Thursday, August 23, 2007
James O. MayoRear Admiral, Publishing Executive
Jim Mayo, 87, a Navy rear admiral and publishing executive who was a foreign relations and economic policy specialist, died Aug. 18 at his Arlington County home. He had Parkinson's disease.
Adm. Mayo's 33-year military career included assignments in the air, on ships and overseas and as chief of staff of the 65,000-member Naval Air Force Atlantic. After retiring in 1975, he spent 20 years with Kiplinger Washington Editors Inc., combining his economics background and military experience to write and speak on national security and economic policy.
Adm. Mayo was born in Philadelphia, Miss., and graduated from Mississippi State University in 1941 with a degree in economics. He quickly began his naval career flying torpedo planes in the Pacific during World War II.
Adm. Mayo worked for the Department of State and served as defense attaché to Moscow. He commanded a squadron, a wing, a fleet oiler and an aircraft carrier. He flew fighters, torpedo planes, and reconnaissance and transport aircraft.
His military awards include the Legion of Merit, the National Defense Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation and the State Department's Meritorious Service Award.
He received a master's degree in international affairs from George Washington University in 1961.
After retiring from the Navy, he spent two years with a Washington area think tank before joining wartime friend Austin Kiplinger at Kiplinger Washington Editors in 1977, first as military and foreign affairs editor. He became executive vice president and vice chairman of the board of directors.
He also served on the senior executive advisory board of the College of Business and Industry at Mississippi State University.
Adm. Mayo treasured his network of friends and in later years took pleasure in organizing get-togethers, including squadron reunions and meals with friends. He started the Romeo Club (Real Old Men Eating Out) in his Evermay neighborhood in McLean. He had recently moved from McLean, where he had lived since 1975, to Arlington County.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, June Gilbert Mayo of Arlington; a daughter, Tracy Mayo of McLean; a brother; a sister; and a grandson.
-- Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb
Christian Allan StokstadEconomist
Christian Allan Stokstad, 90, a retired economist and statistician with the U.S. Agriculture Department, died Aug. 7 in a fall at his home in Annandale.
Mr. Stokstad joined the Agriculture Department after moving to Washington in 1940. He served in the Navy during World War II, deciphering coded messages. He continued to serve in the Navy Reserve for 22 years after the war.
After completing his active-duty service, Mr. Stokstad returned to the Agriculture Department. He traveled all over the country, interviewing farmers about federal crop insurance. He lived in Seattle from 1953 to 1958 before returning to Washington. He retired in 1978 as a director of agricultural statistics.
Mr. Stokstad was born in Story City, Iowa, and grew up primarily in Santa Rosa, Calif. His parents were Lutheran missionaries in China.
He was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and did graduate work in agricultural economics at Iowa State University.
He settled in Annandale in 1958 and participated in the neighborhood watch. He enjoyed gardening and helped establish a community garden in Annandale.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Jean E. Stokstad of Annandale.
-- Matt Schudel
David Hinkley WilliamsNSA Senior Analyst
David Hinkley Williams, 80, who retired as a senior analyst from the National Security Agency in 1985, died of colon cancer Aug. 7 at his home in Silver Spring.
Mr. Williams was born in Chelsea, Mass., and served in the Navy Reserve from 1945 to 1946. From Cornell University, he received a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a master's degree in Russian language and literature in 1950.
He began working at the NSA in 1953 and was posted in Ethiopia from 1972 to 1975 during the final years of Emperor Haile Selassie's reign. For his work there, he received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the NSA in 1975.
He retired in 1985.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Elizabeth S. Williams of Silver Spring; a daughter, Abigail S. Brady of Rockville; a sister; and two grandchildren.
-- Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb
Julie Hartoft StewartCommunications Director
Julie Hartoft Stewart, 65, a former communications director for the American Gas Association, died of peritoneal cancer Aug. 16 at Virginia Hospital Center. She lived in Arlington.
Mrs. Stewart worked for the association from 1985 to 1998. Starting as a writer for American Gas magazine, she became manager of public information, director of public relations and managing director of communications, overseeing all the trade association's public relations and publications.
She was born in Ottumwa, Iowa. She graduated from Drake University in Des Moines and worked for Better Homes and Gardens magazine for six years as a writer and manager. In 1974, her family moved to Arlington, where Mrs. Stewart became active in the Junior League of Washington as a board member and officer. She was a docent at the Folger Shakespeare Library.
In 1982, her family moved to San Marino, Calif., where she worked as a feature writer and society columnist for the Pasadena Star News and was a member of the Junior League of Pasadena. She also fulfilled a longtime ambition to appear on the television show "Jeopardy!"
The Stewarts returned to Arlington in 1985, and Mrs. Stewart began working for the trade association of the natural gas utility and pipeline companies.
After retirement, she twice won the most-improved award from the Women's Golf Association at Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington. She was the association's chairman. She was also a member of the Smithsonian Women's Committee. She enjoyed traveling and visited more than 30 countries since 2000.
A son, Brian Stewart, died in 2002.
Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Robert B. Stewart of Arlington; a daughter, Sarah Stewart of New York; her mother, Connie Hartoft of West Des Moines, Iowa; and a sister.
-- Patricia Sullivan