Jack R. Phillips passed away peacefully on Sept. 4, 2009 in Sonoma. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Fran, in 2007. He was born the fourth of nine children to Ben and Clydella Phillips in Chico, Texas.
He moved to Calif. with his young family in 1945 and settled in Sonoma in 1947. He retired from Sonoma State Hospital Maintenance Department, now Sonoma Developmental Center, after 25 years in 1977. He enjoyed his retirement years traveling and enjoying his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his three children; Patty Wise Sonoma, Calif, Lanny Phillips (Josette) Las Vegas, Nev., and Dan Phillips (Jacquie) Sonoma, Calif. He is also survived by his 15 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
Friends are invited to attend funeral services on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 at the First Baptist Church, 542 First St. E., at 11 a.m. Interment at Valley Cemetery, 425 E. MacArthur St., will follow the church services.
Arrangements under the direction of Duggan’s Mission Chapel.
Jack Edwin Herold died on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2009 at his home in Sonoma. Though sudden and unexpected, his passing was peaceful. He was 80 years old. Jack was a genuine and caring person, a good listener, had a great sense of humor, and was an accomplished artist. He will be greatly missed.
Jack was a San Francisco native and proud of it. His parents were Edna Pearl and Sydney Hillis Herold. As a child, Jack watched the Golden Gate Bridge being built, attended the 1939 World’s Fair on Treasure Island and roamed Golden Gate Park with his buddies. Some of his fondest memories are of Sea Scouts, and he remained close to the friends he met there for the rest of his life.
Immediately after graduating from Washington High, he joined the Marines and served in Hawaii and Japan during the Korean War as a parachute rigger. He served on the honor guard at Truman’s inauguration in 1952. He was discharged that same year and took a trip to Europe with a Sea Scout buddy. His future wife Elizabeth was also onboard and Jack felt the song “Some Enchanted Evening” described their meeting perfectly. Six weeks later the couple was married in Trefflestein, the Bavarian village that was Elizabeth’s home town.
Back in the Bay Area with his young family, Jack earned a degree in Commercial Art from the San Francisco Academy of Art. He worked at AAA for 26 years, serving as Art Director for “Motorland” magazine and later as manager of the Projects and Graphics Department. During this time he and his family moved from the Peninsula to Marin and then to Glen Ellen in 1970.
Wanting to pursue his own fine art, Jack took an early retirement in 1977 and moved to Trefflestein with Elizabeth and their youngest daughter. There he and Elizabeth ran a “gasthaus” (bar/cafe) and Jack created many paintings and art pieces of the town and its surroundings. They decided to return to California in 1981 and lived in Marin. Jack worked at AAA for another eight years, retiring for a second time in 1989.
In retirement Jack and Elizabeth built their dream house in Pollock Pines in the Sierra foothills. The family has fond memories of white Christmases there and many other good times. Returning to Sonoma County in 2001, they moved to Vineyard Commons in Santa Rosa, and then to Sonoma in 2003. Elizabeth entered a nursing home and Jack moved into Merrill Gardens. There he was active in the community, making friends teaching an art class, playing Bingo, and spending time with his family.
Jack loved playing games, watching TV, musicals and war movies and singing “cleaned-up” Sea Scout chanties in his off-tune voice. He made us all laugh and feel cared for and supported. We all loved him dearly.
Jack’s sister Marie passed away in 2003. He is survived by his beloved wife Elizabeth, his children Jeannie Newcomb, Jamie Herold, Jill Dawson, and Heather Millar; sons and daughter-in-law Arthur Dawson, Kristi Herold, and David Millar; grandchildren Shemena, Sarah, Rebecca, Jamie, Justin, David, Kyrie and Larkin; and numerous great-grandchildren and extended family.
A celebration of Jack’s life, open to friends and family, will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Clubhouse, 200 Del Rio Paseo, at the back of De Anza Moon Valley Mobile Home Park. His cremated remains will be interred in the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA.
Arrangements by Duggan’s Mission Chapel, Mission Cremation Service.
ROBERT PEDRONCELLI
BOBBY BASCH
Born 8-3-37 Passed 9-2-09
At his request there will be no formal obituary,
service, or funeral.
Family and friends are invited to enjoy a casual
afternoon in celebration of Bob’s life and times
on Saturday, September 19, 2009, outdoors at Paul
Koellers’ Party Place, 1229 Grove Street, in Sonoma,
at 1:00 p.m.
Bob’s ashes will be scattered off the Sonoma
coast he so loved. Donations may be made in his
name to the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Building
1064, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA., 94965.
