The Memorial Wall

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Dr. Robert George Grossman. As the most loving husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather in the universe, he was our North Star, our compass forward. We are grieving deeply as a family. We are also filled with gratitude for the life he led and the legacy he leaves.

Born on January 24, 1933, in The Bronx, New York, Dr. Grossman is preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Ferenc Grossman and Vivian Eisenberg Grossman. Dr. Grossman was an only child and was adored by his parents who were both immigrants to the United States. Ferenc, who was born in Hungary, was a family practice doctor, and Vivian, who was born in Lithuania, was a grade schoolteacher. Together, they believed that hard work and caring for others were traits to live by and they were successful in their new country. Ferenc and Vivian's greatest love was for their son, and they nurtured Dr. Grossman's interests in science, math, poetry, literature, philosophy and classical music. Ferenc never refused a patient and would treat patients even if they could not afford to pay. In return, grateful families would leave baskets of eggs or bottles of milk on their doorstep. That legacy of caring for others made an indelible mark on Dr. Grossman, who made that a cornerstone of his life's work. Dr. Grossman would treat his patients with compassion and dignity, no matter who they were. He would also make house calls, taking his old school black doctor's bag to the homes of patients who needed help. He was a listener and had a calm and kind manner and would take the time to really hear what his patients were saying and then proceed to help them.

Dr. Grossman honored both his mother and father by becoming a practicing neurosurgeon and a professor. Dr. Grossman had a memorable and loving childhood in New York City and graduated from the Horace Mann School in 1949. He would recall many happy times growing up -- from once getting locked in the Bronx Zoo with a group of friends after dark to his Bar Mitzvah at age 13 and meeting his future wife, Ellin, when he was 16 years old, and she was just 15. It was absolute love at first sight and they were together from that moment on. They were married in 1955 at Ellin's parent's apartment on the Upper East Side and celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary this past June.

Dr. Grossman attended Swarthmore College and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in the Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Always intellectually curious, Dr. Grossman was just 16 years old when he started Swarthmore. Swarthmore held some of Dr. Grossman's fondest memories and he spent the rest of his life remarking on the positive impact the college had on him from best friends to a top-notch education.

Upon graduation, Dr. Grossman attended medical school in New York City and received his M.D., College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, in 1957. Next, Dr. Grossman completed his postgraduate training as an Intern in the surgical service at The University of Rochester, Strong Memorial in 1958.

Dr. Grossman then proudly served the United States of America as a Captain, Medical Corps, U.S.A.R., Department of Neurophysiology. For two years, from 1958 to 1960 Dr. Grossman worked at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. in the Laboratory of Robert Galambos, M.D.

From 1960 to 1962, Dr. Grossman was a Resident and in 1963, he was Chief Resident, Department of Neurological Surgery, Neurological Institute of New York, at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Upon finishing his residency in 1963, Dr. Grossman moved to Texas and accepted his first neurosurgical position as Associate Professor, Division of Neurological Surgery, at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Dr. Grossman stayed there until 1968, becoming an instructor and then Assistant Professor. It was while he was at work at Parkland Hospital on November 22, 1963 that Dr. Grossman received a phone call to rush to Trauma Room One. President John F. Kennedy had been shot and Dr. Grossman, as one of the two neurosurgeons on staff, was summoned to attend the president.

In 1969, Dr. Grossman and his family moved back to New York where he was appointed Associate Professor and then Professor of Neurological Surgery, Department of Neurological Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. And, in 1973, Dr. Grossman returned to Texas -- this time to Galveston -- to be the Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Neurological Surgery. It was his first Chairmanship and Dr. Grossman was proud of the work accomplished in Galveston.

In 1980, Dr. Grossman was appointed Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, The Methodist Hospital, in Houston, Texas. Additionally, Dr. Grossman was appointed the Chairman of Neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine from 1980 to 2005. Dr. Grossman remained the Chairman of Neurosurgery at The Methodist Hospital from 1980 to 2013 and has continued to be a Professor of Neurosurgery since 2013. Dr. Grossman was also the Founder and First Director, Neurological Institute, The Methodist Hospital in 2005.

In 2004, Dr. Grossman founded North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). NACTN's mission is to continually advance the quality of care and the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury through clinical trials of new therapy that provide strong evidence of safety and effectiveness.

Not many people make it to age 88 and still work, but Dr. Grossman's passion for advancing medicine never stopped. He was very proud that he was able to work his entire life and never retired. He believed with 24 hours in a day, much could be accomplished. And so he did.

