Issue date: August 04, 1999
Martha Blackwelder Merk
Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Mrs. Merk moved to Stanford in 1924, when her father, Dr. Eliot Blackwelder, became head of the school's geology department. She graduated from Castilleja School in Palo Alto, earned a Stanford degree in classics and got a master's degree at San Francisco State. She also lived in West Menlo Park with her husband.
Mrs. Merk enjoyed the outdoors, backpacking and hiking throughout the world. She continued to ride her bike until age 85, and she was a strong supporter of the environment. As a research assistant, she studied primates at Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto.
She is survived by her children, Emily Danford and Eliot Merk of Hilo, Hawaii, and Richard Merk of Portola Valley; her sisters Lois Fuller and Marjorie Alden of Palo Alto; her brother Richard Blackwelder of Missouri; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Sempervirens Fund, Defenders of Wildlife or the Sierra Club Foundation. A memorial gathering will take place in August.
Frank J. Lodato
A lifelong resident of the Midpeninsula, Mr. Lodato headed the search committee that led to Bill Walsh's first major head coaching job. "He gave me a chance," said Mr. Walsh. "He was the essence of Stanford University and its athletic program."
Over the past 30 years, Mr. Lodato served on Stanford's Board of Trustees, the hospital board, the athletic board, and as a university fellow. He was a founding associate of the Center for Economic Policy Research and a co-founder of the Humanities and Science Forum.
Mr. Lodato also established the DAPER Investment Fund. With starting capital of $300,000, the fund is now valued at $40 million after contributing more than $10 million to the Stanford Athletic Department, family members said.
After the passage of Title IX legislation mandating support for women's athletics, he was instrumental in establishing Stanford's Cardinal Club to support women's athletics, family members said.
Mr. Lodato was the first recipient of Stanford's Outstanding Service Award, which now bears his name. He was given Stanford's Gold Spike Award in 1988.
Family members said his passion for volunteerism and business savvy were rooted in necessity. As the son of an immigrant railroad worker, he worked his way out of Depression-era poverty through hard labor and determination. At age 17, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving as a first sergeant in the Asia Occupation Forces at the age of 19.
He went on to graduate from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in economics and he earned a master's degree in education in 1954. He then received a master's degree in political science from Princeton University in 1956.
With his then brother-in-law Gregor G. Peterson, he co-founded the Sutter Hill Companies, venture capital firms which were acquired by Genstar Corp. in 1969. He continued working in venture capital for the next 30 years, founding a number of companies which were later acquired by corporations, and served as chairman or board member on other startup companies, family members said.
When riots erupted in Peninsula schools in the late 1960s, he became active in Counterpart, heading a volunteer task force that assisted in strengthening the East Palo Alto community, family members said. He also served as the director of the San Mateo Boy Scouts Council, president of the board of trustees of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, and has received awards from the Menlo Park PTA and the city of East Palo Alto for his work in the community.
Mr. Lodato is survived by his wife Dorothy; children Thomas, Jane, Douglas, Mark, Lori, and Karen; and eight grandchildren.
Services have been held. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Fran J. Lodato Fund for Cancer Research and Patient Care, c/o George Fisher, Medical Director, Oncology Clinic, Room M-211, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA 94305.
Harry E. Degnan
In 1953, Mr. Degnan started Degnan Printers in Menlo Park and later moved it near the Redwood City-Atherton border. The company is now managed by his son, Woodside resident Jim Degnan and his two grandsons, Mark and Jeff.
Mr. Degnan enjoyed gardening and artistic and poetic endeavors.
His first wife, Lillian, died in 1994. He is survived by his second wife, Florence Griffith, whom he married in 1995. They were active community members of Sunnyvale, where he lived most recently.
Other survivors include another son, Hal Degnan, of Los Osos, California; a grandaughter Holly; and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held July 16 at Woodside Village Church.
Ione Schindele
Born in Stickney, South Dakota, Ms. Schindele attended school in Iowa and later married Erwin W. Schindele in Idaho, where he was stationed at the Pocatello Army Air Base. After moving to Menlo Park, Ms. Schindele worked as an executive secretary for 20 years at the American Hardware Mutual Insurance Company. She retired in 1997, at the same time her husband retired from United Airlines.
Ms. Schindele enjoyed music, travel, and service to her church.
She is survived by her son, David Schindele and his wife Vicki of Fullerton, California; and three grandsons, Brent, Scott and Todd.
A memorial service was held July 25 at the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park. Arrangements were made by the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park Music Fund.
