SPELLECY, Cynthia Kitt (1956-2025)
COX, Richard C. (Rick)
Karen Diane Marker, 75, beloved wife and mother, passed peacefully on June 22, 2024, from Alzheimer’s disease.
Born in Falls City, Nebraska, on July 16, 1948, to Joyce Hjersted and Norman Hjersted. Karen graduated high school in 1966 from Truman High in Independence, Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri (Columbia) but married and had her first child, Michael, in 1969. After divorcing her first husband, she met the love of her life, John Marker, at the Crown Center Hotel, where they both worked. On December 28, 1974, they married, with Michael performing the duties of the smiling ring bearer. This union set off a life filled with love. Karen returned to school at the University of Missouri (Kansas City) and graduated in 1974 with a degree in Sociology. In November 1977, Karen and John had their daughter Carrie. With John’s career in the hotel industry, the Marker family moved and made homes and friends in many cities across the U.S. In 1996, Karen and John moved to Lakeland, FL. Lakeland ended up being the longest-running city they called home. They made a wonderful life for themselves in Lakeland, and Karen’s passion for art led her to the Polk Museum of Art, where she volunteered as a docent and became a respected member of the board of directors. She also served on the board of Habitat for Humanity and was involved in women’s groups, political groups, and church groups through the years. Karen wanted to make her house a home where all were welcome. She was proud to volunteer her time and energy for the betterment of improving the experiences of people in her various communities. She used her Sociology degree her whole life to dissect situations to help people feel better about a problem they were experiencing. Karen was loving and opinionated, and friends described her as interested in other people, a good listener, and a giver of good advice. She made other people feel special. She had a dry humor and a sweet smile and was always up for a good martini- extra dry!
Karen, who was preceded in death by her father Norman, is survived by her husband John, son Michael Marker, daughter Carrie Alexander (Joe), Mother Joyce Hjersted, sister Ingrid Hjersted, brother Lawrence Hjersted, brother Tim Hjersted, brother-in-law Jack Marker (Marty), sister-in-law Lea Keller (Tom) and many dear nieces, nephews, and friends throughout the country.
Barbara passed away unexpectedly on Saturday February 24th in Bellevue, WA. Barbi was born in Olympia and raised in Olympia and Spokane. She is survived by her loving husband Ronald D. Olstad of Port Orchard; daughter Jennifer J. Richards of Bellevue; grandchildren Taylor and Carver Richards; brother C.J. (Jeannie) Crocker Jr. of Redmond and many loving extended family members.
SEGERS, Han Herman (1947-2023)
Jan was born and raised in Ninove, an east Flanders city in Belgium. He completed his professional training and education at COOVB-PIVIT Institute in Brussels where he received degrees in Hotel Management and Administration. He then decided to venture out and immigrated to Canada in 1972.
Jan’s career opened up when he joined Westin Bayshore in Vancouver in the mid-70s which proved to be a turning point in his career. Opening the Pan Pacific Vancouver was a milestone in his life, both professionally and on a personal level. The friendships he gained during these periods lasted a lifetime, which he truly appreciated.
Jan was passionate and determined throughout his career. He was well-known for his tremendous leadership qualities and warm-hearted personality with a great sense of humour. He was a loyal dedicated professional and a genuine caring gentleman who inspired and touched many people in many corners of the world where he worked. His full-hearted dedication to the industry was part of his DNA. Jan valued and treasured genuine friendships and he put a great deal of effort into nurturing a long-lasting relationship, a true friend to many throughout his life.
Jan would not have left the industry if it had not been for his vision loss. Despite his vision impairment from his early 40s, Jan continued working and travelling as long as possible. Sadly, and regrettably, by 2008 the deterioration of Jan’s vision due to Retinitis Pigmentosa had altered his ability to continue his career, he then retired and joined Carol in China where she was working at the time.
Unfortunately, Jan became completely blind a couple of years later. Jan and Carol, however, enjoyed enormous happiness exploring the world together until Jan’s Alzheimer’s disease robbed him of those joys. They returned to Vancouver in 2017.
Jan was a loving and proud father of three wonderful children with his first wife, Kathy. His children will remember him lovingly and cherish all the memories he lost and mourn the ones that never got to be. He was a loving and caring husband and partner in life to Carol over 22 years. Jan lived his life to the fullest, and his legacy will always be honored by those who loved him.
Jan is survived by his wife Carol; children Anya, James and Adam, grandchildren Chloe, Sage, and Zephyr, sister-in-law Yola, nieces Anouk and Elke; and additional family in Belgium. He joins his family who had left before him: parents Aimé and Jeanne, brothers Fried, Rik and little sister Freya.
TALLENT, Hildegard Thieme ( -2023
Hildegard Thieme Tallent fought a valiant five-year battle with cancer. The battle ended in the arms of her loved ones on November 27, 2023, and it was there she found peace at last.
Hildegard was born in the South Pacific port town of Apia, in Samoa, the second of four German-Samoan daughters. She grew up in a beautiful old German colonial house and was educated by New Zealand nuns at St. Mary’s College in Apia.
She met her future husband, Terry (a half-starved Peace Corps volunteer), in Apia, in 1973. Their two-year romance carried her to far away California. The young couple married in 1976.
They moved to San Francisco, California, in 1977, where Hildegard hoped to find an interesting job, make a lot of money, travel and see the world, and to always keep her family within reach. She found work with a business travel company on Market Street. They were soon bought out by American Express Travel Division. She managed their hotel department for most of the 1980s. She was transferred to the East Coast to do business in New York City, and take business trips around the globe.
Hildegard eventually resigned in order to return to San Francisco to work for an international luxury hotel chain, Westin Hotels & Resorts. She worked for years as sales manager for the legendary St. Francis Hotel.
In the 1990s she transferred to Los Angeles, California, where she was sales manager for Westin’s Mexico properties (beach resorts & a luxury hotel in Mexico City). Two years later she was promoted as codirector of sales at Westin’s world headquarters in Seattle, Washington.
In 1998 she undertook a one-year move to Berlin, Germany, where she provided marketing and sales leadership for two of Westin’s new acquisitions: The Grand Hotel in East Berlin, Germany and the new Westin Bellevue Hotel Dresden.
Burned out on travel and repetitive moves, she and her husband settled down in his old home town of Ojai, California, in 1999. There they opened their own store in The Arcade, Kava Gifts. Hildegard was active in both the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Merchants Association. She ran Kava until finally retiring it in 2016. Hildegard made many Ojai friends during Kava’s 17-year run. She loved the business and she loved meeting locals and tourists alike, getting to know them and making friends. After Kava closed, Hildegard became a real estate agent and joined Keller Williams Realty, in Ojai, until illness overtook her.
Hildegard is survived by her husband, Terry Tallent; sisters: Louise Hammer, Ursula Thieme, (and husband, Claude Krampe), Liz Thieme and Jay Fife; along with nieces, Denali Krampe and Kirsten Fife. Hildegard was predeceased by her parents, Dr. Hans Christian Thieme and Liselotte Hattenrath Thieme; and her niece, Marissa Farrelle.
A Memorial for Hildegard is planned in Ojai for sometime in 2024
MONAHAN, TOM ( -2023)
CHANCHORLE, Anneliese (1935-2023)
QUINN, William G. (Bill) (1928-2023)
HAWES, Robert (Bob) (1941-2023)
YIP, Stan (1937-2023)
CALVET, Roberto January 2023
CARLSON, Rhonda Sue (1951-2023)
MALLERNEE, Erwin L. (1944-2023)
LANE, William (Bill)
1950-2022
Robert F. Brennan of Issaquah, Washington went to be with the Lord on Monday, December19, 2022, after a short battle with stage IV lung cancer. He passed away peacefully at home.He was 81 years old.
