Obituaries Obituaries (October 05, 2005)

Denise Lynch

Community volunteer

Denise Lynch, co-creator of the "You, Me and Us" program that brought together able and disabled children in social, play, and school situations, died September 22 at age 65.

Most recently, Ms. Lynch lived in Menlo Park. She and her husband, the late John "Jack" Lynch, had resided in Atherton since 1968.

Ms. Lynch was born in Chicago and graduated from the University of Southern California. She was a credentialed elementary school teacher and did graduate work in recreational therapy at San Jose State University.

In addition to the "You, Me and Us" program, Ms. Lynch co-authored a musical production script dealing with the same issues. She was a member of Peninsula Volunteers and a volunteer at the Children's Hospital at Stanford. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority and the Menlo Circus Club.

Ms. Lynch is survived by her sons, John Lynch of San Diego and Devin Lynch of Pleasanton; brother Michael Lackner of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania; sisters Patsy Pantelis Hastey of Lake Forest, Illinois, and Joanne O'Donohue Pasotti of Menlo Park; and a granddaughter.

Her husband, John "Jack" Lynch, died in 1991.

A memorial Mass was held October 1 at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements were under the direction of Menlo Park Colonial Chapel.

John Benetti

Food markets owner

John Urbano Benetti of Atherton, owner and developer of the Brentwood and Pak 'N' Save food markets of Northern California and Florida, died September 24 at age 89.

An avid hunter and golfer, Mr. Benetti was a member of Ducks Unlimited and Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Eleanor Benetti; daughter Joanne Lujan; son John J. Benetti; sister Giorgina Michelotti; brother Frederick Benetti; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Suite 100, Burlingame, CA 94010-1311.

Arrangements were under the direction of Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel, Redwood City.

William Brock

Restaurateur

William "Bill" Brock of Menlo Park, former head chef and, later, a lead carver at Harry's Hofbrau in Redwood City, died September 23 at age 88.

As recently as November 2004, Mr. Brock was working at Harry's, where he greeted thousands of longtime customers.

Mr. Brock was a veteran of the Army Air Corps in World War II. He worked for more than 50 years in the restaurant business.

Mr. Brock is survived by his wife of 58 years, Verlene; sisters Lena Naulty and Edith Roman; brothers John Bracaliello and Joe Bracaliello; twin sons Greg and Ralph Brock; daughters Shirley Petersmeyer and Donna Schwartz; seven grandchildren; and three-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Kaiser Hospice, Redwood City. Arrangements were under the direction of Redwood Chapel, Redwood City.

James Ashley Wilson, Jr.

Retired Pan Am pilot

A celebration of the life of James Ashley Wilson, Jr. will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 22, at the Sequoias in Portola Valley.

Mr. Wilson died September 21 of myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow failure disease. He was 92.

Born in Dyersberg, Tennessee, Mr. Wilson graduated from the University of Memphis.

He joined the U.S. Naval Air Force, and in 1937, was assigned to the U.S.S. Colorado and was involved in the search for Amelia Earhart.

In 1940 he was hired as a pilot for Pan American Airlines and flew for Pan Am for 33 years.

During World War II he flew for the Army Air Transport Command, flying between Miami and North Africa.

In 1946 he received a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. He worked in the Moerdyke Law Offices in Palo Alto for 21 years. He was also a building contractor.

At 84 Mr. Wilson earned a degree in computer science from Foothill College. At age 85 he became a member of MENSA. After moving into the Sequoias in 1995, he set up its square dancing program.

Mr. Wilson is survived by his two daughters, Gail Wilson Hynding of Woodside and Bonnie Wilson Miller of Palo Alto; four stepdaughters, Sheyla Kantor of Orinda, Susan Gibson of Yelm, Washington, Georgianna Maddams of Campbell, and Julie Rotary of Seattle, Washington; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

The family prefers donations in his name to the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, P.O.Box 613, Annapolis, MD 21404.

Clarence Walter

Retired Navy captain

Clarence John Walters of Menlo Park died September 25 at age 94.

Mr. Walters, a native of Blackfoot, Idaho, was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Georgetown University Law School, and the Stanford University School of Business. A retired captain in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Walters was a member of the Menlo Park Rotary Club and SIRS.

Mr. Walters is survived by his daughter Judith Jones of Mountain View; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His wife, Mildred Walters, died in 1997.

Services were held October 3 at Menlo Colonial Chapel, Menlo Park. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817.

Emily Denis

Longtime Menlo Park resident

A memorial Mass for Emily Patricia Denis will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 8, at the Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave. in Menlo Park. Ms. Denis died September 23 at Stanford Hospital. A resident of Menlo Park for 65 years, she was 96.

Ms. Denis was born in Lovelock, Nevada. A twin, she weighed 2 pounds at birth. She grew up in Rock Springs, Wyoming. After completing the ninth grade and working in the family laundry in Rock Springs, she met Marcel Denis. They were married in 1934.

A first generation American, she remained close to family members in France, whom she visited several times, the last time at age 86.

Ms. Denis worked for many years at the Cardinal French Laundry and the City of Paris Cleaners in Palo Alto. She loved conversation, reading, sewing, needlework and following politics, say family members.

She is survived by her daughter Marieanne Cullen; and three grandchildren. Her husband, Marcel Denis, died in 1986.

Donations may be made to St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room, 3500 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025; or the Peninsula Stroke Association, 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304.

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