Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Jeffrey Chism

Obituaries

Jeffrey Chism

Los Gatos native Jeffrey Raymond Chism, a resident of San Jose, died in his sleep April 1 at the age of 32.

A graduate of Homestead High School, Chism graduated from San Jose State University with a bachelor's degree in history. His special interest was military history, especially that of World War II.

Chism was a 10-year employee of the Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club, starting out as office help and moving up the ranks to assistant general manager. He also helped with maintenance work and served as liaison to the police and fire departments to ensure the club was in compliance with all health and safety codes.

"He was my right-hand man, a very professional, organized and loyal employee," Swim and Racquet Club general manager/owner Ron Denevi says of Chism.

"I had no problem leaving the place to him; I knew it was in very capable hands. He was well-liked by both the staff and the members. He was also one of my best friends."

Chism joined the Los Gatos Police Department's Volunteers in Policing program in September 1995. VIP volunteer coordinator Sarah Burgei, who worked with Chism in the crime analysis unit as well as in the first annual Haunted Forest event, remembers him as someone who preferred interacting with the community rather that sitting behind a desk.

"Jeff was very much a teacher by nature. Anything he could learn and pass on to someone else was important to him. He also had a philosophy that if you don't like what you're doing, then you'd better get out," she says, adding that Chism did enjoy his work.

"Jeff was a very special person; his family loved him deeply," says Guy Chism, adding that among his brother's best traits were his ability to forgive and his love for his family, church and God.

"He was always concerned about the people he worked with, too. He just loved people," Guy says.

An accomplished private pilot, Chism also enjoyed old Abbott and Costello videos and audios and restoring Mopar muscle cars.

Survivors include wife Victoria Chism of San Jose, parents David and Bernice Chism of Sunnyvale and brother Guy Chism of Campbell.

Memorial services have been held, with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Colma. A memorial fund is currently being established.

Meredith Wigglesworth

Meredith Wigglesworth, a 1947 graduate of Los Gatos High School who became a teacher of business courses at her alma mater, died March 17.

She was a teacher at Los Gatos High School from September 1967 until she retired in1983. Her father, William Huff, had also been a teacher at the high school.

She was born in San Francisco on Aug. 28, 1930, and lived in Los Gatos from 1933 on. She was a graduate of San Jose State University.

She is survived by her husband, Fred Wigglesworth of Los Gatos; son, Stuart Campbell of Citrus Heights; and daughter, Karyn Klock of Riverside. She was the mother of the late Roy Alan Campbell.

She was past president of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority and an active member of the American Association of University Women and the California Teachers Association/ the National Education Association.

She was an active in the First Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos. Donations can be made to the church in her memory.

Memorial services were held March 22 at First Presbyterian Church in Los Gatos. Inurnment was in the churchyard.