Obituaries Obituaries (July 17, 2002)

Sister Rosemary Thompson

Former principal at Sacred Heart Prep

Sister Rosemary Thompson of the Society of the Sacred Heart, who served as high school principal at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton from 1978 to 1983, died suddenly July 9 in San Diego just five days after her 60th birthday on July Fourth.

Sister Thompson was the last principal to serve at the high school before it became co-educational in 1983.

From 1992 to 1994, she was director of Oakwood, a retirement community for members of her order, located on the Sacred Heart campus in Atherton.

Sister Thompson was born in Nicaragua in 1942, one of eight children of John and Mary Thompson. She entered the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1963. She was a graduate of Lone Mountain College (acquired by the University of San Francisco in 1978), with a master's degree in administration from the University of Notre Dame, and a master's in theology from Chicago Theological Union.

Sister Thompson held many administrative positions in her order. After leaving Atherton, she worked for five years in a variety of pastoral and administrative roles related to religious life in the Philippines. After returning to the United States and serving as assistant principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Houston, she moved to Boston in 1994 to become director of novices for the Society's U.S. Province.

For the past year she had been on sabbatical in Florida, and had just moved to San Diego where she was to become the director of Sofia Immigration Services, an organization offering legal aid and other assistance to immigrants.

Sister Thompson's contemporaries say she was a highly organized, but low-key administrator, known for her contagious laugh. "Her laugh filled what ever space she was in. Even at large gatherings, it soared above everything in the room," says Sister Margaret Phelan, the Society's archivist in St. Louis."

Sister Thompson is survived by her mother, Mary Frawley Thompson of Los Angeles; sisters Agnes Kelly of Managua, Nicaragua; Janie Kirimichiu of Playa del Rey; Alice Knipe of Newbury Park; and brother John Thompson of Newbury Park.

A funeral Mass was celebrated July 13 at Frances Danz Memorial Chapel, Oakwood Community of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, in Atherton.

Sharon Multhauf

Menlo Park schools volunteer

A memorial service for Sharon Multhauf of Menlo Park, who died July 5, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. She was 59.

Mrs. Multhauf was a graduate of Westmont College and an elementary school teacher in San Jose. She first became interested in publishing when she worked for Sunset Books. After her marriage to Lloyd Multhauf and adoption of children, Brian and Diana, she became an active volunteer for the city of Menlo Park schools.

She published a monthly newsletter at Laurel School and directories for both Laurel and Hillview Schools, earning her PTA service awards. She published calendar-directories for Menlo-Atherton High School for five years, taught vocal music at Laurel School, and, for a time, was the unofficial school photographer at Encinal School.

After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Mrs. Multhauf conducted extensive research into the disease on the Internet. One of her resources was the Breast Cancer Mailing List, where several hundred participants shared information and mutual support on a daily basis. She and her husband attended all of the mailing list's annual meetings across the United States.

Mrs. Multhauf produced three volumes of a booklet called "Faces of Our Friends," with photographs of participants on the mailing list. She was also the longest survivor of 26 contributors to a book by Musa Mayer that grew out of the mailing list called "Advanced Breast Cancer: A Guide to Living with Metastatic Disease."

Determined to live fully, say family members, Mrs. Multhauf and her husband traveled to North Dakota, Nebraska and Arkansas, so she could finish seeing all 50 states. In March she defied her illness to go kayaking during a cruise to Australia and New Zealand.

Mrs. Multhaf is survived by her husband Lloyd of Menlo Park, and children, Brian and Diana Multhauf, both of Menlo Park. Donations in her name may be made to the Community Breast Health Project, 770 Welch Road, Suite 370, Palo Alto 94304. Arrangements are under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.

Tom Refvem

Tom Refvem, a Portola Valley resident for 40 years, building contractor and community volunteer, died at his home July 13 after a long illness. He was 71. The family is planning a memorial service in August. Further information will be published in next week's Almanac.

William E. Lindfors

50-plus years in Menlo Park

William E. Lindfors, who lived in Menlo Park 51 years, died July 7. He was 94.

A native of Astoria, Oregon, Mr. Lindfors worked at Westinghouse Corp. in Sunnyvale for 25 years.

He and his wife, Helen, who preceded him in death, were members of the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park. Mr. Lindfors was also a member of the Orpheon Male Chorus in San Mateo.

Mr. Lindfors is survived by his children, Marilyn Lindfors of Menlo Park, Suzanne Hart of Florida, William Lindfors Jr. of Germany, and Mary Frances Lindfors of Sonoma; a sister, Helen Rowlands of Birch Bay, Washington; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Services were held July 11 at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Los Altos.
Kathleen Veronica Whelan

Longtime Menlo resident

Kathleen Veronica Whelan, a 50-year resident of Menlo Park, died July 11. She was 88. A Mass was held July 15 at the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park.

Ms. Whelan was a talented piano and organ player who worked as a bookkeeper for more than 55 years. She enjoyed classical music, geography, and travel, and was an aficionado of all things Irish.

Ms. Whelan is survived by her sister, Teresa Whelan Storm, and many nieces and nephews.

Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Menlo Park. Memorials to Church of the Nativity are preferred. Arrangements were by John O'Connor's Menlo Colonial Chapel.

Anthony Bobier

Civil engineer

A celebration of the life of Anthony E. Bobier of Portola Valley will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church, 505 E. Charleston Road, Palo Alto. Mr. Bobier died unexpectedly at home June 3 at the age of 84.

Mr. Bobier's career began in his family's construction business in Twin Falls, Idaho. His grandfather, father and he were responsible for constructing many landmark buildings, including schools, churches, courthouses and libraries. They also built bridges, grain storage silos, and electrical power stations along the large rivers in the area.

He attended the University of Chicago, as well as colleges in Idaho and California.

During World War II, he was assigned to projects that involved building submarines, personnel carriers and landing docks for the military. In 1948 he joined Morrison and Knutson international builders of dams, bridges, airfields, penitentiaries, university dormitories and field houses. For 13 years Mr. Bobier was a vice president of Marshall Hale Hospital in San Francisco.

Mr. Bobier was also a leader in the field of professional construction inspection and was inspector of record in the construction of Stanford Hospital. He helped found the American Construction Inspectors Association and was a mentor to many young men in that field, say family members.

Mr. Bobier was a 50-year member of a number of branches of the Masonic Order, and a member of several Boy Scouts of America councils.

Mr. Bobier is survived by his wife of 16 years, Jeanne Le Brun Bobier of Portola Valley, eight children, 26 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two stepsons.

Elsie M. Quirin

Civil service employee

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 27, in the library of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Ave., for Elsie M. Quirin, who died June 27 at Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City. She was 86.

Born in Petaluma, Mrs. Quirin was a lifetime civil service employee, working in Burlingame and Redwood City. After retiring, she moved to Menlo Park 21 years ago. Her husband, Jack Quirin, died in 1969.

Mrs. Quirin is survived by her daughter Susie Lenthe and husband, Drew, of Dallas, Texas; stepdaughter Marilyn Silva of Campbell; and "adopted sister" Helen Mann of Menlo Park.

Following Mrs. Quirin's memorial service, a reception will be held at Menlo Commons, 2140 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park. Memorials in her name may be made to cancer or heart research.