Born August 5, 1941, in Seattle, Washington, Robert was the oldest child of Frank and Ann Brennan. He had a younger sister, Monica. He grew up at their family home in West Seattle and spent many weekends at his grandparents homestead Black Diamond,Washington surrounded by his many cousins. He attended Holy Rosary Grade School, Seattle Prep High School and went on to attend Seattle University on an ROTC scholarship. He graduated with a degree in business. He loved his time in the military and the honor of serving his country. It was during this time, while he was stationed at Scoffield Army Base in Hawaii, that he met the love of his life, Eileen.
It wasn't long after he returned from Korea, that he was discharged from the army and wed Eileen in August of 1968. Shortly after their marriage they settled down and made Issaquah their home. In 1969, they welcomed their daughter, Erin and then their son, Sean, in 1971.
Working in the hotel and travel industry was a stepping stone and lit his entrepreneurial spirit on fire making the dream of owning and operating his own travel business a reality. Brennan Tours was born in 1978 and over the years would become Brennan Vacations and Canada A la Carte. It was truly a family business with Robert and Eileen at the helm and eventually Erin and Sean joining in later on. Robert loved sharing his love of travel with others and made an indelible mark in the travel industry reaching throughout N. America.
Robert was truly a people person who loved people and they loved him back. He lit up any room that he walked into with his outgoing personality and his laugh, which was contagious.
He loved pouring into the lives of others. He would often volunteer his time at Seattle Prep with the golf teams and at Seattle University as a mentor to entrepreneurial students in their business school while also serving on their Board of Regents.
Family meant everything to Robert. He was a wonderful father and an amazing Papa to his three grand kids, Jacob, (28), Griffin (25), and Sydney (23). He always went the extra mile to spend quality time with his grand kids and loved getting to Face Time with them whenever he could or traveling to wherever they were to be with them.
In his retirement, he loved playing golf with his cousin Gene, working out at the local gym,having Saturday Coffee dates at Starbucks with old friends and colleagues. Whenever he could connect with family or friends, he made the effort to do it. He was known by name at most of his favorite local spots, but the Issaquah Cafe was his favorite.
Everyone who knew Robert, knew they were better for having known him. He will be missed greatly but will be remembered with laughter and his positive outlook on life!
He was born in Germany at the time World War II began and he was able to emigrate to Canada and, from there, he went to Mexico, a country he loved and chose as his second homeland.
In Mexico, Jorg raised a loving and productive family, and also served with affection for the aggrandizement of the country.
He was a man very passionate and dedicated to his work, always giving a lot of himself before thinking about himself.
Juan Berthelot was born in Paris, France and educated at the University of Paris. In 1945 he entered the School of Hotel Administration (Ecole Hôtelière de Paris) obtaining the first place among 200 candidates in the Admission contest and graduated in 1948 with the highest marks of his generation. He had different positions in various Hotels on the French Riviera, in the provinces of Auvergne, Brittany and finally in Paris, at the Hotel Claridge and the Hotel Continental (today the Westin Hotel). In 1953 he was elected National President of the Hotel Commission, bringing together the former students of the 10 Hotel Schools of France. A year later he joined the chain of Hilton Hotels, where he remained for 13 years and held various executive positions in New York, Beverly Hills, San Francisco and Denver, but given his ability in the business, eight years later, in 1961, he was transferred to Hilton's International Division and successively ran the Continental Hilton in Mexico City, the Panama Hilton, and the Acapulco Hilton.
But it was in 1966 when he made his definitive leap by associating himself with the Western International Hotels chain, now known as Westin Hotels & Resorts, and thus became General Manager of the Hotel Alameda in Mexico City. In this firm he spent 24 years of his life.
But his talent required greater challenges and in 1969 he was promoted to General Director of the fabulous Camino Real México and elected Director of the Chain of the same name.
