Published in the San Francisco Chronicle, June 18-23, 2015.

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Richard Levenberg
27.04.1937 – 07.07.2024
Richard S. Levenberg
1937 – 2024
Richard S. Levenberg, affectionately known as “Dick,” passed away on July 7, 2024. Dick was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle and friend. His legacy is one of love, devotion and passion for life.
Dick was born in Gary, Indiana in 1937, the eldest of four children of Milton and Thelma (Gross) Levenberg. He graduated from Cornell University and later received his law degree from Stanford University Law School, where he served on the Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif.
Dick's career has included positions at major corporations such as Great Western United, Shakey's Pizza and Arby's, the State of California and the family-owned American Supply Co. His professional life has been marked by integrity and the pursuit of excellence.
In 1966, Dick married Patricia Booth (Pat) at Temple Emanuel in San Francisco after a chance meeting at the Buena Vista Café. They were married for nearly 58 years, sharing a deep love and a shared joy for life. They moved to Denver in 1970, where they enjoyed the outdoors, skiing, hiking, and making lifelong friends.
The couple moved to Illinois in 1979 to join the family business and raised three children – Josh, Mandy and Wrenn – in Flossmoor. Family was the cornerstone of Dick's life and he cherished the time he spent with his loved ones, especially during Shabbat dinners.
When Dick wasn't playing sports, he was cheering on or coaching his family on the field, and he cheered on his children and eventually his grandchildren at soccer, softball and tennis games.
When he lived in the suburbs and then became a real Chicagoan in 1997, he and Pat tried all the best restaurants, went to movies and museums, saw plays and attended symphony concerts, even in the last weeks of his life. He loved music, especially the former WBEZ radio show Jazz Forum with Dick Buckley and his Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller Band albums.
A loyal Chicago White Sox and Bulls fan his entire life, Dick seamlessly transitioned to cheering for the San Francisco Giants and Warriors after moving to San Francisco in 2014. He was often seen checking the scores on his Apple Watch, even while eating dinner.
Dick was an avid reader and a lifelong learner. He often read more than one book at a time and recommended books for his local library. Whenever he left home, he had a book or newspaper in his hand. After retiring, he took courses at OLLI in Chicago and the FROMM Institute in San Francisco. His intellectual curiosity extended to history, music, and more, enriching his life and that of those around him.
Community service was an important part of Dick's life. He served as president of the Gary Rotary Club, volunteered at Cabrini Green Legal Aid, and was a generous supporter of numerous charities.
He and Pat had a great life together, they loved hosting dinner parties, going out with friends old and new, and although he never wanted to plan the trip, he loved experiencing all of their adventures over the years. He embraced other cultures and loved trying new foods, seeing art from all over the world, and along with Pat, instilled a lifelong love of travel and curiosity in all of their children.
You could please Dick by offering him a Hershey's almond bar, a root beer float, his mother's pea soup, and linguini and clams from Original Joe's. His pastimes included taking walks, watching baseball games, traveling, reading books to his grandchildren, and cheering on the Warriors.
He often said that his greatest accomplishment was raising three wonderful children. Dick is survived by his beloved wife Pat, his children Josh (Verna Kuo), Mandy (Clay McDaniel) and Wrenn (Aaron Andalman), and his eight grandchildren: Alexander, Zoe, Vivi, Stella, Jax, Hazel, Ellery and Levi.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
-Jewish Family and Children Services of San Francisco
-The FROMM Institute for Lifelong Learning at the University of San Francisco
-The Friends of the San Francisco Public Library
-Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on July 9, 2024.

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Obituary published on Legacy.com by Cypress Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park January 9-10, 2021.

Jesus “Jesse” Suarez, 45, died peacefully at his home in South San Francisco on December 27, 2020, after a brave 14-month battle with brain cancer. Jesse was born on September 30, 1975, in San Francisco, California, to Lucia Medrano and Raul Suarez. He grew up in South San Francisco.

Jesse owned his own plumbing business, Certified Plumbing and Rooter, which served the entire Bay Area Peninsula. The quality of service he provided to his customers was very important to him. Jesse was an avid 49ers fan. Whether he was tailgating or traveling to away games, Jesse was definitely in the “Bang, Bang, Niner Gang.” He also loved camping and grilling with family and friends.

Jesse was thoughtful, kind, loving, strong, generous, funny and brave. He never complained and was always positive, even during his battle with cancer, which he fought through to the end. Jesse's family and friends meant everything to him. When he loved you, you knew it! We will never forget his big heart.

