Obituaries

Charles Mosher, a Menlo Park resident for 35 years, died May 1 at Stanford Medical Center after suffering an aneurysm on April 30. He was 63.

Mr. Mosher was born in Cooperstown, New York. He graduated from California Institute of Technology in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in physics. He was proud of the fact he received a perfect score on his SAT exams for college entry.

After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned master's and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from Cornell University.

A senior engineer with Varian Associates from 1963 to 1974, then a manager of product development at Nuclear Equipment until 1978, he joined Computervision Corp., and later worked as an electronic engineer for TCI.

Since 1989, he has been teaching classes and holding offices in several organizations, including the Bay Area Amphibians and Reptile Society, the East Palo Alto Area Drug Task Force, Palo Alto Junior Museum, Parents Without Partners, and the Little House Computer Club.

Mr. Mosher was a hiker, bicyclist, photographer, and camper. As an "eccentric genius," he was fond of shocking people with his unusual antics.

Mr. Mosher is survived by his son Alexander, daughter Vivi, brother Lanning, and three nieces. He was formerly married to Naidia Woolf. Donations may be made in his memory to a "reptile education fund," care of BAARS, Palo Alto Junior Museum, 1451 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 94301.

Eleanor Q. Hanson

Resident of Sequoias

Eleanor Quandt Hanson, who, with her husband, Raymond, spent a half century serving the Presbyterian Church, died April 21 at Stanford Medical Center. She was 86.

Mrs. Hanson was born in Oakland and earned a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley. In 1935 she married Raymond Hanson, who went on to establish the Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy law firm in San Francisco.

The couple was instrumental in founding the San Mateo Presbyterian Church in the 1940s and were later members of churches in Burlingame and Portola Valley. A talented singer, Mrs. Hanson took part in church music programs.

The Hansons moved to the Sequoias in the 1980s. As president of Northern California Presbyterian Homes Inc. in the 1950s, Mr. Hanson was instrumental in establishing a number of Presbyterian retirement communities, including The Sequoias.

The couple enjoyed travelling worldwide, making trips to their vineyard in Napa Valley, and visiting Ashland, Oregon, where Mr. Hanson served on the Shakespeare Festival's board of directors. Mrs. Hanson was dedicated to her eight grandchildren and sharing her Christian faith with them, her family says.

Mrs. Hanson is survived by her daughters Lynne Dilling and Christine Cabot, both of Los Altos; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Her husband, Raymond Hanson, died in 1996.

Donations to found a Eleanor Hanson memorial at the Sequoias may be sent to NCPHS Foundation, c/o The Sequoias, 501 Portola Road, Portola Valley, California 94028. Memorials may be made in Mrs. Hanson's name to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1300 Harmon Place, P.O. Box 779, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55440-0779.

John W. Gerkensmeyer

Art editor

Services have been held for John W. Gerkensmyer, a resident of Menlo Park for 50 years, who died May 2, He was 76.

A native of Oakland, Gerkensmeyer was an art editor for the San Fraancisco Examiner for 35 years.

He is survived by six children: Kathyn Gutohrlein of Seattle, Susan O'Hare of Menlo Park, John of Arnold, Thomas of San Leandro, Mark of Mountain View, and David of Gilroy. He also leaves nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His wife, Phyllis, preceded him in death.

Services were held May 7 at Redwood Chapel, Redwood City, with interment at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno. Donations may be made to Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto, 94304.



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