7 minute read
In Memoriam
David Booth Beers was dedicated to the Episcopal community
David Booth Beers, one of St. Andrew’s founders and a Board member for more than 14 years, died on April 3. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, and their children. Beers, who in 1976 was on the Board of St. Patrick’s and the Vice-Chancellor to the Bishop, was in the room when discussions took place concerning the founding of St. Andrew’s. He later served on the Board of Trustees in a variety of roles, including Secretary and Bishop’s Representative. He authored the school’s initial bylaws and helped create a new type of school in greater Washington: an independently governed Episcopal school with an inclusive mission and a warm relationship with the Bishop and the Diocese of Washington.
David became Diocesan Chancellor in 1977 and served in that role for 14 years. In 1991, he was appointed as Chancellor to the Presiding Bishop, a position he held until 2019. David did not stop founding schools with St. Andrew’s. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Bishop Walker School and served on its Board. He also served on the Board of the Episcopal Center for Children.
In her email to the Episcopal Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde wrote “David was a friend and a mentor to countless leaders, lay and clergy. If you didn’t know David personally, I’m certain that you know someone whose leadership he helped develop or you are part of a community that he once guided through a turbulent time.”
Audrey Demas, another one of St. Andrew’s founders who took part in those very first conversations shared this remembrance of David.
“David never gave up and never missed a meeting,” Demas said. “He just loved learning, we even joked that he perhaps loved it too much as he advocated for Latin to be required of every student. He was passionate in his drive – and we argued from time to time, but always came together in our commitment to building a school where every student could find their place. He was dedicated to building an Episcopal community where spiritual life, academic rigor, and service would come together to inspire every student. We so enjoyed being together at the 40th Anniversary. It was a wonderful opportunity to share our pride in the school’s growth, its expression of the founding vision, and, most importantly, its tremendous impact on the lives of so many kids.”
Head of School Robert Kosasky knew David for two decades and reflected on the warmth he shared daily.
“He was a font of wisdom, counsel, and wonderful humor – a good friend of the school and its leaders for decades,” Kosasky said. “From the first time I met David 20 years ago over lunch at his beloved Tastee Diner, he made me laugh and learn with his wry humor, enthusiastic storytelling, and clear love for St. Andrew’s and the larger Episcopal community to which we belong. I was lucky to call David and his wife, Peggy, my friends, and I will miss him greatly.”
AUDREY DEMAS
David Booth Beers served in a variety of roles at St. Andrew’s throughout the years, including being one of the founders of the school, Board of Trustees, Secretary and Bishop’s Representative.
in memoriam
St. Andrew’s mourns the loss of those who have died yet remain a beloved part of our community. We pray that God’s loving embrace welcomes them and comforts us. In memoriam include notices for alumni, former faculty and staff, former trustees, and school founders who have recently passed away.
Gabe Hodziewich
Former faculty member and coach
Beloved former teacher and coach Gabe Hodziewich died peacefully Oct. 7, 2021 after a long illness. Hodziewich began his teaching career in 1982 when he joined the St. Andrew’s faculty as a biology teacher. He also began coaching soccer that year and, by the end of the season, would lead the team to its first PVAC title. Hodziewich coached soccer until 1986, then coached boys’ varsity tennis from 1987 to 1994.
Gabe was a demanding educator who was passionate about teaching and interacting with students.
“He was very dedicated. He would be one of the first people in and one of the last people out,” said science teacher Irene Walsh, who was there with Hodziewich in the early ’80s. “He had a big impact on a lot of kids, in sports and in the classroom.” Hodziewich taught at St. Andrew’s until 1999, then returned as a volunteer in the tech office from 2001 to 2006. He said it was the students—who were “always more interesting”—that kept him at St. Andrew’s over the years.
Gabe is survived by his wife Betsy Proch; daughter Erika Hodziewich and her husband, James; sister Stephanie Cohen and her husband, Victor; and brother Stan Hodziewich and his wife, Vicki; three nieces, one nephew, three grand-nieces, and one grand-nephew.
John Nicholson
Parent of alumni and former Board of Trustees
John Nicholson, father of Peter Nicholson ’86, and the late Wendy Nicholson Bailey ’87, died earlier this year. John served on the Board of Trustees from 1983-1984.
Science teacher Chuck James remembers John as “never too busy to pause and chat. Often, a five minute conversation would turn into an extensive conversation about theology, St. Andrew's, Haiti, children, and life. His knowledge of the national Episcopal Church and specifically the Diocese of Washington was encyclopedic. He possessed a remarkable memory for names of family members and would often inquire about them.”
John is survived by his wife, Marnie Nicholson; and son, Peter Nicholson.
Shana Stein
Class of 1989
Shana Stein died Sept. 20, 2021, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. After graduating from St. Andrew’s, Shana attended Tufts University where she earned a B.A. in Child Development and a B.F.A in Fine Art. A few years later, she completed her Masters of Fine Arts at Cranbrook Academy, where she studied print media and developed a series of psychologyinformed interactive art installations. Shana then embarked on a period of art production and taught art at all levels, from preschool to university.
Her students remembered her as a supportive yet critical teacher and a fierce advocate for their creative voices. After moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Shana ran the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), which paired first-generation college students with research faculty and co-taught the Research Seminar. As a lifelong learner with a deep interest in psychology, Shana transitioned careers from academia to mental health and attended Northwestern University, earning a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. She loved working with individuals and couples (as a Gottman Certified Therapist) on various challenges, including communication and parenting. In recent years, she started and ran a private practice.
Shana is survived by her husband, Mathew J. Rappaport, and two daughters, Aviva and Liora.
Nathan Yoder
Class of 2000
Nathan Yoder died on April 21, 2020. “Nathan was a great kid, and had a lot of friends,” said math teacher John McMillen. “He had a lot of surgeries while he was here at St. Andrew’s. I was impressed at how he handled life given all he had to deal with. I can’t imagine being a high school student with all he had and being so positive. You could tell by the way he carried himself that he was comfortable in his own skin.”
Nathan’s mother, Joyce Yoder, shared that Nathan loved his time at St. Andrew’s.
“Nathan had short stature syndrome, and had lived with chronic pain for many years before he got cancer,” Joyce said. “He had a lot of surgeries to lengthen his bones when he was a student, and had a lot of good friends who were there for him.”
After graduating from St. Andrew’s, Nathan completed two years of academic work at Rochester Institute of Technology as an electrical engineering student.
Nathan is survived by his parents, Joyce Yoder and Galen Yoder, and brother, Michael Yoder.
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save the date
HOMECOMING & REUNION
OCTOBER 15, 2022
We’re excited to welcome alumni to campus this fall! We will celebrate alumni in milestone reunion years ending in 2s and 7s.
For more information:
