C O M M U N I T Y
A grand & glorious 4 th
6JG #NOCPCE
By Marie Krenz
for the homemade ice cream. The boys and I took turns with the crank on the freezer until it take holidays in stride even though most of became too difficult to turn, and the adults took them require planning and effort. Especially over. Christmas. What should be an important Each year, our uncles bought a box of firereligious event usually turns into nonstop card works. My brothers and I divided the packs of writing, gift purchases, cooking, and decorating. firecrackers, punks, and sparklers, which we Thanksgiving is an easier day. The family gath- lighted all afternoon. After dark the grownups ers at our old home in Woodside, and everyone shot off a huge array of skyrockets, pinwheels, pitches in to help. Someone picks the last of the and heaven knows what else. Today I shudder rusty hydrangeas for the table, to think of the damage that and we all enjoy the first of wincould have resulted had a fire WOODSIDE MEMORIES ter’s fires as the day grows cool. occurred. About the author: We all contribute to the tradiToday we no longer have the Marie Wagner Krenz has been tional dinner, which changes fireworks, although we somevisiting or living in Woodside since the little from year to year. times manage sparklers for the late 1920s, when her grandparents purchased a home there. I no longer like Halloween children. We do decorate the ■ Go to fearatphantomshiplake.com as the change to standard time table and also the outside with for information about a new mystery brings on early darkness. As a flags and red, white, and blue book she has published. child I loved Halloween and streamers. especially the parade in the Many years ago when the old schoolyard as we marched to a lively Souza high school of my uncles was demolished, they record played on a standing Victrola. We chilbought the flagpole and had it transported to dren wore costumes made from orange and Woodside. Ever since, we always display the black crepe paper and even kept them on for the colors on the Fourth of July, and after dinner food sale that followed. I always bought the same we have a flag-lowering ceremony. The children lunch: Chocolate milk, a hot dog, and a slice bring out a large box of service hats from World of the cake my mother had contributed to the War I and World War II, and everyone dons his event. favorite. But the best holiday of the year, bar none, was If there is a bugler with us that day, he plays and is the Fourth of July. Each summer of our retreat as the flag is slowly brought to earth. childhood we left foggy San Francisco the day Everyone stands at attention as a former seaman after school closed to spend the entire vacation in first class and a former Navy captain carefully Woodside with Grandmother and our uncles. fold the colors in the prescribed manner. Then, We always had a big gathering with family and corny but heart-warming, we sing “America the friends on the holiday. The day was so important Beautiful.” After that it’s time for ice cream and that each year my mother bought me a Fourth of watermelon. July dress. I remember one in particular that was Labor Day has always been a sad holiday for blue and white dotted Swiss with blue smocking. me. It means the end of summer, the return to I recall my uncles barbecuing steaks, Mother autumn activities. We do, however, have all the preparing chile con carne, and Grandmother memories of a happy Woodside summer and an standing by the stove, stirring a rich custard especially joyous Fourth of July.
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*/!. %,)3!"%4( &,!.)'!. Died June 23, 2010 in Portola Valley, California. Joan was born September 16, 1931 to Neil and Beth Parsons in Fort Bragg, California. She attended elementary schools in Mendocino, Healdsburg and Martinez, California, Acalanes High School in Lafayette, California and the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1953. In 1953, she married her husband, Don, a Navy pilot, and, following his graduation from Stanford Law School in 1956, moved to Del Mar, California where she raised two children, Susan and Bruce. Returning to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962, she taught first at Portola Valley Windmill pre-school,
and then K-1 at Ladera and Las Lomitas elementary schools, until her retirement from teaching. Her interests were many, including golf, sailing, flying, wine, gardening, travel and various volunteer activities. She is survived by her brother, her husband of 57 years, two children, six grandchildren and many, many friends. No services are planned. Take a swing at a golf ball, have a glass of wine and smile. That would make her happy. If you care to make a memorial donation, she suggested one to Stanford University with a cover note or notation that it is for 'Dr. Advani's Research', and mailed to Ranjana Advani MD, Stanford Cancer Center, Stanford, California (a wonderful doctor doing lymphoma research), to Pathways Hospice Foundation, Sunnyvale (which gave her so much invaluable care during her final days) or to the charity of your choice. PA I D
ION July 17-18, 10am-6pm ADMISSEE R Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park IS F
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s The Popular Chefs’ Demos Are Back This Year! s Stellar Lineup of Rock‘n Roll, Blues, Jazz & Party Music Ryze The Band, The Garage Band, Rock Solid, SF Bay Jazz, HeartStrings Music, Bob Culbertson, Shabang
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Info-line: 650-325-2818 | www.miramarevents.com
OBITUARY
June 30, 2010 N The Almanac N 19