Obituaries

While at Fort Wolters, Tex., Col. Mendenhall learned computer programming. After retiring from the military in 1976, he became a systems analyst with civilian government contractors, including Mitre Corp. He also taught computer programming as an adjunct instructor at George Mason University and other Washington area schools. He retired again in the early 1990s and moved to Huntsville.

His marriage to Carol M. Mason ended in divorce.

A son from his second marriage, Robert Douglas Mendenhall, died in 2003.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Marjorie Mendenhall of Huntsville; two children from his first marriage, Michael Mendenhall of Spring, Tex., and Lisa M. Heaven of Marshall; and three grandchildren.

Robert Wayne SayerHigh-Tech Consultant

Robert Wayne Sayer, 67, a Washington-based government affairs consultant who specialized in international and domestic issues affecting the high-technology industry, died Nov. 3 at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Mr. Sayer, an Alexandria resident, had arterial hypertension and vascular disease.

Mr. Sayer founded R. Wayne Sayer and Associates in 1986, when the tech sector was in its infancy. He was one of the first high-tech lobbyists in Washington and was known for his understanding of the nexus between the tech industry and public policy and for urging lawmakers to strengthen the country's competitiveness.

"He promoted high-tech in Washington before anyone else realized its significance or the impact federal policy could have on this industry," said Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.).

Mr. Sayer was born in Elberton, Ga., and graduated from Millersburg Military Institute in Millersburg, Ky. He attended the University of Virginia and studied at American University and the University of Chicago. At Harvard Business School, he completed an advanced management program.

He served in the Air Force, including a tour of duty in Turkey, and then worked for Precision Scientific, a scientific instrumentation company. When Precision Scientific was acquired by GCA Corp. of Bedford, Mass., in 1965, Mr. Sayer stayed with the new company and served in a variety of senior sales and management positions, including head of the firm's European sales. He opened the company's Washington office, where he began his involvement with public policy and government affairs.

At the time of his death, he was senior government affairs consultant to Applied Materials Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.

Mr. Sayer was a founding member of the Industry Coalition on Technology Transfer and served as executive director of the Coalition for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems. He was also a member of an industry trade advisory committee in the U.S. Commerce Department.

During his Washington career, Mr. Sayer was involved with Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International, the American Electronics Association, Scientific Apparatus Makers Association and several other trade associations.