Frieda Samuels (Potaschnick) Lotchie (Class of 1925)

Frieda passed away on September 20 (year not given) at the age of 93.

Laura Jean Johnson (Class of 1926)

Laura passed away on November 12, 2002, at age 89.  She was beloved by her family and many friends in California, Florida, and Texas. Lajean, as she was nicknamed, attended Denton High School in Texas.  She received her degrees at Texas Women's University in 1935 and at North Texas State University in 1942.  Lajean worked for IBM for many years until her retirement.  She was well-known for her clown antics, and she used her tricks to entertain girls at a summer camp where she was active for several years.

At 2001 Reunion.

Russell E. Dehaven Jr. (Class of 1929)

Russell E. Dehaven, Jr., 86, passed away on Sunday, April 23, 2006 at the University Village Nursing Home in Tampa, Fla. He had previously lived in Lutz, FL with his wife, Nell McIntosh (Class of 1930). He was buried in Mt. Olive City Cemetery in Mt. Olive, Mississippi.

Born Lexington, Ky. March 28, 1920. He attended CID, Clark School for the Deaf, Clayton High School (Mo.)   Russell and Nell got married April 28, 1962 in Jackson, Miss.

At 1981 Reunion

Marie Tilson Smith (Class of 1930)

Marie passed away on December 1, 2004.  She was a sister of Olive (Tilson) Youngblood (Class of 1943) who passed away in 1991.  Marie resided in Atlanta, GA.

Evelyn L."Evie" Zola (Class of 1933)

May 21, 1924 - November 10, 2003. Evelyn L. "Evie" Zola, 79, of Benicia passed away peacefully at her home in Concord. She was born in Chicago and lived in Milwaukee for many years before moving to Concord in 1987. Evelyn worked as a Sign Language teacher for more than 30 years before retiring last year. She started at the University of Wisconsin and then at St. John's School for the Deaf. After moving to California, she taught at Martinez Adult School and at Contra Costa Community College. She was a member of several organizations associated with her profession including The National Association of the Deaf; Registry for Interpreters for the Deaf and the Jewish Hall of Fame. Evelyn in survived by her son Fred Zola and his wife Nieves Vargas of Benicia; daughter Sue Carol Zola of Tarzana, CA; brother Ira Lipshutz of Chicago; grandchildren Matthew Zola and Monica Varga and great grandchildren Kendal & Karen Vargas. She was preceded in death by her husband Philip Zola in 1991. Memorial services will be held 1:30 p.m. Friday at Passalacqua Funeral Chapel. Inurnment will be private. Family prefers donations to Deaf, Visual & Performing Artists or Fremont Oak Gardens, 920 Monterey Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94127.

Published in the Contra Costa Times on 11/12/2003.

At 1986 Reunion

Howard W. Schwartz (Class of 1934)

Howard passed away on March 26, 2003, at the age of 82. 

He was a prominent leader in the St. Louis deaf community and a retired chemist for Monsanto Chemical Company.  Born in Breese, IL, on July 29, 1920, he was the son of the late John F. and Olinda C. (Mahlandt) Schwartz.  He was born deaf, and he was enrolled at the Central Institute for the Deaf in 1925 at the age of 5.  In 1934, he entered Roosevelt High School and graduated in May of 1938.  He attended Harris College for two years and in 1940, took an apprenticeship under a professor of biological chemistry at Washington University Medical School where he learned biological chemistry and assisted in research work for two years.  He then transferred to the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology to assist in research work in biomedical radioactivity.  He was offered a position at the University of Chicago and turned down the offer to attend Washington University as a full time student without the slightest idea that he was being recruited to take part in the development of the atomic bomb.  He received his degree in June, 1945, from the Washington University and continued his post graduate study at the University while working for American Stove Company.  In November 1948, he moved to Dayton, Ohio, to begin his career with Monsanto Chemical Co.  In June, 1951, he married Elizabeth A. Springer of Wilmington, Delaware, who survives. After thirteen years in Dayton, they returned to St. Louis where he continued employment with Monsanto until his retirement in 1978 as a senior research chemist after thirty years.

In St. Louis, he served as editor, president, and treasurer of the Central Institute for the Deaf Alumni Association and received CIDAA's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1981.  In 1947, he founded the St. Louis Bell Club, a social organization for the deaf that is still active today.  He was the first president of Telecommunicators of Greater St. Louis in 1972 and received Distinguished Service Award in 1984 for helping to provide a service organization for TTY users. He was an active member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church for the Deaf serving as a layreader and treasurer for many years.  He has been a member of the American Chemical Society more than fifty years, as well as member of the Missouri Association for the Deaf, the St. Louis Deaf Lions' Club, and Gateway Silent Seniors.

