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Publication Date: Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Obituaries
Obituaries
(October 01, 2003) William Mein
Cement corporation executive
William Wallace Mein III, member of a prominent Woodside family, died unexpectedly September 24 while working in the garden of his Menlo Park home. He was 67.
Mr. Mein was born in San Francisco and grew up at the family's estate in Woodside. He graduated from Middlesex Preparatory School in Massachusetts, and attended Stanford University, where he crewed for the Cardinal. He graduated from Menlo College.
Mr. Mein served in the United States Marine Corps, and was an avid rugby player and officer of the Peninsula Rugby Football Club in the 1960s.
He was a sales manager of the family-owned Calaveras Cement Company, and went on to become vice president of sales at Mitsubishi Cement Corporation in Southern California. His work took him all over the world.
Mr. Mein was active in many clubs and volunteer groups, including the Menlo Park Rotary Club, the Bohemian Club, the Menlo Circus Club and the Beavers organization. He served as vice chairman of the board of trustees at Menlo College, and was instrumental in constructing a peace garden, due to be dedicated soon.
Mr. Mein enjoyed gardening, golfing and hunting. He recently planted 3,000 vines at his ranch in Freedom, near Monterey Bay, and was looking forward to producing his own organic wine. He enjoyed political discussions and was active in the Republican party.
Mr. Mein was married to his first wife, Isolde, the mother of his three sons and daughter, for 41 years. After her death he retired and returned from Newport Beach to Menlo Park. He married Susan Morey Lambert, and during their marriage they enjoyed many shared activities, including gardening, entertaining and traveling.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Morey Mein of Menlo Park; children, John Mein of Alameda, Roger Mein of Menlo Park, David Mein of San Jose, and Cynthia Mein of St. Helena; stepchildren Kyla Eller of Redwood City and Jeff Lambert of Menlo Park; a brother, Thomas Mein of Menlo Park; a sister, Tina Mein Fuller of Altadena; and eight grandchildren.
A memorial for Mr. Mein was held September 29 at St. Denis Church in Menlo Park. Memorials in his name may be sent to the Mid-Peninsula Pathways Hospice Foundation or Menlo College.
Janice Bull
Community volunteer
Janice Roche Bull of Menlo Park died September 15 of complications from pneumonia. She was 93.
Born in San Francisco, Ms. Bull was educated at San Francisco Girls' High School and attended the University of California at Berkeley.
After the untimely death of her father, she worked to help support her mother, sister and brother as an assistant buyer at Livingston Brothers. She later worked at a San Francisco bond firm, where she met her future husband, Henry Harding Bull, whom she married in 1936. The couple moved to Menlo Park in 1950. Mr. Bull died in 1983.
Ms. Bull was active in community affairs, volunteered at the Children's Health Council for 25 years, and was a mainstay at the Bargain Box resale shop. She held all of the officer positions of the Menlo Park Women's Club and was involved in fund raising for the American Cancer Society for several years.
Ms. Bull was known for the persimmon tree in her front yard and her generosity in sharing the fruit with friends and neighbors. Her family also enjoyed the jam and jelly she made from the many fruit trees in her garden.
Ms. Bull is survived by her three sons, William Bull and Robert Bull of Los Gatos, and Thomas Bull of Burbank; cousin, Marcella Rose of Rossmoor; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Family members are also grateful to Moli Vakaotia for the years of care she gave to their mother.
A celebration of Ms. Bull's life was held September 20. Memorials may be made to the Children's Health Council, Palo Alto; or the American Cancer Society, San Mateo.
William Lovell Bay
Retired Pan Am pilot
William Lovell Bay of Portola Valley, who was one of the few pilots to have flown the Boeing 314 Clipper Flying Boats for Pan American World Airways, died September 21 at age 82.
Mr. Bay was born in Evanston, Illinois, and attended Virginia Military Institute. Shortly after leaving VMI, he began taking flying lessons and joined Pan American in 1941. During his career, he flew the Boeing 314 Clipper Flying Boats for the airline. He retired as a 747 captain after 39 years with Pan Am.
Mr. Bay's lifelong hobby was live steam railroads. He built several locomotives and was fascinated with anything mechanical, according to family members. He enjoyed spending summers at his family's resort, Rex Terrace, on Elk Lake, Michigan.
Mr. Bay is survived by his children, Cindy Gilsing of Bellevue, Washington, Christopher Lovell Bay of Medford, Oregon, and Richard Alan Bay of Pleasanton; brothers Ken Bay of Moneta, Virginia, and John Bay of Traverse City, Michigan; and two grandchildren.
