Edward Franklin Mansfield

Edward Franklin Mansfield 85, passed away peacefully on August 31, 2004, surrounded by close family members. Ned, as he was known to both friends and family, was blessed to have enjoyed a full and busy life shared with his recently deceased wife, JoAnn.

He was a dedicated and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. His enthusiasm for life, his sporting drive, his generosity with time and money and his artistic talent will be long remembered by all those who knew him.

Ned was born on October 23, 1918 in Los Angeles, California. One of two children born into an affluent family from the East Coast, Ned all too soon found himself accepting charity and working hard to overcome the poverty his family found themselves in due to the Depression. Perhaps it was this intimate knowledge of what it feels like to be down and out that inspired Ned to lead a life full of volunteerism and life long giving.

After completing Webb School for Boys in 1937, Ned attended USC and the University of Oregon, before entering the Air Force in 1941. During the five years he served as a training officer in the Air Force, Ned met JoAnn Supple who was to become his wife. His adventures in the Air Force included an emergency bail out of a government airplane in Oregon en route to his engagement party. Ned knew how to make an entrance! Married in 1943, Ned and JoAnn were lucky to share over 60 wonderful years together.

After his time in the military, Ned returned to complete his Business degree at the University of Oregon. Shortly after they were married, Ned and JoAnn moved to Southern California, and in 1951 migrated north to Palo Alto. Los Altos became their third and final home in 1968.

Ned had many jobs from selling cars, to manufacturing wooden toys and rocking horses early in his career. In 1958, he became involved in the health care industry which culminated in the establishment of El Gato Medical, a home health care business. Ned sold El Gato in 1976 to "retire". Evidently, Ned did not know the meaning of the word "retire" because the years of his retirement have been busier than ever, filled with volunteering, sculpturing, golf and, of course, tennis. Who would recognize Ned without a tennis racket? He was long involved with the USTA and was instrumental in organizing tennis clinics for the players with disabilities. In 2002, he was the proud recipient of the USTA's Senior Service award. This recognition of service gave him more joy than being ranked nationally in tennis in both singles and doubles for many years, and followed his induction into the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame.

Ned was a long time volunteer chaplain at Stanford Hospital. His many charitable works resulted in his being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Avenidas, an organization serving Palo Alto seniors. As well as being a founding member of the Foothills Tennis and Swimming Club, Ned was also a long time Rotarian. And how did he manage to maintain his active role in his Bridge Club with all this going on? Ned will be remembered for his quick smile, his creative mind, his tireless giving, his commitment to hard work, and his ease with life.

His children: Merrily and her husband Danny, with their two children Malea and Brian; Michael and his wife Theresa, with their three children, Tyson, Danielle and Roxanne; Stephen and his wife Debbie, with their two children Joe and Jamie are happy to know that Ned grabbed all the gusto he could, and lived his life to the fullest....Lob it, Ned!

Services will be held on Sunday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m., at Christ Episcopal Church in Los Altos, at 1040 Border Road.

A reception will follow at Foothill Tennis & Swim Club, at 3351 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto. Donations may be made to South Bay SMASH, the wheelchair tennis team, at 1677 Park Ave., San Jose, CA 95126, or to the American Cancer Society, 1-800-227-2345. Arrangements under the direction of the LOS ALTOS CHAPEL OF SPANGLER MORTUARIES, 399 So. San Antonio Road, Los Altos.