Dr. Grossman had a keen interest in helping patients with epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's Disease, spinal cord injury and brain tumors. He made an impact in both helping patients as well as making scientific contributions in all of those neurological areas. From 1960 until 2012, Dr. Grossman performed more than 8,000 major neurosurgical operations.

It was common for Dr. Grossman to be at dinner or a grandchild's school event and have people walk over to say how much they appreciated his care for them or a family member. Those comments always brought him joy that he was able to help make a difference.

Dr. Grossman created his own filing system that became his signature: a stack of white index cards, wrapped in a green rubber band that he kept in the pocket of his white doctor's coat or the front of his button-down shirt. Dr. Grossman would keep detailed notes about his patients and would constantly add to the notes to ensure their care. And he also would keep notes on books he wanted to read, PBS shows to watch and notes about which friend was having a birthday, an anniversary, or a baby.

His dedication for training other doctors to become neurosurgeons was his calling. He was extremely proud of the fact that the neurosurgeons he trained and worked with are now among the leaders in the field in Houston and around the country. Dr. Grossman trained two percent of the neurosurgeons in the United States.

Additionally, Dr. Grossman had a keen interest in scientific research. He was a prolific writer, and wrote eight medical books, including Medical Neurobiology: Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiological Principles Basic to Clinical Neuroscience. Dr. Grossman also wrote 216 articles for scientific journals and chapters in 52 different medical textbooks.

Dr. Grossman served on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery and World Neurosurgery. Additionally, he served as Chair, American Board of Neurological Surgeons and President of the Society of Neurological Surgeons. He was a member of the Christopher Reeve Foundation International Research Consortium Advisory Panel and helped guide their research program. In Houston, Dr. Grossman helped found the Houston chapter of the Epilepsy Association Texas and was involved with TIRR and the Houston Area Parkinson's Society.

Dr. Grossman was awarded many honors and some of his most cherished were accepting the Cushing Medal from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2007, for service to Neurosurgery; and the Albert and Ellen Grass Foundation Prize and Medal from the Society of Neurological Surgeons, 1988, for continuous commitment to research in the neurosciences.

Outside of work, Dr. Grossman had numerous interests: photography, sundials, astronomy, sailing and fly fishing. He was a prolific reader and read everything from Greek and Roman classics to English poetry and mystery novels. Dr. Grossman was perennially cheerful, upbeat and a joy to be around. People would always remark that Dr. Grossman was a true gentleman -- and his calm, reassuring demeanor are going to be missed.

And even though he was so proud of his professional accomplishments, Dr. Grossman was even more proud of his family. And it all started with Ellin. Theirs was a love story that knew no bounds. They were inseparable and devoted to one another.

Together, they traveled the world from France to Israel, Japan to Scotland, Egypt to Italy and beyond. They built a vacation home in Santa Fe, New Mexico that became their happy place, their true sanctuary. In Santa Fe, they would hike, birdwatch, eat, look at the stars, visit the library and the museums and enjoy friendships and camaraderie. At home in Houston, they and would attend productions of the Gilbert and Sullivan society, Alley Theater and the Houston Grand Opera among others. They would read books, exercise, and spend time with dear friends and family. They also had two wonderful Westie dogs that they loved and they also treasured their involvement with the West Highland White Terrier Club of Southeast Texas.

Dr. Grossman was always so proud of his family, who will forever love him. He is survived by the love of his life, Ellin and their children and grandchildren: Dr. Amy Coburn and husband Dr. Michael Coburn, along with their son Jeff Coburn and daughter Laura Coburn; daughter Kate Rose along with her son Joel Gottsegen and her daughter Claire Gottsegen; and daughter Jennifer Oakley and husband Bruce Oakley along with their children Jessica Sosa and her husband Jonathan Sosa, Sarah Oakley, Connor Albert, Paige Albert and William Robert Oakley, who was named after Dr. Grossman.

His nine grandchildren named him "Grumpy" -- which they all thought was funny because it was the furthest thing from the truth. He loved his grandchildren with all his heart and was always a source of information, someone to talk to and learn from and the creator of memorable times. The annual Grandchildren's New Year's Eve sleepovers are cherished memories. If a grandchild said they were interested in geology, a geode would be given to them. If they said they liked music, he would give them CDs of Mozart; if they were interested in geography, he would give them a globe. If they were interested in animals, he took them to the Galapagos Island. In truth, he was giving them the world. And they all knew it.

