OBITUARIES OBITUARIES (January 24, 2001)

Robert Leo Maier

Engineer and volunteer

Robert Leo Maier, an engineer who volunteered for the U.S. Geological Survey and Habitat for Humanity for the last 10 years, died quietly January 12 at his Atherton home after a long illness. He was 75.

Mr. Maier, a resident of Menlo Park and Atherton since 1961, found his favorite work after he retired, his family reports. Tuesdays and Thursdays, he reported to the geological survey where he designed, built and tested instruments for monitoring and forecasting earthquakes.

Wednesdays he helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity. And he enjoyed working as handyman for Luise, his wife of 48 years, and their four daughters.

"He was a gentle man, very quiet and very kind," said Mrs. Maier.

Mr. Maier grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and got his education courtesy of the U.S. Navy. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from the University of Southern California. He served in Korea and Japan during the Korean War.

The Maiers moved to Menlo Park from Sacramento in 1961. They moved to Atherton in 1967, where they remodeled an old carriage house. Mr. Maier held a variety of engineering jobs, including running his own precision tool company, and working for Raychem.

Mr. Maier is survived by his brother, Richard Maier of Park Hills, Kentucky; his wife, Luise; and four daughters, Carolyn Maier and Heidi Maier of Oakland; Annie Maier of San Francisco; and Margaret Maier of New York City.

The family suggests donations to Habitat for Humanity, 1010 Doyle Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025; or a favorite charity.

Jane Marie Wallace

Little House member

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 16, at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for Jane Marie Wallace, who died January 7 in Mountain View. She was 78.

Mrs. Wallace was a native of Denver. A longtime resident of Menlo Park, she was a member of Little House and a charter member of Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club.

Mrs. Wallace is survived by daughter Barbara Hauser; son Robert A. Wallace; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Anthony McKeon

Menlo Park resident

Private services were held for Anthony McKeon, a resident of Menlo Park for 21 years who died January 11 at the Palo Alto Nursing Center. He was 66.

Mr. McKeon was a native of Cherry Valley, Massachusetts. He served in the U.S. Army and retired from the William Wurzbach Co. in San Jose, where he worked in customer services for the heating and air conditioning company.

Mr. McKeon is survived by his wife Marion; daughter Maureen Henderson of Leicester, Massachusetts; sons Patrick of Raleigh, Northern Carolina, and Timothy of Worcester, Massachusetts; stepdaughters Angela Saunders of Las Vegas and Lynn Reed of Worcester, Massachusetts; stepsons Michael and Mark Saunders, both of East Palo Alto, and Ian Saunders of Pleasant Hill; brothers John of Millbury, Massachusetts, Robert of Worcester, Massachusetts, and William of Martinsburg, West Virginia; and six grandchildren.

Ruth Markley

Lived in India for 30 years

An open house celebrating the life of Ruth Stalnaker Markley of Menlo Park was held January 21 by her niece and nephews. Mrs. Markley, who would have been 100 on January 18, died at home December 28.

Mrs. Markley was born in New Orleans and married Robert E. Markley of Chicago in 1922. Soon after their marriage, they moved to India, where Mr. Markley worked for Standard Oil Co.

They lived in India for 30 years, returning to the United States in the 1950s, making their home in Menlo Park. Mrs. Markley was a longtime member of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and active in many local organizations.

She is survived by her niece, Judy Aycock of Dallas, Texas; and nephews John Stalnaker of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Robert Stalnaker of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Elmer Singelyn

Oil company executive

Elmer C. (Al) Singelyn, who spent his entire career working in the oil industry, died January 18 at his home in Menlo Park following a long illness. He was 91.

Mr. Singelyn was born in Detroit, Michigan, moving with his family to Inglewood in 1919. He graduated from Stanford University in 1931 and went to work for Stanford Oil Co. of California.

His career in the oil industry took him to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 1945 where he served as chief accountant of the Arabian American Oil Co. He completed his career as vice president of Aranco Overseas in the Hague, in the Netherlands. He returned to Menlo Park in 1962 to be near his children.

Mr. Singelyn will be remembered for his dedication to peace in the Middle East, his love of family, story-telling skills and sense of humor, says his family.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara; children, Dr. Michael Singelyn, Mary Pat Lass and Margaret Anne Fitch; stepchildren, Rodman Cornell, Lynn Terzian and David Cornell; brother Ray Singelyn; nine grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and four step-great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian burial was held January 22 at St. Raymond Catholic Church with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 1 Almaden Boulevard, Suite #500, San Jose, CA, 95112-2214 or the Contract Crisis Line, P.O. Box 8021, San Jose, CA, 95155.

Elizabeth Julia Bajada

Former Menlo resident

Elizabeth Julia Bajada, 95, a former Menlo Park resident of 20 years, died January 18 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

She was born in San Francisco, the daughter of a Swiss immigrant and a San Francisco native. She married Anthony Bajada in 1925 at St. Paul of the Shipwreck Catholic Church in San Francisco.

Mrs. Bajada is survived by her children, Evelyn "Lynn" McCarthy of Scottsdale, Arizona, and George A. Bajada of San Jose; her sisters Rose Nanzer, Frances Waldvogel and Pauline Attard; her brother, Frank Waldvogel; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

She was preceded in death by Anthony Bajada, her husband of 74 years.

A funeral Mass was held at St. Raymond Catholic Church, with arrangements by the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries.