Barry Daniels Rigby ~ Class of 1961

Barry Rigby ~ Class of 1961

Departed ~ 7/20/2020

The Thai, Barry and Will on a ‘float dock’ assembling materials for the raft. The raft consisted of two pontoons of bundled bamboo about 16-ft long, held together by wire. The deck was of teak between the two pontoons We pushed the raft with bamboo poles, like Huck Finn. On the River Kwai – April 1960

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.

Doing what he loved doing, buiding the deck
BDR visits refugee settlement

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

Beryl Elise Medinger ~ Class of 1961

Beryl Elise Medinger ~ Class of 1961

Departed ~ 12/3/2020

Beryl Elise Medinger

1943-2020

Louisville – Beryl Elise Medinger died at home on December 3, 2020, from metastatic bladder cancer. She was 77. She was born in Baltimore, MD on June 16, 1943. She was an Army brat, living in Virginia, New Jersey, Kansas, Germany, and Thailand, where she graduated high school from the International School of Bangkok. Unlike her siblings, she hated moving so often, which may explain why she spent her last 48 years in the 40206 or 40207 zip codes.

Elise received her undergraduate degree from the College of William & Mary, and her Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She had a long career as a clinical social worker, primarily in her private psychotherapy practice. In her early years, she also worked as a therapist at the Bingham Child Guidance Clinic, the Bellewood Home for Children, and in several Catholic schools. She served several terms on Kentucky’s State Board of Social Work.

Elise retired for several years in her sixties, during which she volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky. She ultimately found herself with too much time on her hands, perhaps because most of her friends still worked, and — saying that she had failed at retirement — spent her last ten working years at the VAMC Pain Clinic, providing therapy for veterans coping with the mental health aspects of chronic pain. She retired again at the end of January 2020, and — between the pandemic and bladder cancer — failed retirement once more.

Raised Lutheran, she was attracted to pacifism and attended Quaker Meeting for years, but never was comfortable with notions of a savior. She eventually was drawn to liberal Judaism because of its focus on ethics and study, completed the Melton Course for Adult Jewish Education, and converted to Judaism in 2003. She was a member of the Temple, Women of Reform Judaism, and the National Conference of Jewish Women. She came to love Jewish music in the minor key that she at first found so strange.

Elise was a voracious reader, nurturing her quick mind, keen intellect, and innate curiosity with a wide range of genres and subjects. She loved to travel, maintained an active yoga practice, stayed fit and active through cycling, walking, and strength training, and took pride in completing several sprint-length triathlons in her mid-forties. She loved Leonard Cohen’s music, and was thrilled to attend his Louisville concert several years ago. She was a feminist before she knew the term, thinking that there was something wrong with her because she couldn’t lead her mother’s life. That strength kept her from marrying badly when young, and was instrumental in making her marriage — she finally married at age 42 — long and happy.

As the first-born of four children, Elise could be bossy, and worked hard to constrain her impulse to help friends and family do and think the things that Elise knew to be right. But doing that work, and succeeding in that effort, characterized Elise’s core: she set high standards, strove to meet them herself, and honored and respected the efforts of others to be the best versions of themselves. It allowed her to become close friends in her adulthood with her three siblings, whom she adored; it was at the root of her close and loyal friendships, happy marriage, and deep, rich, family ties.

Elise’s mother, Eloise Whittington Medinger, died decades ago; her father, Col. John N. Medinger, and father-in-law, Arnold S. Friedman, died more recently. She is survived by the family she loved so dearly: her husband, David A. Friedman; daughter, Rachel Harris; grandchildren, Brielle Dowlat and Sean Dowlat; siblings John L. Medinger, Patricia Gipson, and Kristina Medinger, and their respective spouses, Bonnie Medinger, Thomas Gipson, and Ann Maloney; mother-in-law, Bette Harris Friedman; and nieces and nephews in Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Washington, Mexico, Switzerland, and Germany.

Elise received stellar care for her bladder cancer for a decade from her urologist, M. Brooks Jackson. As she chose, she was able to live her last months at home, swaddled in the love and affection of family and friends, and to die there peacefully, thanks to the care and comfort from staff at Hosparus,and Home Instead.

Elise will be buried in The Temple Cemetery after a short graveside service on Sunday, December 6th, at 1:00 p.m. Given the state of world health, only family may attend the service and burial in person. It will be streamed live, however, and all are welcome to join online at www.facebook.com/hermanmeyerson . There also will be an online memorial event within a few days of Elise’s burial. Visit the Herman Meyer & Son, Inc. website, www.meyerfuneral.com for more details. Please consider contributions in Elise’s memory to organizations she valued and supported: Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International, the Heifer Fund, World Bicycle Relief, or Louisville Central Community Center.

 

 

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

Franklin Bradley “Frank” Simmons III ~ Class of 1961

Frank Simmons ~ Class of 1961

Departed ~ 10/11/2019

 

 

Franklin Bradley Simmons III, age 75, of San Antonio, Texas passed away on Friday October 11, 2019. Frank was born December 15, 1943 in Arlington, TX. His father, Colonel Franklin B. Simmons Jr., was overseas on this cold wintry night, and his mother, Willie Mae Simmons, delivered her wonderful first born son. Being a member of a military family, they traveled the world to many places, including Saudi Arabia, Panama Canal Zone, Monterrey, CA, Spokane, WA, and Bangkok, Thailand, where Frank graduated from High School. These vast experiences shaped who he became and his appreciation of different cultures, foods and nature.

Frank received his BS and his MS from Illinois State University. His thesis was on a study of the parasites known as flukes. He definitely had an interest in all things gross! He taught high school science at Jefferson High School in San Antonio for 27 years, where he worked with many brilliant colleagues and influenced many young lives. He retired from teaching in 1997, and then worked at Wal-Mart overnight for nearly 15 years. Frank loved his 2:00 am lunch hour where he would play cards with his friends.

He met his wife, Barbara, in June of 1972 on a blind date through a mutual friend. They shared many things in common and he knew on their first date that he would marry her. He even told his mother that. They married after only a few months on October 7, 1972. Frank and Barbara enjoyed playing bridge, dining out, traveling, going on cruises, spending time with family and friends, and so much else together. In addition, Frank and Barb loved to go to movies, rarely missing a good (or not so good) movie. Early in their marriage, they went downtown to the Majestic, Texas, and Empire Theaters to see karate flicks – not Barb’s favorite, but … Over the last many years, they have seen many many movies and even have/had the Regal Unlimited Passes.

Frank was very excited to become a father. He even lost a bet as to who would reveal their pregnancy first! In August 1984, Franklin Bradley Simmons IV was born, and in March 1987 Therese (Teri) Dale Simmons arrived. He loved his children with all he had and was a wise and intelligent man, eager to share his knowledge and experiences with his kids. He taught them about the periodic table in elementary school and dissected different creatures for their school classrooms.

In 2010, Frank’s first grandson, Braeden, was born. He was very eager to become a grandfather; so this was very special. Frank wanted to be referred to as “Grumpy” by his grandchildren, and indeed he was! He was also blessed to have four more beautiful grandchildren – Mason, Willow, Charlie and Benji. Grumpy always loved to give his grandkids a Matchbox car with each visit. They each have quite the collection! Frank loved his Labradoodle grand-dogs as well – Ivy, Neo, Spruce, Acacia, and Ash. These high energy, 40 – 50 pound dogs always ambushed him when he would arrive for a visit and then would enjoy a cuddle in his lap.

Frank was an avid reader who would often have multiple books open at once, habitually misplacing them because he had to take at least one everywhere he went. Most books would not fit in his fanny pack! Before he had children, he bred Guinea Pigs. Frank even gave Barbara three “sexy” guinea pigs for her first birthday they spent together. He was a judge at Guinea pig shows and traveled the country, even into Canada to judge shows. He enjoyed playing computer games and often felt he was born into the wrong era, too late to become an expert at the ins and outs of computers. He loved playing World of Warcraft online with a special group of friends and family every Tuesday. He spent many hours playing Civilization and other strategy games as well. This helped to keep his mind sharp. Frank also really liked playing cards, and winning! His opponents would relish in beating him if they were so able. Oh Hell!, bridge, hearts and spades were among his favorites. He also enjoyed fishing, learning and researching, listening to talk radio (and talking or yelling back), and rock hunting and polishing, among other things.

Frank was a good man. He was kind, generous, and honest and a “weird” character. He was an independent thinker. Frank was very sarcastic and had a great sense of humor, even if a dry one. He had a sense of justice and was very logical, and instilled these characteristics in his children. He was definitely unique!! Frank, Honey-Honey, Dad, Grumpy, Mr. Simmons will be seriously missed by all who love him. His 75 years on earth were full of life and love, as well as many interesting and exciting experiences. Frank is survived by his wife of 47 years, Barbara Hudson Simmons, son Franklin Bradley Simmons IV and wife Kristen, daughter Therese (Teri) Dale Pellerin and husband Kevin, grandson Braeden, grandson Mason, granddaughter Willow, granddaughter Charlie, grandson Benji; brother Jonathan H. Simmons and wife Janet, nephew Jonathan J. Simmons; Rudy Xavier, long-time brother-friend whom he met in Thailand; numerous cousins and friends. He was also predeceased by his brother James D. Simmons.

A visitation for Frank will be held Friday, October 18, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Colonial Funeral Home, 625 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, TX 78148. A Funeral Service will occur Friday, October 18, 2019 at 12:00 PM, 625 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, TX 78148. There will be a Life Celebration at Colonial Funeral Home immediately following the Funeral Service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.colonialuniversal.com for the Simmons family.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests Tribute Donations in Frank’s memory be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. A link to their website is immediately below. You may also donate by calling 1-800-708-7644.

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

Ann Groom (Blake) ~ Class of 1961

Ann Groom-Blake

Class of 1961

Departed ~ Circa 2008

Complications from a lung transplant

 

Tonia: Ann Groom Blake (Annie) pass away in 2008. She had a lung transplant at John Hopkins and it gave her a few more years, but her body rejected it finally and she passed. Bob Gleason ISB 1962

Suzanne Ellen Marston (Borck) ~ Class of 1961

Suzanne Ellen Marston (Borck)

Class of 1961

Departed~ 16 January 2000

Complications related to MS

 

 

 

 

To Whom it May Concern,

I am Suzanne Marston (Borck)’s (class of 1961) son, Jay Borck. I recently received in the mail a request for more information on my Mother.

My Mother passed away January 16, 2000 due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis. She was 56 and is survived by two daughters, Kimberly and Amity, a son Jay, and 8 Grandchildren.

My Mother loved ISB and would talk with us often of her love for Thailand. I would love to visit one day and see where my Mother went to High School. Please keep me informed of Alumnae events of her classmates via this email address or my family’s home mailing address:
jborck333@yahoo.com