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Peter Sylvester Obituary

Peter Edward Sylvester, Jr.

Passed away peacefully at home on 11/22/2013 surrounded by loving members of his family. Pete was born on December 10, 1931 in San Francisco the first of three children born to Catherine Hoesch Sylvester and Peter Edward Sylvester, Sr. He grew up in King City, CA where he attended the local elementary and high schools. In 1949 he entered Stanford University as a freshman. He received his BA degree in 1953 and his MBA in 1955. While a student at Stanford he joined Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. Throughout his life many of his closest friendships were with fraternity brothers and their families. Pete worked for Macy's until 1962 when he returned to Stanford to work temporarily in the Development Office in the Pace Program. That temporary job began a 30+ year career in the Development Office culminating in his heading the large gifts program. He retired in 1993 and continued to live in Palo Alto.


Pete was the patriarch of his family. As the eldest son he felt it was his responsibility to see to the welfare of everyone in the family, a responsibility he fulfilled admirably. Pete is survived by his sister, Anne Sylvester Strickling and his brother John Sylvester, both of Palo Alto. He is also survived by his niece Carey Gorgolinski and her sons Matthew and Jack of Redwood City, CA, a well as his niece Jennifer Sylvester McNally of Wailea, Maui, HI and his nephew Peter Byron Sylvester of Emeryville, CA


Pete was a joy to be around, a great lover of music, a cerebral wit, and a great fan of everything Stanford. He will be sorely missed by all of us.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Dec. 10 to Dec. 11, 2013.

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