Saturday, June 28, 2008
Olema Sofia LamarHomemaker, Volunteer
Olema Sofia Lamar, 82, a homemaker and volunteer, died June 23 of complications of a heart attack at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax. She lived in Alexandria.
Mrs. Lamar was born in Placetas, Cuba, and graduated from the University of Havana. She moved with her family to the United States in 1961 and to Virginia the next year. She became a citizen of the United States in the mid-1960s.
Mrs. Lamar volunteered at the Fairfax Public Library in Chantilly and provided backup day care for many families in Alexandria, Oakton and Fairfax.
Survivors include her husband of 47 years, Osvaldo Lamar of Alexandria; three children, Tatiana Kahn of Chantilly, Christina Schoendorf of Alexandria and Pancho Lamar of Alexandria; and four granddaughters.
-- Patricia Sullivan
Robert Ernest LytleNavy Captain
Robert Ernest Lytle, 87, a retired naval aviator and intelligence officer, died of cancer June 19 at his home in Annapolis.
Capt. Lytle flew 44 combat dive-bombing missions against Japanese forces on Bougainville Island and in Rabaul, New Guinea, during World War II, and he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and eight Air Medals. He later received two Legions of Merit.
Recalled to duty during the Korean War, he was an instructor at the Naval Intelligence School for three years. He then served in a variety of posts, including intelligence officer with the commander of the Naval Air Forces, Atlantic fleet; in the office of the chief of naval operations; on the Joint Strategic Target Planning staff in Nebraska; and with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He ended his naval career as commanding officer of the Fleet Intelligence Center Pacific at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
He was born in Jersey City and graduated from Montclair State Teachers College in New Jersey. After World War II ended, he returned to school and received a master's degree in English from New York University in 1947. He taught at the Newark College of Engineering and the now-defunct Associated Colleges of Upper New York in Plattsburgh and was an English instructor at West Point Preparatory School in Newburgh, N.Y.
Capt. Lytle retired from the Navy in 1972 and worked as an intelligence analyst and project manager at Sparcom and Computer Sciences. He lived in Alexandria until three years ago.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Ada Louise Johndroe Lytle of Annapolis; two daughters, Cheryl Ann Lytle McKnight of Annapolis and Deborah Lytle Plimmer of North Sandwich, N.H.; two grandsons; and a great-grandson.
-- Patricia Sullivan
Barbara S. MacGregorClark MacGregor
Barbara Spicer MacGregor, 85, the wife of former representative Clark MacGregor (R-Minn.) and a presence in Washington's social and benefit circuit for decades, died of respiratory failure June 19 at Sibley Memorial Hospital. She was a District resident.
Mrs. MacGregor, a Minnesota native, settled in the Washington area after her husband was elected to Congress in 1960.
He represented suburban Minneapolis in the U.S. House until 1971, then briefly served as the Nixon White House's chief congressional liaison and chairman of the Committee to Re-Elect the President. He became an executive with United Technologies.
In Washington, Mrs. MacGregor chaired fundraising events for Meridian House and Traveler's Aid, and her memberships included the Congressional Wives Club, the Chevy Chase Club and the Sulgrave Club. She also organized and modeled in fashion shows for various causes.
Barbara Spicer was a native of Duluth, Minn., and a graduate of Tobe-Coburn fashion school in New York. She spent her early career as a department store buyer in New York and Minneapolis.
In news accounts, Mrs. MacGregor was described as personable and mischievous. She delighted in sitting political opposites next to one another at her frequent dinner parties.
She entertained guests on the piano by following Sergei Rachmaninoff with pieces by Cole Porter. She also played bridge with members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Her husband of 54 years died in 2003.
Survivors include three daughters, Susan Wheelwright of Dorchester, Mass., Laurie MacGregor of Hanover, N.H., and Eleanor MacGregor of Kensington; and eight grandchildren.
-- Adam Bernstein
Winston C. OliverCIA Officer
Winston C. Oliver, 82, a CIA officer who spent 30 years in the directorate of operations before retiring in 1980, died of cancer June 17 at Capital Hospice in Arlington County. He was a McLean resident.
Mr. Oliver was an operations officer for much of his early career, mostly stationed in Asia. From 1973 to 1980, he worked at Central Intelligence Agency headquarters at Langley.
His decorations included the CIA's Career Achievement Medal.
Winston Cornell Oliver was born in Somerville, Mass. He served in the Army Air Forces in the Pacific during World War II. He was a 1950 graduate of Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Janet Kraynick Oliver of McLean; four children, Karen R. Oliver of Islamabad, David S. Oliver of Orlando, Keith D. Oliver of McMurray, Pa., and Susan O. Harrison of Savannah, Ga.; a brother; and 12 grandchildren.
-- Adam Bernstein