Robbie Hermann

Robert Samuel Hermann was born on November 17, 1937, and was a fourth generation San Franciscan. He went to Lowell High School, class of 1955. He attended UC Berkeley and was a lifelong supporter of the Golden Bears. Robbie worked in the family business at Hermann’s Market, a San Francisco institution, for 11 years before starting a distributorship with Pepperidge Farm. Known as The Cookieman, he delivered cookies and many jokes to grocery stores throughout San Francisco for over 35 years. He was a Boy Scout Master with Troop 17 in San Francisco. Robbie was a true and loyal friend to all, who always had a joke to tell and a kind word for everyone. In retirement, he was active on the Lowell High School Reunion Committee, played bridge and poker weekly with longtime friends, and was a member of a film club that met monthly for many years.

Robbie died peacefully in his home on Thursday, March 10, 2022. He was surrounded by his family and close friends. Robbie is survived by his children, Randy Hermann, Melanie Elliott, and Lisa Rose, his grandchildren, Jack Hermann, LJ Rose, Cate Hermann, and MJ Elliott. He is also survived by former wife Marcia McLean and her husband Richard McLean, son-in-law, Tom Elliott, former son-in-law, Lassel Rose, former daughter-inlaw, Anne Sanger, niece Susan Peisker and her family, and his “brother-inlaw” Skip Clumeck. Robbie is also survived by the many lifelong friends he had in all areas of his life.

We almost lost Robbie in 2009 and the remarkable doctors at Stanford Medicine saved him. We want to honor these doctors, so we ask that you please consider making a memorial contribution honoring Robert Hermann at Stanford Medicine – something difficult for a lifelong fan of the Golden Bears to request. Donation checks may be made payable to Stanford University with a memo note of “In memory of Robert Hermann for Cardio Clinical Care” and mailed to P.O. Box 20466, Stanford, CA 94309-0466. Gifts can also be made online at memorial.stanford.edu. Click on Stanford Medicine, and in the second line please select Other Stanford Designation, and in the final line enter Cardiovascular Clinical Care-ZBAPV. In the gift specifications section mark that the gift is in memory of Robert Hermann. In the gift instructions box, please indicate you would like to have the gift made in honor of John Chiu, MD, and Santosh Oommen, MD at the Cardiovascular Consultants Medical Group-SHC.

A celebration of Robbie’s life will take place on Sunday, June 5. For information, please email CelebrateRobbie17@gmail. com.

Assisted by Monte’s Chapel of the Hills, San Anselmo, CA

Al Gentile, son of Italian immigrants Arcangelo Gentile and Anna Germone Piana, passed away peacefully at his home in San Mateo, CA at age 97 on March 6, 2022. Al was the beloved husband of the late Betty May Swenson and loving companion of Arline Thomas; devoted father of Roxanne Gentile and the late John (Jack) Gentile. Al is survived by relatives from the Corsi, Oswald, Piana, Puccinelli and Swenson families along with cousins in Calabria and Piemonte, Italy.

Born at home on Hyde Street in San Francisco, Al attended Galileo High and was on the Galileo whale boat rowing team. Al (also known as “Splint”) loved to play football on the Marina Green, and basketball at the old Funston playground. He stayed in touch with guys from memorable Galileo Lions baseball teams of the early 1940s.

A World War II Marine Corps veteran, Al served 27 months in the South Pacific, in the battles for the Marianas and Iwo Jima. In 1982, members of his platoon reunited and enjoyed annual reunions in cities across the US for 25 years.

A New York Life Insurance agent for 73 years, Al built his business from his network of friends and family businesses throughout San Francisco’s North Beach.

Al loved fishing. As a kid he fished the Muni and Fort Point piers and boat camped Molone’s with his brother. Later on he went to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, and loved bass fishing at Clear Lake.

Al was a Geneva-Excelsior Lion for 65 years, making lifelong friends among the members while supporting fundraisers for the Lions Eye Foundation and local students. As the longestserving member in district C4C, he was a charter supporter of the annual GE Lions Club Marinated Crab Feed, an event celebrated by many in the community since the early 1980s.

After his wife Betty passed in 1976, Al raised their 2 young kids. “Uncle Al” was devoted to family and friends. A true gentleman who was always early to the party, he enjoyed serving his Marina-style cioppino (Cook your fresh crab in the sauce, as the star ingredient!) - with a glass of wine of course, and his favorite toast: “Cent’anni!”

In keeping with his wishes, Al is interred at the Golden Gate National Cemetery. Donations should go to the Lion’s Eye Foundation and the Marines Memorial Club in San Francisco.