In Our Care
Gwen Rustin Greene
January 5, 1932 ~ March 30, 2022
Gwen Rustin Greene, age 90, of San Rafael, California, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2022, surrounded by her loving family, after a brief 1-month decline. Her three children were each with her at their own first breath and her last.
Gwen was born on January 5, 1932, to Edgar and Florence Rustin in Atlanta, Georgia. She was industrious and responsible from an early age and bought her first car and her first house when she was just 21 years old.
In Atlanta, she worked in the office of Dr. Brown at the CDC. There, she met the love of her life, Dr. John Clifford Greene. They played tennis on their first date, and the two were inseparable from that moment. They married in 1957, going on to have 3 children, Alan, Laura, and Lisa. John and Gwen were joyously married for 59 years until John’s passing in 2016. Over the years they lived in Silver Spring, Maryland, Albany, California, Tiburon, California, Bethesda, Maryland, and San Rafael, California.
When her children were born, Gwen dedicated her talents to being an amazing wife and mother, building a family and community of love. Gwen was a fiercely dedicated mom to each of her children. Family came first to Gwen, a value she instilled in all those around her. The hole left by her absence is impossible to fill.
Wherever she lived, she was active in her church and a respected teacher. She reminds many of the Proverbs 31 woman, “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise in the city gate.”
Gwen was the youngest child, by a considerable margin, of a large extended family. At 90 years old, she was the last of her generation. She was also predeceased by her husband John Greene and her granddaughter Brooke Nickel. She is survived by a remarkable and close family that she built and inspired, including her 3 children Alan Rustin Greene and is wife Cheryl Greene, Laura Greene Nickel and her husband Jeff Nickel, and Lisa Greene Helm and her husband Mark Helm, her 8 other grandchildren Garret Greene and his wife Rachel, Kevin Greene and his wife Beth, Sarah Helm, Claire Greene and her husband Scott, Kimberly Nickel, Lindsay Helm, Austin Greene, and Brandon Nickel, and her 2 great grandchildren Juniper Greene and Cora Greene, as well as by large, tight-knit extended families in Kentucky and Georgia.
We will miss her beyond words, and love and respect her always.
Murray Sokoloff
1925 ~ 2022
Murray Sokoloff was born in Toronto, Canada on December 26, 1925 of immigrant parents from Poland and Ukraine. His independent nature blossomed right from the start, always preferring to play baseball rather than go to Yiddish school. As a child, education was not his primary concern. Having fun was.
Murray hid his color blindness to join the Canadian navy during World War II. When he learned that the Jewish underground needed volunteers to help ferry Holocaust survivors from the camps to Palestine, he used his color blindness to obtain an honorable discharge from the navy, and he joined the Machal. He was assigned to a ship called the Haganah which transported thousands of Holocaust survivors. As a British subject, his participation would have been considered a capital offense. Extra special care was taken by the crew of the Machal to protect their Canadian volunteer, including the time the British boarded the ship. The crew dressed him as a Red Cross worker and successfully smuggled him off the ship into a hidden compartment underneath a water truck.
After the War he returned to Toronto and married Lila Greenburg in 1948. They were happily married for over 60 years until Lila's passing. After getting married, they moved to California to join his siblings and mother, and had two children: Fern and Jacob. Murray started his own successful electrical engineering company, Murray Sokoloff Electric and went to night school to continue his education. He became enamored with the Spanish language and at the age of 35 decided to change his life's direction.
In 1963 Murray moved the family to Mexico City for the adventure of their lives. He studied at the University of the Americas and perfected his Spanish. On returning to California a year later, he was granted a teaching position at Wilson High School in Long Beach where he was an extremely popular and inspirational teacher. At Wilson he became a school counselor while continuing his night school education. He earned his Master's Degree and became one of the school psychologists for Long Beach Unified School District until his retirement at age 75 where he redirected many kids away from violence and gangs, inspiring many to become educators and good humans. He also taught night classes in Spanish at Long Beach City College for 26 years.
After retirement Murray taught Spanish in the OLLIE (Older Living and Learning) program at CSULB. In 2017 to the delight of his family, he left Long Beach for the Bay Area to be with his daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He continued to teach Spanish at his assisted living community in Emeryville up until the age of 93.
