The Memorial Wall

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Mary Rouzie Adams on June 10th. Mary always found fun and happiness in her life. Born to Evelyn and Reverend Irwin C. Johnson in Detroit, Michigan in 1932, Mary was raised with faith and love. Her passing is preceded by her parents, her brother, David Johnson and her first, second and third husbands, W. Murray Fowler, George M. Holstein, III and John S. Rouzie.

Mary graduated from University Liggett School in Indian Village, MI in 1949. Prior to attending college, she loved teaching ballroom dance to children in Grosse Pointe, MI. In her young adult life, Mary successfully modeled, often being featured in the newspaper and was even a finalist as Mrs. Michigan in the Mrs. America Pageant. Mary pursued her degree in early childhood education from Stephens College in Columbia, MO and commenced in 1951 after which time she returned to Michigan to teach at her alma mater. It was after graduation that she married Murray Fowler and had three children together: David, Jeff, and Missy.

The family of five briefly moved to New Jersey and ultimately landed in Southern California in the late 60's. Mary often volunteered at the local hospitals where she lived and worked as a Membership Director for the Newport Beach Tennis Club. One of Mary's favorite passions was travel and she enjoyed many years of her life between homes in Newport Beach, Rancho Mirage, and Big Fork, Montana. Mary explored over 90 countries, often including her children and grandchildren, which awakened them to travel and the building of wonderful memories together as a family.

During one of these trips, Mary met and married her husband of nearly 20 years, Ray Adams. They cruised extensively together for many of their years of marriage. Mary was past President of the Palm Springs Pathfinders (Boys and Girls Club) and was active for many years at the Thunderbird Country Club, including the Birdettes. Mary played tennis and golf but found most of her enjoyment in entertaining her many friends and family members.

She is survived by her husband Ray, sister Elenore Tuttle, sons David Fowler and Jeff Fowler (Bib) and daughter Missy Alward. She also leaves behind five grandchildren, Alex Alward, Lane Timian (Travis), Blaine Alward, Ian Fowler (Hillary) and Alden Burton Fowler, a great granddaughter, Blake Mary Timian, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary gave her last and most personal donation to the Neuropathy Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in the hope to aid in the understanding and development of a cure for Corticobasal Degeneration – the disease she bravely fought for the past six years. Mary's passing asks us to remember the extraordinary life that she generously shared with love and happiness to all those around and to always find the joy and love around us.

He was "never known to complain about a thing,” said his son. “He took ‘the bad’ in stride and pressed on. Any ‘good’ was a blessing and not to be squandered.”

John Woodcock Jr., 86, an accountant and devoted family man, died Wednesday, June 9, of Parkinson’s disease at White Horse Village, a retirement community in Newtown Square.

Mr. Woodcock and his brothers Jim, Bill, and Ron were the children of immigrants — John Woodcock Sr. was from Ireland and Isabella Kerr Woodcock was from Scotland — who, like their own siblings, came to the United States to pursue a better life. They settled in Ardmore and Mr. Woodcock grew up surrounded by dozens of cousins, with lessons about the importance of family and hard work that stayed with him all his life.

“In this environment, he learned how family takes care of each other,” said his son, Steve Woodcock. “Nobody ever had a want because this extended family took care of each other during good times and bad.”

During the Korean War, Mr. Woodcock served in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician, and was one of the first sailors to earn the distinction, his family said. He later served as a Navy reservist.

After leaving the Navy, Mr. Woodcock was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Evening Program of Accounts and Finance, graduating with honors, and he received his license as a certified public accountant.

He went on to spend his entire professional career with the Philadelphia accounting firm Tait, Weller and Baker, rising to managing partner.

Mr. Woodcock also enjoyed community service. He served as chairman of the Tredyffrin Township Municipal Authority. He was a member of the Paoli Presbyterian Church for 51 years, serving as a Trustee, an Elder, and chairman of the church’s Mission Committee. He built deep friendships within his church community.

