In Memory of our Dearly Departed ISB Brothers and Sisters
Category: Memorial post
These are the rolling memorial posts displayed in reverse chron by date of departure. they are linked to from the memorial pages by class year, alpha list and date of death
Ann was a close friend of many of our ISB family. She graduated Class of ’74 – she had been at ISB since around 1965, coming from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). She was well known and loved amongst the ISB crowd of Washington DC and Northern Virginia, and she will be missed by many.
Ann went on to earn a Certificate in French language & translation at l’Ecole Moderne du Commerce et des Langues in Lausanne, Switzerland. She then studied Liberal arts at the American College of Barcelona, Spain, earning her Associate degree. Later Ann earned a Bachelor degree in Latin American Studies and Business Administration at Flagler College, and more recently Ann achieved her Master’s of Business Administration at the George Washington University School of Business, with studies in Finland and Turkey. A true International kid, Ann spoke French and Spanish, fluently.
Ann is survived by her daughter Julia and her son Don. Ann was a Christian but she observed and respected the ways of Judaism, seeking to understand and practice Christianity in the ways of the first generation of Christians. Ann’s work on this plane is done, she is now in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“May her memory be a blessing.”
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Mary Lou Kuehn was 72 years young when she passed away on July 25, 2021, from acute myeloid leukemia. Diagnosed in March, Mary Lou spent 5 months fighting with every fiber of her being to stay with us–a testament to her iron will and fierce love. While her loss will resonate timelessly with her loving network of family and friends, we will remember her unending curiosity, enduring passion, and selfless commitment to her loved ones. We take solace in Mary Lou spending her final days in comfort and surrounded by love.
Mary Lou was born on March 15, 1949, in Yakima, Washington to Colonel Robert John Kuehn and Mary Salatino Kuehn. Her father’s career in the Air Force took Mary Lou and her five siblings all over the world. Mary Lou spent portions of her youth in San Antonio, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Boston, MA; Wiesbaden, Germany; and Bangkok, Thailand—where she graduated from the International School of Bangkok. She then attended the University of Washington where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and later a Certificate in Intellectual Property Management. In the 1980’s she had three children, Matthew, Rosemarie and Christopher. While her selfless, dedicated parenting flowed from her grace and patience, her career path was emblematic of her curiosity and adaptability. She worked many jobs, including running a home daycare, before entering the legal field as a paralegal–most notably for firms Lane Powell and Mills, Meyers, Swartling—working for the latter in several capacities for 14 years.
Retirement did nothing to slow Mary Lou down. After her parents’ deaths, she assumed the mantle of family matriarch and planned everything from reunions to weddings, baby showers, and family Zoom calls, always doing her best to hold everyone together. She spent her golden years pursuing a myriad of interests: she extended her role as organizer in chief through part time positions at several nonprofits; volunteered with Moms Demand Action; took up birdwatching; and mastered the arts of gardening, needlework and baking-most notably her famous pecan pie. At the age of sixty-eight, she decided that she would hike the Wonderland Trail at Mt. Rainier, coaxing her sister Liz and other family along on a series of rigorous backpacking trips. While she was unable to complete the trail in her lifetime, those that were fortunate enough to accompany her on these adventures treasure their time with her in the wilderness.
Mary Lou is survived by her three children: Matthew McCulloch, his wife Jessica and their children Aidan and Piper; Rosemarie Chartier, her husband Tim, and their newborn son Milo; and Christopher Chartier; her five siblings: Robert J. Kuehn Jr and his wife Elizabeth; Thomas J. Kuehn and his wife Sydney; Kathryn Kuehn O’Leary and her husband David; Stephen J. Kuehn and his wife Jean; and Elizabeth C. Kuehn; and numerous nieces and nephews and their children whom Mary Lou loved and who loved her in return.
To honor Mary Lou, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the organizations that allowed for her to have superlative care through her illness or one of the charitable organizations she supported through her life: Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Bloodworks Northwest, Washington Trails Association, and Doctors Without Borders. A celebration of life will be held in the spring. Published on October 3, 2021
Lovingly submitted by Marti Doggett Class of 1967
More sad news….I had an email from Kathryn Kuehn O’Leary ’68 that her sister, Mary Lou Kuehn ’67 (and my very close friend senior year at ISB)passed away last Sunday, July 25, 2021.
Kathy wrote: “Mary Lou was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, but we thought she had a good chance of survival. We were pretty shocked when the doctors told us it was time to move her to “comfort care” which was the result of complications from the disease……Rosie (Mary Lou’s daughter) is about to deliver Mary Lou’s first grandchild. It was heart wrenching that Mary Lou did not survive to see this precious little gift that she was so thrilled about and anxiously awaiting.”
I’ve had several email exchanges with Kathy…a memorial service will be held but it may be a while as Rosie settles into motherhood and has a chance to plan the service.
Kathy knows that I’m sharing this news with you.
Marti Doggett Class of 1967
William Bill Clarke wrote:
So very sad to hear about the passing of ISBer Mary Lou Kuehn, Class of 1967, we were friends at ISB in 1967, and we keep in touch after Bangkok, I only have one letter I could find of her life and feelings in 1968, she was a good student, carrying a 3.333 QPA, and for a freshman, that was quite an undertaking by the academic standards then, she had a really cute sense of humor, and we laughed a lot together at ISB, in Bangkok, my condolences to the entire Kuehn family, I had seen Kathy Kuehn at the San Diego reunion, God Bless Mary Lou Kuehn
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It is with heavy hearts we announce that our sister, Judith Kathleen Benson passed on to join our Lord on May 2, 2018, after a short illness.
Judy arrived into the world in Ft. Lewis, WA, in 1948. Born as an U.S. Army dependent, Judy lived all around the country, from Washington state, Leavenworth, KS, Long Branch, NJ, Florida and northern Virginia. In the early 1960s, upon her father’s retirement from the Army, the family moved to Djakarta, Indonesia. That tour was followed by several years in Bangkok, Thailand, where she graduated with honors from the International School Bangkok in 1966. She was inducted into the National Honor Society that same year. While in Bangkok, Judy hosted an English language easy-listening music program on a Thai FM radio station for two years.
Judy returned to the States to attend Sarah Lawrence College, graduating magna cum laude in 1970 with a degree in drama. After graduation, she spent the next few years involved with New York’s off-Broadway theater scene, acting in several productions presented at the La Mama Experimental Theatre Club. She consistently received good reviews.
In 1973, Judy relocated to Washington, D.C. where she continued to pursue her interest in the dramatic arts with the local theatre scene, performing in productions at Arena Stage. She also worked as a researcher at the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Smithsonian Institution. Other research positions included work at an FM radio station in Silver Spring.
Judy struggled with mental illness since 1973, receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In 1974, she entered into a pioneering experimental treatment program at the National Institute for Mental Health in Bethesda, MD. The experimental drugs she was treated with helped establish today’s modern mental health drug protocols. Judy’s original diagnosis eventually changed into what is presently referred to as bi-polar disorder.
Judy also struggled with the social isolation that is all too common for those with chronic mental illness. She constantly sought to overcome the stigma associated with the disease. It was a long fight.
Judy relocated to the Philadelphia area, in 2010, eventually ending up in Chester, PA. She was just recently diagnosed with lung cancer which had quickly spread to other organs.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph W. and Nancy (Friel) Benson, along with a brother, Joe, and sister, Samantha. She is survived by her sister, Joanne Carr (Paul), brother John (Marynell), nieces Christine and Lucy, step-nephew Jeff DeLong and nephew Sam. Mental health affects everyone. Please send a donation in Judy’s memory to the National Alliance on Mental Illness at www.nami.org. A memorial service and reception will be scheduled at a future time and place.
