Theodore Ridenour Frederick
Rear Admiral Theodore Ridenour Frederick died of heart failure March 21. A native of Washington, D.C., he was 96.
Mr. Frederick entered the United States Naval Academy from the 38th Congressional District, New York state, and graduated with the class of 1926.
Following graduation, he was assigned to preliminary flight training at USNA, Aviation Summer, 1926. Following tours in a tanker and two four-stack destroyers, he was ordered to Pensacola, Fla., for flight training in the first group from his USNA class.
Mr. Frederick received his Naval aviator wings in 1927. He served in both carrier and patrol squadrons. He was in one of the first squadrons to operate from the USS Saratoga (CV-3), and was a plank owner in the first crew of the USS Ranger (CV-4), the first ship built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier. In short order, he flew from the first four commissioned aircraft carriers: Langley (CV-1), Saratoga (CV-3), Lexington (CV-2) and Ranger (CV-4). He had shore duties at NAS Pensacola (flight instructor) and NAS San Diego (aircraft overhaul).
After World War II, he commanded three aircraft carriers, USS Wright (CVL 49), USS Rendova (CVE 114) and USS Badoeng Strait (CVE 116). He served on the staffs of CCMAIRPAC and CornFair West Coast.
Mr. Frederick was professor of naval science at Stanford University from 1954 to 1956. As commanding officer of Rendova, he did what many joined the Navy to do and few get to do – he sailed his ship around the world.
He was awarded the following medals: Legion of Merit (combat), Air Medal and Asiatic Pacific area with eight battle stars.
One year after retirement as a rear admiral, Mr. Frederick taught math and science at Covington Junior High School.
He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Trevorrow Frederick, and his son, William Charles. He is survived by his daughter Joan Wallace V. Cunneen Jr. of Los Altos Hills; grandchildren, Wallace V. Cunneen III, Mary Cunneen Lion of Los Altos, and James F. Cunneen, a former California state assemblyman; and great-grandchildren, C.J., Moira C., and Ryan R. Lion of Los Altos, Laura R., Courtney J., Caitlin M. and Nicholas T. Cunneen.
Services will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, at Christ Episcopal Church in Los Altos.
Robert William Poole
Robert William Poole, a retired teacher and master cabinetmaker died suddenly March 14 at his Los Altos Hills home. A native of Redwood City, he was 93.
Mr. Poole graduated from Stanford University in 1929 and commenced a 40-year teaching career. He was the first educator to implement “work experience” in California schools. His skill at furniture making was widely known in the community. Mr. Poole was an avid fisherman, traveling to Yellowstone National Park every July with his boat which he had constructed in his younger years. He also enjoyed duck hunting with his late wife, Thelma.
Mr. Poole is survived by his wife, Jean Ashley Poole, children, Charles Robert Poole and Rosemary Helmer of Los Altos Hills; granchildren, Robert Dennis Poole and David and Dan Helmer of Los Altos Hills; and great-grandchildren, Robert and Dustin Poole.
A memorial service was held March 17.
Nancy Langhorne Kerse Goodell
Nancy Langhorne Kerse Goodell, a former Los Altos Hills resident and founder of Anthony Schools of the San Francisco Peninsula, died Feb. 27. A native of Virginia, she was 81.
Mrs. Goodell was named for her second cousin, Nancy Langhorne Astor, the first woman member of the British House of Commons. She graduated from Longwood College in Virginia in 1943. in the same year she married U.S. Army Lt. Robert Wood Dailey Guthrie, who died in the invasion of Normandy in 1944.
DuringWorld War II, Mrs. Goodell taught second grade at the Longfellow School for Boys in Maryland.
Mrs. Goodell was a natural orgranier, launching arts programs for blind students, a square dance club for teens, a family camp and serving in leadership positions in numerous church and community organizations such as the Red Cross and the Christian Women’s Club.
She was the widow of Howard Clarke Goodell. She is survived by sisters: Katherine Buck, Julia Thomas and Jane Bell Somers; children, Howard Jr., James McLain and Katherine Langhorne; grandsons, Paul Howard and Jon Michael Goodell.
A memorial service was held.
Vyacheslav Gerasimov
Vyacheslav Gerasimov died March 5 in Mountain View. A native of the Ukarine, he was 62.
Mr. Gerasimov was a metallurgist.
He is survived by his wife, Olga Zhuravleva; daughter, Elena Kountskaia; and two grandchildren.
Servicews were held.
Karen Postel
Karen Postel died at her Mountain View home March 4. A native of Chicago, she was 65.
Mrs. Postel was a reading and literature teacher in the Fremont Union High School District for more than 25 years. She graduated from Stevens College in Columbia Mo. in 1955 and later moved to San Francisco, where she worked for Merrill Lynch. She then decided to teach business courses. Finding that many students could not read what they were typing, she attended San Francisco State University to earn credentials needed to teach remedial reading in 1965.
Mrs. Postel is survived by her sister, Barbara Postel Magerfleisch; niece, Marilee Hanson; and her aunt, Dorothy Kummer.
A memorial service was held March 18.
Robert Birchenall
Robert Birchenall died March 6. He was 81.
Mr. Birchenall was a retired real estate broker from Los Altos. He was a lifetime member of the Los Altos Board of Realtors. He earned their Life Time Achievement Award. He was on the 1960 Winter Olympics Organizing Committee and was a World War II Navy combat veteran.
Private family services were held.
Aniela Rollinger
Aniela Rollinger died March 7, three weeks after her 89th birthday. She was a native of Poland.
Mrs. Rollinger is survived by her children, Joanna, Chris and Jan Rollinger of Los Altos and Peter Rollinger; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Private family services were held.
Carl Francis Kounty
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Mail obituaries to Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022; fax 948-6647; or e-mail [email protected].
Carl Francis Kounty died March 7. A native of Pennsylvania, he was 87.
Mr. Kounty owned a Shell service station in San Mateo. He was a member of SIRS and the San Mateo Elks.
He was the widower of Leona M. Kounty. He is survived by children Caryl Murphy and Cindy Kounty; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
