All Obituaries

Ruth Median, a resident of Marin County for almost 40 years, died on Sunday, April 26 at the age of 90. The cause was complications of Covid-19. Born in Vienna, Austria, her family fled to Belgium just before World War II, after the Nazis seized Ruth's father's property. There, she lived out the war in semi-hiding. In 1948, Ruth and her mother emigrated to the United States, where Ruth's gift for foreign languages launched her career at a large shipping company. In 1965, Ruth...

Barbara Jean Lavaroni Barbara, 92, died peacefully on April 21, 2020, five years to the day after her husband, Charles Lavaroni, who also passed away in their San Anselmo home. Raised in San Francisco's Richmond District, the Lake Street "Kick the Can" champion, Girls Club lifeguard and Job's Daughters Queen attended Presidio Middle School and Washington High School. Ushering at the Curran Theater planted in Barbara a lifelong love for the dramatic and musical arts. At San...

Edward Rogers, Jr. passed away peacefully on April 5, 2020, in Corte Madera at age 89.  Ed was a proud native of Oakland.  He was born on August 26, 1930, at Fabiola Hospital in Oakland.  Ed’s parents were Edward Carden Rogers and Augusta Gertrude Carvalho Rogers.  The family lived in West Oakland, downstairs from Ed’s paternal grandparents (Antonio and Maria).  Antonio and Maria had emigrated from the Azores. In 1935, the...

Adeline Catherine DeMartini passed away peacefully at her home of over 60 years in Greenbrae on March 20, 2020.  She was born in San Francisco on June 2, 1919 to Michael and Mary McDonough.  She and her two brothers Robert and Edward grew up in the Glen Park District and she attended St. Paul’s Catholic Convent School before attending and graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Economics.   Adeline was an active member of Delta Zeta Sorority at UCB.   Adeline...

  Lance Sherman Belville, playwright, theatre director, journalist, and teacher died March 14, 2020 in his floating home in Sausalito in the embrace of his wife and artistic partner of 42 years, Lynn Lohr. His more than 50 professionally produced plays have had more than 100 productions in the US, Mexico, Brazil, and most recently, London, including tours to 30 states. Dramatic almost from his birth on June 19, 1935 in Winona, Minnesota to Lloyd and Grace Belville, he didn’t...

Laura Giovannoni died on Feb. 22 at the age of 94 in her home in Larkspur, where she had lived, loved and raised her family since 1956.  She was born Laura Candida Melo in Crows Landing California, to parents, Rosa and Emidio Melo.  The middle child of seven siblings, she grew up on the family farm in the San Joaquin Valley. After graduating High School as Valedictorian, Laura worked the summer for the War effort before moving to San Francisco to continue her education in the...

James Patrick Folan It is with great sadness that the family of James Patrick Folan announce his passing on. Jim was born in Pittsburgh, PA on November 11, 1941 to Mary (Quinn) and Martin Folan. He leaves behind his wife, Nancy of 44 years. He had three sons: Jimmy (Nikki), Joe, Jesse (Jaime) and three precious grandchildren: Michael, Patrick and Lily Folan. He will forever be in our hearts. We will miss his laughter, kindness and the deep unending love he had for his family. Visitation...

John Langan Merchant was an adventurous, loving Renaissance man. A creative force with boundless energy and a wonderfully dry sense of humor, he had a generous spirit that touched all who knew him.  His extraordinary life began on March 10, 1944 in Sacramento and ended on January 14, 2020 in San Francisco. In his 75 eventful years, John’s path included serving in the Vietnam War, where he earned a Purple Heart; becoming a husband, father and grandfather; and co-creating Indian...

Hendricks, Daniel John Died on December 26, 2019.  He was born on May 19, 1957 in National City, CA to Tom and Faye Hendricks.  He attended Drake High School in San Anselmo and had a career in retail business with various Marin County employers. Dan had many interests and a great deal of knowledge about gems, minerals and botany, as well as music including but not limited to the music scene in the Bay Area in the 60's and 70's and Rockabilly. He was an avid...

Doris Anne Immethun, 88, of Fairfax, CA passed away of natural causes in her home on December 18th. Preceded in death by her parents John and Irene Cooney and brother Jack. Doris is survived by her sister Claire Smith and her children Michael (Julie) and Karen Smith; her children Eileen and Joseph Immethun (Patricia De Nardi); her many cousins; and Gramma to Olivia and Kyle Tyrnauer, Marcus Lobstein, Olivia and Allegra De Nardi. A native San Franciscan, Doris attended Star of the...