Dr. Grossman cared about people. He had the ability to make everyone feel special -- but that is because he really did think they were. For his family, he wasn't just working at his job, he was demonstrating how waking up early and going strong all day long allows you to get more out of each day; when he was given an award from TIRR just a few years ago, he accepted it with gratitude and then said "I still have much work to do." In his medical research, he was not just working to help try and find a cure for spinal cord paralysis but he was teaching his grandkids to think about others, to help those in need, to try and go further and search for solutions where none yet exist. When he used to go the grandchildren's schools to give a lecture about how the brain works, he was not talking about himself and his accomplishments, he was demonstrating how to be curious and to give back to others through selfless service. He believed helping and teaching others is a key to life. And, when he woke up every morning singing and telling Ellin that he loved her, he was teaching our family how to find joy and care for a spouse.

We don't know who revolves around whom in our family but we tend to think we all revolved around Dr. Grossman. It's no wonder that Dr. Grossman was fascinated by the cosmos, because in our family, simply put, he hung the moon.

As a family, we would like to thank Dr. Grossman's close friends and colleagues who helped care for him. It is a sad irony that a man whose life was devoted to the study of neurological diseases was confronted with Parkinson's Disease. Like everything else in his life, Dr. Grossman faced it bravely, squarely and gracefully. Dr. Grossman's medical team of Dr. Robert Jackson, Dr. Al Raizner and Dr. Eugene Lai were unparalleled in their expert care.

Joel Dwight Janzen passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, October 7 with his wife Lucille by his side. Joel was born to Frank and Marian (Regier) Janzen in Hillsboro, Kansas on April 22, 1938. He lived in Hillsboro until he went to college. He received his degree in Mathematics at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. He received his Masters degree in Guidance Counseling at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

On August 25, 1959, he married Lucille Klaassen, also of Hillsboro, Kansas. They were married for 62 happy and adventurous years. In 1961, Joel and Lucille moved to Lawrence Kansas, where he taught math at West Junior High.

In 1966, Joel answered the call to teach in Africa. Joel, Luci and children Julie and Greg left Lawrence and Joel spent the next 4 years teaching and counseling in the Congo at The American School of Kinshasa. Daughter Jane was born in Kinshasa before they returned to the United States, this time to settle in Tacoma, Washington. Their fourth child, Emily, was born in Tacoma.

Joel was hired as a counselor at Hunt Junior High in Tacoma in 1970. Joel had caught the Travel Bug, for which there was no vaccine. In 1974, the family headed to Lagos, Nigeria with the opportunity to teach at the American International School in Lagos. After three years, Joel was hired as guidance counselor at the International School of Kenya. The family lived in Nairobi for four years.

Joel took his family back to Tacoma in 1981, where he continued as a school counselor. Still afflicted with the Travel Bug, Joel and Luci went back to the international school in Lagos in 1993, where Joel was counselor and Luci taught 2nd grade until 1997. He retired in 2002 after serving as a high school counselor in Tacoma Public Schools. Joel and Luci have been living on Anderson Island since 2013.

Joel enjoyed a variety of hobbies. We remember him most for his love of singing and listening to music. He was known for his beautiful tenor voice. He loved Africa and took his family on many safaris. He especially enjoyed bird watching. The Travel Bug was still very active after retirement, so Joel and Luci traveled to Europe, Asia, and South America.

He is survived by the love of his life Lucille and four children: Julie Janzen Shires (Paul Shires) of Arroyo Grande CA; Greg Janzen (Doris Acosta) Fox Island, WA; Jane Ellen Kramer (David Kramer) Grass Valley, CA; Emily Janzen Reimer (Troy Reimer) Lawrence Kansas. He is also survived by his brother Don Janzen (Irene) of Newton, Kansas, and Ruby Derksen (Carl) of La Canada, CA. His brother John Janzen (Shirley) preceded him in death. He took great joy in his 10 grandchildren: William Shirefley (Tess Shirefley), Addison Kramer, Adam Shires, Benjamin Reimer, Elliott Kramer (Sam Kramer), Jonathan Reimer, Greta Kramer, Griffin Janzen, Lucy Reimer, and Matthew Reimer.

Joel's last words were, "I have a song in my heart." A memorial service will be held on July 16, 2022.

