The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association held their monthly meeting on Tuesday February 10, 2026, at 1100 hours.
Roll Call: President Ray Kane, Vice President Jim O’Meara, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Maureen Leonard, Rob Forneris, Lou Barberini, Ryan Walsh, and Leroy Lindo, and Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Leroy Lindo made a motion to accept the minutes from the January 2026 meeting. Trustee Lou Barberini seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions, and Reinstatements: There is no report of new applications, suspensions, or reinstatements. Our yearly schedule for billing, suspensions, and reinstatements is the following: Bills are sent out in late January to early February. A second bill notice is mailed prior to March, to those members who have not responded to the first notice. Members who have not paid their dues by March 31st become suspended members as of April 1st and are formally suspended by our President at our April meeting (second Tuesday of each month). If Suspended Members have not paid their dues by August 1st, they are dropped from our membership role. We send out notices of Suspension, and notices of Separation (drop notice) by U.S. Mail. The Separation Notice is mailed as registered mail that requires a signature of the member to receive the letter. Members who refuse to sign for the letter will be dropped. We then attempt to research the members’ addresses to learn if the member relocated and neglected to inform us. Each year we discover that members in fact, have relocated their residence and did not inform us. Members have a 2-year window to reapply for reinstatement. Members who reapply for reinstatement must pay back dues ($100 per year), and fines ($10 for each month after being dropped from the WOAA). The reinstatement requires the dues and fines, accompanied by a document from a physician that the dropped member is in good health. I have occasionally experienced dropped members who are under the impression that their dropped status and application for reinstatement is a “negotiation”. The reinstatement process is as stated above.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the monthly bills, and a quarterly Audit bill for $7,800. Treasurer Taylor stated that beneficiary claims were received for the named beneficiary for the recently deceased members Michael Cowhig, Ralph Domer, Terry Gan, Michael Gannon, and Gerald McNaughton. President Ray Kane made a motion to pay the bills and beneficiary claims. Vice President Jim O’Meara seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: The WOAA Board received the sad news of the following members who have recently passed away:
Manuel Barretta, age 83: Manuel Barretta was born on July 31,1944 in San Francisco, California. Manny entered the San Francisco Police Department on July 1,1966. Manny was assigned to Star #1137, and worked the following assignments during his 29-year career: Northern Police Station (September 12, 1966), Park Police Station (August 1, 1966), Northern Police Station (February 20, 1969), City Prison (November 3, 1969), BSS (February 28, 1971, and later promoted to Assistant Police Inspector on January 1, 1972), Bureau of Inspectors (June 8, 1975), Crime Specific Task Force (January 25, 1976), Inspectors Bureau (March 31, 1976). Public Affairs (January 31, 1986, and promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant on July 1, 1986), Fraud (May 2, 10987), Chief’s Office (October 17, 1987), Police Commission (January 19, 1991), Hit and Run (February 17, 2001, and was promoted to the rank of Police Lieutenant on June 13, 2000), Central Police Station (August 3, 2002), Airport (June19, 2004). Manuel Barretta retired with a Service Pension on January 1, 2005. AWARDS: Police Officers Manuel Barretta, Napoleon L. Hendrix Jr., Anthony P, Novello, and Harvey Rockwell Jr., each received a 3rd Grade Medal of Valor for services rendered on Monday October 20, 1969. While patrolling on the 200 block of Leavenworth, they heard gunshots and observed a man holding a gun leaving 245 Leavenworth Street. The suspect ignored the Officers commands to halt. The suspect fled and turned several times pointing the gun at the Officers appearing to aim at them to shoot his weapon. The Officers fired several warning shots causing the suspect to stop and surrender. It was learned that the suspect fired his gun at his rival over a girlfriend, and that he intended to shoot the Officers but was not able due to the gun being jammed.
