singing old songs and hymns, flowers, children, animals and visiting with people, family members say.

Ms. Mathison is survived by her children, Janice Coburn, John Mathison, and Rosemary Mathison; and four grandchildren. Donations in her name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of America or Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.

Helen Cserepes

Helen Cserepes, a resident of Menlo Park for 46 years, died at Stanford Medical Center on Aug. 28 of complications from pneumonia. She was 86.

Ms. Cserepes was born in Los Angeles and raised in Berkeley. She graduated from Colby College in Maine and UC Berkeley. After college she was a social worker for the Red Cross and other organizations. She later worked for Sears in Mountain View for 25 years, serving as assistant credit manager.

After retiring in 1984, she used her training as a social worker to volunteer in outreach programs at Little House in Menlo Park. "She was a very social person, always in high spirits, who loved going out to lunch with her many friends," says her sister-in-law RuthJoy Fieldbrave.

Ms. Cserepes is survived by her brother, Theodore Fieldbrave of Beaverton, Oregon, and two nieces. Her husband, Walter Cserepes, died in 1999.

A private family service will be held at a later date in Oregon.

Donations in her name may be made to a favorite charity.

Ray F. Smith

Raymond F. Smith, a longtime resident of Los Trancos Woods, died Aug. 16. He was 86.

Mr. Smith grew up in San Bruno and lived most of his life on the Peninsula.

During World War II, he served in the Seabees, the construction battalion of the U.S. Navy.

He was a carpenter who built his own home in Los Trancos Woods 45 years ago. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle to Alice's Restaurant on Skyline Boulevard, and did so until two days before he entered the hospital, say family members.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Rosalie Smith; son Michael D. Smith; stepson Rufus Aaron Payden; brother Elmer J. Smith; sister Lorann Lindsay; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Nelson Dake

Nelson Dake, a former social sciences teacher in the Sequoia Union High School District, drowned in a swimming accident at Lake Tahoe in August. Mr. Dake, a resident of Los Trancos Woods for more than 20 years, was 69.

Mr. Dake was a graduate of Fremont High School in Sunnyvale and San Jose State University. In college he played football for the Spartans and also coached football during his teaching career. He taught at Menlo-Atherton and Ravenswood high schools, as well as in the Cupertino schools, retiring in 2001.

An athlete, Mr. Dake swam at 7:30 a.m. every day at Alpine Hills Tennis and Swimming Club in Portola Valley.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; children Krista and Greg Dake; and brothers Larry and Stan Dake.