Gerald V. Upholt

Gerald V. Upholt was born on 5 April 1912. He graduated from U.C.L.A. in 1937 with a B.S. degree in Subtropical Horticulture. After a 25-year career, he retired from the Imperial-Yuma Production Credit Association, an organization that provided credit to farmers in the Imperial Valley of California. He was an avid bicyclist and backpack camper, hiking in mountains in the U.S. and Mexico. He and his wife were both interested in the Peace Corps, and he joined India-80 (Village Level Food Production) in 1969 after his wife died. He worked in a village not far from Kumbakonam in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu, where India-80 was involved with the Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP), largely funded by the Ford Foundation. After completing his service in 1971, he became a United Nations Volunteer working near Jiroft in Kerman Province of southeastern Iran, a very hot, dry region that somewhat resembled the Imperial Valley climatologically.

Despite being his late 50's while being a Peace Corps Volunteer, Jerry proved himself at least equal to those of us in our 20s when going on long bicycle trips. Surprisingly, even though he had difficulty learning Tamil in India, he did achieve an ability to communicate in Farsi while in Iran. He took some vacations with other India-80 members, going to Sri Lanka, Kerala, and Kashmir and returned to India and traveled with another former I-80 member in India and Bangladesh, and later on in Japan and east and west coast areas of the USA. He was an inspiration to some of us who, having much less life experience than Jerry, thought that Peace Corps life was difficult.

After his return to California from Iran, Jerry lived on a large plot of land with daughter Theresa, her husband Ron and their girls near Sebastopol, not far from Santa Rosa north of San Francisco. There he was the main agricultural and general advisor for the land and other things. He continued to be active with bicycling (he completed a 100 mile bicycle road race near Santa Rosa with an I-80 travel companion) and hiking and helping his two daughters (Gretchen and Theresa) and their families. When he was unable to help his daughters and family in the same manner, he retired to Santa Rosa, spending all his time with a female friend who shared his interests until his death at age 85 on 12 February 1998.

Contributed by Dan Berkowitz and Jim Emery, former members of India-80

William James Hillard
Corporal
B CO, 26TH ENGINEER BN, AMERICAL DIV
Army of the United States
01 March 1948 - 15 March 1969
Kennedy, New York
Panel 29W Line 045
And
Peace Corp Volunteer, India 41

21 Dec 2005
Bill and I were good friends in Maharashtra, India. He and I were then members of India 41, a Peace Corps group that was introducing new agricultural methods to the farmers in our area. He resigned early so that he could return to his love. I later found out he had been killed in Viet Nam. Such a shame. His laugh still makes me smile. He was so caring about others. I wish I could communicate to his parents just how wonderful a friend and person he was. Perhaps this entry will do that.

From a Peace Corps buddy,
George Jeffcott

Remembrance for Harold R. Willson, India III, 1941-2001

Harold or Hal, as friends and associates called him, died January 23, 2001 at age 59. My name is Sally Willson; I worked in Washington as India Desk Officer under the name Sally Dana until we were married in 1966.

Peace Corps certainly influenced Hal's career and interests. In India from 1963-65, he helped establish a 4-H type training program for rural school teachers in Palampur, a town in the Himalayas now in Himachal Pradesh. I understand on this same site, a College of Agriculture was started in 1966 and has since become the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University!

After returning from India, Hal worked on several PC-India training projects out of the University of California at Davis and Riverside while he pursued his MSc in International Agriculture at Davis, and PHD in Entomology at Riverside. He returned to India in 1969-70 with the Ford Foundation and researched indigenous grain storage methods in the Punjab. In the 1970-80s during his research extension appointment at Cornell University, he coordinated three state-side training programs for foreign agriculturalists from the Middle East including Pakistan, India and China. Next, at The Ohio State University where he was tenured and focused on corn, wheat and soy grain integrated pest management, he advised graduate students from Mali, Senegal, Uganda and China. His work also took him to South Africa, Swaziland, Columbia, Germany, Eritrea, Uganda and the Ukraine.

