My brother Paul Soderberg passed away unexpectedly this morning, probably from heart-related issues. So many memories.
This photo, with a broken-winged eagle he saved, is the only one I have of him in Afghanistan when he was working in famine-relief as a Colonel in the Afghan Army. He saved the lives of 30,000 people during the country’s worst famine- shortly before the Russian invasion and occupation. This was in the winter of 1972. The Russians tried to kill him three times.
Paul was an unusual person. He was a Lawrence of Arabia type. He had a scientific mind, and was a Herpetologist at 14 years old (study of snakes,) and was curator of the museum in Bangkok. He and I spent countless weeks trekking through the jungles of northwestern Thailand hunting for rare snakes for the Smithsonian with the Lahu Hill-tribes.
Paul graduated with a degree in Anthropology from ASU in Tempe, Arizona. He was first runner up for the Rhodes Scholarship. He was also an artist, and one of my favorite paintings is one he did of Blue Herons at sunset.
After he returned to America from Afghanistan, he became a published author and worked as a columnist with the Scottsdale Progress. He impacted many thousands of lives, and left us too early. Via con Dios, brother ❤️
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Paul Walker LaRoque June 11, 1972 – August 31, 2022
Paul passed away on August 31, 2022. Paul was born on June 11, 1972 to Fred R. LaRoque and Susan L. LaRoque in Falls Church, Virginia. Paul spent his childhood living abroad in Thailand and South Korea while his father worked for the U.S. Army overseas as a Foreign Affairs Officer. Paul loved living overseas, attending international schools, and exploring exotic foods and destinations as part of his childhood. He was adventurous, enthusiastic, and loved a new challenge.
Paul and his family moved to Bend, Oregon in 1987. Paul was a strong athlete in high school, lettering in both swimming and cross-country running. He graduated from Bend Senior High School in 1991. He followed in his father’s footsteps and attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduating in 1995. He was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps and worked as a communications officer for 10 years. He enjoyed his duty stations of South Korea; Ft. Hood, Texas; Mannheim, Germany; and Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. Paul was honorably discharged from the Army in 2005. Paul moved to Orange County in 2005 and first worked for a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson before starting his own business.
Paul is survived by his daughter, father, sister, former wife, and numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles. He touched many lives with his sharp wit, dry sense of humor, and passionate political views.
Paul’s services will be held at O’Connor Mortuary at 25301, Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 on Sunday, September 11 at 10:00am.
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Here is my Little Brother Scott’s info. Born in Yokota, Japan on March 9th, 1963 at Johnson, AFB He was in Thailand 69-72. He passed a month after his 56th birthday on April 10th, 2019 in Wesley Chapel, Fl.
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With our hearts heavy and grief-stricken, my oldest brother, Donnie and I bring the news of the passing of my twin brother, McKinley Anthony Drew (Mac) who was 63 years young. He has been extremely ill for several months and passed away in his sleep Friday night.
Donnie has taken care of my brother for the past 4 months and being there for my brother when no one else could. No greater love can be expressed than to be the one who takes care of you when you are sick. My brother Donnie is that selfless and generous brother who stepped up to take care of Mac. Donnie is an extraordinary man and brother who I cherish. There were 4 of us kids. Donnie being 2 years ahead of Mac and I and Jackie just 14 months younger than the twins.
As a family we traveled around the world 3 times each time consuming 3 months of intense travel. We certainly got to know each other very well through traveling. These travels lead us places that at the time only people read about those places in books.
This is a tribute to my family and my twin. He was my best friend growing up. I was his sidekick when we went outside to play Cowboys with him imagining himself as Bat Masterson or Jungle Jim in the sixties. He was the one who said “She is on my team” when the neighborhood boys said “No girls” get to play sports. He is the reason I had a happy childhood playing sports and hanging out with the guys.
In Thailand, we would play basketball, football, soccer, swam every day by ourselves with our friends in Rishi Court. In my junior high years, we would play half-court basketball almost every day with our friends in Rishi Court at the outdoor court at ISB. I watched every little league baseball game that my brother played, was scorekeeper, and participated in the practices as my Dad was the Coach of those little league teams.
