IES Abroad honors and remembers all alumni, no matter where life eventually takes them. Take a moment to read about and celebrate the rich lives of those who are no longer with us.
In Memoriam
We Remember IES Abroad Alumni
Linda Ruth Whiting Levitt (Vienna 1970-71) , 72, of Reno, NV, passed away suddenly but peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of February 17, 2023. Linda was born in Berkeley, CA and moved shortly thereafter to Orinda, CA where she grew up and graduated from Miramonte High School. Linda then went on to attend and graduate from the University of the Pacific where she received both her Undergraduate Degree and Masters in Speech-Language Pathology in 1974. Linda was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and attended IES abroad in Vienna, Austria where she made lifelong friendships. Linda met the love of her life, Lansford (Lans) William Levitt in 1972 in Hilo, HI and the two were married in 1977 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Orinda, CA. They relocated to Reno, NV in 1979 when Lans accepted a position with The National Judicial College. Linda was employed by the Washoe County School District for many years as a Speech-Language Pathologist, specializing in therapy for children with autism. Before retiring in 2007, Linda served as a Clinical Supervisor for Graduate Students at the University of Nevada, Reno. Linda was a vibrant and active member of her community including St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline, The Junior League of Reno, and Camp Care of Nevada. She and Lans loved to travel and took many fabulous trips all over the world. Read more about Linda's life.
Thomas Bennett McNeill (Vienna Fall 1958) A distinguished litigator, son of a famed radio host and a burst of positivity, 88, died peacefully the company of family in Chicago on December 6th, moving on from a life he embraced and graced to the full. Deeply loving and loved by his wife Ingrid, his children and grandchildren and an inspiration to just about anyone who met him, Tom will be intensely missed and his memory cherished. Three experiences helped shape Tom's life. The first was growing up as the eldest of three sons of Don McNeill, who hosted America's most-loved morning show, the Breakfast Club. Don's career enabled Tom to grow up in beautiful Winnetka, attend New Trier High School and later earn a Bachelor's degree and a JD in Law at the University of Notre Dame. After practicing law for three years in the Air Force, Tom joined Chicago law firm Mayer Brown LLP, where he later became partner and made a name for himself as litigator for major corporations, with trials in some cases leading to Supreme Court appeals and establishing legal precedent. Tom pointed to the support and trust his father gave him as the driving force behind his professional success. The Breakfast Club also gave Tom remarkable ease in the spotlight and a gift for connecting with others and making them feel comfortable. The show and his father also instilled in him a great sense of humor and a decency so that had many regard him as the quintessential gentleman.
Michael Friezo (London Fall 1982) a longtime resident of Montclair, died peacefully on July 15, 2022, surrounded by his family, after a courageous 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 59.
Through it all, Mr. Friezo, who had a long career in finance and was the co-founder of an oil and gas analytics company, preserved his sense of humor, grace and hope.
Born and raised in Bergen County, he was a New York Jets fanatic, a Bruce Springsteen worshiper and an aficionado of Italian delis. On any given Sunday, he could be found picking up a loaf of seeded semolina at Nicolo’s.
He lived a love story with a 37-year marriage to his childhood sweetheart and best friend, Michele (Scardino). From the age of 16, they walked hand in hand and built a beautiful legacy together, including his two most precious gifts: daughters Lauren and Caroline. They raised their daughters in Montclair.
Mr. Friezo had a 30-year financial career spanning Salomon Brothers, Credit Suisse First Boston and Deutsche Bank, where he ran equity capital markets for the Americas. In 2017, he saw the importance of big data and analytical automation to the innovations being made in the American energy sector.
Peter Whelan (Vienna 71-72) of Noyac, a builder, sailor, musician, and photographer, died at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown on June 16, 2022. Mr. Whelan, who was 66, had been diagnosed with prostate cancer last winter.
After going away for college, Mr. Whelan returned to the East End, where he would live the rest of his life, and embarked on a career as a builder. He spent the summer after graduation, along with family members and college buddies, building a cabin on a hillside in East Lyndon, Vt., that would be enjoyed by his parents and siblings for many years.
“Besides his own family house in Noyac, he was proud of his role in transforming the former Bay Street nightclub into the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor and the construction of a new parish hall at St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, where he was a member for many years,” his family wrote.
“He really appreciated craftsmanship and enjoyed teaching his skills to others,” said his brother John Whelan of East Hampton. “He was a mentor to me.”
Mr. Whelan grew up in East Hampton, the fourth child and oldest son of Duane and Mary Whelan, who settled in Northwest Woods in the early 1950s when the area was still sparsely inhabited and undeveloped. As a boy, growing up on the family homestead, he learned many of the traits of self-reliance that would serve him in adulthood.
Toni Louise Kowalski (Vienna Spring 1963) 79, of Portage, MI passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Bronson Hospital after a massive stroke. Toni was born on April 20, 1942, in Kankakee, IL, the daughter of James and Virginia (Roth) Hammes. On February 12, 1972, she married Robert Logan Kowalski. Toni worked as a Research Scientist in pharmaceutical development at Miles Inc., subsequently she also worked at B&F Realty, Jim Hammes Oldsmobile, the Religious Education Office at St. Thomas Elementary School, and a paraprofessional for Emotionally Handicapped at Monger Elementary School, all in Elkhart, IN; Integra Bank, Records Management Group in Evansville, IN; and the Kalamazoo Literacy Council, Specialized Language Development Center, Adult Tutoring Program in Kalamazoo, MI. As a young adult, Toni enjoyed obtaining her private pilot certificate, golf, bowling, snow skiing, and travel (especially in Europe). Today she enjoyed going to live theater, movies on the big screen and TMC, reading, gardening, playing scrabble and working puzzles with her daughter, crossword puzzles, antiquing, everything Notre Dame football and women’s basketball games, attending Newcomers luncheons, swimming at the YMCA, and attending mass several times a week at Saint Catherine of Siena Church. She was a devoted wife and mother. Our family meant everything to her, and she did everything to guide us in the right direction. She enjoyed sending notes and cards for all occasions to family and friends. Thank you for being you and everything you did for our family. You were our teacher, nurturer, and rock. We are a lucky family and I am a lucky husband, we love you.
Richard Blum (Vienna Spring 1957) Before Richard Blum faced Mt. Everest, befriended the Dalai Lama and married then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, he bought and sold the circus — literally. As a young partner at the San Francisco brokerage Sutro & Co., Blum in 1968 spearheaded the company’s $8-million purchase of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Four years later, Blum and his partners sold the circus to Mattel Inc. for $40 million. The deal solidified Blum’s reputation as an investor and businessman — and signaled the kind of extraordinary experience that would shape his life as a philanthropist, UC regent and husband to Feinstein, now a U.S. senator.
Blum died Sunday at the family home in San Francisco after a long battle with cancer, Feinstein’s office said Monday. He was 86.
“My heart is broken today,” Feinstein said in a statement. “My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. He was by my side for the good times and for the challenges. I am going to miss him terribly.”
Blum’s storied career took many forms. He was chairman of equity investment management firm Blum Capital Partners. He also dedicated much of his life to the people of the Himalayas, founding the American Himalayan Foundation in 1981 — something Feinstein described as “one of his proudest achievements.”
John Trojanowski (Vienna 1967-69), died on February 8, 2022. He was 75. His findings over the decades would change what the field knew about conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, offering evidence that the different toxic proteins share a common biological mechanism: they spread toxic proteins from cell to cell corrupting their normal counterpart to become toxic along the way, and in the end the brain may have many different toxic proteins, and not just the ones associated with a particular disease. Dr. Trojanowski was passionate about science and driven, and this gentle giant of a scientist -- he was 6'4 -- shared his scientific and personal life with his wife, Penn biochemist Virginia Lee. Their findings opened up new avenues of research in neurodegenerative diseases. The duo trained so many scientists over their 45 years together, and many credit their success to what they learned in the Trojanowski/Lee lab.
Read about John’s life accomplishments.
James Keyser (Vienna 1966-67) passed away Friday, February 5, 2022, after a year long struggle with cancer. Jim was born on January 21, 1945, in Buffalo, NY to James and Alice Keyser, and he is predeceased by his parents and his brother Dan. Jim was a 1968 graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY with a degree in English. He spent his early career as a secondary school teacher of English and German at McQuaid High School in Rochester, NY. But then he got the entrepreneurial spirit and started a very successful commercial office cleaning company, Janicare Corp. in Rochester, NY for more than 20 years with 250 employees. In his early retirement Jim was self-employed as an executive recruiter specializing in optics, photonics, and laser industries. He sold both of these companies which are still in existence today. Jim was fond of music, theater and the arts, and he could easily sit at a piano and play a tune. Among his other favorites were quality antiques, fine food, good friends, travel, and outdoors in the Adirondack Mountains of New York where his family owned a home for decades on Fourth Lake.
In many ways, Jim was a Renaissance man with a wide variety of interests and accomplishments. He will be very missed by his friends who knew him well.
Jim Sheehan (Vienna 1957-58), James Joseph Sheehan died on December 26, 2021, on the island of Kauai, HI, where he had a second home. James, known to his friends as Jim, was born on September 24, 1936, to Joseph Fahey Sheehan and Maurine (Gard) Sheehan. He graduated from Gehlen High School in LeMars where, as center on the basketball team, he had a devastatingly accurate hook shot. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, in 1959. He spent his junior year abroad, at the University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. He also attended Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA, and the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking, Madison, WI. He served in the U.S. Navy.
Deirdre Flannery Gollop (Vienna 1967-68) of Chatham & Weston, described by friends as 'a glowing light in this world', passed away on Tuesday, July 20th. She was surrounded by her adoring husband, Frank, and her daughters, Kirstin, Kelsey and Caitlin. She was 74 years young. Deirdre's greatest pride and joy was her seven grandchildren. She lives on in each of them: Sadie has her determination, Cooper her sweet sensitivity, Grace her spunk, Brynn her empathy, Wyatt her curiosity, McKenna her joyful generosity, and Trevor has her love for making people laugh. This incomparable woman of glamour, grit and grace loved and lived for her friends and family. Deirdre was a force and dedicated her energy to being a rock for all who knew her, no matter how well or how close. She taught her three girls (and often reminded their husbands, Graham, John and Ryan) to strive for whatever they wanted, never take 'no' for an answer and, above all, care for each other. She created a family, 'Team Gollop', whose members are completely dedicated to one another and will continue her legacy, constantly giving their hearts and their time to others as she did. Deirdre had a sparkle, a playful childlike spirit and no one made a room of people belly laugh as hard as she. Deirdre loved to entertain by telling stories about the children who made her so proud or the travels she enjoyed so much. Everything she touched, from the rooms she designed to her beloved gardens, was beautiful and colorful, and she was stylishly dressed for every occasion.
