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Louis E. Torres
Louis E. Torres died Friday, Nov. 7, 2003, surrounded by his entire family. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Torres was born on April 13, 1925 in Roseville to Cayetana Velasco and Guadalupe Torres. He spent most of his early childhood years in Roseville and later moved to Colotlan, Jalisco, near Guadalajara, Mexico. During his youth he was an avid soccer fan.
As a young adult he returned to the United States and ultimately settled in Sacramento where he met the love of his life, Elodia Samaniego. In Sacramento he enjoyed volunteering his time, organizing soccer games and Mexican-American festivities.
Always the ambitious entrepreneur, Louis could always be found reading and reaching for higher horizons. Eager to make a better life, the adventurous Louis traveled to the last frontier, Anchorage, Ala., where he saved for his upcoming marriage. In 1951 he married Elodia in Sacramento and then returned to Alaska. Soon after, through his hard work and planning, he acquired the Ace Janitorial Service from his employer and began expanding his accounts. He also organized the Latino Pan-American Club for social events, dining and dancing.
Louis enjoyed taking his wife to the original and only Mexican food restaurant in Alaska. Being true to his goals and his wife’s cooking, he purchased the tiny restaurant in 1958 and named it the La Cabana. In the 197’s he expanded and completely rebuilt the restaurant, then sold it in 1999, after a long successful run.
In 1964, Louis moved his young family to Los Altos. He joined a partnership and helped open and operate the Prime Rib Inn in Palo Alto. Soon the partners moved on and he became the sole proprietor, and successfully ran the business for 25 years until 1990.
Not to be outdone by his success, Louis also acquired a historical building in downtown Los Altos in the early 1970. He then remodeled this building into a commercial complex, and the Bullfighter Inn restaurant. He then purchased the Caravan Inn Lodge in Mountain View and remodeled the structure as the El Camino Real Lodge and the Copperwood Inn Restaurant. Opportunity came knocking again and he purchased the King’s Table restaurant in Redwood City, which he remodeled and leased out. Even after retiring in 1990, he continued investing in properties.
Louis’ vision was to establish a business and a home for each of his six children. He was always known for his generous, humorous and childlike mannerisms. He routinely put his family and extended family members first, always willing to sacrifice his own personal desires. From his immediate family, relatives, friends and associates, Louis touched and influenced us all. We are proud of what he has accomplished and are grateful to him for enriching our lives, family members said.
Louis Torres will be greatly missed by his wife of 52 years and his immediate family: Robert Torres, Cynthia and Joey Bulash, Reuben Torres, Edward Torres, Anthony and Dana Torres, Joseph Torres; and grandchildren: Lance, Peter, Ashley, Rachelle and Maya.
Preceded in death by his father, mother and sister, Cuca de Ybarrando.
He leaves his brother Jose Torres; sister Luz Mendoza; mother-in-law Carlota Samaniego; brother and sister-in-laws, Mercedes and Tom Grosen, Joe and Marcella Saminiego, Charlotte and Ben Valdez, Sam and Bev Samaniego, Dora and Robert Cummins, Stella Maynard, George and Jane Samaniego, Bob and Margie Samaniego; and numerous other relatives, nephews, nieces, loving friends and associates.
All are welcome for the Vigil Service at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at Johnson Funeral Home
Funeral Mass takes place at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at St. Catherine’s Church. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Family and friends are invited to the Torres family home for reflection and celebration of the life of Louis E. Torres after the services.
Evelyn M. Barham
Evelyn M. Csongradi Barham died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003, in Morgan Hill, after a lengthy illness. She was 83 years old.
Mrs. Csongradi was born and raised in Glendale and moved to Los Altos in 1958 and to Gilroy in 1976. She was accomplished in art (paint, collage and abstract), sewing, crafts, flower arranging and loved to garden. She was president of the Los Altos Garden Club and the Palmdale Women’s Club, a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Women in Touch I & II, and volunteered at St. Louise Hospital and the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
She was the wife of Warren S. Barham of Gilroy. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Joseph C. Csongradi. She was the mother of Jeanne Muzzicato of Morgan Hill and Dr. John Csongradi of Hillsborough; mother-in-law of Tony Muzzicato and Carolyn Csongradi; grandmother of Eric Csongradi; stepmother of son Robert and daughters Juanita, Barbara and Margaret Ann; sister-in-law of Nancy Moll of Los Osos, Irene Nagy of Burbank and Gloria Ignasiak of Northridge; aunt of Carolyn Jongsma of Visalia, Alex Nagy of Santa Cruz, Joe Nagy of Burbank, Jackie Howell of Thousand Oaks, Barbara Moore of Winnetka and Lori Ann Brown of Northridge.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Gilroy Presbyterian Church under the direction of Habing Family Funeral Home.
