In Memoriam

In remembrance of our GW staff members who have departed, this page serves as a tribute to the cherished individuals whose dedication and contributions left an indelible mark on the university community.

Calvin William

Calvin Williams, who recently marked an incredible 50 years of service at GW as an integral part of our custodial team, will be remembered by many at the University Student Center for his reserved charm and unassuming diligence.

Peter Clarke worked with Calvin for more than 25 years and recalled Calvin's quiet kindness and his never-complain dedication to the job. Peter also highlighted Calvin's love of sports, specifically the Commanders and basketball.

Donald Gibson

Donald Gibson was part of the custodial team and GW family for nearly 50 years and was beloved by his colleagues.

He was known for his dedication to the job and his sterling work attendance record. Frank Ard, one of his long-time coworkers, remembered Donald as humble, happy, and kind with a penchant for dancing.

Jeff Dean

Jeff Dean was a member of the FPCM team in Planning, Development & Construction (PDC) for nearly two decades until his departure in 2020.

His wife Polly described him as "a loving spouse" who "spoke fondly of the relationships built within the workplace.

"We are deeply grateful for the support and camaraderie Jeff experienced during his time at The George Washington University," she added. "He considered all of you his extended work family."

His former colleague, Adam Aaronson, remembered Jeff as a great coworker and a highly productive addition to the construction management side of the house.

"I was very saddened to hear about the unfortunate passing of Jeff Dean," Adam wrote. "He was an amazing teammate, who brought a wealth of knowledge of construction to GW. Jeff made his mark on a number of projects around the University including Thurston Hall, District House, Law Learning Center, and so many others. He is one of a kind and he will be missed!"

Lorraine Lambert

Lorraine started her journey with GW in the Financial Aid Office and eventually moved to the Student Accounts Office.  Lorraine was happiest when she was working and took great pride in her position.  She threw herself into the day to day tasks that others may have found tedious.  She was always so grateful that GW had given her the opportunity to be a member of our team.   Lorraine was a kind and caring person.  She was always willing to help her fellow colleagues and enjoyed the camaraderie we shared as an office.  She had a deep love for her family and her faith, these things were her world.  As one of our colleagues, Brianna Gonzales, shared, "I will never forget Lorraine for being so thoughtful and nice to me.  Lorraine was one of the sweetest souls. The kindness and comfort she gave others will never be forgotten.” Laurie Borg remembered her as "Someone I would identify as and exhibited what it means to be a true lady. Beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside."

Pamela Smith

Pamela Smith began her tenure with the university on August 27, 2018. At the time of her death, she held the position of HR Manager within Human Resources Management & Development.

We are saddened by the loss of Pam and our thoughts are with her family.  

2023

Barbara Leach

Barbara Leach was a long-time member of the Facilities Finance team. Barbara served the university for 47 years prior to her retirement in 2015. She began her career as a typist in 1968. Those who

knew her will remember for her smile, laugh, and general effervescent approach to life in the office.

 

 

 

 

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Kather White

Kather White had a wealth of experience at GW, serving the university for just over 40 years as part of the night shift. Custodial Director Anniecia Philius remembered Kather as an employee who gave it her all. "She was very caring and had a warm personality," Anniecia added. "She'll be missed."

 

 

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Raymond Perry

Raymond Perry, a member of the FPCM custodial family served the university for nearly 15 years as a member of our night shift team and will be greatly missed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Theodosia Wright

Theodosia Wright  joined GW nearly 36 years ago and was a reliable member of the Central Utility Plant (CUP) throughout his career. His colleague Alvaro Loza remembered him for his "good energy" and "proactive" approach to dealing with those who needed his expertise. "He was really helpful with his knowledge," Alvaro added.

 

 

 

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Howard Smith

Howard "Chunky" Smith was part of the groundskeeping team for 20 years before retiring. He'll be missed by the FPCM family.

 

 

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2022

James Morris

James Morrris spent more than 16 years with GW and was well known for his commitment to his job as a carpenter. His wife Veronica Franklin is also a member of our family as part of the FPCM custodial team. Together they've been a memorable force at the university.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alexander Arthur-Williams

Alexander Arthur-Williams was a member of our night shift housekeeping team since 2007. As a Senior Service Worker, he was a hard-working and beloved member of the GW community.  