Joan Morris, 89, passed away peacefully at her Brentwood home on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 after a long illness.

The daughter of Howard and Pauline Nelson, Joan moved from New Haven, Connecticut to Los Angeles as a child, and attended Westlake School and the University of Southern California. She worked briefly in the movie industry and as a schoolteacher before marrying her lifelong love, Thomas Joseph Morris. Joan was active in the Junior Charity League, The Nine O’Clock Players, and at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, first as a lector and then as a wedding coordinator. Joan loved to entertain, play bridge, paddle tennis and swim. Her greatest joy was traveling with her husband, especially to the Hawaiian Islands. Joan loved movies, musicals and dining out and discovering new restaurants with friends.

Pre-deceased by her husband, Thomas, Joan is survived by her son Thomas N. Morris, daughter-in-law Jill Myers, granddaughter Izzy, son Christopher J. Morris and daughter-in-law Teresa Morris.

John Lewis Marman IV, proud husband, father, granddad, former College of the Desert Athletic Director and Board Trustee, coach, educator, mentor, community leader and fundraiser, has passed away at the age of 81.

John Marman was born and raised in Sidney Montana, where his family started the F.T. Reynolds Co. grocery store chain. Known in his hometown as "Butch", he played the clarinet in the band, and was an accomplished high school athlete. John attended the University of Nebraska where, as a 6-foot' 1" 190-pound sophomore he played half-back in what is arguably called the greatest game in Husker history-, the 25-21 upset of Oklahoma in 1959 that ended the longest unbeaten streak in NCAA history- 74 consecutive games.

In Nebraska, John met his beautiful wife Madonna and went on to earn a master's degree at the University of Arizona. John and Madonna then settled in San Bernardino where he taught and coached at Pacific High School. In 1969, the couple moved to Palm Desert, where John became the track and field coach at College of the Desert. Two years later, Coach also became the football team's defensive back coordinator and in 1976 he was named as the school's second-ever COD Athletic Director.

As Athletic Director, Coach Marman launched the COD women's sports program, managed the summer recreation, pool and swim lesson program, and coached at least 10 different men's and women's teams before eventually taking the head football coach position, from 1982, taking the 0-10 Roadrunners to their first 1st Southern California Bowl conference title in 1986 against Golden West College, ending the season ranked 12th in the nation.

Coach retired as Athletic Director in 2002, going out with a bang! That final year he surprised no one by both sinking an impossible putt in one attempt, and swishing a half-court basketball shot on his first try during a halftime fundraiser, raising $20,000 for the College of the Desert Foundation.

After retirement, Coach could not walk away. He decided he wanted to play tennis for COD, so he enrolled in a full academic load, and joined the team, winning 80% of his doubles matches, and achieving a state ranking. Tennis Coach Guy Fritz remembers that during the conference tournament, Coach, then in his 60s, beat two college kids in back-to-back sets in 100-degree heat.

In 2006, Coach Marman was elected to the College of the Desert Board of Trustees, continuing his dedication to community service and education.

Coach led numerous community organizations and committees over the years, including: President, College of the Desert Faculty Senate; Board Chair and President COD Alumni Association; President, Palms to Pines Rotary Club; Recipient International Citation President Rotary Foundation; Board of Directors and President's Lifetime Circle member College of the Desert Foundation; Board of Directors Desert Special Olympics; Chair, College of the Desert Board of Trustees; Chair, Palm Desert Sister City Foundation; Chair, Riverside County Fair Board; Member, National Date Festival Board; Chair, Palm Desert United Way Fund Drive; Founder, Palm Desert Dance Festival; Founder, College of the Desert Shoot-Out Fundraiser; Vice Chair, Sister Cities Foundation; Co-Chair, Art/Cultural Education Committee; Board of Directors, Palm Desert Historical Society; Co-Chair with wife Madonna, Mini-Muster Fire Safety Education Program; Grand Marshall, Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade; Co-Chair, College of the Desert East Valley Alumni Committee; Board of Directors, Palm Desert Jaycees.

Coach was also instrumental in bringing national attention to College of the Desert by inviting events such as the "NFL's Fastest Man Competition", "Star Games" and the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers training camps to the campus for 12 years during the 1980s'90s. He even slipped keys to the gym to Shaquille O'Neal so he could practice alone in the middle of the night while he was in town.

