Michael “Mike” Pearson ~ F-Faculty

Mike Pearson ~ F-Faculty

Departed ~ circa 4/8/2020

Posted by Harold Albert:

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of former ISB science teacher Michael Pearson. Mike, who taught at ISB from 1988-1991, was a wonderful teacher who was perhaps best known as one of the finalists in the U.S. Teacher in Space program. He later moved to other international schools including the International School of Kuala Lumpur, American School in Japan, and IS Beijing. More recently he served as a national spokesperson for Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease research and treatment advocacy. May he rest in peace.

Antoinette LeBris Maynard ~ F-Faculty

Antoinette Maynard ~ F-Faculty 1968 – 1969

Departed ~ 12/15/2018

Antoinette LeBris Maynard

September 9, 1923-December 15, 2018

Antoinette Françoise LeBris was born in Paris, France on September 9, 1923 to René and Lucie LeBris, who owned and operated a small hotel with café on the ground floor and room upstairs. Her sister Nicole was 18 months older. Unfortunately, due to complications from nerve gas exposure in World War I, René passed away in 1925. The young girls were sent to live with Lucie’s parents on a farm in Liernolles, France. Lucie arranged for Antoinette to be looked after by a “nurse” who also assisted the local Catholic priest and was a town scribe reading and writing letters for villagers.

On a vacation in Normandy, Lucie had met a woman, named Eugenie, who had learned English from British soldiers in WWI. She offered Eugenie a job at the hotel as a housekeeper and translator, which proved providential. After the American Impressionist Maurice Prendergast’s death in 1924, his brother Charles and friends came to stay at Lucie’s hotel on a memory tour of the places in Europe that Maurice had painted. Eugenie drove them around and Charles became quite smitten, but she refused to return to America with him. After corresponding with each other, Eugenie finally agreed and became Eugenie Prendergast living in Westport, CT.

When Antoinette was 12, she and Nicole went to Paris to live with their mother. Antoinette had been practicing her English by writing letters to the Prendergasts. After the death of a close friend and fellow artist who had a heart attack and died when Charles told him a joke, Charles became very melancholy. Antoinette’s letters and their cute mistakes made him laugh again, so they invited her to come visit for a summer. But she still had one year of school and her Baccalaureate to pass. Lucie said if they invited her again after finishing her school, she could go to America. Thus, in 1939, 15 year old Antoinette boarded a ship bound for New York to see the World’s Fair.

1939 was a big year in Europe with the start of the Second World War and Antoinette’s ship was sunk in Marseilles stranding her in the US. The Prendergasts took responsibility for her, helped her get winter clothes from their friends in New York’s Garment District, and got her into a private school to learn fluent English and finish her education American style. It was there that she met her best friend for life, Carol Ann Crotty, who had learned French in Switzerland while being treated for tuberculosis of the bones.

During the war, there were many people who stepped up to help stranded Europeans in America. After graduating from high school, Antoinette received a full scholarship to Sweet Briar College in Virginia. When she graduated from Sweet Briar, she was offered a job in the Pentagon working with maps and military movements. There she met a Naval Officer named Paul John Maynard.

Paul and Antoinette were married in 1945 and in 1948 their first daughter, Elizabeth (Libby) was born. Lucie had come to live with the young family in 1952. In 1954 daughter Carol was born. The family moved from Morrison Street in NW Washington to Western Avenue two blocks from Connecticut Avenue and the Chevy Chase Circle. About that time, with Lucie taking care of the girls, Antoinette started working at the Library of Congress as a descriptive cataloger in the Romance languages. She loved working with people from many countries and diverse cuisines as one of her passions was cooking. She led the Library Cooking Club for many years.

In 1960, Paul joined the US Agency for International Development as a Program Officer. His first assignment was Vientiane, Laos. So, the family packed up and rented the house. Paul went ahead first with the rest to follow. Unfortunately, the day he arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, the three Lao Princes decided to have a civil war, so he couldn’t make it to his post. The family also couldn’t join him, so they made the best of living in the house with minimal furniture, etc., for a year. Finally in 1961, the State Department allowed them to travel to Bangkok. On the way, they stopped in Paris, Rome, Athens, Cairo, and Colombo, Sri Lanka.

After a year in Bangkok, the family was finally allowed to go to Vientiane. Meanwhile, at 40 years old, Antoinette became pregnant with her son, Philip. Paul insisted that they had to go back to the States for Philip to be born, in case he wanted to be President. The family spent 1963-64 in Washington, while Paul returned to Bangkok to start the Southeast Asian office of ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) before the Vietnam war.

