1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 OBITUARIES OF MEMBERS OF SIR for 2020 The following are obituaries of members of Branch One of Sons in Retirement whose passing became known in 2020. The obituaries have been obtained from the Obituary Column of either the San Francisco Chronicle, the Mercury News, family, or friends. Please click on the names for additional details. The following is a list of those whose passing became known in 2020: Michael Clark Paul J. Constantino Fritz W. Gelb Victor I. Granholm file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 1/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 Jack S. Hersh M. L. "Mike" Jensen Thomas D. "Tom" Keefer Arthur J. "Art" Lempert Pete Packard Melvin S. "Mel" Pincus Kenneth L. "Ken" Rives James "Jim" Zylla Obituary Details of Deceased Members Michael Clark April 4, 1936 - April 27, 2020 file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 2/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 Sir Michael Clark joined Branch One in November 1999. He served as Travel Asst. Chair in 2000, Travel Chair 2001-2011, Mystery Trip Chair 2001-2006, and as Bridge Activity Chair 2012-2014. Sir Michael was granted attendance relief in April 2019 and resigned in February 2020. To the best of our knowledge, no services are planned. Paul J. Constantino June 28, 1944 - December 17, 2020 Sir Paul Constantino joined SIR Branch 16 and transferred into Branch One in March 2016 becoming member 408. The following obituary was published in the San Francisco Chronicle December 23-25, 2020: file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 3/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 Paul J. Constantino June 28, 1944 - December 17, 2020 Paul John Constantino, passed away peacefully at home on December 17, 2020, at the age of 76. Paul was born June 28, 1944 in San Mateo, CA, to Paul Joseph and Claire Butcher Constantino, the second oldest sibling to Doris Osterling, Thomas (identical twin), David, Joan, Carl, Catherine, Marc, Philip, John, Bob, and Ken. He was a proud second-generation Bay Area resident. Paul attended Our Lady of Angels of Burlingame, Serra High School (1962) and earned his B.A. at the University of Portland (1966). Paul enrolled in the University of San Francisco Law School with his brother Tom but was drafted into the Army in July of 1968, before he graduated. Paul served two tours in Vietnam with the 8th Battalion, 4th Artillery. During his second deployment, he distinguished himself by developing a Brigade-level education program, helping over 400 Soldiers earn their GED. He credited his fellow Soldiers, faith, and a lifelong sense of humor for his survival. Upon returning from Vietnam, he earned his JD from Lincoln Law School (1974), practicing law in San Mateo County for 42 years before retiring in 2015. Paul also retired from the US Army Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2002. Paul was an adventurous, humorous, larger-than-life personality. He loved the Sierra Nevada mountains, hunting, fishing, and hiking. He was also known for organizing groups to search across California for the perfect apple pie, as well as organizing hotel and restaurant holiday decoration contests judged by his children and members of the local Boys and Girls Club. Paul was an active member of his community, including the Elks Lodge (Lodge 1112), American Legion (Post 409), Rotary Club of Burlingame, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 4103). He was a lifelong advocate for affordable access to public education. He taught the California Hunter Education Training Program for many years, and he was on the faculty of the College of San Mateo (1975- 1995). Paul is survived by five loving children Patrick Constantino (Melissa Constantino), Matthew Constantino (Kathryn Constantino), file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 4/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 Elizabeth Brunette (Colby Brunette), Andrew Constantino (Amanda Constantino), Benjamin Paul Constantino, his granddaughter Evelyn, and former spouse Margaret Constantino. From his children: Dad, we miss you very much. There are no words to express our sadness. You are a wonderful father, and an honest, hardworking, and decent man. We have become the people we are today because you and Mom raised us so well. You gave us everything we needed: love, support, and humor. We love you. We miss you. Through us, your memory will live on. A private burial service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA on December 30. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date in 2021. In lieu of flowers, contributions in the name of Paul Constantino to your local schools are encouraged and welcomed. The preceding was published in the San Francisco Chronicle December 23-25, 2020. The San Mateo Daily Journal's January 4, 2021 issue included this column by Sue Lempert (former mayor of San Mateo and widow of Art Lempert who transferred into Branch One from Branch 118 before resigning for health reasons) speaking of Paul Constantino and his family: Paul Constantino passed away in his sleep Dec. 19. It was a peaceful and painless exit he deserved. Paul was always doing good for his country, his community and his family. He was the consummate teller of jokes, corny jokes, so corny it made them funny. And as he aged, the jokes kept coming but also got cornier. That’s how I was introduced to Paul. He would call me every week or so to tell me one of those jokes. And despite the fact that they were corny they made me laugh and brightened my day. He also liked to give me tips for my column and tell me how proud he was of his five children, three of whom serve in the military. His daughter graduated from West Point and joined brother Patrick in service in Afghanistan. Patrick told me they didn’t sign the same agreement which his dad and twin brother, Tom Constantino, had signed when they both were drafted during the Vietnam War when both were at the University of San Francisco Law School. *** Paul signed the sole survivor letter, a policy created after the death of all five Sullivan brothers, whereby the two brothers could not be sent to battle in Vietnam at the same time (shades of “Saving Private Ryan”). So Paul joined the Army in July 1968 and served two tours in Vietnam with the 8th Battalion 4th Artillery. Tom, meanwhile, went into the Marines, became an officer and retired as a colonel. During Paul’s second deployment, he developed a program to help 400 fellow soldiers earn their GED. Paul retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel in 2002. file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 5/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 But it was his service in Vietnam surviving trauma and death which ironically led to his positive outlook later on in life. He survived because of his faith and sense of humor. Because God spared him, he vowed to devote his life to helping others and doing good. *** I asked Patrick to share with me a favorite memory of his dad. And after consultation with his siblings, they said it was the annual decoration contest with the children of the Boys and Girls Club. Each Christmas season, the Constantino family would join the Boys and Girls Club members and sponsor a trip to each of the local hotels to view the decorations. The kids would take notes, tally their scores and pick a winner. The hotels loved it. So did the children. And so did Paul and his family. He was an active member of the community, a member of the Elks Lodge 112, American Legion, post 409; the Rotary Club of Burlingame; the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 4103. He taught the California Hunter Education Training Program and was on the faculty of the College of San Mateo from 1975-1995. *** When you mention the Constantino family, you are not talking about the average family, especially today. Paul and twin Tom were two in a family of 12. The Constantino children, all born at Mills Hospital, grew up in Burlingame in a lovely Spanish-style home on Carmelita Avenue. The large lot has since been subdivided. The mom, who died in 2010, out lived Tom who died of Parkinson’s disease in 2008. The dad passed away some time ago. The family owns real estate in downtown San Mateo and in Burlingame. I didn’t know the other 10 but Paul and Tom were as American as apple pie. If there was a movie about them, you could envision Tom Hanks playing either one. I knew Tom through his service on the San Mateo County Community College District board. And we served together on the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury until he had to leave because his Parkinson’s disease was making it more difficult to get around. He was definitely a good guy. And his twin brother Paul, maybe not as well known, in his own way was definitely a good guy and brought joy into so many people’s lives. And he loved organizing groups to search across California for the perfect apple pie. I wish I could remember one of those jokes to share with you. But they are only funny if you hear them from Paul. file:///C:/SIR's Website Main/Elements/SirsWebSite/Obituaries/Obituaries2020.html 6/20 1/22/2021 Obituaries 2020 Fritz W. Gelb August 28, 1924 - October 10, 2020 Super Senior Sir Fritz Gelb joined Branch 90 in April 2003 transferring into Branch One in February 2014 becoming member 171.