During the 1990s, he made many trips to Uganda where he took part in a Virginia Tech-Ohio State long range pest management project. A funny story about Hal told by a university colleague at his memorial service goes like this: "On one of his first field trips in Uganda, we were on our way to some rural areas to meet farmers and examine their crop pests. Heading out, Hal insisted on stopping at one of the first maize fields we saw. By God he was going to get out in that field. Pretty soon, Hal was pulling up stalks and slitting them to look for boring insects when the door of a hut opened. An old man came out. Then there was a woman, too. The kids kind of stayed back. Grabbing a stalk, Hal went running over to the farmer and asked, 'Did you know you have a stalk borer problem?' And before we knew it we're in the guy's hut drinking homemade beer. So, every time we were near there, we'd stop at this guy's place. Hal's total passion for the subject matter made people forget all their fears and suspicions".

At home, here in Columbus, Ohio, we hosted many foreign nationals for month-long stays in our home, all participants in the Columbus International Program, a year-long exchange program for foreign professionals. Hal's retirement goal was to return to some kind of overseas work but unfortunately, his life was cut short. His death was sudden and a shock, especially to his collaborators in Uganda. Instead of giving flowers to the family, his friends and associates contributed to a fund that paid for 32 boxes of his entomology journals to be sent to the University of Kampala in Uganda.

The accompanying photograph taken in 1964 shows the three Peace Corps Volunteers who set up the 4-H training programs in Palampur; some teachers who participated in one of the training sessions and a few Himachal District administrators. From left to right, third chair in: Robert Spencer; followed by Vineet Nayyar, IAS District Officer, Harold Willson and Harry Andrews.

From: David Jolivette
Date: May 17, 2010 18:23:35 GMT+02:00
To: FOIndiaSlattery@aol.com
Subject: Felix Knauth is gone


Below is some information of Felix Knauth that came to the attention of India XVI. Felix would have been known to many others outside of our group so I thought I would pass it on. This occurred in the first half of May 2010.

David J. Jolivette

*******************************************************

I regret to inform you that Felix Knauth was lost at sea last week and is presumed dead. He was 80 years old and seemed to be in good health and spirits.

At the beginning of this year, he purchased a very seaworthy 22-foot sloop and began outfitting it as his new home on the water. I believe this process was proceeding well when he left a marina at Monterey (less than 100 miles south of San Francisco) last Wednesday to sail a bit further down the coast to San Simeon.

Felix transmitted a distress call (Mayday) Wednesday night and on Thursday the Coast Guard found his boat in rough seas but could not find Felix.

Felix is survived by his daughters Shaunti (married with children), Kristen (whose son was raised by Courtney), Ricky (married with children), and Courtney (divorced in the 1970s?).

Felix was hoping to sail to Hawaii eventually, and was planing to sail around Baja California with Bob Kommel in October-November this year.

The family is planning a memorial gathering, probably in California.

May 7, 1946 - Feb. 25, 2010: Mary Caroline Verhoeven, 63, of Albany passed away on Thursday, Feb. 25, at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis after battling advanced colon cancer for more than a year. She was at peace when she passed, surrounded by her husband, children, sister and close friend. Mary was born on May 7, 1946, in Columbus, Ohio, to Thomas and Jean Boulger. As the eldest of six children, she was frequently called on to look after her siblings on the farm outside of Chillicothe, Ohio, where they were raised

-An avid reader from an early age, Mary found pleasure in the written and spoken word. Sharing her father's aptitude, she committed many passages of prose and poetry to memory, and, with a little prompting, recited them throughout her life. She was an excellent student, and completed her parochial education as valedictorian of her class. She left high school with a keen sense of social justice and a determination to make a difference.

As a young adult, her independence carried her to such adventures as touring Europe by bicycle, traveling cross-country with her siblings and friends, and numerous hiking and camping trips, all the while cultivating her love of the outdoors. She graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1968 with a degree in history.

After finishing college, Mary enlisted in the Peace Corps and served for two years in Karnataka, India. It was a formative time and an experience she would look back on and draw from throughout her life.

