Aldine R. Bird
Editor, columnist
Services for Aldine R. Bird, retired special events editor for the News American, will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Szpindor Funeral Home in Trooper, Pa.
Mr. Bird, who was 87 and lived in Oaks, Pa., died Saturday of pneumonia at a hospital in Norristown, Pa.
He retired in 1978 after more than 40 years of service with the paper, which included stints as radio and television editor and as the author of the 'Mr. Fix It' column, in which he tried to help readers with problems.
He started working for the paper in the late 1920s as a Teletype operator who contributed stories to the Hearst chain's Sunday supplement, the American Weekly. He became a reporter in 1933.
In the early 1940s, he organized the first 'I am an American' day parade for the paper, a job he continued until his retirement.
He also organized shows at nearby military bases and later was active as a supporter of veterans groups. In 1974, veterans organizations in the Baltimore area held a dinner in his honor.
In his various posts, he also became acquainted with Bob Hope and other entertainment figures.
At the Seventh Baptist Church in Baltimore, he served as a deacon and as Sunday School superintendent.
A former master of the Mystic Circle Lodge of the Masons and a member of the Scottish Rite, he joined the Audubon-Oaks Lions Club after his retirement.
Though a native of Waycross, Ga., he settled in Biddeford, Maine, after his retirement.
His wife, the former Jennie L. Berry, died in 1980.
He is survived by a son, Richard Bird of Oaks; a daughter, Elinor Riede of Searcy, Ark.; a brother, Joseph Bird of Biddeford; a sister, Sue Gowan of Maitland, Fla.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Marlene Kilpatrick
Active in church
Services for Marlene A. Kilpatrick, a former employee of the Anne Arundel County Board of Realtors, will be held at 1 p.m. today at the Jenkins Memorial Church, 133 Riviera Drive, Riviera Beach.
Ms. Kilpatrick, who was 55, was found dead of stab wounds Friday at her home in Arnold. The former Marlene Eaton was born and reared in Baltimore and had lived in Arnold for more than 25 years.
She was an active member of Jenkins Memorial Church and recently directed a landscaping project that included new parking lots, trees and flowers. The church project was completed last year.
She was also an active member of the support group, Single Again.
For the last 20 years, Ms. Kilpatrick was involved in volunteer work in soup kitchens, the Anne Arundel County public libraries and driving for the disabled.
In 1985, she resigned from the real estate trade organization after being stricken with multiple sclerosis.
Ms. Kilpatrick is survived by her two sons, David G. Kilpatrick of Pasadena and Joseph F. Kilpatrick of Annapolis; a daughter, Lisa G. O'Connell of Pasadena; a sister, Ruth Clark of Palm Harbor, Fla.; and a brother, William Eaton of Big Pine Key, Fla.
The family suggests that contributions be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1055 Taylor Ave., Towson 21204.
Christian F. Hansen
Co-founded travel agency
A Mass of Christian burial for Christian F. Hansen, a Baltimore travel agent, will be offered at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Leonardtown.
Mr. Hansen, who was 54 and lived on Marshall Street, died Sunday at Good Samaritan Hospital of complications from diabetes.
In 1974, he and a friend, Frederick P. Hulvey, founded Inner Harbor Travel, one of the first tenants in the World Trade Center. The company later merged with the Miglioretti Travel Agency.
A native of Copenhagen, Denmark, who studied pharmacy there, he switched to sales after coming to this country in 1958, first for Trans World Airlines and finally as district manager in Baltimore for Pan American World Airways.
In addition to Mr. Hulvey of Baltimore, his survivors include two brothers, Mogens and Niels Funch, both of Copenhagen. A Mass of Christian burial for retired Army Lt. Col. Delphin Etienne Thebaud Jr. will be offered at 1 p.m. today at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Ritchie Highway and Cypress Creek Road.
Colonel Thebaud, who was 73 and had lived in Severna Park since 1967, died Saturday of cancer at the Anne Arundel Medical Center.
Born in Baltimore, he was reared in various cities and was a graduate of Seattle University.
He also lived in various communities before his retirement from the Army in 1967.
After service in Europe during World War II, he left the service for a short time and worked at Social Security headquarters.
He is survived by his wife, the former Diana Sinclair-Hill; two daughters, Julia Anne Detch of Severna Park, and Josephine Thebaud Nelson of Norfolk, Va.; a son, Delphin E. Thebaud III of Severna Park; two brothers, Charles Carroll Thebaud of Columbus, Ga., and Vincent Joseph Thebaud of Towson; and six grandchildren.