 

 

 

 

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Kenneth  Abrom

 

Kenneth "Kenny" Abrom was with the university for well over two decades, retiring in 2018. His long-time colleague and friend Lenny Conley, who also worked at GW, took some time to share with us that Kenny was "an outstanding person. A fantastic worker." Lenny also highlighted Kenny's cheerful attitude and honesty and remembered their frequent playful disputes over football. Kenny was a fan of the then Oakland Raiders.

 

 

 

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Karen Thomas Mitchell 

Karen was an employee of GW for over 35 years.  She held positions in various offices before making the Financial Aid Office her home.  Karen was dedicated to GW and to serving best the students who came into touch with her.  She had a love of sports, particularly basketball, and the student athletes would often come to Karen for assistance, they adored her.  Karen was always willing to assist her colleagues and she formed many relationships across campus assisting others.  Karen had an infectious laugh.  As one of her colleagues, Jennifer Coppola, recalled "I don't recall having many conversations with Karen without them ending in laughter". Laurie Borg remembered her as "an invaluable liaison to SAO.  Karen was a mentor, cared deeply for GWU students and shared her knowledge willingly."

Tony Sutphin added "I had the pleasure of meeting Karen on my first day at GWU where I was met by this amazing smile and welcoming hug to OSFA. We worked together with students and families in the Financial Aid Office. We were very lucky to have the same hybrid work schedule and worked closely together for 2 years until she started having medical issues. Karen was a wonderful spirit that took great joy in her work and being able to help others. She was extremely knowledgeable and knew everyone at GWU. She was a great person that had worked here so long she had great memories about why certain procedures were done and always strived for a better way to make the day to day job easier. We spoke everyday while she was on medical leave just to see how she was feeling and was there anything I could do to help her and her husband Patrick. She is missed every day with each sunrise as I come into GWU to work."

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2021

 

Samantha McGovern

Samantha McGovern was a GW alumna and long-time GW employee most recently with the DivOps and DSF Communications team, she touched the lives of many in our community and will be greatly missed.

 

Samantha was a key player in the former Division of Operations, always contributing wherever she could with her creative problem solving and insatiable curiosity. She was perhaps most recognizable for managing Campaign GW, an initiative focused on campus development and sustainability that employed dozens of students during her time. She also introduced herself to many throughout the Division by way of employee-focused meetings like OpsComm and this division-wide newsletter, which she helped kickstart and then edited for years. She continued these endeavors with DSF through the fall of 2020.

 

Those who knew Samantha also knew her daughter Josephine. Born at just 26 weeks, Josie will be six years old next week. Samantha never hesitated to share both the triumphs and challenges she and her young family faced with Josie’s medical issues.

 

Samantha's hard work and dedication were undeniable and evident outside of her job as well. Passionate about healthcare issues, she actively and vocally participated in initiatives like Little Lobbyists, a group advocating for kids with complex medical needs and disabilities. She even made herself known to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. You can read Little Lobbyists' touching tribute to her here.

 

Samantha is also survived by her husband Justin, who she met here at GW while they were undergrads.

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Ben Stone

Ben Stone was with GW for 23 years, starting with housekeeping and then he moved to a position with Transportation. Anyone who knew Ben will recall his infectious smile and positive attitude. 

 

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Althea "Al" Young

Althea "Al" Young was a colleague and friend to many throughout FPCM. He often worked with a smile on his face and was known to check in on how his teammates were doing throughout the university.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pat Oliff.

 

Pat Oliff worked at GW for 16 years, first as a carpenter and later as the Carpentry Shop Supervisor, before retiring in 2012 to spend time with his family and his beloved wife of 55 years. 

 

Many will recall Pat was a retired Fairfax County Firefighter before coming to GW. Pat had a passion for the outdoors and his grandchildren, and he will be fondly remembered for his dedication to the university family he cared so much for. 

 

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Bill Hendrick

Bill worked at GW for 37 years, first as a Building Manager and later as a Project Manager, before retiring in 2012 to spend time with his wife, his family and with the golf course.  

 

Many will recall Bill's signature style - loafers with no socks, regardless of the weather - and he will be fondly remembered for his dedication and love for the university. He was an active supporter of the GW Baseball and Golf Teams and played a role in the coordination of the annual GW Golf Tournament.

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