The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco held their monthly meeting for August of 2018 at the Hall of Justice 850 Bryant Street in San Francisco. The meeting was held in room #150 at 1230 hours.
Roll Call: President Leroy Lindo, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor, Trustees Jim O’Meara, Al Luenow, Rob Forneris, Ryan Walsh by conference call, and Bookkeeper Sally Foster were present. Vice President Ray Kane and Trustee Louis Barberini were excused.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Al Luenow made a motion to accept the minutes from our July 2018 monthly meeting. Trustee Jim O’Meara seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: There are no applications. The next class for WOAA membership signup is the 260th Recruit Class. The WOAA Board will respond in September to present our membership. The following members have not paid dues for 2018. Saqib Aslam, Muhammed Azam, Riley Bandy, Justin Clayton, Matthew Eng, Lisa Garcia, Robert Glenn, Danny Guo, Richard Heppenstall, Nicholas Hooley, Ryan Jensen, Yuka Nagamine, Brandon Newman, Phong Nyguen, Bianca Padilla, Edgar Parker III, Cullen Roche, James Sayasane, Anthony Tallerico, and Melissa Benzinger (Tierrafria). Trustee Rob Forneris made a motion to suspend the above listed members. Trustee Al Luenow seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection. A certified letter of suspension will be sent the last known address of the above listed suspended members.We are continuing to work on our list of suspended members from July. I am asking for any assistance in our attempts to contact a large number of suspended members. The following suspended members either did not update the WOAA with an address change, or they will not respond to their local Post Office to sign for their certified suspension letters. We are mandated by our WOAA Rules and Constitution to drop the suspended members from our roll if we do not receive payment of late dues and fees. Please contact me by phone or email (see the To All Members section at the bottom of this column) if you can assist us in contacting the below listed suspended members. The following named suspended members certified suspension letters have been returned to me by the Postal Service: Thomas Abrahamsen, Guillermo Amigo, Julia Angalet, William Arrietta, Antonio Austin, Regina Berrigan, Omar Bueno, Kenneth Canedo, Alec Cardenas, Willis Casey, Jonathan Catlett, Joseph Filamor, Shane Herbert, Gregory Hicks, Ronald Kall, Roger Peters, Michael Phillips, Richard Randall, Catherine Schiefer, and Kristopher Stoffel. Trustee Jim O’Meara made a motion to reinstate two suspended members who have paid their late dues and fees, and one dropped member who has paid his late dues and fees and submitted a Doctor’s note stating he is in good health. Trustee Rob Forneris seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection. Stewart Flynn, Michael S. Becker, and Tim Malim are hereby reinstated.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the monthly bills and paid death benefit for the beneficiary of Ed Torres. Trustee Al Luenow made a motion to pay the bills and death benefits for recently passed members. Trustee Rob Forneris seconded the motion. The motion passed without objection.
Report of Visiting Committee: No report this month.
Report of Trustees: We recently received notification of the sad news of the passing of our following members:
Raymond H. Backstedt, age 90: Raymond H. Backstedt was born in San Francisco, California on March 9, 1928. Ray entered the San Francisco Police Department on August 16, 1949. Raymond left the S.F.P.D. on August 19, 1950 by transferring to the San Francisco Fire Department. Raymond resided in Lincoln, California. No further information at this time.
John J. Jordan, age 84: John J. Jordan was born on December 14, 1933, and passed away on August 4, 2018. John “Jack” Jordan was born in San Francisco to Ireland County Mayo Francis and Galway native Margaret. Jack grew up in the Mission District and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1952. He was a veteran of the Korean War, and later joined the San Francisco Police Department on January 9, 1961. Jack was assigned to star #732. Jack graduated from the Police Academy on April 17, 1961 and worked the following assignments during his 29 year career: Richmond Police Station (April 17, 1961), Ingleside Police Station (February 19, 1962), Central Police Station (March 7, 1963), Bureau of Support Services (September 5, 1968), Central Police Station (September 14, 1970), Richmond Police Station (Promoted to the rank of Sergeant March 17, 1971), Inspector’s Bureau (February 7, 1973), Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on March 19, 1975, Ingleside Police Station (May 11, 1981 and promoted to the rank of Captain on July 22, 1981), Investigations (February 2, 1984), Vice Crimes (September 12, 1984), Field Operations Bureau (January 18, 1986 and appointed to the rank of Deputy Chief on March 18, 1986), and finally to the Special Operations Bureau (March 24, 1988). Jack Jordan retired with a service pension at the rank of Deputy Chief on November 10, 1989. Jack was a proud member of the San Francisco Irish Pipers Band, Irish Cultural Center (former Director), Holy Name Parrish, and the Pine Grove community. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends of San Francisco and Cobb Mountain. Jack was the husband of Pat for 60 years, father of John (Krisanne), Geri (Greg) Disse, Tim (Gini), and Michael. Grandfather of Gregory, Sean, Shannon, Joseph, and Ryan. Jack is survived by his sister Marg (Conn) Hagen, and brother Frank (Wendy), and nephews Frank Hagan, and Jim, Frank, and Thomas Jordan (Breda)
