Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Minty Brown

Obituaries

Minty Brown

Minty Brown, a longtime volunteer and activist for many Los Gatos organizations, died of cancer April 16 in Bend, Ore., where her two sisters reside. She was 58.

She was born Aug. 24, 1939, in Panama City, Panama, where her father was working as a pilot for Pan American World Airways. As a result of her father's job, Brown found herself living in Florida and Germany before settling in the Bay Area, first in Los Altos and then Los Gatos.

Brown was always creative and artistic, her brother Rick recalls. A dress designer as well as an artist, Brown and her mother, Emily, ran a dress shop in Los Altos called Cara Mia for 10 years, followed by a mostly consignment boutique in Los Gatos called Carrisima.

Among other voluntary activities, Brown served two terms on the Los Gatos Arts Commission and actively worked with the Los Gatos Chamber Orchestra and the Friends of the Arts. She designed the Los Gatos Centennial logo, worked to preserve the antiquated town fire bell and sang at St. Mary's Church for 15 years.

"She did so much for so many people that it's hard to keep track," Rick says, adding that it's no wonder his sister was honored as a volunteer of the year in Los Gatos a few years ago.

Survivors include brothers Ed Brown of Los Altos and Rick Brown of Pleasant Hill; sisters Cynthia Stark and Nancy Mockus of Bend, Ore.; and six nieces and four nephews.

A memorial mass will be held June 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church on Bean Avenue. Following the mass, there will be a redwood tree dedication ceremony in Oak Meadow Park, lead in part by Michael LaRocca, director of parks, forestry and maintenance for the town of Los Gatos.

John McCarthy

John T. "Jack" McCarthy of Los Gatos died May 9 at the age of 72.

Born Nov. 19, 1924, in Oakland, McCarthy lived in Santa Clara County for 70 years. He worked at Westinghouse Marine Division in Sunnyvale for 42 years, from which he retired as marketing manager.

McCarthy was a veteran of World War II, having served in the 101st Airborne Division of the Army Air Force, was a Pathfinder on D-Day and earned a Purple Heart medal. He served as treasurer of the California Air Force Association and was past president of the Tennessee Ernie Ford chapter of the Air Force Association.

He also served on the Rinconada Hill Board of Directors, was a member of the National Defense Executive Reserve and Sons in Retirement (SIRS) and was an honorary member of the Portuguese Society I.F.E.S. of Mountain View.

Survivors include wife Margaret "Peggy" McCarthy of Virginia; son Brian McCarthy of Cupertino; daughters Kathleen Stearns of San Jose, Jacqueline Malcolm of Campbell, Maureen Edwards of Los Gatos and Erin Jost of Sunnyvale; stepchildren Nancy Boltz, Jeff Boltz and Sherry Mahoney; 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorial services have been held, with interment at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, Los Altos. Donations may be made to the Bay Area Breast Cancer Association, 4010 Moorpark Ave., Suite 105, San Jose, 95117.

Bethel Coonce

Former Los Gatos resident Bethel May Turnage Coonce, who had been living in Aptos, died May 13 at the age of 92.

She was born Sept. 20, 1905, in Oklahoma, where she taught grade school as a young woman. She and husband Carl moved to Los Gatos in the 1950s, where they ran Coonce Plumbing, along with their son Robert, for 35 years. When Carl passed away, Coonce later married Les Nichols.

Coonce is survived by grandchildren Lisa Youmans of San Diego, Tom Coonce of San Diego and Dan Coonce of Los Gatos; and sister Zelpha Booth of Meosho, Mo.

Memorial services have been held, with interment at Los Gatos Memorial Park.

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