Jesse's beloved wife Samantha and his three children Dominique, Frankie and Kayla will miss him dearly. He is also survived by his mother Lucia Medrano, his father Raul Suarez, his stepparents Basilio Alvarez and Mari Suarez, his sisters Lucy Sanchez, Jenny Alvarez, Livier Suarez, Vanessa Castillo and April Suarez, his brothers Basilio (Junior) Alvarez, Alex Suarez and Julio Suarez and numerous nieces and nephews. Jesse's beloved brother Raul Armando Suarez has passed away. He is also survived by his dog and best friend “Fluffy”.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all services are reserved for immediate family only.

Graveside services will be held on Sunday, January 10, 2021, between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at Cypress Lawn, 1383 El Camino, Real, Colma, CA. Funeral mass will be held on Monday, January 11, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at All Souls Church, South San Francisco, CA. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA.

Donations in memory of Jesse Suarez can be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation at https://glioblastomafoundation.org/get-involved/donate.

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Aileen Wolkin
25.02.1929 – 20.05.2024
Aileen Wolkin died at home on May 20 at the age of 95 after a long and courageous battle with cancer, surviving her husband Josh, who died in 2008, and her younger brother Ivan Grossman, who died earlier this month.
Aileen was a loving mother to her daughter Betsy and her son Brandt. She is also survived by her son-in-law Michael Gaines, her daughter-in-law Susie Korn, her grandchildren Matthew, Liz, Maxwell and Will, and her great-grandchildren Josh and Audrey.
Aileen was born in Philadelphia, where she met and married Joshua, her husband of 58 years. Josh and Aileen moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco in the late 1970s, beginning the West Coast chapter of their lives. Shortly after moving to San Francisco, Aileen began a wonderful and creative interior design partnership with her dear friend Gayle Blum. Aileen loved life in San Francisco, where her two children had moved, and enjoyed being a “hands-on” grandma.
Aileen was known for her beauty, sharp wit, intelligence, style and charm. Josh believed she was the belle of every ball they attended. She was unflinchingly loyal to those she loved. We will miss her very much.
Services will be 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California St., San Francisco.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on May 21, 2024.

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Debora L. High May 9, 1957 – February 24, 2008 Danville resident Debora passed away peacefully on February 24 at her home surrounded by her family. She is survived by her husband Grady. children Christina (Matt) Capittelli of Napa, Michael (Andrea) Larson of Newark and the late Amanda Lynn Larson. Daughter of Beverly Baldwin of Richmond and the late Howard Baldwin, sister of Bob (Nancy) Baldwin of El Sobrante and Denise (Jim) Grigg of Alameda. Debora loves spending time with her grandson Cory Cantu, traveling, cooking, gardening, crocheting, and reading. She is a former paralegal and co-owner of Grady's Chimney Sweep and Service. Family and friends are invited to a memorial service followed by a reception on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. at the Wilson & scratch Chapel of San Ramon Valley, 825 Hartz Way, Danville, CA. Burial will be private at St. Joseph's Cemetery in San Pablo. Donations can be made to UCSF, Melanoma Center, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145 or to the charity of your choice. Wilson & Scratch – Danville 925-820-2999

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William Drewis, resident of South San Francisco William Drewis, 85, died January 20, 2012, at Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame, with his family by his side. He was under the compassionate care of Dr. Mary Brzostowicz, to whom we are eternally grateful.

William was born on February 17, 1926 in San Francisco to Herman Drewis and Mabel Olson. A World War II veteran, he served in the U.S. Army's 615th Armored Regiment from April 29, 1944 to August 11, 1946. He met his wife Elise at a party in San Francisco where they had their first dance. They married in 1951 and spent 60 happy years together.

William worked as an aircraft mechanic for United Airlines for 33 years and was a lifelong resident of South San Francisco. He was a careful craftsman, a world traveler, an expert bowler and a great music lover. He will be fondly remembered for his gentle wit and kindness, for his renditions of Frank Sinatra songs and, most of all, for his love and devotion as a husband, father and grandfather.

William is survived by his wife, Elise; two sons and their spouses, Dale and Janet Drewis and Marc and Vivian Drewis; his five grandchildren, Dane, Deena, Janel, Matthew and Heather Drewis; and his step-granddaughter, Mandi Kaiser.

