Aileen Moriarty Kelly

Elaine Lyons Halnan died May 4, 2022 leaving a trail of great friends and good times in her wake. Born May 25, 1941 in San Diego, she resided in Berkeley for most of her last 50 years. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, William Halnan, two sisters, Suzanne Lyons of Lakeport and Jennie Lyons of San Francisco. She is also survived by sister-in-law, Jane Halnan of Walnut Creek, four nephews and three nieces. She was pre-deceased by her father, local physician Harold M. Lyons, M.D. and mother, Ione Gillham, a founder of Cattlemens restaurants, and her dog Olivier.

Her many friends track back to her years in Marin County where she attended Ross Grammar School,

Sir Francis Drake High School, and she was in the first graduating class at Redwood High School. She graduated from Willamette University in 1963 with a degree in English, where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority. She began her professional life in New York City at J. Walter Thompson during the “Mad Men” era of advertising, and then worked for Time Life Books before returning to San Francisco in 1967. Back in California, she worked for a private family before becoming a fund raiser first at the California Pacific Medical Center and then at the Oakland Museum. Elaine then dedicated many years to the recruitment and job placement field.

When her husband’s employer relocated to New York, they moved to Garrison, NY in 1991. There she continued making friends as she worked as Director of Manitoga, the Russel Wright Design Center. She then became involved with CEO, a non-profit that arranged employment and job training skills to ex-offenders. She was passionate about art and volunteered as a docent at the Storm King Sculpture Garden in Windsor, NY. Returning to Berkeley in 1998, she worked as a professional recruiter until her retirement in 2003. She became very active in the non-profit sector following her retirement. She mentored young girls at a Girls Inc. after school program in Oakland. Elaine was President of the Mills College Associate Council that raised money for scholarships. Elaine has been a dedicated docent at the U.C. Botanical Garden for the last 18 years. Elaine made many lasting friendships during her 39 year membership in the Berkeley Tennis Club.

Opera, ballet, visiting Art Museums and travel were among her passions and she never missed a Mark Morris Dance Group performance at Zellerbach.

She was always able to blend in her wit and irony on current events, art, culture, shopping, food—a dependable resource on a diversity of topics. As her husband said and to which her family, friends and acquaintances concur, “We had fun !!” She will be deeply missed.

Aileen Moriarty Kelly of Orinda, California passed away on Friday, May 6, 2022 at the age of 92 peacefully surrounded by family at her home in Orinda, California. An ever-loving wife and devoted mother, Aileen is survived by her children Dana Lee Sankey (Warren), Thomas Kelly (Nora), Kevin Kelly, and Mary Kelly Allegrucci (J-D); her grandchildren Brian Lee (Lauren), Kelly Lee, and Katie Lee (Eric Wojciechowski), Sam Kelly, Emma Allegrucci, and Megan Kelly; her greatgrandchildren Kingston Lee, Annaston Lee, and Kailee Wojciechowski.

She is also survived by her brothers Daniel (deceased) Moriarty (Elaine), John Moriarty, Steve Moriarty (Jane), Dennis Moriarty (Terry), Mike Moriarty (Dede), and Joe Moriarty (Carol), her only sister Mary McCaffrey (Jack, deceased), and sisterin-law Dolores Ramirez (Bill, deceased), she was a loving aunt to and adored by many nieces and nephews. Aileen was preceded in death by her adoring husband of nearly 62 years, John Thomas (Tom) Kelly, both natives of San Francisco, California. Preceded in death by her mother Mary Patricia O’Connell, native of Abbeyfeale, County Limerick, Ireland and her father Daniel Joseph Moriarty, Jr., native of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, her infant brother Mickey Moriarty, and grandson Jack Kelly. Also preceded in death by her mother- and father-inlaw, Margaret and Thomas Arthur Kelly and brother-inlaw Jerry Kelly and sistersin-law Patsy Ramirez (Bill) and Ann Young (Ray).

The eldest of nine children, Aileen was likened to a second mother to her seven brothers and one sister, yielding 20 years between herself and her youngest brother. Aileen grew up in the Sunset District in San Francisco. She attended grammar school nearby at Saint Cecilia’s, graduated from Saint Vincent’s High School, and then continued on to San Francisco College for Women at Lone Mountain, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, Aileen became a school teacher in San Francisco. She later received her interior design degree and enjoyed decorating her friends’ homes as well as her own. She certainly had a distinctive eye!

Over the years, Aileen enjoyed gardening, travel, playing bridge and dominoes, being active in the church, volunteering with Friends of Hospice - Orinda, and especially making memories with her friends and family.

In 1953, Aileen and Tom met at a Saint Patrick’s Day party, apropos for both who were raised in traditional Irish-Catholic families. They married in 1955. During their marriage, their first home was in West Covina. Then, they were transferred to Seattle, Washington, where they welcomed their four children. Once again, transfers took them to San Marino, Moraga, and ultimately they settled in Orinda.

On behalf of the family, we would like to extend special thanks and unending gratitude to Aileen’s beloved caregiver, Sela Penitani, who became an extension of her, providing the utmost loving care and compassion, while preserving Aileen’s dignity over the last six years up until the moment of her passing.

Services to be held at the Church of Santa Maria, 40 Santa Maria Way in Orinda, CA

- Vigil on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 7:00pm - Memorial Mass on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 11:00am

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice East Bay or a charity of your choice.

