Duncan’s death happened on December 6, 1971. Duncan Buchanan class of ’67 was a 2nd Lt in the USA when he was killed by an accidental discharge. He was 22. I do not have an obituary for him. I did find the attached information.
If you need anything else please let me know. Thanks for helping us remember.
Vince Bennett ’67
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Mrs. Marie Matheny was a chemistry teacher at ISB. She passed on in 2011. I became a Chemical Engineer because of her influence. I had reconnected with her in 2009. I would call her every 3-4 months. Ironically, I called one Monday morning and her son answered. She had a massive stroke the night before and died. Following is her obituary.
Matheny, Marie S. – Born October 26, 1926, passed away suddenly on July 10, 2011 of a massive stroke.
Born and raised in Ohio, Marie was the first in her family to attend college, the first woman in her college to graduate with a chemistry degree and the first woman chemist at Sylvania in the ‘50’s. Scientist she was, going on to teach science, math and chemistry, she was also an astrologer with an avid interest in people and their stories.
Married for 63 years to Raymond Matheny, they began as pen pals during WWII and traveled the world together, following Ray’s career from Ohio to Montana, to Oregon, to California, to Thailand to Ethiopia to Hawaii to Virginia to Maryland, and returning to California. In each place they called home, Marie taught the sciences and ended her career as the Chemistry Lab Manager for American University in Washington, D.C. Retired for almost 20 years.
Marie was always busy with her projects, crocheting, studying astrology, organizing a lifetime of slides, listening to audio books, and making friends with all she came in contact with. She became the caretaker for her husband, Ray who became blind in 2006.
She was very close to and proud of her children and their families: Dawn Matheny (daughter) and Milton Woolley, (grandchildren Tara and Peter, and their father Dr. Ron Schuster); Dr. Theo Matheny (son) and Ellen from Washington state; and Jim Matheny (son) and Yvonne from Kentucky.
Because of her fierce, loving, inquisitive spirit, her indomitable will and strength, her warm, nurturing and supportive self, she leaves a hole in the hearts of all who knew her.
A service honoring and celebrating her life was held on Sunday, July 17 2011 at 2:00 pm at Daniels Chapel of the Roses on 1225 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa. All who knew her were invited.
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Lovingly written and submitted by her son Eric Woodard ISB Class of 1991
Tribute With the complete sadness of my entire heart for the coming days we will miss her on this earth, but joy and gratitude for the eternity that will be ours to share with her by God’s grace, I (Eric Woodard) must announce that my dear sweet momma Dixie Woodard has been called to the almighty loving glory of heaven’s host (September 17, 2021).
Besides myself my momma is survived by her husband and partner in life through 51 years of thick and thin John Woodard. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law and my wife Keri Woodard, who she loved so much. Perhaps dearest to her heart, she is also survived by our four children – her grandchildren: Fletcher, Piper, Deacon, and Jasper.
Dr. Dixie Racheal Woodard was born on August 22, 1943 in Kansas City, MO to her loving parents George and Vernelle Wilson. Arriving 13+ years after her older siblings Jerry, Marjorie, and Shirley, my momma was the baby of her family. Shortly after she was born her family moved to the family farm in Keytesville, MO where she grew up among cows and pigs and chickens and goats and sheep. This is where she learned how to grow anything.
After graduating from Keytesville High School in 1961 she and her parents moved to Marshall, MO where she attended Missouri Valley College. Marshall would become the unifying place for her early life. It was from there that she taught in various schools in Texas, Kentucky, and all across Missouri. During this time she earned her Masters from Central Missouri State University in 1968 and married my father John Woodard on June 6, 1970. Marshall is also the place where she hatched me. I feel so so lucky to have had her as my momma. Between 1974 and 1982 she served as principal under the Missouri State School System for the Severely Handicapped at several schools in Marshall and Columbia, MO.
In 1982 our family moved to southern Thailand where my momma taught at the Prince of Songkla University Demonstration School and conducted research on the role of rural school principals for her doctorate, which she received in 1983 from the University of Missouri. In 1984 our family moved to Bangkok, where she taught first and second grade at the International School of Bangkok for next 8 years.
In 1994 my mom and dad moved to Guam, where my momma taught elementary school with Guam Public Schools for a year before joining the faculty of University of Guam as an Associate Professor under the College of Education.
In 2000 she moved to Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, DC where, in her retirement, she occasionally taught courses at American University, and attended countless cultural events across our Nation’s capital. This is where she was so happy to see me get married and meet her four grandbabies between 2008-2018.
My momma was a teacher. The number of people all across the world that learned to read – or learned how to teach others to read – through her master teaching is inestimable. So many times, when many said, “that kid just can’t learn to read” she would say, “let me try” and that kid would read. If you were ever a student of my momma, know that she loves you and still believes in you.
My momma loved all sorts of music, especially live music. She would listen to Mariachi bands for hours. She would sit and listen to traditional Chinese instruments play till the wee hours of the night. One of my earliest memories if of her crying when Elvis died. When I did plays and musicals and sang in choirs, she always came to every single one of my performances; every single one (and there were A LOT).
My momma loved to grow things and could grow anything. She would take her grandkids through her garden and let them pick cucumbers and peppers and tomatoes and everything right off the vine so they could eat them right there.
