Kathy Medlin ~ Class of 1972
Departed ~ 6/25/2023
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings
Kathryn “Kathy” Medlin ~ Class of 1972
Karen Berkow ~ Class of 1968
Karen Berkow ~ Class of 1968
Arrived ~ 6/11/1950
Departed ~ 6/18/2023
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings
James Robert “Jim” Meeker ~ Class of 1975
Jim Meeker ~ Class of 1975
Departed ~ 2/9/2016
Obituary for James Robert Meeker
James R. Meeker February 9, 2016
Long time resident of St. Louis, born in New Jersey
Dear son of the late Merle and Mary Meeker
Loving father of James Meeker of Cleveland, Oh.
Dear brother of John (Sue) of Huxley, Ia., Julie Allsup of St. Louis, Joseph of Foley, Mo., Jeremy of Jackson, Mo., Jodie (Matt) McCarthy of Anchorage, Ak. and the late Joyce Meeker
Dear uncle to many, great-uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend
James was member and treasurer of the 3rd Infantry Div. Association., the Korean War Aux., and member of SLU Alumni Organization
He was business consultant and business owner
Visitation 4-8pm Friday February 12, 2016 at Jay B. Smith Funeral Home 7456 Manchester
Funeral service Saturday 10am at funeral home with interment at St. Matthew Cemetery
Memorial contributions to V.A. St. Louis Fisher House, 1Jefferson Barracks Rd. St. Louis, Mo. 63125 or Humane Society of Missouri, 1201 Macklind Ave. 63110
Tributes at jaybsmith.com
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Joyce Dee Meeker ~ Class of 1973
Joyce Dee Meeker ~ Class of 1973
Departed ~ 9/6/1997
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David Stevens “Steve” Burgess ~ Class of 1976
Steve Burgess ~ Class of 1976
Arrived ~ 11/24/1957
Departed ~ 5/17/2023
Steve’s brother John lovingly wrote:
I’m sad to post the death of my dear brother, Steve Burgess, ’76, who was at ISB from 1967 to 1971.
David Stevens “Steve” Burgess
November 24, 1957 – May 17, 2023
Steve Burgess, sweet brother and uncle, devoted friend, and dedicated member of First United Presbyterian Church of Salem, New York, died at Saratoga Hospital on May 17, almost two years after a diagnosis of lung cancer. Steve was a gentle, quiet, and loving soul who loved to paint, care for his dog, and call his friends and family. Through his terrible illness, he endured treatment bravely and without complaint.
Steve’s life began a long way from Salem, in New Delhi, India, where he was born in 1957, the youngest child of a diplomatic family. In Thailand, he was a boy scout and his troop once took a trek in the mountains with an elephant carrying their camping gear. He and his brother took train trips around the countryside.
Steve returned to the United States as a teenager and graduated from Montclair High School in New Jersey. Soon his life took a tragic turn with the onset of schizophrenia. For more than a decade he was in and out of mental institutions. But in his 30s he started to find his footing. It seemed a miracle, but much of it came from his own determination. He moved to East Greenwich, New York, and, in 2005, to Salem.
Steve became a familiar sight around town, sometimes driving a pick-up filled with materials for many home improvement projects of his own design. He walked his dog at Salem Art Works. He got coffee and cigarettes at Stewart’s, casseroles at the St. Paul’s food pantry.
Steve studied art as a young man and came to be accomplished with a brush, creating a distinctive style of soft pastels and bold brush strokes. He always painted from imagination, not real life. He once called himself an “armchair painter,” because he didn’t set up an easel outside. He shared his art in exhibits in Salem, Greenwich, Cambridge and Schuylerville. In his early years he focused on scenes from nature. In his later, he painted scenes from the Bible, reflecting his deepening Christian faith.
At Salem First United Presbyterian Church, Steve served on the outreach committee and was a regular at its Bible study sessions. Sometimes his dog came along. Toward the end of his life, he was talking of becoming a deacon.
Steve’s family and friends miss him. Mental illness created many challenges, but Steve managed to live a productive and independent life. He loved Salem and found ways to contribute to the community. In an artist statement, Steve wrote, “Some sort of connection with the natural world in our daily lives is essential to our physical and mental wellbeing. I feel fortunate to live in the area of the country that I love the most.”