The family prefers memorials in Mr. Bay's name to Pan Am Historical Foundation, The Wings Club, P.O. Box 4464, New York, New York 10163-4464; or to a favorite charity.
Ward Schweizer
Pacific Bell executive
Ward Cotrell Schweizer, who in his 42-year career rose from entry-level clerk to become a member of the board of directors of Pacific Bell, died September 16 at his home in Atherton. He was 95.
Mr. Schweizer's career paralleled the growth of the telecommunications company. He became an executive vice president and officer in the AT&T Bell System and served on the boards of Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell. After his retirement in 1972, he joined the board of telecom equipment provider Lynch Communications.
Mr. Schweizer was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Occidental College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Tau Omega. He served in World War II and achieved the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army. He joined Pacific Telephone in 1930 and moved to San Francisco in 1940.
"He was a business leader when people did not go into business to make a fortune," said his son, John Schweizer. "He enjoyed the work. To him, it was more about customer service. He was more like what corporate America used to be."
Mr. Schweizer wore a hat to work every day, and smoked seven cigars a day until he was 90, said his son.
In 1958, Mr. Schweizer married Constance McPherson, and they lived in Atherton for 45 years. He was a member of the Olympic Club, Transportation Club, and the Bankers Club.
He is survived by his wife, Constance of Atherton; sons, John Schweizer of Paris, France, and Marc Schweizer of Fernley, Nevada; and two grandchildren. At Mr. Schweizer's request, no funeral is planned.
Rose Dell'Aquila
Longtime Menlo Park resident
Rose Dell'Aquila, who lived in Menlo Park for 58 years, died on August 6. She was 82.
Ms. Dell'Aquila was born in San Francisco in 1920. In 1945, she and her husband, Carl, moved to Menlo Park -- the same year they were married.
Her family remembers her as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. "Family and friends gathered many times every year to share in great meals at the house in Menlo Park," said her daughter, Cindy. "Her caring and love for all showed in the many cards and creative handmade gifts she gave throughout her life."
In addition to her husband, Carl, she is survived by her children Leighton, Diane, Rosann and Cindy; and nine grandchildren.
A private memorial service was held.
The family prefers donations in her memory to Pathways Home Health & Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle, #104, Mountain View 94040.
Irwin "Pierre" Levy
Retired Air Force officer
Irwin Joel "Pierre" Levy, who lived in Menlo Park for 31 years, died September 10 in Reno. He will be buried with full military honors in Arlington Cemetery, Washington, D.C., on October 22.
Mr. Levy was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1923. He attended the Haaren High School of Aviation in New York City. In 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, but transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps when the United States entered World War II. He was assigned to the Eighth Air Force in Europe, where he met his wife, Miriam Diskin. They were married in 1942 in London.
After the war, Mr. Levy re-enlisted and later graduated from Officers Candidate School in 1948. He served during the Korean War. From 1964 to 1968 he served at the Pentagon in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development of Electronic Warfare. During this time, he spearheaded a project to neutralize the surface to air missile threat encountered in Vietnam by U.S. bombers and fighters, according to family members. He received many medals and decorations, including the Air Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Mr. Levy retired from the military in 1968, then moved to Menlo Park, where he was employed by Lockheed and, later, Applied Technology Incorporated, before forming his own consulting company, Aliron, in 1972. He was a member of the Masons and served as a neighborhood commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Levy moved to Reno after the death of his wife, Miriam, in 1999. He established the Aerospace Education Foundation Miriam Diskin Levy scholarship through the Dale O. Smith chapter of the Air Force Association.
Mr. Levy is survived by his two sons, Douglas and Phillip, and five grandchildren.
Marc Chaput
Former Peninsula resident
Marc Chaput, a former resident of Emerald Hills, died of leukemia September 16 at his home in southern Oregon, where he moved seven years ago. He was 57.
A member of a well-known local family, Mr. Chaput ran the family business, E. Chaput Precious Stones in San Francisco, established by his grandfather in 1906, and was a member of the Olympic Club.
He was a former member of the Applegate Fire District in Oregon, and recently signed on as a member of the Medford police department.
He is survived by his wife, Carey, of Applegate; children, Chris, Paul, and Nicole of the Bay Area; mother, Lucille, of Menlo Park; and brother, Gene Chaput of Portola Valley. A memorial service is planned.
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