In Memoriam

John F. Nielsen ’47, retired Regional General Manager for Sears Roebuck & Co.-Hawaii and community leader, passed away on October 15, 2016 in Honolulu. A Marine veteran of WWII, he was a graduate of Pepperdine University and of the first (1947) class of Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. Activities in Hawaii included board of directorships for First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaiian Electric, Iolani School, Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Hawaii Army Museum. Trustee for H.M. Dowsett Estate, past president of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, the Aloha Bowl and Co-Founder of the Annual Boy Scouts Aloha Council Golf Tourney.

Raymond Hagen ’50, of Coral Gables, FL succumbed to a lengthy illness on January 13 at the age of 92. A career with Goodyear International took the family to Akron, OH, New York City and Miami and entailed responsibilities for managing sales of aviation products in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. He was an active member and leader of the Lions Club, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Board.

George Peckham ’52, passed away on Sunday, April 30, 2017 following some recent health challenges. He was a World War II veteran of the United States Marine Corps who saw combat operations in the Pacific Theatre. He was an accomplished agricultural nutritionist who specialized in the proper care and maintenance of livestock with a specialty in poultry.

Boye Lafayette De Mente ’53 passed away on May 12, 2017. As editor of The Importer magazine in Tokyo in the late 1950s and early 1960s and as the author of numerous pioneer books on the mindset and business practices of the Chinese, Japanese and South Koreans, he made major contributions to the initial rise of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China as economic superpowers. Boye’s relationships with individuals as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, America’s ranking naval officer during World War II; Akio Morita, co-founder of the Sony empire; Toshio Karita, protocol officer for the Imperial Family of Japan; and Daisetzu Suzuki, Japan’s leading Zen master, were experiences he could not have even dreamed about before they happened.

Edward Campeau ’53, passed away on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he was stationed in Korea. Edward retired from IBM as a Senior Systems Engineer and was a member of St. Anne Catholic Church in Sebring. He enjoyed crossword puzzles and sudoku puzzles in his retirement.

Robert T. Mott ’57, passed away April 2, 2017. Bob was born in Berkeley, and grew up there and in Alameda. He attended San Jose State and graduated from Michigan State. He earned a BFT from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and an M.A. in economics from UC Berkeley. Bob lived in the Bay Area most of his life. He was a long-time member of Tiburon Yacht Club, and took great pleasure in sailing on the bay.

Timothy S. Reed ’57, passed away August 14, 2017 in Traverse City, MI. From early days as a crew member aboard the Henry Ford II on the Great Lakes, hauling iron ore, driving a construction truck in Puerto Rico, and a summer cross country trip through Mexico, Tim’s course was set. His subsequent career as an international banker allowed him to live the life he dreamed-world travel and a dynamic career, with a large and loving family by his side. Tim joined Monsanto Chemical Company in St. Louis, and later an opening at Citibank in New York City offered the kind of job he had always hoped for, an assignment outside the United States, taking him to Valencia, Venezuela. That assignment eventually led to positions in Caracas and Maracaibo, and then a posting to Quito, Ecuador. Tim continued to advance in his career with positions in Lagos, Nigeria, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and finally Miami, where he was in charge of Citibank’s Latin America corporate deposit business until his retirement.

Robert (Bob) Kohrs ’58, passed away on July 18, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer. His career in banking began when he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in Panama. He and his family lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lima, Peru and New Jersey, until he joined Indiana National Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1973, where he was responsible for its international business until he retired.

Gerry Kangas ’60, passed away on April 25, 2015. Gerry was married in 1957 and after graduating from Thunderbird, he began his career as an international banker traveling to 108 countries. He lived in the U.S., Uruguay, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia Indonesia, Philippines, Fiji Islands, Kenya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Spain. He and his wife returned to their hometown of Clatskanie in 1994 and retired. In 1996, Gerry received the Jonas Mayer Distinguished Alumnus Award from Thunderbird.

