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Publication Date: Wednesday, February 06, 2002

Obituaries

Retired St. Raymond's pastor

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 7, at St. Raymond's Church, Menlo Park, for Monsignor Edwin J. Kennedy, the founding pastor of St. Raymond's, who died January 27 in San Francisco. Monsignor Kennedy died one day before his 94th birthday.

Ordained in 1932, Monsignor Kennedy was the longest-serving priest in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He was named a monsignor by Pope Pius XII in 1949.

A native of San Francisco, Monsignor Kennedy graduated from St. Patrick's Seminary and earned a doctorate in canon law from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., in 1935.

In 1942, after serving as assistant chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, he was sent to Hawaii as assistant to the Vicar Delegate of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific. On his return in 1950, he was named pastor of the new St. Raymond's Church, where he served for 28 years until his retirement in 1978.

After retiring from St. Raymond's, he served for 18 years as chaplain to the cloistered Dominican sisters of Corpus Christi Monastery in Menlo Park. At Corpus Christi, Monsignor Kennedy said Mass every morning at 6:45 a.m. and presided over Benediction each afternoon. "He was wonderful," says Dominican Sister Mary Christine. "We were so fortunate to have him with us. He was a very congenial person."

The Rev. Ray Zohlen succeeded Monsignor Kennedy as pastor of St. Raymond's in 1978. "He was very good to me when I became pastor. He continued to be active in the parish, especially with the Legion of Mary, and attended all the funerals," says Father Zohlen, now retired. Continuing to live in Menlo Park allowed Monsignor Kennedy to stay in touch with many former parishioners.

In 1996 Monsignor Kennedy became a resident of St. Anne's Home in San Francisco, operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor. He returned to St. Raymond's two years ago to take part in the church's 50th anniversary celebration.

Monsignor Kennedy is survived by nieces Maria Philbin of Santa Rosa, Rita Tescher of Long Beach, Georgelle Wishard of Arizona, and Jeanetta Kreil of Louisiana; and nephews Paul Tescher of Ohio, and Walter, Roger and Robert Wishard of Northern California.

A Mass of Christian burial was held January 31 at St. Mary's Cathedral, San Francisco, with Archbishop of San Francisco William J. Levada presiding. A graveside service was held February 1 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Menlo Park.
George Horne

Retired chemical engineer

George Horne, a 45-year resident of Menlo Park, died January 27 at Stanford Medical Center. He was 86.

Mr. Horne retired in 1980 after a 32-year career with Chevron. He worked in the engineering department as one of Chevron's heat-exchanger experts. Early in his career with the company, he and his family lived in Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands.

He was very active in the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Horne is survived by his wife of 61 years, Carol; daughters Margaret Monroe of Menlo Park and Nancy Griffin of San Carlos; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Services have been held. Memorial donations may be made to the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. David Botsford

Former advertising executive

David Botsford, a former Portola Valley resident, died December 18 following complications from abdominal surgery. He was 85.

Born in Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Stanford University and did graduate work at Columbia University. At Stanford he was associate editor of The Stanford Daily.

He continued his interest in journalism as a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle before switching to a career in advertising. At the height of his career, he headed one of San Francisco's largest advertising agencies, Botsford Ketchum Inc., founded by his father.

During World War II, Mr. Botsford was editorial chief of the U.S. Office of War Information Psychological Warfare Team. He once mused that writing propaganda leaflets was not unlike writing copy for an advertising agency.

Mr. Botsford made frequent business trips to Europe and Asia, accompanied by his wife, and they continued to travel widely after his retirement.

He enjoyed hiking, biking, sailing, reading and the opera, especially ones featuring his brother-in-law, Theodor Uppman, who sang with the Metropolitan Opera.

He is survived by his wife, Margot Botsford of Palo Alto; sons Peter Botsford of Sunnyvale and Christopher Botsford of Palo Alto; daughter Ardsley McNeilly of Sydney, Australia; and four grandchildren.
Charles Smith

Owner of Children's Bootery

Charles Leo Smith, 80, who fitted a generation of children's shoes at Children's Bootery in downtown Menlo Park, died of pneumonia in Clear Lake on January 27. Mr. Smith lived in Menlo Park for many years before moving to Clear Lake 20 years ago.

Mr. Smith was a native of San Francisco and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1938. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, rising from apprentice seaman to petty officer first class (signalman).

He founded the Children's Bootery on Santa Cruz Avenue (now the site of Marche restaurant) and expanded his business to 22 children's shoe stores. He was a former division president of U.S. Shoe Corporation, chief administrative officer, Children's Shoe World, and director of Jumping Jacks Shoes.

Mr. Smith was a member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Patrol Craft Sailors Association and DE Sailors Association.

Survivors include his wife, Anna, of Clear Lake; his children, Bernadette, Paul, Damien, Patrick, Mark, and Christopher; 14 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A Mass of Christian burial was held February 1 at St. Raymond's Catholic Church in Menlo Park, with interment at Skylawn Memorial Park, San Mateo. Donations may be made to Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, 1055 Ellis Street, San Francisco, 94109-7795; or Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, P.O. Box 302, Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545-0302. Arrangements under the direction of Redwood Chapel, Redwood City.
Albert Robert Aldinger

Leading community volunteer

Albert Robert Aldinger, a World War II veteran and an active volunteer in the area, died January 20 at his residence in The Sequoias retirement community in Portola Valley. He was 89. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 9, at the First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto at 600 Homer Ave.

Mr. Aldinger was a lifelong resident of the Bay Area, born in Oakland and graduating from Armstrong College in Berkeley. He served in the United States Army during World War II, attaining the rank of captain. He met his future wife while stationed in Washington, D.C.

During his career, Mr. Aldinger worked for the Standard Oil Company (now ChevronTexaco Corporation) as an in-house management consultant, which required him to travel throughout the United States, with frequent visits to Europe and Central America.

During his 25-year retirement, Mr. Aldinger volunteered his time and energy to many organizations, including the Small Business Administration office in San Francisco and the Chevron Retirees Association, of which he was a past international president. He gave unselfishly of his time and was considered a helpful, kind and generous man, relatives said.

At The Sequoias, Mr. Aldinger was known as "Mr. Sequoian" in recognition of his energetic participation in many of the community's resident programs, and as "Mr. Fourth of July" for his custom of dressing up in a red, white and blue suit and top hat to preside over the holiday festivities, according to his family.

Mr. Aldinger is survived by Eleanor, his wife of 56 years; sons Gary of Stanwood, Washington, and Karl of Bend, Oregon; daughter Edith C. Brockmeyer of Aurora, Colorado; and four grandchildren.

The family requests that contributions in Mr. Aldinger's name be made to the First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Obituaries

Retired dentist

John Andrew Zolezzi, a resident of Menlo Park, died on February 1 at the age of 92.

Dr. Zolezzi was born in San Francisco. He graduated from Lowell High School, the University of California at Berkeley, and University of San Francisco School of Dentistry. He practiced dentistry in San Francisco's North Beach for 52 years before retiring to Menlo Park.

He was a member of Il Cenacolo Dante Council of the Knights of Columbus, the Italian Catholic Federation, and the Italian American Social Club, among other organizations.

Services were held February 6 at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park.

Dr. Zolezzi is survived by his wife Rosina; his son, Ronald of Menlo Park; his daughter, Jane Wallace of Sunnyvale; a stepdaughter, Laurel Cole of Gig Harbor, Washington; and three grandchildren.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to a charity of the donor's choice.