Coach was particularly proud to Chair the Palm Desert Parks and Recreation Commission during construction of the Civic Center Park, Recreation Center and Sports Complex. During this time, he championed a pedestrian bridge across the east side drainage culvert so students from nearby schools and neighborhoods were not forced to walk for miles on busy streets to reach the park. The City of Palm Desert recently named the bridge in his honor.

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdsuE5sT4sA

Coach Marman believed in the value of a College of the Desert education. All three of his children attended the College before going on to earn degrees at four-year universities in California. Coach's wife Madonna, who put nursing school on the back burner when they married so she could work to put him through graduate school, completed her R.N. degree at College of the Desert. The office of the College's Dean of Nursing is named in her honor, paid for with Coach's Board of Trustees salary.

John and Madonna loved traveling, playing tennis and hiking. They took hours of dance classes together, tore up the dance floor at Pappy and Harriet's, and tangoed their way through Brazil and Argentina. John was famous for his chili, his love for Willie Nelson and Tom Brady, and his grand dog Stewy!

John is preceded in death by Madonna Marman, his wife of 57 years. He is survived by their three children; daughters Sue (Suzi) Hanks (John); Danielle Scardino (John); son John Marman; and his pride and joy, 9-year-old grandson John Knox Marman, who by all indications has inherited his granddad's athletic prowess, and will be a basketball and football super stud!

Coach is also survived by his sister Anne Armstrong, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was also preceded in death by his parents, John and Vesta Marman, brothers Theodore and Kent, and sister Victoria.

While Coach was known for his INTENSITY on and off the field, he is also remembered for his mischievous sense of humor and lasting impact as a mentor, leader and father figure to his players, and his rule of no earrings or Mohawks on the field. He is remembered by many for his motivational mantra…" You Got to Want It!", and the dreaded punishment to run laps with the phrase, "Get on your horse!"

The Marman kids would like to thank Coach's many friends who supported him through his recent health challenges. We are especially thankful to his caregivers, Pat, Richard and Joey Hounsell at Britannia Lodge in Palm Desert. We are forever grateful for your love, compassionate care and incredible patience for the old G.O.A.T.

The 36th mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia from 1993 to 2002, making him one of Vancouver's longest-serving mayors, Philip Owen died peacefully on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the age of 88 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease, according to a family statement.

Owen was born and raised in Vancouver. He completed his education at Prince of Wales Secondary School and later New York University. In his late 20s, Owen started a textile business that later expanded to both Toronto and New York City. He became a director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, president of the Downtown Vancouver Association, chair of St. George’s School, and was involved with many other local organizations.

He entered civic politics in 1978 after being elected to the Vancouver Parks Board. In 1986 he became a member of the Vancouver City Council and served there for seven years.

Owen was elected Vancouver’s 36th mayor in November 1993 and was re-elected in 1996 and 1999, making him Vancouver’s longest-serving consecutive-term mayor.

During his nine years as mayor, the city's downtown residential population doubled from 40,000 to 80,000 and the residents enjoy a new vitality in a part of the city that continues to improve and is a model for North American cities. The city maintained a "Triple-A" credit rating as well as being rated the number one city in the world for quality of life by the William Mercer Study.

Under his leadership, the city also opened Library Square, a new downtown headquarters for the Vancouver Public Library which features an innovative architectural design by Moshe Safdie.

Owen was most noted, however, for his championing of drug policy reform.

After four years of research, Owen led the local and national debates to fight drug addiction problems in Canadian cities through a "Four Pillar Approach", a comprehensive program with provisions for prevention, treatment, enforcement, and harm reduction. An 85-page action plan was passed unanimously by Vancouver City Council in May 2001. This new policy had the support of over 80 percent of Vancouver's residents, as well as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big City Mayor's Caucus.

As a result of the Four Pillar Approach, Vancouver opened Insite, North America's first legal safe injection site for intravenous drug users, in 2003.

Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold died peacefully at home in Houston, surrounded by family and loving caregivers, on September 26, 2021 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. She was six days shy of her 95th birthday.

Sissy Farenthold was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on October 2, 1926. She was the daughter of Catherine "Catty" Bluntzer and Benjamin Dudley Tarlton Jr., an accomplished attorney and campaigner for social justice. Farenthold was heir to several of South Texas' prominent settler families. Throughout her life, she exhibited their spirit of determination, defiance and fortitude.