During the period that he was in charge of Camino Real México, Juan Berthelot received 65 heads of state, including Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, King Carlos XVI, Gustavo of Sweden, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Queen Noor of Jordan, the Shah of Iran, Presidents and Prime Ministers of Africa, America, Asia and Europe.
In 1979 he was promoted to Vice President of Development for the same chain and in 1981 he was promoted to Executive Vice President for the Mexico Division. In 1986 he was elected Vice President of Westin Hotels & Resorts and elected as director of Camino Real Hotels. In 1988 he was elected CEO.
During this last period, four hotels became members of the prestigious organization The Leading Hotels of the World: Camino Real México, Las Brisas in Acapulco, Las Hadas in Manzanillo and Camino Real-Cancún. Three of these were rated 5 Diamond and one 4 Diamond by the A.A.A (American Automobile Association).
His career in hospitality ended in 1990 with the distinction of being named CEO Emeritus, after 45 years of a brilliant career in the business.
But his work in tourism did not end there, because that same year he associated with Aeroméxico and was appointed deputy general director; months later he was appointed adviser to the presidency, a position he held until 2003. From then to date he works as an independent adviser for tourism and aviation.
Among other of his achievements he was president of Club Skal Mexico City and also at the national level of Clubes Skal de México.
Adrian Guillermo Schjetnan Garduno passed away unexpectedly on October 5, 2022, in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico, just a few days shy of his 67th birthday. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico on October 11, 1955, to Margarita Garduño and Mario Schjetnan Dantan. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Margarita, and is survived by his wife of 42 years, Trena of Mexico City, and his sons Christian (wife Florence) of
Mansfield, TX, and Paul of San Diego, CA. He is also survived by four siblings (Christian, Mario, Patricia, and Eduardo), their spouses, and immediate and extended families.
Adrian was a kind and caring husband as well as a dedicated father. His family was everything to him, but his sons occupied a special place, the light of his life. He mentored and had very close relationships with many nephews and nieces and as their own families grew, he was always there to be the best uncle for the next generation.
Born with a golf club in his hand, Adrian was a remarkable and accomplished junior and amateur player in Mexico where he honed his craft at the Mexico City Country Club (CCCM), a place that he always held near and dear to his heart - having served the Club in leadership roles as Captan, Board member, and Head of the Greens Committee. He was a fierce competitor on the golf course, especially in his favorite format, Match Play. He played in and won numerous tournaments over the years at the Junior, Amateur, and Senior Amateur levels, yet his favorite game was a family foursome with Trena, Christian, and Paul. He attended Rice University in Houston, TX on a golf scholarship and while there met Trena on a blind date and never looked back. He always credited her for being almost solely responsible for him getting through Rice's taxing academic curriculum and ultimately earning a degree in Business Administration in 1978.
Aside from golf, he was an avid follower and player of many sports, his favorites being soccer and tennis.
Adrian worked a full life in the tourism and hospitality industry. His specialties were sales and marketing and his 45 years in the business allowed him to travel throughout the Americas and Europe. He was a magnificent leader, net worker, motivator, and public speaker. He impacted countless people in the industry and his absence will be felt.
Adrian was the lite of any room and carried an amazing disposition to do well by others, treat everyone fairly and kindly, and act honorably. That is how he would want everyone to remember him.
A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held in his honor at a forthcoming date. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in his name to his favorite cause: the nonprofit foundation that backs Colegio Lic. Justo Sierra Mendez in Mexico City, Mexico, an elementary school opened by CCCM members to serve the children of the club's employees at a minimal cost, thanks to the charitable efforts of the foundation, which Adrian and Trena have championed for years. The school has permanently renamed its annual golf tournament fundraiser "Torneo Adrian Schjetnan." Please contact Christian Schjetnan B. ([email protected]) for instructions on how to donate.
