Publication Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Deaths
Deaths
(March 20, 2002)
John Joseph Appleby
John Joseph Appleby, 73, a retired psychiatric social worker and resident of Palo Alto, died Feb. 25.
Born in Hastings, England, he was raised in New York City and Illinois where his father was a private school teacher/administrator. After earning a bachelor's degree from Lake Forest College, he served in the army and received a MSW degree from the University of Southern California.
He moved to Palo Alto in 1955 and began his career as a licensed clinical social worker.
As the chief of foster care at the Veterans Affairs hospital for 15 years, he developed a model program that helped reintegrate hospital patients into the community.
Then, as part of San Mateo County's Aging and Adult Services, he worked with the mentally ill and the homeless. He helped them accept treatment, disability income and stable living situations -- and the dignity these bestow.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years Judith; sister, Katie Nash of Illinois; brother Allen Appleby of Tennessee; nieces and nephews living in Utah, Wisconsin, Maryland and Illinois.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Kaiser Hospice Program, 830 Kiely Blvd., Santa Clara 95091.
Ronald H. Bridgett
Ronald H. Bridgett, 61, a 38-year Palo Alto mailman, died Feb. 26 from complications of a chronic illness.
He attended Walter Hays Elementary, Jordan and Palo Alto High Schools.
He was an avid golfer and devoted 49ers fan.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Marilyn Bridgett of Discovery Bay; daughter, Kristen Bridgett of Campbell; father, Arthur Bridgett of Portola Valley; two nephews and one great nephew.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Services were held.
Dr. Theodore J. Cosgrove
Dr. Theodore J. Cosgrove, 68, "renaissance" man and Menlo Park resident, died March 2 from cancer.
Born in Sioux Falls, SD, he moved to Vancouver as an infant. In 1957, he graduated from the University of British Columbia Medical School. From 1957 to 1964, he served in the United States Navy. In 1968, he joined Kaiser Permanente Medical Group as the chief of pathology in Redwood City. He retired in 1998.
A veritable "renaissance" man, he enjoyed art, the opera and symphony. He was an avid reader with a penchant for war history. He was also a bird life expert and an accomplished amateur painter.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Britt-Marie; children, Scott and Lorraine; cousins in California and South Dakota.
Services have been held.
Martin Julius Esslin
Martin Julius Esslin, 83, Stanford professor emeritus of drama and influential theater critic, died Feb. 24 in London from Parkinson's disease.
The author of several books of criticism including "The Theater of the Absurd," he coined that phrase which came to define the works of Ionesco and Beckett. He also had an influence on playwrights Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, championing their works early in their careers.
Born Julius Presezlenyi in 1918, in Budapest, he studied philosophy and English at the University of Vienna. His studies at the famed Reinhardt Seminar of Dramatic Art were cut short, however, by the Nazi occupation.
He eventually immigrated to England where he worked for the BBC, changed his name and became a naturalized British citizen.
After retiring from the BBC in 1977, he joined the Stanford faculty where, in addition to drama, he taught in German studies and comparative literature.
His mind was a repository of 20th century theater.
He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Monica Esslin of London, England.
Services have been held.
Jean Fowkes
Jean Fowkes, 70, retired Palo Alto Parks Department employee and landscape designer, died Feb. 28.
One of the first women to do park maintenance work for the city, she made headlines by ordering "women working" road signs to replace the traditional "men working" ones.
She is remembered as the "Oregon Lady," a petite woman with long gray hair who looked after the plantings on the Oregon Expressway and nearby parks.
She was honored as employee of the year by the Parks and Golf division in 1992.
She was a talented and respected landscape designer and a longtime member of the Western Horticulture Society. Her landscape designs have been implemented all over the bay area, in residential as well as commercial settings. Her love of plants and passion for design were a source of endless delight to family, friends and clients.
She is survived by her mother Floss; brother, Gus; six children, Steve, Darcy, Bob, Ken, Rick and Dale; four grandchildren; and her Burmese cat Kofi.
Services have been held. Donations may be made in her memory to the Western Horticulture Society Scholarship Fund. PO Box 60507, Palo Alto 94306.
June Gowans
June Gowans, 81, a 30-year resident of Palo Alto, died March 2 from Alzheimer's disease.
Born in Vancouver, she grew up in a small mill town in British Columbia before moving to San Francisco. In 1942, she earned a Home Economics degree from UC Berkeley and, in 1947, she married William Gowans.
They lived in Salinas, Seattle and Menlo Park before settling in Palo Alto in 1972.
An active community member, she volunteered at the Stanford Art Museum (now the Stanford Cantor Arts Museum) and the Menerton Shop, participating in a variety of activities through the American Association of University Women.
She enjoyed gourmet cooking, sewing, quilt making and spending time with her friends and family.
She is survived by her husband, Bill Gowans of Palo Alto; mother, Flora Duns of Menlo Park; daughter, Carolyn of Olympia, Wash.; son, Chris of New York City; brother, Jon of Banning, Calif.; and two grandchildren.
Services have been held. Memorial gifts in her name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Cynthia M. Hamilton
Cynthia M. Hamilton, 81, a 70-year resident of Palo Alto, died Feb. 23.
Born in England, she was for the most part raised in the bay area, except her high school years which she spent in Santa Cruz.
As a dancer and a model, she won many beauty pageants including Miss Santa Cruz, Miss Catalina and being named Miss California in 1937.
A cast member of Billy Rose's Aquacade at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940, she swam with screen legends Esther Williams and Johnny Weismuller.
During World War II, she contributed to the war effort by working in an electronics plant.
She is survived by her twin brother, Derek Curall of Palo Alto; sons, Michael Ashworth of Palo Alto; Tonie Doose of Mountain View; and John Hamilton of Palo Alto; daughters, Cindy Giffen of Chico; and Janice Cavalla of Fresno; nephew, Bob Currall of Pioneer; and five grandchildren.
Services will be held at sea.
Alice Helen Danner Holdren
Alice Helen Danner Holdren, 77, a 53-year resident of Palo Alto, died Feb. 24.
Born in San Francisco, she graduated with a bachelor's of science from UC Berkeley. She served in the United States Navy as a meteorologist.
A true believer in education, she spent many years volunteering at schools in Palo Alto. After returning to college for her teaching degree, she taught Spanish in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, employing a variety of innovative techniques such as homemade filmstrips.
Her lifelong passion was traveling. She and her husband George took a photographic trip to Africa, circumnavigated South America, traveled down the Amazon in a dugout canoe and saw the Galapagos Islands. They also completed two round-the-world tours and went on many cruises.
She will be greatly missed by her husband of 54 years, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services have been held. Donations may be made in her memory to the church or charity of one's choice.
Phyllis I. (Lewis) Keag
Phyllis I. (Lewis) Keag, 87, a resident of Palo Alto, died Feb. 15 in Los Altos of natural causes.
Born in Minnesota, she was raised in Geneseo, Ill., and married John Keag in 1938. The family moved to California in 1947. She is a former employee of Saks Fifth Avenue and Atherton Industries.
She is survived by her children Kay Gilmore; Jim Keag; Karen Scharfenberg; Maureen McCree; 8 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services have been held.
| 