Dennis Schultze (Freiburg Fall 1988) age 56, of Oberursel, Germany announce his passing. He died on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. Born on July 14, 1964, in Fairmont, MN, the son of Edwin and Delores (Allison) Schultze. He began his educational journey at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church School in Wilbert where he attended First through Eighth Grade. He graduated from Ceylon High School in 1982. Upon graduation from high school, he attended the University of Minnesota earning a degree in Economics with a minor in German. During his time at the University of Minnesota, he spent a semester studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany. In 1994, Dennis graduated from The Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina earning his MBA in International Business. Upon graduation, he worked in marketing for Policy Management Systems Corporation Columbia, South Carolina. It was this job that helped Dennis fulfill his long-term goal of living and working in Germany. While working for PMSC in South Carolina, the company sent him to Germany for a short-term marketing project. This marketing project led to 25 years of living and working in Germany. To reach more about Dennis' life click here.
Jim Witte (Vienna, Spring 1959) October 25, 1934 – April 2, 2021. We came together out of other loves and I said to Jim the night before our wedding how amazing the human capacity is to be able to love and love again. I repeated that to him a few days ago. He thought it was a great line. My witness to my thoughts; my filter for my choices….I turned to Jim because he had an innate sense about the rhythm of words and the cycle of actions. Clearly, from the notes from many people who worked with him decades ago, whose first jobs he provided and who still think about with gratitude, who appreciated his quiet mentoring and lesson by example, I was not the only one who recognized this man’s extraordinary impact. I’ll never get the entire chronology of Jim’s trajectory right but the heart of his stories and achievements is what really matters anyway. From the days he worked in advertising in Chicago to quickly move to the local TV station where, one day, he was thrust into the role of directing the news with no prep…to his astonishing career and reputation as The Myth in New York running TeleTape Productions and doing the groundbreaking work to take mobile unit studios to the streets so great events like Color Me Barbra and Ray Charles in Central Park and Easter Seal Telethons could be shot live, literally bringing them to the world, Jim made it possible for people around him to shine. His foresight and leadership created the studio where Sesame Street and Electric Company debuted and were produced for years. His canny mind took on the powerful theatrical unions and not only won disputes but gained the respect of union leaders.
Julie Wahl Giannini (Paris 1964-65) age 77, retired schoolteacher, of Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, passed away peacefully November 20, 2020. Julie will be remembered for her love and support of wildlife organizations, American Indian causes, silly poetry, and whimsical artwork. Beloved mother of Amy Ruth Giannini, Richard Joseph Giannini, and the late Martin Leo Giannini; loving grandmother to Miguel J. (Maya Villa) and Jonathon D. Cabrera; sister of Laurie (David) Thomas. Faithful companion of Noushie the cat. Former spouse and dear friend of Dr. John Leo (Rita Thomson) Giannini. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Treehouse Animal Shelter.
Constance Dembrowsky (Vienna 1964-65) Constance (Connie) age 76, passed away on November 9, 2020, in El Paso, Texas. She was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, aunt, and friend, as well as an internationally recognized speaker, author and educational consultant for school districts. Once in a while, someone special comes along and makes the world a much much better place. Connie Dembrowsky was that very special person who meant so very much to all of us.
“Every action you take is an expression of the choices you’ve made about the effect you want to have on the world.“ ~ Constance Dembrowsky ~
Notice: We are deeply sorry and apologize for posting the death notice of Jo Ann Hilje Hersh (Vienna Spring 1958). Jo Ann is very much alive and well.
Chadwick (Chad) Fleming (Freiburg 1988-89), 53, of Arlington, Va., died September 22, 2020 in Arlington after a long illness. Chad was born on June, 22, 1967 in Grafton, N.D. At age two, he moved with his parents to Granite Falls where he attended school up to the 10th grade. After spending one year as an exchange student in Sweden, he graduated from Colonial High School in Orlando, Fla. Chad received a BA degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. and a MA degree from The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He worked 20 with the International Women’s Forum, spending a year in Berlin representing IWF. Chad had a passion for relationships with people and a passion for international experiences. In high school he was an ASSE exchange student to Sweden. At Rollins College he spent a year at the University of Freiburg in Germany. After graduating from George Washington he worked in Prague, Czech Republic and also assisted translating documents for the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Chad was fluent in Swedish and German and conversant with several other languages. Chad will be missed by friends and associates in many parts of the world. He is survived by his mother, Carole Fleming, of Mount Dora, Fla.; by his father, Burton Fleming, of Northfield; and by many cousins.
Bob Scheelen (Vienna 1964-65) 75, passed away quietly in August after a long and courageous journey with cancer and side effects. He was beloved and will live on in many people. He worked diligently to bring reconciliation to our fractured world and met all people with respect. He was devoted to the children and families he served in his career and to his own family, the center of his joy.
Nicholas Acocella (Vienna 1962-63) 77, of Hoboken died June 20. Husband of Laura. Father of Bart and Francesca. Grandfather of Caroline and James. Beloved, irreverent NJ political commentator and founder of Politifax.
Acocella was fittingly born in 1943 at Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital in Jersey City — named after the city’s famed former mayor, Frank Hague. He grew up in nearby West New York, where he was a teenager at the same time as future mayor Tony DeFino.
After graduating from St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, Acocella went to LaSalle College in Philadelphia and spent a year studying abroad in Vienna, Austria. He went on to study English literature at the University of California at Berkeley, just in time for the Free Speech movement.
He then taught at Indian Hills High School in Oakland — New Jersey, that is — and went back to graduate school for a while at Stony Brook and the University of Delaware. But Acocella had no appetite for moving halfway across the country to continue a teaching career.
He wasn’t a politician or government official. He probably would have hated those jobs. But few people were as plugged in to the weird, wild world of New Jersey politics as Nick Acocella.
He spent more than two decades running a must-read, insider newsletter about Garden State movers and shakers that subscribers used to receive via fax machine.
He hosted a TV show in which he spoke with local political titans like Tom Kean and Chris Christie while cooking pasta. And he was as colorful and crusty as the misunderstood state he lovingly covered.
He leaves behind a legacy of sharp wit, smart analysis, encyclopedic knowledge, and a newsletter that neatly and bluntly recapped a week’s worth of intrigue and insight about the often crazy, sometimes corrupt politics that New Jersey is famed for. He wrote about governors, lawmakers, freeholders, mayors, and little-known locals from all across the state’s 565 municipalities.
He was also an avid Yankees fan who wrote 20 books about baseball. Acocella loved them both: politics and America’s pastime.
John W. Hartnagel (Cape Town, 2018) passed away on June 6,2020. John was born August 25, 1997. He recently graduated from Villanova School of Business and worked as a business consultant. John always had a passion for nature and travel. Whether travelling through the lands of South Africa, wandering the streets of Chicago or hiking through Bear Mountain, he took something from his journeys and passed that inspiration on to others.
He will be remembered by all that knew him for a kindness that was pure and genuine and a smile that put everyone at ease.
Kathleen Adkins (Vienna 1961-63) passed away on May 18, 2020, Kathleen was 77 years old.
Recapitulation of a life (from her website: violascoresandmore.com)
Two qualities have driven much of my life: curiosity and a restless desire to learn about as much as I can. These drives have led me to try many things, some with success, others with abject failure. Here are some of the more successful things I’ve been:
Musician, composer, public speaker, instructor, environmental activist, wordsmith, publisher, bat naturalist, pilot, motorcyclist, beader, hiker, camper, canoeist, computer nerd, organic gardener, green home builder, dowser, beekeeper, wedding officiator, traveler, a Cassandra prophesying environmental disaster.
Then there are things that became miserable failures for me:
Hang gliding, sewing, organizing for community action, sitting on committees, anything to do with selling, telephone solicitation, sight reading at the piano, debating, office politics, dealmaking, being a Cassandra prophesying environmental disaster.
Certain key events shaped me along the way.
Growing up in the green, sheltering mountains of eastern Kentucky with a mother who developed my vocabulary and love of wordplay.
Playing piano at the age of four, cornet in the high school band, timpani in orchestra, singing alto in choir, taking up viola during retirement.
Attending a junior year abroad program in Vienna, Austria, which extended to two years.
Back home, plunging into formal music study, theory and history, enjoying everything without thinking where it would take me, to academia, which I didn’t want.
Moved to California with my first girlfriend. Settled into a job and domesticity. Not unhappy but not happy – trapped in my own selfmade prison.
Took the est training. Scoff if you like, but it was a brilliantly designed program that delivered what it promised to me and thousands of others: a transformative experience in two weekends. It stripped away my prison bars and left me relaxed, happy, growing into my fullest self.
Had a second relationship that was heaven until I screwed it up. Moved to New York, part of the problem. Training director for a company in Westchester.
Continued to assist at est by leading seminars. At first it was deliriously happy and satisfying. Then I noticed that I was starting to get professional, not exactly phoning it in, but definitely burning out.
Then the big crack in my life. At about the same time I lost almost everything. My social context was mostly est people, and when I left, there that went. My mother died; my corporation withered and I was laid off, and a relationship in which I lost myself in abject adoration dissolved.
After two hard years of misery, I pulled myself together and went in a different direction. No more corporate drone jobs; I started my own little training company, teaching speaking skills, management skills, and then computer skills for the new age of desktops.
I started to explore the softer, twilight side of life: shamanism, earth spirituality, the Celtic faery tradition (not nearly as twee as it sounds), all very satisfying. Megalithic monuments in general and in particular the peculiar movements of the moon over an 18.6 year cycle and how it manifested in a stone circle in Callanish, Scotlaand, built 4,000 years ago.
Joined the Mob of Angels and had such a good time it should have been illegal playing hand drums with an all-woman group. We danced and processed while playing complex rhythms from the Middle East. I made wonderful friends in that group.
Along with all that, nerd heaven. I developed the ability to teach spreadsheeting skills and found consulting work at JPMorgan. There I met my two future business partners, Alastair and Norm. Together we built a training company that dominated the small pond of financial analysis training. Better than that, we fell in love with each other. We loved to get together, plot, plan, exchange gossip, laugh, and in general enjoy every minute of each other’s company.
Four relationships have been bedrock in my life. My exes in California, Leta and Taura, who to this day are closer than sisters. Alastair and Norm, who are the same bedrock.
After another horrible, short relationship after the crackup, I swore off them and resigned myself to solitude. Then came Gretchen after I retired. WE have been together since, and she’s the fifth layer of bedrock in my life. We have grown closer and closer; we have had golden years of travel, playing music together, and enjoying our home in the woods.
I have been extraordinarily lucky in my life. Terrible things have happened, yes, Would I take them back? No. They’re an essential part of the tapestry, and they helped make me who I am.
This will be my last post. I’m definitely fading now. Gretchen may add updates on how I’m doing and this blog will announce my death. There will be an IN MEMORIAM page with pictures and a place for anyone to write comments or anecdotes about me. It will be mounted after I die.