Edward J. Erdelatz Jr, age 85: Edward J. Erdelatz Jr. was born in Alameda, California on September 1, 1941. Ed passed away on January, 18, 2026. Ed’s parents, Edward Erdelatz Sr. and Agnes Connors Erdelatz and Ed Jr. in his youth, spent much of their time in Annapolis, Maryland where Edward Sr. served as the Head Coach at the U.S, Naval Academy. Ed Jr attended St. Mary’s High School where he was an All-American football player and met the love of his life, Patricia (Trish) Stansbury. The were married in1961 and shared 65 years of devoted marriage. After playing football at San Jose State University, Eddie served his country as a member of the United States Army and as a Military Policeman. He was stationed at the Berlin Wall during President John F. Kennedy’s historic 1963 visit. He went on to dedicate more than 45 years to law enforcement, including 25 years as a homicide detective with the San Francisco Police Department. He later served with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and FBI task forces investigating cold cases, earning deep respect for his integrity, professionalism, and compassion. In 1975, Eddie came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, a transformation that defined the remainder of his life. His faith shaped both his personal relationships, and professional life. He co-founded the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers (“Cops for Christ”) and later devoted himself to mentoring men recovering from incarceration and addiction through the Modesto Gospel Mission and Rock Church. Eddie was known for his joyful spirit, playful humor, and love of family. He delighted in good food (especially Maryland Blue Crabs, storytelling, pranks, golf, and time spent with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beloved dogs. His family was his greatest joy, and he stayed closely connected through frequent calls filled with encouragement and love. Eddie is survived by his wife Trish, his children Robyn Morris, Lori Darrett, Scott Erdelatz, Heidi Ennis, and Eddie Erdelatz; their spouses; sixteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren finds. His family finds comfort in 2 Corinthians 5:8, confident that he is “at home with the Lord”. Eddie will be remembered for his kindness, humility, and deep faith. His life stands as a testimony to love, service, and unwavering trust in God. May his memory inspire all who knew him to live with the same faith, hope, and love that defined his life. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. Law Enforcement career: Ed entered the San Francisco Police Department on July 1, 1964, and was assigned to Star#92. Ed worked the following assignments during his 30-year career: Central Police Station (September 7, 1964), Northern Police Station (September 19, 1965), BSS (March 1, 1970), and the Inspector’s Bureau (July 19, 1970). As previously mentioned, Ed was assigned to the Homicide Detail for many years. Ed retired with a service pension on July 4, 1994. AWARDS: Police Officers Edward J. Erdelatz Jr, and George F. Kowalski were each awarded with a 3rd Grade Medal of Valor for services rendered on June 5, 1965, for entering a burning building at 3:14 am, and alerting the tenants to evacuate. Erdelatz and Kowalski made 14 trips into the building and led many children and elderly tenants to safety through the smoke-filled structure. Police Officers Ed Erdelatz Jr., and Frank Falzon were each awarded with 3rd Grade Medal of Valor for services rendered on June 12, 1966, for the disarming and arrest of a man they were questioning. Erdelatz and Falzon were questioning occupants of a building that had a burning scent of marijuana. Erdelatz and Falzon noticed a man hurriedly leaving a room where they were questioning the occupants. Erdelatz and Falzon pursued the man outside and confronted him. The man then drew his firearm at the Officers. Erdelatz and Falzon immediately grabbed the suspect, disarmed him, and placed him under arrest. Officers Edward J. Erdelatz Jr., Frank J. Falzon, John P. Otton Jr., and November 30, 1967 were each awarded with a 3rd Grade Medal of Valor when they responded to the scene of a shooting and arrested a man who shot his daughter and was threatening other members of his family with his gun. No further information on the incident. Police Officers Edward J. Erdelatz, Frank J. Falzon, John R. Ballentine, Raymond J. Hilvert, Olav P. Hindahl, and Donald G. Laufer were each awarded with each awarded with 3rd Grade Medals of Valor for responding to a working fire and were instrumental in saving numerous lives of the building occupants. No further information on this incident. Inspectors Edward J. Erdelatz Jr., and Frank C. McCoy were each awarded with a Meritorious Conduct Award for an outstanding investigation. Inspectors Erdelatz and McCoy conducted one of the most extensive investigations ever conducted by the San Francisco Police Department reaching nearly all major cities in the United States and resulting in the arrests of many members of the New World Liberation Army who were responsible for five murders of Police Offices and two civilians , and four more attempted murders on Police Officers, various injuries to 18 people, and four bank robberies. Inspector’s Edward J. Erdelatz Jr., Frank J. Falzon, Joseph D. O’Sullivan, James P. Deasy, and Richard R. Duane were each awarded with a