Sissy attended Corpus Christi High School, then graduated from The Hockaday School, Vassar College (at 19) and, in 1949, The University of Texas School of Law (at 22). The University of Texas Law library is named in honor of her grandfather, Benjamin Dudley Tarlton. At a time when a legal career was unusual for a woman, Sissy was the successor to her family's legacy of legal advocacy and progressive politics.

In 1950, Sissy married Georges Edward Farenthold, a Belgian-born immigrant, linguist, and Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. During the early years of her marriage, Sissy enjoyed a hiatus from her profession, giving birth to five children in five years. She couldn't resist the lure of the law for long, however, and in the early 1960s she accepted a series of appointments and jobs, serving on the Corpus Christi (Roman Catholic) Deanery and the Corpus Christi Human Relations Commission, and as director of Nueces County Legal Aid. She also fought a legal battle to protect unobstructed shoreline views in Corpus Christi, helping to establish the Organization for the Protection of an Unblemished Shoreline.

In 1968, Sissy was invited by a group of friends and local activists to run in the local Democratic primary for the Texas State Legislature. She triumphed; and that fall, Sissy was elected as the only woman in the 150-member Texas House of Representatives.

In the Texas House, Sissy's legislative priorities included civil rights, raising the spending cap for welfare recipients, and protecting Corpus Christi's bays and estuaries. She attributed these first two commitments to the needs she saw as a lawyer with Nueces County Legal Aid, where she mostly represented poor Mexican-American women. While in the legislature, Sissy successfully sponsored the Texas Equal Rights Amendment. She held a 100% voting record from the AFL-CIO Committee on Public Education (COPE).

Perhaps Sissy's biggest impact as a legislator came with her dogged pursuit of the investigation of the Sharpstown Scandal—a sordid collection of government corruption crimes by powerful Democrats. Her insistence on transparency and her fight against special interests ended the careers of many Texas politicians, including the Speaker of the House, Gus Mutscher.

In 1972, Sissy continued to pursue anti-corruption and many of her other priorities by running for governor. In the Democratic primary, she made it into a runoff, defeating incumbent Governor Preston Smith and Lt. Governor Ben Barnes. Eventually, she lost a close runoff election to the rancher and banker Dolph Briscoe, and in the meantime, became the national face of Texas progressives for more than a generation.
At the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami, where Sissy led the anti-war McGovern forces from Texas, she was tapped as a potential vice-presidential running mate for McGovern. Gloria Steinem nominated her from the floor, seconded by Fannie Lou Hamer and former U.S. Rep. Allard Lowenstein. Although Sissy came in second, she was the first woman whose nomination for that position had ever been brought to a floor vote. Perhaps it was this, and her outspokenness, that earned Sissy a place on Nixon's Enemies List—twice.

In 1973, Sissy became the first chair of the bipartisan National Women's Political Caucus, whose mission was to recruit women for public office. She made Houston her home base until, in 1976, she became the first woman president of Wells College (then a women's college, founded by Henry Wells of Wells Fargo fame) in Aurora, New York. Her presence is still felt on the campus, including at the Frances Tarlton Farenthold Athletic Wing that was built during her tenure.

When Sissy was at Wells, she and two friends created the bipartisan Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) to encourage college-aged women to embark on lives of public service. The organization continues today.

In 1980, Sissy returned to Houston. The scope of her politics broadened, as she increasingly brought her attention to international activism. She joined the board of directors of the Helsinki Watch Committee, precursor of Human Rights Watch; and alongside her cousin Genevieve Vaughan, Sissy led protests against apartheid in South Africa and against nuclear proliferation. She helped organize the Peace Tent at the 1985 NGO Forum in Nairobi, held concurrently with the Third U.N. Conference for Women; and embarked upon peace and human rights missions throughout Central America, Asia, and the Middle East. She traveled to Rio de Janeiro for the worldwide Environmental Summit in June of 1992.

Sissy taught law at the Thurgood Marshall Law School at Texas Southern University, where her students included future U.S. Rep. Al Green; and at the University of Houston, where she taught one of the nation's first classes on sex-based discrimination.

Sissy proudly served as the chair of the board of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington; and of the interfaith Rothko Chapel in Houston, "a sea of humanism," as she called it, with which she was involved for close to thirty years. She also served on the advisory board of the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice at The University of Texas School of Law. Sissy had countless friends and collaborators around the world from her more than sixty years of activism, a number of whom established the Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold Endowed Lecture Series in Peace, Social Justice, and Human Rights, co-presented each year by the Rapoport Center and the Rothko Chapel.

