Obituaries Obituaries (May 28, 2003)

Marty Wheeler

Palo Alto native

Marty Dodds Wheeler, a resident of Menlo Park since 1956, died May 10. She was 76.

Mrs. Wheeler was a native of Palo Alto and graduated from Palo Alto High School and Stanford University. She married her high school sweetheart, Frank R. Wheeler, in 1945. They recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary.

Mrs. Wheeler was a longtime member of the Women's Auxiliary to the Santa Clara County Medical Society and active in Girl Scout leadership. For 35 years, friends of the Wheelers gathered for the annual Marty Open, a golf tournament in her honor.

Mrs. Wheeler was an excellent cook whose table was always graced with fresh flowers, say family members. She loved the ocean and traveling to new places.

She is survived by her husband, Frank Wheeler of Menlo Park; three daughters Anne Wheeler-Waddell, Joan Griffin, and Barbie Buckley; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Nelson Burrill

Chemical engineer

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at the Menlo Park Chapel of Spangler Mortuaries, 650 Live Oak Ave., for Nelson Burrill of Menlo Park, who died May 16 at Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City. He was 85.

A native of Utica, New York, Mr. Burrill was a chemical engineer for NASA Ames.

He is survived by his wife Helen Burrill of Menlo Park; son Jim Burrill of Redwood City; daughter Majorie Chamberlain of San Jose; and three grandchildren.

Elise Giesch

Native of Germany

Elise Giesch, a resident of Menlo Park since 1973, died May 14. She was 97.

Mrs. Giesch's husband Ernest Giesch came to California from Germany in 1928 and she followed him shortly. They both became U.S. citizens, and lived in San Francisco for many years before moving to Menlo Park. Mr. Giesch died in 1993.

Mrs. Giesch is survived by her niece Helga Beneke and grandnephews Karsten and Heimo Beneke, all of Germany. A memorial service, to be held in the Menlo Towers meeting room, will be announced later.