Meritorious Conduct Award for an outstanding investigation, for services rendered on March 14, 1977, through January13, 1975, for an investigation of a homicide that occurred on the Great Highway and Rivera Streets. Two young women had been hitchhiking and were shot at that location. One victim was mortally wounded and left for dead. The Inspectors conducted a long and tedious investigation resulting in an arrest of the suspect. He was positively identified by the surviving victim. The jury hearing the case returned a verdict of guilty on all counts of 187 PC, 245a PC, and 12022 PC. Inspector’s Edward J. Erdelatz and Jeffrey Brosh were each awarded with a Bronze Medal of Valor for services rendered on April 10, 1986. Inspector Jeff Brosh was testifying in court, while his partner Edward J. Erdelatz was seated in the courtroom at the counsel table with his back to the spectator area. The court case was a homicide case and the father of one of the homicide victims was seated in the first row of the spectator area. Suddenly the father of one of the victims shouted, “you miserable______” , pulled a revolver and assumed a two-handed combat stance and fired several shots at the defendant who was seated at the defense counsel table. The defendant was hit with a fired shot to his head and immediately fell to the floor. The father/shooter maintained his combat stance continuing to aim his weapon at the fallen defendant. The Inspectors immediately drew their service weapons and advanced toward the suspect who still had the gun in his hand and maintained his combat stance. Inspector Erdelatz ordered the suspect to drop his weapon. The suspect did not comply. Both Inspectors feared that the assailant might continue to fire his weapon and endanger innocent bystanders and court officials and held their fire with guns at the ready position. Erdelatz and Brosh advanced on the assailant ordering him to drop his weapon. The assailant finally dropped his weapon and said, “I give up”. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident. A subsequent examination of the suspects weapon revealed three expended rounds and two live rounds remaining. Inspectors Erdelatz and Brosh exhibited outstanding bravery as they advanced on the suspect who had just attempted to murder the defendant in the courtroom. For their actions, they were awarded with the Bronze Medal of Valor. Inspector’s Edward J. Erdelatz and Jeffrey Brosh were each awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on December 6, 1986, when a body was recovered from the San Francisco Bay. An investigation was disclosed that the victim had been strangled to death on November 11th. The victim was weighted down with athletic weights and his body dumped into the Bay near Pier 32. Despite a lengthy investigation, Inspectors Erdelatz and Brosch located witnesses and subsequently arrested two suspects. The suspects were convicted of 2nd degree murder and were sentenced with 17 years to life in Prison, and a second conviction of first-degree murder and a sentence of life in Prison without possibility of Parole. Inspectors Edward J. Erdelatz and Jeffrey Brosh, and Police Officers John Colla and Henry Parra were each awarded with a Meritorious Conduct Award for an outstanding investigation. For services rendered on December 8, 1988, to December 23,1988, the case concluded successfully concluded without physical evidence and several descriptions of a hit and run vehicle. On December 8. 1988, an 81-year-old man was struck and killed by a vehicle at Stockton and Filbert Streets. The vehicle fled the scene. An investigation by the Traffic Bureau and the Hit and Run Detail resulted in information that the suspect was attempting to run down four Latin males when he struck and killed the victim. The Latin males jumped out of the way leaving the 81-year-old man in the path of the vehicle. On December 9, 1988, the case was assigned to the Homicide Detail and to Inspector’s Erdelatz and Brosh. The Inspectors, with the assistance of Officers Colla and Parra of Central Police Station conducted an intense investigation. The investigation developed information that the suspect had been in a fistfight with a Latin male at Stockton and Union Streets, and when the Latin Male walked away with three other Latin males, the suspect entered his vehicle and attempted to strike them with his vehicle. The suspect missed hitting his targets and subsequently ran over the 81-year-old victim. Colla and Parra, working in the Central Police District, conducted a lengthy investigation by speaking with over 40 people in an effort to identify the suspect. Colla and Parra were able to name a possible suspect and provided this information to Erdelatz and Brosh who showed photospreads to witnesses, with negative results. Erdelatz and Brosh interviewed several members of the suspect’s family and the suspect’s friends. Erdelatz and Brosh and succeeded sufficient evidence to obtain an arrest warrant charging the suspect with homicide. Erdelatz and Brosh also located the suspect vehicle which had been hidden since the incident. They then traced the suspect to Ruston, Louisiana where he was taken into custody and returned to San Francisco. The diligent and painstaking investigation research by the Officers and the Inspectors resulted in a quick apprehension of the suspect who had fled the state to avoid prosecution.