He loved to golf and was an avid sailor, spending many weekends on the Chesapeake with his family. A devotee of the outdoors, he taught his children how to sail, fish, build fires, and pitch a tent. He knew his way around a grill; his cheese-stuffed burgers and London broil were the stuff of family legend. And his grandchildren couldn’t get enough of what the Woodcock clan called his “7-Up pancakes.” (One can guess the secret ingredient.)

Family and friends were his life’s passions, true to the lessons of his upbringing, according to his loved ones. He built relationships in all the places he lived — Ardmore in his youth; Paoli and Devon as an adult; and, in the last five years, Newtown Square.

Caring and providing for his wife, Barbara, and three children was his priority, and he cherished time with his grandchildren, Steve Woodcock said. He was still friends with chums he had known since grade school.

“Friendships were a treasure to him, and if you were called his friend, he truly loved you,” his son said.

From high school to his final years, he said, the feature of Mr. Woodcock’s that people always seemed to recall was his smile.

“[My father] was never known to complain about a thing,” Steve Woodcock said. “He took ‘the bad’ in stride and pressed on. Any ‘good’ was a blessing and not to be squandered.”

In addition to his son, Mr. Woodcock is survived by his wife, son John F. Woodcock, daughter Pam Bennett, his brothers, six grandchildren, and other relatives.

Charles Elkind, 98, passed away June 2, 2021, after a ten-year struggle with Parkinson’s. A lover of family time, jazz, word puzzles, and theater, Chuck was born and raised on McAllister Street in San Francisco, CA. He graduated from Lowell High School in the early 1940s, San Francisco State in 1948, and Stanford University with a Master's Degree in Journalism in 1950. Chuck served his country playing trombone in the Army Air Corps Band. Chuck had an impressive career working at The Wall Street Journal, SRI, IBM, and AEA in Public Relations.

In November of 1947, Chuck met the love of his life, Rokama (nee Kramer) of Chicago, IL at a dance in San Francisco and it was love at first sight. A social activist at heart, Chuck helped to establish a Free Clinic in the later 1960s in Manhattan Beach. He loved his time as a thespian with the Manhattan Beach Community Church as well as playing music with a number of local bands after his retirement in the 1980s. His later years were spent in Manhattan Beach where he could stroll to the beach, sit on a bench, and watch the passing parade. Chuck is survived by his wife of 73 years, Rokama, daughters Sheila (Tim) Hostetler, Nanette (Jeff) Dorr, and Julie (Greg) Sevilla, grandchildren, Marissa, Vince, Rachel, Becky, Eli, Jeff, and great-grandchildren Aiden, Amelia & Nora.

On May 12, 2021, Harry Bondareff, age 57, died peacefully at his home in Portland OR surrounded by his loving wife, family, and life-long friends. He was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Alexandria, VA. A graduate of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, he played three varsity sports, was a class president, and received the St. Stephen's Medal. He obtained a BS in Commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon.

An innovative businessman and entrepreneur, he spent his career focused on sustainability and work that bettered the environment. Harry loved hiking, climbing mountains, rock climbing, camping, and international travel. He struggled valiantly with early-onset Parkinson's Disease and a subsequent stroke. He is survived by his wife and soulmate, Kerry Rae Connolly, his father, Dr. Erwin A. Bondareff, his sisters, Lisa Kemler (Tom), Karen Kalicka (Danny), and Suzanne Kahn, and his brother, David Bondareff (Brenda), four nieces and six nephews. Preceded in death by his mother, Harriet Lee Bondareff. Private celebrations of Harry's life will be scheduled at a later date.

Retired CIA officer and New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed "Red Sparrow Trilogy" Jason Matthews died on April 28, 2021, in Rancho Mirage after a long, courageous battle with a rare neurodegenerative disease. He is survived by his wife Suzanne, daughters Alexandra Matthews (Steve Souryal) and Sophie Baumann (Tim Baumann), and brother William Matthews (Sharon). He was 69.