On Monday August 22, 2022 we lost David Richard Evans at Overlake Medical Center, he was 86 years old. He was known to many as “Papa”, “Evey” and his favorite, “The Grand Poopa”. David was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Bobbie Jean (2014) and is survived by sons Greg (Lynn), Chris (Susan) and Jeff; grandchildren Haeli Hagen (Carl), Tanner and Hannah and sister Vicie Evans.
David was born January 7, 1936 at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC to Alfred and Katherine Evans. In 1939, David and his family moved to West Vancouver where he attended Pauline Johnson Grade School and West Vancouver High School. In 1955, he graduated from West Vancouver High School and headed to Wenatchee Junior College. David was recruited by Don Coryell (former NFL San Diego Chargers Coach) to play football and was nominated Freshman Class President.
In 1956, David decided to head west to The University of Washington and continue playing football under Coach Jim Owens. During his time at the University he became a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity while majoring in Communications /Advertising and Public Relations. He was elected a Student Prominent during his senior year and his lifelong goal was to be a film director. After graduation from the University of Washington, David spent the summer of 1961 as an intern for King TV and in September of that same year, joined Seattle’s Olympic Hotel sales team where his hotel career was just beginning.
In the summer of 1961, David met his adoring and supportive wife, Bobbie Jean (Smith); they were married 53 years until her passing in February 2014. David often referred to her as the “Anchor of the Family” raising their three sons (Greg, Chris and Jeff) while he pursued his passions in the hotel industry. In 1964, Bobbie and Dave moved to Los Angeles, CA where he joined the Pre-opening Team for the Century Plaza Hotel. During this time the family grew with the addition of all three boys and in 1973 David was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Westin Hotels. The Evans clan moved to Mercer Island, WA where they resided until July 2016 at which time he moved to a small cottage on Lake McDonald in Renton, WA.
David’s passion for the hotel business and hard work paid off as he continued to travel around the world and achieve great successes. During these years, Westin Hotels was sold to Starwood Hotels and Resorts and in 1998 he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Starwood Hotels. Although the Westin/Starwood Hotels headquarters moved to White Plains, NY in March 2000; David kept himself involved in the business by starting a consulting practice in 2004. During 2004 and 2012 he was retained by Pan Pacific Hotels and the Vulcan Corporation to build the Pan Pacific Luxury Hotel in South Lake Union.
In 1997, David was diagnosed with heart failure, which he kept just between family until 1999 when he realized his condition was worsening. On August 25th, 2000 he had a very successful heart transplant at the University of Washington Medical Center where he was blessed with 22 more amazing years with family and friends. The success of this procedure led David to become passionate about consolidating the cardiac services into one location. Together with the support of longtime friend Joanne Meyers, David co-chaired the “Open Heart Open” and in 2004 the vision became a reality when the Regional Heart Center opened on the main floor of the UW Medical Center.
Throughout his many years, David continued to be a supporter of local organizations in both the University of Washington Alumni Association as well as the hotel industry. He received accolades and awards in the industry that include: ASAE “Academy of Leaders Award”, PCMA “Distinguished Service Award”, “Professional Achievement Award” and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” and the US Chamber of Commerce “Chairman’s Award”. In September of 2020, with the help of Sue Allison Campbell, he fulfilled a lifelong dream started with his wife Bobbie. David wrote and published his book, Yield to the Power of Common Sense.
The family will have a private burial where David will be joining Bobbie at Hillside Cemetery in Issaquah, WA with a Celebration of Life to be held at a later date. At his request, any donations can be made to The University of Washington Medical Center, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and anything involving love and support of animals.
A Celebration of Life date will be announced later
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Robert William Bushman Sr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
Family and friends of Hart Sugarman, we invite you to attend the funeral service on Wednesday, March 9th at 4:30pm (Hawaii time) / 6:30pm (Pacific time) / 9:30pm (Eastern time) at the Chapel at Hawaii Memorial Park (45-425 Kamehameha Hwy., Kaneohe, HI 96744).
