Issue date: April 14, 1999

Obituaries Obituaries (April 14, 1999)

Madeleine Haas Russell

Madeleine Haas Russell

San Francisco civic leader

Madeleine Haas Russell, a San Francisco philanthropist who also maintained a summer home in Atherton, died April 2 on her 84th birthday.

Mrs. Haas, a great grandniece of Levi Strauss, was active in causes ranging from abolition of the death penalty to prevention of war. She was one of San Francisco's biggest supporters of arts and culture.

Born in San Francisco, Mrs. Russell attended Smith College in 1937 and married Leon B. Russell in 1946. Heir to large fortunes from both sides of the family, Mrs. Russell began her philanthropic work while still in her 20s. She and her brother, William, founded the Columbia Foundation in 1940, one of California's earliest foundations to support environmental, cultural and social causes.

An ardent supporter of the Democratic party, she served on many of the party's councils and was co-chairman of the host committee for the 1984 Democratic Convention in San Francisco. She maintained a strong connection to the Jewish community, supporting the state of Israel and local Jewish institutions. She also served on the boards of the Asia Foundation, the San Francisco Opera Association, Brandeis University, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Columbia Foundation.

Mrs. Russell enjoyed gardening, fishing, horseback riding and swimming. She liked to give friends eggs and produce raised on her Atherton estate. She also entertained guests from diverse cultures and points of view at Sunday afternoon get-togethers during her Atherton summers.

Mrs. Russell is survived by three children and their families: Alice and Bill Russell-Shapiro of San Francisco; Christine H. Russell and Mark Schlesinger of San Francisco; Charles P. Russell and Soujata Devaris of London; and five grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to charitable institutions of special interest to Mrs. Russell.

Anthony A. D'Attilio

M-A teacher, coach

Anthony A. "Tony" D'Attilio, Menlo-Atherton teacher and coach for 26 years, was remembered by his colleagues, friends and family at an informal gathering March 26 outside his former classroom, B-4. A Japanese green maple was planted there in his memory.

"Mr. D," as he was called by his students, died March 3 at age 68 after suffering a severe stroke. He retired from the Sequoia district in 1997 after teaching social studies at M-A and coaching frosh-soph football and later varsity football since 1971. His began his teaching career in the district in 1966 at San Carlos High School.

Speaking at the gathering was Frank Moura, who said they became "best friends through coaching." Mr. Moura and his M-A Jazz Band played "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" at the gathering and also "April in Paris," which, Mr. Moura, said was the only piece Mr. D'Attilio would dance to when the band played at his wedding.

Other speakers were Ben Parks, retired M-A football coach; teacher Alan Ida, who shared an interest in fishing with Mr. D'Attilo; and M-A Principal Eric Hartwig. The M-A PTSA served refreshments.

Mr. D'Attilio was born in Italy and came to the United States at age 5, already a U.S. citizen because his father was an American. He grew up in western Pennsylvania, served in the Korean War, and came to Southern California to teach in 1955.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy D'Attilio of San Jose, and his four children, Deborah DePetris of Turlock, Anthony J. D'Attilio of Huntington Beach, Kimberly Armstrong of Oxnard, and David D'Attilio of Milpitas.

Contributions may be made to a tree memorial in Santa Cruz or to a charity of the donor's choice. People may contact Nancy D'Attilio at 5648 Prospect Road, San Jose 95129 for details about the tree memorial.

Alex N. Carr

Woodside High School freshman

Alex N. Carr, an 11-year resident of Woodside, died March 22. He was 14 years old.

Alex was a freshman at Woodside High School and a native of Omaha, Nebraska.

He is survived by his foster mother, Pam Sullivan of Woodside; his foster grandmother, Alma Sullivan of Woodside; his mother, Kim Carr; and aunt, Jodi Randolph Carr. Funeral services have been held.

Memorial contributions may be made to Kara, 457 Kingsley Ave., in Palo Alto, or Catholic Youth Organization, 1 St. Vincent Drive, in San Rafael.

Marcel Behr

Operated pastry shop in Menlo

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, for Marcel Behr, who operated Marcel's Pastry Shop on Santa Cruz Aveune in Menlo Park for many years in the 1950s and 1960s. He died March 9 at his home in Cupertino.

