Death Antidepressants 08/07/1997 Virginia Preschool Teacher For the National Institute of Health Found Dead in Home Summary:

The 10th obituary reads:  "Preschool Teacher

Laurie Gretchen Odenheim, 50, who taught at the preschool day care center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda since 1979, was found dead inside her Arlington home July 8.

A spokesman for the Northern Virginia medical examiner's office said the cause of death was poisoning from ingestion of antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs. Arlington police spokesman Tom Bell said there were no indications of foul play.

Mrs. Odenheim was born in New Jersey. She graduated from the University of California at Irvine.

She came to Washington in 1974 and later became active with the Langley Hill Friends Meeting, a Quaker religious organization. Other activities included volunteering as a translator for Central American refugees and women's organizations in the Washington area.

She was a member of the NOVA Chamber Singers, Langley Hill Round Singers and the Washington Choral Arts Society at the Kennedy Center. She was a member of Educators for Social Responsibility and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Her husband, Larry Barnes, died in 1974. Survivors include her son, Toby Odenheim of Arlington; two brothers; and a sister.





GEORGE S. KNIGHT SR. DIES AT 86 - STATE DEPARTMENT DIVISION CHIEF

Washington Post - August 9, 1997
George Stephens Knight Sr., 86, who retired in 1972 from the State Department as chief of the property claims, estates and legal documents division and in recent years served as a commissioner in chancery of the Fairfax County Circuit Court, died of acute cardiac arrest July 25 at his Alexandria home.

Mr. Knight, a native of Livingston, Tenn., received law degrees from Vanderbilt and Georgetown universities. His military service included three years active duty with the Navy during World War II and 24 years with the Naval Reserve. He retired from the Naval Reserve in 1970 as a commander.

He began his civil service career as an assistant legal adviser with the State Department in 1934. After World War II, he returned to the State Department, where he worked in international law governing international travel. He was named chief of the property claims, estates and legal documents division in 1957.

After his retirement from the State Department, he went into private practice in Fairfax City, and from the mid-1980s until last year, he served as a court-appointed commissioner of chancery, conducting hearings on civil cases.

He was active in the National Rifle Association, serving as chairman of the Firearms Civil Rights Legal Defense Fund and as a member of its Legislative Police Committee and Executive Council.

His wife, Stella Markarian Knight, died in 1994. Survivors include two sons, George Stephens Jr. of Richmond, and Mark E., of Norman, Okla.; and four grandchildren.

JUDITH PHELPS AUSTIN

Librarian

Judith Phelps Austin, 57, head librarian of the main reading room of the Library of Congress, died of cancer Aug. 2 at her home in Garrett Park.

From 1977 until last year, she was head of the library's local history and genealogy reading room. Earlier, she had worked at the District's Palisades branch library and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

Mrs. Austin was a graduate of the University of Miami in her native Miami. She received a master's degree in library science from Vanderbilt University. She worked at the Vanderbilt library and at Nashville's main public library before moving to the Washington area in 1969.

Mrs. Austin was a member of the vestry and Altar Guild at Christ Episcopal Church in Kensington. She lectured on genealogical research at conventions of the American Library Association and National Genealogical Society, and she attended annual Malice Domestic conventions of people interested in murder
mysteries written by women.

Survivors include her husband of 36 years, Alan D. Austin of Garrett Park; two daughters, Jennifer Austin Luna of Silver Spring and Sara Austin of Washington; her mother, Dorothy F. Phelps of Hialeah, Fla.; and a brother.

T. STEPHEN CHESTON

Satellite Communications Executive

T. Stephen Cheston, 56, director for international government affairs of a global satellite communications venture initiated by Motorola Corp., died of cancer Aug. 6 at Manor Care nursing home in Potomac. He lived in McLean.

Dr. Cheston had worked since 1983 on the commercial application of satellite communication technology. That year, he co-founded Geostar Corp. to develop satellite communication positioning systems, and in 1991 he went to work for Motorola's satellite division as director for strategic development in Latin America. He joined the Motorola venture Iridium four years ago.

