Jon Rufus Musser

Jon Musser, aged 67, died in his sleep the afternoon of Monday, May 2. Jon was born October 22, 1948 at Petaluma General Hospital, the second child of Wayne and Roberta Musser. He was afflicted with cerebral palsy, causing arm spasticity and tremor. Despite this, he was a full participant in the various childhood activities of the Grossland Way neighborhood and its adjacent creek, including street softball, monopoly, and all possible card games. Playmates were the children of the Behrens, Deevy, Gold, Patterson and Stone families, later Millers and Battaglias. Jon attended McNear and Petaluma Junior High Schools, was an Eagle Scout and DeMolay Master Counselor, played on the Petaluma High School tennis team, and valued his friendships with (among others) Ron Rosager, the Hotaling twins and Mike Morgado. Jon excelled academically-he was the valedictorian of the Petaluma High School Class of 1966. He attended Washington University in St Louis, pledged Sigma Chi, then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa following his junior year, graduating with a degree in history. He worked for a time for Hewlett-Packard in Santa Clara. During his early adulthood he was an artist, studying with and a friend of the Coastside painter Galen Wolf. As a writer he was most proud of "I Have Been to Wildcat Beach" and "Two Rails to Kankakee". He overcame his physical impairments to earn a pilots license. In hopes of improving his condition he worked with Moshe Feldenkrais in Israel. He was a fan of jazz music, particularly Miles Davis and the writings of Ralph Gleason, shared with his family the pleasure of the 49ers of the 1980s, and enjoyed the Applebox, his cabin at TwainHarte, as well as trips to Nevada and Indiana. For most of his adult life he suffered from his cerebral palsy and terribly from physical and psychiatric complications of neurosurgical procedures intended to relieve his tremor. He was respected for and will be remembered by his family, friends and caregivers for his intelligence, seemingly infallible memory, and for the tenacity and willpower required continuously over decades to live the best he could. Jon was predeceased by his father Wayne (the son of Rufus Musser-thus Jon's middle name). He is survived by his mother, Roberta Kessler Musser of Petaluma, his sisters Anne (Jim) Schroeder of Petaluma, Janet (Dennis) Govan of Lafayette, brother Gene (Gloria) Musser of Madison, WI, his nephews Dan (Molly) and Scott (Brooke) Musser, Andy (Jeanne) and Chris (Elizabeth) Schroeder, and Eric (Tracie) and Mark (Ashley) Govan, as well as eight great nephews and nieces, and by his uncle John (Carol) Kessler. The family would like to thank his caregivers, most recently Leah and Raven, helpers Pamela and Sue, his physicians Edward Loker , Alan Dubin, and Michael Johnson, and counselor Keith Kilburn. He enjoyed his many conversations with his friend Guy Lounibos. He received tremendous and longstanding support from the Govan and Schroeder families. Condolences may be forwarded to Anne Schroeder, 818 Middlefield Drive, Petaluma 94952. Contributions in Jon's memory can be made to Petaluma People Services Center, 1500A Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma 94952. A private family service of remembrance will be held at a future date.