Reunited once again in Bangkok, the family stayed there until 1969. Antoinette taught French and History at the International School of Bangkok, and later at the American School of Vientiane. As the Vietnam war wound down, Paul transferred back to USAID and was stationed in Laos again. After Paul retired in 1977, the family lived in Bangkok for a year before returning to Washington.

Antoinette was welcomed back to the Library of Congress.. In the intervening time, computers had become common and in order to do her job, she had to master the Library’s system, which she conquered! She loved working at the Library of Congress and all the wonderful friends she had there. Her goal was to retire at 80 years old.

Unfortunately, Paul suffered a stroke in 2000 and the three children decided it would be best to move Paul and Antoinette close to Carol near Erie, PA. Paul died in 2003 from Alzheimer’s disease. For the first time in her life, Antoinette lived alone in her house, even though it was 100 yards from Carol’s house, she was unhappy alone. She found a wonderful independent living facility on Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase, MD where she had many friends.

She stayed for several years, until it was determined that her memory was degrading and she moved to a nursing facility near Philip in McLean, VA. Carol moved to Asheville, NC in 2012 and found a facility with a special memory care unit where Antoinette was content living in her happy memories until she passed December 15, 2018 with Philip by her side.

Antoinette will be remembered as a charming and gracious person. She cared deeply for her family and worked hard to provide the best life for them, and in turn, was proud of their accomplishments. She especially loved her grandchildren and delighted in them.

Antoinette was preceded in death by Ren­é and Lucie LeBris, Paul Maynard, sister Nicole and brother-in-law Stanilas de Gozdawa Godlewski. She is survived by daughters Libby and Carol, son Philip, grandchildren Kayleigh Ross, Alyssa Maynard, Claire (Chris) Barber-Stetson, and Nick (Ridhi) Barber, and great granddaughter Zoë Stetson
.
Antoinette’s ashes will be inurned with Paul’s at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date and a memorial ceremony will be held in Washington, DC.

A Little French Village”

Made By:Antoinette LeBris (Maynard)

A Little French Village

Essay written by Antoinette LeBris (Maynard) describing her home village in France, the effects of World War II on it, and her longing to see it again.

Date:October 22, 1940

Dimensions:

10 1/2 x 8 in. (26.7 x 20.3 cm)
Classification:Prendergast
Credit Line:Williams College Museum of Art, Prendergast Archive and Study Center, Gift of Mrs. Charles Prendergast
Object number:A.1.697

David (or whomever receives this),

I came across your site isbeings.org while searching for information on
my erstwhile French teacher from ISB, Antoinette Maynard. (I attended
ISB from 1968 to 1970, would have been in the class of 1972 had I not
left, and took French from Antoinette for two years.) My family later
stayed in touch with the Maynards in Washington until Antoinette moved to Erie to be near Carol.

The memorial to her on your site was quite a find – I learned many
things about Antoinette which I did not know and I appreciate you
putting it up. She was an incredible woman. As I only spent two years
at ISB, I don’t remember any classmates (or at least none that I could
find on the site). I do remember a number of teachers, who, strangely,
do not appear: Mr. Abe for Algebra, Mr. Jackson for Geometry (from
Grosse Pointe, MI), and Ms. Zender (possible ?) for English.

Thanks for creating/maintaining the site.

Regards,
Floyd Mitman

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Herman Schon ~ F-Faculty

Herman Schon ~ F-Faculty ~ 1964 – 1984

Departed 2/18/1984

Robbed and murdered en route to Chiang Mai.

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mrs. Adele Arnold Platter ~ Faculty

Adele Arnold ~ Faculty

Departed ~ 4/3/2019

GRADY DONALDSON

Yesterday at 6:13 PM
Miss Arnold taught art at the Intermediate School in Bangsue during my 8th grade year, which was 1968-1969. One of my favorite teachers despite my lack of any artistic talent. RIP Miss Arnold

Adele (Arnold) Platter

September 1, 1940 ~ April 3, 2019 (age 78)
Obituary Image

Obituary

Adele Arnold Platter, 78, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2019 at the Levine and Dickson Hospice House in Charlotte, NC, after a courageous fight with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.  Adele was born September 1, 1940 to William L Arnold and Bess Yanda Arnold in Pittsburgh, PA.  She graduated from Baldwin High School and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.

