November 16, 2007

Ballet San Jose CFO/COO dies

Donald Gansheimer, 62, CFO/ COO of Ballet San Jose, passed away suddenly on Monday morning in his Palo Alto home from a heart attack.

It is ironic that Donald died just day's before the new ballet season was to open (November 15 with Carmina Burana) and that the show and the season was doing so very well. He waited every day for the Box Office report, and had been so excited about the recent numbers. Just one hour after learning that he had passed, the box office confirmed that the single ticket goal for Carmina had more than doubled. Donald had also led an outreach campaign over recent months to bring in new subscribers. More than 500 subscribers to last year's totals were added, and the number of subscribers for our series of ballets for young audiences more than doubled. This is shaping up to be the best season in years. Donald would have been proud, and rightfully so.

He is survived by his wife Andrea and two children Craig, 36 (works as a senior systems engineer at GAP Corporation) and Sara, 30 (recent graduate of Tulane University Law School/New Orleans).

He joined Ballet San Jose in October 2003. He joked that his Mafia nickname was "Donny Tutu" since he worked for the ballet. He was referred to around the office (and often introduced himself) as "The Donald."

A viewing is tentatively scheduled for Friday 11/16 from 4pm to 6pm. (Time may change) at ROLLER-HAPGOOD & TINNEY, 980 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Services to be held on Saturday, 11/17 at 10am at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 751 Waverly Street in Palo Alto.
The family asks that donations be made to Ballet San Jose, 40 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113.