In 2009, Sissy was the executive producer of Quest for Honor, a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It was short-listed for an Academy Award for best documentary.
Sissy is preceded in death by sons James and Vincent. She is survived by her sister Genevieve Hearon, by three beloved children—George E. Farenthold II (Lisa Marsh Ryerson) of Washington, D.C., Benjamin Dudley Tarlton Farenthold, and Emilie Chevalier Farenthold of Houston—and by three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and countless friends and admirers.
To her family and friends, Sissy was the personification of righteousness, compassion, and justice. She is irreplaceable.

Burial is private. A public, in-person memorial will be held at The University of Texas School of Law at a later date, depending upon public health conditions.
 

Joyce Carol Esbensen (née Anderson), 89, died peacefully on Friday, September 24, 2021. 

She had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for several years. Joyce was born a die-hard Cub fan in Chicago, IL on March 9, 1932. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a BA in Education in 1954, and earned her Master of Arts degree from the University of Redlands in 1964. 

Joyce was fiercely proud of and devoted to her family, profession, and friends, and the students she taught during her long teaching career - junior high school in Denver, CO and Riverside, CA and more than 20 years teaching English at Fallbrook Union High School. She spent most of her tenure at FUHS as the English Department Chair. Outside the classroom, she spent innumerable hours inspiring, guiding and mentoring students in her roles as the Girls’ Swim Team coach, Academic Team coach, Decathlon Team coach, and as the Faculty Advisor of the school’s literary magazine, KOPA. Joyce was a dedicated member of the Fallbrook community. There was almost nowhere she went in town or the surrounding area where she didn’t come across a former student whose life she had impacted. Not only as a teacher but also as a member of the Fallbrook American Association of University Women, she was a steadfast advocate for women. 

She was passionate about F. Scott Fitzgerald & The Great Gatsby, education, correct grammar, and her rose garden. Over her life, she traveled the world with family and friends, instilling her curiosity in her eight grandchildren by taking each of them on a special trip. She inspired, mentored, praised, and was respected by those who knew her. She was lucky to live a long enough life to watch her beloved Cubbies finally win the World Series.

Joyce is survived by her sister Linda Loran, son Mark Esbensen of Fallbrook, daughter, and son-law Kristen & Bob Wagner of Colleyville, TX, and daughter and son-in-law Lauren & Matt Greenberg of Bradenton, FL, eight grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

Lawrence F. Bender, 85, passed away September 24, after a valiant battle with Parkinson's disease. His wife Karen and other loved ones were at his side.

Whatever the trials of Parkinson's, the enduring light of Larry's life far outshone them.

Born in the midwest, he came to San Diego as a child at the outset of World War II. His father ran a small business that catered to the Navy men who came through en route to the Pacific war. Larry liked to tell colorful tales about riding in rickety boats out to the warships to sell small items to the sailors.

Larry always knew he was to be an artist. He earned an art degree from San Diego State University, and after serving in the U. S. Army, he studied at Art Center College of Design. He expected his career to be in advertising in L.A., but a surprise call from an admired mentor pointed him to an opportunity at Fairchild Semiconductor, a pioneer company in what was to become Silicon Valley. He grabbed it, even though it meant entering what was for him the alien world of high technology. But he hit the ground running and never looked back.

After five years at Fairchild, he founded a graphic design firm, Lawrence Bender & Associates. With his ability to drill right to the heart of an issue, his dead-on sense of design and color, a perfect combination of wit, wisdom, empathy, and humor in relations with others, and his ability to foster talent in those who worked under him, Larry built Bender & Associates into a top-tier design firm. Many who thrived under his leadership went on to achieve their own notable success.

Larry is survived by his wife, Karen; children Scott (Susan), Lauren (David), Carey, and Erika; grandchildren Benjamin, Nathan, Rebecca, Elisha, Danielle, Scarlett, Andie, and Alexia; cousins David and Eve.

Dave Verdery's Service Details

David (Dave) Verdery, beloved husband, father, father-in-law, son-in-law, g-dad, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, great uncle, and dear friend, passed from this life on the evening of September 15, 2021. Dave was born in Waco, Texas. He was the first of three children born to David Paul and Ruthe McCawley Verdery.