I wish you the death you want for yourself, I hope that it will be peaceful, pain-free and free from fear. Thank you for enriching my life by being in it, those of you whom I know. I’ve learned something from each of you.
Love to all,
Kathleen
Anthony H. "Tony" Lea (Vienna, Fall 1968) of Northbridge, MA passed at home Wednesday, April 22nd surrounded by family after a too-brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Mark Justin Westervelt M.D. (Vienna 1955-56) a beloved husband, father, friend and family doctor, died peacefully of natural causes in his home in Camp Verde, Arizona and entered eternal life on April 16, 2020.
Mark came into this world on April 15, 1937, in Tucson, Arizona, the eldest of four children born to Mary Olive Beadle and Dr. Marcus Wells Westervelt. The Westervelt family relocated to Tempe, Arizona, where Mark spent the remainder of his childhood. He attended Mount Carmel Elementary School in Tempe, and graduated from Tempe High School in 1954. Graduating from college at the University of Notre Dame in 1958, he went on to receive a Doctor of Medicine in 1962 from University of California at San Francisco Medical School.
Shortly thereafter Dr. Westervelt wed Colette Wadlow, his childhood friend and love of his life. Mark and Colette were married August 25, 1962. They spent the first two years of their marriage in Martinez, California while Mark completed his internship and residency in family practice.
In July 1964, Mark and Colette moved their young family to Camp Verde, Arizona, a small town seeking a family physician. Dr. Westervelt started a family practice clinic, also practicing at nearby Marcus J. Lawrence Hospital in Cottonwood (now Verde Valley Medical Center). He continued to serve as the 'town doctor' for Camp Verde for a remarkable 42 years. He was a practitioner whose life was dedicated to the best interests of those whom he served.
Dr. Westervelt was a man dedicated to his profession, community, church and family.
Mark's professional life was integrated with his dedication to the community of Camp Verde, caring for multiple generations of local citizens. He frequently made house calls for those unable to travel to his office. He performed and assisted in surgical, orthopedic, obstetrics, pediatric, and ICU care at the hospital. He spent countless hours serving as the team physician at Camp Verde athletic events. His home phone remained open for patients to call regardless of the time of day. His family recalls anecdotes of their father setting fractures, stitching wounds, and reducing joint dislocations either in his office or at the family home. Early in his career there were occasions when Dr. Westervelt was required to perform in-home infant deliveries.
Dr. Westervelt was deeply committed to serving the Camp Verde community. He volunteered for sixteen years on the Camp Verde School Board, and spearheaded the construction of three new schools. Support of public education was paramount to Dr. Westervelt as evidenced by each of his ten children attending twelve years of Camp Verde public schools. He held a special relationship with the Yavapai-Apache community in both sports and medical care. Dr. Westervelt annually provided free physicals for all Camp Verde students, firmly believing that athletics was integral to youth formation and development. He recognized the value of sports and wanted to ensure all students had the opportunity to play. Dr. Westervelt particularly enjoyed his years as volunteer Little League coach at the local, regional, and state competitive levels. In recognition of Dr. Westervelt's years of service to the community he was designated Grand Marshal for the 50th Annual Fort Verde Day Parade. In 2017, the Camp Verde Unified School District formally changed the name of the high school gym to the Dr. Mark J. Westervelt Gymnasium to honor the legacy Mark left to the community as a doctor, school board member, and father. In further recognition of Dr. Westervelt's dedication to sports and medicine he was awarded the 2017 Arizona Medical Association Sportsman Award.
Dr. Westervelt was a devoted Roman Catholic. The family initially attended Mass across the valley in Cottonwood but he was later instrumental in the construction of the Saint Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. As a charter member of the parish he served as a Eucharistic Minister, lector, religious education teacher, and attended daily Mass until his passing. Dr. Westervelt had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Despite his professional and civic accomplishments, Dr. Westervelt's primary treasure was his wife Colette, their ten children, and their many grandchildren. He strongly encouraged his children's academic pursuits and selflessly supported their endeavors. Despite his busy work schedule Dr. Westervelt took great pride in never missing his children's extracurricular events. He loved to share stories and anecdotes with his friends and family. Mark was a humble, honest, and kind man who always had an interesting thought and a ready smile. Mark relished playing tennis, watching sports, and reading historical, classical, and spiritual books. He truly enjoyed the Wednesday afternoon tennis battles with his dear friends. During his retirement, his favorite activity was to spend time with Colette at their Nutrioso cabin in the White Mountains of Arizona. Mark's sense of humor, zeal for life, and devout faith will endure in the hearts of all who knew him.
Predeceased by his parents, Mary Olive Beadle and Dr. Marcus Wells Westervelt, Mark is survived by his wife of more than 57 years, Colette Westervelt of Camp Verde, and their ten children: Marcus F. Westervelt of Phoenix, AZ; Kim L. Westervelt Buysse (Steve) of Sedona, AZ; Kirk W. Westervelt D.D.S. (Liz) of Sedona, AZ; Michael T. Westervelt (Natalie) of Phoenix, AZ; Chris L. Westervelt, M.D. (Alison) of Hattiesburg, MS; Joel D. Westervelt (Cindy) of Camp Verde, AZ; Jon W. Westervelt (Terri) of Scottsdale, AZ; Ann L. Westervelt (Martin Garcia, deceased) of Scottsdale, AZ; Mary S. Westervelt Costello (Pat) of Alexandria, VA; and Justin D. Westervelt, M.D. (Trisha) of Hattiesburg, MS. Mark and Colette have 26 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Mark is also survived by his sisters Sue Enright (Robert) of Tempe, AZ; Ann Sheridan (Vincent) of Tempe, AZ; and Jane Herion (Thomas) of Spokane, WA; and many treasured nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were provided through Bueler Funeral Home, Camp Verde, AZ. A public visitation was held on April 17th, at 5:30 p.m. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Bueler Funeral Home will allow groups of no more than 10 people into the public visitation as mandated by state and federal regulations. A public memorial service of Dr. Westervelt's life will be held at a later date.
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent in the form of a Mass intention to St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. (928.567.3543). A special thanks for the kindness and exceptional care given to our father by Maggie's Hospice Care Services, and to Bueler Funeral Home of Camp Verde.
Linda (McIntosh) Liptok (Vienna 1970-71) of Dover passed away on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Born on February 20, 1949, in Dover, she was the daughter of the late Berl W. and Margaret (Byer) McIntosh.
She graduated from Dover High School with the class of 1967. She received her Bachelor of Music from the College of Wooster. She also studied opera and theory and composition from the University of Vienna in Austria. She received her Associates in Nursing Kent State Tuscarawas, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ashland University, her Master’s degree in Nursing and Gerontology from Ashland University, and her Clinical Nursing Practitioner license from Akron University.
Linda retired from Kent State University in New Philadelphia where she was a nursing professor for 25 years. She was also a Professor Emeritus at Kent State Main Campus. She worked at Union Hospital where she was a nurse in several different units for over 30 years. She enjoyed volunteering her nursing and musical talents wherever possible throughout the community. She especially loved working with geriatric patients. She touched many lives throughout her career and always did things because they needed to be done and never for recognition. She was a member of St. John United Church of Christ in Dover.
She is survived by her husband, Francis Liptok, whom she married on February 1, 1975. She will also be sadly missed by her three children; Rebecca (Steve) of Michigan, Rachael (Tom) of Suffield, and Kipling (Ashley) of Green; three grandchildren, Nadia, Zoe, and Margaret; her sister, Jennifer Hobson of Canton; along with her special nephew, George Mann of California.
Doris Bernadicou McGuire (Vienna 1955-56) of San Mateo, California passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 2, 2020, at 83 years of age. Doris was born on October 18, 1936 in Stockton, California to Anna and Paul Bernadicou, immigrants from France. Along with her five siblings, she grew up working at the Parisian Laundry, her parents’ family business.
Doris attended Catholic schools, including St. Mary’s High School in Stockton, where she met her future husband, D. Pat McGuire. She went on to attend the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a degree in business administration. Her undergraduate studies included a semester abroad at the University of Vienna.
After college, Doris began her career as an accountant and, a year and a half later, married Pat, her one true love. For their honeymoon, the newlyweds drove cross-country from Stockton to Quantico, Virginia, where Pat was stationed with the United States Marines. They later returned to California, where their three children Frank, Stewart, and Laura were born.
The family eventually settled in San Mateo and, once their children were a little older, Doris returned to her career as an accountant. She later enjoyed a long and fulfilling retirement, during which she and Pat biked, hiked, and travelled the world together. Closer to home, they became doting grandparents to four beautiful grandchildren, April and Robin Utile and Grace and Thomas McGuire. This past December, Doris and Pat celebrated 60 years of marriage. She will be sorely missed.
Doris supported the following organizations in education and the environment: IES Abroad (study abroad program), St. Mary’s High School in Stockton, and the Sierra Club. In lieu of gifts, please consider a memorial donation to one of these organizations or to a charity of your choice. Memorial services have been held.
David L. Garrett, Jr. (Nantes 1965-66) Merrill Scholar, passed away peacefully at home on December 30, 2019 surrounded by his devoted wife, children, and close friends. Born in San Antonio, TX on September 22, 1944 to David and Callie Garrett, who preceded him in death. He was the eldest of four children. The family was raised in Longview, TX, where David displayed prodigious talent as a scholar and mathematician.
David adored Morehouse College. While there, he earned the Merrill European Fellow and studied abroad at the Université de Nantes for 2 years, where he became fluent in French. Also, he was considered one of “McBay’s Boys,” Morehouse students who earned their Ph.D., under the tutelage of Dr. Henry C. McBay, Professor of Chemistry. He graduated circa 1967 Magna Cum Laude majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. Upon leaving Morehouse, he earned his Master of Science in 1969 and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the University of Iowa in 1972, and then his Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University in 1981. David became a member of the Graduate Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Theta Omicron Chapter of Rochester, NY on May 18, 1974. His brotherhood was one that he was extremely proud of and represented everywhere he went. David began his professional career as a physical chemist at Kodak in Rochester, NY. From there, he began a long career in the automotive industry where he worked for Ford Motor Company for several years and ultimately joined General Motors, a finally Delphi Automotive Group from where he retired in 2007.
David was a scientist through and through, who held several senior executive roles throughout his career. His positions included Chemist, Principle Research Associate, Chief Engineer, Proving Grounds Manager, and Advanced Development Director. He was a pioneer in his field, a proud mentor, thought leader and innovator in chemical engineering sciences, holding four patents from his research work. David had a special skill for recruiting top notch African American talent into GM / Delphi. During his career, he also taught chemistry classes at Rochester Institute of Technology, Wayne State University, and Lawrence Institute of Technology.
The service was held Friday, January 10, 2020 at Hope United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests for people who wish to make a donation in the name of Dr. David L. Garrett, Jr. to either donate to the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, since Dr. Garrett was a kidney recipient or to his beloved Morehouse College in the name of the Chemistry department.