Murray was an incredibly passionate man and delved deeply into one interest after another. Some of his passions included classical music and opera, languages, baseball, fishing, golfing, boating and especially travel. He made it his mission to visit every Spanish speaking country in the world -- and was successful. He also wished to visit every ballpark in the U.S. but sadly did not quite see them all.
In his wake he leaves behind the continuation of his guiding principles: love, kindness, positivity, humor and humility. He was famous for saying there is a positive solution to every situation, it is just up to us to find it. He also said that there are more good people in this world than bad people. Those of us who survive him are extremely lucky to have been touched by him. We continue to strive to live up to his guiding principles. Wherever he went he beamed happiness, joy and positivity to all he encountered. What a magnificent man. What an incredible life!
Bradford Clark Giles, DDS
November 23,1926 ~ February 18, 2022
Born and raised in San Francisco, Dr. Brad Giles bought one of the first Greenbrae homes in 1960, when cows still roamed the hills. Enamored with Marin County and his view of Mt. Tamalpais, Brad never considered moving for the next 62 years. He and his wife Ellen raised their three children there. Years later, he lovingly cared for Ellen until she died and then, continued to live as a fastidious gentleman while the world changed at warp speed.
Brad and his older sister Betty, who predeceased him, grew up in the city during the Depression with their parents Clark and Louise Giles, and both sets of grandparents. The Giles family spent as much time as possible in Lagunitas, where Clark taught Brad the value of hard work and nurtured his passion for the outdoors. Duck hunting and fishing were favorite pastimes that Brad also shared with is sons Dixon and Kirk.
At Lowell High School, Brad shined in academics and track, and was an enthusiastic yell leader. He graduated in 1944 while WWII was underway and joined the Navy. Stationed in Oakland, Brad's tenure as a surgical technician inspired him to be a dentist like his father. With the help the GI Bill, Brad graduated UC Berkeley and received his DDS degree from UC San Francisco in 1952. He joined his father's practice in the city and grew it to 2,400 patients over his 40-year career.
Well-regarded and humble, Brad was elected president of his dental class, the UCSF Dental Association, and the Parnassus Club. In addition to being the Dean of the Advisory Community for UCSF dental school, he taught there part-time for 15 years and was on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Dental Society for 30 years. To recognize his contributions, Brad received UCSF's prestigious Medal of Honor in 1991. This award, however, was not any more important to him than coaching his sons in the Marin County Little League, and managing their Cub Scout troops.
Brad's daughter Dana inherited his eye for fashion and cooking skills. Brad enjoyed buying clothes for his wife, Mary Ellen Duplisea (Ellen), also a Lowell grad, who fortunately appreciated his good taste. They married while he was in dental school. One of his favorite mottos was: I made the living. She made the living worthwhile. Together, they were show-stopping dancers who travelled the world with friends Doris and Ray Rovero. Ellen was stricken with rheumatoid arthritis in her 50s and when she was no longer able to care for herself, Brad sold his dental practice so he could be by her side 24 hours a day. He was a devoted househusband for 20 years until Ellen died on November 24, 2014, at the age of 87.
As he wished, Brad died naturally within days of breathing difficulty due to a terminal lung condition. As they wished, Brad and Ellen will be interred together at Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma near their parents. He requested only a private family gathering. Remembering him with love are his son Dixon and granddaughter Heather; son Kirk and his wife Diane, and granddaughters Amanda Giles DeRossa (her husband Michael, great-grandchildren Tyler, Mikey, and Ally) and Kelli Giles Thomas (her husband Lucas, great-grandchildren Siena, Owen, and Everest); and daughter Dana Giles Hilliard and granddaughters Maeve and Grace.
In addition to his family, Brad will be greatly missed by his friends---including his neighbors---and those he taught , mentored, worked with, and helped throughout his 95 years."You get what you give," he often said. Brad lived by those words.
Kathryn Ann (Cupps) Sward
November 13, 1944 ~ January 6, 2022
Known by all as Kathy, she was born in Hutchinson Kansas on November 13, 1944. She passed away at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Rafael CA on January 6, 2022 after losing her courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Cremation has taken place at Fernwood Funeral home.