He was buried St. John's Cemetery in Breese, II.

In addition to his wife, he is also survived by niece Pat Easton (Dennis), and nephews Jack Lampen, Tom Lampen (Lisa), and Bill Lampen (Laurie), twelve great nieces and nephews, and brother‑in law John Lampen. A sister, Jane Lampen, preceded him in death in 1987.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Schwartz Scholarship Fund at Central Institute for the Deaf.

Co-webmaster Crowell's note: We all miss him for everything he was - one of his favorite prank was: while he was sitting next to you, he would tap you on your opposite shoulder. You turn around to find no one there and then swiftly turn to look at Howard smiling impishly and innocently.

Many thanks to Kathy Sheldon and Libby Schwartz for their contribution to this biography.

circa 1930 at CID

Dr. Richard Bruce Gabbard (Class of 1935)

Bruce passed away on January 31, 2004 in College Station, TX.  He took his early training at 5 years of age at CID which led him to a Ph.D. in Pharmacy.  He lived in Louisiana at some point of his life.

Shirley (Fisher) Panara (Class of 1940)

Shirley passed away peacefully at the Highland Hospital in Henrietta, NY,  on July 16, 2003, at the age of 80.  She leaves her devoted husband of 56 years, Robert; her son, John E. Panara, and his wife, Janis, and grandchildren William and Erin; her brother Eleanor P. Lynch and his wife Georgia Fischer; nieces, nephews, and cousins. Also, Shirley is survived by her sister-in-law, Georgia Fischer.  Shirley's brother was Edward Fischer who is deceased.

A native of St. Louis, Shirley was a librarian at the Library of Congress in Washington DC and the Rochester School for the Deaf in Rochester, NY.  She was also a sign language teacher at MCAHI.  She was the founder and a president of the Eastern Deaf Women's Bowling Association.  She was very active in all athletics, gave tender loving care to 14 dogs in her lifetime, enjoyed pantomime, performing and teaching, and collected Noah's Ark memorabilia.

Marvin Atherton (Class of 1941)

Marvin passed away on July 19, 2001, at the age of 74.  He was buried in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 21, 2001.  He served as the CIDAA Treasurer from 1976 to 1981.

Margaret "Peggy" Ludlow Hanke (Class of 1942)

Peggy passed away at home on October 6 (year not given) following a stomach surgery.  She was nearly 80 years old.

Jean Kirchner Wilson (Class of 1942)

Jean passed away on March 18, 2002; she was a beloved wife of Robert Wilson; she also leaves a dear sister-in-law, an aunt, and a great-aunt.   Jean was a member of the Gateway Silent Seniors Club.  The viewing was held at the Jay B. Smith Maplewood Chapel, 7456 Manchester, Maplewood, Missouri, and the graveside funeral service was held at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Danville, Illinois. 

John "Jack" Debord (Class of 1945)

Jack passed away on July 25 (year not given); he was 77.

Luther Terral Managan (Class of 1946)

Luther passed away in Houston, Texas, as result of a heart attack on February 14 (year not given).

Harold Rosenthal (Class of 1946)

Harold passed away on January 3, 2003, at age 74.  He leaves his wife, Bernandine Kostecki.  He was a graduate of CID and Soldan High School in St. Louis.  He was a retired member of IBEW Local #1, Bell Club, Silent Seniors, and Shaare Emeth Temple.

Dale Sessions, wife of Don Sessions--Class of 1951

Dale passed away on November 28, 2003 in Amelia Island, Georgia.  She is remembered by those who knew her for her love of family and travel.   Born in July of 1937 in Griffin, Mrs. Sessions graduated from Griffin High School and later had a 39-year career at Bank of America in Atlanta. She worked in trust operations and other areas. Mrs. Sessions was also active with the Crusselle Freeman Church for the Deaf in Atlanta. She was proactive for the church of the deaf and all of their functions. She was also an active member of St. James Episcopal Church in Marietta, where her husband was an acolyte for about 40 years, said the Rev. Karen Evans.  "She was such a family person," she said. "She was just a very caring person. She would care about and take care of other people."  She was buried in St. James Episcopal Church's cemetery.