Family and friends are invited to visitation at the CHAPEL OF THE HIGHLANDS, 194 Millwood Drive at El Camino Real in Millbrae on Sunday, January 29, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

Chapel of the Highlands, Millbrae (650) 588-5116 Chapelofthehighlands.com

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LaVonne Siefken Smith
April 8, 1934 – February 12, 2019
Born during the Great Depression in Redding, California, an only child who was adored by her parents. She would remember how her father, Harry, a building contractor, surprised her with her first indoor plumbing job when she was five years old, and with his tenacity as he traveled door-to-door as a chimney sweep when work was scarce. She boasted about her mother, Clara, an accountant, and her tireless volunteer efforts alongside LaVonne in the Masonic Youth Service Organization, the Rainbow Girls and the Methodist Church. In high school, she starred in Down In The Valley and was admired for her beautiful voice and many musical talents.
She remembered her parents' importance of the power of education and their support and encouragement as she enrolled in the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, in 1952. As a music education major, she was proficient in several instruments, most notably clarinet, piano and voice. She was president of Mu Phi Epsilon and sang in the a cappella choir.
Music was her first love until she met and married her husband Don Smith in 1955. Together they completed their education at UOP and eventually moved to Chico, California to raise their two children. They spent family vacations camping on the California coast, in Tahoe and Oregon. Her respect for nature and her gentle spirit undoubtedly stemmed from her deep reverence for all living things, past and present.
LaVonne has enriched the lives of countless children as a music educator for the Chico Unified School District. During her more than 25-year career, she introduced students to music with choir, band and orchestra and sacrificed evenings at home for rehearsals and concerts. Her enthusiasm and commitment to musical enrichment were admired by her family, friends and community.
After retiring, she and Don moved to Washington state, where they lived briefly on a boat and eventually reconnected with their community in Birch Bay, volunteering in music programs at nursing facilities and as a singer and pianist for various churches and Eastern Star to engage. With three grandchildren in California and cold winters in the north, she then spent winters in Sonoma, where she shared her love of music in each of her classrooms, as well as her voice and piano with Eastern Star and the Methodist Church. Over the course of fifteen years, she also developed a stream of after-school piano students, culminating in a spring concert each May before returning to Washington State for the summers. She was so proud of each of them and had an uncanny way of harnessing their uniqueness. As with her own children and grandchildren, she made each child feel individually understood and important. She was full of insight and patience.
LaVonne was fascinated by and studied the subjects of numerology and astrology and enjoyed helping those who would become her clients. She loved the orchestra and the opera. She looked best in purple and knew it, and back then she could wear an Oakland A's baseball cap like nobody's business. Mention ice cream and she was at the door any day, any time.
Her family and caregivers will remember her as a “songbird.” We will sorely miss this voice, her gentle presence. As Don noted, “Her love of music was paramount throughout her life.”
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Don Brooks Smith of Bellingham, Washington, her son Greg Smith of Chicago; her daughter Lori Maggioncalda of Sonoma and her three grandchildren Danny (San Francisco), Greg (Seattle) and Emma (Seattle) Maggioncalda.
A special thank you goes to the carers of people with dementia and their families. It requires the deepest kind of love and patience. Our families are forever grateful to each and every one of you.

Published by Sonoma Index-Tribune on May 24, 2019.

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Wylie Carson

December 16, 1924 – September 28, 2015

Wylie Carson, long-time resident of Millbrae, California, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2015. He was 90 years old. A beloved husband, father, teacher and friend, he will be treasured and missed by all whose lives he touched.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Effie Carson of Millbrae, Calif., and his sons, Wylie D. Carson of San Francisco and Rodney J. Carson of San Mateo. He is also survived by his two granddaughters, Miranda and Cassidy Carson, and their mother, Cory Smith of Sacramento. He also leaves behind several nephews and nieces. Also mentioned are longtime friends: Vernon Capps, Pearl Kerran, Tom Jensen, Satoru Nakama and Scott Nordfelt.
During his long life, Wylie was an honored World War II Army veteran who served in the Pacific Theater and was awarded the Bronze Star. After returning to the States, Wylie went to school and graduated from the College of San Mateo. After completing this service, he joined the 467 Burlingame Plumbers Union in 1951, where he was a life member.
Wylie worked in construction and installed plumbing in many homes in Millbrae and San Mateo County. Wylie later worked for St. Joseph's Hospital and was in charge of the sanitation department. When St. Joseph closed its doors, he was hired at Stanford Medical Center and was responsible for operations and maintenance. After retiring from Stanford after 10 years of outstanding work, he worked for Orchard Supply Hardware in Millbrae for another 7 years and also helped with his eldest son's landscaping business. Wylie was also a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in San Bruno for 58 years.
Family and friends are invited to a viewing at the Chapel of the Highlands on El Camino Real at 194 Millwood Drive in Millbrae on Friday, October 2, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 3, 2015 at the Chapel of the Highlands
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 5, 2015 at Skylawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park in San Mateo.

