Obituaries

Cupertino Death Notices: Sept. 29-Oct. 8, 2012

A look at obituaries of people who died over the last few weeks.

Listed in alphabetical order, here are some recent death notices of people connected to Cupertino.

Brian P. Beasley
Feb. 4, 1955 – Sept. 29, 2012
Resident of Dublin

Brian passed away suddenly at the age of 57. Brian grew up in Cupertino and lived his last 12 years in Dublin, CA.

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After graduating from Santa Clara University, Brian went on to a career in the food industry as a food broker.

Brian is survived by his wife of 21 years, Charlene and his daughters Elizabeth and Rebecca. Brian is also survived by his parents, Ralph and Betty Beasley and brother Patrick. A devoted husband and father, Brian enjoyed all aspects of life including sports, music, laughter, and quality time with family and friends.

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The Memorial Service was held on Oct. 6 at East Bay Fellowship in Danville with a reception that followed.

The family requests donations be made to the Brian Beasley Athletic Scholarship Fund at Dublin High School. 925-833-3300 ext. 7105

Catherine Aurora Jenkins

September 21, 1924 - October 3, 2012

Catherine Aurora Jenkins was born September 21,1924, in Passaic, N.J., after her parents immigrated to the United States from England. She was one of seven children born to Sarah and Charles Dangerfield. 

At the age of 14, Cathie moved with her family back to England. Six months later, World War II broke out and Cathie later served in the WAAFS, the women's division of the Royal Air Force, as a flight mechanic from 1942 to 1945. Here, she met her late husband, George Jenkins, and they married in 1944. 

Catherine had three children: Linda Conover of Los Altos Hills; Robert Jenkins of Thousand Oaks; and John Jenkins of San Jose. She has 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Catherine and George Jenkins were married 67 years on September 2nd, 2011. After raising her family, Catherine attended Moorpark College where she earned a teacher's aide certificate. She then went on to become a teacher's aide in Simi Valley at Atherwood elementary school. 

With her husband, she lived her dream life in beautiful Simi Valley for 46 years. Six years ago, she and George moved to Sunny View Retirement Community in Cupertino. Catherine was an accomplished artist having painted over 250 oil paintings. In 1982, the Simi Valley Art Association featured her as Artist of the Year. She was a mentor to many and taught many friends and family members to swim, knit, crochet, and to paint. 

Catherine's memoirs are recorded in her book, A Star Turn, available through authorhouse.com. Catherine Aurora Jenkins will be surely missed and always remembered. A memorial service will be held this Saturday, October 13, at 2 p.m. at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks in Westlake Village.

Nicholas James Kamberalis

August 7, 1927 - October 7, 2012

Nicholas James Kamberalis passed on October 7th 2012 in peace, surrounded by family and friends at his home in Don Pedro.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years Doris, his eight children Nancy, Jimmy, Joe, Nick, Holly, Terri, Debbie, and Michael. He also has numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and sister, Koula Frangos.

He was born August 7, 1927 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. While in Massachusetts he worked for Western Electric. He then married and moved to California in 1964 and became owner of a Signal Service Station.

After a short move to Colorado where he worked for IBM, he returned to California and opened an Exxon service station in Cupertino.

He retired in 1990 and moved to Don Pedro, California where he enjoyed traveling boating and spending time with his friends and family. His legacy of honesty and values lives on throughout his family. He was a man of few words but many deeds; a mentor and friend. We all see him now with a warm cup of coffee, a box of doughnuts and a smile opening his shop every morning. We will not let him down; he will live on through us and everyone else he has touched.

Some people exist in this world, our papoo truly lived.

We love you papoo.

A private service was held in Hughson for the family. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Bristol Hospice, 1170 West Olive Ave. Merced, CA 95348 209-384-1415

Dorothy T. Meyer

 Oct. 6, 1922 - Oct. 8, 2012

Dorothy T. Meyer was born Oct. 6, 1922 in San Francisco. She was the only child born to Thoralf and Altha Throndson. Dorothy loved her Lord, the church and music. She combined these loves in her work and volunteer ministry throughout her adult life as she served at several Lutheran churches. In 2010, Dorothy's health forced her to move from her home in San Carlos to Sunny View Retirement Community, in Cupertino. She died on Oct. 9, 2012 at Sunny View.