Dr. Cheston was born in Buffalo. He lived as a child in Latin America, where his father worked for U.S. Steel. Dr. Cheston later served with the Peace Corps in Colombia, developing agricultural cooperatives.

He was a graduate of Clark University and received a doctorate in Russian history from Georgetown University. He was a volunteer in the office of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.) while a graduate student.

Dr. Cheston worked at Georgetown from 1972 to 1983 as assistant dean, associate dean and acting dean of the graduate school and as a history research professor. While at Georgetown, he edited a series of books dealing with the commercial utilization of space and testified before Congress on the subject.

Dr. Cheston was a director of the Space Studies Institute in Princeton, N.J., and a founder of an organization, the Institute for Social Science Study of Space. He was a delegate to World Radio conferences of the International Telecommunications Union and a member of the industry advisory committee of the Federal Communications Commission and Phi Alpha Theta.

Survivors include his wife, Arleen Cheston, and two sons, Aric Cheston and Thor Cheston, all of McLean; and a brother.

RICHARD G. KNAPP

Census Bureau Statistician

Richard G. Knapp, 73, a former Upper Marlboro resident who was a survey statistician at the U.S. Census Bureau for 20 years until his retirement in 1985, died of cardiac arrest Aug. 6 at Anne Arundel County Medical Center. He lived in Upper Marlboro for 24 years before moving to Annapolis in 1994.

Mr. Knapp, who was born in New York City, graduated from the University of Maryland. He served in the Navy from 1942 to 1959. During World War II, he was stationed in Guam. He also served in the Korean War.

Mr. Knapp, a Naval Reserve lieutenant commander until 1967, joined the U.S. Office of Civil Defense in Washington in 1960 as a defense analyst. He worked there for six years before going to work for the U.S. Census Bureau in 1966.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Annapolis.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Ann K. Knapp of Annapolis; three sons, Richard G. Knapp Jr. of Gaithersburg, Frank W. Knapp of Laurel and Robert T. Knapp of New York; a brother; and two grandchildren.

WILLIAM T. BULLINGER

Lawyer

William T. Bullinger, 61, a lawyer who specialized in intellectual property issues, died Aug. 7 at George Washington University Hospital. He died of a brain hemorrhage that resulted from an accidental fall in downtown Washington on Aug. 5.

Mr. Bullinger was a resident of Washington. He was born in Saginaw, Mich. He graduated from Case Institute of Technology and received his law degree from Western Reserve University Law School.

He was a clerk to a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court for a year before moving to Washington in 1965 to become law clerk to Judge Arthur M. Smith, who served on what was then the U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals.

Later, he joined the Washington law firm of Cushman, Darby & Cushman. About four years ago, he left the firm. Since then he had been a consultant on intellectual property law.

Survivors include his wife, Janet Bullinger of Washington; a brother; and two sisters.

SUZANNE DESIREE COCHRANE

Needlepointer and Painter

Suzanne Desiree Cochrane, 92, an amateur painter who also did needlepoint, died of colon cancer Aug. 4 at the home of her daughter in Vienna.

Mrs. Cochrane was born in Paris. For 25 years before coming to the United States in 1946, she worked at a Paris bank, where she became head of the cashier's department.

Her first husband, Robert Laumonier, died in 1941. She later married Maurice Cochrane, whom she met during World War II, when he was serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces. They lived Yakima, Wash., until moving to Fairfax in 1964.

In Fairfax, Mrs. Cochrane and her husband participated in senior citizens organizations and the American Association of Retired Persons.

Mrs. Cochrane was a bridge player.

Her second husband died in 1980.

Survivors include a daughter from her first marriage, Claire Hill of Vienna; two grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

THOMAS EDWARD HOOFF Jr.

Salesman

Thomas Edward Hooff Jr., 47, a former restaurateur who was a salesman for Anthony and Sylvan Pools, died of respiratory failure Aug. 7 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He lived in Falls Church.

Mr. Hooff was born in Madison, Wis., and raised in Washington and Fairfax County. He was a graduate of J.E.B. Stuart High School and Fork Union Academy. He attended the University of Richmond.

