In Fond Rememberance: John W. Chromy (India 3)

On October 19, 2024, John W. Chromy (India III) and enthusiatic Friends of India member, passed away. He is greatly missed.

Obituary

John Chromy

October 11, 1942 - October 19, 2024

John William Chromy, age 82, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, has concluded a full life of service, countless friendships, and worldwide adventures. John was born in New Prague, Minnesota. He grew up on the family farm with his parents, Stanley W. Chromy Sr. and Mary R. (Horejsi) Chromy, and his eight siblings. He attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School and graduated from New Prague High School in 1960. He attended St. John's University but left in 1963, answering President Kennedy's challenge for young Americans to serve in the newly formed Peace Corps. After two years of service in India as a Peace Corps volunteer (1963-65), he returned to St. John's University and finished his B.A. in History in 1964.

A natural leader, John shared his early adventures with his first wife, Patricia Ward Chromy (1942-1984), and their two daughters, Maureen and Caroline, serving as Peace Corps staff in India (1967-1969) and Peace Corps Director of the Eastern Caribbean (1977-1979). John’s commitment to service and peace impressed the first Director of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver, and his wife, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics. They appointed him U.S. National Director for Special Olympics in 1981. In 1990 John joined CHF International (now Global Communities), a humanitarian aid organization with close ties to the Peace Corps. He served in several leadership positions and developed the Community and Economic Revitalization through Democratic Action program model, which emphasizes economic development, job creation, community stabilization, and infrastructure reconstruction led from and by local communities rather than political or national leaders. In 2003, Global Communities created its “Sargent Shriver Award” to honor individuals who best embody the ideals of the Peace Corps selecting John as the first recipient, with Sargent Shriver himself presenting the award.

Throughout his life, John enjoyed time with his family and friends, sharing good food and thoughtful dialogue with everyone he met, from hometown friends, local people from all walks of life and heads of state, many of whom he met in his travels to over 55 countries. He continued his travels and his joy of life with his wife Nora Rodriguez Chromy over the last four decades in Washington D.C./Maryland. He remained an advocate and documentarian of the Peace Corps and all its accomplishments.

John is survived by his wife, Nora Rodriguez Chromy; his daughters Maureen (John) Nichols, Caroline (Tom) Gort and Monica (Keith) Kellison; his grandchildren, William Nichols, Emily Nichols, Max Gort, Shania Kellison, Janelle Kellison, and Alexis Kellison; his siblings, Tom (Diane) Chromy, Richard (Jan) Chromy, and Anne Marie Becker; sisters-in-law, Mary Catherine Chromy, Violet Chromy, and Karen Chromy; brothers-in-law, Norman Hallet and Tom (Mary) Ward of Peoria, IL; many nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made to the George's Lucky Dozen Fund through the Friends of India Charities Page.

In Fond Remembrance: Dr. Harris A. Berman

Friends of India remembers Dr. Harris A. Berman, who was the Dean of Medicine at Tufts University and the doctor in the Western Region in India, Bhopal 1966-1968. He was very fine man and very close to many in our group. Please read more about his life in the Boston Globe memorial from earlier this year.

In Fond Remembrance of George Nepert, FOI Treasurer

 

We are saddened by the loss of our co-founder and treasurer George Nepert. Read more about his life here.

In Fond Remembrance: FOI President John "Jack" Slattery 1940-2020

With a heavy heart, I must mention the passing of FOI President John (Jack) Slattery on June 21, 2020. A month before he celebrated his 80th birthday, but a failing heart and illness took him away from our presence. For many years he was our Friends of India president.  Many of the PCV's in south India knew him personally, especially Poultry Development groups India-16,26,33,42,99. 

Jack was loved by numerous people abroad and state side. He left an awesome legacy serving humanity his entire career and into retirement years. Jack was India-3 PCV group in 1962. While he was in Gangalvati Karnataka, he published a booklet on "Modern Poultry Farming for Profit". He then helped to develop a project for PCV's to assist in a poultry hatchery and breeding program with the government of Kerala and Karnataka states government poultry farms. Hens received by farmers by this effort had increased egg production, making poultry raising a profitable business. He also was involved in intensive village-level food production and introduced a variety of high yielding crops thus improving farmers level of living and welfare of their families. The success of these projects made the volunteers and Jack very pleased with their PCV contribution. This in itself, is a proud legacy of Jack and the many PCV's that made it happen. 

The Peace Corps, being young and fresh out of college, provided Jack direction (and needless to say many of us). While in India 8 years he worked on his post graduate education, doing Peace Corps programming and training, as well as field work for his dissertation in India on how two sub-ethnic groups of farmers in south India made their decisions in adopting new crops. At age 40, Jack worked in USAID, with two tours each in Kenya and Niger. Later he was a consultant with USAID and private volunteer organizations. Jack said, “without Peace Corps, this would never have happened! I loved every bit of it".

Good bye to Jack, our friend, mentor, service to the world in many capacities, especially his love and service in the Peace Corps. Jack's first wife, Alice, died in 2008. Jack remarried Cynthia Rogers, who has been a very loving wife for 10 years. Sympathy cards can be mailed to Cynthia Rogers, 7816-2 BIue Heron Drive West, Wilmington, NC 28411.

The impact of Peace Corps on his life in Jack's own words.

More on his legacy may be found here.

Prepared by George Nepert, treasurer of FOI

Jack and Cynthia in India, 2012

In Fond Remembrance of Edward Willett (India 21) and FOI President

Ed Willett passed away October 28, 2017. He was FOI President 1995-2002. Under his leadership in 1995 the FOI charity India charity giving started. Ed was a PCV, India 21 to the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in Rural Public Health Projects. He was diagnosed with stage 4 in August, died in his hometown of Buffalo, NY. Details of arrangements will be forthcoming.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/Edward-Willett-obituary?pid=187144983&view=guestbook