Mr. Matthews was born in Hartford, CT to Charles and Aglaia Matthews. He attended Mount Hermon prep school (now Northfield Mount Hermon). After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he pursued a Master's in Journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Fluent in Greek, Spanish, and French, he applied to the Central Intelligence Agency after grad school. As a CIA case officer, he served in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. In 1981 while on an overseas assignment, he met his future wife Suzanne who was also a career CIA officer.

Upon his retirement from the CIA in 2010, Matthews embarked on the writing of thrillers that drew on his long years of experience. Although he coyly joked that this effort was mere "therapy" for an ex-Agency officer, he threw himself into the effort, studying the work of other spies-turned-writers, conducting research, and dedicating long hours to his new career. He was meticulously attentive to details, whether it be how CIA operatives surveilled targets or the proper ingredients of a classic Russian borscht soup. Matthews delighted in deploying the spy-craft he used in the CIA to illuminate his books. His first book, Red Sparrow, won the Edgar Award for a best first novel and garnered high praise. "Relentless drama is just one of the high points of this sublime and sophisticated debut," said the Washington Post. Echoed the New York Times Book review, "A primer on 21st-century spying. Matthews former foes in Moscow will be choking on their blinis when they read how much has been revealed about their tradecraft… terrifically good." Red Sparrow was later adapted into the 2018 Twentieth Century Fox film starring Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton.

Mr. Matthews work and his life were animated by wry humor, ferocious patriotism and devotion to his family and the CIA. A life well-lived, he is fondly and forever remembered by his family, friends, professional colleagues, and the many admirers of his distinctive novels. A celebration of life will be held later this summer.

James Harold Sheehy was born June 1, 1945, and passed away peacefully on April 23, 2021. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease Dementia.

Jim was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York to Harold Duke Sheehy and Eloise Ashby Sheehy, and grew up there with his sister Elinor, who passed away last year. During his childhood Jim spent his time playing stickball with his "gang", experimenting with soon-to-be-considered unsafe chemistry sets, and taking part in the general sort of troublemaking to be expected from an NYC kid in the 1950s. A sign of his business endeavors to come, at age 10 he often went to Manhattan to buy handfuls of prisms that he resold in the neighborhood for a healthy profit. In his teens, Jim's father was shocked to discover he had $2,000 in his bank account.

Jim was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War but received a medical discharge due to his asthma. One of his first jobs in New York was with the American Broadcasting Co. He could recall seeing the Beatles first arrive to the US amid screaming crowds.

In the late 1960s, Jim moved to Northern Virginia with his first wife, Camille, where they raised their two daughters, Laura and Lisa. He started work in Virginia as a Customer Service Rep with American Airlines, which sparked his love for the travel business. After a series of other jobs, he returned to travel as a Sales Rep at the Air Transport Association before co-founding and heading sales for National Air Charters.

In 1982 he started at United Airlines, where he coordinated the Washington Redskins' away from football travel program, traveling on the team jet and attending games during the height of their franchise success with Joe Theismann as QB. Jim loved being on the field for their Super Bowl years and made lasting connections with members of the team and the organization.

It was during this time that he met his second wife, Kim Shanks, on a "fam" trip to Asia. They spent their first two weeks getting to know each other amid the romantic settings of Bali, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Within two months they were engaged and on September 20, 1986, they married in Pasadena, CA.

In 1991, their son, Ryan, was born in Virginia, and a year later they moved to Southern California where Jim purchased a travel agency in Pasadena. In 1999 he partnered with Protravel International, headquartered in NYC, and expanded the business to Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Palm Desert, where he, Kim, and Ryan relocated in 2001. He was a longstanding member of Virtuoso, a luxury travel consortium, and hand-picked as one of the 45 accredited agents authorized to sell trips to space with Virgin Galactic. While he sold the business in 2012, he kept the relationships and memories he forged traveling across the globe with his family and friends dear to him.

Jim served as an elder in the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, heading Personnel and helping the Church develop the Academy school. He enjoyed coaching his son in baseball and soccer, and actively assisted local Boy Scout Troop 131 where he was a merit badge counselor for some of his favorite hobbies like Astronomy and Fishing. If the Scouts had badges in good wine and food, he would have gladly helped with those as well.