     Dave attended Waco public schools and graduated from Waco High School in 1961. Following graduation, he attended Baylor University, first focusing on becoming a minister. While at college he had the opportunity to sit in for a friend as an announcer for local radio station KEFC in Waco. This marked the beginning of an incredible 35-year career in radio that took him to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He was honored by The Gavin Report as Adult Contemporary Music Director of the Year for 1992 and 1993 for his work at KBIG in Los Angeles. One of his proudest achievements was the creation of Disco Saturday Night. This weekly program of classic disco hits that he mixed together himself, helped KBIG reach #1 in that time slot. Disco Saturday Night is still running in syndication on other radio stations today.

      Dave was married to Randy Lee Mahan from 1968 to 1970 and they had a son, David Roderick (Rod) Verdery Tomlinson. Rod, and his wife, Karen, have four children, Lucas, Alexis, Elijah, and Hanna, lovingly known as the g-kids. Dave was known to them affectionately as g-dad

Upon retirement in 1997, Dave returned to Waco to help care for his mother and to discover what life’s next chapter would hold. In those next few years, he became involved with the local PBS station, KWBU, as an announcer and host for their televised fundraisers, he sat in periodically as a guest deejay for a local radio station, The Spot, and began performing in Waco and Temple Civic Theatre productions. Dave was a wonderfully gifted actor who had the opportunity to take part in numerous musicals and plays. He also went on to try his hand at directing, finding it incredibly fulfilling. Perhaps his most treasured role was that of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

      In 2000 Dave met Curtis Cannon. They publicly affirmed their love and commitment for each other with a blessing in 2000, a holy union service in 2001, and, at long last, a legal marriage when that right was finally afforded to them in California in 2008. The couple reaffirmed their marriage vows in 2015 in Waco, Texas in celebration of the passage of national marriage equality.

     Dave was formally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in January of 2007. Although this was a huge shock, he focused on learning all he could about Parkinson’s. He joined a local Parkinson’s support group in Waco (HOT PACs) and focused his time, energy, and passion on conducting weekly exercise classes (for which he mixed special thematic music), served on their board, and helped to plan informative programs and Parkinson’s symposiums.

      In 2016 Dave and Curtis decided to relocate to Southern California where they would be closer to family. Curtis left work so that he could be available as Dave’s full-time caregiver. Upon arriving in the Coachella Valley, Dave and Curtis became acquainted with Parkinson’s Resource Organization (PRO) and its many support groups, services, and programs. Dave enjoyed sharing in Round Table meetings about products that he had discovered that were helpful to him in his day-to-day living with Parkinson’s. He also enjoyed writing poems for the PRO monthly newsletter that were a window into his experience with Parkinson’s.

      Dave is survived by his son David “Rod” Verdery Tomlinson (wife Karen) and their daughters Alexis and Hanna and sons Lucas and Elijah; sister Gini Verdery Bortz (husband Garry); brother Richard Verdery (wife Beverly); nephew Ryan Bortz; nephew Brennon Bortz (wife Whitney) and their daughters Aisling and Kella and son Cavan; nephew Scott Verdery (wife Traci) and their daughters Ella and Emerson; niece Suzanne Dell (husband Nick) and their sons Jacob and Jonathan; niece Laura Edmonds (husband James) and their son Harlan and daughter Samantha Ruthe; mother-in-law Joyce Montgomery Cannon; brother and sister-in-law Chris and Laura Cannon; niece Kari Stickney (partner Brian) and Kari’s son Jason; nephew Jason Stickney (wife Brit) and their son Bennett and daughter Linden; Aunt Ruth Cannon; former wife Randy Tomlinson (husband Richard); his husband Curtis Cannon, and so, so many dear friends

      It's hard to conceive that this bright wonderful light is no longer with us. May his many loving contributions, and all the sweet, treasured memories console the many of us who grieve his passing.

      In lieu of flowers, donations to Parkinsonsresource.org/Verdery would be a wonderful honoring David’s memory

      *please consider leaving a sentiment or memory

Judith Jaffee, formerly of Boynton Beach, FL, age 86, beloved wife of the late Harold Jaffee, loving mother of Susan (David) Saltzman (Northbrook IL) and Michael Jaffee (Hollywood, FL) passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening, September 15, 2021 after a prolonged fight with Parkinson’s Disease & dementia. She was the daughter of the late David and Beatrice Van Gelder. She was born in the Bronx, NY. After receiving her master’s degree in teaching form Albany State College, she moved to New City, NY to raise her family. She lived in Boynton Beach, FL for much of the past 25 years where she made many long-lasting friendships.