The burial will be held on Thursday, March 10th at 11:00am (Hawaii time) at Abraham's Garden in Hawaii Memorial Park. We will record the burial for those who cannot attend in person.
In respect with Jewish tradition, please refrain from bringing flowers. Instead donations can be sent to Temple Emanu-El of Honolulu, Hawaii (https://rb.gy/qxkxwe). For residents of Canada donations can be sent to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, where a fund is being set up in Hart's name. Instructions for this option will be posted shortly.
Dick Ferris, who passed away on January 16, 2022, was born Aug. 31, 1936 in Sacramento, California. He attended Cornell University, graduating in 1962, and he received a master’s degree from the University of Washington. While golf was never far from his mind, Ferris left an enormous imprint on the hospitality and travel industry during his storied career.
Ferris entered the business world working for Western International Hotels (now known as Westin), holding various positions at Chicago-area properties. From 1966 to 1971, Ferris was the general manager of Chicago’s Continental Plaza Hotel. He became an airline executive when United Airlines purchased Westin, and Edward Carlson, then Westin’s Chief Operating Officer, became United’s CEO, bringing Ferris with him into the merger and putting Ferris in charge of United’s food-service division.
In 1976, Ferris replaced Carlson as United’s CEO, a position he held until 1985 when he became the airline’s chairman of the board. He remained with United until 1987.
Ferris, a lifelong golfer and follower of the sport, became a member of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Policy Board in 1985. Seven years later, he joined the PGA TOUR Policy Board, and a year later he became the Chair upon the retirement of Del de Windt. It was a position Ferris held until 2007.
In 1999, Ferris was a part of a group that included World Golf Hall of Fame member Arnold Palmer, former Major League Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth and actor and director Clint Eastwood. The consortium purchased from Japan’s Taiheiyo Company Pebble Beach Golf Links and its properties, including the legendary home to the annual AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, three other nearby golf courses, two hotels and 17-Mile Drive, a road that winds through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula. For their efforts, Ferris and Uebberoth will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Golf Hall of Fame in March 2022.
Ferris spent much of his adult life living in Chicago, but upon retirement he moved to Orlando.
A celebration of life will be held on Feb. 11 at the Pebble Beach Resorts Beach and Tennis Club in Pebble Beach, Calif. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the PGA Tour First Tee Foundation or the Tahoe Community Sailing Foundation.
They lived in Hawai‘i for over 40 years until they moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2011. George loved the outdoors, especially bird hunting with his two German shorthaired dogs. He enjoyed working on projects around the house and was proud to have built several homes in his lifetime.
He was preceded in death by his father Wayne B. Coates and his mother Clara A. Schveiger. He leaves behind his wife of 48 years, Joanne Farias Coates, two sons, Jeremiah K. Coates and Joshua K. Coates, two grandchildren, Danielle Coates and Jeremiah K. Coates Jr. Other family members include a brother Gene (Vicki) Coates, two sisters, Joyce Moulden and Jeanette (Steven) Shade, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Maria G. Trevino, of Houston, passed away on August 31, 2021. She is preceded in death by her parents Ninfa Lopez and Juan W. Lopez. Left to cherish her memory are her children Bernadette Trevino, Gabriella Trevino Martinez; grandchildren Cecilia Trevino Beas, Sophia Guerra, Javier Guerra. Gabriel Martinez; great-grandchildren Mia Beas, Aria Beas, Elias Beas; siblings Angela Brand, Susana Carcini, Maria E. Lopez, Adolfo Salinas, Mary Alice Garza.
A visitation will be held from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, with a rosary at 7:00pm, on Friday, September 10th at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home.
Funeral Service will begin at 11:00am, at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, 7810 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, TX 77379, on Saturday, September 11th.
Maria will be laid to rest at a private ceremony, at a later date.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the Trevino family.