Obituaries

Larry Staley, former Right of Way deputy director in District 7

Editor's note: The following is based on an obituary that was published on Feb. 24 in the Pasadena Star-News, and on comments by Kris Andersen of District 7's Right of Way Division.

Lawrence (Larry) Staley, a former Right of Way Deputy Director in District 7, died Feb. 7 at his longtime home in South Pasadena. He was 74.

Larry was born on Feb. 2, 1945, in Whittier to Howard and Catherine Staley. The oldest of three children, he was raised in Montebello and attended St. Benedict School and Cantwell High School, graduating in 1962. Larry graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in 1967.

Larry spent most of his 35-year career as a real estate executive with Caltrans. He retired at age 58 and was able to enjoy the next 15 years traveling throughout the world, visiting many cities in Europe, Africa, South America, the Caribbean, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Larry valued his holiday traditions and hosted many celebrations, St. Patrick's Day being one of his favorites. He enjoyed nothing more than being with his family and watching over his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.

During his Caltrans career, Larry worked in various functions, in 1997 becoming District 7's Right of Way Project Delivery Manager (now known as a Deputy position).

Through those years there were two major changes for Right of Way: District 7's division was combined with those in Districts 7, 8, and 12 (in 2007, Right of Way operations were decentralized and returned back to each of the districts), and District 7's division was moved from the old office building to its current location.

Larry retired in 2003.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Maureen; son, Brian; daughter-in-law, Lindsay; granddaughter, Katherine; sister, Patricia (Ashvin) Joshi; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Terry Staley.

A funeral mass was held on March 2 at Holy Family Catholic Church in South Pasadena.

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Dan Weingarten, former Caltrans attorney

Editor's note: This paid death notice was published in the Los Angeles Times on Feb. 16 and 17.

Former Caltrans attorney Dan Weingarten always knew he was lucky guy in spite of a very rough early childhood and severe illness. He died Jan. 26 at age 71 after fighting a 10-year battle with cardiomyopathy.

He is survived by his loving wife, Chris, and two children, Matthew and Sophie.

Dan and his beloved late twin brother, Andrew, were born on Jan. 19, 1948, in Brussels, Belgium, to Kay Weingarten, a survivor of Nazi-occupied Warsaw and the Warsaw Ghetto. Their biological father was killed in a car accident.

The brothers were raised in New York City until the sudden death of their adoptive father, Joseph Weingarten. The family moved to Beverly Hills when the twins were 11. They both attended Beverly Hills High School (class of 1965) and the University of California, Berkeley (class of 1969). Dan went on to earn a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.

He loved the law, and practicing it, especially as an environmental attorney at the California Department of Transportation, taking anyone who would listen out to his case sites along the Mad River and the Sacramento Delta.

But it was Chris who made him feel like the luckiest guy on Earth. He never stopped being in awe of having such great children, whom they raised in Walnut Creek.

Dan was fortunate enough to receive a heart transplant at Stanford Medical Center in 2011 and enjoy an extra seven years with his family and friends. He was funny, warm, loving and brilliant. He loved political discussions with everyone, and craved deep and probing philosophical arguments – laced with laughs.

He loved telling Uber drivers how to reach their destination, and he was always right. He loved sailing, chess tournaments and art (despite being legally blind), and loved reading anything smart. But most of all, he loved his Chris, his Matt and his Sophie, and his legions of close friends who all considered him family.

The family asks memorial contributions honoring Dan be directed to the Heart Transplant Research Program at Stanford University Hospital by emailing cathy.hutton@stanford.edu or calling (650) 725-1225; or to the Center for Advanced Heart Failure Therapies at the California Pacific Medical Center Foundation by emailing gregoc@sutterhealth.org or calling (415) 600-2490.