Douglas Bullard, Jr. (Class of 1952)

Douglas passed away on January 25, 2005, in Tarpon Springs, Florida, at the age of 64.  He had a congestive heart failure and multiple myeloma.  He was a Gallaudet graduate, an Alaskan geologist, and a one-time president of the Florida Association of the Deaf.  He also was a prolific writer who authored Islay: A Novel, a humorous book about a deaf man and his supporters taking over a small state in order to establish a deaf "homeland."  Douglas also authored On Deaf Ears, a collection of loosely-connected stories about the oral deaf school experience based upon his experience at CID.  At the time of his death, Douglas was working on Dingbat, a novel about a geologist in the Alaskan wilderness.  Douglas was also an ASL storyteller; a DVD collection of his ASL stories has been in the works for the past year or two.

Martha Ruth Clinard (Class of 1953)

Martha passed away on October 31, 2003 at her home in Springfield, TN at age 67 (1 day short of 68). She was Spring Prom Queen in 1953.  She was born November 1, 1935 in Robertson County, TN to Marguerite Dean Clinard and the late Berlin Porter Clinard. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Clyde Willis and Jessie Taylor Dean, Walter and Susie Dillard Clinard. Ms. Clinard was retired from the Robertson County Times, which her family owned and operated for many years. She was a faithful Member of Springfield Baptist Church, where she was a Member of the June Burr Sunday School Class. Ms. Clinard was a graduate of Springfield High School and she attended the Tennessee School for the Deaf and the Central Institute for the Deaf in St Louis, MO. She was a Member of the Hard of Hearing League in Middle Tennessee. Ms. Clinard is survived by her mother, Marguerite Dean Clinard of Springfield; sister and brother-in-law, Juanita and Vincent Bagwell of Springfield; four nephews, Vince Bagwell and his wife Debbie, Scott Bagwell and wife DeAna, Chris Bagwell and Keith Bagwell all of Springfield; four great nephews and one great niece, Walt and Brett Bagwell, Kyle and Kristin Bagwell and Carden Bagwell.  Funeral services were conducted at the Robertson County Funeral Home.

Frank E. Gray, Jr. (Class of 1961)

Frank was found dead in his home on July 17, 2001, at age 55.  He was buried in St. Louis on July 21, 2001.

His father, Frank Gray, Sr., was one of the scoutmasters of CID's Boy Scouts Troop 132; in recognition of his dedication and long service to the CID Boy Scout Troop 132, he was made a Honorary Member at the 2001 CIDAA Reunion.

At 2001 Reunion.

Alice Rains (Class of 1961)

Alice passed away on September 6, 2004, in Nashville, TN, at the age of 59.  Her remains were cremated on September 8 and buried next to her parents' gravesides on September 9.

As a Girl Scout at CID.

Jim Richardson (Class of 1961)

Jimmy passed away in California; he was diabetic.  His mother Harriett was a teacher at CID.

Jeff Ainsworth (Left in 1963)

Jeff passed away in Lemay, MO, on April 4, 2004, at the age of 57.

Ben Kanee, M.D., dear father of Susan (Kanee) Reekers (Class of 1963), passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2002, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

David Stillpass (Left, 1964)

David passed away on Friday, May 19, 2006.  He had cancer.

Ted Clark (Class of 1972)

Ted passed away at age 42 on April 16, 2004 in Overland Park (near Kansas City), MO.  He died of heart attack while sleeping on the sofa.  His mom checked on him the next day and saw him die peacefully on the sofa.  He had kidney problems for 17 years and had a kidney transplant.  After the kidney transplant, he did very well for a couple of years.  Ted will be remembered as being a great spiritual fighter for many years.

David Yanones (Class of 1978)

David passed away on October (year not given).  Additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Jeremy Marler (Class of 1989)

Jeremy was killed in auto accident on March 21, 2004 in Tennessee. A Rutherford County man died yesterday after his car slammed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed down for construction on Interstate 24 near State Route 840.  Police said he was traveling east on I-24 near 840 when the 1989 Nissan Pulsar he was driving hit the tractor-trailer. The truck was moving slowly because of construction traffic, said Kathy Bryant, dispatcher for Tennessee Highway Patrol. Marler, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. The driver of the truck was unharmed.

Published in the Tennessean on March 22, 2004.

Helen Barton (1908-2002) passed away April 6, 2002, at Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Palmyra, Missouri, where she has been a resident for three years.  Her time of death is recorded at 3:40 p.m.  Helen turned 94 years old on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002.  The visitation and funeral service was held at Howard H. Michael Funeral Home, 5930 Southwest at Hampton Avenue, St. Louis.  Due to her request, her funeral was simple.

