Two well-liked GW employees passed away last month.
Fredrick Ross, director of audio-visual logistics services in the School of Business, died Aug. 10. He was 63. April Clarke, an executive office aide in the International Services Office, died Aug. 22. She was 34.
Ross, who was born in Biloxi, Miss., in 1947, was an employee at GW for 27 years beginning in January of 1983. Before joining GW as a systems specialist, Ross served in the U.S. Air Force between 1966 and 1973.
Charlene McKinney, senior secretary of admissions in the Office of Doctoral Policy, said the School of Business will miss Ross’s presence.
“He was helpful at any point,” McKinney said. “He was just a nice, helpful gentleman who was always here to help.”
Hope Hall, a School of Business admissions manager who worked with Ross for 13 years, said shortly after meeting Ross at GW, the two became good friends.
Hall said she will remember the way Ross treated each person whom he came in contact with.
“He was always honest and always respected people,” she said. “He didn’t care if you had a title before your name or after your name. He didn’t care if you were maintenance or had a Ph.D. He was good to everyone.”
Clarke, who was born in 1976, and grew up in Baltimore, was an employee of the University since July 2006. She died in August following a brief illness.
Clarke had recently celebrated her four-year anniversary with the University in the International Services Office.
Chnetta Saunders, office manager in the International Services Office, said Clarke worked at the reception desk and also reviewed immigration documents.
“She had a good heart,” Saunders said. “She enjoyed interacting with students and looked forward to this time of year when new international students would come to the office. She liked putting names and faces to the documents she reviewed.”
Clarke was set to begin graduate classes at GW this fall, working toward a master’s degree in behavioral counseling.
Saunders said Clarke had many friends in their office and across the University.
“She seemed to enjoy life,” Saunders said. “She was upbeat. She loved interacting with people.”