Dr. Harms Kaufmann (IES Vienna Center director from 1973 to 1979), passed away on December 28th, 2019. He was 81.
The very personable and popular Dr. Kaufmann was a director with great enthusiasm for his work. After he arrived at IES Vienna, he told students there that “there is no other job that gives me such satisfaction and that is so rewarding.” History was his passion, and it influenced and drove his lifelong endeavors, from educating young people at IES to his recent work aiding Syrian refugees.
Born in 1938 Berlin, he entered a world on the precipice of war, just as his father, Richard, had before him. Richard Kaufmann was born in 1914. He and his son both grew up in the uncertainty and danger of wartime. The older Kaufmann was drafted into the Navy shortly after Harms was born. Richard Kaufmann later wrote an internationally successful book called Heaven Pays No Dividends, which chronicled what life was like in the Germany of the 30s and 40s.
During the war, Dr. Kaufmann’s mother was anxious to protect her young sons, Harms and Wolfgang (one year older). She found a small house in a rural village in Franconia and they moved there in 1941.
Wolfgang Kaufmann recalled: “We had a quiet peaceful time despite the terrible events of WW2. We did not really suffer during the war and not after the change of power, when the U.S. army took over our village without a single shot.” At the end of the war, the family moved to another rural spot in Bavaria near the Austrian border. Dr. Kaufmann and his brother went to primary school in Rossholzen, where one teacher instructed eight classes in one room.
Dr. Kaufmann himself recalled that time wistfully when he graciously gave a daylong tour of the Lake Chiemsee area of Bavaria to a former student. Here was where got his first boat to sail the lake, where his friends lived, and where he went to school. But this was also the time that he learned about the horrors of the war. Dr. Kaufmann said that his immediate family did not share the Nazi manifesto. But his larger family was more complicated. He had one uncle in the SS and one who died in a concentration camp.
After the war, Germans were giving up guns, including antiques. So young Kaufmann, already a history buff, began collecting fine firearms, saving one that had been thrown in a river. Antiques remained an interest throughout his life.
Dr. Kaufmann’s first contact with Vienna was at age 23, when he took his younger brother Klaus, then 13, in a small open fishing boat and drifted from Passau down to Vienna. The journey took them one week. There they sold the boat, looked around the city and then returned to Germany by train.
Dr. Kaufmann’s education included nine years of Greek and 8 years of Latin. In 1964, he continued his studies at Stanford University in California and received his master’s degree. There he met his first wife, Dolores. They were married in Berlin and spent their honeymoon at Lake Chiemsee. He was awarded his doctorate in history in Berlin and his two children were born about this time.
His knowledge of history was so complete that he could play Viennese tour guide with ease, telling IES students that he “wanted them to see Austria and Europe as they really are, without the frills and propaganda that makes everyone think that it is merely a beautiful country full of edelweiss and everybody sings “The Sound of Music.” I want you to see more than the average tourist.”
In his tenure at IES Vienna, he was a very accessible director. His office door was always open to students and he dined with them every day. Some students were even invited to his home for dinner with his family and engaged in discussions of history, politics and international relations.
In his years after Vienna, he worked for several international development organizations, and one organization that he founded trained Third World countries in environmental protection.
Dr. Kaufmann travelled a great deal, but his brother Wolfgang said that a little farmhouse with a big garden near Passau was Dr. Kaufmann’s real pleasure. He “developed it like a piece of jewelry. He was an excellent woodcarver and liked to work with his hands.” He loved classical music, cooking (he was a fine chef), gardening and always, learning.
In 2000, a divorce from his first wife was finalized, he retired, and married Nadia Grafin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, a member of an old aristocratic German family. He moved back to Munich and joined the cultural scene of art openings and concerts.
Dr. Kaufmann reflected: “All my life I’ve lived the philosophy of ‘grab everything from life that you can.’ If you don’t take risks in life and have a chance to grow, you might vegetate your mind to the point that it can’t take in new things anymore.” He added “maybe it’s even a reaction to fear--the fear of life and the unknown that makes me throw myself wholeheartedly into something for a while.”
Part of that philosophy stemmed from his assertion that all Germans bear a collective guilt for the war and the holocaust, and should contribute to the betterment of the world. His life’s work and volunteer efforts were centered on the belief that education and a knowledge of history would deter another tragedy from repeating.
The Syrian refugees that began streaming into Germany offered him a chance to fulfill what he called his country’s “duty to help. We live in a quite challenging period of history, and Germany, with her millions of refugees is smack in the middle of it,” he said.
Over the past few years, Dr. Kaufmann volunteered his time educating and helping to integrate refugees at the Working Group of Vilshofen Asylum Seekers in Passau. He taught them basic German, how and where to get registered as asylum seekers, and collected clothes, blankets and dishes in Munich, which he then drove to Vilshofen. One colleague remembers: “He was often on the road with his van, whatever the weather, despite his advanced age. Many people in need benefitted from Harms’ commitment. He was a humble man with a big heart.”
At Christmastime in 2019, Dr. Kaufmann and his wife took a trip to Egypt, where he died on a boat trip up the Nile River.
He is survived by his wife Nadia Grafin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, his daughter Julia Kaufmann and her three children, his son Dr. Robert Kaufmann and his wife Heather and their three children, his daughter Kathrin Marduell and her husband Regis and their two children, his brother Wolfgang Kaufmann with his wife Ingrid and their three children and five grandsons, his brother Klaus Kaufmann and his wife Rita.
Boyd Hudson (Vienna 1971-1972), passed away at his home after a short battle with cancer on November 21, 2019. Born at Huntington Memorial Hospital, Boyd was a life-long and prominent Pasadena-area resident. He attended South Pasadena schools where he was a Boy Scout (awarded Eagle Scout in 1967), played football and tennis (awarded C. Merrill Green Athlete of the year in 1969) and graduated as a member of the National Honor Society from South Pasadena High School in 1969. He attended Claremont Men's College (now Claremont McKenna College) where he graduated Cum Laude in 1973 and met his wife, Alice Etter, while studying in Vienna, Austria (married in Los Angeles in 1975). He remained an active member of the CMC community and served as President of the Alumni Association. Boyd then graduated from UCLA with a JD/MBA in 1978 and worked for various accounting firms before starting his own Pasadena-based law practice (Adams, Hawekotte & Hudson) where he focused on estate and tax law.
Boyd's family was his greatest joy and deepest sense of pride. He and Alice have two daughters, Clare and Emily, who both graduated from Westridge School and later Claremont McKenna. He was an active and doting father - carpooling, cheering his two daughters at athletic events and supporting their academic pursuits. He and Alice shared a passion for UCLA football (season ticket holders for many years) and wine from the Paso Robles region. Those who knew Boyd will remember him fondly as a kind man who loved making personal and professional connections, and building those connections into lasting relationships. He was a selfless and loyal husband, father, friend and business partner. And he always led with a smile. Boyd is survived by his wife Alice, daughters Clare and Emily, sister Noel, and grandson Benjamin. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Isobel Hudson. Boyd was a beloved member of St. James Church where his memorial service was held.
Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte (Paris 1965-66), passed away on November 12, 2019 in Florida. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Cally exemplified this principle, practicing what she preached, at every turn. She loved fiercely, even those with whom she vehemently disagreed. She had a rare ability to see everyone's basic goodness and humanness. A graduate of Mary Baldwin College in Virginia, Cally received an M.A. in Religion from Yale Divinity School and a Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. Cally was ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1973. Before retiring in recent years, she was Executive Minister of Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive of Global Ministries for the UCC for six years.
In a 2010 interview for the UCC, Cally prophetically said: "The experience of years makes me less likely to predict what's going to happen next…(but) there is tremendous value in knowing we're part of something that's historical as well as global, connected to people around the world. That's my particular passion." Read more about Cally and see her obituary here.
Patrick J. O'Malley (Vienna, Spring 1958), passed away at home on November 7, 2019 in Ko Olina, Hawaii.
He brought laughter and joy to those that met him with his quick wit and humor. He loved his jokes better than anyone and that made them even funnier. His garden was filled with gnomes, singing frogs, waterfalls, and Irish sayings. In retirement, he traveled the world with his personal travel consultant, his wife Gail. He was a faithful Catholic, and he made Sunday Mass a regular practice wherever they were. He is survived by his wife, Gail, and five of their six children with scores of grandchildren and great grandchildren. A celebration of life will take place in Chicago next year. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Rita's Building Fund in Nanakuli, HI to click here to make a gift in honor of Patrick.
Chris "Tad" William Walker (Vienna, Fall 1979), passed away unexpectedly on November 7, 2019 in Canaan. Chris graduated from the Hammonasset School in Hammonasset, CT, and attended the Denver Paralegal School in Denver, CO.
In 1995, he began to work with his dad on Battleridge Tree Farm. Besides managing the tree farm, they raised Highland Cattle and brought the farm to a whole new level of productivity as a sustainable business. Chris married Karen Skinner and they have two daughters. Chris loved to ski and sail. Read more about Chris and see his obituary here.
Donald L. MacKie (Vienna, 1968-69) of Avon, CT, passed away on November 4, 2019 Donald. Donald was a graduate of Avon High, class of 1966, where he was on the cross country and track teams and attained Eagle Scout ranking in the Boy Scouts. He attended Marietta College in Ohio, where he was coxswain on the crew team, studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, and was a student delegate in Geneva, Switzerland, with the World Federation of United Nations Association. Donald graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Kappa Delta, Tau Epsilon Phi and Phi Alpha Theta. He earned his Juris Doctor Degree in 1973 from Georgetown Law School.
Donald practiced law in Hartford and W.Hartford (1973-82), then established his own firm in Canton in 1982. He practiced family law, civil litigation, criminal law, estate and probate, corporate law, bankruptcy, real estate, and juvenile law. He approached his work diligently and creatively. Opposing counsel who underestimated Donald's legal skills or competitiveness based on his slight physical stature did so at their own peril. He said that he became a lawyer to "level the playing field" because in a courtroom it didn't matter how big or loud you were, as everyone was treated equally and would be heard. Along with his private practice, he worked as a public defender and because of his determination and attention to detail, he also leveled the playing field for his many child clients, people with special needs and people who did not have the financial freedom to hire a private attorney.
Donald earned a reputation as a dogged advocate for juveniles, as well as his clients with special needs in group homes. He served as their guardian ad litem and attorney. He was a trusted, generous advisor to anyone in need. Donald was a quiet, gentle man with a wonderful smile who genuinely enjoyed helping people. As a justice of the peace, he called himself a romantic, officiating at weddings (free on Valentine's Day) and once, aboard a hot air balloon. He enjoyed reading, hiking, biking and music. He was a compassionate man who loved animals and had rescue pets throughout his life.
He is survived by his life partner of 25 years, Caryl Niek of Avon; his daughter Mary of Seattle, WA; his brother Sandy of San Francisco, CA; sisters Elizabeth of Ridgefield, and Jane of Lafayette, CA; and a loving extended family including cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews and step-children, as well as step-grandchildren.