She attended schools in Wichita, KS. , St. Joseph grade school, Mt. Carmel Academy and graduated in 1962 .She received her Elementary Education degree May 24, 1970 from the University of Dallas, Irving Texas.
On December 31, 1971 she married John Eric Sward of Muir Beach, CA. They shared over 50 years together.
She was a very exceptional person, lively and full of energy and always cheerful and upbeat. She had the most beautiful smile. She was a very caring person and was always there to help when called upon. She was very passionate about supporting the Muir Beach community through various community activities and organizations. She was involved with fundraising for the Muir Beach volunteer Fire Department, her husband being the volunteer fire chief for over 40 years. She was very active in the Muir Beach Quilters and was well known locally within the community and state as a master quilter. She was very creative and received numerous awards for her designs. She received awards from the Marin County Fair, Pacific International Quilt Festival, and Marin Quilt Needle Arts Show. Her works were displayed at craft shows as well as art shows and local galleries. Some of her works were published in a book written by a renowned author and quilter Mary Mashuta (Cotton Candy Quilts). Other works were published in the American Quilter Magazine. She loved antiquing and spending time at her daughter’s boutique shops in Grass Valley CA. She loved spending time with her family and friends.
Survivors include her Husband of the home, son Jes Sward; 2 grandsons Jackson and Dean (Muir Beach, CA.): daughter Erica Henderson and husband Mitch ( Grass Valley, CA.); sister Mary Ramsell (Earlham, IA), sister Kris Beyon (Wichita, KS); and brother Lawrence ( Larry) Cupps (Haven, KS.) along with many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret Gertrude (Preisser) and Marvin James Cupps; a brother Michael Raymond Cupps and a niece Jennifer Lynn Cupps.
Memorials may be made to: Muir Beach Quilters c/o Tayeko Kaufman, 240 Sunset Way, Muir Beach, CA 94965
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date at the Muir Beach Community Center, Muir Beach CA.
Gretchen Werner Mokry
This morning God has another angel. Gretchen Werner Mokry has peacefully transitioned to a better world. We were reading poetry together and she was at ease. Gretchen is a wonderful partner, mother, sister, friend and lover of the earth and ocean. She was always a dancer first, an accomplished architect, painter, hiker, and adventure woman.
Growing up in LA and NY, Gretchen studied art and architecture in London, followed by NY. In architecture her passion was in civil projects helping others, building schools for underprivileged in relief areas to include Haiti, Peru, Japan (post earthquake) and many countries throughout the African continent. Some projects she was involved in include the Frank Gehry Disney Concert Hall (LA), The "Women's University" campus in Riyadh with the Prince of Saudi Arabia as client, working with AFH & FIFA as the client-built city center soccer fields and support buildings for poor youth in Africa prior to the Worlds Cup, the Aids Memorial in Golden Gate Park, a Synagogue, a Buddhist Temple campus and most recently a halfway house for recovering addicts in San Francisco.
Always a Dancer first.
When she entered the dance floor, all eyes are always on her!
Gretch competed at the silver level in Ballroom, Samba, Rumba, Cha-Cha-Cha, Paso Doble, Jive, Argentine Tango, East Coast and West Coast swing.
A solid white iris bloomed yesterday for her in mid-January and as I write this hummingbirds are sipping nectar from flowers she planted.
"And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance"
Dance and be free my love!
Roy Glenn Hammonds Jr.
1951~2021
Glenn Hammonds died on May 2, 2021, from complications of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) at his home in Oakland, California, surrounded by the love of his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, R. Glenn Hammonds, M.D., and Virginia McBurnett Hammonds, and by his sister, Virginia Hammonds Scott. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ann Schoggen Hammonds, and by his sisters, Susan Hammonds-White (Walter) and Nancy Hammonds Shuman (Ted). His sister, Lindsay Hammonds (Richardo Hanakoo) survived him by two months, but herself succumbed to cancer on July 4, 2021.