Advertising superstar, hotelier, author, musician, entertainer, illusionist, and hobgoblin of San Francisco’s social scene departed the world stage, peacefully in February at a San Rafael senior community. He leaves behind a kaleidoscopic legacy of extraordinary achievements and indelible memories for the legion of people whose lives he touched with his genius, generosity, wit, and zany humor.

Bob, as he was known to all, was raised in Chicago and–as he often quipped– lowered in Los Angeles. Born in 1929, in the Windy City, the family moved to L.A when he was a pre teen. Bob was showing signs of entrepreneurship and a gift with words at an early age. Starting with a paper route, he graduated to selling door-to-door subscriptions for the LA Times and Examiner. As a young man, he founded and edited “Teenager Magazine,” and acquired a masterful skill at in-home demonstrations and salesmanship for the Fuller Brush Company and on the floor of Leeds Shoes in Hollywood. Bob attended UCLA, where he competed in gymnastics and was president of his fraternity; graduating in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in advertising.

After a tour of duty with the U.S. Coast Guard, Bob moved to New York–the epicenter of U.S. advertising at that time. There, he was hired by Young & Rubicam ad agency. Starting in the mail room, he was soon writing copy and his career in advertising was formally launched.

Bob was a visionary and a dreamer but he was also a pragmatist, and heeded Horace Greeley’s advice: that if he were to attain his ultimate goal, the west coast would be the ideal place to live, work and make his mark. By then, San Francisco had become the Mecca for creative advertising talent. On arrival in 1958, Bob joined Fletcher, Richards, Calkins & Holden ad agency. Soon thereafter, Louise, a receptionist that he had met at Y&R, followed him and they were married on New Year’s Day 1959.

In the years that followed, Bob created publicity, copy, commercials and campaigns for some of the country’s most prestigious companies and organizations, working at three of the city’s top creative shops: Harris, Harlan, Wood; Daly Associates; and Campbell-Ewald. The next big career step was partnering with seasoned advertising executive, Jerry Gibbons, to form the creative, boutique agency, Pritikin Gibbons Communications. The agency was an overnight sensation. It came as little surprise to those in advertising and business circles when it was announced that Bob and Jerry’s agency had been purchased by America’s oldest ad agency, N.W. Ayer. As might be expected of one with Bob’s drive, imagination and audacity, grass stood no chance underneath his nimble shoes. His next venture would shock all who knew him and, by now, that included many of San Francisco’s mover and shakers, politico’s and the press: he bought a sixteen-room, Queen Anne property in one of the city’s fanciest neighborhoods and transformed it into an hotel, fittingly called The Mansion. As a luxury bed & breakfast, it soon became one of the city’s most chic places to stay, attracting guests such as Barbra Streisand, Robin Williams, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Carrie Fisher. Bob entertained guests in the evenings, playing piano and the musical saw, with hits such as “The last time I sawed Paris’’ and “Moonlight Sawnata.” Bob introduced the spooky legend of Claudia Chambers into the show, and the Mansion Magic Concert was born. The consummate entertainer, Bob performed stage illusions and up-close magic, while the ghost of Claudia would play audience requests from an emptyseated piano; all accompanied by a non-stop hilarious and droll commentary by Pritikin.

After many months of 24/7 commitment to the hotel, Bob was at his Clay street bachelor pad with his dog. What next?

Through a mutual friend, Bob struck up a friendship with another San Francisco ad man, Tony Eglin. An unexpected call from Bob resulted in a lunch meeting. By the time they’d finished coffee, a handshake deal was consummated: they would start up a creativeonly ad agency. Headquartered at Bob’s “Playboy” digs in Pacific Heights, Pritikin Eglin Productions was an immediate success and continued for the next eight years, creating top-of-themind awareness advertising and public relations for U.S. and international clientele.

As stylish and architecturally dramatic as Clay Street was, Bob was hankering for marbled halls, a larger, more impressive home that would also house the agency. In 1981 a rare property came on the market that would make his dream come true. Almost the size of a city lot, the largest private property in the City, the site of an old French laundry, he purchased it on sight and proceeded to design and build his 10,000 sq. ft. mansion, he named Chenery House. Every Labor day, for several years, Bob hosted the grandest and wackiest party the city has ever known, where upwards of 800 friends, half of City Hall, local celebs, socialites, and free spirits packed the sprawling grounds, feasting from tables heaped with barbecued food, being entertained on stage by the likes of Carol Channing, Mickey Rooney, Tammy Faye Bakker, Liberace, and Bob Weir. Chenery House was the ultimate event venue for numerous fundraisers.

Beneath all the brilliance, the showmanship, acumen and talent, was another side of Bob: his open heart, generosity and caring for others. Over his lifetime in San Francisco, he made countless contributions to charitable organizations, supporting many causes, including AIDS, Lighting the Palace of Fine Arts, the SF Ballet, and the Museum of Modern Art. Over time, many pro bono projects were accepted by his agencies, including design and PR for a fund-raising concert performed by Pavarotti, in aid of victims of the 1981 Italian earthquake. Unknown to many, as a professor, he also taught a 10-week course on advertising at San Francisco State College.

Bob is survived by his daughter, Tracy Pore; brother, Jimmy Linick; niece Terri Nasshan; his former wife, Louise Pritikin; grandchildren, Jennifer Louise Pore, Robert James Pore (Tracy & David Pore) and Oliver Scott Garrard Pritikin (Elise Papazian-Pritikin); and great grandchild, Calliope Quinn Toole. Bob was predeceased by his son, Scott Garrard Pritikin.