Rae Ellen Alperstein
Health care specialist
Services for Rae Ellen Alperstein, an expert on the health care industry, will be held at 2 p.m. today at Sol Levinson & Bros. funeral establishment, 6010 Reisterstown Road.
Miss Alperstein, who was 42 and lived in Los Angeles, died Saturday of a respiratory illness at a hospital there.
She went to Los Angeles three years ago to work for Kemper Securities Group as senior vice president for health care investments.
Earlier, she worked for three years in New York City as a health care industry analyst for Citibank and for Smith, Barney, Harris, Upham & Co.
Born in Baltimore, she was a graduate of Western High School and the University of Maryland at College Park. She completed a program for paralegals at George Washington University and worked as a paralegal for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, before earning a master's degree in business administration at Yale University and going to work in New York.
She is survived by her parents, Morris and Edith Alperstein of TC Baltimore; two brothers, Arthur Alperstein of Baltimore and Leslie Alperstein of Potomac; four nephews; and a niece.
Frederick J. Botta Jr.
Food service president
A Mass of Christian burial for Frederick J. Botta Jr., president of a food service company, will be offered at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Ursula's Roman Catholic Church, 8801 Harford Road.
Mr. Botta, who was 55, died Friday after a heart attack in Richmond, Calif., where he had lived since last summer.
He moved to the San Francisco area then to become president of Delicor Inc. A resident of the Los Angeles area since the late 1970s, he served as a district manager for the Canteen Corp. and then in a similar post for the Service America Corp.
Born in Baltimore, he was a graduate of St. Dominic's School and then served in the Marine Corps before his graduation in 1960 from Loyola College.
He started working in food service at the Penn Hotel in Towson while still at Loyola.
In 1960, he became manager of the cafeteria at the Montgomery Ward store and warehouse on Washington Boulevard. He became regional food service manager and was transferred in the late 1970s to the company's headquarters in Chicago.
In the mid-1970s, he became manager of the Stevens Point Country Club in Stevens Point, Wis.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, the former Rita Marani; two sons, Dr. Frederick Botta III of Delafield, Wis., and David Botta of Castle Rock, Colo.; two daughters, Michelle Botta of Aurora, Colo., and Renee Botta of Richmond; three sisters, Mary Louise Mickey of Bradenton, Fla., Elizabeth Hartlove of Freeland and Sister Kenneth Marie Botta, S.S.N.D. of Washington; and two brothers, Francis Botta of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Martin Botta of Pennsylvania.
Leonard Mason Jr.
Tax specialist
Services for Leonard Mason Jr., a retired estate tax specialist at Mercantile Trust Co. and an avid theater goer, will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, 6500 York Road, Towson.
Mr. Mason died yesterday at his home in Towson after a long fight with cancer. He was 86.
Born on Wilkens Avenue, Mr. Mason attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and studied journalism at the University of Maryland.
He worked on estate taxes at Mercantile Trust Co. until his retirement in 1970. Before being hired at Mercantile, Mr. Mason was employed at Federal Land Bank and Clough and Molloy, a cut-stone contracting firm.
He was a devoted to the theater and particularly loved musical comedies, attending just about every musical in Baltimore for the last 70years. He also traveled to Washington and Philadelphia to see shows and occasionally to New York.
Mr. Mason collected theater programs and records. Years ago, he sometimes wrote articles for Variety. He also was a longtime fan of the Orioles and the Bullets.
Mr. Mason's wife, Elizabeth Lau Mason, died in 1982.
He is survived by his son, Alfred F. Mason of Towson; a sister, Catherine M. Stallings of Pasadena; a brother, Franklin Mason of Towson; and three grandchildren.
Gary N. Travis
Business consultant
Services for Gary N. Travis, a self-employed business consultant, will be held at 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Claire, Pa.
Mr. Travis, who was 46, died Saturday of cancer at his home in Upper St. Claire.
Born in Baltimore, Mr. Travis graduated from the Polytechnic Institute, the University of Baltimore and its law school. He became a self-employed business consultant.
Surviving are his wife of 22 years, Carol Israel Travis; a daughter, Kelly I. Travis; and a son, David H. Travis, all of Upper St. Claire; his mother, Anna Dippel Travis, and a brother, Raymond "Sonny" Travis, both of Baltimore.
The family requested memorial contributions to the Family Hospice, Patient Assistance Fund, 1910 Cochran Road, Suite 500, Mount Lebanon, Pa. 15220.