Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Obituaries

John Darrow

Memorial services were held Aug. 3 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church for John Lowe Darrow, 80, a Los Gatos resident since 1965 and former member of the Los Gatos Museum Association Board of Directors, on which he served as treasurer.

He died July 28 at his España Oaks condominium after an illness.

Darrow was born in Los Angeles and spent his early years in South Pasadena, where he attended South Pasadena High School. There he met his future wife. John and Isobel Darrow planned to celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary this September.

He retired in 1979 as chief engineer after a 45-year career with Pacific Telephone Co.

A family member said that he was excused from military service in World War II because he was both too tall at 6 feet, 6 3/4 inches, and had a civilian job in communications that was considered vital to national defense in wartime.

He joined the board of the LGMA and served as treasurer, turning in meticulous financial reports. His financial acumen was important to the museum at a time when it was trying hard to scrape up fresh funding.

"John was a great asset to the museum and was very well liked by everybody," said Chatham H. Forbes Sr., former board president of the museum association.

"He was a docent at Forbes Mill before he joined the board," said Emerson Shaw, former Forbes Mill Museum curator. "He was always a big help to us on the board."

He also served on the residents committee at España Oaks.

"My father always loved classical music," said his daughter, Judith Johnson. "He had played the trombone in high school."

He is survived by his wife, Isobel; daughter Judith Johnson and son-in-law Jack Johnson of Aptos; two grandchildren, Melissa Paige Johnson and Caleb Ian Johnson; and brother Courtlandt Darrow of San Diego.

Paul Kankel

Former Los Gatan Paul Herbert Kankel died of cancer July 11 at his Auburn home. He was 86.

Born April 8, 1910, in Fertile, Minn., Kankel and his family moved to California soon after he graduated high school. He lived first in San Jose, then settled in Los Gatos, where he resided from 1954 to 1965. Afterwards, Kankel moved to South Lake Tahoe before settling in Auburn, where he and his wife made their home for the past 15 years.

Kankel was a member of the Kiwanis and Elks clubs in San Jose and enjoyed gardening and playing cribbage.

Survivors include wife of 58 years Florence Kankel of Auburn; sons Gary Kankel of Los Gatos and Dennis Kankel of South Lake Tahoe; grandchildren Christopher, Jason, Kara, Deana, Crista, Kevin and Garrett; and two great-grandchildren.

The Neptune Society handled arrangements.

James Kalani

James H. "Jimmy" Kalani died July 22 in his Los Gatos home, following a long illness. He was 54.

Born June 6, 1942, in Honolulu, Kalani moved to Los Gatos as a teenager, where he graduated from Los Gatos High School. He was later employed as a machinist supervisor for K & K Manufacturing in Campbell.

Among his hobbies were golfing, fishing and camping.

Survivors include wife Nancy Kalani of Los Gatos; daughter and son-in-law Renee and Steve Douglas of Los Gatos; son and daughter-in-law James and Cherty Kalani of Los Gatos; grandchildren Tony, Jimmy III and Amanda, all of Los Gatos; mother and stepfather Clara and Bill Edelen of San Diego; sisters Wanda Melland and Darlene Wright and brother Eddie Edelen.

A Rosary and memorial services have been held. Interment is at Los Gatos Memorial Park.

OBITUARY NOTICES

The Los Gatos Weekly-Times publishes obituaries as a community service. There is no charge for these stories, but we do require that information about the deceased be provided to us on our official Obituary Notice form. The forms are available at the Weekly-Times office, 245 Almendra Ave., Los Gatos.