Obituaries

Maura Scott Davison, a student at Ormondale School in Portola Valley, died February 13 in an accident in Park City, Utah. She was 5.

Maura is survived by her parents, Scott and Anne Davison of Portola Valley, brothers Adam and Joseph, and grandparents Dave and Ginny Davison and John and Dorothy Shea.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 17, at St. Denis Catholic Church, 2250 Avy Ave., Menlo Park. There will be a visitation at Redwood Chapel, 847 Woodside Road in Redwood City, on Tuesday, February 16, beginning at 4 p.m.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 520 Sand Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304.

Nan S. Gantenbein

Retired teacher

Nan S. Gantenbein, who taught children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, died February 3 in Menlo Park, where she had lived since 1956. She was 87.

Mrs. Gantenbein was born in Portland, Oregan, to parents who had emigrated from Finland. The family later moved to the community of Svensen, where Nan spoke no English when she entered the first grade. She went on to graduate from the University of Oregon and attended school in Monmouth to become a teacher. She taught in Wilbur, Oregon, before joining her husband, Robert Gantenbein, whom she married in 1933, in Portland. They lived in Portland and Fort Worth, Texas, before moving to Menlo Park in 1956. Mrs. Gantenbein taught children with disabilities at El Portal School in San Mateo until her retirement in 1974.

An accomplished artist, Mrs. Gantenbein was a former president of the Menlo Art League. Her watercolors have been displayed on the Peninsula, in Oregon and British Columbia. She was a member of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Gantenbein is survived by her husband, Robert, and children, Robert Jr. of Clackamas, Oregon, and Gail McGrath of Lafayette; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. No services were held.

Helen Robertson

Former church school teacher

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 27, at First Presbyterian Church, 1140 Cowper Ave., Palo Alto, to celebrate the life of Helen Marion Robertson, who died February 9 at the family home in Ladera. She was 84.

Mrs. Robertson was the wife of Jack Robertson, prominent local attorney and former trustee of Sequoia Union High School District. A longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto, Mrs. Robertson was also a church school teacher and adviser to church youth groups. She was a member of the Larabee Auxiliary of the Peninsula Children's Auxiliary, the South County League of Women Voters, and a Stanford homestay participant.

She is survived by her husband Jack; sons David Robertson of Texas and Thomas Robertson of San Francisco; daughter-in-law Jody Robertson; and three grandchildren.

The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be made to MidPeninsula Homecare and Hospice Services Inc., 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 135, Mountain View 94040.

John C. Barulich

Pioneering transportation executive

John Christopher Barulich, who pioneered air freight surface distribution, died January 30 at his home in Woodside. He was 83 and had lived on the Peninsula for the past 56 years.

Mr. Barulich's company, Airport Drayage Company, had its original headquarters in a quonset hut at Mills Field. ADCo grew to become the largest surface air freight carrier in the United States. From 1948 to 1983 his ADCo trucks were a familiar sight in the Bay Area.

Mr. Barulich was also instrumental in supporting the flower growers cooperative, where cut flowers were consolidated, and distributed from the ADCo terminal in South San Francisco by both air freight and refrigerated truck throughout the country. The ADCo operations grew to cover San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland airports, with more than 150 pieces of rolling equipment in its fleet.

A native of San Francisco, Mr. Barulich graduated from Golden Gate College. He was a member of the Olympic Club at Lakeside and the San Mateo Elks Club, and served on the board of several Bay Area trade organizations.

He is survived his daughter Elaine Schwarzkopf and son-in-law Dr. Peter Schwarzkopf of Redwood City; son John Barulich and daughter-in-law Maria Barulich of Redwood City; siblings Matthew Barulich and Ann Barulich, both of San Francisco; and six grandchildren. His wife, Marion, preceded him in death.

A private Mass was held at Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Portola Valley. Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc., P.O. Box 3950, San Rafael, CA 94912-3950.

Adele E. McGrath

Longtime resident of Menlo Park

Longtime Menlo Park resident Adele E. McGrath died in her home February 12. She was 94.

Mrs. McGrath lived in Menlo Park since 1952. She was the mother of the late Claire Sans of Redwood City, and is survived by six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Services were held Monday, February 15, at John D. O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel, 657 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park, and Tuesday at St. Raymond's Catholic Church, 1100 Santa Cruz Ave. She was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Menlo Park. Contributions may be made to St. Raymond's Church or any charity.



© 1999 The Almanac. All Rights Reserved.