June 30, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Palo Alto employee killed in Iraq

Army Spec. Patrick McCaffrey, 34, the manager of the body shop, was killed in Iraq June 22 while on patrol. He and another soldier were ambushed by insurgents.

He had hoped to come home on leave in August. Instead, his body will be flown back to the Bay Area on Saturday.

"A lot of our customers have stopped by to pay their respects," said Marlene Cather, the shop's business manager.

McCaffrey worked for Akins for 13 years. "He started out detailing cars and rose to shop manager," Cather said. "We have expansion plans and he was going to be a vital part of that."

Cather said that McCaffrey joined the National Guard after Sept. 11, 2001 to contribute to the country's efforts.

He talked to his co-workers at the shop once a week, she said. Lately, he had been expressing concern about security in Iraq and people at the shop were worried about him. "We're like a small family," Cather said.

He was deployed to Iraq in March after three months of training.

He leaves behind a wife, Silvia; a son, Patrick, Jr., 9; and a daughter, Janessa, 2, all of Tracy, where he lived. He is also survived by his mother, Nadia, who lives with his wife and children, and his father, who lives in Sunnyvale.

Burial with military honors will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Tracy. Funeral services will be held at Fry Mortuary/Chapel, 550 South Central Ave., Tracy, with public viewing at 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday. Funeral information is available at Fry Mortuary, (206) 836-1970.

A memorial fund has been established in his memory: The Patrick McCaffrey Memorial Fund, Citibank (West), FSB, 2401 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306. --Don Kazak
Vera Livingston

Vera Elizabeth Livingston, a 30-year resident of Palo Alto, died June 7.

She was born in Tennessee, and also lived in Montana. She attended nursing school in Oregon, and was a devoted nurse for more than 40 years, working for a time at St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco. She encouraged young people to pursue their education and in particular to consider nursing.

In the 1970s, she and her husband, George, moved to Palo Alto. She had lived at Lytton Gardens for the past 20 years.

She will be remembered for her strength, her smile, and her nonjudgmental and loving spirit.

She is survived by a brother, James Conn; a son, James Livingston, and daughter-in-law, Eileen Livingston, of Tucson, Ariz.; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to the Palo Alto Humane Society.
Theodora Schick

Theodora (Teddi) Schick, a resident of Los Altos, died April 7 after a long battle with cancer.

She was a warm, vivacious person. She devoted her life to supporting her family. As a result of her encouragement, all her children achieved undergraduate degrees and three have higher degrees.

She was a gourmet cook and an excellent hostess. She was a member of the League of Women Voters and the Los Altos Newcomers Club. She was one of few women to serve on the Los Altos Hills Little League board. Later she served on the board of CURE (Citizens United for Rural Environment), and on the Los Altos Hills Planning Commission.

She was also a talented bridge player and had become a Bronze Life Master as a regular player at the Palo Alto Contract Bridge Center. She also loved to travel and was always looking forward to the next cruise. In the traditional ending to each cruise, the song Auld Lange Syne always meant it was time to plan the next. The song was also sung at her private memorial service on April 17.

She is survived and missed by her husband, Harold; her children, Harold Jr., Gordon, Karen and Gregory, and their spouses, Beverly, Debbie, Mark and Kristine; four siblings, Charles, Evans, Penny and Jean; and eight grandchildren.

Donations in her memory may be made to Pathways Hospice Foundation, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 104, Mountain View, CA 94040; or the American Cancer Society.

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