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Publication Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Obituaries
Obituaries
(January 14, 2004)
Atefeh Bijan
Nurse at Kaiser
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 14, at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, 695 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, for Atefeh "Amy" Bijan. Ms. Bijan died January 9 in a traffic accident on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park. She was 75.
Ms. Bijan was a native of Iran and educated in England. She was married to the late Dr. Bijan, with whom she worked in their medical center in Tehran. Ms. Bijan founded the first nursing school in Iran, taught at the University of Tehran and was a member of parliament, where she fought for women's and children's rights, say family members.
After moving to California, she worked as an intensive care unit nurse for 20 years. In retirement, she worked as a school nurse and taught pre-natal and birthing classes at Stanford Medical Center. She served as a volunteer nurse during the conflicts in Kosovo and Moldova.
She loved swimming, walking, travel and writing. She was also passionate about music and the arts, say family members.
Ms. Bijan is survived by her three daughters: Shabnam Anderson, Sherry Bijan and Donia Bijan; brothers, Farlborz and Kamran Ebrahimi; three grandchildren; and many friends and family members.
A gathering will take place at Menlo Commons, 2140 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, where she lived, after the January 14 services. A celebration of her life will take place at a later date.
The family prefers memorials be sent to the Bijan Memorial Fund, United Parkinson's Foundation/UPF, 833 West Washington Blvd., Chicago IL 60607. Arrangements are under the direction of Roller Hapgood & Tinney, Palo Alto.
The Rt. Rev. Charles Bennison Sr.
Retired Episcopal bishop
The Right Rev. Charles E. Bennison Sr. of Menlo Park, who served as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan from 1960 to 1984, died January 5 of Alzheimer's disease. He was 86.
Bishop Bennison was born in Janesville, Wisconsin. Educated at Lawrence College, the University of Minnesota and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, he was ordained a deacon and priest in 1942 in the Diocese of Minnesota. As a young priest during World War II, he served three parishes along the Mississippi River in that diocese and the Diocese of Eau Claire. In 1945 he became rector of Christ Church, Joliet, in the Diocese of Chicago, where he also served as chaplain at the Illinois State Penitentiary. When he was consecrated as bishop of Western Michigan in 1960, he became, at age 42, the youngest diocesan bishop in the Episcopal Church.
The son of a Minneapolis construction company owner, Bishop Bennison saw himself as a "builder," not a maintainer, of the church, say family members. During his ministry, he organized and founded three new churches and oversaw the building of the Cathedral Church of Christ the King in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During his tenure, a total of 37 buildings were built or renovated in the Diocese of Western Michigan.
Upon his retirement, Bishop Bennison served as an assisting bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles, 1986-1991, and then as an assisting bishop in the Diocese of California.
The Bennisons moved to Menlo Park 12 years ago. Bishop Bennison was active in the Menlo Park Rotary Club.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marjorie; son Charles Jr., the bishop of Pennsylvania; daughter Mary Fleischman of Woodside, the pastoral assistant, Christ Church, Portola Valley; son John, the rector of St. John's, Clayton, California; sister CloMary Hayes, Minneapolis; and six grandchildren.
A requiem Eucharist was held January 9 at Christ Church, Portola Valley, with the Right Rev. William E. Swing, bishop of the Diocese of California, presiding.
Memorial gifts may be made to any of the following: Cathedral Foundation of the Diocese of Western Michigan; Bishop Whittemore Foundation of the Diocese of Western Michigan; Seabury-Western Theological Seminary; or Episcopal Relief and Development. Gifts should be mailed to Christ Church, 815 Portola Road, Portola Valley, 94028-7206.
Joanne Sonnichsen
Artist, bookbinder
A remembrance gathering for noted bookbinder Joanne M. Sonnichsen will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 31, at the Stanford Faculty Club. Ms. Sonnichsen, a resident of Menlo Park, died December 25. She was 70.
Ms. Sonnichsen's bookbinding work has been displayed in museums, universities, private collections and exhibits around the world. She was one of the nine founders of Air Neuf, an international bookbinding organization in Paris.
She was commissioned to design a special binding for the AIDS Name Project Book, on permanent display at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
Ms. Sonnichsen was born in Omaha and raised in Palo Alto, where she graduated from Palo Alto High School. She studied watercolor and oil painting at Stanford University, graduating in 1958 with a major in art and design.
She married Darrell "Deke" Sonnichsen in a Danish ceremony in 1954, and worked for Hiller Helicopters in Menlo Park, and for Skidmore Owings and Merrill in San Francisco.
Ms. Sonnichsen served as treasurer and president of the Committee for Art at Stanford in the 1960s and was one of the founders of Treasure Market. In the 1970s she began to studying bookbinding, in the French tradition, and founded her own studio in Menlo Park.