He was a restaurant manager for Marriott Corp. in the 1970s, and also had owned the Upstairs Downstairs restaurant in Washington and Bubba's Bar-B-Q in Falls Church. He had worked for the Steam Cleaners carpet-cleaning company and the Bekins moving company.

He coached girls' soccer and basketball for the Little River youth club.

Survivors include his wife, Jane Hooff, and two daughters, Melanie Hooff and Kimberly Hooff, all of Falls Church; and a brother, William Hooff of Alexandria.

J. ROBERT LOFTIS Jr.

Defense Department Official

J. Robert Loftis Jr., 85, who had served as director of the office of administrative services at the Department of Defense and later as an executive at Communications Satellite Corp., died of prostate cancer Aug. 5 at the Manor Care nursing facility in Bethesda.

Mr. Loftis, who lived in Bethesda, was born in Salt Lake City and graduated from the University of Utah.

He came to Washington in 1933 and received a law degree from George Washington University.

During World War II, he served in the Army in Europe.

He began his Defense Department service after the war. In 1965, he joined Comsat, where he remained for 10 years. For two years before retiring in 1977, he was a consultant with Teleconsult.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Kate Dell Loftis of Bethesda; a son, James R. Loftis III of Arlington; and two grandchildren.

ORHAN H. AYDINEL

Physician

Orhan H. Aydinel, 75, an obstetrician and gynecologist who had a private practice in Oxon Hill and served on the staff of Greater Southeast Community Hospital, died Aug. 5 at his home in Fort Washington after a stroke.

Dr. Aydinel was born in Istanbul. He attended the University of Istanbul, where he also received a medical degree. In the late 1940s, he was a physician in the Turkish Army, and in 1952, he came to the United States to do an internship in obstetrics and gynecology at Women's Hospital in Detroit.

He came to Washington in 1953 for a three-year residency at Providence Hospital, where he became chief resident in obstetrics and gynecology.

He then had a private practice and served on the medical staffs of Providence Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, Prince George's Hospital, Hadley Memorial Hospital and the old Sibley Hospital.

In 1985, he retired after having served on the medical staff of Greater Southeast Community Hospital.

Dr. Aydinel was a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, the Prince George's Medical Society, the D.C. Medical Society, the D.C. Gynecological Society and the American Society of Abdominal Surgeons.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Aydinel of Fort Washington; three children, Dr. Suzan Aydinel of Vienna, Ayla Wilt of Atlanta and Erhan Aydinel of Timonium, Md.; a brother; and five grandchildren. A son, Turan Aydinel, died in 1995.

LAURIE GRETCHEN ODENHEIM

Preschool Teacher

Laurie Gretchen Odenheim, 50, who taught at the preschool day care center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda since 1979, was found dead inside her Arlington home July 8.

A spokesman for the Northern Virginia medical examiner's office said the cause of death was poisoning from ingestion of antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs. Arlington police spokesman Tom Bell said there were no indications of foul play.

Mrs. Odenheim was born in New Jersey. She graduated from the University of California at Irvine.

She came to Washington in 1974 and later became active with the Langley Hill Friends Meeting, a Quaker religious organization. Other activities included volunteering as a translator for Central American refugees and women's organizations in the Washington area.

She was a member of the NOVA Chamber Singers, Langley Hill Round Singers and the Washington Choral Arts Society at the Kennedy Center. She was a member of Educators for Social Responsibility and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Her husband, Larry Barnes, died in 1974. Survivors include her son, Toby Odenheim of Arlington; two brothers; and a sister.

WALTER B. GOLDEN

Insurance Agent

Walter B. Golden, 85, a World War II Army veteran who sold insurance in Northern Virginia for more than 30 years, died of emphysema Aug. 7 at Manor Care nursing home in Arlington.

Mr. Golden, an Arlington resident, was born in Butler, Pa. He grew up in Washington and graduated from St. John's College High School. After attending Notre Dame University, he graduated from John Carroll University in Cleveland and later received a law degree from Georgetown University.

During World War II, he served in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps. After the war, he resumed his career as an insurance agent, operating Golden Insurance Agency in Arlington. He operated his business in the 1950s and 1960s and then joined Yeonas Insurance Agency in Vienna in the late 1960s. After a few years, he went back to being an independent insurance agent and then retired in the mid-1970s.