He also is survived by niece Christy White Berryessa (Steven) and great-nieces Lucy Beth and Cora Lindsay Berryessa, by niece Virginia Scott (Kevin Day) and great-nephew Jasper Day, by nephew Michael Shuman (Meridith) and great-nephew Sammy, by niece Renee Ranjani Shuman Byrd (Logan), and by nephew Robert Shuman (Patti) and great-niece Katie and great-nephews Bobby and Andrew.
He will be missed by his sisters-in-law, Leida Schoggen (Buck Farmer) and Susan Logan (John) and his brother-in-law Christopher Schoggen (Billi Dawn), nieces Sarah Farmer, Lillian Farmer, Jessica Logan (Jason Flowers), Kathryn Logan (Sean Corey), Maria Logan, Anna Logan, and Louise Schoggen (Paul Bailey), nephews Nick Schoggen (Elisabeth Cook), Jason Farmer and Chris Farmer (Belen Pulido), and their children.
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Glenn was born on April 14, 1951. He was the grandson of Roy Dean Hammonds and Vera Mosier Hammonds and Roe David McBurnett, Sr. and Mary Lindsay White McBurnett.
Glenn grew up in Nashville and developed a fascination with life at an early age, cultivated by his habit of voracious reading and by his summer experiences exploring nature at Camp Biota near Nashville. He graduated from Peabody Demonstration School (now University School of Nashville) in 1969 and in 1973 received his AB in biology from the University of Chicago, where he first became interested in the idea of “information biology”, a concept that was ahead of its time but to which Glenn returned when technology caught up years later. After graduation, Glenn and Ann, high school sweethearts, married and Glenn entered a PhD program at Vanderbilt University where he studied peptide and protein hormones. He received his doctorate in biochemistry in 1979 and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for postdoctoral studies in the Hormone Research Laboratory at the University of California at San Francisco. Following his years at UCSF he joined the then new biotechnology industry and began a varied career in basic research and drug development, working first at Genentech then MetaXen and Exelixis, transitioning gradually from bench biochemistry to computational analysis of protein and DNA sequences and expression. He continued his career as consultant in genomics and bioinformatics for various biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, focused on identification of promising candidates for new targeted therapies in oncology. A drug that grew out of similar studies became available to Glenn in a clinical trial and extended his life beyond what was possible with conventional chemotherapy. Glenn was described by a colleague as a “Renaissance biologist” with wide-ranging interests and an uncanny ability to translate data into understandable language for non-specialists. As personal genomic data became obtainable in recent years, he enjoyed putting his knowledge to use helping family and friends interpret their results.
Beyond is his interests and career in science, Glenn was passionate about progressive politics. Searching for information about how to turn political angst into activism, he discovered the blogging community of Daily Kos (“News you can do something about”), where he developed a statistical measure to identify posts of high impact on the busy site and then began to publish his results daily. Over the years he published over 6000 entries on Daily Kos where he was known and well appreciated as “Jotter”.
Glenn was an engaged and generous host, uncle, great-uncle, surrogate uncle, and friend. His wide-ranging interests always led to fascinating conversations. He relished information (favoring the Gregory Bateson definition, “a difference that makes a difference”), making and listening to music, live theater, all kinds of books, good food and wine, adventurous and not-so-adventurous travel, good conversation and laughter. Naturally, he was a lifelong Pogo fan. He loved his family, his extended family, and his family of friends. As he said on his Daily Kos profile, “I love data, counting, programming, and music (of certain kinds). What floats my boat: offering what I know to those I meet in the hope and expectation of positive results. People are my people.”
In the last year of his life, faced with the limitations of COVID, Glenn created regular Zoom connections with family and friends from across the globe. He was grateful for these virtual visits and the in-person visits that a few friends and family members were able to manage during his last few weeks. He died after hoping until the end that he could make it to the next clinical trial and a better conclusion. Shortly before he died, Glenn told Ann that he “felt overwhelmed by love.” May we all be able to say this in our last moments.
A celebration of Glenn’s life is planned for a later date. If you wish to remember Glenn through a donation in his name, please consider The National Center for Science Education (ncse.ngo) or Friends of Radnor Lake (radnorlake.org).