Ms. Sonnichsen served as president of the Book Club of California, which honored her in February with the Oscar Lewis Award for her achievement in the book arts. She was also a member of the Hand Bookbinders of California, the Colophon Club of San Francisco, the Roxburghe Club of San Francisco, Bancroft Library Associates, Stanford Library Associates, the Guild of Bookworkers, Pets in Need and Amnesty International.
Ms. Sonnichsen is survived by her husband, Deke, of Menlo Park, and a son, P.J. Sonnichsen, of Bodie, California. The family prefers that memorials be made to the donor's favorite charity.
Nairne Ward Jr.
Forest products executive
Nairne Forsyth Ward Jr. of Aptos, a former Atherton resident, died January 2. He was 75.
Mr. Ward was born in Oakland and grew up in Berkeley. After graduating from high school, he went on active duty in the Army Air Force in 1946 and was stationed in Germany. He retired as a colonel after 38 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve.
Mr. Ward graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in history in 1953 and a master's degree in business administration in 1955. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
A forest products executive with MacMillan Bloedel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Mr. Ward sold pulp products in the Midwest and, upon returning to California, supplied newsprint to newspapers through Northern California and the Rocky Mountain states. He later became a self-employed enrolled agent specializing in financial planning and taxes.
Mr. Ward was a lifelong swimmer and also enjoyed biking, hiking, sailing, golf and traveling, say family members. He was a former member of Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club. He was active in the Santa Cruz Bible Church and volunteered his service and support to Missionary Flights International.
In 1951 he married Marjorie Parr. Mr. Ward married again in 1997, and he and his wife, Delores Prosen Karabensh, moved to Aptos.
He is survived by his children, Kenric Forsyth Ward of Vero Beach, Florida, Stuart Parr Ward of Napa, and Sandra Ward Thomson of Saugus, California; stepchildren, David Karabensh of Santa Cruz, Joseph Karabensh of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, and Catherine Neeley of Elkmont, Alabama; a brother, Roderic Ward of Fair Oaks; four grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 18, at the Santa Cruz Bible Church, 440 Frederick St., Santa Cruz. Memorials may be made to Santa Cruz Bible Church; Missionary Flights International, P.O. Box 15665, West Palm Beach, FL 33416; or Hospice Caring Project, P.O. Box 670, Aptos, CA 95001.
Barbara Hollingsworth
Former resident of Portola Valley
Barbara Boon Hollingsworth, who lived in Portola Valley for 15 years, died December 4 in Neenah, Wisconsin. She was 73.
Ms. Hollingsworth was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. She attended Downer Seminary and graduated from Lawrence University, where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority.
She married John Hollingsworth in 1953, and they relocated all over the United States due to his career in the restaurant industry. They spent 15 years in Portola Valley, where Ms. Hollingsworth was a volunteer at Stanford Medical Center in the late 1970s.
After their children were grown, the Hollingsworths divided their time between Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, and Laguna Hills. They enjoyed traveling to such destinations as Vietnam, China, Korea, Bhutan and Nepal. They also collected antiques and Metlach steins, say family members.
Ms. Hollingsworth is survived by her children, Karen H. Lucian of Portola Valley, Laura A. Wilkins of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Steven G. Hollingsworth of Clear Lake, Minnesota; and 11 grandchildren. Her husband, John, died in 1999.
June Boyer
Former Ladera resident
June Hamilton Boyer died at her home in Pioneer, California, on January 4. She was 85.
Ms. Boyer grew up in Escalon, California, where she was valedictorian of her high school class of 1935. She attended Modesto Junior College and was a medical secretary when she met and married Raymond Boyer.
They raised their family in the Bay Area, where Ms. Boyer was a member of the Ladera Community Church and an active volunteer. The Boyers lived in Ladera for 20 years before moving to Pioneer in 1973.
Ms. Boyer traveled to many foreign countries and camped throughout the western United States and Canada. She served as a Girl Scout leader and Sunday school teacher, and assisted her husband in his contracting business.
Ms. Boyer is survived by her husband, Raymond Boyer; three children, Susan, Barbara and Jeffrey; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Memorials may be made to the Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, 1838 Greene Tree Road, Suite 515, Baltimore, MD 21208.
Jerome Garfield
Survivor of Pearl Harbor
Jerome H. Garfield, a resident of Menlo Park for 50 years, died January 1 at Stanford Medical Center, following a short illness. He was 88.
Mr. Garfield was an officer on the USS Arizona and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. He enjoyed golf, and was an avid reader and supporter of the Menlo Park Library, say family members.
Mr. Garfield is survived by his wife of 51 years, Emily; three children, Mark, Wendy and Jonathan; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He will be remembered for his open heart and kind, loving nature, say family members. At his request, no services will be held. Memorials may be made to a charity of choice.
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