Dorothy is survived by her son Bob Meyer of Sonora, grandchildren Danny Young, Kirstin Meyer, and Cody Meyer, and great-grandchildren Danny and Alex Mendenhall.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 20, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 10181 Finch Ave., Cupertino.

Father William O'Connell, S.M.

1927-2012

Resident of Bay Area Father William Arthur O'Connell, S.M., passed to eternity on October 1, 2012, at the Marianist Center, Cupertino, CA, at the age of 85. He was a vowed member of the Society of Mary (Marianists) for 66 years.

Born May 27, 1927, in Oakland, to Lawrence G. and Marguerite McNamara O'Connell, he was the younger of their two sons. Baptized and confirmed in St. Margaret Mary Church in Oakland, he received his elementary school education in local parish schools.

Following in the footsteps of his older brother he attended St. Joseph High School, Alameda, CA, and graduated in 1946. It was at St. Joseph High that he became acquainted with the Marianist Brothers and priests.

After graduation from high school he entered the Marianist novitiate at Beacon, NY, where he professed vows for the first time in August of 1947. In 1951, he professed perpetual vows as a Marianist in Santa Cruz, CA. When Brother William completed the bachelor's degree at the University of Dayton in Ohio, he taught for several years at St. James Boys' Elementary School, San Francisco, and at Joseph High School, Alameda.

Theological studies for the priesthood followed at the Marianist International Seminary, Fribourg, Switzerland, where he was ordained a priest in 1956. Upon returning to California Father William completed a master's degree from the University of Portland in Oregon in 1963 while serving as a high school teacher and chaplain at Riordan in San Francisco, Serra in Gardena, CA, and Chaminade in West Hills, CA.

The seasoned educator became high school principal at Riordan, San Francisco, and St. Louis, Honolulu, HI, and also had been pastor at St. Anthony's Parish in Wailuku, Maui, HI. In later years he directed the Newman Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and then served for many years as the superior of his religious community at Marianist Hall in Honolulu. Retirement brought him to Villa St. Joseph and the Marianist Center in Cupertino in 2006.

Father William O'Connell is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Lawrence and Fern O'Connell of Moraga, CA, and their children and grandchildren.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Chapel of the Marianist Martyrs, Marianist Center, Cupertino, 10:00 a.m., October 11. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cupertino. Donations to his memorial scholarship fund may be made to: Cupertino Marianist Community, 22683 Alcalde Rd., Cupertino, CA 95014-3903. The Bud Duggan Family 650-756-4500

Shigeko Sakamoto

1922-2012

Resident of San Jose

At the age of 89, Shigeko Sakamoto went to be with the Lord on Oct. 6, 2012, surrounded by her children in her San Jose home. She succumbed to pulmonary fibrosis.

Shigeko was born in Japan to Pastor Motokichiro Osaka and Misao Matsumoto-Osaka. She met and married Toshio Sakamoto, an American GI stationed in Tokyo, in 1947. They moved to California where they helped plant two churches and raise six children.

Shigeko worked at Philco Ford, GTE Sylvania, National Semiconductor, Advanced Memory Systems, Intersil and Amdahl.

She is predeceased by her sister, Nobuko Inomata, brothers Goro and Michita Osaka, and her husband, Toshio Sakamoto, who passed away in 2010. She is survived by her six children, Sachi Kusel (Dave Schnepper), Tim Sakamoto (Diane), Esther Sakamoto, Priscilla McConnell (Lowell), Ruth Kahl (Bill), Lois Marella (Paul), her eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She last worshipped at Peninsula Bible Church, Palo Alto. Shigeko was an avid gardener, die-hard USC and 49er fan, an optimist, encourager, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and the center of our family. We will miss her very much.

Family and friends are invited to the memorial service on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 10 a.m. at Peninsula Bible Church in Cupertino at 10601 N. Blaney Ave.


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