For our last 2 years of college, we both went to Beirut, Lebanon attending American University of Beirut where again I got to play with boys being the only girl to pay in all male fast pitch softball league. We lived through an intense environment in Beirut and came home to the States. He later came to Texas in his mid-twenties where he lived 18 years there before his work lead him west.
We came into this world together, we played make believe together, we traveled, we played sports together and we cried together. His gift to me was the freedom to enjoy my childhood by participating in something I loved and getting to hang around the guys. This shaped my life in so many positive ways and Mac’s gift to me gave me confidence, freedom, and happiness.
I can never fully express the love and appreciation I have for my twin brother, Mac. I love him with my whole heart and soul, and I know that he has been reunited with with my beloved Mother, Juanita, Sister, Jackie, my nephew, Anthony, my Aunt Rosemary, Uncle Vern, and Cousin John. It is my fervent prayer that the Lord take care of my family in body and spirit. God bless my family.
Special prayers for my father who is 92 years old who just lost his second child and my cousin Gary.
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Lanny attended ISB as a Jr and Sr in 1966-1968. He was the bass player in the band, Flowers. I wanted anyone who remember him to know that he passed away on Friday, 7/15/22 peacefully at home. We miss him already.
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Happy Heavenly Birthday Dad! You’d be 69 years old today and a proud grandfather of 7. Wish you were here enjoying all the fun that life brings. Mikey and Billy are excellent students and phenomenal athletes, loving hockey, baseball and basketball. I started coaching their baseball and Anthony coaches their hockey. I know you’d be at every game if you were here.
I can only imagine how you’re celebrating up there, but it probably includes warm tropical weather, Jimmy Buffet/Beach Boys, Thai food and a nice cold drink. Enjoy! Miss you and love you lots! xoxoxo #legend#captainoffun]#missandloveforever
Tribute by: David Wilkerson
For those of us that knew Michael Daly (’71), I’m sure you were as shocked as I was hearing of his sudden passing November 2001. I will always remember Mike’s strong sense of family and his devotion to his children who he was so proud of. Mike was a charismatic, fun loving man, who lived everyday as if there would be no tomorrow.
Mike was an early pioneer in the Class Rep system, volunteering his time and boundless energy beginning in 1986. He was a key player in the organization and central to the success of the ’88 Boston reunion. Mike’s strong connection to ISB carried through in his efforts with the ISB Network. For Mike, there was no excuse great enough in his relentless quest to get people to attend a reunion. Michael loved the ISB Network and all it stood for. In fact, Mike never missed one single reunion in my 13 years. His desire to reconnect with ISBers, whether it was at a formal reunion, mini-reunion, or just passing through a city was contagious. On many occasions Mike would call to inform us that the data in his directory was incorrect, it seemed he had tried to call or email someone and the phone number or email was bad.
The first reunion I attended was Boston ’88. Mike was my classmate in Bangkok and the first person I saw when I arrived at the hotel in Boston. At all of our reunions he was the Captain of Fun, never a dull moment with Mike at the helm — and never a lack of Mekong. I can’t imagine not seeing Mike’s face at our future reunions and I know I speak for everyone in saying that a true friend of all ISBers has passed on and is greatly missed!
Presently my need to reconnect continues to grow stronger as I reflect on events such as September 11th, as well as my friend Michael’s sudden passing. I think it is important to remember how precious life is, and how valuable our friends are.
Many of you may feel that there will always be time for “the next reunion”– maybe it will be closer to home, etc. One thing I am sure of, and I know Mike would agree, we need not put off reconnecting one more minute because you just never know what card life will deal next and when.
I had planned on not attending the 2002 50th anniversary in Bangkok because of reasons that seemed so trivial to me now. I changed my mind and attended the 50th Homecoming in Bangkok with my 18-year-old son, and then the of course, the 2002 “Hot Fun in the Summer Sun” Phoenix reunion. I am fully registered for the 2004 Incredible Summer Bash Reunion in Florida and challenge you all to sign up as well.
My thoughts and prayers continue go out to all of Michael’s family and friends especially his wonderful children.
Till we see you again old friend,
Sawadee Khrup!
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