Evelyn Lucille Labadie
Mrs. Labadie attended the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a degree in textile design. Her textiles were exhibited at the San Francisco World's Fair in 1939. Family members said it was on a ferry from San Francisco to Berkeley that she met her late husband, Emile, with whom she raised a family that included six children and 11 grandchildren.
With her husband, she co-authored three books on native California plants. She was working on a cookbook at the time of her death. Her passion for weaving led her to attend many conferences and a two-week stint living with a Hopi textile designer in a New Mexico village.
She is survived by her children Emile Labadie of Piedmont, Dean Labadie of Davis, Bruce Labadie of Santa Cruz, Denise Snell of Longmont, Craig Labadie of Orinda, and Cheri Miller of Menlo Park; and 11 grandchildren. Her husband of 55 years, Emile, preceded her in death.
Memorial donations may be made to Peninsula Volunteers Little House Senior Center, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.
M. Marjorie Collins
Mrs. Collins, a longtime employee of Hewlett-Packard, lived in Los Trancos Woods near Portola Valley for 17 years before moving to Menlo Park.
Known to family and friends as Marge, Mrs. Collins was born in 1916 in Washington state, the daughter of ranchers. As a young adult fresh out of high school, she studied cosmetology and became a licensed beautician and cosmetologist. She also married a physician and naval officer, William W. Collins, who died in 1952.
Mrs. Collins moved to California in 1956, and began her tenure with Hewlett-Packard that year. She worked as an administrative assistant until her retirement in 1981.
Among her interests were traveling, golf, bridge, and fishing for salmon from her boat in Santa Cruz. Her love of nature was surpassed only by her love for her family and friends, according to her family.
Mrs. Collins was preceded in death by her son Michael. She is survived by her son William Collins of Menlo Park, and two grandchildren.
Eleanor Ann Cahalan
Born Eleanor Ann Donahue in Berkeley, she moved to Palo Alto as a teenager, completing her secondary education at the Sacred Heart School. At the age of 22 she married Dr. Gerald E. Cahalan and later studied visual arts at San Jose State College.
Family members said she was a talented painter who patiently and courageously fought a 28-year struggle with cancer.
She is survived by Dr. Gerald E. Cahalan, her husband of 49 years; children Michael, Mariana, Barbara, Margaret, John, James, Monica, and Bill; and 13 grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Mary Terrill, brother James P. Donahue, aunt Dorothy Burke, and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. Pius Conference, 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061; or to Mid-Peninsula Home Care and Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle #135, Mountain View, CA 94040. Services have been held. Arrangements were made by Spangler Mortuaries in Menlo Park.
Ruth Davidson
A native of Westfield, New Jersey, she was raised in Springfield, Massachusetts. After marrying rare book dealer Alexander Davidson, the couple moved to New York City, where Mrs. Davidson became studio director of the New York unit of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, and later director of the group's headquarters studio.
In 1971 she moved to Palo Alto to become studio director of the Northern California unit of Recording for the Blind. Staff members said her quick wit, charm, and elegant use of the English language endeared her to the 200 volunteers whose work she supervised. During her time as studio director, she lived in Menlo Park for nine years.
After her retirement in 1978, she settled in Santa Cruz. She was a Pink Lady at Dominican Hospital for 11 years, served on the board of directors of the Doran Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, learned Braille, and was a Braille transcriber for the County Office of Education.
At her request, no services were held. Memorial contributions may be made to Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, 488 West Charleston Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306.
Ione Schindele
Born in Stickney, South Dakota, Ms. Schindele attended school in Iowa and later married Erwin W. Schindele in Idaho, where he was stationed at the Pocatello Army Air Base.
After moving to Menlo Park, Ms. Schindele worked as an executive secretary for 20 years at the American Hardware Mutual Insurance Company. She retired in 1997, at the same time her husband retired from United Airlines.
Ms. Schindele enjoyed music, travel, and service to her church, family members said.
She is survived by her son, David Schindele and his wife Vicki of Fullerton, California; and three grandsons, Brent, Scott and Todd.
A memorial service was held July 25 at the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park. Arrangements were made by the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park Music Fund.
Edes Enomoto
A longtime Atherton resident, she is survived by her children, Janice Matsumura, Ronald Enomoto, Karen Sugiyama, and Cindy Chandler; siblings Sachi Masuyama and Tosh Nakashima; and 10 grandchildren. Her husband, William Enomoto, and a grandchild, Katherine Chandler, preceded her in death.
The service will be held at 2 p.m. at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road, in Palo Alto. Arrangements were made by Roller, Hapgood & Tinney.
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