William (Bill) Hartley ’62, passed away November 29, 2016 in Inverness, FL of congestive heart failure. A Hofstra University graduate and U.S. Army veteran, he became a field geologist for Core Laboratories, Inc., living for five years in Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. Later, following graduation from AIFT, he worked as a sales representative in the Far East and Indonesia for Celanese Corporation. In 1967 he began a 27-year career with Goulds Pumps Inc., serving first as International Sales Manager and later as Regional Sales Director for Central America and the Caribbean. His career with Goulds included spending two years in Sao Paulo, Brazil as sales manager for the company’s new manufacturing plant, Bombas Goulds. In retirement, he was a founder of the Apalachicola Bay and Riverkeeper environmental organization, serving as the volunteer Riverkeeper and Board Chairman. He loved fishing, hunting and golf, according to his wife, Shirley Wood Hartley, also a 1962 AIFT graduate.

James Lyddon ’64, passed away on July 12, 2017 at his home on Tug Lake in Irma WI. After graduation from Thunderbird, Jim joined the Arizona Army National Guard in 1964, and served for several years. Jim was employed by Strasenburgh Laboratories, an American pharmaceutical company, from 1965 to 1970. He worked mostly in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Venezuela where he was Regional Manager and eventually General Manager for Central America. He lived in Guayaquil and Cuenca, Ecuador; Medellin and Bogota, Colombia; and Caracas, Venezuela. After returning to the .U.S in 1970, Jim continued his education and worked two years as a corporate accountant for the Parker Pen Company in Janesville, WI. He then completed his MBA and CPA, and became a partner with Schweisberger & Lyddon, CPAs for 12 years. He married Karen Mahieu Lawson in 1990.

John Paul Lewis ’64, passed away on Sunday, February 19, 2017. He started his career in commercial banking, first focusing on loans to international markets in Asia and South America, and later transitioned to Oil & Gas financing. After travelling around the world, John eventually formed his own private equity fund, which invested in a variety of manufacturing and service companies throughout the United States. Prior to his banking career, John served in the United States Air Force as part of the Strategic Air Command. He was an avid golfer, loved music, and actively supported numerous charities.

Charles Friend ’65, passed away on February 20, 2017. He served two tours in the United States Air Force and subsequently attended the Marshall-Wythe School of Law of the College of William and Mary, where he was editor-in-chief of the William and Mary Law Review. In academics for nearly two decades, he taught law at William and Mary, George Mason University, and the University of Richmond, all in Virginia; the University of Houston, TX; and Campbell University, NC. He directed the University of Richmond’s summer law-study program in England and was acting dean at Richmond. He held the Distinguished Educator Award from Richmond and the Professor of the Year and Outstanding Professor awards from George Mason. He practiced law in Richmond and then entered private practice in York County where he served as president of the York County Bar Association. He was commissioner in chancery of the York Circuit Court and a substitute judge of the York County Court in 1972. Charles was editor of the Virginia Bar Association Journal from 1974 to 1998.

Richard Strayer ’65, passed away on December 22 in Tucson after a brief battle with lung cancer. He served his country as a member of the Arizona Air National Guard. As an executive with international companies, Dick and family traveled and worked in developing countries and Canada. Upon retirement, Dick and Louise returned to Tucson. For the remainder of his professional life, he joined The University of Arizona Department of Parking and Transportation /Special Events. Dick loved boating on Canadian and U.S. waterways. He was also an avid cyclist qualifying for the National Senior Olympics and enjoyed touring throughout many states and, most of all, Arizona. … Jack Stein ’66, passed away on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Jack was a resident of Wichita, Kansas at the time. Jack was an avid golfer, a Boeing employee for more than 30 years, a graduate of Wichita State University and Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a Vietnam veteran.

Charles A. (Sandy) Nalle ’66, passed away December 18, 2016 from a sudden heart attack. … Charles V. Cupp II ’67, passed away at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA from throat cancer. Charly worked for the Libbey Owens Ford International Division and owned Lehman Insurance. He moved to California where he owned several businesses and where he invested in real estate. … Jack Witter ’69, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Jack spent the first 10 years after graduation working in international marketing for consumer product companies. He spent the rest of his career in real estate sales and management, first in the Bay Area, then working from San Luis Obispo he built and managed a number of large senior living homes in California and Arizona.