Thomas E. Swetye (Paris 1970-71), Thomas Edward Swetye, 69, passed away on October 25 at his home in Salem. Born January 27,1950, he was the son of the late Joseph A. Swetye of Salem and Josephine Mae Bowman Swetye – originally from Pierceton, Indiana.
Tom was a 1968 graduate of Salem Senior High School where he was president of his senior class, president of the Varsity S Club, treasurer of the Key Club, a captain of the varsity football team, and MVP of the track team. He was nominated to the Naval Academy but suffered a back injury and was unable to attend. He was also a delegate to Boys’ State. He was a 1972 graduate of Hiram College where he majored in French. His junior year of college was spent studying at the Institute of European Studies in Paris. He loved to write poetry and several of his poems were published in poetry journals. He worked as a landscaper for Wilms Nursery and for Endicott Landscaping. He is survived by his siblings: J. Michael, of Boulder, CO; Wm. James of Salem; Carol Anne Janosik of Fort Madison, Iowa; John A. of Darien, Connecticut; and Andrew P. of Salem. A public celebration of life memorial service for family and friends will be held on November 16 at 2:00 pm at the Brown Funeral Home in Salem. Burial will follow at Woodsdale Cemetery near Guilford Lake, Ohio. Because of Tom’s illness of schizophrenia, in lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio via their website or mailed to 1225 Dublin Rd., Suite 125, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Zach Presberg (EU, Fall 2017), 22-year-old graduate of Lawrence University, passed away tragically in a car accident on September 26, 2019. Zach joined the Warren campaign in Iowa after graduating in June. Zach was compassionate and intelligent, loved helping others and always had a smile, according to several people who knew him. Read more about Zach and see his obituary here.
Roxanne Holmes (Vienna Fall 1970), passed away September 29, 2019, in Hacienda Heights, California. Born on April 20, 1950, Roxanne attended University of Pacific and worked for the Department of Insurance for the State of California for many years. She had one daughter, Mariko Holmes, and two grandchildren.
Bill Patton (Vienna, Fall 1966), passed away peacefully surrounded by friends and family at the age of 73 at his home in Yakima, WA on September 9, 2019. Growing up in Birmingham, MI he attended Seholm High School. He was an excellent student and participated in several sports, namely baseball where he excelled as pitcher. Bill attended Colgate University. He was the president of his fraternity. Junior year he enrolled in IES Vienna via the Queen Elizabeth for a year. By the end of the year he had gotten so adept at the German language he was being mistaken for a local; he ended up graduating with a degree in History. Read more about Bill and see his obituary here.
Molly O'Neill (Vienna 72-73), a freewheeling writer born into a family bent on raising baseball players who would transform herself from a chef into one of America’s leading chroniclers of food, died on Sunday, June 16, 2019 in Manhattan. She was 66. Her family said the cause was cancer; her long and public bout with the disease and with an earlier liver transplant was, in typical Molly O’Neill fashion, going to be the subject of her last book. Ms. O’Neill ushered in an era of food writing in the 1990s that was as much about journalism as deliciousness, built on the work of writers like M. F. K. Fisher, Richard Olney, Elizabeth David and Craig Claiborne, the former food editor of The New York Times. “I wanted to be all of them,” she wrote in 2003, “with a slice of Woodward and Bernstein on the side.” To read more about Molly's extraordinary life, click here.
Dylan Garnett (Salamanca, Spring 2019), 19-year-old University of Kansas sophomore, passed away tragically on May 14, 2019, just one week after returning from his study abroad program. Known for his infectious smile and strong Catholic faith, according to his mother, Renee Garnett, and Mitchell Zimmerman, the chaplain and director at the Saint Lawrence Catholic Center by the University of Kansas campus. He was planning to spend his summer working at Camp Tekakwitha, a children’s summer camp run by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Like many students who study abroad, Dylan Garnett had left for Salamanca, Spain, hoping to become bilingual, complete his Spanish minor and take the opportunity to travel the world. See his obituary here.
Jeffrey M. Mindlin (Vienna, Fall 1974), Died suddenly on Sunday, May 26, 2013, from complications of diabetes. He leaves behind his wonderful sons, Sam, Luke and Casey; and his loving sister, Jayne Mindlin Chase (Christopher); and nephews, Benjamin and Matthew Chase of Connecticut. Jeff was a graduate of Shady Side Academy, Denison University and the University of Delaware Law School. He worked for many years at The Mindlin Company as a scrap metal broker and more recently at TMC Holdings, Inc. Jeff was a passionate golfer and sports fan and was known for his sharp sense of humor and love of his family. He had a fierce devotion to fatherhood and loved nothing more than spending time with his boys. Jeff was a caring man who will be missed by many. He was predeceased by his parents, Sidney and Henrietta Mindlin. Services at RALPH SCHUGAR CHAPEL, INC., 5509 Centre Avenue, Shadyside, on Thursday 11 a.m. Visitation one hour prior to services (10-11 a.m.). Interment West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Tee, Bob O'Connor Golf Course, 5370 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 or Sidney Mindlin Scholarship Fund at Shady Side Academy, 423 Fox Chapel Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15238. Read his obituary here.
Robin Steury (Vienna, Spring 1965) of Bluffton, passed away on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, at Bluffton Regional Medical Center. He was born Oct. 24, 1943, in Bluffton to Amos R. and Agnes Schwartz Steury. He graduated from Bluffton High School and honorably served in the United State Army during Vietnam. He worked at Steury Bottling Company and worked as a bookkeeper for Barkalow Corp. from 1982 to 1993 in Florida and also worked with his brother in Florida.
Survivors include two brothers, William J. (Rebecca) Steury of Bluffton and Rudy K. Steury of Galvelston, Texas.
Military rites to honor Robin’s service to our country will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at River Terrace Estates Chapel and will be given by the United States Army Honor Guard and the American Legion Post 111 Honor Guard. Memorials may be made in Robin’s memory to the Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana, through the funeral home.
Daniel Quinn (Vienna, Spring 1955), alumnus and author best known for Ishmael, The Story of B, My Ishmael: A Sequel, and Beyond Civilization, passed away on February 17, 2018 at the age of 80. Read more about his life and study abroad experience in our 65 Faces of IES Abroad interview, and see his obituary here.
March Alice Ghormley Tudor (Vienna 1957-58) passed away on February 3, 2018 at the age of 80. Read her obituary here.
Archie James Powell (Nantes 1970-71) Merrill Scholar. Archie passed away on January 30, 2018. Archie James Powell was born on June 1, 1950 in Lakeland, Florida, the oldest of three children to Audrey Daniels Powell and Archie L. Powell. Throughout his life, he was a scholar, musical artist, influential leader, historian, and beloved son, father and brother. He was affectionately known as "Jimmy" to family and friends.
During his educational journey, he excelled in his studies earning high honors and academic scholarships. He was a graduate of St. Paul of the Cross Catholic School (1964), Charles Lincoln Harper High School (1968), Morehouse College (1972) and Brown University (1974 and 1976). He was awarded the Merrill Oversees Travel Study Grant during his sophomore year at Morehouse College for a year of study and European travel resulting in matriculation at the University of Nantes (France). While studying at the University of Nantes, he became licensed to teach the French language and traveled to Switzerland, England, France, Italy, Holland, and Germany. Additionally, he was awarded a Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellowship, which funded his advanced studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
His extensive leadership experiences included attaining the rank of Eagle Scout at age 16, serving as class president and working with the Dean of Students at Morehouse College during his senior year, representing Brown University students on the Graduate Student Council and on the Brown Corporation (University Board of Trustees).
Archie married Deborah Bell in December 1976 and to that union, a son, Kevin James Powell, was born. Kevin was the "apple of his eye" and predeceased him on May 6, 2007.
Over the course of his professional life, he was employed as the Director of Minority Affairs at Brown University (RI), Associate Dean of Students for Minority Affairs at Albany Medical College (NY), Associate Director of Admissions at Boston University (MA), the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (MA) and as an adjunct professor of African American history at several colleges and universities. Dr. Powell was a gifted musician and a child prodigy, who began piano lessons at age 4, and participated in and won competitive musical events throughout his childhood. He began playing professionally as a church musician at age 14 in Atlanta's Union Baptist Church. One of the joys of his life was mastering the historic pipe organ at Nantes Cathedral in France. He later taught piano, organ and vocal music lessons to numerous young people in the greater Boston area. Further, he had a melodic tenor voice and loved to sing. He performed nationally and internationally with the renowned Morehouse College Glee Club and directed the Boston Orchestra and Chorale Choir.
Archie used his musical talents to add joy, lift spirits and bring comfort to many in his various roles as part of the musical ministries at Union Baptist Church (Atlanta). Trinity United Methodist Church and Olney Street Baptist Church (Providence), Israel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church (Albany), Ebenezer Baptist Church, Concord Baptist Church, Grant AME Church (Boston) and the Historic Charles Street AME Church (Dorchester).
He was a faithful community servant with past membership in the American Guild of Organists, The Prince Hall Masons (Albany) and his beloved Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. He served on the Boards of the YMCA, Camp Opportunities, Northeast Association of the Blind, Albany Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Rhode Island Lung Association. His steadfast service was acknowledged by the receipt of numerous awards.
Brother Archie was inducted into the Pi Beta Sigma alumni chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in 1975 during his doctoral studies at Brown University. He was a life member of the fraternity and served as the International Director of Education. He also served as Regional Secretary and later, 15th Eastern Regional Director providing leadership to chapters from Maine to West Virginia and the United States Virgin Islands. He was most proud of being inducted into the Distinguished Service Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. in 2013. He was the 172nd member to achieve this highest honor in this 104-year-old organization of college and professional men.
He loved to cook almost as much as he enjoyed eating Southern soul food. He played a mean game of bid whist and had a robust sense of humor. His hearty laughter and wide grin will be deeply missed.
Archie leaves to cherish his memory two sisters, Andrea Sparrow (Glenn) and Angela DeGraff (Jules), one nephew, Michael Spence, a half-sister Blanche Lavender (Simmie) and Godmother, Maurice Mitchell Williams. He was predeceased by his son, Kevin James Powell, his mother Audrey Daniels Powell, his father, Archie L. Powell, grandmothers Agnes Harrell and Blanche Curry Daniels and second wife, Shirley Bryant. Brother Archie also leaves the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Inc. and a host of former classmates, colleagues and friends.