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings
John M. Soderberg PhD ~ Class of 1968
John Soderberg ~ Class of 1968
Departed ~ 5/13/2023
Lovingly posted by John’s daughter, Misty.
Hello to all John Soderberg’s friends. This is Misty his daughter. I wanted to let everyone know that John passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. I want to keep this post short as we are all mourning his loss right now. I know John knew so many people so I wanted to share this sad news. I thank you for all the love you have shown him over the years (and the likes 👍) I will miss my father terribly. He knew how much he was loved ❤️ RIP John Soderberg
John M. Soderberg PhD
Location: Sedona, Arizona
Interview dates: September 12 & 14, 2015
“To me, art is not a luxury, but is a basic human necessity. Art can, and should, remind us of our humanity, and that of others, and enhance the quality of our lives. From the earliest artists, Stone Age storytellers around a fire in a cave, to the painters and sculptors and architects of today, art has pervaded and shaped our societies. To me, an artist is not primarily a creator, but is rather a conduit—absorbing, translating, and conveying messages of value to others, living or centuries yet to be born.”
John Soderberg circled the world eight times and visited more than 40 countries before graduating high school in Bangkok, Thailand. His father Richard had been commissioned in 1947 by the King of Afghanistan to build the first engineering school in that country. Born in 1950, John spent his first four years there, after which the family moved to India for five years, and then Thailand for eight years.
The Soderberg family was required to circle the world every two years. Loving art, they spent much time in Europe and Asia, visiting the world’s great art in museums, galleries, cathedrals and temples. In Rome, when John was five, his mother Betty held him up so he could touch the foot of Michaelangelo’s Moses. He experienced his first epiphany, and was amazed at the ability of sculpture to move people, centuries after the artist was gone. He dedicated himself to art, started painting in oils at age five, and studied teakwood carving with Thailand’s leading master, a Buddhist monk, from age 12.
After high school in Thailand, John came to America for college, in Washington State. Due to extreme culture shock, he dropped out and painted on the street in Berkely, California, in the middle of the riots of the late 60s. In 1970, for a life-change, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years. After receiving his Honorable Discharge, he worked as a machinist days and painted and made jewelry nights. Among others works, he completed a commission for a bracelet for Elvis Presley, then moved his family to Flagstaff, Arizona, to work in a bronze foundry to learn the art and craft of sculpture.
After numerous and interesting starving artist years, John began selling his art professionally, and served as Artist in Residence at Northern Arizona University. He later received his Ph.D. in Humane Letters from that institution. He has since completed monumental bronze commissions for private parties, corporations, churches, and organizations across the country, including Amnesty International, the Crystal Cathedral, the Sedona Synagogue, Rancho Feliz Charitable Group, Free The Slaves organization, Pepsico Corporation, Texas Winery Products, Jacmar Foods, the Honeywell Foundation, Wilden Pump and Engineering, and others. Along with his other works, he has sculpted numerous influential figures including Christ, Steve Biko, Al Stein, Moses, Merlin, Billy Graham, Norman Vincent Peale, Sacajawea, Mark Honeywell, Bill and Vieve Gore, Robert Schuller, Jim Wilden, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, St. Catherine of Siena, Gil Gillenwater, and others.
John became involved with service-work in the military, and has since donated a large portion of his time and work to others, focusing on children and women in need. He has worked with domestic abuse shelters, Amnesty International, Free The Slaves, Rancho Feliz, Big brothers, Big Sisters, and many other groups and causes. In the late 90s, John was knighted by Ulf Hamilton, a Swedish Count, for his service.
John lives and works in the Sedona, Arizona area. His daughters, Heather and Misty, both noted professional sculptors, work with him on all of his monuments. They each began spontaneously sculpting at age one, turned professional at age two, (at their own choice,) and were featured on Paul Harvey News, People Magazine, National Geographic World, That’s Incredible T.V., and other media, and showed their work in galleries in Scottsdale and Houston, all before eight years of age, and all before their father achieved any professional success, whatever.
Cultural Value of Bronze
Biography
“Standing in front of the ovens in Auschwitz at age ten and traveling through Southern India, I witnessed the pain and brutality of humanity; but from that same humanity, I have witnessed also instances of humanity’s rare and unearthly beauty, of hope, compassion and faith”.
“One of the most crucial human qualities, I believe, is empathy. Given empathy, brutality becomes impossible. Empathy is at the heart of our humanity, and in fact is the heart of our humanity, for it reduces the barriers of race, religion, and creed to items of mild interest, while unlocking our true, inherent human dignity.