Todd Stevens ’72, of Glen Rock, passed peacefully on Monday, February 13 following a long battle with vascular dementia. Todd spent most of his career in Real Estate.

Chris Morrison ’73, long-time alumni chapter leader passed away Friday May 19, 2017 after a brief battle with cancer. He was a friend and mentor to many and had been a driving force behind the reinvigoration of the South Florida Thunderbird alumni chapter and the Thunderbird Executive Alumni of Miami (TEAM) club. Chris spent most of his career managing Hyatt, Radisson and Omni hotels. After living all over while working in the hospitality industry, he and his wife, Debbie, eventually found their way to Coral Gables, where they lived for many years, and where Chris began working as a mortgage banker.

Arthur Wehrmeister Jr. ’73, passed away March 20, 2017, in Las Vegas. Arthur grew up in the Los Angeles area and joined the U.S. Air Force. His tour of duty included some interesting assignments and ended in Taipei, Taiwan, where he continued to work for the U.S. government. In Taipei, Arthur and Anne were married and daughter, Joyce, was born. The family moved to the U.S. with a job transfer

thunderbird magazine to Washington, D.C. in 1972. In the coming years, Arthur graduated from the University of Maryland, Thunderbird School of Global Management, and received his law degree from the University of San Diego. Arthur moved his family from San Diego to Las Vegas in 1979. Subsequently, he practiced law in several settings in Las Vegas. Arthur served as County District Attorney in Nye County, and later in Esmeralda County, NV. Throughout his life, Arthur loved playing tennis, keeping up with politics and world events. Arthur continued to enjoy traveling and, intermittently, working and living in Asia. Arthur was able to make his last trip traveling to the Philippines in 2015.

Randal Glenn Pearson ’74, passed away on October 22, 2016. He had a good career, spending many years doing business in Japan and in Southeast Asia.

Todd M. Stafne ’76, passed away in his home in Bellevue on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. Todd worked in various countries in South America, and became bi-lingual in Spanish. He developed manufactur ing facilities for several U.S. pharmaceutical companies in Panama and Chile. Workers loved him. Instead of packing toiletries and clothes when he traveled, he loaded his luggage with books and magazines to teach his workers about the world outside their countries. He was devoted to learning and inspired his workers to do the same. Todd had inexhaustible energy. When he committed himself to completing whatever he set out to do, his focus was riveting. Whether negotiating contracts with govern ment employees, working with contractors, or devoting himself to hard work, he woke up every morning raring to go.

Mark Hendel ’79, of Miami Beach, FL, passed away on Monday June 5, 2017 at his home in Park City, UT surrounded by his family after losing a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. Mark was a loving father, husband, grandfather, and a friend to all who knew him. Mark Hendel ‘79 Mark was the brother of Valerie Hendel de La Torre ’85.E

d Camargo ’86, passed away Sunday April 30, 2017 in Nantou Hospital, surrounded by four members of this Spiritual Assembly. He had been a member of this Assembly from the First Day of the Festival of Ridvan and was to host the Twelfth Day of Ridvan’s community celebration the evening of April 30, the day he ascended. His sudden death was caused by acute cardiopulmonary failure. Eddie was born on December 10, 1952 and came to Taiwan as a Baha’i pioneer in 1989.

Erin Gibbons ’90, passed away Saturday July 29, 2017 at Kobacker House after a ten month battle with cancer. Erin was a psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in Central Ohio. Erin had a life-long love of travel and visited eighty-two countries, spoke four languages and had friends all around the world. … Fred Joseph Farris, Jr. ’92, passed away in January 2017.

Nestor Cubides ’99, passed away January 24, 2017 after a 10-month battle with tongue cancer. He was a champ, coping with the surgery, reconstruc tion, and treatment. He did that with the desire to live for his beautiful young girls, Amanda and Sara, family and friends. Several T-birds traveled to New York to celebrate his life.

Todd Gould ’06, of Columbia, MO passed away on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Todd loved working in his parents’ business, hunting, woodworking, fishing with his nieces and nephews, and learning. His last years were spent lovingly caring for his aging father.