Dr. Eugene "Gene" L. Ketchum (Vienna 1960-61) longtime resident of Lexington, KY, died January 24, 2018, in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 77. Born in Macomb, Illinois on April 12, 1940, Gene grew up in Illinois and in towns across the West. Gene graduated from Central High School in Camp Point, IL, and went on to earn degrees from the University of Southern California and Cornell University where he received a PhD in industrial psychology. He worked in both the public and private sectors. He was an Ohio State University professor, a social worker, and he held leadership roles at Educational Testing Service and the American Nurses Association. Geography and travel were his passions. During college he studied abroad with IES Abroad in Vienna, Austria. Inspired by his study abroad, he crisscrossed the world visiting every continent; collecting a lifetime of cherished memories. In recent years, he returned to Vienna for class reunions organized by his classmate, George Trask. Gene was a benefactor of education and the arts and a founding donor to the IES Abroad Dr. Roswitha Benesch Endowed Scholarship Fund. He loved theatre and music from top 40 to opera. He especially enjoyed the big sound of pipe organs. He is remembered warmly by his brother, Lynn, and sister-in-law, Barbara Ketchum; nephews Hank Ketchum and wife, Angela; John Ketchum and wife, Michelle; Bronson Ketchum; Ben Ketchum and wife, Pam; and 10 grand nieces and nephews.
Stephen McMaster (Vienna 1964-65) passed peacefully on Friday, December 15, 2017, reuniting with his love, Karen for eternity. Born in Timmons, Ontario, Canada to Charlotte and James McMaster. Steve was a kind soul, always quick to bring a smile, laughter and words of encouragement to others. Steve enjoyed traveling in his youth, something that brought him to meet the love of his life, Karen Haelsig, while in Vienna, Austria. Together, Steve and Karen built a legacy of love, loyalty and family through their three boys, Stephen, Sean and David. A graduate of Texas Christian University, Steve received his masters at Grand Canyon University and went on to teach math and coach soccer for 22 years at Gilbert Junior High School.
Steve was an incredible example of sacrifice and investment in family, spending summers with them visiting national parks and building memories. Steve was an avid reader and loved history, writing and playing chess.
Steve, your generosity, joy and laughter will be missed, but you will live on in our hearts.
Martha "Marty" (Draper) Ditmeyer (Vienna, Fall 1962) - Martha passed away on September 2, 2017 after a fight with ovarian cancer. Read her obituary here.
Ralph Sessions (Paris, 1970-71) passed away in September 2017 at the age of 67. A classmate and friend, he is remembered by all who knew him. Ralph, a renowned historian and expert in American Art, was, for the past ten years, Director of Special Projects for DC Moore Gallery in New York City. He is survived by his wife Spring Sessions, his twin brother Glenn Sessions, and other family members. IES Abroad Paris classmates mourn his loss and carry fond memories of the time spent together.
Richard Muellerleile (Vienna, Fall 1955) - of St. Paul born August 7, 1935 died August 26, 2017. Dick's family and friends were always in his thoughts. He is survived by wife Janet, children and grandchildren, Greg (Ginny Steinhagen), Nick, Rob (Claire Repp) and Maria; Michael (Jennifer Robinson), Andrew and Hannah; Mary Beth Iverson, Daniel, Maren and Ben; Ted, Jack and Eva and their mother Tracy Thompson; John (Tera), Eloise and Felix; sister Mary Alice Muellerleile. Preceded in death by parents Alfred and Florence Muellerleile, brother Jim. Dick was born with ink in his veins and eminently served the publishing and printing community served by North Central Publishing, Colwell Press, Viking Press, and Banta Information Services Group. He was a longtime printing salesman and executive vice president at North Central Publishing. Mass of Christian Burial 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 1 at Our Lady of Victory Chapel, St. Catherine University (2004 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul).
Madeline Moorman (Salamanca, Spring 2017) – Madeline passed away unexpectedly at the age of 21 on June 24, 2017. She was a senior at the University of Kansas pursuing a degree in Spanish with a minor in public policy. Madeline was an avid musician, a world traveler, a brilliant writer, and will be forever loved and deeply missed by all the lives she touched.
Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Paris 1985-86) – Amy, a well-known author and short film maker, died of ovarian cancer at her home in Chicago on March 13, 2017. Amy published 28 children’s books, including Little Pea, Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, Duck! Rabbit! Spoon, Uni the Unicorn, and had seven other forthcoming titles the time of her passing. She also authored several memoirs and guided journals for adults, and wrote a widely-read essay in the Modern Love section of the New York Times.
Terry Lee Dawkins (Vienna 1965-66) Beloved husband, father, uncle and grandfather, Terry Dawkins was indeed a 'man of worth'. His love was a treasure to his entire family and his friends. Terry was a graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Southern California. He also studied abroad at the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria. From a young age, Terry was adventurous and ambitious. Terry traveled to many parts of the world learning about different people and cultures.
After retirement from the Shaklee Corporation, Terry became a missionary to minister to the spiritual and material needs of others. He strove to be of service to his community, friends, family and his country. Terry will be missed by his wife Avis; three sons, Roland (Joy), Russell, Sr (Adrienne) and Thomas (Emily); four grandchildren, Russell, Jr., Jonelle, Grace and Joshua; two brothers-in-law, Tyrone P. Wheeler, Sr and Erskine Wheeler (Diane), as well as many nieces and nephews. His memory will be cherished by many friends and extended family members whose lives he touched. Terry was born July 20, 1944 and died peacefully April 21, 2017.
Dawn Russo Crotty (Durham 1972-73) - In September 1972 the Durham 1972-73 class descended on Kennedy Airport going abroad for their junior year at the University of Durham. Dawn is the first of what became a tight-knit group to pass away. As a college junior Dawn was sweet, smart, often quiet, and private. At graduation from college, a couple of classmates got together with Dawn for white wine in glasses they received at a vineyard while abroad in Germany, toasting four years, and their very special year at Durham. In the fall of 2013, forty years after returning home from Durham, a small group of the original wanderers gathered at Bellhurst White Springs Hotel in Geneva, New York. Dawn and her husband, Tom Crotty, attended. She was a welcome and cherished member of the group, and with the addition of Tom, they fit in perfectly. After a five-and-a-half year fight with ovarian cancer, Dawn passed away on February 11, 2017. Her classmates have have kept her in their hearts, a sweet friend, her memory held dear.
Andrew Cady Eldredge (Cape Town, Spring 2010) – Andrew passed away peacefully on August 19, 2016. He grew up in Woodbridge, Connecticut and attended Colgate University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with honors in Political Science in 2011. While studying abroad, he tutored children in shanty towns and received the Lampert Fellowship in Public Affiars to research the political crisis in Zimbabwe. He worked at Orion Consultants after graduation, then backpacked with his girlfriend throughout Southeast Asia. Then after a year at Boston University School of Law, he transferred to Harvard Law School. Known for his zest for life, intellectual curiosity, debating prowess, and humility, Andrew will be missed by his loving family and friends. Read more about Andrew’s life.
Judith Tendler (Vienna, Spring 1958) - Judy passed away on July 24, 2016 at the age of 77. She was professor emerita in the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), where she was a development economist and professor political economy. Prior to starting at MIT in 1984, she worked as a program economist at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Judith was a graduate of the University of Michigan and completed PhD work at Columbia University.
Bruce Flinchbaugh (Durham 1973-74) - On February 1, 2016, Bruce died at the age of 63 in The Medical Center of Plano from injuries suffered in a fall. Bruce graduated from Otterbein College in 1975 with a degree in Math and earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from The Ohio State University in 1980. From 1982 to 2012, Bruce worked at Texas Instruments in Dallas, becoming a TI Fellow and director of the Video & Image Processing Laboratory. Over the years, Bruce led R&D projects for many TI products, including design of imaging, video and vision algorithms for embedded processors in video surveillance, digital video recorder, digital camera/phone, media player, and automotive vision applications. He held over 20 patents for TI technology, and published or presented in over 75 technical forums. In retirement, Bruce enjoyed exploring the world with his wife. He also became a dedicated runner, logging more than 1,000 miles a year, and inspired his son and daughter to take on running as well. Bruce was a loving and positive life force for his family and so many people. He will be missed by all who knew him. Read more about Bruce's life.
William Cavanagh (Freiburg, Fall 1983) - William passed away at the age of 52 on February 27, 2016. Bill was as a devoted father, son, brother, friend, and entrepreneur. He loved traveling, golf, boating, and meeting people everywhere. Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Carleton College with degrees in Political Science and International Relations. He went on to earn an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management. He is survived by many family and friends, and will be missed for his great intelligence, creativity, inquisitiveness, laughter, and love of life. Read more about William's life here.
Ashley Hasti (Beijing 2005-06) – Ashley passed away June 2, 2016 at the age of 31. She was preceded in death by her mother Colleen Fitzgibbons. In 2008, Ashley received a BA in Asian Languages and Literature. Ashley was a second year medical student at the University of Minnesota and planned to graduate in 2017 and apply to residencies in psychiatry. She traveled the world and had a great love for comedy. Ashley is survived by father, Wayne; sister, Alexandra; grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and many other relatives. She will be missed. Read more about Ashley's life here.
Gail Gunnesh Morse (Vienna 1971-72) - Gail passed away on ***December 26, 2016***. Gail was the former President of the Westlake Garden Club and the Herb Guild. She was also a retired librarian from the Cleveland Public Library. Gail returned to Vienna to attend her class’s 40th anniversary reunion several years ago and is fondly remembered by her classmates who will never forget her positive attitude, kindness, and the twinkle in her eye. Read the full obituary.
Joe O'Connor (Vienna 1965-66) – Joe passed away on February 25, 2016 at home surrounded by family and friends following a courageous ten month battle with cancer. Joe was a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross and Harvard Business School, and went on to become a leader in the field of commercial real estate. Joe founded Copley Real Estate Advisors and was widely known for his business acumen, his honesty and his tenacity. Joe was a board member of MIT Center for Real Estate Studies, New England Aquarium, Pension Real Estate Association, Boston Children's Medical Center, and Advisory Board to the New England Jesuit Province. Most recently, he was Board Chairman of A.D. Makepeace Company and past-Chairman and current Board Member of The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach FL. Joe made a significant difference in many people's lives, providing them with opportunities and resources that they otherwise would not have received. A gracious host, generous and funny man, Joe was an accessible friend who will be missed greatly by the many lives he touched. Read more about Joe's life here.
Oliver Roland Sueing (Vienna 1971-72) – Oliver passed away on February 16, 2016 at the age of 65. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Oliver was a graduate of George Washington Carver High School in Memphis. At a young age his vocal gift was recognized by his mother, who was a music teacher and outstanding singer. When he was 15-years-old, she enrolled him in formal voice training with Madame Adria Brunati. Oliver went onto attend Morehouse College and was awarded a Charles E. Merrill Overseas Travel Scholarship to study in Vienna, Austria. While there, he was accepted into the Vienna Academy of Music where he studied voice and performed in Jerome Kern’s Show Boat with the Vienna Volksoper. Oliver performed solo orchestral renditions with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Emory University, as well as a number of opera companies. By special request, Oliver sang at the Inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, the funeral of Mayor Maynard Jackson, and the funeral of Morehouse College President Emeritus and Atlanta School Board Chairman, Benjamin E. Mays. For several years, Oliver sang with the Grammy Award winning Bobby Jones and The New Life Singers on the Nashville Gospel Television Show. In 1995, Oliver and two of his friends, decided to form their own version of The Three Tenors focusing on Christian music, naming themselves, “The Three Inspirational Tenors.” Their repertoire included classical songs, beloved hymns and spirituals. In 2007, they released a CD entitled Ole Time Religion. Oliver is survived by his wife, children, and many other dear family and friends.
