Joseph Stuart Berryman ~ Class of 1968

Stuart Berryman ~ Class of 1968

Arrived ~ 5/27/1950

Departed ~ 2/24/2021

OBITUARY OF JOSEPH “STUART” BERRYMAN
Joseph “”Stuart”” Berryman, age 70, of North Port, Florida, passed away on February 24, 2021. He was born on May 27, 1950 in Norfolk, Virginia. He was an automobile mechanic and also a Go Cart Asian Grand Prix Champion in his youth. Stuart was also a veteran of the US Marine Corp. He is survived by his daughter, Tanya; a brother, Scott of North Port and several nieces and a nephew. Stuart was preceded in death by his parents, Rue & Jean Berryman; two brothers, Rue Berryman, Jr. and Stacy Berryman. A memorial gathering to celebrate Stuart’s life will be held at Farley Funeral Home in North Port from 4:30PM-6:00PM on Thursday, March 4, 2021. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Tidewell Hospice Inc., 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, Florida 34238. A message of condolence may be sent by visiting www.farleyfuneralhome.com.

8 IS GONE!!!!!

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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

William “Peter” Schramm ~ Class of 1974

Pete Schramm ~ Class of 1974

Arrived ~ 7/6/1956

Departed ~ 10/31/2020

Our brother, William (Pete) Schramm – Class of ’74, passed away suddenly on October 31, 2020 from a probable heart attack.  He was a good son, great brother, and a loving father.

James Schramm – Class of ‘70 and Celeste Houser-Jackson (nee Schramm) – Class of ‘72.

William Peter Schramm


By TheCatoctinBanner.com On November 26, 2020

July 6, 1956

October 31, 2020

It is with profound sadness that the family of William “Pete” Schramm announce his sudden passing on October 31, 2020.

On July 6, 1956, Pete was born in Frankfurt, Germany, to Ann Beall and Frederick Schramm. He resided abroad with his parents and two older siblings, Jim and Celeste, while his father, Fred, was deployed during his career with the CIA. His family also lived in Berlin, Germany (Pete’s favorite), Bangkok, Thailand, and Camp Perry, VA, before settling in Potomac, MD. He attended Winston Churchill High School, then pursued further education at the University of Maryland.

Pete’s career in the hi-tech industry began in a strip mall computer store. It proved to be the beginning of a long and successful career in hi-tech sales and management. Much of his career took him all over the United States, meeting with various accounts. While working for Ando Corporation, he then began to frequent Japan, as well as other parts of Asia, for meetings with clients.

He is remembered by family, friends, and colleagues as a man of good humor, generous nature, respected work ethic, and, mostly, unbridled optimism for everyone’s success in their endeavors. From pythons and rhesus monkeys in Thailand to pet pygmy goats, horses, dogs, and cats in the more recent years, he was recognized for his affinity for animals and nature.

Nearing retirement, Pete worked with ProTEQ Solutions as a sales engineer. He enjoyed this position, as it required less domestic travel, the ability to work from home, and the opportunity to spend more time with his wife and the light of their lives, their daughter Gracie and her husband, Danny Eyler. If you knew Pete, he was either in dress clothes and tie, or you knew him for his clever t-shirts, tropical shorts, and crocs.

Pete was a resident of Emmitsburg for nearly 40 years. He enjoyed target shooting on the weekends with friends and family, fishing, and crafting lovely pieces of stained glass. He was also an avid gardener and was often seen zipping around his property on his mower for a joy ride. He loved spending time with the family’s beloved Belgian Sheepdogs. He loved spending time by or in the water, whether it was the local pool, creek, lake, a bay, or the ocean.

Pete leaves behind his wife, Chris; daughter, Graceann, and her husband, Daniel Eyler. He is survived by brother, Jim Schramm, and wife, Jean; and his sister, Celeste Houser-Jackson, and her husband, Walter, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In light of COVID-19, the family has decided to celebrate Pete’s life in Spring of 2021. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, a local animal shelter, or charity of choice.

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

Claire Marie Seale Amspacher ~ Class of 1980

Claire Marie Seale ~ Class of 1980

Departed ~ 3/12/2020

Lisa Seale class of 1975 wrote:

Claire attended ISB from March 1970 to June 1975. Our family returned to the States in August 1975, when my father was stationed on Oahu. Claire graduated from high school there, but would have been in the Class of 1980 had our family stayed in Bangkok that long. She was the youngest of four children. (I graduated from ISB in 1975 and was the oldest, so I’m not sure where Char came up with 1973, but it’s kind of her to have notified you). Claire’s dates are 1962-2020 and she is survived by two daughters.

Charlyn Jackson-Derrick class of 1975 wrote:

Lisa Seale’s sister, Claire was in the class of 1980, she passed this last year. I haven’t seen a posting for her in ISBeings. I became reacquainted with Lisa and her family when I attended her mother’s funeral in Norman two years ago. They are an amazing beautiful clan. Thanks, Char

Claire Marie (Seale) Amspacher, 57, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2020. She was surrounded by loving family and friends.

Claire loved nursing and she devoted both her personal and professional life to caring for the ill and injured. Claire graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s nursing program as a Registered Nurse in 1995 and started her nursing career at the Veteran’s Administration hospital in Oklahoma City, later working on surgical-care floors at Norman Regional. Most recently she served in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Porter campus of Norman Regional. She had many friends and colleagues at the ICU whom she enjoyed working with, and she shared their deep dedication to patients. She is remembered by many for her hard work, kindness, and wicked sense of humor.

Claire spent her childhood in travels around the world with her family, as her father was posted on numerous assignments by the US Army; two favorite locations were West Germany and Thailand. The family also enjoyed travelling by Space-A to Italy, Spain, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and India.

After graduating from high school in Hawaii, Claire moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where she met her future husband Mark Amspacher, working at the family business, which had been started during the Great Depression by Mark’s grandfather. The Southside Grocery was a beloved Norman institution and Claire had many stories to tell. The two were married in 1981. Later, Mark started another Norman institution, The Diner on Main Street, which Claire ran with her daughter Bonnie for five years after Mark passed away in 2010. (Fans of the Food Network can still see Claire on American Diner Revival, in season one, episode one’s feature of The Diner.)

Claire enjoyed gardening, knitting, horseback riding, hiking, traveling, and many other active pursuits, such as fossil hunting. She shared her enjoyment of the outdoors with friends and family, with many camping, hiking, and horseback riding trips throughout the United States over her lifetime. She had many pets over the years, including beloved dogs, cats, and horses. She had a particular love for bluegrass prairies and birdwatching. Her passion for travel took her back to Thailand more than once in recent years, where she hiked in a national park and visited an elephant park. She also traveled twice to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, as well as to Ecuador and to Rajasthan in India with her mother and one of her sisters (one of her favorite exclamations on that trip was, “Ruins!”). Claire had dreams of visiting the Great Wall of China and taking a walking tour of Scotland.

Claire is survived by her daughters Sarah Claire Amspacher (Brian Przywojski), Bonnie Marie Amspacher, and Shonda Peaches Amspacher, as well as her father Thomas Arthur Seale, her brother Eric Christopher Seale (Sandra), her two sisters, Lisa Ann Seale (J. D. Whitney) and Karen Marie Seale (David Fung), and extended family members. Claire was preceded in death by her husband Daniel Mark Amspacher, her mother Lois Ann (Guettinger) Seale, her maternal grandparents Oscar John and Pauline (Greenway) Guettinger of San Leandro, California, and her paternal grandparents Arthur Lisle and Mary Ethel (Marie-Attala Plante) Seale of Oakland, California.

The family thanks the dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff at Norman Regional Health System’s Oncology Clinic and Cancer Management Center for extending Claire’s life after her initial diagnosis in 2017. The family also extends its deep gratitude for the in-home care of hospice nurses and staff from Good Shepherd Hospice. She was treated with care and love.

A memorial gathering for family and friends will take place in the fall. This timing is out of consideration for health concerns amid the global pandemic. A small funeral Mass with immediate family will be celebrated at St. Thomas More University Parish in Norman, Oklahoma. We deeply appreciate your kindness in wishing to say good-bye to Claire and to help celebrate her memory, which all her family shares. Updated information on a larger service in the fall will be provided on the Havenbrook Funeral Home page for Claire. May she rest in peace.

Memorial donations may be sent to the WildCare Foundation at wildcareoklahoma.org, or to the Norman Regional Health Foundation at NRHFoundation.org, which will direct gifts made in Claire’s memory to cancer care.

 

 

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David Douglas Thomas Neiman ~ Class of 1971

David Neiman ~ Class of 1971

Departed ~ 11/22/2020

 

David Neiman ~ Class of 1971 ~ Departed ~ 11/22/2020
David Douglas Thomas Neiman May 13, 1952 ~ November 22, 2020 (age 68) With extreme sadness we announce the passing of David Douglas Thomas “McNasty” Neiman. David passed peacefully in his sleep Sunday, November 22, 2020 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was born May 13, 1952 in Philadelphia, PA. The son of Jack Neiman, Jr and Elizabeth Neiman, both deceased. His sister Meda Neiman Jones passed away in 1975. David is survived by the love of his life, his wife Susan Neiman. Theirs is a love story 50 years in the making and cut way too short by this horrible disease. David attended International School in 1969 for a few months. Susan and David reconnected after 50 years just prior to his diagnosis. They had two life and love filled years together. David is also survived by two brothers, John Neiman of Colorado and Mark Neiman of Florida, and his sister Evelyn Neiman Green of Florida; Two stepdaughters, Brianna and Tacia; one granddaughter; Several nephews and one niece also survive; One grand nephew, two grand nieces and one more unrevealed grand niece or nephew (due in May) also survive. He is also survived by his sweet little fur babies, Luna and Lilli, who he loved greatly. David is also survived by many other “family” members, both biological and simply adopted by his love. David lived an adventurous life traveling all over the world. He embodied brotherly love and was generous with his smile and laughter. He was loved by all he met. He loved life and spread cheer wherever he went. David worked for many years for Cadence in Dallas Texas. He followed the sun from Texas in the Spring and Fall to Colorado in the Summer and if it got too cold he headed to Belize in the winter. He lived in Hawaiian print shirts, shorts and flip-flops. David, his smile and laughter will be missed by all who knew him. David was married for 37 years prior to finding the true love of his life, Susan Mulholland-Neiman class of 74.
Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com

Roland Svensson ~ Class of 1981

Roland Svensson ~ Class of 1981

Departed ~ c. 12/13/2020

Kristoffer Svensson
13 December 2020.

Every time this guy called he would say “Hey Champion” and end the call with “I Love You”. Every time. But no longer will I get to hear that. 30 years going through this journey called “Life” with my dad and trying to hold his hand hasn’t been easy. Life is not some filtered reality you see here. But at the same time it has been a beautiful and thoughtful journey that with him it has made me who I am today.

Dad wasn’t the easiest person to be around, but somehow I saw a beautiful sensitive light in him that we kept our relationship going on until the last call we had two days ago on his birthday. There was a connection with him that many still don’t understand, but somehow we knew it ourselves.
I’m so blessed that these past 8 years we have reconnected on a level where he finally believed in me and was my biggest supporter in what I do. And I so wish he would still be here to see what’s coming up next. But at the same time I know him finding true peace and being up there with Farfar (my grandfather) is the best thing.

Thank you to all of the outpouring of support that has been coming my way and to the Svensson family these past few hours. Some of you I don’t even know, but seeing your words and well-wishes shows that this man was loved and will be loved endlessly.
Life goes on. It really does. But one thing that I ask is for everyone to have a lot of compassion in life and give it to those that you love. Hold them tight. Give them a hug. Give them space. And be there for them when you still have the opportunity to.

Lastly to my dad Roland Svensson, I love you Pappa and you know that. You always wanted me to be strong and I will do that. I’m going to open some U2 music now because those were the memories we had. It will uplift you up there and me down here.
Until we meet again.
Your champion.
Kris.

 

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

 

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.

 

 

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Cary Bernard Gabeler ~ Class of 1972

 

Cary Bernard ~ Class of 1972

Departed ~ 2/2020

“She Loves You” sung by Cary n Thai recorded by DAW at the ’94 Clearwater Reunion.

“Pepsi Jingle” sung by Cary in Thai recorded by DAW at the 1994 Clearwater reunion.

With great sadness

Dear Friends,

This is an email I never, ever wanted to write, nor did I ever believe I would have to write. 2020 has been incredibly difficult on everyone, that goes without saying. Our family has experienced devastating losses in the last year and a half. Last June 2019, my father, Chad, and Cary’s loving husband of 36 years, passed away from cancer. This was a devastating loss for our family.

My mother, Cary was very private about her own health crises and instead chose to focus on a healing, positive mindset. Cary had been dealing with colon cancer since 2013. After my father’s passing, her health declined over the following 7 months. It is with great sadness to say that my beautiful mother, Cary passed away early February this year. The reason this news is so late is because it’s been a devastating loss for myself and my younger brother, Gabe. It’s still unbelievable writing this letter to you today. Like I said earlier, this is an email I never, ever wanted to write or share with you.

My mother and I were incredibly close. We were not only mother-daughter, but best friends and business partners. Creating Anjolie together was our greatest joy and brought us so much fun and fulfillment. We would high five throughout the day and take dance breaks to break up long periods of sitting at our shared desk. We enjoyed every success, whether it was being featured in Oprah magazine, TV interviews or just talking with our customers on the phone and hearing your personal stories.

Where does that leave Anjolie? If I’ve learned anything over the past 7 years, being a caretaker for both my parents and now navigating life after these losses, is that I have no idea what the future will bring. What I do know is that it was my mother’s (and my) greatest dream to grow this business and bring our products and mission to women all over the country and to create meaningful impact with women entrepreneurs all over the world. Anjolie has brought me so much joy and it is such a delight to be able to connect with you all through social media. I plan to keep Anjolie going, even though it’s also been incredibly painful to think about the future of Anjolie without Cary. I like to think she will help guide the future of Anjolie from wherever she is now.

This holiday season, during these strange, weird, lonely times, I hope you find connection, feel loved and know that you are not alone. I love you all and we will get through this, together, stronger than ever.

Happy (late) Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays. Oh and because it is that time of year and grief has hit me hard, I didn’t prepare for Black Friday/Cyber Monday in the way I have in the past, but I still do want to offer a Cyber Monday deal for you to shop our store. Please use code love20 for 20% off everything in our store. We are sold out of some items, but I hope to get them back in stock as soon as possible.

With love,

?Meryl

  • What a great friend! I loved her smile, laughter, and enthusiasm for life that continued in her life after ISB. Not that I am surprised, that was just Cary. RIP my friend.
  • Please send pictures (old and new), anecdotes, articles, stories and tributes to isbeings at gmail dot com

Jeffrey “Jeff” Alan Niese ~ Class of 1968

Jeff Niese ~ Class of 1968

Departed ~ 4/22/2020

OBITUARY
Jeffrey Alan Niese
APRIL 21, 1950 – APRIL 22, 2020

Jeff Niese, 70, was a kind and gentle man. Jeff was born in Beech Grove, Indiana on April 21, 1950 to William and Carol Niese. He was preceded in death by both parents.
He is survived by one sister, Marilyn Weed and her husband Jim of Universal City, Texas, and niece Anne De le Rosa & husband Edward of San Marcos, Texas and nephew John Wilson & wife Cindy of Odenton, Maryland. Grand nieces Claire and Ellie Wilson and nephew Aiden De la Rosa.

Graveside services are being planned at Sunset Memorial Park, San Antonio, Texas.

Born in Beech Grove, Indiana, Jeff’s youth was spent with his family as his father’s work took them from Indiana to Baltimore Maryland, Tripoli Libya, back to Indiana and then to Vietnam (before the war), then to Bangkok Thailand. Returning to Indiana to finish high school, he graduated from Purdue University at Indianapolis with a degree in engineering.

He worked at IUPUI Bursar Office (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) for many years. He also was a founding member of the museum of the 20th Century Warfare. He was an active re-enactor for nearly 40 years with various impressions including the Civil War, WWII and Vietnam. He was known for extensive knowledge of Viet Nam era memorabilia.

Jeff will be missed by his friends at Museum of 20th Century and his family.

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