The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department held their month meeting on Tuesday May 9, 2023. The meeting commenced at 1130 hours via Zoom technology.
Roll Call: President Louis Barberini, Vice President Ryan Walsh, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Leroy Lindo, Ray Kane, Jim O’Meara, Maureen Leonard, Rob Forneris, and Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Rob Forneris made a motion to accept last month’s minutes. Trustee Maureen Leonard seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: Trustee Ray Kane presented our membership to the most recent Academy Class, #278. Ray was able to sign up 4 applicants from the 9 class members. The fact that there are only 9 Academy Class members is cause for concern on many levels. Trustee Maureen Leonard made a motion to accept the 4 applicants as temporary members of the Widows and Orphans Aid Association of the San Francisco Police Department. Secretary Mark McDonough seconded the motion. The motion passed. The four members will be made permanent members after completing their Probationary Phase. Members who are released from the San Francisco Police Department prior to completing their Probation are also released from the WOAA. Trustee Leonard and Secretary McDonough made their motion and 2nd to reinstate the following suspended members in 2023 who have sent their dues and fines: Adrian Castro, Randy Caturay, Gil Chang, Herman Clark, Robert Duffield, Eugene Eden, Vincent Etcheber, Emily Fields, Steve Ford, Jason Fox, Lisa Fraser, Deborah Gizdich, Jacklyn Jehl, Kenneth Koenig, John Mambretti, Greg Mar, Francisco Mendez, Duane Otis, Michael Philpott, Carlos Recinos, Richard Reyes, Carl Tennenbaum, Hans Vigil, Sam Watt, and Donald West. Herman Clark, Robert Duffield, and Hans Vigil sent their dues prior to our deadline and were suspended. Please accept our apologies for the error. Suspended member Ray Fernandez terminated his WOAA membership.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the monthly bills and beneficiary benefit claim for the Peter Godbois family. Trustee Rob Forneris seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: We received the sad news of the passing of two of our members:
Frank D. Gonzales, age 96: Frank D. Gonzales was born in San Francisco, California on November 29, 1926. Frank was born in North Beach on Sonoma Street, and raised in SF’s Butchertown. Butchertown was located in the Southeastern part of the City and has an interesting history dating back to the 1860’s. Frank attended Bayview Grammar School and continued at Portola Jr. High School where he met his future wife, Helen Marie Hannan. Frank attended Commerce High School where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and track and field. Frank lettered in baseball and basketball, and added football to his sports resume. Frank graduated from Commerce High School and enlisted in the United States Navy. Frank was sent to Guam until the end of WWII. After a discharge from the Navy, Frank pursued his dream of playing major league baseball. He tried out for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League, and learned to improve his knowledge and skills of baseball from his Manager Frank “Lefty” O’Doul at the Hawaii training camp. Frank did not make the final cut. Coincidentally Frank and Lefty both grew up in the Bayview District, both attended Bayview Grammar School, and both briefly worked in the slaughterhouses although 30 years apart. Frank continued his dream of playing professional baseball with stops in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, an unaffiliated minor league baseball league along with fellow future San Francisco Police Commander Ray Canepa. He unsuccessfully tried out for the Oakland Oaks of the PCL who was managed by Casey Stengel. After more stops in Idaho and Visalia, California, Frank signed a major league baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs. An arm injury ended Frank’s baseball career, and he came home to marry Helen Hannan and join the San Francisco Police Department in 1950. Frank was assigned to Star #242 and worked the following assignments during his 30-year career: Potrero Police Station (November 6, 1950), Northern Police Station (May 21, 1951), Juvenile Bureau (July 9, 1956), and his last stop was Investigations/Property Crimes/Burglary Detail (December 21, 1977). Frank retired with a service pension on September 9, 1980. While at the Juvenile Bureau, Frank was promoted to the rank of Police Inspector on April 16, 1969, and to the rank of Police Sergeant on March 17, 1971. After retirement, Frank worked as a Security Agent for several venues including the Bay Meadows Race Track, Candlestick Park, and the Palace and Fairmont Hotels. He was frequently seen on golf courses in the Napa/Sonoma area when he left San Francisco for a warmer climate. Frank is survived by his three children Jill, Michael (S.F.P.D. retired/Honda Unit),
