Saratoga News


Jerry Girdner	Michael Kenigsberg

Obituaries

Jerry Girdner

Jerry H. Girdner died in his Saratoga home July 21 at the age of 79, following an extended illness.

Born Jan. 1, 1918, in Allerton, Iowa, Girdner came to the Bay Area as a boy and lived in Saratoga for the past 32 years.

Girdner earned a bachelor's degree in business from San Jose State University, the first student to receive the Alpha Al Sirat award for academic excellence in business. He later received a master's degree from Stanford University in personnel and guidance.

During World War II, Girdner served in the U.S. Army, first graduating from the Infantry Officers' Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He then became an Infantry Company Commander in Italy. He left the Army a lieutenant colonel, was decorated with a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star and transferred to the honorary Army Reserve.

When West Valley College opened in the mid 1960s, Girdner was recruited by founding superintendent/president Dr. Wallace W. Hall to organize a student personnel program. For 14 years--until his retirement--Girdner served as the college's dean of Student Personnel Services.

Among the many organizations Girdner belonged to and worked closely with are the Delta Theta Omega fraternity, Saratoga Presbyterian Church, Saratoga Men's Club, Campbell Kiwanis Club, National Education Association, Commonwealth Credit Union, California Teachers Association, Association of California School Administrators and the YMCA of Tulare County.

His hobbies included spending time with his family, church, community service, travel, sports and swimming.

Survivors include wife Helen Booth Girdner of Saratoga; daughter Nancy Susan Girdner of Saratoga; son James Booth Girdner of Modesto; brothers William Girdner of Carmel and Walter Girdner of Ramona; sister Carol Girdner Straus of Santa Cruz; and 17 nieces and nephews.

A graveside memorial service will be held Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. at Madronia Cemetery, Saratoga. A reception follows at the Saratoga Presbyterian Church; all friends are welcome to join Girdner's family in celebrating his life.

Donations may be made to the Jerry H. Girdner Memorial Scholarship Fund at West Valley College, which benefits disabled students.

Michael Kenigsberg

Saratoga native Michael F. Kenigsberg died June 28 in San Francisco at the age of 25.

Born March 28, 1972, Kenigsberg was a graduate of Bellarmine College Preparatory school and UC-Berkeley, where he was an honors student and English major. He was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society as a junior and received several scholarships and awards. He had been pursuing a postgraduate law degree at Santa Clara University, where he was named a Dean Fellow.

Survivors include parents Linda and Will Kenigsberg of Saratoga; brothers and sisters-in-law Tom and Katie Kenigsberg and David and Paige Kenigsberg; niece and nephew Cristina and Ryan Kenigsberg; grandparents Catherine and Joseph Dinneen; also many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial services have been held, with interment at Madronia Cemetery in Saratoga.

Dennis Caton

Former Saratoga resident Dennis James Caton died of cancer June 5 at his home in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was 61.

Born Nov. 13, 1935, in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, England, Caton received an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from England's Stafford University. He was a Fellow of the English Institution of Electrical Engineers and was also a certified amateur radio operator.

Caton settled in the Bay Area in 1967, living in Los Gatos and Los Altos before residing in Saratoga from 1975 to 1980. He then moved to Colorado Springs. Among other jobs, Caton worked for Philco, Ford, I.S.S., ROLM Manufacturing and IBM. He retired in 1987.

Survivors include his wife, Joanne Butterworth Caton, of Colorado Springs; his son, Michael James Caton, of Boulder and his daughter, Julianne Caton, of Colorado Springs.

Memorial services have been held.

Elayne Erickson

Elayne Erickson of Saratoga died of natural causes July 12 at Columbia Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. She was 56.

A homemaker and Saratoga native, Erickson is survived by husband Jim Erickson; children Stephanie and Jay Erickson; and brother and sisters Don Heisler, Eileen Wang, Elvina Hoffner and Elizabeth Heisler.

Memorial services have been held, with interment at Madronia Cemetery in Saratoga.

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