In Our Care
Carole Korb
1941-2023
Carole Joy Korb, passed away on March 8, 2023, in Redwood City, California, of natural causes.
Carole was born on January 16, 1941, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Irene and Irving Levinson. She grew up with loving parents, a devoted younger brother, Howard, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Carole attended the University of Connecticut, where she pledged Phi Sigma Sigma and met her husband, Barry Korb. The couple lived in Connecticut with their two daughters, Jodi and Rena. After their divorce, Carole moved to Los Angeles in 1975 where she built a new life and career before moving to Pismo Beach. In 2013, she followed her girls and their families to the Bay Area, where she lived at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek.
Carole originally trained to be a special education teacher — one of the first in the program at UConn. After receiving a Master’s Degree and devoting many years to her profession, she reinvented herself as a businesswoman to better support her family. An early adopter of alternative medicines and natural foods, she merged her career goals with her personal interests to launch a successful sales and marketing business that developed over the years to focus on specialty foods and natural wellness products.
During the pandemic, Carole was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare degenerative brain condition. She had visited doctors for several years, trying to discover the cause of her numerous falls and difficulties moving her eyes to read. Carole staved off symptoms of her condition much longer than many others, which her doctors credited to her own determination. But ultimately she succumbed to the physical disabilities of the condition.
Carole was best known for her fierce, fun, and independent spirit. She was open-minded and progressive, a woman ahead of her time. A good and non-judgemental listener, Carole maintained lifelong friends from every stage of her life including her schoolmates from Bridgeport and Phi Sigma Sigma sorority sisters. She loved reading, crossword puzzles, gardening, and shopping, and she created strong bonds to Jewish communities everywhere she lived. In the last years of her life, her passions were movies, chocolate cupcakes, and cheeseburgers.
Carole was devoted to her family. She was a present and involved mother, doing jigsaw puzzles with her kids, answering the phone no matter the time of day, providing practical advice about life, and offering unconditional support. She loved to host her family and bring everyone together, spoiling her grandchildren whenever possible.
Carole leaves behind her daughters, Jodi and Rena Korb; their husbands, Mitchell Wortzman and Jason Bell; and four grandchildren, Samuel and Zoe Wortzman, and Jonas and Eliza Bell; as well as her brother Howard Levinson, his wife Shelley, and her three nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to CurePSP or National Council of Jewish Women in Carole’s memory.
Bradley Benton
1969 - 2023
Bradley C. (Brad) Benton, 54, of Mill Valley, CA, passed away on February 18, 2023, after a brief battle with cancer.
Brad grew up in Lake Bluff, IL, and graduated from Lake Forest High School in 1987. He migrated west where he earned a degree in Still Photography from the University of Southern California in 1991.
In 1994 he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and built a successful career in advertising and digital marketing first at Cohn & Wells and subsequently at Direct Partners. Hired by DP as a Marketing Strategist, Brad was quickly promoted to Chief Technology Officer and San Francisco office General Manager – positions he held until his retirement in 2018. Beloved by colleagues and subordinates alike, Brad was highly regarded for his brilliance as a data scientist, but even more for his calm kindheartedness.
Brad will be remembered by his family and many friends as a super-smart, hardworking, and fun-loving guy whose fierce loyalty, honesty, integrity and quick wit knew no bounds. In his free time, Brad enjoyed touring in his Roadtrek 190 Popular, cooking, gardening, photography, keeping watch over the neighborhood from his balcony perch and enjoying his pets, Templeton (cat) and Pepper (dog).
Brad is survived by his partner of 32 years, Kari Wagaman of Mill Valley, one sister Lauren (Chris) Schmanski and two nephews, Christopher and Matthew Schmanski, all of Kenosha, WI.
Brad was preceded in death by his parents, James Colton Benton and Betty Rose Benton formerly of Lake Bluff, IL.
Memorials can be directed to the Cancer Research Institute or the Marin Humane Society.
Jane S. Phibbs
1932 ~ 2022
After a long life extremely well lived, Jane S. Phibbs, our family matriarch, passed away in December. Born to Donald K. Sargent and Jane S. Sargent in upstate NY, she was the oldest of 2 children. She earned a degree in fashion design at Syracuse University where she met her future husband and lifelong partner of 71 years, Roderic H. Phibbs. They were married and remained in Syracuse where Rod attended Medical School and there began the journey of a truly remarkable woman.
A medical residency at UCSF brought them West where they set down permanent roots in Mill Valley. She raised four boys, Ciaran, Chris, Rann and Peter but those who knew her best would tell you she had 6 sons. Consistent with her magnanimous and open personality, she acted as “stand-in” Mom to Hossein and Allan, and welcomed them into the fold of her lively household as one of her own.
Jane’s first job was as a master seamstress, a skill she maintained throughout her life. She even had her own design label in Syracuse and made bespoke dresses for numerous women. In San Francisco she taught as a mentor in the “Poverty Project” at Hunters Point, teaching new mothers how to stretch a dollar and a dinner. Eventually, she would follow in her father’s footsteps, an acclaimed architect and Dean of the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, and hone her drafting skills to become a kitchen designer. This led to a position at Lamperti where she left her mark on many kitchens throughout Marin. Also influenced by her father’s love of gardening, Jane never met a bulb that she didn't like. Gardening was one of her passions and every spring her yard was painted with her favorite blue and yellow blossoms.