Susan Hernandez, age 78: Susan Hernandez was born Susan Catherine Seymour on July 13, 1944 in San Francisco, California. Susan was a third generation San Franciscan, and was the first child of Alice Masterson and William Seymour. Susan grew up in the Richmond District and attended the Star of the Sea Grammar School and High School Academy. Susan took particular delight in dancing to 45’s in the High School Gym and that led her to several appearances on Dick Stewart’s dance party on KPIX. Family vacations were filled with sunshine, Sea N Ski and frequent sunburns on the Russian River. Susan married Matthew Asaro, with whom she had two sons, Frank and Tony. Her second marriage was to a San Francisco Fireman, John Pavloff. Later, Susan met and married the love of her life, Robert Hernandez, a San Francisco Police Inspector. They were married on a trip to Alaska and remained married through life, for over 40 years. Susan worked at St. Mary’s Hospital when her boys were young, but decided a different path, one that followed a long family tradition. Susan entered the 126th San Francisco Police Academy Class in July of 1975, the first class to include women. She loved the S.F.P.D. and was a trailblazer in the Department proudly wearing Star # 2055. Susan was recruited to work in Vice Crimes and was partnered with Mary Christiansen to work the Prostitution Detail. Using the names of Harriet and Thelma, as the kindred spirits they were, they were sent to the corner of Hyde and O’Farrell streets. They wore Jeans and Jackets and effected numerous arrests which caused Herb Caen to write a story. Susan hailed from a long line of Law Enforcement. Her grandfather Maurice Seymour was a Royal Canadian Mountie. Great Grandfather Richard Roche was a San Francisco Harbor Police Patrolman, and Grandfather John Masterson was a San Francisco Police Inspector. Her Cousin Paul DeTimofeev (S.F.P.D. 132nd Recruit Class) is retired S.F.P.D. Susan encouraged her sister Barbara Seymour Campagnoli (retired S.F.P.D. Inspector) to apply to the 133rd S.F.P.D. Recruit Class. In November of 1979, Barbara was sworn in and the Seymour Sisters proudly became the first Q-2 sisters in the San Francisco Police Department history. In 1989, Susan suffered a serious on-duty injury that required multiple surgeries. She was forced to retire in 1990. Fortunately, after several years, she and Bob were able ro resume traveling. They traveled to Mexico, Alaska, Europe and across the United States. Susan had a passion for creativity and stayed active in sewing, remodeling, decoration, gardening (Roses), and repainting her homes. She and Bob loved boating and playing in the snow in Truckee, California. Above all, she adored her little dog Guido. Her family and friends will miss Susan’s large green eyes, and big beautiful heart. She will be sorely missed. Work Record: Susan entered the San Francisco Police Department on July 28, 1975 and was assigned to Star #2055. Susan worked the following assignments during her disability shortened 15-year career: Taraval Police Station (February 15, 1976), and transferred to Vice Crimes on July 20, 1977. Susan retired with a disability pension on May 29, 1990. AWARDS: Officer Susan Hernandez was awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered in March of 1988. Susan, with Officer Pauline Hnatow and Inspector John Carroll were assigned to the Vice Crimes Detail. The worked together to develop information regarding a house of prostitution at 3425 16th Street. It was alleged that female juveniles were employed there as prostitutes. Surveillance was initiated. In June of 1988, Inspector Carroll and Officer Hernandez located a juvenile who fled from San Francisco and became of assistance to the Officers. They were able to identify the customers and also several houses of prostitution in San Francisco. Because of Inspector Carroll’s tenacity and intuitive ability to analyze evidence and with Officer Hernandez’s and Officer Hnatow’s unique abilities to establish a rapport and to be able to gain the trusts of the juvenile victim’s, twenty-one convictions were obtained and many of the convicted are now serving state prison terms.
Report of Special Committee: No special committee at this time.
Old Business: No report this month.
New Business: No report this month.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Barberini led the WOAA Board in a moment of silence for our recently passed members, and for all our passed
To All Members: Members may access our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org for a new beneficiary form. Click on RESOURCES and follow the link. Please complete all requested information and mail the form to WOAA, P.O. BOX 4247, San Rafael, CA 94913-4247. I can be contacted at 415 681-3660. Each month we thank the following people who assists our efforts to give our members the best customer service possible: Paul Chignell (retired San Francisco Police Captain, and defense administrator for the San Francisco Police Officers Association), Rene LaPrevotte (retired S.F.P.D. Lieutenant and host of the Gold Country Reaper Email), Ray Shine (retired S.F.P.D. Sergeant and the editor of the San Francisco Police Officers Association Journal Newspaper), David Ng of Personnel, and Kristine Singh of the Police Commission Office.
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