My momma was a Christian. Throughout her life she was very active in whichever church she served (Disciples of Christ and otherwise). She respected people of all faiths. She taught me about love and faith and hope. The Force has always been with her.
My momma loved dogs. She had them through her whole life. I know Webster and Puppy and Cider and all the others are wagging their heavenly tails with her now.
My momma was a fighter. She never tolerated anybody putting her down, or putting her family down, ever. Over the last year of her life she fought so bravely through a number of ailments to get every last minute she could to be with those she loved and those who love her so so so much.
My momma taught me I can do anything, and I believe her. Even though she won’t be here to remind me about this in person anymore, I know her spirit will be; I already feel it.
I will miss and think about my momma every day for the rest of my life. I am so sad right now, but I know there will be brighter days and, over the mighty horizon we must all one day cross, she will be there waiting for us with love and open arms. I am so grateful that I had her as my momma, she did such a great job in her life, and I love her so much.
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When Craig Allen Roan was born on 2 January 1953, in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Greene, Ohio, United States, his father, Norman Clark Roan Jr, was 28 and his mother, Maudie Bell Cammerer, was 26. He lived in Woodward, Oklahoma, United States. He died on 13 September 2003, in Provo, Utah, United States, at the age of 50, and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Woodward, Oklahoma, United States.
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Lovingly submitted by her partner of 20 years, Sue Rector.
Obituary for Carolly Janne Struck
Carolly “Carol” Janne Struck of Spokane Valley, Washington passed on March 5th, 2023 peacefully at home.
She was born at the Ravenswood Hospital in Chicago, Illinois on June 6, 1953, the youngest child of George and Shirley Struck.
She attended McHenry Community High School in Illinois in her Freshman and Sophomore years and completed her Junior and Senior years at the International School of Bangkok in Bangkok Thailand living with her mother while her father served as a diplomat in Vietnam.
After graduation in 1971 Carol joined the Army. She was stationed at Fort Hamilton, New York from 1971 to 1973 where she served with her long time friend Ernestine Baxter. She was then stationed at Frankfurt Germany from 1973 to 1977 where she was awarded the German Army Marksman Award, Bronze. From 1977 to 1979 Carolly served in Naples, Italy assigned to NATO Command and was recognized for her “faithful and efficient” service as Personnel Sergeant and Reenlistment NCO. During her Enlistment she earned: Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon.
After being honorably discharged she moved to California and was Senior Veterans Customer Advisor Counselor at the College of Alameda for 4 years. She earned her AA degree at the same time. In 1985 she moved back to Illinois and worked as a Personnel Staffing Technician at Fort Sheridan where she met her “sister from another mister” Debbie Herr/Lewis. During which she was awarded US Army Recruiting Command Civilian of the Year (1985). She also worked at this time as an Information Management Technician at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
From 1995 till her retirement in 2010 she was the Head Librarian at Naval Hospital Great Lakes, Illinois. During her tenure she was awarded: Junior Civilian of the Quarter, US Naval Hospital Great Lakes (1997), Federal Library Technician of the Year Finalist from the Library of Congress (2000), Federal Employee of the Year Finalist for the Chicago Metropolitan Area (2000), Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal(2002), First Place Winner of the National Medical Library Association Award (2004), Awarded 35 year Civil Service Pin in 2010.
She was an active in member of several Library Associations; she served in the Hospital Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects, as well as the Hospital Graduate Medical Education Committee. She was the Leader of the Hospital Beautification Team in 2005.
When Carolly retired in 2010 she moved to the Spokane area and began to pursue her hobbies with a great gusto. She was a ghost hunter and she loved doing paranormal research about the locations she personally investigated. She also loved going to famous locations like Pompeii, the Tower of London, Waverly Sanitarium in Kentucky, the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, and Gettysburg National Park in Pennsylvania to name a few. Carolly loved going to Powwows, museums, and libraries. She also was interested in the local legend of Bigfoot and attended many conferences in the area. Every year we made a pilgrimage to McMinnville, Oregon for the UFO Festival that was so much fun. She enjoyed traveling, seeing the sites and meeting people. She loved talking to everyone and made friends that she loved to see again at these events. She was also interested in genealogy and was very proud of her Danish heritage. Her family will always remember her as a vibrant, joyful and caring human being.
Carolly is survived by her current life-partner Sue Rector who she lived with from 2002 to 2023.
Carolly is predeceased by her previous life-partner, Sandra Olson(1995-2000), they were together five years. She is predeceased by her parents George (1926-1994) and Shirley (1925-1997). She is survived by her older brothers Michael and Kristopher Struck and a younger half brother Randy Struck. Also, she is survived by Michael’s ex-wife Virginia Struck and her children, Zeke Struck and Jacee Nova.
A Life Well Lived Service is planned for June 6th. For those who are unable to attend a virtual service will be broadcasted on Facebook Memorial page. If you have a story you would like to share about Carolly it would be wonderful to be part of the service since she loved telling stories. For those who wanted them, Parting Stones will be sent prior to the service. I am asking for those who want them to take extras for those places that Carolly loved. I am placing one at our special place next to the river where she loved to listen to the running water and smell the pines.
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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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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.”
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