Deaths Deaths (February 09, 2005)

Lorene Adams

Lorene Marjorie Adams, 80, a 15-year resident of Redwood City, died Jan. 25.

Born March 26, 1924, in Lodi, Calif., she attended high school in Chowchilla, Calif. Later in her adult life, she attended San Jose State University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in art.

An accomplished artist, she was a president of the Peninsula Art Association. She would travel throughout the Bay Area to paint and especially loved painting scenes of San Francisco. Her marriage to Richard Adams, who served in the Navy, also brought her a love for painting large sailing ships on the water.

She enjoyed dancing and traveling and was a member of a local dancing group called Guys and Dolls.

"She had kind of a zest for living because she was dancing," said her son, David Adams.

She is survived by her son, David Adams of Sunnyvale; daughter, April Adams of San Ramon, Calif.; granddaughter, Natalie Salas of San Ramon, Calif.; sisters, Frieda Hoffer of Chowchilla, Calif., Jo Meyer of Irvine, Calif., Delores Whitford of Clovis, Calif., Lennetta Atteberry of Orangevele, Calif., Sally Mazulka of Sacramento, Calif., Dixie Iverson of Ukiah, Calif.; and brothers, Bill Hoffer of Clackamas, Ore., and Richard Hoffer of Los Angeles.

Memorial services were held Feb. 1 at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. Donations may be made to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.
Elena Darwell

Elena Rachinksky Darwell, 99, a 43-year resident of Palo Alto, died Jan. 28 at Lytton Gardens Health Center in Palo Alto.

She was born Dec. 20, 1905, in Priluki, Ukraine, and emigrated to the United States in 1925.

She and her husband, Michael (Duschits) Darwell, moved from Brooklyn, N.Y., to Palo Alto in 1962. Her husband died in 1984.

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Marion Richards; nephew, Steven Baily; nephew, Eugene Baily; nephew, Stuart Richards; and niece, Nina Richards Hill.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m. at Lytton Gardens Health Center, 437 Webster St., Palo Alto.
Manuel (Manny) Gordon

Manuel (Manny) Gordon, 82, a longtime resident of Palo Alto, died Jan. 26.

He was born July 3, 1922. After completing his Ph.D. and post-doctoral work in scientific research at the University of California in Berkeley, he began his professional career as research professor at Michigan State University.

Returning to California in 1961, he and his family settled in Palo Alto, where he began a distinguished 24-year career as director of research for Beckman Instruments. After retiring from Beckman in 1986, he was visiting professor at Stanford University, where he shared his extensive knowledge and mentored many students over a period of five years.

Building on a life-long interest in travel and art, he enjoyed painting oriental pictures during his later years. At a memorial service, held Jan. 29, he was remembered by family, friends, colleagues and former students for his humor, integrity and talent, as well as for his many outstanding achievements and contributions to scientific research.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years Vivian Gordon; his daughters, Joan and Lynn Gordon; his son-in-law, David Simon; and numerous friends and colleagues.

Donations may be made to the Manny Gordon Research Fund at the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305.
Melinda Rogers

Melinda Backus Rogers, 52, a fifth-generation Californian and longtime resident of Palo Alto and Portola Valley, died Jan. 22 of cancer.

She was born March l2, l952, in Palo Alto. Educated at schools in Palo Alto and Portola Valley, and the Crystal Springs School in Hillsborough, she later attended the University of Oregon. For many years she worked at Benham Capital Management and Great Western Bank in financial services.

She is survived by her son, Zane Rogers of Palo Alto; her mother, June Tunnell, and her husband, Jack Tunnell; her father, Samuel Backus of San Francisco, his wife, Jan, and her sons; her sisters, Deidre Meeker, brother-in-law, Steve and their sons, Stephen and Adam, of Indiana; and Kathryn Edwards, and her husband, Ed, their children, Chelsea and David, of Montana.

A private memorial service will be held at Christ Church in Portola Valley. The family wishes memorial donations to be made to Pathways Hospice, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 104, Mountain View, CA 94040; or the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
Joan Kay Van Stone

Joan Kay Van Stone, 74, a 22-year resident of Palo Alto, died Dec. 15, 2004.

Born Jan. 31, 1930, in Columbus, Ohio, she died in Washington, D.C.

Raised in Ohio, she graduated from Ohio State University and received a master's degree in Music Therapy from Florida State University. During an internship at the Menninger School of Psychiatry in Topeka, Kan., she met and married William W. Van Stone. In 1967, she moved with her family to Palo Alto, where she and her husband raised their three children.

In 1968, she and fellow music therapist Natalie Werbner co-founded the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View, a non-profit community school that provides experience in music and the arts to people of all ages and skill levels, regardless of pay.

This renowned school has grown over the last 36 years from a small shoe-string outfit into a multi-million-dollar institution that has become a major cultural and educational asset to the community and has reached more than 325,000 Bay Area residents. She recently received a commendation from the California State Assembly for her role in the school's creation.

Her tremendous persistence was critical in keeping the school open during its first few tumultuous years. She cared deeply for the staff and students in the school, and her open and accepting personality not only created a welcome environment at the school, but also in her home and within her community. Many appreciated her help and support during difficult times.

In the 1980s, she ran her own accounting business that provided services for multiple non-profit organizations, including the Palo Alto Area YMCA.

Friends of her children at Palo Alto High School fondly remember her non-judgmental and empathetic support, as well as the numerous Paly International Club events and Millard Fillmore Trivia Contest weekends at her home.

She moved to Washington D.C. with her husband in 1989, where, after her son, David, came out, she became involved as a full-time volunteer executive director in the local chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and was critical to its growth and success.

Her family, friends, and the many lives she touched will miss her deeply.

She is survived by her husband of 46 years, William Van Stone; her three children, Lisa, Kathy and David; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 12, at 3 p.m. at the Community School of Music and Arts, Finn Center, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, CA 94040, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Community School of Music and Arts, Finn Center, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, CA 94040; the Metro DC PFLAG, 1111 14th St., NW, Suite 350, Washington, D.C., 20005; or the American Cancer Society.

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