He was a member of the Shillelagh Travel Club and a former member of the Arlington Optimist Club.

His wife, Kathryn Reid Golden, died in 1993. Survivors include two sons, Mickey Golden of Falls Church and Mac Golden of Arlington; two sisters; a brother; and four granddaughters.

JEFFREY HOYLE HARRIS

Washington Resident

Jeffrey Hoyle Harris, 41, a Washington resident who worked part time as a cameraman for General Typographers Inc. for more than 20 years, was fatally struck by a car on Route 50 in Landover Hills on Aug. 5.

A Maryland State Police spokesman said the accident occurred about 11:00 p.m. in a dark, unlit area of Route 50 about 200 feet west of Veterans Parkway. Police said Mr. Harris was attempting to cross the road when a car traveling east hit him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges have been filed against the driver, police said.

Mr. Harris, who was born in Washington, grew up in Fort Washington. He attended Friendly Senior High School in Fort Washington and began working for General Typographers, a typesetting and sign-making business, in the mid-1970s. He handled a number of odd jobs for the company, worked in its darkroom and produced prints.

Survivors include his parents, Virdin "Buddy" and Nancy Harris of Washington; and three sisters, Leslie Donnelly of Salisbury, Jennifer Grey of Calvert County and Gail Harris of Washington.

MORTON H. OPPENHEIM

Lawyer

Morton H. Oppenheim, 83, a government lawyer who retired in 1966 as assistant to the deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration, died of congestive heart failure Aug. 7 at his home in Silver Spring.

He was a native of New York and a graduate of what is now the law school of Catholic University. He began his career in 1937 at the National Labor Relations Board and later worked for the Social Security Administration as an adjudicator. He was assigned to the Office of Production Management during the Korean War. He joined SBA in 1960.

After he retired, Mr. Oppenheim was a deputy to the director of the Hirshhorn Museum for two years.

He was a Mason, a volunteer at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and a member of B'nai B'rith and the Silver Spring Lions Club.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Edythe B. Oppenheim; two sons, Carl Oppenheim of Chevy Chase and Jeffrey Oppenheim of Sandy Spring; two brothers, William Oppenheim and Julius Oppenheim, both of Silver Spring; and five grandchildren.

ELLIOTT H. GLUNT

Telecommunication Specialist

Elliott H. Glunt, 85, a telecommunication specialist and retired Navy commander who retired in 1980 after 26 years with the National Security Agency, died of kidney failure Aug. 2 at Bethesda Naval Hospital. A resident of Silver Spring, he had lived in the Washington area off and on since World War II.

Mr. Glunt was born in Altoona, Pa. He served in the Pacific during World War II and in Alaska during the Korean War. He was on active duty in the Navy for 19 years, went on reserve status in 1954 and retired as a commander in 1960.

He was a member of the Naval Institute, the Society of Wireless Pioneers, the Association of Foreign Intelligence Officers and the Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association.

His wife of 64 years, Ruth Katherine Glunt, died in September.

Survivors include two children, George E. Glunt of Fort Myers, Fla., and David A. Glunt of Silver Spring; a brother; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

EARL ALTON TURNER

Army Officer

Earl Alton Turner, 77, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who was a program analyst at the Defense Communication Agency, died of leukemia July 15 at a hospital in Houston, where he had gone for treatment. He lived in Arlington.

He was a native of Mississippi who took courses through the University of Maryland. He served in Hawaii during World War II and at the Pentagon after the war. He later was posted to Paris and Seoul. He was assigned to the DCA when he retired from the military in 1964 and continued working there until 1982.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Mildred Lea Bates Turner of Arlington; two children, Earl A. Turner Jr. of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Martha Ann Turner of Spotsylvania, Va.; and a brother.
Edition: FINAL
Section: METRO
Page: D4
Column: OBITUARIES
Index Terms: OBITUARY
Record Number: 812900
Copyright 1997 The Washington Post
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GEORGE S. KNIGHT SR. DIES AT 86 - STATE DEPARTMENT DIVISION CHIEF