Leslie Warde Laidman

May 12, 1930 - March 2, 2021

Jerald M. Zitzer beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away at his home in Napa on February 10th, 2021 following a long battle with cancer. Jerry, as he was known by all who loved him, born and raised from Milwaukee Wisconsin where his parents Ben and Libby (Edelstein) Zitzer settled and were very proud to be new Americans from Poland. They looked to the American way of Democracy that was freedom and education for all. Knowing that -Jerry was the first in his family to attend the University of Wisconsin, Madison 1959.

Jerry married and moved the new family the Bay Area where he completed his residency at Highland Hospital, Oakland. He moved on to San Francisco and practiced at what was then St. Lukes Hospital, Children’s Hospital and French Hospital then to Ross in Marin County. He eventually settled at Marin General Hospital where he served a term as “Chief of Anesthesiologists”.

Following retirement from the hospital, Jerry continued to work. He went into private practice as an independent contractor for specialty practice. Jerry worked as long as he possibly could and when he couldn’t he continued to help and give advice when needed or asked.

Jerry loved his work

& he enjoyed his hobby garden. He diligently planned out the entire yard and it is beautiful with fruit trees, flowering trees, and vegetable bed. He & Marilyn gardened and loved to travel on European trips always stopping in Paris whenever they could. One thing everyone knew about Jerry is his affinity for watching the news and staying well informed. He

Warde Laidman, 90 years of age, died peacefully in his sleep on March 2, 2021 at Rhoda Goldman Plaza, San Francisco, California. Uncle Warde or “Unc”, was predeceased by his life-long partner and husband of more than sixty years, Hadley Dale Hall, who passed away a few months before. After the loss of Hadley, and rehabilitation complications after hip surgery, Warde finally succumbed. Warde was born in Lemberg, Saskatchewan on May 12, 1930. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Saskatchewan, Warde went to work for the Royal Bank of Canada. Recognizing his passion for helping people he moved to Vancouver to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at the University of British Columbia. He later moved to San Francisco and began his distinguished career working for several agencies that provided mental health services to children and families. He started at the Marin County Family Service Agency, transferring later to the San Francisco Family Service Agency as the Director of Case Work, and then served as the Executive Director. While there he established a mentorship program for MSW graduate students, developed and transformed programs, especially for at-risk children. He also recruited board members that represented the diversity of San Francisco. Warde then served as the Director of Clinical Services for Children and Families with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Interacting with communities and creating new programs, he also focused on making existing programs more accessible. Warde also served as Director of Administration for psychiatric programs at the McAuley Institute of St. Mary’s Medical Center. Collaboration with city agencies, community groups, and funding agencies were crucial to his success in this position.

Shortly after starting his career in San Francisco Warde met Hadley, and they began their life together, and what a life they had! Living through some of the most consequential social changes of our times, they fought for Civil, LGBTQ and Women’s Rights, finally gaining their right to marry. Warde stayed interested and politically active right to the end including voting in person in the 2020 election. They bought, renovated, and sold numerous homes throughout the Bay Area. They also had a beautiful, cherished, ocean bluff home in Anchor Bay, Mendocino County, where they spent weekends away from the City. Later, they would discover Puamana, Maui and join that community enjoying the ocean side with family and friends. Warde will be remembered for his kind and caring ways, how he loved music, theatre and the arts.

He was a gifted pianist who would practice his baby grand piano for hours. He loved Opera and with Hadley had seasons tickets for the San Francisco Opera for many years. He saw The Ring Opera by Richard Wagner dozens of times. He, together with Hadley and numerous friends, attended Opera in Golden Gate Park and made a tradition of this for many years. Warde also loved movies especially old classics with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. In his final years, he would watch some of these repeatedly, providing him some comfort and nostalgia from his youth.

Warde is survived by his two nieces: Candyce Long, and her children Tai Long, and Alyse Jackson; Debora Hopkinson (Jeremy) and children Jenna Swanson (Chad), Cameron Hopkinson (Erica), Toby Hopkinson (Phoebe Chew), Jason Hopkinson; and nephew Brent Mulhall (Wendy Bach) and children Lucas and Justin Mulhall, as well as greatgreat nephews and nieces Kaelen and Khya Swanson: and Zachary and Sloane Hopkinson.

Warde was predeceased by his husband, Hadley Hall, parents Wilfred and Lillian, infant brother Claude, sister Louise Mulhall, North Vancouver, who died on April 12, 2020 due to COVID related complications.

In his last days Warde had so many friends love him and take care of him especially since Hadley’s passing. These include Bart Aoki, Marty Low, Linda Edelstein, Marion Gillen, his sister-in-law, and brotherin-law Carmella and Jim Sanders, as well as dear cousins Audrey May Sinclair (Ron) and Don Craig (Valda). Warde’s immediate family want to thank them for the love, support and care they provided Warde since travel by family to the U.S from Canada has been severely restricted due to the Covid crisis.

We would like to thank Rhoda Goldman Plaza for all the wonderful care they gave Warde and their efforts to keep us connected with our dear Uncle. We would also like to thank Dr. Barry Bugatto, for providing excellent care to Warde for a good part of his life.

A service will be held when it is safe to do so. Donations may be made to Rhoda Goldman Plaza, 2180 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115 or the San Francisco Opera (sfopera.com)

“The song is ended but the melody lingers on…”

Irving Berlin