Obituaries Obituaries (August 09, 2000)

Berenice Alexander

Portola Valley architect

Berenice Lapin Alexander, a resident of Menlo Park and Portola Valley since 1946, died August 5 at her home at the Sequoias. She was 88.

A celebration of her life will be held at 4 p.m., Sunday, August 13, at the Stanford Faculty Club.

Mrs. Alexander, who was known as "Bunny" since childhood, was born in Chicago. Her summers at camp fostered her love of nature, swimming, riding, and tennis, sports she pursued until she was in her 80s, according to her daughter Karen Hunter.

Mrs. Alexander graduated from Wellesley College, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After a year of study in Florence, Italy, she worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She returned to the University of Chicago to earn a masters degree in sociology and statistics. She later worked for the Defense House Administration in Washington during World War II.

After her marriage to Myron Alexander, the family moved to Menlo Park at the war's end. Mrs. Alexander returned to school to study architecture at Stanford University and practiced architecture part-time for the next 28 years.

Specializing in residences, she designed the family's Portola Valley home, where they moved in 1959. She also designed homes in Westridge and Los Altos Hills. Her work was influenced by a love of the architecture of Japan, where she traveled many times, according to her daughter. She was also interested in Japanese sumi-e painting and calligraphy.

Mrs. Alexander was a member of the League of Women Voters, the Palo Alto Auxiliary to Children's Hospital, and Stanford University's community committee for international students and office for international visitors. She was an early president of the West Bay Wellesley Club.

Survivors include her husband, Myron of Portola Valley; daughters, Karen Alexander Hunter of Tallahassee, Florida; Eden Alexander and husband, Tim Wahl, of Bellingham, Washington; and two grandchildren. A son, Jonathan, preceded her in death.

Memorials may be made to the Berenice Lapin Alexander Architectural Fund, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481.

Jean Simpson

Menlo Park author

Jean Marshall Simpson, who lived in Menlo Park for more than 40 years, died August 5 at the Los Altos Sub-Acute and Rehabilitation Center in Los Altos. She was 89.

Mrs. Simpson was a native of Tuxedo Park, New York, and a descendant of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. As a young woman she worked as a writer for Family Circle magazine and wrote a Family Circle publication on "youth and charm." She also co-authored a book, "Talk It Out with Your Child." Between the 1930s and 1950s she was well-known in New York's literary and cultural circles, according to longtime friend, Robert Rockett.

She was married to Baron Peter Von Simpson, a member of a prominent German family, who preceded her in death. The couple lived in San Francisco and Beirut, Lebanon, before moving to Menlo Park in the late 1950s.

In Menlo Park, Mrs. Simpson continued her writing and had recently completed her memoirs. She was "a people person" and noted for her Christmas and St. Patrick's Day parties which she continued until her last illness, says Mr. Rockett.

Mrs. Simpson leaves no survivors. Private services were held with arrangements by the Los Altos Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries. Memorials may be made to the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto 94303.

Mildred Murphy

Menlo Park businesswoman

Mildred "Midge" Murphy, who had lived in Menlo Park and Atherton for the past 48 years, died August 2 at her Menlo Park. She was 96.

A widow for 50 years (her husband P.J. Murphy died in 1950), Mrs. Murphy was active in her business, Miller-Murphy Properties, until recently.

A second-generation Californian, Mrs. Murphy was born in Jamestown and grew up in Modesto. As a young woman she worked for a country doctor, even delivering babies on her own, according to her son Pat. In her youth she enjoyed dancing, performing in plays, and flying a private plane. When staying at the family Lake Tahoe summer home, she swam in the lake every day up into her 80s, her son recalls.

Mrs. Murphy is survived by son Paul C. "Pat" and his wife Patty of San Francisco; son Covert and his wife Beth of Oakland; four grandchildren; and longtime caregiver Margaret Paulo. Two sons, John W. and Peter Dixon, preceded her in death.

A Mass of Christian burial was held August 7 at St. Denis Catholic Church in Menlo Park, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1650 South Amphlett Blvd., Suite 110, San Mateo, 94402; or Hanna Boys Center, P.O. Box 100, Sonoma, 95476-0100, or a charity of choice.

Dale W. Gruye

Former Portola Valley resident

Dale W. Gruye died July 12 at his home in Bigfork, Montana, of cancer. He was 70.

Mr. Gruye, a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, moved to the Bay Area in 1960. He was an industrial design engineer with Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto, and the family resided in Portola Valley.

In 1966 he co-founded Gruye-Vogt Organization (GVO), an industrial design and product development firm. After 18 years with GVO, he formed his own firm, Gruye Associates.

In 1995, the Gruyes moved to Bigfork, Montana, where he constructed a home and studio and continued his professional design consultation.

Mr. Gruye is survived by his wife Ann of Bigfork; daughter Dana Pittman of August, Georgia; son Eric of Santa Cruz; brother Glenn of Minneapolis; and sister Virginia Cates of Antioch.

Donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 996911, Washington, D.C., 200990-6911.