San Jose orchard family honored with street at History Park
The main street running through San Jose’s History Park will soon bear the name of Leland “Lee” Lester, the longtime orchardist who died last year at age 90. It’s an appropriate honor, given that Lester and his family were a key part of San Jose’s agricultural history and his family’s philanthropy continues to support History San Jose.
His daughter, Linda L. Lester, was at the Valley of Heart’s Delight dinner Saturday night at History Park to accept the honor from History San Jose CEO Alida Bray. Lester said that before her father died, she talked to him about what organizations and causes he would want her to support on his behalf. One organization he really wanted her to help, he told her, was History San Jose. “He thought it was unfortunate that there are so many people that come here to this community but aren’t really interested in its history,” Lester said. “There’s a lot of great history here.”
Saturday’s outdoor dinner, which drew about 200 people, honored the Greatest Generation. Cars, jeeps and Army trucks from the 1940s lined the History Park plaza, which was populated with tents for the silent auction and other exhibits. Dinner was served on G.I.-style metal trays, though the food was a heck of a lot better than what servicemen got, I’m sure.
EX-NFL PLAYERS TACKLE FLAG FOOTBALL >>
Lots of NFL stars got their first taste of football by playing flag football as kids, and now it may become an option for those stars at the other end of their careers. The American Flag Football League is launching with an inaugural game Tuesday at Avaya Stadium in San Jose that will feature former NFL players including Michael Vick, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Justin Forsett.
According to Niners Nation, former San Jose State and 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia will be providing color commentary on the game, which starts at 6:30 p.m. The American Flag Football League, founded by New York-based finance guy Jeffrey Lewis, plans to roll out a full tournament of games in summer 2018. Tickets are $10, with all proceeds going to the Positive Coaching Alliance, and are available at americanflag. football.
FAREWELL TO A RENAISSANCE MAN >>
Sasha Broydo, known to many friends and colleagues as Sam, was remembered as a true Renaissance man at a celebration of his life at the Fremont Country Club in Los Altos Hills on Sunday. What else could you say about a man who could talk about nuclear physics, speak four languages and play both the piano and the accordion?
Broydo, who died May 19 at age 80, was a scientist and engineer who immigrated to the United States in 1966 with his wife, Lina Broydo — the longtime public relations director for the Fairmont San Jose. Sasha Broydo worked at Bell Labs in New Jersey for 13 years before moving the family to Silicon Valley, where he held positions at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center and Applied Materials.
His sense of humor and knowledge of world events was praised by several people who spoke Sunday, including former Ballet San Jose Artistic Director Dennis Nahat, former San Jose Rep Artistic Director Timothy Near and San Jose Sharks broadcaster Randy Hahn. The crowd also included former KBAY morning host Lissa Kreisler, former San Jose Vice Mayor Frank Fiscalini and renowned Los Altos Chef Lawrence Chu.