Obituaries

Death Notices: March 4 through March 19, 2013

Deaths of people who have a connection to Cupertino.

April 19, 1926 – March 15, 2013

Resident of Oakland

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Barbara, Auntie Bobbie, Barb = Mom was a lively quick witted woman who enjoyed family and friends to the fullest. She traveled the world and explored the universe in all its goodness.

A fierce defender of the common person by treating everyone with good humor and respect. Her first job was as an elevator girl and she always had two jobs at all times.

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She sold real estate for very large companies and managed her own portfolio of properties. She served as Teamster shop steward and president of the credit union when she retired from Mothers Cakes and Cookies.

In retirement she taught computer skills to seniors and was director of the race walking association for several years. Barbara participated in many field races. Her home office walls are covered with race bibs and medals. Nothing slowed her down until she was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic (MDS) in June 2012.

Even then she was determined to keep up her pace with social events. A's baseball games, junkets to State-line for a little gambling and managing her properties to the very end.

Barbara is mother to Erica (Honolulu), Lance, wife Melody, (Cupertino), Ramona (Danville) and Mark, wife Juliann (Castro Valley).

She is also survived by three grandsons and one step granddaughter: Peter (Ramona), Robert and Matthew (Mark), Blythe (Lance). She also leaves behind her brother David, (Palo Alto) and good friend, Linda Washington.

Her ex husband Hank, predeceased her in 2005. Viewing was March 23, 2013. A celebration of life will be held in a couple weeks. Please NO FLOWERS. Donations can be made to Oakland Library, FESCO or Oakland SPCA are appreciated. For more Information contact Ramona 510-482-3800.

Gabriele Lusser Rico

July 11, 1937 - March 15, 2013

Resident of Cupertino

Gabriele Lusser Rico, Professor Emeritus of English and Creative Arts at San Jose State University, lectured on the application of brain research to writing, learning, and the creative process. She created a brainstorming process called Clustering, a non-linear method to tap creativity in writing, described in her classic book Writing the Natural Way.

Gabriele's words, excerpted from her San Jose State University biography, tell the story of her life:

"An immigrant from Germany, I didn't speak English until I was almost 12. I wanted so badly to belong to America, I spoke almost without accent within seven months. My mother, killed in a bombing raid just before war's end, was replaced by a step-mother who added four children to the five my father already had, making my teenage years complicated, including yearly moves and four high schools.

"My finances forced me to shift from UC Berkeley to SJSU-and I have never been sorry. Not only did I learn much from my caring professors, but I ended up teaching at SJSU for over 40 years. Then, I was accepted into a Ph.D. program at Stanford involving brain research and creativity, which radically changed the trajectory of my life. 

"I became a passionate writer, was selected as both President's Scholar and Teacher/Scholar, and held an Endowed Chair at Notre Dame in Belmont. A survivor of two cancers, each day I am grateful for the privilege of being an American, for my participation in the SJSU community, which gave me the freedom to spread my wings to fly in unanticipated directions, and for the ongoing gift of learning, which leads to ever-new challenges."

Diagnosed with a third cancer last June, Gabriele faced her disease and looming death with the curiosity, wonder, courage, and grace that characterized her life. An "adventure" she called it.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Ressman; her three daughters, Stephanie, Suzanne, and Simone Rico; her stepson David Ressman, and a wide circle of family and friends.

In a 1991 interview that will continue to resonate long into the future, Gabriele shared her approach to life:

"If you face your griefs and your losses and your negatives, you can take your life in little steps, one at a time. You won't be caught by unmanageable crises. It's not a matter of what hurts us in life, it's how we deal with what hurts us that matters."

A celebration of Gabriele's life was held at the San Jose State University Theater on Saturday, March 23.

Donations can be made to the Rico-Ressman Endowment Fund at San Jose State to support emerging writers. This can be done online at http://www.sjsu.edu/giving/

Robert A. Forster

May 31, 1922 - March 19, 2013

Resident of Cupertino

Robert Forster passed away on March 19, 2013. Born May 31, 1922 in San Francisco, Robert was a lifelong resident of San Jose.

He was preceded in death by his loyal and loving wife of 65 years, Mary Lou (Allen) and his parents.

His father, Michael Angelo Forster was an early graduate of California College in Oakland and a lifelong employee of Southern Pacific Railroad, from which he retired as the Signal Supervisor of the Coast division.

His mother Alice (Ensbury) was a third generation family of San Francisco. Robert attended local schools, Jefferson Grammar School, Herbert Hoover Junior High and San Jose High School.

He attended San Jose State, University of California, Davis and University of California, Berkeley. Robert then served in the Army Air Corps for the duration of World War II.

He was lead Navigator in the Mighty Eighth Air Force and flew 31 missions. He was awarded numerous medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf clusters. Robert also received two Presidential Citations and two Battle Stars.

Robert then studied dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco and practiced dentistry in San Jose for 40 years. He enjoyed his profession and was proud of his many patients whom he considered personal friends. Over the years Dr. Forster enjoyed the outdoors and his Lake Tahoe vacation home.

He loved hiking, fishing, and in the winter was an avid skier. In retirement he also enjoyed an occasional round of golf. Over the years Robert was President of the U.C. Club of Santa Clara County, the South San Jose Kiwanis Club as well as a Life Member of the Santa Clara County Dental Society, the California State Dental Association, the American Dental Society and a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.

He was a loyal and generous contributor to UCSF Dental School. He was very proud of his family and their accomplishments. He leaves three sons, Robert J., Dr. Michael A., James R., their wives Charlotte and Eileen, his grandchildren and spouses, Robert A., Dr. Andrew D. and wife Jennifer and great grandson Nicholas, Elizabeth and husband Jun Gabriel and great granddaughter Keaton, Michael P. and Shannon.

In their lives together Bob and Mary Lou completed their travel plans, having visited all 50 states as well as nearly all the world's continents. Funeral Services were held Tuesday, March 26, 2013.

Margaret P. Donofrio

Margaret Alice Pazel Donofrio, 88, of Central and widow of William Donofrio died Monday, March 4, 2013 at Capstone Health and Rehab in Easley.

Surviving are her daughter, Margaret Spangenberg (Gerhard) of Central; sons, William Donofrio (Mary) of Andover, MN, James Donofrio (Mary Jane) of Cupertino, and Frank Donofrio of Elizabeth, NJ; 6 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in April in Memory Gardens on a date that will be announced by Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC.


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