Issue date: September 30, 1998

Obituaries Obituaries (September 30, 1998)

William H. Lacy Jr.

Former Atherton planning commissioner

William H. Lacey Jr., a former Atherton Planning Commissioner, died of pneumonia following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 76.

Born in New York City, Mr. Lacey graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy, and received degrees from Brown University and the University of Virginia's law school.

During World War II, he served as a captain in the 78th "Lightening" Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge. At the end of the war, Mr. Lacey served as an aide to Major General Edwin P. Parker, the commander of the European forces.

Mr. Lacey moved to San Francisco in 1960 and worked as a real estate developer, receiving an architectural award in 1963 for his 1980 Union Street development.

Later, during his 25 years as an Atherton resident, he served on the town's Planning Commission. Mr. Lacey volunteered at OICW, the Menlo Park job-training program, and was a director of the Menlo Park Lions Pop Warner Youth Football organization.

A loving and devoted father, Mr. Lacey coached his two sons' Little League baseball and Pop Warner football teams. Mr. Lacey was also a member of the Menlo Circus Club and the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Mr. Lacey is survived by his wife of 44 years Margaret C. Lacey of Palo Alto; and his sons William Henry Thaddeus Lacey III of Palo Alto and James Griffin Lacey of Campbell.

A memorial Mass was held September 25 at the Church of the Nativity, with a private burial in Sun Valley, Idaho. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Radiation, Oncology Department at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 300 Homer St., Palo Alto 94043.

Gunnar Holmfred Stevenson Retired electrician

Gunnar Holmfred Stevenson, a 45-year resident of Menlo Park, died September 16. He was 87 years old.

A native of Torekov, Sweden, Mr. Stevenson came to the United States at the age of 19 and settled in Palo Alto in 1931. In 1937 he married Marie Hallson; the pair remained married until her death in 1994.

During World War II, Mr. Stevenson worked in the shipyards, and later sailed with the Merchant Marine. Before the war, he worked as a tile setter; family members said that his work can still be seen in many area homes.

In the 1950s he became an electrician and helped to build many industrial buildings in Silicon Valley. After retiring in 1983, he spent most of his time as his wife's caregiver.

Family members said he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and took great pleasure in building a vacation home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the family spent many weekends and summers together.

Mr. Stevenson is survived by his son Philip Erik Stevenson of South Orange, New Jersey; his daughter Phoebe Newlove of Los Gatos; his granddaughter Mary Louise Newlove of Ladera; and his brother Erik Stefansson of Torekov, Sweden. He was preceded in death by a brother, Henry Bryhammer of Stockholm, Sweden.

Memorial services were held September 21 at First Lutheran Church in Palo Alto. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Peninsula Volunteers, Little House, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park.

Raymond J. Rath

Member, Menlo Kiwanis

Raymond J. Rath, a member of the Menlo Park Kiwanis Club, died September 3 at his home in Belmont. He was 67.

A native of San Francisco, he was active in the Lucie Stern and Hillbarn theater groups.

Survivors include his wife Faith Marie Rath, daughter Deborah Pellegrini of Folsom, son Michael Rath of Danville, daughter Catherine Tatman of Simi Valley, sister Gloria Maymo of Sunnyvale, and seven grandchildren.

A memorial Mass was held September 14 in San Mateo. The family prefers contributions to the American Heart Association. Arrangements were by John O'Connor Menlo Colonial Chapel.

John Francis Belz

Stanford professor emeritus

John Francis Belz, M.D., died at his Menlo Park home September 20. He was 84.

A native of San Francisco, Dr. Belz graduated from Lowell High School and received undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University. One of the youngest in his class, Dr. Belz entered medical school during his fourth undergraduate year.

His first job, in 1941, was as district medical officer for the Oregon State Board of Health; he became director of the Maternal and Child Health Division in 1942.

In 1959, responding to public concern about children with impaired emotional development, he accepted a postdoctoral fellowship in child psychiatry at Stanford. He later directed the Peninsula Children's Center for Childhood Schizophrenia and Autism in Palo Alto, and then consulted with Kaiser Permanente as an expert in infantile autism. He taught at Stanford as an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and had remained a retired partner at Kaiser since 1985.

Dr. Belz was also an expert flycaster, having been taught the sport by his father on the Truckee River, family members said. A member of the American Philatelic Society, he assembled stamp collections to donate annually to disabled veterans through the Red Cross.

Dr. Belz is survived by his wife Helene; his children Virginia Chomat, Caroline Caloyeras, and Katherine Groves; his sons-in-law Pierre Chomat, Peter Caloyeras and Timothy Groves; his grandchildren Catherine and Anne Marie Chomat and John and Alexander Caloyeras; his sister Marie Louise Belz Warner; his nieces Ellen Todd and Karen Anne Olson; and his grandnephew Mark Olson.

Services were held September 25 at Roller, Hapgood and Tinney's chapel in Palo Alto.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to rebuild the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park may be sent to Friends of the Conservatory, Recreation and Parks, 501 Stanyan St., San Francisco, 94117. Donations may also be sent to Second Harvest Food Bank, 750 Curtner Ave., San Jose; or to the Elks Club charities.

Jerrell Siegel

Longtime resident of Menlo Park

Jerrell Siegel, a longtime resident of Menlo Park, died at her home August 30. She was 59.

A graduate of Lowell High School and the University of California at Berkeley, she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Mrs. Siegel was also president of Congregation Beth Am form 1979 to 1981.

She is survived by her children Marvin S. Siegel, Dan K. Siegel, and Lara Siegel; her sisters Eleanor Coffman and Rhoda Samuels; her brother-in-law Peter A. Samuels; her niece Rachel L. Samuels; and her nephews David E. Coffman and Joshua M. Samuels.

Services have been held. Memorial contributions may be made to the California Jewish Heritage Fund, c/o Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills.

John Marshall Day

Longtime resident of Menlo Park

John Marshall Day, a longtime resident of Menlo Park, died September 17. He was 61.

Mr. Day attended the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in sociology and economics. He went on to the University of Utah's school of law, where he was a member of the Law Review staff, and received his juris doctorate degree from the University of Santa Clara.

He taught for a year at the University of Utah before joining the faculty at Foothill College in 1964 as a sociologist, specializing in the sociology of law and religion. He served as dean of the Foothill social science division form May 1975 until June 1989, when he returned to a full-time teaching position. He retired in December 1998.

Mr. Day was a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving 30 years before his retirement in May 1990.

He is survived by his wife Margaret Groome Day; daughter Margaret Elizabeth Day of Menlo Park; sister Trudy Edvalson; and brother William Day.

Services have been held. Memorial donations may be made to the Foothill De Anza Foundation, John Marshall Day Memorial Scholarship, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022.




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