John M SoderbergDeep Water Blow Eyes
The act of encapsulating empathy in some medium, be it dance or music, painting or sculpture, simple stories or more complex forms, is my definition of art. The feeling and then the sharing of an emotion or idea — which is the essence of art — is what makes us human”.
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Mr. Gary Starr Kocher ~ 1967-1968
Mr. Gary Starr Kocher ~ F-Faculty 1967-1968
Arrived ~ 12/24/1937
Departed ~ 12/3/2015
GARY STARR KOCHER OBITUARY
Gary Starr Kocher, age 77, of Toledo, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 3, 2015. He was born on December 24, 1937, to Franklin C. and Ruth E. (Young) Kocher in Akron, OH. As a child Gary grew up in Akron, OH, Rockville, MD and moved to Shelby, OH where he graduated high school. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan where he was a drum major for three years. Later he received his Master’s Degree from the University of Toledo. For 37 years he taught and was the head of the Science Department at Sylvania Northview High School. Gary also taught at Willow Run, MI and Bangkok, Thailand.
Some of Gary’s passions and interests were natural vegetable and flower gardening, fused glass work and stained glass work.
Left to cherish his memory are his siblings, Terry (Mike Reichert) Bodager, Lary Kocher and Sherry Kocher; four nephews; two nieces and three great-nieces.
The family will receive guests on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Newcomer Funeral Home, 4150 W. Laskey Rd. (419-473-0300). Sharing of Memories will begin in the funeral home on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Mr. Kocher,
You were my favorite teacher during my time at ISB. You always found a way to make learning fun, and your smile was contagious. That Saturday that you took several of us to Chinatown was a great adventure and one of my fondest memories of Bangkok. Rest in peace and Thank you, David Wilkerson
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Barbara “Bonnie” Tullar Thompson ~ Class of 1972
Bonnie Tullar ~ Class of 1972
Arrived ~ 5/6/1954
Departed ~ 11/5/2022
Lovingly Reported by, Deborah Bornstein Munoz
Bonnie Tullar Thompson, Class of ‘72 earned her angel wings on November 5, 2022. Hoping to wish her a happy birthday today, it was a sad shock to see an obituary on her profile. I had not known of this until today. Bonnie was a dear friend, fun and loving, gone far too soon and now I picture her in Heaven with our friend Sarah Ann Vessey 💔. Here’s a picture of Bonnie sitting between Jill McAlvage and Sarah and Ora Brough behind her, a typical weekend scene for us back then. …sending condolences and prayers for comfort and love for all of Bonnie’s friends and family.
Bonnie’s Son, Jared Thompson Lovingly Wrote:
For those of you who did not know my mom personally, this is her. I wanted to share this beautiful photo of her. Nearly 2 weeks it’s been now. I miss you so much.
Bonnie Tullar Thompson
May 6, 1954- November 5, 2022
OBITUARY
Bonnie Tullar Thompson
MAY 6, 1954 – NOVEMBER 5, 2022
Barbara (Bonnie) Thompson began life at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Tx. May 6, 1954, and departed this world for the next, on Nov. 5, 2022 at her home in San Antonio. Her parents, Thomas and Dorothy (Dot) Tullar, fulfilled a 26-year Army career, moving Bonnie and her younger sisters, Linda and Sue throughout the world. In doing so, Bonnie was exposed to many cultures and many people which gave her a worldly education all on its own. Bonnie graduated from the International School of Bangkok in 1972 and enrolled at Texas Christian University (TCU). While studying in the field of Social Work, she met and after graduation, married the man who would be the long-time love of her life, Chris.
Together they soon moved to San Antonio, where Bonnie worked in Child Welfare for the State for many years. After their third son was born, she decided to give up Social Work and do the equally rewarding work of raising a family and keeping a welcoming home. She did it all with grace and good cheer.
She is well remembered and already deeply missed. Her sons, Jared, Zach, and Adam Thompson, all survive her and are inspired by her love and devotion. Chris admits to “marrying up” and certainly becoming a better man for it. Bonnie worked tirelessly at St. Matthews United Methodist Church over the years, with Children’s Church, Youth Groups, Vacation Bible School, Boy Scouts and many other efforts. In her passing, many hearts are saddened, but many smiles come forth in any remembrance of her.