Bob Martinez, age 70: Robert Fred Martinez was born in San Francisco, California, on October 30, 1947. Bob attended All Hallows Grammar School, Sacred Heart High School, City College of San Francisco, and San Francisco State College. Bob served in the United States Coast Guard and later was a clerk a Safeway Grocery Store Clerk prior to entering the San Francisco Police Department. Bob entered the S.F.P.D. on September 2, 1969 and was assigned to star #794. Bob graduated from the San Francisco Police Academy on January 2, 1970. Bob worked the following assignments during his 33 year career: Northern Police Station (January 2, 1969), Mission Police Station (Promoted to the rank of Q-50 Sergeant and transferred June 4, 1980), Field Operations Bureau (August 23, 1981), Special Operations then to Taraval Police Station (January 18, 1992), and finally to Personnel (July 11, 1998). Bob retired with a service pension on January 13, 2003. AWARDS: For services rendered on Saturday April 15, 1974, at 0104 hours, Bob and his partner Robert F. Barry apprehended an armed suspect who had fired shots through a locked bedroom door at his wife and children. The suspect put up a fight with Martinez and Barry who overpowered the suspect and disarmed him. Bob and Robert Barry were awarded a Bronze Medal of Valor. For services rendered on Friday, January 27, 1978, at 0908 hours. Bob was awarded a Bronze Medal of Valor. Bob had apprehended a suspect who had accosted a female victim at 2001 California Street, grabbed her purse, and threatened her with a large metal afro comb. Two witnesses reported the suspect to be armed with a revolver. Bob chased the suspect on foot for several blocks before tackling him in a rain-soaked quagmire of mud. A struggle ensued with Bob eventually taking the suspect into custody. The revolver had been discarded during the foot chase, and was never found. Officers Fred Neville, John Probst, and Thomas Arnold received Police Commission Commendations for their participation in the arrest. Bob and his partner Daniel Hallisy were awarded a Silver Medal of Valor for services rendered on Tuesday March 28, 1978. At approximately 1520 hours, while on routine patrol on the 400 block of Waller Street, they heard a woman screaming and observed her to be fighting with a male subject in a doorway (439 Waller Street). Bob and Dan exited (“alighted”) from their vehicle and separated the combatants. Bob and Dan abated the altercation and the female asked if she could return to her residence. Bob and Dan agreed while they continued to speak with the male subject who continued to be upset. Suddenly the female returned to the scene with a .25 semi- automatic handgun. The woman pointed the firearm at Bob, Dan, and the male subject and stated she was going to kill the male subject. Bob and Dan shielded the male subject, drew their service revolvers, and order the woman to drop her firearm. The female suspect only relinquished her firearm after several requests from Bob and Dan, who then took her into custody. Bob, and his partner Michael Connors were awarded a Meritorious Conduct Award for services rendered on Tuesday August 29, 1978. Bob and Mike conducted a painstaking and diligent investigation that resulted in the arrest of a serial burglar in the marina area. Bob received another Meritorious Conduct Award for investigation and arrest from services rendered in March of 1979, however there is no further information. Bob loved life which included parties, dancing, golf, and most of all boating. Bob was a member of the Police Association, Old Timers Baseball, Linda Mar Coffee Boys Golf Association, and the St. Peters Men’s Club. Bob was the beloved husband of Susan, loving father of Corine and Danny (Jaax). And was idolized by his grandchildren Isabel (Izzy), and Emma. Bob passed away peacefully after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease on July 20, 2018 at the age of 70.
Ed Torres, age 79: No obituary at the request of the family.
Report of Special Committee: No report this month.
Old Business: No report this month.
New Business: No report this month.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Lindo led the WOAA Board in a moment of silence for all our passed members. President Lindo set our next meeting for Tuesday September 11, 2018.
To All Members: Please visit our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. To access a new beneficiary form, click on the Resources box that is located on the upper right portion of the website face page. Print out the form and complete the form with your choice of beneficiary, including contact numbers, email address, and location addresses for all listed persons on the form. A change of beneficiary requires a signature of a Notary, or one of our Board members. Mail the form to our P.O. Box in San Rafael (P.O. Box 4247, San Rafael, CA 94913-4247). I can be contacted at 415 681-3660, and by email at markmac825@comcast.net. I would like to thank the men and women behind the scenes who greatly assist us each month: Retired San Francisco Police Department Captain, and currently the POA Defense Administrator Paul Chignell, Retired San Francisco Police Department Lieutenant and current host of the Gold Country Reaper Website, Rene LaPrevotte, Retired San Francisco Police Sergeant and long-time Editor of the POA Journal, Ray Shine, David Ng of Personnel, Sergeant Rachael Kilshaw and Risa Tom of the Police Commission Office, and to the Command Staff and Officers of the Traffic Solo Office for their gracious generosity in affording us space for our files and a room for our monthly meetings.
Mark J. McDonough
WOAA Secretary