Adele was an artist, a gifted teacher and a caring and loving friend to all those who had the pleasure of knowing her. She spent time overseas and taught art in the Bangkok International School in Thailand during the Vietnam War.  She returned to the US, married, and continued to teach in Pleasant Hills, PA, Greenville, SC, Chesterton, IN and Charlotte, NC.  Adele spent 15 years at Sterling Elementary and most recently Elizabeth Lane Elementary School until her retirement in 2011. We will miss her warm smile, charm and wit dearly.

Adele is survived by her loving husband, Lawrence Platter; children and spouses Mark and Cathy, Alethea and Matthew; grandchildren Elizabeth and Mark Jr.; brother William L Arnold Jr and his spouse Maria ; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her mother and father

A celebration of her life will be held at the Matthews Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 13 at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region or the Matthews Presbyterian Church.

\

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mrs. Carolyn Saluja ~ F-Faculty ~ 1967-1986

Mrs. Carolyn Saluja ~ F-Faculty ~ 1967-1986

Departed ~ 9/21/86 ~ Cancer

Mrs. Carolyn C. Saluja
ISB Faculty – 1966 to 1986

Mrs. Saluja taught a variety of subjects during her twenty-year tenure, including French, English, and Writing Workshop. She is survived by her husband and two sons who still live in Thailand. The Seniors of ISB dedicated the 1967 ERAWAN to her. The last time she appeared in ERAWAN was in 1987, 20 years later, in memorial. Much loved, she will be missed by those many whose lives she touched.

She is survived by her husband and two sons who live in Bangkok.

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mrs. Hannah Ruyffelaere ~ F-Faculty

Mrs. Hannah Ruyffelaere ~ F-Faculty

Elementary School 1964-1966 and 1968-1971

Departed ~ 03/08/05

Name: Hannah J Ruyffelaere
Birth Date: 31 October 1905
Death Date: 08 March 2005
Issuing State: Georgia
Residence at Death: Berkeley,Alameda,California 94708
Nearby Cemeteries:
Sunset View Cemetery, Contra Costa, California

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mr. Richard Roberts ~ F-Faculty

Mr. Richard Roberts ~ F-Faculty

Departed ~ 1975 over Christmas break ~ Accidental Asphyxiation

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mr. Phil Reeves ~ F-Faculty

Mr. Phil Reeves ~ F-Faculty

Departed ~ 6/24/15 ~ Details unknown

Posted By: Debby Stinemetz Caulfield Class of 1970

I received the sad news today that former science teacher Phil Reeves passed away this morning in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He was 87 years old. He had been ill for just three weeks and died peacefully. I talked with his neighbor, Leslie, who has cared for him for the past 20 years. She said that he was greatly loved by everyone in his church family and they all knew how much his connection with the ISB alumni family meant to him. When Phil was in the hospital she wanted everyone to know who this amazing man was and she told everyone about his history as a science teacher beloved 40 years ago and today. Phil teared up and said, “Yes, my students were my children.” Leslie also told me how much he loved to dance at church. I told her we knew all about his dancing prowess as we witnessed it on the Teen Club dance floor at the reunions. A small funeral service will be held on Thursday. Phil was very committed to his Christian faith and wanted any remembrance donations be made to:

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
One Billy Graham Parkway
Charlotte, NC 28201

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail.com

Mr. P.E. Rajendra ~ F-Faculty

Mr. P.E. Rajendra ~ F-Faculty

Departed ~ 8/72

RAJENDRA, P E – MASTER 1920 – 1972

A tribute by Agnes P Thambynayagam

Ponnudurai Emmanuel Rajendra was a teacher, coach and director of physical education and athletics at the International School of Bangkok, Thailand from 1962 until his death in 1972. The ISB honored their beloved teacher by naming their main Gymnasium as ‘Rajendra Hall’. Rajendra was born in Malacca, Malaysia in 1920 to Jaffna Tamil Roman Catholic family. Rajendra’s parents sent their son to Sri Lanka to have his education at Jaffna St Patrick’s College, a Private Catholic School. After high school graduation, Rajendra taught geography and athletics at his Alma Mater, St Patrick’s College from 1940 to 1942. In 1943, Rajendra joined St John’s College, an Anglican Private School, in Jaffna as their Sports Master. In 1945, Rajendra was hired as the Ceylon National Athletic Coach. He graduated from the University of Ceylon (Sri Lanka, Colombo campus) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950. He then continued his studies at the University of Iowa in the USA with a full scholarship after he won National championship in Sri Lanka in hurdles and other sporting activities. He earned his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1951 in Physical Education. In 1962, Rajendra left Sri Lanka to Thailand to work as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at the International School of Bangkok. The family joined him at the end of school year in 1963.