In lieu of flowers, please consider Bonnie’s favorite charities. The St. Joseph Indian School, PO Box 100, Chamberlain, South Dakota 57325. Or the Special Needs Ministry of University Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, 78249.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com for the Thompson family.
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings
Mrs. Rachelle Gerson – Bennett ~ Former Faculty
Mrs. “Abby” Rachelle Gerson ~ Former Faculty 1957
Arrived ~ 8/23/1933
Departed ~ 3/5/2023
Lovingly written and submitted by her son Sidney Gerson ~ Class of 1972
Rachelle Musman Bennett 8/23/1933 – 3/5/2023
Mom was born in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxemburg. She told us of her early life in Luxemburg and how she, being the youngest, and only daughter of four children, was spoilt rotten. One snowy day her three brothers, Jacques, Maurice, and Bernard were forced into taking her sledding. When they reached the bottom of the hill, she didn’t want to walk back up so she cried and screamed so loud and long, causing the neighbors to look out their windows, forcing her brothers to drag her back up the hill while she sat on the sled. Mom even had a dog that would meet her after school and carry her books home.
When she was around seven, the Nazis invaded Luxemburg and the family had to escape. They fled all the way to the South of France, sometimes finding a truck to take them and sometimes on foot. When they were on foot they had to watch for Nazi planes and had to jump in bushes to hide. After the dangerous trip our mom was hidden in a convent. She lived in the convent as a young catholic girl until a family was found to take her in. As Rachelle got on the bus to travel to this family, the Mother Superior gave her some Rosary Beads. Rachelle refused the beads saying “I am Jewish”. Mother Superior convinced her to take the rosary which turned out quite fortunate. The bus was stopped at a checkpoint, the Nazis were searching for Jews, Rachelle pulled out those rosary beads and started saying the prayers like a good little catholic girl!
She went on to Rodez, France, where she assumed the identity of a young French girl who had died, and lived as the daughter of the Catholic family. Of course, during this period, she was such a good student that she won an award which was signed and presented by a Nazi General and she accepted this award in front of a large assembly of students, their families, and of course Nazis.
After the war she burned the award along with other memorabilia she had accumulated because she wanted no memory of the traumatic years she had to endure. It was always hard for our mother to talk about this time in her life, although she was able to sit through two interviews recording her personal experience of the Holocaust.
Once I was driving her to a Holocaust Survivor’s event where she was supposed to be one of the speakers when she suddenly said “I cannot do this, turn around right now!” I tried talking to her and calm her down but I could see she was getting terrified so I stopped trying to convince her to go, and came up with an alternative plan. We went and ate Thai food and she felt better.
After the War, mom’s family immigrated to America. They sailed across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth and started a new life in Brooklyn where our mom attended high school. In her high school year book she wrote that she wanted to live in the Orient. Mom went on to get a Batchelor’s Degree in Romance Languages from Brooklyn College. While at Brooklyn College, she went to a Jewish Mixer where she met our father, who had been born and raised in Thailand, the Orient! After college they were married and moved to Bangkok so our father could join his family’s business.
Mom became a teacher, and taught high school French, Latin, Math, and Chemistry at the International Children’s Center (now the International School of Bangkok.) Later she taught French at the Bangkok Pattana school where Suzanne and I both attended. In her first year of teaching, Mom had some belligerent students. She failed the ones who didn’t do their work, almost the whole class. The headmaster told her she couldn’t fail them. She said this was the grade they deserved. Then she worked with those students so they could bring their grades up. They all ended up getting B’s and A’s!
Our mom fully embraced life as an expat in Thailand and created a diverse community of friends. She joined charitable organizations such as the International Women’s Club, the American Women’s club and the Red Cross Society. When Temple Beth Elisheva was formed she became very involved with the temple’s Sisterhood. She also learned to play bridge and got so good that long time experienced players wanted to be her partner.
In Thailand Mom discovered her love of entertaining. She hosted dinners for the expat and Thai business communities. The formal evening Bar Mitzvah party she organized for me was one of biggest social events in Bangkok that year.
She gave me and Suzanne big birthday parties and made beautiful cakes for us. One year, my cake was a ship. Another birthday Mom used Suzanne’s favorite doll and made the cake around the doll to look like a beautiful gown and made a tiara that was edible! Our mom also liked making elaborate costumes for us for Purim and Halloween. I was always one of the three kings in the Bangkok Pattana School Christmas Play. I’m pretty sure it was because I always had a most spectacular costume!
