Obituaries

Marjorie Ann Crawford, 68, passed away suddenly on July 17, 2009 at home in Sonoma. Marjorie was born on December 28, 1940 in Lovelock, Nevada to Hack and Katie Matheson and was a 66-year Sonoma Valley resident. She retired from Hewlett Packard after a 33-year career as an assembly-line worker. Marjorie was a dedicated mother and idolized grandmother.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her parents Hack and Katie Matheson, Marla Stuart, Shirley Chapman, and Genevieve Shepard.
Marjorie is survived by her children Lori (and husband Marty) Deltessandro, and David (and wife Karen) Crawford; her grandchildren: Shaun (and wife Aurora), Cheree, Dustin and Damon Deltessandro and Brooke Crawford; her great-grandson Dante Deltessandro; her siblings: Nadean French, Barbara Carrillo, Darlene Creek, Marrell Matheson and Bud (and his wife Dawn) Matheson. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and by longtime companion Dave Crawford, Sr.
Friends are invited to attend a funeral service at 11 a.m. on July 25 at Duggan’s Mission Chapel, 525 West Napa Street, with Reverend David McCracken officiating. Interment will follow immediately after the funeral service at Valley Cemetery, 425 East MacArthur Street. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Marjorie’s honor are preferred to the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life of Sonoma, 1451 Guerneville Road, Suite 220, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Arrangements cared for by Duggan’s Mission Chapel.

Walter Arthur Birdsall, 76, of Sonoma, slipped away peacefully in the early hours of July 15, 2009.
Born in San Francisco, raised in South San Francisco by a widowed mom he cherished, Walter was no stranger to poverty and public housing. At South City High he met his wife to be, Barbara Ann Simon. In the 55 years lived mostly in Belmont, CA, they built a comfortable life together, raised two sons and were devoted to each other. A man of few words but deep emotions, Walter loved a classic martini, wine and dinner at a good restaurant; a lush, tidy garden; surprising Barbara with gifts and gestures that showed his love; the San Francisco Giants; and above all his family.
Besides Barbara, he is survived by two deeply loved sons: Walter and his wife, Pam, of Napa, and John and his partner, Perry Lucina, of Oakland. He leaves behind the six adoring grandchildren he lived to please: Mike, Katie, Emily, Mary, Clare, and Kevin, four cherished great-grandchildren, and his brother- and sister-in-law Bob and Linda Simon of Sonoma.
Contributions may be made to donors’ favorite charity. Friends attended a rosary on Friday, July 17, at Duggan’s Mission Chapel and a funeral mass on Saturday, July 18, at St. Francis Solano. Arrangements under the direction of Duggan’s Mission Chapel.

Dorothy H. Magill
In Sonoma on July 12, 2009 – beloved sister of Olive Keller; loving aunt of Kenneth (Sandy) Keller and Janis Millsop; loving great-aunt of Jeffery Millsop and Paula Villareal, Casey and late Adrian Keller. A native of San Francisco. Retired Employee of The City and County of San Francisco.
Family and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Service 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 28, in the Chapel in Sonoma Hills Retirement Center 405 West MacArthur Street. Private Committal St. Mary’s Cemetery, Oakland.

Richard Francis Cronin, died on July 11, 2009 in Santa Rosa, CA; he was 98. A native of Geneva, Illinois, he was born on May 26, 1911 to Myrtle and Thomas Cronin.
He is survived by his son, J. Richard Cronin of San Francisco, CA and by his nephews; Robert J., William C. and Richard C. Rafferty of Colorado. Besides his parents he is predeceased by his wife Katherine Cronin, by his sisters; Catherine Rafferty, Mary Penman and by his brother William Cronin.
Richard was a Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in WWII. A 35-year resident of Sonoma, he moved to Sonoma from San Francisco.
At his request services will be private. Interment at St Francis Solano Cemetery, Sonoma, CA. Arrangements under the direction of Duggan’s Mission Chapel.

James William “Jay” Kettgen, passed away on Friday, July 17, 2009 in Sonoma, CA. He was 81 years old. Jay was born in New York and lived in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida and most recently Sonoma. Jay ran cross-country for Mepham High School and placed fourth in the state and graduated in 1946. He won a history award as a freshman in 1942. Jay was a veteran of WWII and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Hofstra University in 1952. He was active in local politics, could build or repair anything and often did so for his family and neighbors. He loved his family, economics, history, camping, sailing and the beach. Many people said “he was ahead of his time” in thought and business.
Jay is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Marie, daughter Janet, son-in-law Michael Connors, sister Terri, brother-in-law Bill Long, sister-in-law Delores MacMillan, nieces Karen Eldridge and Diane Long and nephews Keith and Stephen Long, and James and Scott MacMillan.
Friends are invited to attend a visitation on Sunday, July 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. followed by a Vigil at 7 p.m. at Duggan’s Mission Chapel, 525 W. Napa St. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, July 27 at 11 a.m. at Saint Francis Solano Church, Third Street West and West Napa Streets. Private Interment, Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Dixon, CA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, 400 North McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, CA 94954. Arrangements under the direction of Duggan’s Mission Chapel.