PAOLA “PAULITA” C. LEW

January 26 1927 to May 24, 2017

Paulita Lew—an elegant, gracious woman who always put people first, whether family, friends, or customers at her landmark Four Seasons Cleaners—passed away at her Silverlake, CA home, on Wednesday, May 24^th.

She was ninety years old.

What can you say about a beauty like Paulita? That she married her one true love, Edmund Tue Lew, after knowing him a week? That she had a keen eye for real estate? That she saw to it all five of her children were taken care of and had comfortable lives? That she adored Frank Sinatra and eating out at Lawry’s, Beverly Hills?

And so much more.

Building the Family Fortune

Most in West Hollywood knew the beautiful Paulita by her first name, loyal customers who often stopped by her Four Seasons Dry Cleaners just to say Hi. An astute business woman, she and her husband co-founded the multi-million-dollar business, a landmark establishment that was rated “Best Dry Cleaners in Los Angeles” by Los Angeles Magazine, and has been featured in the LA Times, Wallpaper, and Women’s Wear Daily.

Continue reading “PAOLA “PAULITA” C. LEW” →

RICHARD STONNELL COLE

November 4, 1927 to September 26^th, 2016

A virtuoso artist

Richard “Dick” Stonnell Cole—an award-winning illustrator, nationally-recognized watercolorist, and cofounder the Northern California design firm Cole Angeli—died on Monday, September 26^th, in San Rafael, CA. He was 88.

How do you describe a virtuoso artist like Dick Cole? You begin with the man.

He loved life, living in Sonoma, beauty, music (classical and jazz), poetry, fly fishing, wit, tall tales and the finer things from California’s vineyards and farms, said Ann Koeffler, his long-time artist’s representative.

Continue reading “RICHARD STONNELL COLE” →

GIRMAY ZEWOLDE

October 1, 1936 to October 15, 2016

A gentleman and a scholar

Girmay Zewolde—an Ethiopian-born teacher-translator-lawyer, whose uproarious humor and championing of the underdog uplifted everyone he knew, especially his children—passed away on Saturday, October 15, at home in Adelphi, Maryland, his family by his side. He was 80 years old.

With his dazzling smile, riveting sense of humor and vibrant personality, he always lit up the room.

A vociferous reader who hated to see the lights go out at the library, Girmay believed street smarts trump book smarts, a theory he often expanded upon by explaining to his children that “street smarts can lead to book smarts.”

Book smarts, he said, are all about following the rules and getting straight A’s, whereas street smarts refer to taking a risk and surviving. “You’ve been tested and have a bank of courage to depend on when you are tested again.”

He knew of what he spoke.

He strove to achieve

Continue reading “GIRMAY ZEWOLDE” →

CHARLES ALBERT PARKER, SR.

 July 12, 1935 to October 2, 2015

A Man for All Seasons

Nicknamed “Sonny” by his parents, Charles Albert Parker, Sr.—a strapping Southerner who perceived his role in life as caring for his sprawling family, adhering to his Baptist faith, and contributing to his fellow man—died in a plane crash on October 2^nd, 2015. He was 80 years old.

Sonny—a consummate pilot who took every precaution, followed every flight rule, often saw to the mechanics himself—was flying his brother-in-law’s Piper Comanche the day of the tragedy.

Flying was something Sonny had done for years. In partnership with his brother-in-law, Bob Jensen, he owned five planes over the years and was an “experienced pilot,” Sonny’s son David said. In this instance, he was test-flying Jensen’s plane after installing a new battery and was preparing to land when something went wrong. The NTSB has yet to rule on the cause.

Sonny’s family, unable to obtain a reason for the crash for at least six months, remain in deep shock and unspeakable sorrow over his passing.

All about family

Continue reading “CHARLES ALBERT PARKER, SR.” →

KENNETH ROBERT KILPATRICK

August 20, 1937 to June 29, 2016

A unique sense of humor

Kenneth Robert Kilpatrick—a man passionate about fine wines, negotiating a brilliant business deal, and his amazing children—died peacefully at Silverado Memory Care in San Juan Capistrano, on Wednesday, June 29. Suffering at the end from Parkinson’s disease, he was also a man of deep Christian faith. He was 78.

Ken, as most called him, had a unique sense of humor. It could be dry and sometimes took a minute to hit you. One time he shaved off half of his mustache and waited to see how long it would take for the family to notice.

His daughter, Susan Adamski, remembers one Christmas when her father was trying to show his three kids how to exhibit enthusiasm when opening a gift they didn’t particularly like.

“I remember his running around and jumping up and down with excitement about his supposed gift: ‘A dead frog! Just what I always wanted’,” she laughed.

A highly successful businessman

Continue reading “KENNETH ROBERT KILPATRICK” →