Transitions Transitions (December 07, 2005)

Marjorie E. Arnold

Marjorie Arnold died Nov. 2 at the Channing House in Palo Alto. She was 81.

She was born in Honolulu in 1924. She attended Palo Alto High School and Mills College, where she studied fine arts. She was accomplished in oil painting and pastel portraits but concentrated her talents on watercolor execution. She received awards at many art shows.

She was a member of the Society of Western Artists, the Pacific Art League, Menlo Art League, Allied Artists West and Peninsula Outdoor Painters.

Besides being accomplished in the visual arts, she also wrote poetry and performed music all her life. She was actively involved in the shows performed at the Channing House.

She is survived by many friends. A private memorial service has already been held.
Eulogio Estoesta Domondon

Eulogio Estoesta Domondon died peacefully at his home Nov. 24. He was 98.

Born in Agoo, Philippines in 1906, he immigrated to the United States at 25. In his first years in the country, he worked in various settings, including a bakery, a hotel, and a candy factory. He entered the Army in 1942, and he received full American citizenship after three and a half years.

He spent the remainder of his career working as a farmhand on the coast near Half Moon Bay. In 1960, he married Remedios Flores Domondon, and the couple bought a house in East Palo Alto.

He is survived by Remedios, his wife of 45 years; his children, Oscar Domondon of San Jose, Remie Bontrager of San Jose, and Lourdes Viray of Vallejo; six grandchildren; and his sister, Dr. Lucia Domondon.

Services were held Dec. 1 at the St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto.
Kennell A. Jackson

Kennell A. Jackson, a professor of African history and longtime resident fellow at Stanford University, died Nov.21 of pulmonary fibrosis at Stanford Hospital. He was 64.

He served as Branner Hall's resident fellow for a quarter century and as director of the African American Studies Program for almost a decade.

Born the son of a school teacher and a building contractor in 1941, he attended segregated schools in Farmville, Va. He earned a bachelor's degree from Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, in 1962 and went on to win fellowships to study at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Ghana and Cambridge University, before earning his doctorate from UCLA.

He joined Stanford's faculty as an assistant professor in 1969.

He is known for his 1996 book, "America is Me: The Most Asked and Least Understood Questions About Black American History." Another book, "Black Cultural Traffic: Crossroads in Global Performance and Popular Culture," which he co-edited with drama Professor Harry J. Elam Jr., was published recently.

His innovative educational programs had a lasting influence on campus life. He was honored with the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Service to Undergraduate Education in 1972. In 1990, he was awarded the Allan V. Cox Medal for excellence in fostering research among university undergraduates.

He leaves behind an eclectic collection of art and books, which will be given to the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Hampton University and to friends and colleagues.

He is survived by his brother, Otis, of Chesapeake, Va.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be sent to Doctors Without Borders (Africa Section), or to Cornerstone Baptist Church, 16 Horsepen Road, Farmville, VA 23901.
James "Jimmy" Wilfred Snodgrass

James Wilfred Snodgrass, 66, longtime Palo Alto resident, died at his home Nov. 13.

He was born in Galveston, Tex. in 1939 and graduated from Ball High School. While in school, he was known for leading his ROTC troops to a local ice cream parlor for a treat, costing him his stripes. He also organized an assembly of his school's student body, which led him to create a statewide convention of high school students.

He attended The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. and The University of Texas in Austin before graduating from Stanford University. It was after graduation that he became an insurance salesman.

In the early 1970s, he lost his sight in an automobile accident, prompting him to become a client of the Peninsula Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto. He became an advocate for disabled people, helping to provide leadership to organizations for the handicapped. He spoke on numerous occasions in front of the Palo Alto City Council as part of the Disability Awareness Task Force.

Along with his political work, he was active with Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, where he made many good friends.

He is survived by his son, Dr. Joshua Snodgrass of Eugene Oregon; brothers, Dr. Robert Snodgrass of Pasadena and Donald K. Snodgrass of Houston.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto, Calif. 94306.
Gordon Isaac Sundberg

Gordon Isaac Sundberg died Nov. 23 in Palo Alto. He was 87.

He was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah to Isaac Victor Sundberg and Esther Elizabeth Young. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy following World War II, he worked at the Stanford University Press for 45 years.

He was known for his interest in computers, love of family, and dedication as a Stanford sports fan. He is survived by his two daughters, Melodie Jackson and Madeline Deceuster; 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Services were held Dec. 2 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palo Alto.

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