May 11, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Bernice Behrens, 94, a Stanford graduate, died April 20.

Born July 5, 1910, in Portland, Ore., she moved to the Bay Area to attend Stanford, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude in 1932. She majored in political science, focusing on international relations at a time when it was considered that a woman's place was at home.

She worked as a public-relations officer for General Mills, then as an events coordinator for a national millinery organization.

In 1969 she was named director of the U.S. State Department Reception Center in San Francisco, where she hosted an average of 3,000 guests each year and later served as deputy chief of protocol.

Her true calling was realized when she founded the nonprofit organization AWIU, American Women for Internal Understanding.

A world traveler and advocate for women, she will be remembered by her many friends for her sense of style, charm, grace under pressure and loving personality.

The widow of Earl "Squire" Behrens, former political editor of the Chronicle, she is survived by her daughter, Diane Dalton; and three grandchildren.

Honoring her request, no services are planned. Memorial gifts may be made to AWIU, P.O. Box 60741, Santa Barbara, CA 93160; Stanford University, Women's Studies Programs; a charity of the donor's choice.
Gertrude King

Gertrude "Mom" King, 91, a resident of Mountain View, died April 29.

She was born June 12, 1914, in Fort Collins, Colo., to Ralph and Stella Gunnison. She lived much of her early life in Wyoming and spent most summers growing up on the family ranch in Tie Siding.

She moved to California in 1948 with her three children when United Airlines transferred its maintenance base to San Francisco. She retired from United Airlines as a mechanic in 1979 after 33 years of service. She lived in Mountain View for more than 47 years. She enjoyed bowling, boat racing and working in her yard.

She is survived by her daughter, Bonny Collins of Palo Alto; daughter, Nancy Smith of Mountain View; two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Gertrude Nelligan

Gertrude Meade Nelligan, 90, a resident of Menlo Park, died April 21.

Born the youngest of nine on Oct. 2, 1915, she was orphaned at a young age. Her large extended family pulled together and raised her. She demonstrated a talent for fashion design and was elected into the National Honors Society for her work in this area while still in high school.

Moving to California during World War II, when her husband was sent to the Pacific Theater, she was separated from her family's support. Marjorie Mandelssohn, the widow of her father-in-law's medical school classmate, took her and her children in, forging a lifelong friendship. As Mandelssohn was a founding patron of the Montalvo Center for the Arts, Nelligan devoted countless volunteer hours to this effort.

Finding herself single in the 1950s, she faced the challenge of being a single parent. She turned down multiple management offers to work part time at the Palo Alto store of Joseph Magnin & Co. She consistently led sales for the organization and worked for J. Magnin and then I. Magnin until she retired. In her later years she lived at Crane Place in Menlo Park.

She is survived by her daughter, Judith Nelligan Bloomer; son, John Patrick Nelligan; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Peninsula Volunteers, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025.
Charles Sibley

Charles Sibley, 90, a longtime resident of Palo Alto and Los Altos, died April 24.

He was born June 12, 1914, in Denver, Colo., and graduated from Denver University in 1939. He was a veteran of World War II and worked in government service and military electronics.

In addition to his government work he was a ham radio operator and world traveler, visiting more than 80 countries after his retirement.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, Glen Sibley of Denver, Colo.; daughter, Elaine Levenson of Los Altos; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services have been held. Interment will be held at a later date at Fort Logan, Colo.

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