Upon returning, she chose to pursue a master's degree in plant breeding at Oregon State University, studying under Dr. Warren Kronstad in the wheat program. She went on to work for Warren, and remained with the department until she passed away. She worked with and touched the lives of countless graduate students, always eager to invite them over for a backyard potluck and genuine hospitality.

She spent many field seasons in Mexico, and over the years befriended international colleagues there and across the globe. Mary wed Thomas Alan Verhoeven in 1981. They had two children, Ben and Betsy, and worked hard to raise a close-knit, loving family.

Despite her siblings living scattered across the United States, they made it a point to regularly get together for Thanksgivings and family reunions, often at the family farm in Ohio. At every juncture, Mary made her family a priority. She was an active member of the parent-teacher club, local community organizations and the OSU community.

As a lifelong Roman Catholic, she regularly attended Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Corvallis, and volunteered at Stone Soup each Friday. She was an avid quilter, and especially loved making baby quilts. Slow or downright impossible to anger, she had a constancy, generosity and patience that are beyond many of us. At every opportunity she gave, be it a gift, a seat at her table, or open ears and arms.

She loved the outdoors, and most of all loved sharing these experiences with others. Mary is survived by her husband, Thomas Verhoeven of Albany; her two children, Benjamin and Elizabeth, also of Albany; her mother, Jean Bougler of Chillicothe; and five siblings, Jim Boulger of Chillicothe, Grace-Ann Boulger of Corvallis, Katherine Ghadimi of Albuquerque, N.M., John Boulger of Chillicothe, and Bekah Boulger of Stockholm, Wis. Additionally she is survived by two cousins; 18 nieces and nephews; and countless close friends.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 3, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Corvallis, and a reception will follow. A visitation will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. today with a Rosary vigil at 6 p.m., also at St. Mary's. She will be buried at Oaklawn Cemetery in Corvallis.

Funeral arrangements were made by McHenry Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society or Stone Soup of Corvallis. Posted in Obituaries on Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Known as the ultimate caregiver, Mr. Harnett shepherded the care of thousands of Long Islanders in his role as president/CEO of Family & Children's Association, a human care agency serving Long Island's neediest population. Mr. Harnett passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 23, 2010.

In addition to his role at Family & Children's, Mr. Harnett served as advisor to The Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, member (formerly, Secretary of the Board and member of the Executive Committee); The Kimmel Housing Development Foundation, Inc., member, Board of Directors; Long Island Federally Qualified Health Center, Chair, Board of Directors; New York State Association of Family Service Agencies, Vice President and Chair of the Advocacy Committee; New York State Health Foundation, Special Opportunity Grants, Peer Review Committee; United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Consultant, Management Training; The United Way of Long Island, Vice President, Agency Executives Council; Anna and Philip Kimmel Foundation, Advisor and Community Advocates, Board member.

Prior to joining Family & Children's in 2006, Mr. Harnett was the executive vice president, chief operating officer and secretary of Covenant House in New York City, a not-for-profit agency that provides shelter and service to homeless and runaway youth. He has also worked for Columbia University, Catholic Charities of the Brooklyn Diocese, the Catholic Guardian Society in Brooklyn and the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Atlanta. He also worked as a volunteer in Karnataka State, India, for the United States Peace Corps.

Mr. Harnett earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Cathedral College in Douglaston, Queens, in 1968. He received a master's degree in public administration from New York University in 1974, and completed the Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management Program in 1995. Mr. Harnett's devotion to his work was only surpassed by his commitment to his family. He was a loving husband and proud father. He is survived by his wife Fran, and their two children, Sarah and James, his mother, Eleanor, his sister Ellen, brother-in-law Bruce, brothers Richard and Robert, sister-in-law Smokey, and sister Joan. At the family's request, memorial donations in Jim's honor may be made to Family & Children's Association, 100 E. Old Country Rd., Mineola, NY 11501 (516-746-0350) or www.familyandchildrens.org/donate.

