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Chuck Painter/Stanford News Service
Nathan Oliveira, a renowned artist and longtime Stanford University faculty member, died Nov. 13 at his Stanford home from complications of pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes. He was 81. A painter, printmaker and sculptor, Oliveira was a leader in the Bay Area Figurative movement in the 1950s. With his interest in the human figure, he took a different path from the many artists who were pursuing abstract expressionism. “I’m not part of the avant-garde,” he said in a 2002 interview with Stanford Magazine. “I’m part of the garde that comes afterwards, assimilates, consolidates, refines.” Oliveira also gained a wide reputation from his work in printmaking. Art historian Peter Selz credited him with helping revive the art form after its decline in the 1960s and ‘70s. During his long career, Oliveira held exhibitions in cities as far-flung as New York, Melbourne, Stockholm and Paris. But he was also a familiar face locally, walking Stanford’s Dish to seek out the birds he loved painting. “I always felt he was a painter of
extreme talent and ingenuity, right to the end of his life,” Selz said. Oliveira was born in Oakland to Portuguese immigrants. He started art lessons in high school and later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland (later the California College of the Arts). He married Ramona — the daughter of Cincinnati Reds
BIRTHS Carey and Si-Wai Lai of Palo Alto, a daughter, July 23. Celine and Gregory Boutte of Atherton, a daughter, July 25. Nicole and Cesar Rodriguez of East Palo Alto, a son, Sept. 11. Evan and Curt Herberts of Menlo Park, a daughter, Sept. 20. Shealan and Raj Singh of Palo Alto, a son, Sept. 27. Jennifer and Robert Noravian of Atherton, a daughter, Oct. 1. Natalie and David Heymann of
Palo Alto, a son, Oct. 5. Joyce and Hugh Brock of Palo Alto, a daughter, Oct. 8. Sudipta Bhowmik and Dwipal Desai of Palo Alto, a son, Oct. 11. Amber and Ryan Warner of Menlo Park, a son, Nov. 7. Ann Lin and Renny Hwang of Palo Alto, a daughter, Nov. 9. Kimberly Todd and Jason Field of Menlo Park, a daughter, Nov. 13.
Submitting Transitions announcements The Palo Alto Weekly’s Transitions page is devoted to births, weddings, anniversaries and deaths of local residents. Obituaries for local residents are a free editorial service. Send information to Obituaries, Palo Alto Weekly, 450 Cambridge Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306, or fax to (650) 223-7561, or e-mail to editor@paweekly.com. Please include the name and telephone number of a person who might provide additional information about the deceased. Photos are accepted and printed on a space-available basis. The Weekly reserves the right to edit obituaries for space and format considerations. Announcements of a local resident’s recent wedding, anniversary or birth are also a free editorial service. Photographs are accepted for weddings and anniversaries. These notices are published on Fridays as space is available. Send announcements to the mailing, fax or e-mail addresses listed above.
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Artist and Stanford professor Nathan Oliveira dies
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baseball player Walter “Cuckoo” Christensen — in 1951. After teaching at various schools and holding artist-in-residencies at Harvard and other universities, Oliveira joined the Stanford faculty in 1964. Over the years, his honors included being elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and receiving the Commander of the Order of Henry the Navigator from the president of Portugal in 1999. The latter award is granted to people who have augmented Portuguese culture and history. Oliveira retired from Stanford in 1995 but continued to create. In 2008, a large exhibition at the Palo Alto Art Center highlighted the unusual textured patinas that Oliveira added to his bronze sculptures. “Each piece has a very particular patina,” he told the Weekly at the time. “The painterly part of me keeps coming out.” Oliveira’s wife died of cancer in 2006. He is survived by his sister, Marcia Heath of Millbrae; three children, Lisa Lamoure of Fresno, Gina Oliveira of Maui and Joe Oliveira of Palo Alto; and five grandchildren. A memorial is being planned at Stanford Memorial Church for the afternoon of Jan. 12, 2011, with the time to be announced.
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2/3!,).% 2/: &2!.4: 0%00%2 Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away on Sunday morning, November 14. She had endless energy to pursue her many talents and interests, but her main joy and love was her family. While encouraging her children and grandchildren to achieve their dreams, she was always there to provide support and counsel. She loved sunny days, dancing, photography, and travel. In her later years she struggled with many health issues. She gave her best effort to overcome her physical challenges and seemed invincible. Born July 7, 1921 in San Francisco, she was a first generation American, graduating from Washington High School and attending Stanford University and UC Berkeley. She worked in numerous fields, including bookkeeping, retail shoe sales with her husband, real estate, and travel. She and her husband Alfred celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on November 7. Rosaline leaves behind her loving family including her husband Alfred, son Donald (and Giulie) Pepper, and daughter and best friend Janis Pepper. She was the devoted grandmother of Daniel and Jennifer Slate, Andrea Pepper, and Giulene (and James) Moller, dear sister of the late Geri (and Robert) Shimoff, and the late William Frantz, dear sister-in-law of Ralph (and Joanie) Pepper, Ruth Pepper, the late Herman Pepper, and the late Ann Pepper Nelson and beloved aunt to numerous nephews and nieces. Funeral services were held on November 17 at Congregation Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma Street, Palo Alto. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, www.pdf.org. Sinai Memorial Chapel 650-369-3636
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*/(. 7//$25&& !2-342/.' John Woodruff Armstrong at 93, passed away in Santa Rosa on September 29, 2010. John was born on November 7, 1916 in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, to John and Bessie Armstrong. A resident of Evansville, IN; Palo Alto and Santa Rosa, CA. This is what was important to John during his life. First was Florence, his wife of 61 years whom he called his ever-loving honey. Dad said the day he married Florence was the happiest day of his life. He was proud of family: sons John, Charley (Lynne), Tom (Merren) and daughter Nancy (Curt); grandkids Lauren, Emily, Paige, Casey, Sam and Kelly. He loved the Ranch, fishing and watching the deer, squirrels
and birds, working on endless improvement projects, and entertaining his grandkids and teaching them about the outdoors. He loved the sport of tennis and following retirement from the Schlage Lock Company, he and friends formed the Palo Alto Termites tennis group. He played tennis with passion, finesse and always for fun. Finally, his country; John served in the Army Air Corps as flight engineer and mechanic. He displayed his love of the United States by always flying the flag. John’s family would like to thank all of his many friends throughout his life, and especially Frank, Stan, Paul, Gene and his doctors Francis Koch, Juliet Kral, Scott Chilcott, his favorite “sticker” Carol and med tech Teresita. He lived a remarkable life and said often “I wouldn’t change anything. “ John, Dad, Papa — we love you and miss you. PA I D
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