The Widows’ and Orphans’ Aid Association of the San Francisco held their monthly Zoom meeting on Tuesday June 9, 2026, at 1100 hours.
Roll Call: President Ray Kane, Vice President Jim O’Meara, Secretary Mark McDonough, Treasurer Dean Taylor,
Trustees Maureen Leonard, Lou Barberini, Ryan Walsh, and Leroy Lindo, and Administrative Assistant Sally Foster were present. Trustee Rob Forneris was excused.
Approval of the Minutes: Trustee Maureen Leonard made a motion to approve the minutes from our May Meeting. Vice President Jim O’Meara seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Receiving Applications; Suspensions and Reinstatements: No new applications, no new suspensions. The following suspended members paid their back dues and fines and are hereby reinstated as members in good standing; Simon Chan, Mike Farnham, Dan Lynch, and Al Wong.
Communications and Bills: Treasurer Dean Taylor read aloud the monthly bills, death benefit claims by beneficiaries of deceased members Terry Esget, John Finney, Ora Guinther, and Samuel Osborne, and the remining portion of the bill ($3600) for our yearly audit. Per our audit, Treasurer Taylor provided Board Members with all financial statements, including Charles Schwab, Police Credit Union, and Wells Fargo. Trustee Leroy Lindo made a motion to pay the bills and 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 our following members who have passed away:
Hans Christian Anderson, age 89: Hans Christian Anderson was born on March 2, 1937. Hans entered the San Francisco Police Department on June 16, 1965 and worked the following assignments during his 33-year career: Potrero Police Station (September 5, 1965), Northern Police Station (November 1, 1966), Juvenile Bureau ( February 28, 1971), Inspectors Bureau ( October 9, 1977 and later promoted to Police Inspector on June 29, 1979, Sex Crimes (May 20, 1984 and later promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant on July 1, 1986), Hans C. Anderson retired with a Service Pension on July 10, 1998.
AWARDS: Police Officers Hans C. Anderson, Joseph W. Brewer Jr., Arthur Fobbs, James T. Moore, and Wilbert J. Weston each received a 3rd Grade Medal of Valor for services rendered on September 19, 1968. On that day, two-armed suspects were committing a robbery of a grocery store and were tying up their victims when the Officers arrived on scene. One Suspect attempted to use his gun but was prevented by the quick action of the Officers. Police Officers Hans C. Anderson, Andrew J. Banas, Efren Delgado, and James T. Moore were each awarded with a 3rd Grade Medal of Valor for services rendered on Friday August 22, 1969. The Officers received information from Communications that there was a possible hold up of a taxi cab. The Officers responded to the area and observed the Cab. The Officers converged on the Cab with other Police units. Further information had been broadcasted that prior to the carjacking, that the suspect was involved in a shoot-out with the Clerk at the Dwaine Hotel leading to the carjacking at gun point. The Officers were able to stop the vehicle and apprehend the suspect from the Cab and disarm him, Police Officers Hans C. Anderson and James T. Moore were each awarded with a Gold Medal of Valor (formerly a 1st grade medal) for services rendered on September 4, 1970. Anderson and Moore were alerted by Communications at 0515 hours that Burglary suspects were fleeing the crime scene in their district. The next broadcast was “shots fired “at the crime scene. Anderson and Moore observed the two suspects in their escape vehicle and were able to stop it. The two suspects fired a shot gun, and a pistol at Anderson and Moore who were both wounded from the shots. Anderson and Moore returned fire and wounded one of the suspects which led to the capture of both suspects. There is no further information on this incident.
Laurence Ronald Mahar, age 78: Laurence Ronald Maher was born on February 1, 1948, in Canada. Laurence is listed as having worked as a Warehouseman prior to entering Law Enforcement. Laurence entered the San Francisco Police Department on March 14, 1977, and was assigned to Star #1060. Laurence worked at the following assignments during his 27-year career: Northern Police Station (July 3, 1977), and Richmond Police Station (October 9, 1977). Laurence Mahar retired with a Service Pension on March 15, 2004.