Priscilla E. Carpenter
Priscilla E. Carpenter, 81, died at home on Friday, Nov. 7, 2003.
She was a Wisconsin native. Mrs. Carpenter lived in Wisconsin for the first half of her life moving to Morgan Hill in 1962. In 1968, she moved to Gilroy. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Gilroy, and worked as a cannery worker and an Avon representative for many years.
She was the wife of the late Arnold E. Carpenter.
Mrs. Carpenter is survived by her sons Larry I. Carpenter, MGYSGT, U.S. Marine Corp (retired), of Memphis, Tenn., Dale L. Carpenter of Gilroy; daughter Betty J. Hansborough of Kodak, Tenn.; daughter-in-law Beverly Kay Carpenter, of Memphis; and her late son-in-law Dennis Hansborough. She was the sister of Rona Bedunn, Mary Hemminghaus, both of Oshkosh, Wisc., and Ivan Achterberg, of Fond du Loc, Wisc.; grandmother of Patricia Crisman of Memphis, Debbie Knupps of Fayetteville, N.C., Scott and Gary Hansborough, both of Knoxville, Tenn., Barbara Hansborough of Kodak, Maria Carpenter of Salinas and Thomas and Kenneth Carpenter, both of Morgan Hill; great-grandmother of 18; and the aunt to many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were Nov. 10 at Habing Family Funeral Home, Gilroy. She will be flown back to Wisconsin to be buried with her late husband with services on Saturday.
Ralph Munoz
Ralph R. Munoz Jr., 49, died Nov. 11, 2003, in San Jose after a brief illness.
Ralph was a cement finisher in and around Gilroy, he was an avid Harley rider and loved blues music. He also enjoyed fishing and camping at Coyote Lake Park and loved the peaceful nature of the Arroyo Seco Gorge.
Ralph is the loving father of Phillip Munoz of Morton, Ill., and the grandfather of Damon Munoz. He is also survived by his parents Ralph and Virginia Munoz of Gilroy; sisters Patty Aguirre of Salinas, Lexi Grier of San Diego, Lynda Nolan-Kerr of Soquel and Cindi Munoz of Castaic; brothers Ric Munoz and Randy Munoz both of Gilroy; many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at Gilroy Presbyterian Church, 6000 Miller Ave., under the direction of Habing Family Funeral Home.
The family asks that any donations be made to a favorite charity.
Helen E. Ryan
Helen E. Ryan died Nov. 8, 2003.
She was the loving mother of Harlan and Patricia Faler of San Juan Bautista and Tim and Debbie Ryan of Redding; grandmother of 11, great-grandmother of 11; great-great-grandmother of 1; sister of Jessie and Robert Wallace, Richard and Florence Wing and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wing.
Funeral services were Nov. 12 at Presbyterian Church of San Martin, 13200 Lincoln Ave., under the direction of Habing Family Funeral Home.
Marvin G. Brodersen
Marvin G. Brodersen, 86, died Nov. 9, 2003, at the Veteran’s Hospital in Palo Alto after a short illness.
Born in Alberta, Canada, Mr. Brodersen, moved to Gilroy as a child with his family. He attended local schools and graduated from Gilroy High School. Mr. Brodersen enlisted in the Army prior to World War II and was eligible for discharge, but when the war started he stayed in the Army to serve his country. He was one of the first to leave for the war from Gilroy.
Mr. Brodersen worked for his father at the Buick dealership in Gilroy, which was called G.N. Brodersen then later G.N. Brodersen and Son and finally known as Walthard Buick. He was a member of the Gilroy VFW, The American Legion, Gilroy Elks, Gilroy Masonic Lodge and a former member of Gilroy Rotary, Gilroy Optimists and the Gilroy Car Dealers Association and served on the Gilroy Planning Commission.
He was the husband of the late Dorothea Brodersen.
Mr. Brodersen was the father of Ross G. Brodersen of Gilroy; father-in-law of Julia Brodersen of Gilroy; and grandfather of Renee Ratty of Auburn and Heather Brodersen of Gilroy. He also is survived by his brother Iver Brodersen of Fullerton; sister Tillie Agler of San Martin; sisters-in-law Leila Brodersen of Fullerton and Marge Wentworth of Gilroy; and brothers-in-law Everett Wentworth of Gilroy, and Bill Agler of San Martin.
Memorial Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Gilroy Methodist Church under direction of the Habing Family Funeral Home, Gilroy.
The family asks that any donations be made to a favorite charity.
