Tag: Class of 1976

Posted on

Timothy “Tim” Michael O’Donnell ~ Class of 1976

Tim O’donnell ~ Class of 1976

Arrived ~ 7/18/1958

Departed ~ 2/11/2025

Timothy “Tim” Michael O’Donnell Obituary

Timothy Michael O’Donnell, 66, of Annandale, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Born on July 18, 1958, in Washington, D.C., he was the beloved son of the late William Aloysius and Florence Lillian O’Donnell.

A 1976 graduate of the International School of Bangkok, Tim began his 32-year career with Chesapeake and Potomac telephone company, through its evolution to Bell Atlantic, and finally to Verizon. His work included provisioning and maintaining designed circuits. He worked with a group that provisioned, maintained, and designed analog circuits. He was part of the first group of technicians to work with fiber optic circuits in the Washington metropolitan region. He retired in 2012.

Tim drew strength and joy from the things he loved most—family, friends, the outdoors, sports (HTTR!), and music. His favorite places were the Sunset Grille and JVs for music, Donnie’s shed for sports, and Captain Ruth’s boat on the Chesapeake Bay.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Davies O’Donnell, his children, Kristen A. Miller and Timothy M. O’Donnell, Jr. (Brady), and stepdaughter Diana M. Winter (Efe), grandchildren, Lilly, Ethan, Timothy III, and Seamus, siblings, William A. O’Donnell (Janet), Patricia A. Barto (Joe), John J. O’Donnell (Dana), and Christopher T. O’Donnell (Jen), nieces and nephews, Joey Barto (Jennifer), Tommy Barto (Vy), Ryan O’Donnell (Laura), Michael O’Donnell (Melissa), Kevin Barto (Bethany), Danny Barto (Nicoli), Meghan O’Donnell, Erin Quillen (Zach), and Keenan O’Donnell, great nieces and nephews, Faith O’Donnell, William Barto, Emma Barto, Owen O’Donnell, Hope Barto, Olivia Barto, Natalie O’Donnell, William Quillen, and Finn O’Donnell, and adopted siblings and niece, Esta Biney, Albert Kwesi Wilson, and Maame Brew-Wilson.

Life is best when your friends become your family. God truly blessed us with Rudy and Denise Guerin.

Thank you, Esta Biney, Albert Kwesi Wilson, Jane McKenna, and Dr. Les Gavora, for providing Tim with exceptional medical care. More importantly, thank you for the genuine human connections you forged with Tim and our family, which comforted us during challenging times and made an immeasurable difference in our journey. Your kindness, expertise, and humanity will remain in our memories forever. We are eternally grateful.

Tim is preceded in death by his parents, his “brosin” Mike Guerra, his “mother” and matriarch of St. Michael Catholic School, Mrs. Phyllis Cribbin, and the best dogs—Chester, Merry Bailey, and Cassady.

Tim O’Donnell’s legacy is his family and friends. He fought with unwavering determination because he wanted to be there for the people he loved. This was his reason for pushing forward, trying one more treatment, and getting up each morning with a purpose. During his 6-year journey with cancer, he never stopped planning for the future or living life to its fullest.

Every person who ever met Tim had a “Tim” story – usually not what they did together but how Tim made them feel. Tim was our best friend, yet we had no idea who Tim’s best friend was because he made everyone feel valued and important. Even in the worst of times, every interaction with Tim included, at some point, two simple words – “Thank you.” On behalf of everyone, we thank you, Tim, for giving us some of you and leaving us slightly better than you found us.

A visitation will be held at Murphy’s Funeral Home, 1102 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The funeral will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 5121 Woodland Way, Annandale, VA 22003, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 11:00 AM.

Memorial contributions may be made to Queen Anne’s County Waterman’s Association, 108 Spruce Drive, Queen Anne, MD 21657.

Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories, and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com or visit us on Facebook at ISBeings

Posted on

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

Posted on

Neva Redding Cornelson ~ Class Of 1976

Neva Redding Cornelson ~ Class Of 1976

Departed ~ 1/22/09 ~ Cancer

Neva Redding Cornelson, passed peacefully on January 22 2009, in Kailua Kona, HI, after her battle with cancer. More Recently, she had lived in Port Angeles, WA For many years. She returned to Kailua Kona, HI, a place she Loved, for her last months in this Life… She attended ISB from 1969~1971 5th~8th grade.
Thank you for your kind attention…
Susan Haralson ’75

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

Posted on

John Richard “Dick” Mellor ~ Class of 1976

John Richard “Dick” Mellor ~ Class of 1976

Departed ~ c. 9/26/13 ~ Cancer

 

 

 

 

 

It has been reported to us by Dick’s fellow classmate, Werner Pflaum, that Dick passed away from his battle with cancer c. September 26, 2013. May his undying spirit rest in eternal peace. DAW

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

Posted on

Ruth Ann Haviland Crame ~ Class Of 1976

Ruth Ann Haviland Crame ~ Class Of 1976

Departed ~ 2/28/2016 ~ Cancer

June Haviland left and Ruth Ann Haviland Crame right~ photo by Kate Johnson

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

Posted on

Chandra Gulati ~ Class of 1976

Chandra Gulati ~ Class of 1976

Departed ~ 1975-1976 School Year ~ Cancer

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