Jose Mora Jr., age 47: Jose M. Mora Jr. entered the San Francisco Police Department on January 26, 2009, and was assigned to Star#2275. Jose worked at the following assignments during his illness shortened career: Central Police Station (August 1, 2009), Potrero Police Station (May 15, 2010). Mission Police Station (November 8, 2010), Taraval Police Station (March 2, 2013), Park Police Station (December 2, 2017), Legal (October 20, 2018). Jose Mora Jr., retired on June 30, 2021, due to an illness that took his life on January 30, 2026. Jose Mora Jr., 47 years old, was born on August 25, 1978.
Daniel Dennis O’Shea, age 78: Daniel D. O’Shea was born on December 15,1948 in Palo Alto, California, Dan was born to Francis and Lois O’Shea (nee Wilson) and was raised in a loving home on 9th Avenue in San Francisco with his brothers Jeremiah Francis O’Shea Jr., Timothy O’Shea, and Matthew O’Shea. Dan graduated from St. Brendan’s Grammar School, attended St. Ignatuis High School, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1967. Dan was a loving father and grandfather, and leaves behind his daughter Tara Carroll and her husband Ciaran, his son Daniel O’Shea Jr. and his wife Bryn, his daughter Mary Kathryn (Katie) O’Shea, Rowan Carroll, Ali Robinson and her husband Gavin, his beloved grandchildren Fionn Carroll, Rowan Carroll, and Rory O’Shea, his brother Matt O’Shea, and his wife Darlene, and numerous nieces and nephews. Dan is preceded in death by his parents Jerry and Lois, and his brothers Jerry O’Shea Jr., and Tim O’Shea. A member of the Olympic Club, Dan will be remembered for his unmatched ability to make everyone around him laugh uncontrollably, Even in his declining health Dan never lost his sense of humor. Dan entered the San Francisco Police Department on March 1, 1971, and was assigned to Star #1988’. Dan worked the following assignments during his career: Northern Police Station (May 16, 1961), Vice Crimes (November 1983) and Southern Police Station (July 21, 1990), Dan retired with a service pension. AWARDS: Officers Dan O’Shea and David Ambrose were each awarded a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on March 31,1987 with a successful conclusion of a lengthy and delicate investigation which resulted in the arrest of an entrepreneur. The entrepreneur was attempting to further her financial fortunes by bribing Officer Daniel O’Shea with $10,000 to use his authority to allow an improper transfer of ownership of a Massage Parlor. Officers Daniel O’Shea, John Denny, Vincent Cantillon, Phil McGee, Luis Hamilton, John Lanfranchi, Barry Weaver, Bruce Fairbairn, Dean Sorgie, Michael Pawsey, Paul Swiatko, Richard Quesada, Steven Spranger, Dennis Costanzo, Lawrence Mahar, Joanne Lozenski, Michael Gonzales, Manuel Correris, Michael Smith, Sergeants William Bush and Gregory Lynch, and Captain Michael Yalon were each awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on January 31, 1991. On that date, a large celebration was held at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium to commemorate Martin Luther King Day. Opposing youth groups clashed inside the event resulting in the shooting death of one juvenile victim. Officers from different commands pulled effectively together to handle the hostile crowd of approximately 3000 persons at the Train Station. Officers successfully searched the crowded train and arrested the perpetrators of an armed robbery. The Officers seized evidence and the loaded weapon used in the crime. The Officers obtained incriminating statements of witnesses and from people directly involved, The outstanding efforts of the Officers resulted in one conviction of the suspect for armed robbery.
Old Business: No report this month.
New Business: The WOAA Board discussed increasing the payout to $20,000, or $21,000, and adding a slight raise in our yearly dues to accompany the increased payout. The discussion was tabled for our next meeting in March.
Adjournment: President Ray Kane led the WOAA Board in a moment of silence for our
recently deceased members, and for all our deceased members over time.
President Kane adjourned the meeting and scheduled our next monthly meeting for Tuesday, March10, 2026.
To All Members: Members can obtain new beneficiary forms from our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Members can click on RESOURCES on the face page and follow the link. Pleas complete the form and contact me for mailing instructions at (415) 681-9660, or at Widowsorphans825@gmail.com. Each month, we express our gratitude by giving thanks to the following people who assist us in providing the best customer service possible for our members. Retired San Francisco Police Department Captain and the Police Officers Association (SFPOA) Defense Administrator, Paul Chignell; Retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant Rene Laprevotte; Retired San Franciso Police Sergeant and the editor of the SFPOA Journal Newspaper, Ray Shine; Maggie Wang of Personnel, and Kristine Singh of the Police Commission Office.