Mary Katharine Donohoe (Vienna 1966-67) - Katharine passed away on August 14, 2015 at the age of 69. In 1968, Kathleen received her BA from the University of Santa Clara in the humanities with an emphasis in English literature and fine arts. She was one of her school’s gold medalists in intercollegiate, competitive swimming. She went on to obtain a Masters degree in education, with honors, from the University of California, Berkeley and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In 1979, Katharine received a J.D. degree from the American University, Washington College of Law. Katharine was a member in good standing with the D.C. Bar Association, admitted to practice in the federal district court in Washington, DC, as well as D.C. Superior Court, and a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. She hosted her Vienna class’s first reunion eight years ago in Washington, D.C. Read the full obituary.
Diane Frizelle (Vienna 1958-59) Diane passed away in April 2015. She attended her class reunion in Chicago a few years ago, and will be missed dearly by her classmates.
Harold V. Hosel (Vienna 1967-68) – Harry passed away on June 26, 2015, after a courageous seven year struggle with Parkinson's disease. Harry is survived by his wife, Patricia Wakeley Hosel (Vienna 1967-68) who studied in Vienna together with him. Harry and Patricia were married on August 9, 1969, after graduating from Springfield College. He pursued advanced studies in the history of religion and library science at Hartford Seminary, the University of Iowa, and the University of California, Berkeley. His professional career in academic libraries included public service and senior administrative library positions at colleges and universities across the country. Those who knew Harry, will hold in their hearts forever fond memories of his intelligence, his sense of humor, and his love of life.
Megan Mckee (Paris, Spring 2003) - Megan died suddenly of a heart attack on May 14, 2015. Megan is survived by her parents Michael and Kathy (Smith) McKee; her brother, Troy (fiance, Allison) McKee and their son, Collin, of Farmington; the love of her life, Donnie Manning and his daughter, Caroline; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and her two dogs, Chance and Riley. Megan graduated from Peoria High School and received a bachelor's degree from Millikin University, majoring in French, and a minor in gender studies. She served in AmeriCorps through American Red Cross, offering disaster relief during two separate hurricanes that hit Florida. Megan worked for Maui Jim for the last 10 years. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and loved all types of music. She enjoyed reading and writing poetry.
Jane Frances Petitmermet (Paris, Spring 1968) - After a long and courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma, Jane passed away at the age of 68. Jane received a BA from Colby College in Waterville, Maine in 1969, and went on to obtain her MA in Library Science at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After starting her career as a librarian in Connecticut, Jane went on to California, Washington D.C. and to Germany at U.S. Army base libraries in Heidelberg and Nuremberg before returning to California. An avid traveler, Jane visited many countries and was fluent in French. In 1996, Jane met Denny Napier and they were married January 10, 1998. Together, they settled in San Diego until retirement and then built the home of their dreams in 2008. Jane was active in her church and served as a Deacon and member of the Worship Committee. She was also a member of the American Association of University Women, an avid theater-goer and a supporter of the local arts programs. An inspirational, motivated woman who made lasting friends with all she met, Jane will be missed.
Kathleen Wall (Vienna 1969-70) - Kathleen passed away on September 1, 2015 at home surrounded by her family. Kathy received a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Chestnut Hill College, and went on to obtain a Master's of Social Work degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1976. That year, she began a long career of helping others in a variety of positions all related to older adults. In addition to working as a manager with the American Cancer Society for 23 years, Kathy had her own geriatric care management practice since 1998. In 2012, Kathy traveled back to Vienna to visit the IES Abroad Center and the place she lived during her year abroad. It was her first return to Vienna since studying abroad, and the trip meant a lot to her. She is fondly remembered by her classmates. Read Kathleen's full obituary.
James Alley, Paris 70-71 - James died on his 64th birthday on July 21, 2014. After receiving a BA degree from Austin College, James was drafted and served at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. He went on earn an MA in history from Southern Methodist University. Afterwards, James taught history and French for many years at Wheatley High School in Houston, Texas. After retirement from teaching, Jim began a second career as an antiques dealer. Jim leaves behind many friends and family who will forever miss his warmth and sense of fun. Read more about James here.
MaryKate Catandella Bonner (London, Fall 2003) – MaryKate passed away on January 15, 2014, after a courageous battle with brain cancer. MaryKate received her Bachelors Degree in Art Administration from Wagner College and later went on to get her Masters Degree in Christian Counseling from Lipscomb University before becoming ill. She leaves her husband, 3-year-old daughter and a huge family and many friends. Mary-Kate and Hannah Johnson (London, Fall 2003) both traveled together from Wagner College on Staten Island in New York to study abroad in London. MaryKate stayed very close to some of the girls she met in London. It was one of the most memorable times in her life. Read more about MaryKate here.
William (Bill) Duffy (Freiburg, 1969-70) – Bill passed away in Germany in October 2014 after a long-term illness. The year of study in Freiburg at Albert-Ludwigs Universitaet was pivotal to Bill life. He was a native of Philadelphia and received a degree from La Salle and completed graduate work at Drexel and the University of North Carolina. However, Bill's junior year in Freiburg changed the course of his life. After working briefly at the University of Kentucky, he returned to Germany and embarked on a career in the publishing industry. Bill spent more than thirty years at the firm of Otto Harrassowitz in Wiesbaden, spoke German like a native, and was conversant on any aspect of German culture and history. Bill was cherished by his "Freiburg" classmates as a dear and loyal friend of 45 years.
Patrick Dunne (Vienna 1956-57) – On May 2, 2014, Patrick “Pat” Dunne passed away. Pat was a member of the one of the first ten classes to study abroad in Vienna with IES Abroad, then Institute for European Studies, where he met his future wife, Marge Noland Dunne (Vienna 56-57). Pat thought of Vienna as the happiest event of his youth, and returned with his wife in 2010 to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Doug Lee (Vienna 1975-76) – Doug passed away on April 6, 2014. He suffered a sudden heart attack and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Linda Muriel Tucker Kaikai (Nantes 1967-68) – Linda passed away on May 10, 2014. She is fondly remembered by members of her class for her upbeat spirit and always having a smile on her face.
James Kenneth Lynch (Vienna 1955-56) – James Kenneth “Ken” Lynch passed away on June 10, 2014 at the age of 79 of a heart attack, after courageously and successfully battling several forms of cancer for many years. Ken served in the Army after college and spent a year of his service in Korea. 1962, he graduated from Hastings College of the Law. After being admitted to the California Bar, Ken was employed first by Liberty Mutual, and then went into private practice and joined the firm that ultimately became Halley, Cornell & Lynch, where he practiced for many years. After 10 years in a solo law practice, Ken retired in 2002 and enjoyed traveling the globe with his wife, Pat. Read more about Ken here.
Linda Ullman McCarrey (Vienna 1965-66) – On March 15, 2014, Linda passed away from colon cancer. She was born September 24, 1945 in Centralia, Illinois to the late Walter and Iola Ullman. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth E. McCarrey; sons, and six grandchildren.
Janice Ziherle McNellis (Vienna, Spring 1960) – Janice passed away on October 15, 2014 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Janice was preceded in death by her husband, Paul B. McNellis in 2012, and is survived by three sons and two granddaughters. Janice was born in Chicago and attended Aquinas High School where she excelled in speech and drama and won city wide contests. She then attended St Mary's of Notre Dame and the University of Vienna, Austria. As an adult, Janice received her M.A. from Indiana University and was the Civic Youth Theatre Director where she taught classes and directed plays. She also taught seventh and eighth grade at St. Henry's School. Janice and Paul traveled extensively to various countries often staying for extended periods of time. For years she hosted “Conversations on the Arts” at WBNI Radio. Janice liked nothing more than having lunch or dinner with dear friends. She was a bright, compassionate person with a wonderful sense of humor. Read the full obituary.
Samantha Figueroa Zapata (Madrid, Spring 2009) – Sam was killed on August 23, 2014 at the age of 26. She was an Advisor/Alumni coordinator at Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood where she was beloved by students. She is survived and loved by many relatives and friends. Read the full obituary.
Mike Zelensky (Vienna 1975-76) – Mike passed away in August 2014. His classmates will always remember him for his gentle soul, dry humor and way with words.
Danielle Atallah Walker (Freiburg 1966-67) – Danielle passed away in 2013 after a long illness.
Benjamin Ward, Paris 1966-67 – Benjamin passed away in December 2013 after long struggle with colon cancer. A native French speaker, whose parents were both teachers, Benjamin embraced learning from an early age and entered Morehouse College in what would have been his senior year in high school. Benjamin studied abroad in Paris as a Merrill Scholar and because of his fluency, he was able to take classes at the Sorbonne in Paris in a number of disciplines and continue his music studies. In 1968, Benjamin played the organ at the memorial service for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Benjamin went on to earn a Ph.D. at Yale where he taught for a few years. In 1980, he joined the Duke University Faculty where he helped spearhead the faculty-in-residence program and taught courses in Modern Standard Arabic, comparative literature, German Studies and philosophy.
Barbara Radloff Baldwin, (Paris, 1963-64) – Barbara passed away on December 13, 2013 after a battle with ovarian cancer.
Darby Fuerst, (Vienna, 1970-71) – After a struggle with cancer, Darby Fuerst, passed away at the age of 63 on December 9, 2013. He will be missed by his fellow IES Abroad Vienna 70-71 classmates. Darby was born in San Francisco on December 12, 1949, the fifth of six children, followed closely by his twin brother, Rory. Darby and his wife of 34 years, Andrea Helgerson Fuerst, lived in Pacific Grove where he had a long and celebrated career at the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District for over 25 years, beginning as a Hydrologist and retiring in 2011 as the General Manager. Read more about Darby here.
Barbara Eisler-Campbell, (Vienna, 1971-72) – The IES Abroad community is saddened to learn that Barbara Eisler-Campbell, 62, a native of San Francisco, passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday December 14, 2013. She leaves behind much more than immediate family. She leaves behind countless other family, friends and co-workers, and will be missed by them all. Adored daughter of Dorothee and the late Paul Eisler, beloved sister to Lorraine Greene-Vortruba, treasured aunt to Samantha and Jeremy Greene, loving wife to Tim Campbell and devoted mother to Reed Campbell, Barbara was known as a constant source of energy and passion for life. Her love of travel translated into over 40 years as a travel agent helping people fulfill their dreams.
