Saratoga Sampler

Saratogans host family reunion for 61 descendants

By Mary Ann Cook

HIGH-TECH REUNION: Here's a high-tech reunion, what with digital photos of the revelers available for viewing on the spot and CDs to carry home along with the memories. Descendants of Union and Carrie Austin Stoner--61 of them--gathered at the Saratoga home of Don and Dorothy Lewis recently.

The forebear Stoners were married in Tama County, Iowa, 123 years ago and had four children. It was their offspring who gathered for a day-long intergenerational mingling. There were genealogical displays, autograph bingo and children's games, such as pin-the-branch-on-the-tree, pinata puncturing and sack racing.

Softball teams were divided between Eugene and Emerson descendants and players ranged in age from 3 to 76 years. Master of ceremonies was Jeff Stoner, a great-grandson of the couple. Everyone wore Stoner Family Reunion T-shirts designed by Deb Stoner of Menlo Park.

And name buttons bearing the pictures of Union and Carrie were provided by Sue Osborn of Napa. Family descendant charts were drawn up and distributed by Marjorie Elmore of San Jose. Both brunch and a barbecue were served during the full day of familial camaraderie. The majority of attendees were meeting for the very first time.

SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH: The S.S. Saratoga launch was a lively success with some 300 people gathered for the fundraiser dinner/auction. The event was a benefit for the Saratoga Senior Center. Center leaders prudently used the decorations from Saratoga High's Senior Night, which had a nautical theme.

"Senior Night is going to set our theme every year," vowed Peggy Corr. She is a board member for the Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council, the sponsoring agency of the event. Corr is also a longtime senior center leader and volunteer.

The DeAnza chapter of Kiwanis, whose members hail from both Saratoga and Cupertino, donated time and money to the cause. The group contributed $2,000 to the center. And Kiwanis members set up and removed tables arranged in the parking lot.

Dick Angus is president of the Kiwanis group, and his son Steve is a former president. Assisting the Kiwanians was Scout Troop 535, Dan Williams, scoutmaster. When the winner of the raffle for the Caribbean cruise turned out to be Jo Trimble, the trip was auctioned off, rather than awarded.

Seems Trimble was co-chairman of the silent auction portion of the benefit and had bought a goodly number of raffle tickets, but was off on a cruise herself (along with 11 family members) during the senior benefit. She requested that if she happened to win the cruise, that the prize then be auctioned off.

She did, and it was.

High bidder for the cruise was Al Ornellas at $3,700. Ornellas is the husband of senior center program director Sheila Arthur. Auctioneer for the evening was Jack Garrett, assisted by Chuck Page.

Entertainers (besides Garrett) were members of Opera San Jose: Barbara Davis, William Gorton, Richard Nichol and Michael Tayor. Bill Anders also sang--popular songs--plus he sponsored the other singers, along with the lighting and sound.

Anders, who owns Factory Direct Carpets in San Jose, is something of a godfather to the senior center: he sponsored the entertainment aspects of the event last year. Chairman of the whole volunteer side was John Feemster. He and Sean O'Leary, executive director of the center, served as emcees.

Both Saratoga and Los Gatos Lions offered yeoman duty, as did Comerica Bank staffers. Village Caterers supplied the food, and those involved with Saratoga Adult Care Center constructed the centerpieces.

NORTHERN TRAVELERS: Dorothy Terrill and her husband traveled to Norway and other northern parts this summer for more than two weeks. Dorothy has distant relatives there with whom they stayed and traveled. They toured some 3,000 miles over mountain and valley.

In Terrill's own words: "We went north of the Arctic Circle, the fjords, Bergen. [We] visited the farm where my grandmother was born and lived the first part of her life and the church where she was baptized. It was a great experience. I met many distant relatives."

Am I off on a fjord myself? I had no idea you could go north of the Arctic Circle. Hard to visualize. Wouldn't you then be going south after a certain point? Am I out on a technicality?

CELEB SPOTTING: Inveterate traveler and celebrity spotter Louise Webb is just back from a trip to New York, and is now gearing up for the sister-city-sponsored trip to Italy. In New York she kept up a packed theatrical pace by seeing 11 shows in nine days. Plus spotted celebs, as is her wont.

She managed to finagle photo ops with Tom Selleck, Brooke Shields, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, and various member of the Today show ... She also managed an on-air wave to husband Ian.

She waved from her vantage point as part of the audience for the Good Morning America and Today shows.

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