 |
|
|
|
|
Obituaries
Ruth Matheson
Los Gatos native and former resident Ruth Ina Matheson died of pneumonia on April 27, at the Saratoga Retirement Home. She was 102.
Born Dec. 12, 1897, Matheson was a member of the First Baptist Church of Los Gatos for more than 84 years. She was there when the first pastor was inducted in 1916. After graduating from Biola University in 1940, she worked for more than 50 years at Arbutus Youth Ranch as a cook, dishwasher and laundry person. She was affectionately known there as "Princess Wishy Washy."
She is survived by niece Ruth Estop of Arizona and nephew Charles Scott of Oregon.
Memorial services have been held. Donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Los Gatos, 17765 Daves Ave., Monte Sereno, 95030, or to City Team Ministries.
R. Clifton Rayfield
R. Clifton Rayfield, M.D. died in his sleep in his Los Gatos home on May 15. He was 70.
A native of Wichita Falls, Texas, Rayfield graduated from the Southwestern Medical School of the University of Texas in Dallas in 1953. He practiced ophthalmology in San Jose and lived in Los Gatos for the past 35 years. He served as president of the Peninsula Eye Society, and served on the board of the Santa Clara County Medical Society and Medical Review committee.
Rayfield was a man of many interests, including painting, fishing, photography, writing poems for his children and playing with and telling "genie stories" to his grandchildren. He was also a World War II buff.
Survivors include wife Betty Rayfield of Los Gatos; son Dr. David Rayfield of Linwood, N.J.; daughters Suzanne Whittaker of Sacramento and Teresa Klepinger of Sherwood, Ore.; and grandchildren Ryan, Rachael, Sara and Lauren.
Memorial services have been held. Anyone who knew Rayfield is encouraged to send any favorite stories or remembrances of him to the family, who will compile a remembrance book.
Glenna Landes
Former Los Gatos resident Glenna Jean Landes died on June 15, in her Scotts Valley home. She was 75.
A native of Ohio, Landes obtained her master's degree in psychology at Santa Clara University and later earned a degree in nursing. She met her future husband while working as a nurse at the conclusion of World War II; the late Dr. John Landes was a surgeon in the U.S. Army and later worked at Stanford University Hospital as part of the research staff.
Among Landes' favorite activities were ballroom dancing and traveling.
Survivors include sons Jerry Landes of Danville and Tom Landes of Santa Cruz; daughters Joan Gilbert of San Diego and Vickie Alman of San Jose; and two grandchildren.
Memorial services have been held, with interment at Los Gatos Memorial Park.
Agnes Brown
Agnes Brown
Former Saratogan Agnes May Brown, recently a resident of Aptos, died on May 30, of complications of cancer. She was 84.
Born July 16, 1915 in Visalia, Brown was a graduate of San Jose State University and had a teaching credential. After marrying she decided to devote her life to being a homemaker. She and her husband were active members of the First United Methodist Church of Los Gatos for many years.
Survivors include husband Noel J. Brown of Aptos; daughter Pat Linquist of Foster City; sons Bob Brown of Los Gatos and Glenn Brown of Soquel; also eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial services have been held. Donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity.
Bill Mander
Los Gatan Bill Mander died June 19, following a long battle with diabetes. He was 81.
Born March 15, 1919, in Lancashire, England, Mander served in the British Army from 1939 through 1946. He worked as a mechanic servicing the transport vehicles for guns used by the Royal Artillery Heavy Anti-Aircraft Unit. In 1948, Mander emigrated to the United States to pursue his dream of motor racing. He had always loved race cars and motorcycles--he was a motorcycle works rider in the Grass Track Scrambles in England, drove Jaguar XKEs at Riverside and Laguna Seca raceways in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and won the Golden Gate Trophy in 1960.
His mechanical skills received the notice of a Los Gatos car dealer, who hired him in 1950. Later, Mander opened a workshop on Victory Lane behind the Los Gatos Cinema, then relocated to 635 University Ave., where he also became a dealer for various British cars. In the 1960s, he also became a dealer for Honda motorcycles.
Survivors include wife of 47 years Mary Mander; sons and daughters-in-law Mark and Ruthanne Mander and Joseph and Paula Mander; granddaughter Haley Rae Mander; brother Danny Mander and sister Mary Hingston.
|
|
|
|
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