The article ‘The Roaring Forties – War & Aftermath (1940-47)’ wrote about the Patrician P E Rajendra who taught at St Patrick’s College and then at St John’s College. It stated, “1944 was the year in which those who were fortunate to witness the Inter Collegiate Athletic meet will never forget it. The St. Patrick’s team had been winning the championship for the previous 10 years and were considered invincible. The Johnians were improving and had been runners-up to them the last two years. In 1944, they were being coached by Mr. P. E. Rajendra who was determined to make his team champions. The huge crowd anticipated a keen contest. They were not disappointed. Both teams were neck to neck with 73 points each until the very last event of the day, the 4 x 440 yards relay. After the first 3 laps it looked as though St. Patrick’s would carry the day. They had a 10-yard lead when their captain, Keil, took the baton. But the Johnian anchorman P. Tharmalingam showed true grit and fighting courage and ran the race of his life for his college, just pipping the Patrician at the post. Pandemonium reigned as the crowds surged into the field – and the Johnian supporters hugged and kissed each other with tears of joy running down their cheeks. P. Tharmalingam had earlier won the long jump and A. R. Rasiah had won the high jump and pole vault events while S. Nadarajah won the mile and V. A. Benjamin the low hurdles among the seniors. Of the Juniors, A. W. Yogarajah had come first in the 100 & 220 yds. and also helped in winning the 4 x 100 yds. relay for St. John’s. It was a fitting farewell to Mr. P. E. Rajendra who was leaving the College. Later in life he went on to become a National Athletic Coach and was one of those who helped N. Ethirveerasingam to break the Asian Games High Jump record at Tokyo in 1958 in winning the Gold Medal for Ceylon (Sri Lanka).” (The Roaring Forties – War & Aftermath 1940-47, para 31). Rajendra was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding sportsmen and a coach of the twentieth century Sri Lanka.

 

A Patrician, Victor Cherubim wrote on June 30, 2020, “Master P E Rajendra was a mentor, teacher and Sports Master of mine at St Patrick’s College when Rev Fr T M F Long was the Rector (1936 -1954). He was an inspiration to Master S F Santiapillai who went to study Library Science and the Dewey system of cataloging in the United States. Master Rajendra, at the turn of the Fifties, had propagated the dream of what one could do to excel in Sports in the States. He helped N. Ethirveerasingam, a Centralite and Ceylon record holder High Jumper, to train in the United States. I am proud to state that Master Rajendra sowed the seed in my mind to enable me to apply for scholarship later to study in the USA. He will always be remembered for his bubbly personality and charisma.” Rajendra Master also sent his own children to the USA for higher education after they graduated from high school in Thailand.

Victor Cherubim wrote again on July 13, 2020, “Our Rector of St Patrick’s College (SPC) Very Rev Fr T M F Long (MA Cantab – University of Cambridge) was diligent in scouting the best talent for Sport. He knew SPC had a good football team at that time and beat other Colleges in Football, JSSA (Jaffna Schools Sports Association) Tournaments. I can remember one Perampalam who was our fullback and was feared by many of our opponents in the Sports field. Master Rajendra was understudy to our College Coach B R Motha, an unassuming quiet man. If I remember right, Argus Tressider, Public Relations Officer, who served under Joseph C. Satterthwaite, US Ambassador at that time, was a good friend of Fr Long and helped Fr Long to get the Jaffna Public Library resourced. Master Rajendra to my knowledge was a confidante of Fr Long and helped him to promote a Carnival at College to get funds for the Jaffna Public Library. Master Rajendra was also involved in SPC Cadet Battalion.” The Jaffna Public Library members remember and honor Rev Fr Long for his initiative in building the Jaffna Public Library. It would be nice if Jaffna people could also honor Rajendra Master who helped Rev Fr Long in raising fund to establish the magnificent Library in Jaffna.

Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam wrote to Ernest Rajendra, “Your dad was my first coach as soon as I qualified for Helsinki games in 1952. Anthony Abeyasinghe advised me to improve the western roll style in 1951. Your dad was my strength coach. He took me with him to a PE teacher coaching camp in April 1952 to Maharagama Teacher Training college where Duncan White was lecturer. I then had three coaches. They were specialist in their areas. In 1955 Brayton Norton from USA was my 4th coach. Mr Rajendra who got his Master’s in Physical Ed and Norton together helped me to apply to University of California in Los Angeles which offered me admission and a Grant-in-Aid where I worked fifteen hours a week for tuition, room and board. In the last year, 1960, I had full scholarship. Many people helped me to feel at home in the USA”. William Clarke wrote to Ernest Rajendra, “Your Dad was my track coach in 1966 and 1967 at ISB. He was also my coach for Softball and Basketball. He was an unforgettable character whose memory stays as a lifetime memory. It is good to learn about his history since 1952 and before”. Rajendra Master had left unforgettable memory in sports and life amongst many of his students.

The International School of Bangkok alumni, students and teachers fondly remember their teacher, coach and director of physical education Master Rajendra. They are so proud that their favorite coach, Rajendra Master, rewrote ISB’s K-12 physical education curriculum and established a sports program that included eleven different varsity sports. During Rajendra Master’s era, the ISB teams participated in Thai and the US armed forces leagues for the first time. The ISB teams also entered for the National Thai School’s Competitions in track & field and Volleyball. Rajendra master’s student David Wilkerson (class of 1971) wrote, “Monday morning would find the indomitable patriarch of sports at ISB, Mr P E Rajendra, walking the length of the field checking for snakes before first period gym.” Khun Rabiab, a Thai staff member for nearly 40 years wrote. “I remember Mr Rajendra who was from Sri Lanka. He was the head of the PE Department and everyone loved him. He was kind to everyone.” Khun Boonterm, the ISB Security Guard for over 40 years wrote, “In the days at Soi 15 (festival) Mr Rajendra’s athletes won almost all sports competitions!” (Ref: From the ISB article, ‘How did Rajendra hall get its name?’)

Ponnudurai Emmanuel Rajendra met a beautiful protestant young teacher Hilda Pushparatnam who studied at Uduvil Girls College and taught at St Patrick’s College primary school. They fell in love and married in Jaffna where Hilda’s family lived. They were blessed with three sons and two daughters. They sent their eldest son Ernest to St John’s College to attend school. Their second son Leo and the youngest son Eric attended St Patrick’s College. Leo’s classmate George Francis wrote, “Leo Rajendra and I sat side by side in fourth grade. We were given separate little desks and green chairs. We became good friends. Leo’s mother Mrs Rajendra taught English to us. Leo looked exactly like his mother. Mrs Rajendra was a sweet teacher that we all loved her very much”. Another classmate Chelvanayagam wrote, “Rajendra Family lived three houses away from my house and I knew the whole family. His father was a professional coach and his mother was a teacher. I walked to school with Leo”. Other classmates of Leo also have fond memory of Leo and their beloved English teacher Mrs Hilda Rajendra.

Patrician and a sportsman Basil Patrick who was a friend and classmate of Rajendra’s son Leo wrote, “I attended the Group athletic meet held at Jaffna College in 1960 with Leo Rajendra where his Dad P E Rajendra Master was the chief guest and I received my certificate from Rajendra Master”. Jaffna schools honored P E Rajendra Master for his outstanding achievements in sports and scholarly work.

Rajendra family lived at Groussault Road near St Mary’s Cathedral in Jaffna prior to moving to Thailand in 1963. The daughters Christine Indrani Girlie Rajendra (Harrison) and Angeline Rajendra (Behrend) studied at Holy Family Convent, a private Catholic School for girls in Jaffna where I also studied. My family lived at Eachchamoddai, Jaffna since 1959 and I used to pass their house every day when I walked to school. My sister Vimala was in Christine’s class and my sister Antenet was in Angeline’s class. The children were studious and active just like their parents. Their son Leo Rajendra who studied with my husband Michael Thambynayagam followed the footsteps of his father, P E Rajendra Master to become an outstanding sportsman.

Rajendra Masters’ children studied at the International School of Bangkok since January1964 after the family moved to Thailand. Mrs Rajendra taught for a short period in Bangkok and then decided to stay home and take care of her five children. Rajendra Master enjoyed teaching, coaching and being the director of physical education and athletics at the International School of Bangkok. In August 1972, P E Rajendra Master suffered a heart attack and died while visiting Sri Lanka. This was an unexpected irreplaceable loss to the family and friends. I hope Rajendra Master sees all of us with a smile from Heaven.

 

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