| Community Pulse - Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Deaths
Nicholas Savage
Nicholas Savage, 86, died after a long illness on April 15.
He was born in Duluth, Minn., on May 18, 1919. His childhood was spent with his parents and four brothers in Duluth and at the family's country home in Deerwood, Minn.
He attended Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H., and graduated from Harvard College in 1942. Following graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served his country during World War II in the liberation of Guam. He returned to the United States at the end of the War, remaining active in the national reserve for several years. He then began a 40-year career in the mining and metal industry, concluding with his retirement from Fluor Corporation in 1983.
He treasured his years at Exeter and Harvard, and was for several years the president of the Exeter Club of Northern California. He was proud of his military service, and was honored to be invited to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration of the liberation of Guam in 1995.
His professional career was highlighted by extensive travels in Japan and the Far East. Asian culture fascinated him, and he returned from his trips with observations and anecdotes that reflected his curiosity and sophistication.
Loved ones recall that his was a life lived in full, and he will be remembered for his devotion to family and friends, his extraordinary wit and sense of humor, and his love of the good things in life. He will also be remembered for the uncomplaining bravery he showed in the last five years of his life when post-polio syndrome destroyed his mobility and confined him to his bed.
He received care in his last years from his wife, Lucy. His caregiver, Melicka Mali-Mali, became a friend to him and his family. The staff of the Hospice Unit of the Veterans Administration Hospital of Palo Alto cared for him during the last two months of his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers. He is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Lucy Savage of Redwood City; two daughters, Ellen Savage of Redwood City and Julia Savage Farley of Wilmington, N.C.; and two grandchildren.
According to his wishes, no funeral has been held. A memorial gathering will be held at his family home in Palo Alto at a later date. Donations may be made to the Nicholas Savage Memorial Fund, Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main St., Exeter, NH 03833.
Mary Ballou Festinger
Mary Festinger, 88, died April 29 in Santa Rosa, Calif..
A graduate of Indiana University and the Eastman School of Music, she moved with her family to Palo Alto in 1956, where she taught piano in her home, and performed with innumerable local musical groups over a span of four decades.
She moved to Friends House in Santa Rosa in 1997, where she continued her musical activities up until a few days before her death.
Loved ones remember her as a beloved and respected member of the Palo Alto community who brought her warmth, openness and deep and infectious love of music into the lives of all who knew her.
She is survived by her daughter Katy Festinger of Chimacum, Wash.; her son, Richard Festinger of Richmond, Calif. and Kurt Festinger of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren, Sage and Reo Wexner, and Nathaniel and Maya Festinger.
Aubrey O. Nelson Jr.
Aubrey O. Nelson Jr., 87, died April 20 after an intense but short illness in Palo Alto.
He was born Feb. 23, 1919 in Chicago, Ill. and then moved with his family to Portland, Ore., where he grew up. During high school, his family moved to Burlingame. Unhappy there he returned to Portland where he finished high school. He then attended San Mateo Junior College and Stanford University in the early 1940s.
Shortly after Pearl Harbor he enlisted in the U.S Army Air Corps where he was trained as a navigator. Then he flew many bombing missions over Germany in B24s. Shot down in 1944, he spent a year in prison camp Stalag Luft III. Upon his liberation, he returned to Palo Alto, where he met and married Dr. Marcia Miller. They settled in the Suburban Park area of Menlo Park, where they lived for 14 years. They then moved to Atherton where he lived until his death.
He was employed as a navigator with United Air Lines for more than 25 years until his retirement.
Loved ones recall him as a tinkerer, a fixer and a thinker — always trying to figure out a better way to do things. He was passionate about old wooden power boats.
He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 50 years, Marcia Miller M.D., and is survived by his children, Peter A. Nelson M.D. and Katherine Nelson, both of Menlo Park; one daughter-in-law, Lisbeth Nelson of Menlo Park; and four grandsons.
He particularly enjoyed the companionship of his ex-neighbor June Robbins of Healdsberg, Calif. following the death of his wife 9 years ago.
No memorial service is planned.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to a charity of choice or the American Lung Association.
Barbara McCullough Visbal
Barbara McCullough Visbal, 75, died April 29 after an 18-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.
She attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Redwood City, graduating with the class of 1945; the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Menlo Park (class of 1949); and San Francisco College for Women (class of 1953).
In addition to her family, her principle activities were religious education and visiting the retired members of the Religious of the Sacred Heart at Oakwood in Atherton. She taught firs communion classes in three different parishes from 1961 until 1989: Our Lady of the Valley in Canoga Park, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Belmont, and Saint Raymond in Menlo Park.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, J. Malcolm Visbal of San Carlos; her daughter and son-in-law, Vicki and John of Mesa, Ariz; son and daughter-in-law Robert and Debbie of Livermore; son John of Lafayette, Calif.; and daughter Erin Mara of San Francisco; and seven grandchildren.
A vigil service will be held at Saint Raymond Church, 1100 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park on Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Raymond on Friday, May 12 at 10:30 a.m. The Committal Service will be at Holy Cross Cemetary, Colma, on Saturday, May 13 at 10:30 a.m.
The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Religious of the Sacred Heart Residence at Oakwood, 140 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton, CA 94027.
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