Published by the San Francisco Chronicle from September 29 to October 1, 2015.

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Walter Joe Maholick died April 7, 2016 at his home in Whittier. Joe was born September 8, 1950 in Whittier to Walter and Anna (Evanchik) Maholick. A native of Whittier, Joe graduated from Sierra High School in 1968 and attended Mt. Sac College until he was drafted into the military. He served in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division during the Vietnam era and joined the Navy Reserves after his Army service. Joe was married to Kathryn Robitaille, with whom he had his only child, Nicholas. In 2004, Joe remarried Suanne Oldenburg in Burden, Kansas.

Joe lived a very varied life. In high school he was a cross-country runner; the smallest, albeit fastest, runner on his team. He loved plants and animals and collected antiques, particularly wood stoves, with his wife Sue. At the beginning of his career he worked as a landscape gardener for many years before becoming an ironworker for high-rise buildings. His most recent and iconic job was that of a chimney sweep. He started his own business, Smokey Joe's Chimney Sweep, wearing his signature black top hat while maintaining his customers' chimneys. He was a member of the California Chimney Sweep Guild and a long-time member of the Whittier Chamber of Commerce. Joe owned and operated Smokey Joe's Chimney Sweep for 25 years.

Joe is survived by his son Nicholas and two stepsons, Greg and Alexander Robitaille.

Published by San Gabriel Valley Tribune on May 1, 2016.

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Published by Legacy Remembers on January 3, 2018.

Jimmy Halloran, 76, of Hampton, passed away on December 24, 2017 at home with his devoted wife, Mary Ellen, at his side. Born on February 5, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York to Rita (Whitney) and Francis Halloran, Jimmy lived his life in his own unique way. His recovery from heroin addiction 50 years ago and subsequent successful pursuit of various careers demonstrated his resilience, courage and determination. After dropping out of high school at the age of 15, he later went back to school and earned a BA in Community Development from Rutgers University and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco, California. After recovering in Daytop Village, New York, he remained active as a drug rehabilitation counselor and director of a residential treatment facility in Daytop, then moved to California and served in a similar capacity at the VA Hospital in Martinez, California. Jimmy felt the need to do something different, so he attended massage school and practiced massage therapy for several years. When he got bored of that, he decided to learn how to clean chimneys and started two chimney sweeping companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, which he owned and operated for 17 years. He was a past president of the California Chimney Sweep Guild. During this time he met and married Mary Ellen, who had moved from Connecticut to California to attend school. Jimmy was sidelined for several years due to hepatitis C, which led him to adopt a macrobiotic lifestyle that controlled his disease. He co-founded the Hepatitis C Global Foundation and took on the task of educating patients about the potential positive effects of macrobiotics on their disease. When he got back on his feet, he obtained a real estate broker's license in California and then Connecticut after he and Mary Ellen decided it was time to return to their East Coast roots. After retiring from real estate, Jimmy remained active in the town of Hampton, serving as a selectman and chairman of the board of the Hampton Gazette until his recent battle with esophageal cancer forced him to reluctantly step down. Jimmy's crowning achievement was the release of his memoir “It Ain't Over Till the Fat Lady Sings” in the spring of 2017, which he wrote in the hopes that it will help other addicts realize that they can turn their lives around and get around lead a fulfilling life. He will be deeply missed by those whose paths crossed as he passed through this life. In addition to his wife, Mary Ellen, Jimmy is survived by his son, Michael Iannolino (Laura) of Staten Island, NY; his granddaughter Nicole Sanders (De'Jean) of Fairbanks, AK; his sister Patricia Levine (Ronald) of New York, NY; two aunts and several nephews and cousins. A memorial service celebrating Jimmy's life will be held on Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson Street, Willimantic, CT. If you feel so inclined, you are welcome to share with those in attendance a memory of Jimmy that may be close to your heart. Please consider making a donation in Jimmy's name to the Samaritan Daytop Foundation, 138-02 Queens Blvd., Briarwood, NY 11435, Attention: Development Department. To register an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com

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