Thank you, Joanne and John
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Delia Valentin of Kapaa died September 21, 2017, at the age of 63. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 30, 1953 and was an actress.
Delia is survived by her husband, Morgan Liddell; son, Marc Valentin; mother, Lucia Valentin and brother, Adelino Valentin Jr.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at Lihue Christian Church at 4:00 p.m. For more information please check “Delia Valentin’s Memorial Service” event on Facebook.
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Cynthia (Cyndi) Gearin Hilgartner passed away on June 12th. She was the proud and dedicated mother of two boys, Nicholas and Benjamin; and a devoted and loving wife, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, and friend. She touched those who came to know her with her genuine warmth, kindness, and humor.
Born the older of a pair of twin girls in Norwalk Connecticut on 21 July 1966, she spent her early childhood in Brookfield Connecticut. At 10, her family moved to Taiwan and for the next 8 years, they moved throughout Southeast Asia from Taiwan, to Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok, where she graduated from the International School of Bangkok (ISB) in 1984. Cyndi enjoyed growing up in these different cultures and fondly reminisced about riding bikes through the rice paddies in Taipei, beach vacations in the Philippines, delicious food, including from street vendors, and rock concerts in Bangkok. She was a welcoming friend in these changing environments, a cheerleader for both ISKL and ISB, and editor of ISB’s literary magazine.
Cyndi attended Fairfield University, graduating in 1988 with degrees in English and Education; and married her college sweetheart on October 7th 1989. She began her next adventure as an Army spouse, making a home and raising her two boys in Germany, Georgia, Kentucky, California, Tokyo, Okinawa, Seoul, and Alaska.
She found joy in helping others. While stationed in Germany, Cyndi was employed helping soldiers and family members transitioning from military to civilian life. This experience led her to pursue her passion as a counselor. Throughout long stretches as a solo-parent during deployments and training exercises, she returned to school, receiving masters degrees from the University of Maryland in Educational Counseling, and the University of Alaska in Therapeutic Counseling. She worked within the Department of Defense Dependent School system as an English Teacher and Guidance Counselor in Japan and Korea. She also worked as a Grief Counselor for Hospice of Anchorage, AK, as a therapist for Catholic Charities of Arlington, VA, and most recently as a Licensed Professional Counselor for Upper Bay Counseling and Support Services in Maryland. A committed volunteer, she volunteered her time with Shatterproof, along with local charities involved in fighting the opioid crisis. While residing in Shenyang, in northeast China, she served as Community Liaison Officer for the U.S. Consulate; and she helped set up the Catholic Archdiocese of Shenyang’s hospice-care system.
Cyndi was a gifted and accomplished artist. She developed an affinity for and mastered local arts wherever she and her family lived. In Kentucky, she was awed by Amish handiwork and became an avid quilter and cross-stitcher, creating her own beautiful and intricate designs. Many of her close friends and family members cherish these stunning quilts. In Japan she embraced the Ikebana tradition of subtle and expressive flower display and won awards for her Ikebana arrangements. And in China, she studied Shanshuihua and created several of these ink and brush landscapes. Her home was a colorful, beautiful fusion of local arts and furniture, treasured pieces from their family travels, and her own arts and crafts.
She was an instant and loyal friend. Those who know her can hear her laughter, remember her mischievous humor, and see her warm smile. She made life an adventure for her boys, welcoming their friends into the home and instilling a sense of wonder and curiosity in all the new discoveries they encountered throughout their childhood.
Cyndi is survived by her husband Lee and their son Ben; her sister Elizabeth (Betsy) and her children Jack and Olivia; and her father John. She is predeceased by her son Nick and her mother Mary Ann, whom she now joins in Heaven. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and the many, many friends whose lives she touched throughout her work and travel.