Donald Lewis Peters, age 79: Donald Lewis Peters was born on March 2,1947, in Painesville, Ohio. Don entered the San Francisco Police Department on November 17, 1975, and was assigned to Star #1694. Don worked the following assignments during his 26-year career: Taraval Police Station (April 18, 1976), Mission Police Station (July 1, 1981), Taraval Station (November 10, 1990), Airport (May 12, 2001), Support Services (June 30, 2001). Donald L. Peters retired with a Service Pension on July 16, 2001. AWARDS: Officer Donald L. Peters and Mary R. Nilan were each awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on Tuesday October 17, 1978 at 0200 hours. Officers Peters and Nilan investigated a shooting that occurred on Ortega Street and apprehended two suspects. Peters and Nilan searched the suspect vehicle subsequent to arrest and located a loaded .45 Colt and a loaded .380 Walther pistol. Officer Donald L. Peters, with thirty-eight additional San Francisco Police Captain Thomas Petrini, Lt. Juaquin Santos, Lt Richard Hesselroth, Lt. Croce Casciato, Lt. John Ballentine, Sergeants Edgar Callejas, , Mark Potter, David Shinn, Larry Barsetti, Dirk Beijen, Inspectors Joseph Kennedy, William Kidd, and Officers Bernard S van, Mel Cardenas, David Seid, Brett Higdon, Jay Dowke, Edward Ellestad, Victor Tsang, Nikolaus Borthne, Michael Travis, Richard Lee, Matthew Castagnola, Phyllis Ford, Michael Huddleston, Joseph Buono, Martin Lalor, Darby Reid, Edward Cheung, Dino Zagrafos, Kevin Dempsey, Nelson Lum, Thomas Vellone, John Mambretti, Albert Tong, Anthony Johnson, Heinz Hoffman, and Michael Rivera were each awarded with a Police Commission Commendation for services rendered on June 7, 1991 at 0845 hours. Lt. Joaquin Santos was informed of an armed robbery in-progress at the Bank of Canton at 743 Washington Street. He was also informed that the robbery was interrupted by Officers who had responded to silent alarms and several employees who were taken hostage. A joint tactical Command Post was established with Specialists and hostage negotiators. When all the units were in place, an effort was made to extract the suspect from the bank. After consultation with Captain Petrini, it was decided that an entry team would enter into the bank through the roof. Two Officers from SWAT entered the area and located the suspect hiding behind some rafters. The suspect, the firearm, and the stolen money were taken into custody
Report of Special Committee: Trustee Ryan Walsh is our one-person committee to research accounting firms for an actuarial study of the WOAA business practice and financial program. President Ray Kane was the on-person committee in 2016.
Old Business: See Special Committee.
New Business: No report this month.
Good of the Order: No report this month.
Adjournment: President Kane led the WOAA Board in a “moment of silence” for our recent and all fallen members. President Kane adjourned the meeting and scheduled our next monthly meeting for Tuesday July 14, 2026 at 1100 hours, on Zoom.
To All Members: Members may access new beneficiary forms on our website at sfwidowsandorphans.org. Click on RESOURSES on the face page, click on the link and print the form. Please complete the form and contact me at (415) 681-3660, or by email at Widowsorphans825@gmail.com. The WOAA Board expresses their gratitude for the following people who assist us each month in bringing the best customer service possible for our members: Retired San Francisco Police Captain and the Defense Administrator for the San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA), Paul Chignell; retired San Francisco Police Lieutenant Rene LaPrevotte who uses a vast source of email connections to support our efforts; retired San Francisco Police Sergeant and the long-standing editor of the SFPOA Journal newspaper, Ray Shine; Maggie Wang of Personnel, and Stacey Youngblood of the Police Commissioners Office.