One Thanksgiving dinner that she hosted, mom made pilgrim costumes for Suzanne and me and we had to meet the guests at the gate and walk them to the party around the pool. She gave me some money and bought (confiscated) my small sampan boat and had it converted into a Viking ship where she set up the buffet dinner.
Mom was an excellent cook. In Bangkok, she made an agreement with our cook, SomSee. For every Thai dish SomSee would teach her, Mom would teach SomSee a European dish. Years later, before there were any Asian markets in the USA, Suzanne and I would go over to Mom’s house to make curry pastes. We would decide what curry paste we were going to make, buy almost every ingredient we needed at the grocery store, make a few substitutions, and Mom would whip it up in the blender. They tasted so authentic.
In Thailand our best friends were the Isaacs. No, not Jewish! One year Hanukah would be celebrated at our house and Christmas at theirs and vice versa the next year. Because of this, Christmas became very important to our mother and us. One year here in America mom decided she was going to put on a very fancy Christmas dinner. She skinned a goose in one piece, breaded the goose, sewed the skin back together and stuffed it with her homemade stuffing. The goose and the stuffed skin were baked together so when the main course was brought out it looked like there were two geese at the table! The goose fat from the skin sure made the stuffing taste great but she said she would never do that again!
Thailand was where Mom’s love for gardening began. Our house sat on an acre of land and she completely transformed the grounds into lush tropical gardens. She spent hours every week in the garden nurturing the fauna, and there were flowers of all colors with bougainvillea hedges, frangipani trees, roses, jasmine, orchids and also beautiful shade trees around the pool. She was always trying to chase our barking deer away for the fresh bougainvillea buds, boy did those deer like the tender buds!
Our mom had a great sense of humor and enjoyed joking around. Once, when she came to help me for two weeks after I had back surgery, I discovered something about her sense of humor I never suspected. The movie Spaceballs was coming on TV and I told Mom she probably would not like it. She asked me what was Spaceballs and told her it was a movie by Mell Brooks. Whereupon she completely surprised me “I love Mel Brooks, Blazing Saddles is Dolph and my favorite movie, Dolph and I watch it every month”!
One time in Thailand, we boated out to an island with a large group of friends. Mom contributed hard boiled eggs for lunch. Since we were on a beach everyone decided to have fun and use their heads to crack the eggs. Mom came up and asked to use my head, I said yes and suddenly I had raw egg all over me. Everyone laughed and laughed. After I washed up, she brought another egg over and I said NO, I would crack it myself and I had egg all over me again! She insisted it was a mistake but I know better.
Another time, in Brooklyn, Mom and Suzanne were walking home from the Subway. They passed a pizza place where music was blaring out into the street. Mom put down her packages and started dancing. Of course, Suzanne was very embarrassed, but our mom just had fun.
A little known fact about our mom was that she was a jock! She could run like the wind; she played golf quite well and she was on a dive team when she was a teenager. One day, when a group of us kids were water skiing in Pattaya, our mothers decided to learn how to ski also. Mom’s first try she was up and skiing. Then she let go of the rope. When asked why she let go of the rope she replied “I don’t know how to ski yet”!
This went on for a few times so we had to fix this. Her next try all the children in the boat started yelling hold on, hold on, hold on… and she finally did hold on. A couple of weeks later she was on a slalom ski.
A few years after her first marriage ended, Mom was in synagogue in Bangkok and she kept hearing a beeping noise. She looked over and realized the noise was coming from the gentleman she was sitting next to. Adolph Bennett’s hearing aid was making noises and he kept putting his finger to his ear. So she thought it was just like in the movies, he must be a secret agent man! They talked after the service and he asked her out and a romance was kindled. At the time, he was stationed in Laos so they managed a long-distance relationship. Several months later after Dolph was stationed back in Thailand, they were married and shortly thereafter moved to Annandale Virginia.
A year later year Dolph was stationed in Kenya for three years. In Nairobi Mom continued creating beautiful gardens. She immediately was out in the garden with the gardener trimming and planting native species of flowering plants and turning her garden into a colorful portrait. Our mom again involved herself in many charitable organizations and the Jewish community. She and Dolph had many fancy parties and she enjoyed showing off her garden to her guests. She was happy to learn about several parts of Africa when she was able to accompany Dolph on some of his work trips.