Jane was a multitalented and multidimensional woman. While raising her boys she also bred golden retrievers. The household never had fewer than 2 goldens in residence and many of her friends had offspring from the litters that she bred. Not one to ever sit still, Jane’s talents were many. She was a prolific needle pointer and knitter, all original designs. Those that she loved the most have many of her creations. She was a culinary maverick, cooking dishes inspired by the seasonal bounties from Rod’s incredible vegetable garden before it was en vogue to eat “farm to table" and organic. Her binders of clipped recipes are legendary. They were her culinary bibles, filled with tested and vetted recipes that became a staple of meals at the family round table. Her holiday baking bonanza was a tradition to behold. Family and friends, far and wide, looked forward to the annual delivery of her cookie and cake trays, a tradition she upheld every year.
An avid baseball fan, she remained loyal to her original NY Giants who eventually became the SF Giants. During the baseball season, she was always listening to KNBR’s live broadcasts. Otherwise, she was tuned in to KQED for classical music that provided the background track of her life in Mill Valley.
She and Rod loved to travel internationally but most especially to their spot on Tomales Bay. It is here that they both became involved with MALT and the preservation of open space. She was an extraordinary woman and if you were lucky enough to call her mom, grandma, mother in law, or friend you were blessed.
She is survived by her husband Rod, her sons Ciaran (Jill), Chris (Renee), Rann, and Peter, her grandchildren Meagan (Mike), Shannon, Brianna, Claire, Savannah and Jack and her great granddaughter, Ella Jane, who carries both her namesake and remarkable likeness, and her dog “T”. She will be dearly missed.
A celebration of her life will be held in the spring at her favorite lunch spot.
John Charles Koepke
March 28, 1933 ~December 20, 2022
John Charles Koepke passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Mill Valley on December 20th, 2022. He was able to visit with all of his family the day before.
John was born on March 28, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Valerie Marie Chicoine and Charles Gustave Koepke.
John graduated from Taft High School in Chicago Illinois in 1950; Northwestern Uni- versity in 1954; and Harvard Business School in 1959. He served in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Whittier, Alaska.
After the Army John worked as a management consultant for George Fry & As- sociates, a management consulting firm in Chicago. He met his future wife Peggy Ann Weber who was attending Northwestern and they were married in Peggy’s home state of Nebraska in 1960. They had 2 daughters both born in Evanston Illinois. John and his family were soon transferred to San Francisco so that John could head up the San Fran- cisco office of Fry Consultants.
They made their home in Mill Valley, CA where they continued to live and raise their family. John worked later for Marcona Corporation and during his career, John and his colleagues started three different companies, mostly focused on energy or trans- portation. In his later years, John worked from home as a contract management con- sultant. John was the founder of the Scott Valley Swim and Tennis Club in Mill Valley and was its President for the first 5 years. John spoke at the Banquet honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Club last October and recounted some of the difficulties faced by him and his board in getting the Club started. John was also a member of the Scott Val- ley Homeowners Association and was its President one year.
John was an avid golfer and skier and was a life-long lover of classical music as well as being an ardent train buff. John is survived by his wife Peggy as well as their two daughters, Kathryn Koepke Fanning and Karen Koepke Thiebaud. He is also survived by their four grandchildren, Michael Adam Fanning, Emily Ann Fanning, Colette LeBaron Thiebaud and Danielle LeBaron Thiebaud. He was predeceased by his par- ents, his brother Kenneth Walter Koepke, and his son in law Paul LeBaron Thiebaud.
A private family service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Foundation or to Northwestern University.
Barbara K. Martin
September 14, 1945 ~ December 20, 2022
Barbara died peacefully in her own home after battling Alzheimer’s for 7 years. Born in Canton, Ohio she left home after high school to attend Bellview School of Nursing in New York City, graduating with honors In 1968 she took a short trip to San Francisco with a friend and never left the city by the bay. Although nursing was her profession, her true passion and expertise was business. She had a gift of starting up companies and making them thrive. Her first was the Meat Market coffee house in 1970, long before Starbucks. It boomed and was always crowded with variety of folks. After that some of her startup business’s included Center Court Coffee at StonesTown Mall, joining the first “food court”, San Fransisco State coffee concession (the first), Flat Iron Deli in San Rafael and Rainbow Home Care offering round the clock care to the elderly.
Her other interest included tending to her gardens, in ground and deck which she would work on for days Her thumb was very green. When not gardening her love was the kitchen where she loved cooking international favorites and was a natural born chef. She loved her cats. She was a mentor to many who wanted to learn business, and a second mom to those that needed one. She traveled to many countries including India, Africa, Pakistan, Italy, Yugoslavia (then), Spain, and others. She also drove the ALCAN highway to Alaska. They were always an independent venture, many with long time friend Frank.
Barbara had many friends through out many states and countries. People would gravitate to her and she hosted many parties with an eclectic group of folks. Always enjoyable times.
She was preceded in death by her mom Doris Martin, Dad Perry Martin, brother Jim Martin, and long time friend Sandy Overcasher She is survived by Carla Martin (sister in law), nieces, nephew and cousins, Frank Annicelli (long time friend), Sharon Tong Pierson (long time friend) Curtis Chan (first business partner) Ethyl Wolvovitz (New York), Gail Baker (50 yr friend) and many others who loved her carefree, social nature.
William Carl Bottger III
January 6, 1969 ~ December 10, 2022
William Carl Bottger III died at home surrounded by his family on December 10, 2022, in Larkspur, California. He was 53. Carl was born January 6, 1969, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Services will be held at noon on Tuesday Dec 20 at Fernwood Cemetery in Mill Valley.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Carl’s dear friends at 501-3C Foundation, The Jardin De Iglesia. Venmo Jeff Jenkins @JardinJourneys