Carlo Minasi, (Rome, Fall 2011) - After battling cancer for almost two years, Carlo passed away on August 22, 2013. He studied with IES Abroad in Rome, where he endeared himself to his professors, who continued to stay in touch with his family to inquire about his well-being. Carlo enjoyed music, skiing, and cars, had a passion for soccer and loved traveling to Italy to be with his family. Empathetic and gracious he never lost his sense of humor or his compassion and concern for others throughout his illness. Read more about Carlo here.
James D. Link, (Vienna 1970-71) – James died of Glioblastoma brain cancer on June 27, 2013. After studying abroad, James graduated from the University of Oregon in 1973 with a B.A. in German. His love of photography and the printed word dictated his career path, from news photographer for the Daily Emerald newspaper and U.PI. wire service to typesetting, book design and publishing. James travelled the world for work and play and leaves many fond colleagues and friends across the U.S., in India and Europe.
Jean Gordon (Paris 1983-84) - Jean Gordon Vicks, 49, passed away on April 5, 2013 after her fourteen year battle with medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Jean was born on June 18, 1963, the eldest child of Sara Jane and Jeremy Gordon of Short Hills, NJ. After graduation from Miss Porter's School, Jean attended the University of Virginia, where she played varsity field hockey, majored in French and International Relations, and earned a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in 1985. She joined The Bank of New York in New York City and soon became a corporate lending officer. It was here that Jean met her husband, Dwight Vicks; the two were wed on June 13, 1987. Jean was an officer in the private lending division of Chemical Bank before the couple moved to Ithaca, NY, where she worked in Alumni Affairs and Development at Cornell University. With the birth of her twins, Sara Jane and Dwight Hatfield in 1991, Jean devoted her energies to raising her children. Her youngest, Emily Kathryn, was born in 1994. Read more about Jean here.
Tamar Kaplan (Quito, Fall 2012) - Tamar passed away on January 6, 2013 due to injuries resulting from a car accident while traveling in Bolivia after her semester in Quito. Her father Dr. Danny Kaplan was able to be with her during this time. To read more about Tamar's life, click here.
Bill Swoap (Vienna, Fall 1989) – Bill died Tuesday, August 13, 2013. He is survived by wife, Julie; daughters, Anja Beth, Abigail and Alicia; father, JR Swoap; and extended family. He lived in Edina, MN.
Maguy Richie Villette (Paris, Fall 1967) – Maguy passed away overnight on August 11, 2013.
George Michael “Mike” Black (Vienna Fall 1969-70, 1970-71) – The IES Abroad community was saddened to learn of the passing of former IES Abroad student and student assistant, Michael Black on February 27, 2013, after being struck by a vehicle in a hit and run accident in Santa Rosa, CA. Mike studied abroad in Vienna for two years and returned to Vienna to serve as assistant to Clarence Giese, IES Abroad co-founder. Mike remained friends with the Giese family and stayed in touch with many of his classmates from his days in Vienna. Through his work as an academic, environmentalist, and writer, Mike was committed to making a difference in the lives of others. To read more about Mike’s legacy, click here. Mike will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.
Madeline Pini Coviello (Vienna 1958-59) – Madeline passed away on July 18, 2013 after a brave seven-plus year fight with breast cancer. She graduated from Regis College in 1960 with a degree in biology and studied with IES Abroad at the University of Vienna. After graduation, she married Robert Coviello and they settled in Foxboro where she raised eight children. At Fontbonne Academy in Milton, where she taught high school biology, Madeline established the school's renowned Field Studies Program, which had students conducting area studies in the classroom and following up with trips to locations spanning from Alaska to the Galapagos Islands to Africa. Even after retiring, she continued to travel, spending several summers in Alaska volunteering with the Raptor Center in Sitka to develop educational curriculum and then with the US Forest Service at the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. In 2007, she fulfilled her dream and visited Antarctica. To read more about Madeline’s life and legacy, click here
Paul Koutny (IES Abroad Founder) - IES Abroad was saddened to announce that Paul Koutny, one of the founders of IES Abroad, passed away May 12, 2013, at the age of 86. Paul founded IES Abroad in 1950, enrolling the first class of 23 American students in Vienna. Held as a political prisoner by the Nazis at the age of 17 for his activity in the anti-Nazi underground, Paul dedicated himself to rebuilding Austria after World War II. It was his year abroad at St. Thomas University, sponsored by the Fulbright Commission in 1949, that inspired his ambitious dream: the founding of an organization that would create life-changing experiences for young Americans and help bridge the cultural divide between two continents. To read more about Paul's legacy, click here.
Kathleen Williamson Terrill (London, Fall 1979) – Kathleen passed away on April 10, 2012, after a long battle with cancer. An avid runner and lifelong non-smoker, she had non-small-cell lung cancer. She fought until the end, and passed peacefully surrounded by loving family and friends. Born in Rochester, New Hampshire, Kathleen graduated from Bowdoin College with honors as a double major in economics and math. She worked as a property and casualty actuary in San Antonio, Worcester, MA, Boston and Chicago. She became a fellow of the Casualty Actuary Society in five years and was a company officer at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. She managed her husband's office the last 10 years. She enjoyed spending time with her flowers, friends and family. Read the full obituary.
Bill O’Neill (Vienna 1954-55) – After a long illness, William “Bill” O’Neill passed away on October 24, 2012. Bill was a well-known scholar, author, and First Man of Long Beach for 12 years. He taught at the University of Southern California for 32 years and oversaw USC’s overseas education program at military bases around the world. An author of eight books, his last, Philosophical Psychology, was published just three weeks before his death. Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Beverly O’Neill (Vienna 1954-55). To read more about Bill’s life click here.
Gail A. Osgood (Vienna, Fall 1980), 52, of Cape Elizabeth, lost her courageous five year battle with cancer on Sept. 13, 2012, with her family at her side. Ever the optimist, Gail's love for her children, family and friends, and life itself, lead to multiple odds beating chances at life with each successive diagnostic setback. Born in Nurnberg, Germany on Oct. 9, 1959, and the fourth of five children to Mrs. Jane Fife of Brunswick and Ralph B. Osgood, Jr. (deceased), Gail quickly established herself as the family athlete. Her fearless approach to downhill ski racing and gymnastics, her pigtails flying behind, coupled with the finesse and skill she brought to the soccer fields, tennis courts and ice hockey rinks upon which she competed often earned her MVP status, both at Northfield Mount Hermon School and as a 1982 graduate of Skidmore College. A tri-athlete, Gail's competitive spirit found her on many triathlon venues over the years including Tri for A Cure, initially as a competitor, and later as a photographer and spectator. An avid fly fisherwoman, she traveled throughout the country in pursuit of 'the big one.' It was not uncommon to see her with her binoculars watching the surrounding birdlife, a pleasured pass time. Her favorite sport was ice hockey. She skated circles around the neighborhood boys on their backyard rinks in her early life. The pride and joy of Gail's life were her two daughters, Annie and Lucy. Whether cheering from the sidelines or helping with homework, Gail's kind and enthusiastic spirit was evident. She and the girls enjoyed special time together on recent trips to Anguilla, Washington, D.C., and London where they had 'a blast.' They also took a trip this summer to the Maine whoopie pie festival to indulge in her favorite treat. Gail took great pride in watching them blossom into the beautiful young ladies they are today. To read more about Gail's life click here.
Eugene "Gene" Burkhart (Vienna, 1970-71) - The IES Vienna 1970-71 community was saddened to learn of the passing of Gene Burkart on August 18, 2012. Gene was a member of the illustrious group of the "Holy Cross 17" who experienced Vienna during the turbulent and wondrous years of 1970-71. Gene will always be remembered fondly by his IES classmates as a member of the 1971 Prague May Day flag collection committee. Gene graduated from Holy Cross College in 1972 and Suffolk Law School in 1976. His most pivotal experience after Holy Cross and Vienna was attending CIDOC language school in Cuernavaca, Mexico where Gene met and became a life-long friend of Ivan Illich, known as the "greatest social critic of the 20th century". Gene's life was dedicated to serving his community, living a life of simplicity, and championing his underprivileged legal clients.
Valeria Echavarria (Barcelona, Spring 2010) - Valerie Marie Echavarria, 23, of Peterborough, died at her home on Thursday, June 21, 2012. She was born on March 4, 1989, in Peterborough, the daughter of Priscilla Cutler and stepfather, Larry Bourgoine, and her father, Barry Echavarria. She was a lifelong resident of Peterborough. Valerie graduated from ConVal High School in 2007. While a student at ConVal, she played for the tennis team and was a passionate member of SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving). Valerie went on to attend University of New Hampshire, where she graduated in 2011. Valerie's student experience at UNH was filled with accomplishment. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, belonged to the Criminal Justice Honor Society, was named to the Dean's List, and was a counselor with the UNH Upward Bound Program. She also spent a semester studying abroad, which brought her to Barcelona with additional extensive travel, including Morocco. After receiving her degree in Psychology and Justice Studies from UNH, Valerie began working as a social worker at Center Point in Tewksbury, Mass., where she counseled troubled teens in a group home setting. Her passion for helping others was great and she looked forward to continuing her education to earn her Master's degree in social work. She was awarded a full scholarship to Simmons College where she was to attend in Fall 2012.
Sharon (Sullivan) Haggerty (Vienna, Spring 1963) - Sharon passed away after a struggle with cancer in July 2012. Sharon Sullivan Haggerty's sense of adventure brought her to Vienna as a member of the Spring 1963 Class of IES Abroad. Many of the friends she made during that time, remained in her life until her death. Sharon's joyful spirit as a young woman continued to define her throughout her life: her Family, her Faith, her Friends always came First. She was a woman who wrapped all who knew her in her cloak of compassion, fun, carefree adventure, and laughter. We miss her.
Jordan "Jo" E. Harris (Buenos Aires, Spring 2011) - Jordan passed away on March 27, 2012. Jordan was a gifted student at the University of Michigan, a National Merit Scholarship award winner, a Stamps Scholar, an athlete, and a musician.
Stacey Ann Austin (Paris, Fall 1983) - Stacey lost a long battle with brain cancer on August 19, 2011. Stacey was an occupational therapist and a naturopathic doctor in private practice in Silver City, NM. She loved to travel, read, bicycle, dance, jog, and work in her garden.
Christina "Tina" Miller, (Freiburg 1969-70) - Tina passed away on December 25, 2011, from lung cancer. She considered her colleagues from Freiburg ’69-’70 as family for 41 years. She was looking forward to the upcoming reunion in 2012.
Jaclyn Prindle, (Vienna Fall 2005) - Jaclyn passed away February 25, 2010, from Marfans disease. She loved to travel and visited Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean. Whether it was hang gliding in Austria, scuba diving in Hawaii or sky diving here in the states, Jackie was always game for adventure. She had a huge circle of friends from high school, college and beyond. Her parents recently made a gift to IES Abroad in her memory and recognition of the importance that her study abroad experience played in her life.
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