Dolph’s next post was in Washington DC. Mom again became involved in clubs and charitable organizations. She was the President of the Falls Church women’s club for three years. She belonged to the sisterhood at Temple Rodef Shalom, and served for a year as President. She earned her Master Gardening Certification. She was proud of the garden she nurtured at her home in Falls Church, gave tours of her garden and taught at her gardening club. She could not have had this wonderful garden with out the help of her former son-in-law David who faithfully came over weekly to help her in the garden and mow the lawn. After mom got her companion dog Muffy, David also brought along special treats for Muffy.
One thing Mom used the flowers from her garden for was creating flower arrangements. She would trim her plants and create beautiful center pieces and other arrangements for the parties she had. Mom became so good at arranging flowers she started a business making bouquets and arrangements for weddings and celebrations. Waking up at 4 AM to help her take all the flowers to a church for a wedding was so much fun!
A joy for Mom of living back in the US, was being able to spend time with extended family, including her own mother and brothers.
Another big privilege of living in the US was being Nanny to one of the joys of her life, her grandson Aaron. She got to spend a lot of time with him and watch Aaron grow from his babyhood to an outstanding man. Mom also enjoyed the times she spent with Dolph’s grandchildren.
I would like to thank Keith for the support he gave Suzanne during the past year and most importantly, I wish to thank my sister Suzanne deeply for the loving care she took of our wonderful mom.
Thank you for gathering with us here today to honor our mother. We will miss her guidance, humor, and love
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings
Barry Daniels Rigby ~ Class of 1961
Barry Rigby ~ Class of 1961
Departed ~ 7/20/2020
Leilani Rigby lovingly wrote:
Thank you for responding to my message about Barry’s death. I apologize for my slow response. And thank you for your efforts in assembling a tribute page – what wonderful old photos.
I will attach a few photos, not that you need to post them but I always want to share Barry’s wonderful life. One shows him with an ISB buddy building a raft to use on the Kwai River. One shows him with Afghan elders at a refugee camp in Pakistan. One shows him building our deck. And one just shows his beautiful face.
There was not a published obituary, but here is a short version of the eulogy I prepared.
Five years as an army officer showed Barry that he enjoyed leadership positions, that he was an effective listener and counsellor, and that he no longer wanted an army career. So he got a degree in social work.
He worked with an international social work organization in New York City for six years, then joined the UN refugee program (UNHCR), where he worked for 20 years in many challenging locations and programs. He was posted in Switzerland (HQ), southern Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Turkey, and Bosnia, He organized effective programs under difficult circumstances, aided by talented and helpful staff. He took early retirement in 2000 because he knew he had Parkinson’s and wanted to have some quality time living in upstate New York doing the other things he loved.
Barry was always active and eager for a challenge, often with his old ISB buddies, building on the escapades and adventures they’d in high school He loved working with his hands and built a lovely – if quirky – house for his family in Jefferson, NY. In retirement he achieved his life-long fantasies of country living, hard work, lots of boys toys, and fresh air.
He continued to have worsening health problems. In 2010 he had a terrible bicycle accident, breaking 12 bones, then a long rehab. He was then diagnosed with a rare genetic form of emphysema. This left him increasingly short of breath, eventually and requiring oxygen. Added to these were a myriad of less major ailments and health challenges. Yet he never gave up or stopped taking on new projects. He had a life-long love of hard work and staying active, which is probably what enabled him to live to age 77 despite his deteriorating body. He died outdoors on a beautiful day, doing work he loved. An autopsy concluded he’d had a heart attack, probably due to an enlarged heart. Yes, he had a very big heart. His life was one of value, well lived.
He is survived by his wife Leilani, two daughters, Fiona and Metasabia, and three grandchildren.
From: Leilani Rigby
To: director.comms
Sent: Wed, Feb 22, 2023 9:13 pm
Subject: Barry Rigby, Class of ’61
I opened Barry’s email account for the first time today. I see that
you have been sending messages to him at bdrigby@yahoo.com. I am
Barry’s wife and I’m very sorry to have to tell you that he died on
20 July 2020. His years at ISB provided him with a lot of wonderful
memories and our family with a lot of wonderful stories.
Thank you,
Leilani Rigby
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings