Jack Kurtz ~ Class of 1975

Departed ~ 10/19/21

Jane Reed Wilson ‘74 wrote:

David,

I just heard from a friend that Jack Kurtz has died. She knew he went to ISB and wanted to be sure friends from ISB knew about it.  I did not know Jack personally and I am not sure when he was at ISB, may have been mid-70s. He was at Nairobi International School with my friend prior to Bangkok. (I was not in Nairobi, only Bangkok). I had posted about Jack’s struggle with cancer in the network FB page about a month ago.

He sounds like he made an incredible contribution to the world as a photojournalist. Below is a copy of my friend’s text to me. Kap kun ka, Jane Reed Wilson ‘74

From Laura Schlesinger Minor:

Here’s what Cathy Kurtz posted.

I’ll also share the Youth Journalism International tribute.  Jack and Cathy lived in Bangkok for a number of years and Cathy taught there. I introduced Jack to Steve and Jackie who started YJI here in Bristol with a group of local youth (my daughter included).  It has become an amazing international organization with hundreds of kids writing for them globally. Jack became an advisor and a judge for their annual contest.

From his wife Cathy Kurtz:

The end… John, better known as JACK Kurtz: May 21, 1957 to October 19, 2021
 Photographers know that the perfect picture may take time to develop. Patience for the right moment. Things can’t be rushed. The last couple weeks have felt like that, with the nurses convinced he was ready to go and he was ready but the perfect time was still to come.  I sit in the recliner next to his bed, in the dark, late at night, holding his hand, I image the perfect words to wrap up a life. They aren’t coming. I will only mention that in our 40 years of life together, he was the trailblazer and always went on to a new place first, set things up and I came and joined him. We did it in Fergus Falls, Florida, New York, El Paso, Phoenix and Bangkok. Now he is going on first and I will join him in a few years.

I will just throw together some thoughts. We met at college and travelled the world. It was a great ride. He would say that while he worked with many great reporters, words get too much play and you should let the photos tell the story so here are his websites. His photographer buddies will know that he did more than just “F8 and be there” he gave his all on every story or assignment.

Our desire is for everyone to find one of his photo galleries and explore the world. Be challenged and inspired. https://kurtzjack.photoshelter.com/archive     And     www.jackkurtzphotography.com/index

Now, we could conclude with the famous AP   -30-  (journalists know this means the end) but it isn’t. His photos will continue to be marketed by ZUMA Press, his photo agency for the last 20+ years. One of Jack’s last acts was making arrangements for his ongoing royalties to be donated to help future international journalists. A firm believer in freedom of the press he will continue to support this with his royalties going to:

Reporters without Borders: www.RSF.org

If you are so inspired, feel free to support the future in his honor: https://donate.rsf.org/us/donate/~my-donation.   Make sure you look for the English translation button in upper right, unless you prefer French!

Sidebar to Jack’s story: Every day, week, month and year, millions of men, women, daughters and sons, sit beside loved ones during their last days, hours and minutes as they transition to the next life. In that respect I am nothing special. I was honored to be by his side in life during adventure for 40+ years and it was privilege to be with him as he had made the transition to the next. Life goes on, just in a different format. Thank you all for your continued love and I will post about a “Celebration of Jack’s life” online and in person in the future.

About YJI:

From YJI. https://youthjournalism.org/weve-lost-a-world-class-photojournalist-and-good-friend/

We’ve lost a world class photojournalist and good friend

October 19, 2021 By Youth Journalism International

Photojournalist Jack Kurtz got his start in high school.

(Photo thanks to Laura Schlesinger Minor.)

With deep sadness, we learned today that a valued friend and supporter of Youth Journalism International, the acclaimed photojournalist Jack Kurtz, died today in Iowa at the age of 64 after a long fight with cancer.

Jack spent more than 40 years traveling the world in search of photographs that captured much more than just the news. They put humanity on display, from the Mexican border to Ground Zero to Thailand to the presidential campaigns in Iowa.

Jack didn’t settle for the ordinary, the humdrum. He always found ways to make photographs that reached deeper, creating art that will be his legacy forever. He did more than live through a turbulent, interesting time. He captured images that preserve what he saw so that untold numbers of people will see them, too, for generations to come. That’s his gift to all of us.

Jack came to YJI’s attention because he went to high school in Kenya with the mother of one of our early students and she connected us. A relationship blossomed because he shared YJI’s vision for young people entering journalism and embraced their zeal and idealism fully – because he’d never lost his.

Jack met up with one our students traveling through Thailand. He served as a judge in the YJI contest for years. He gave an online photography workshop for YJI during the coronavirus pandemic that had students riveted.

We’ll be showing a recording of that presentation to students for a long time to come. Jack supported and helped this little charity in many ways, large and small, and we are grateful.

A couple of years ago, YJI’s co-founders, Jackie Majerus and Steve Collins, met up with Jack and his wife Cathy Kurtz for the first time. In Des Moines, Iowa, we got a chance to have a meal, look around a little and hear firsthand about their remarkable life. We enjoyed every moment, not knowing we wouldn’t have another chance.

Our hearts go out to Cathy and to Jack’s many friends and families. There are so many us grieving today. The only salve is that we know Jack’s work will live on.

We urge you to take some time to explore the world through Jack’s incredible eye. Here are two of his photo collections:

 https://kurtzjack.photoshelter.com/archive and www.jackkurtzphotography.com/index.

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

Suan Riedel ~ Class of 1977

Departed ~ 10/18/2021

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

Donna Lou Rochlen ~ Class of 1970

Departed ~ 4/21/2021

Helen Stokes Fabricant I am in shock. I have her yearbook ‘69 yearbook (someone has mine) and just a few days ago, I messaged her that I would be glad to send it to her. Oh! This is terrible and sad. If her family wants it, I will be glad to send it. I don’t have any contact information now.  My empathy is with her family. How hard! What a loss.

Obituary for Donna Lou Obdyke

Donna Lou Obdyke, of California, was born on February 3rd 1952 in California, and passed away on April 23rd 2021 in California. She is survived by her loving family.

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

Susan Becker ~ Class of 1980

Departed ~ 9/14/2021

Janet Lowe wrote:

It is with a very heavy heart that I share some sad news….Susan Becker ’80 ISB Alumni passed away last night in West Virginia her home of recent years. She chose to enter into hospice care after being diagnosed with a very aggressive ovarian cancer, she left this world comfortable and at peace.

1962-2021 ~ Susan Becker Lese survived by her daughter Rachel, sister Catherine, grand children twins Savannah and Sawyer, and ex. husband/friend Brian Lese.

~As per her wishes there will be no formal services~. Even though she was only in Bangkok for just one year, 1980 as a senior, she always said it was one of the best times in her life.

Farewell blessings for you beautiful free bird ❤.

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

Jim Whitcomb ~ Class of 1959

Departed ~ 3/16/2021

My name is Jane Whitcomb, widow of Jim Whitcomb. I am writing to tell you Jim Whitcomb deceased 3-16-21.

Jimmie Whitcomb

May 2, 1940 – March 16, 2021

Jimmie grew up as an Army brat, traveling so much he never stayed in one school for over a year. When his father gave him a Brownie camera he turned to photography as his best friend. Photography became his hobby when he found himself in Bangkok, Thailand where he graduated from high school. He had freedom to explore a beautiful tropical wonderland and the opportunity to travel deep into the jungle to meet Dr. Doolittle at his hospital. After high school when his father returned to the USA he joined the Army. His hobby became his vocation as he documented the Vietnam war for Stars and Stripes publication. After Vietnam he worked for OSHA Ariel mapping the US. That led to a job at Zinkgraft Photography in San Antonio, TX as a commercial photographer. He had the great honor to be the photographer at Hemisphere World Fair meeting and documenting in photos major events, dignitaries and super stars.

That led to a job at KLRN TV Station Austin, TX which at that time was owned by Lady Bird Johnson. He was frequently at LBJ Ranch photographing world dignitaries and State Department events alongside Lyndon Baines Johnson and his family. At the time he was commuting from San Antonio to Austin and that was hard on a young and growing family. He found it necessary to move closer to Austin.

About the time of the move he was offered a position with Texas Parks and Wildlife as Photo Editor. Traveling and photo documenting flora and fauna alongside biologists and naturalists was his dream job. He traveled the State of Texas exploring every wonder of nature the State offered. But again he was away from his family so when an opportunity to open his own studio and lab, Image House and Whitcomb Photography, in Austin, TX that became a reality.

In the 1980’s the Austin economy took a downward turn. He was forced to close his business and relocate to Houston, TX as the Director of Photography for United Jewelers. When they closed their doors he moved his business to a well established printer in Houston, TX. About that time digital photography was coming into age. He self-taught himself in the early days of digital and was asked by SONY Corporation to test market their new LEAF commercial digital cameras. He was the US product tester for digital cameras and was first in his field again. He became the LEAF camera consultant and trainer for major companies including Lucky Grocery Stores in California and Kroger in Houston, TX.

During the 1990’s and until his death he owned and operated, Image House, WhitWeb Hosting and Studio Houston, a premier commercial photography studio in Houston, TX and Conroe, TX. His many clients included NASA, Wing Stop, All Star Rod and Reels, Miller Hats, Bill Lewis Lures, Stanley Lures, Hartz Chicken, Chantel Cookware, Borne Saddles as well as design architectural photography.

One of his major personal projects was ‘PAINTED CHURCHES OF TEXAS’ exhibit that ran November 19, 2016 through March 5, 2017 at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures which showcased Jimmie’s photography of more than two dozen intricately painted 19th century churches built by immigrants from Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, France, Spain, Mexico and beyond. Using technology developed for NASA’S Mars Land Rovers, large-scale Gigapan photography, of the painted churches of Texas which revealed astonishing details of Texas’s rich history of immigrant artistry.

Jimmie has published ‘A GUIDE TO PAINTED CHURCHES OF TEXAS,’ A Photographers Journey, Volume #1 with 10 Churches by Jim ‘Whit’ Whitcomb and Jane Fanick Whitcomb.

Jimmie Humphries Whitcomb is survived by Jane Fanick Whitcomb, spouse, four children, son, Guy and Elaine Rosinbaum, three grandchildren, Emily Rosinbaum, Ariel Rosinbaum and Elizabeth Rosinbaum; daughter, Darleen Pooler and Jerry Coesens, three grandchildren, Adam and Liza Sneitzer, Brittany Wagner and Adam Christensen, one great grandchild, and Braxton Pooler; and daughter, Janeece Kessler and Big Dog Ed Talamantez, three grandchildren, Jacob Kessler, James Sandefur, Kyndahl Sandefer and Frankie Ayala; and daughter, Kimberlee and Andrew Dedmon, two children, Tyler and Jaynee Dedmon and Olivia Dedmon.

A service will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery located at 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd. San Antonio, TX. 78209. The service will be held on May 3rd, 2021 at 2:15pm.

To send a flower arrangement to the family of Jimmie Whitcomb, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

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

Albert Cheung ~ Class of 1972

Departed ~ 8/14/2021

Ann Elizabeth Marsden ~ Class of 1974/1975

Departed ~ 8/6/2021

As Posted by Pete Crittenden:

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.”

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

Mary Lou Kuehn ~ Class of 1967

Departed ~ 7/25/2021

Mary Lou Kuehn

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

 

 

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

Cyndi Gearin ~ Class of 1984

Departed ~ 6/12/21

Biography

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