The service will be held at Peninsula Covenant Church, 3650 Farm Hill Blvd. in Redwood City.

Mr. Behr also operated a bakery-snack concession in Tresidder Union on the Stanford campus.

Born near Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France in 1906, Mr. Behr was apprenticed as a pastry chef at age 13, earning his master designation in Paris. At age 20 he emigrated to the United States, became a citizen and worked as the executive pastry chef for the Lurline Cruise Lines before becoming the executive pastry chef at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco.

After many years at the hotel, he began his own business in San Mateo (the Baywood pantry) and moved to Menlo Park.

Mr. Behr was very active in the Menlo Park Host Lions Club, served Lions International as a district governor and held many offices at the local level.

He is survived by his daughter Margo Atkinson of Capitola; his son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Eileen Behr of Redwood City; and grandchildren David Atkinson and Jon and Shelley Atkinson and Christopher Behr.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Lion's Eye Foundation, c/o Menlo Park Host Lions Club, P.O. Box 275, Menlo Park, CA 94026-0275.

Peter L. Raugi

Realtor

Peter L. Raugi, a resident of Menlo Park for 56 years, died April 6. He was 81.

A real estate broker with Wright & Company and an employee of Swift & Company for 28 years, Mr. Raugi was a past president of the Menlo Park Board of Realtors.

He was a 50-year member of Palo Alto Elks Lodge #1471; a member of the Italian American Social Club of Menlo Park and Little House of Menlo Park; and a member/organizer of the Shoreline Golf Club.

He is survived by his wife, Victorine Raugi of Menlo Park; Gregory Raugi M.D., PhD. of Woodway, Washington; brother Elio Raugi of South San Francisco; grandchildren Dana and Brandon Raugi of Woodway, Washington; and many nieces and nephews.

Services have been held. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mid-Peninsula Hospice, 65 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025-5232; or to the American Cancer Society of San Mateo County, 1720 S. Amphlett Blvd., Suite 120, San Mateo, CA 94306.

Donald Eugene Williams

Lifelong Menlo resident

Services were held April 7 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Menlo Park for Donald Eugene Williams, a lifelong resident of Menlo Park, who died April 2. He was 49.

Mr. Williams was a graduate of Ravenswood High School and worked at various local McDonald's restaurants for 20 years. He is survived by his parents, Isaac and Lavergne Williams of Menlo Park, and sister Gladys Joyet of Denver.

Interment was at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo. Memorials may be made to Kidney Research, Stanford Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California, 94303. Arrangements were directed by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.

Everett E. Carlton

Retired electrical engineer

Everett E. (Gene) Carlton, a resident of Menlo Park for 47 years, died April 2. He was 87.

Mr. Carlton was born in Rogers, Arkansas, and moved to California in 1922. While attending the University of California at Berkeley, he met his wife, Ferna. He graduated in 1933 with a degree in electrical engineering and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

He served in World War II in the South Pacific as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

Mr. Carlton worked for the state of California for 33 years as a supervisory electrical safety engineer for the Division of Industrial Safety. He also served as a member of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission and was a longtime member of the Electrical Council of Underwriters Laboratory.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ferna of Menlo Park; his son Bob of Soquel; his daughter Mary Anne of Sequoia National Park; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His son Stephen preceded him in death.

Theodora L. Johnson

Retired librarian

Theodora L. Johnson, a retired librarian and resident of Menlo Park for four years, died March 10 at the home of a friend. She had been city librarian in Richmond, California, from 1971 to 1981.

A graduate of George Washington University, Miss Johnson was a reporter on the Bethesda, Maryland, Journal and the San Jose Mercury News. In the 1950s she began her career in the Palo Alto City Library after getting her library credential at the San Jose School of Librarianship.

She is survived by her brother Lucius Johnson of Palo Alto, a retired architect; three nieces; a grand-nephew; and a grand-niece.

Fausto Zelaya

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 13, for Dr. Fausto Zelaya, a medical doctor and attorney who lived in Atherton for two years. Dr. Zelaya was a native of Nicaragua and represented several governmental agencies concerned with real estate and economics. Vigil services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, at the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries, 650 Live Oak Ave., Menlo Park. A Mass will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, at St. Denis Catholic Church, 225 Avy Ave., Menlo Park. A longer obituary will run next week.




© 1999 The Almanac. All Rights Reserved.