Jim cared deeply for his family and is loved and will be missed by those close to him. Jim is survived by his wife of nearly 35 years, Kim, their son, Ryan, his daughters, Laura (Tim) Delaney and Lisa (Jimmy) Roach, and grandchildren, Anna, Connor, Cameron, and Alex.

Larry Cox of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 19, while surrounded by loved ones. Larry was the son of Willard and Ethelyn Cox of Norman, OK.

Raised in Norman, Oklahoma, Larry worked with his father in their body shop and lumberyard before moving to Bend, Oregon. He and Anita moved around the northwest including Mulkiltea and Seattle, Washington. After his wife's death, Larry lived with his children, alternating between Seattle and Bend. Larry loved his family above all and was blessed to spend time with his children and grandsons who took time to listen to his many tales of days gone by. He was lovingly cared for by his son and daughter and their families in his last years battling Parkinson's.

Larry is survived by his son, Steven Cox; his daughter, Annette Adkins and husband, Brad; his three grandsons, Kelly Cox and wife, Sirikul, Dusty Adkins, and Corey Adkins and wife, Anapaula; brother, Mike Cox and wife, Marilyn; his sisters, Vicki Worster and Cathy Naifeh and husband, Clifton; along with several nieces and nephews and other relatives.

He was predeceased by his parents and his wife, Anita Cox, the love of his life.

Lawrence “Larry” Gay, 85, passed away on Monday, April 19, 2021, at Hammond Henry Hospital, Geneseo, IL

Lawrence was born on January 1, 1936, the son of Homer and Vivian (Elliott) Gay in Rose Hill, IA. He married the love of his life, Margie Newport, on August 27, 1955, in Oskaloosa, IA. He graduated from Lacey Consolidated High School in Lacey, IA. Larry graduated from Iowa State University in 1957. Larry was employed at John Deere for 35 years as an agricultural engineer. As an avid agriculturist, Larry wrote four books about tractors. He retired from John Deere in 1992. Larry enjoyed bicycling and traveling with his lovely wife.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Margie, Geneseo; son, Steve (Zhongxi) Gay, Huntley, IL; daughters, Pam (Dennis) Coonfield, Omaha, NE, Marcy (Chris) Cox, Saugatuck, MI; brothers, David (Sue) Gay, Portland, OR; sisters, Patty (Ted) Winegardner, Colombus, SC; sister-in-law, Sandra Gay, Morton, IL; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Vivian Gay; and brother, James Gay.

What a life he packed into 88 years! Bob Johnson passed away on April 18, 2021, with Lois, his beloved wife of 65 years, near his side. He was born in North Park, Chicago, in 1932, to Walter and Florence (Sandstedt) Johnson. He first showed his independent-mindedness when, at five years of age, he chose not to attend his parents' Saron Lutheran Church, opting instead to walk three blocks with his five-year-old buddy to the nearby (Swedish) Evangelical Covenant Church. The family moved to Glendale, California, when Bob was nine, though he remained a Cubs fan for life. Bob earned his BS in Engineering at UCLA. He then served for two years in the US Army, working in radio electronics in the radar vans at Aberdeen (Md.) Proving Grounds, before returning to UCLA for an MS He remained an avid, lifelong fan of the Bruins.

Bob met Lois O'Loughlin at a Luther League Bible study and dance when he was 20 and she was 16, and he pursued her until she realized how much she loved him. They married and raised three children, each of whom he loved dearly and bragged about often. He always felt he could have done a better job of parenting, yet he was proud of how his children turned out, each successful in their own way and all lovers of people. Bob began his career with Collins Radio Company. With Collins and, later, Rockwell, he designed 14 patented electromechanical filters, presented uncounted papers at Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers meetings, and wrote the captivating(!) Mechanical Filters in Electronics.