A Celebration of Life will be held on 7 August 2021 at 2pm in Arlington VA, celebrating the lives of Cynthia and her son Nicholas. Please contact egearin@egearin.com or leehil1000@gmail.com if planning to attend and we will provide directions. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shatterproof (https://www.shatterproof.org/memorial/nicholas-hilgartner) or Covenant House (https://www.covenanthouse.org).
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The Coalition provides educational programs and resources to facilitate and advance the efforts of our affiliated organizations in order to promote and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Support the Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County by becoming a member.
AS THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO’S POLICE DEPARTMENT held a special meeting in mid-July to address hate crimes and hate speech—after a man was arrested for threatening his neighbors—they have a new ally.
As of May 2019 the Five Cities Diversity Coalition has expanded their reach with a new name and new members throughout the region, rebranding as the Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County.
The group’s profile has risen dramatically in the two years since the installation of the “Arboring Our Roots of Diversity” sculpture at the Arroyo Grande High School, a project that brought together diverse contributors under an initiative that started out as an anti-bullying program.
The group’s now president, Rudy Xavier, explained at the time how things got started for him joining the group. “Every one of my early formative years through high school were filled with serious prejudice and moderate-to-serious direct injury. I have been shot at, stabbed and suffered many wounds almost exclusively based on racial bigotry,” he wrote, “My friend, former Arroyo Grande City Manager Steve Adams, knew all of these things about me, and when he told me about an organization that sponsored anti-bullying he had me at ‘bullying’… one of our key services is to regularly hire anti-bullying speakers and speak out about micro-aggressions, things like hate speech based on characteristics such as gender, sexual preference, religion, ethnic origin, etc.”
The monument, featuring themes of culture, community, diversity, heritage, education, peace, individuality, and unity, was the culmination of the Arroyo Grande community’s long look in the mirror after a cross burning at the home of a mixed-race family in 2011. it’s a very public statement of community values which students now see on a daily basis.
Though Xavier grew up in a significantly different time and place than the lives led by Central Coast teens—being of Portuguese ancestry in Bangkok, Thailand as it was 60 years ago—he said, he understood the significant emotional events that shape the world view of youth.
As the group’s membership base has expanded, it became clearer that the Five Cities weren’t the only local areas where intolerance has reared its head. Students at Cal Poly have recently dealt with the implications of their peers deciding to dress in what couldbe construed as “Blackface” during fraternity events, holding parties with sexist and misogynistic overtones, and in the previous decade an incident of vandalism in which a noose was found at an outbuilding as well as swastikas appearing on doors.
“We’ve had a lot of requests from San Luis Obispo leadership which indicated we had a broader scope we needed to address,” Xavier said recently as the group arranged to bring a speaker to the San Luis Coastal school district to discuss the Holocaust and elements of religious intolerance.
The group was funding expansion into the San Luis school system with help from an SLO Community Foundation grant, he added. They’re also working on issues affecting the LGBTQ community. Photos of their attendance at the first 5 Cities Hope Pride Festival held at Heritage Park in Arroyo Grande on June 1 are available now at the Coalition’s new website, diversityslo.org.
“Our most recent speaker was Jessica Lynn, who experienced extreme discrimination. As a transgender individual,” Xavier explained, “This would be more than 700 times she’s told her story to an audience but it’s eye-opening as most people have no idea how painful it can be to be born a certain way and to not be accepted by others for who and what you are.”
Anti-bullying, “is still a huge plank for us,” Xavier said, adding that as the group gears up for summer and fall programs, actual membership growth has gone up by nearly a third since the announcement of their expanded coverage area, “but numbers have not been our focus. Our focus is on ‘mindshare’ growth of the mind. That’s the important part of what we’re doing. ”
As the group goes from a finite population base of 47,000 to encompass a region of 286,000 people, Xavier noted, “I’m very proud of our elected leaders. Social justice issues are not partisan.”
Camas Frank has been a San Luis Obispo County print journalist for over a decade. First drawn to the Central Coast for a stint at Cal Poly, he’s focused on community affairs, people and technology.
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