Plans are under way to hold a formal tribute to Mr. Harnett. Details will be announced as they become available.

http://www.antonnews.com/illustratednews/obits/5803-obituary-james-j-harnett-.html

From the Washington Post:

Those of us in the earliest PC/India groups remember him fondly for his work to launch PC in India and after we got there looking after us with great attention for our well being. Only in later years did I just begin to learn how much Dr. Houston contributed to this world as a medical doctor and an Alpinist and to better appreciate his dedicated service to country. Click here to see obituary from Washington Post.

Also Dr. Houston was interviewed by Bill Moyers in 2004. That interview will be broadcasted on PBS Television on Friday evening, 9 October 2009.

Pete Johnson (India 51) from the San Francisco Bay Area informs us that Francis Macy, RPCV and former staff died on 20 January 2009. His wife Joanna spoke at the 1993 NPCA conference in Berkeley. The following is from the San Francisco Chronicle, dated Feb 1, 2009.

Francis Macy A dedicated environmentalist and citizen diplomat, died in Berkeley on Jan. 20th at age 81. A graduate of Wesleyan University (1949) and Harvard (MA, 1951), he pioneered collaborations with the USSR both before and after its dissolution. Founder and Co-Director of the Center for Safe Energy (of The Earth Island Institute), he led scores of delegations between Americans and their Soviet counterparts in psychology, ecology, and sustainable energy. He complemented this work with experiential methods known as Deep Ecology, leading workshops around the world with his wife, Joanna Macy. In 2005 he received the Nuclear Free Future Lifetime Achievement Award He served the U.S. Peace Corps from 1964 to 1972 (incl. directing programs in India, Tunisia and Nigeria). He is survived by his wife, Joanna Rogers Macy, son Christopher Lewis Macy of Amsterdam, son Jack Macy, daughter Peggy Macy, son-in-law Gregoire Vion and daughter-in-law Charlotte Dickson, and grandchildren Julien, Eliza and Lydia, all of Berkeley. Memorial service to be held on Feb. 21, 2009. See www.francismacy.com

Donations in his memory may be made to The Center for Safe Energy, 2828 Cherry St., Berkeley, CA 94705.

Alice Marie Slattery, beloved wife, daughter, mother and grandmother, passed away on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008, at New Hanover Regional Medical Center following a brief illness that brought too soon an end to a vibrant life.

Born July 7, 1942, in Framingham, MA, to Tilio and Madeline Franchi, Alice married her high school sweetheart John "Jack" Slattery on December 17, 1961. Over the next 40 years, they travelled the world together - first as Peace Corps volunteers and later for the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department - living for extended periods in India, Western Samoa, Kenya, and Niger. She worked in Africa as a program analyst, human settlements officer, personnel officer, researcher, consultant, and in Hawaii as a teacher. While stateside, she lived in Massachusetts, Hawaii, Virginia, and Wilmington, NC.

Alice received her bachelor's degree from Goddard College and completed graduate work at George Mason University. She spoke fluent French. Throughout her life, she was an avid writer and completed two novels and numerous short stories.

Alice was a devoted practitioner of yoga for more than thirty years. In 1983, she taught her first class, received teacher certification from the Yoga and Health Studies Center of Alexandria, VA, and was a teacher member of the Mid-Atlantic Yoga Association. Alice had a devoted following of students in Niger, Virginia and at Seaside Yoga in Wilmington.

Alice and Jack moved to Wilmington in 2002. She quickly became involved in the Newcomers Club, Big Buddy Program, book groups, Emerald Forest neighborhood association, Coastal Carolina Returned Peace Corps Association, and other local organizations.

Alice is survived by her husband Jack, daughters Erin Supernor and Elisa Slattery, father Tilio Franchi, sisters Jean Connolly, Madeline Franchi, and Christine Doucette, and grandchildren Elisabeth Greene, Michael Supernor and David Supernor. She leaves behind too many friends to list individually, although they were all close to her heart.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Slattery home in Wilmington on Saturday, March 15th, beginning at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (383 Main Avenue, 5th floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 or www.multiplemyeloma.org) or Charities of the Friends of India (c/o George Nepert, 34915 Gordy Road, Laurel, DE 19956 or www.foindia.org).

Published in the Wilmington Star-News, 2008-03-15