In 1988, he and Lois traveled to Helsinki, Finland, for his induction as a Fellow of the IEEE – a recognition of his profound influence and many important personal and professional relationships in the field. When Collins moved to Newport Beach, Bob joined the YMCA to exercise during lunch hour. For a few years, he ran through the nearby hills and valleys. Along the way, he developed a great passion for track and field. He took family members to numerous track meets and Olympic trials over the decades. Eventually, his competitive spirit led him to play full-court, outdoor basketball at the Y, which he continued to do with players of all ages until he was 82.

When Bob and Lois moved to Tustin, they joined Trinity United Presbyterian Church and a new young-marrieds Sunday School called The King's Class. A person of deep faith and a lover of theology, Bob served Trinity as an elder and helped the church form its Community Outreach Committee. Through this committee, Bob helped Trinity and The King's Class become much more involved with the wider community, from greater Santa Ana to the hills above Tijuana, Mexico. Bob and Lois got involved in civil rights protests in the early '60s. Bob began volunteer work as a checker when he joined the Orange County Fair Housing Council in 1966. He joined the board of directors in 1968 and remained on the board until his death. He co-founded the Community Housing Corporation, a non-profit that develops housing for low-income families.

Through connections at Cal State Fullerton, Bob launched a project wherein he collected the oral histories of 22 Blacks who moved to or grew up in Orange County in the 20th century. This resulted in his co-authorship of A Different Shade of Orange: Voices of Orange County, California, Black Pioneers. Bob also served on the board of the Santa Ana Black Historical Society. He began developing Parkinson's Disease before he could publish his magnum opus on mid-20th century Black migration into Orange County, a substantial historical work his daughter Karen is editing and seeking a publisher for. Although Bob never wanted recognition for his work, he appreciated the OC Human Relations Council Legacy Award granted to him and Dorothy Mulkey in 2014 and the Fair Housing Volunteer of the Year award from the Community Relations Conference of Southern California in 1981.

Bob never thought he could save the world; rather, he believed in tackling doable projects – ones that assisted and empowered those marginalized from positions of power and wealth. Bob's way of doing things was moderation, but he had a backbone of steel. He had a profound faith, but he took to the apostle James's dictum that "faith without works is dead."

"Those grateful not only for their existence, but also for Bob's inspiration, include his predeceased grandson Nathan Bayati; his children Christelle (Adnan) Bayati, Karen Johnson (Bert Verrips), and Steven Johnson (Ellen Davis); and his grandchildren Jennah Bayati, Sydney Johnson, Kyle Verrips, and Maria Johnson Davis. He is also survived by his best friend and wife, Lois. In lieu of flowers, Bob would want you to stick up for others. A celebration of life is planned for June. 

David Maurice Mercier, age 81, passed away peacefully in his sleep after complications while battling Parkinson's. David is survived by his loving and devoted wife Tina, and his beloved children Justin, Suzanne, Jacqueline, and Caroline, grandchildren Madeleine and Alexander, siblings Gloria (Stewart) Cooper, Jim (Carol) Mercier and Fran (Adam) Rozyskie, and cousins, nieces, and nephews.

David ("Dave") was born in Vancouver on July 20, 1939. After a brief foray into the RCAF (which ended after the Avro Arrow jet program was canceled in 1959), Dave set his sights on the high-flying world of accounting. David articled with Griffiths and Griffiths, qualified as a chartered accountant and became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC. He was a renaissance man when it came to business, with interests in oil and gas, real estate, and various other entrepreneurial endeavors that took him all over the world.

Dave's lengthy political career began in Burnaby in 1968. Dave served as the Mayor of Burnaby from 1979-1981, as a member of the BC Legislative Assembly from 1986-1991, in addition to various other leadership roles. In addition to his public service, Dave supported a number of charitable organizations and was a founding donor of Minerva BC in tribute to his mother Kathleen.

A natural athlete, David enjoyed rugby, running, golf, and skiing well into his twilight years. Some of his happiest memories were from his many rugby tours, family vacations, and time spent at the cabin in Point Roberts.

True to form, Dave put up a good fight until the end. He will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered. Special thanks to the incredible nurses and doctors at VGH. Given this time of Covid restrictions, no funeral will be held. A celebration of Dave's life will be held at a later date.