Date of Birth:  March 31, 1908
Date of Death:  April 6, 2002

Jean Spires Hayden (1927-2005), teacher and mother of Melinda Hayden (Class of 1963), passed away in Chesapeake, VA, on December 22, 2005.  She was 78 years old.  She was the daughter of the late Seth and Melinda Linton Spires.  She was a graduate of CID's Teacher's Program at the Washington University in St. Louis in June 1962 and taught science in the Rotating Department at CID during the school  year of 1962-63.  She was predeceased by her husband of 29 years, Col. Joseph E. Hayden, Jr.  She is survived by three daughters, Victoria Hayden, Melinda Hayden (Class of 1963), and Amanda Corona; her sister, Shirley Baechtold; and brother, Harry Spires.  A memorial service was held in Episcopal Church of the Messiah, and the burial was held at the Arlington National Cemetery on January 10, 2006.

Irene Taylor Henderson (1916-2001), mother of Paul Lee Taylor (Class of 1952) passed away on September 9, 2001, in Rochester, NY.  She was a teacher of deaf children, some of whom eventually attended CID.  Irene moved to Rochester from Houston, Texas, in 1997 after her husband passed away, to be near Paul and his family. She was 85 years old. She died as result of myelodysplastic syndrome (chronic anemia).  Her last big event before her death was attending a wedding of her last grandchild, Irene, at the Outer Banks in North Carolina in June 2001.  Besides her three grandchildren, she also had three great-grandchildren.

Irene attended the teacher's training program at CID when she enrolled 4-year-old Paul at CID in 1943.  She eventually became a teacher in Houston. She helped found the Houston School for Deaf Children and was its director from 1949 to 1966.  During that time, she was known as Mrs. Ricks.  The school has been renamed as the Melinda Webb School at the Houston Speech and Hearing Center after a former student Irene taught.

Irene is remembered by many deaf friends of Paul and Sally.  A wake was held in Rochester during the evening of September 11, 2001, a day that was tragically marred by two hijacked jetliner crashes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City earlier that day.  After a delay of over a week due to shutdown of all airports in the United States, her body was finally taken to Houston where the funeral service was held on September 22.  Several of her former students and CID alumni attended the funeral, including Bud Northington, Alan Love, Rochelle Berlin Simpson and a few other friends of Paul and Sally.

Shirley K. (nee Kyle) Hirsh

Shirley passed away at age 83 on May 25, 2004.  She was beloved wife of Ira J. Hirsh.  She was former research worker at CID.  Her husband was interim director of CID for a few years.

Dr. Audrey Ann Simmons-Martin

Audrey Ann Simmons-Martin died Saturday (April 15, 2006) at Lutheran Convalescent Home in Webster Groves at the age of 87.  She was an educator, program director, and professor at the Central Institute for the Deaf.  Her honors include the Alexander Graham Bell Association teacher of the year award in 1977.  She was elected a fellow in the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, and in 1970, she was honored by American Men and Women of Science.  She retired full-time in 1981 and then continued to work part-time as a writer and consultant. 

Mrs. Simmons-Martin was past president of the Business and Professional Women's Club of St. Louis and past area director of Zonta International.  In 1970, she was a Globe-Democrat Woman of Achievement and St. Louis Outstanding Woman in Education in 1968. She also served on the board of directors at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf.

She was married to James A. Martin.  He died in 2004.
 

Elizabeth "Cookie" Williams

Beloved mother of Bonnie Williams Sandy (Class of 1977), she passed away on September 19, 2005, at her home in Wilmington, Ohio.  Her husband, David Romach Williams (Class of 1951), preceded her in death in 1988.  She was a member of the St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Wilmington, Ohio, the Brush and Pen Club, the Red Hatters in Wilmington and Columbus, the Ohio Association of the Deaf, the National Association of the Deaf, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, and several other organizations for the deaf.  She was a board member of Wilmington College, the Clinton County Historical Society, and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York.  Cookie was known for her warmth, generosity and contributions.  Among the organizations she supported were the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York, the Murphy Theater, Wilmington College, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, the National Theatre of the Deaf, the Kentucky Commission for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, the Deaf Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Missouri, the Boy Scouts of America, Clinton Memorial Hospital, and numerous other charities.  Mrs. Williams also donated land to the Wilmington City Parks.