Obituaries Obituaries (January 11, 2006)

Phyllis Bader

Voice teacher

Phyllis Cole Bader, a Menlo Park resident since 1988, died December 25. She was 92.

Ms. Bader was born in San Francisco and raised in Los Gatos. She was a national president of Rainbow Girls and a 1935 graduate of Mills College with a degree in music.

In 1937 she married William L. Bader and moved to Portland, where she lived for 50 years, raising her family, teaching and counseling at Cleveland High School, and giving private voice lessons.

In the early 1980s she moved to California to be closer to her children and their families. She was active in the Palo Alto Mills College Alumni Association and recently led her 70th college reunion. She worked at the Junior League Shop in Menlo Park and regularly attended cultural and musical events until her death.

Ms. Bader was a prolific purchaser of greeting cards and maintained regular correspondence with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling, and visited Hawaii this past Thanksgiving. She attended her daughter's annual Christmas Eve party hours before she died, say family members.

She is survived by her children, Reece Bader, recently of Atherton, and Lorinda Reichert of Palo Alto; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A gathering to celebrate her life will be held in the spring. The family prefers memorials be made to Mills College in Oakland or the Palo Alto/Mid Peninsula Junior League endowment fund.

Arrangements were by Roller Hapgood & Tinney.
William Kent

Gallery owner

William Kent of Moab, Utah, died December 17 of a heart attack. The former Menlo Park resident was 69.

Mr. Kent was born in Budapest, Hungary, and came to New York City with his parents as an infant. After earning a bachelor's degree from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York, he moved to California in 1959, earning a master's degree in mathematics from San Jose State University.

He worked as a computer programmer for IBM for 20 years before leaving to work at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories as a database designer. He was active in professional organizations and delivered presentations at many international conferences.

In 2000 Mr. Kent retired to Moab, Utah, where he owned the Petra Gallery. He was a photographer and author of the book, "Data and Reality." He was a true lover of nature and dedicated to environmental conservation, say family members.

Mr. Kent is survived by his children, Karen Rutel of Logan, Utah, Tikva Janetjoy Kohn of Monsey, New York, and David Kent of Gaithersburg, Maryland; brother George Kent of Honolulu; a grandson; and his former wife, Barbara Kent of Menlo Park.

Arrangements for a memorial service are pending. Memorials may be made to the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council, or a similar environmental organizations. Arrangements were under the direction of Sinai Memorial Chapel in Redwood City.
Jeanne Crumpler

Newcomers Service director

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, January 13, at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for Jeanne Elisabeth Crumpler of Menlo Park. Ms. Crumpler died January 4 at the age of 77.

Ms. Crumpler was born in Salem, Massachusetts. Following a successful modeling career in Chico during the 1950s, she married Les Crumpler, a professional musician. Once married, she opened a charm school and founded the Jeanne Ballard cosmetic line.

After she and her husband moved to California in 1982, she operated the Newcomers' Welcoming Service, which welcomed new residents to Menlo Park. Ms. Crumpler was also a founding member of the Atherlons, a group of Atherton and Menlo Park community-minded women who are still active today. She was also a member of the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Crumpler is survived by her two sons, Randy of Menlo Park and Robert of San Francisco.

The family prefers memorials be made in her name to the Leukemia Society.
Alma Leitritz

Woodside homemaker

Alma Rose Leitritz, a resident of Woodside for 61 years, died January 6 in San Mateo at the age of 93.

Ms. Leitritz was born in San Francisco and was a homemaker her entire life. She enjoyed knitting and spending time with her family, say family members.

She is survived by a son, Richard Leitritz of Woodside; a granddaughter; and four great-grandchildren. Her husband, Glen Leitritz, preceded her in death.

Private services have been held under the direction of Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel.

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