Category Archives: Deaths

Gloria Johnson

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Andy Johnson notified us today that Gloria passed away yesterday, Sunday, November 6th at 90 years old.

Gloria made the world a better place with her big smile, warm greetings and true caring for members of her and Jack's KSA family.

Gloria et al at Jack's 1984 retirement party.  Pictured attendees include Dave and Bonnie Perdue, Mickey Yount, Greg Murphy, John and Jo Ann Caldwell, Hugh and Ruth Tannehill, Abbie Jean Quick, Gloria, Jack, Gloria and Jack's three sons and Don Johnson.

Here is a great photo of Gloria with Jack and their three sons (center of front row) ... and a host of good KSA friends ... at Jack's retirement party in 1984.  Its caption identifies some of the attendees.  Click on the image to see a larger version of the photo.

Although she did not want a funeral service, she did want visitation for friends and family to pay final respects.

Visitation will be Thursday November 10, 2022
From 5PM – 7PM CT
Jeffcoat Trant Funeral home
1500 Frederick Rd.
Opelika, Alabama 36801

You can send notes for the family to Andy at ajcj@bellsouth.net.

Jim Giddings

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We regret to announce the death of Jim Giddings on September 26, 2022.  Jim was the leader of KSA's Physical Distribution (PD) Group for many years and fostered the careers of many PD consultants who joined KSA in the mid- and late 1960s.  One of those consultants, Tony DeMaria, took the reigns of the PD Group when Jim elected to move aside.

On a personal note, Jim was delightful to work around and a fountainhead of knowledge on the PD and KSA organization, client acquisition and retention, and engagement management.  He was always happy -- his big smile shown in the picture to the right is the way I remember him.

Jim will be missed by those of us fortunate to have worked with him.  Our thoughts are with Kay, Page, Jimmy, Dan and the family.

Following are a few highlights from Jim's obituary published by Legacy Remembers on Oct. 6, 2022.  Click here to read the entire obituary.

by Jim Giddings

Jim was an inventor, harmonica and chess player, fly fisherman, entrepreneur, paratrooper, sailor, golfer, yacht club commodore and cartoonist. He was unassuming and endlessly curious. Above all, he was a thoughtful and considerate husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and stranger. Jim appreciated beauty in all its forms, loved his family and was respectful to everyone.

He attended Georgia Military College where he was named Cadet Colonel, Battalion Commander and graduated with distinction. He then attended Georgia Institute of Technology where he was in the Reserve Officers' Training Corp, a member of the Alpha Tau Omega-Beta fraternity [with KSA Alumni Freddie Wood and Cecil Phillips], a staff cartoonist at the Yellow Jacket humor magazine and earned a BSE degree in engineering.

After graduation, he served as a 1st lieutenant in the 507th Parachute Airborne Infantry Regiment out of Fort Benning Georgia. A career as a management consultant led him to Chicago where he met and married the love of his life, Kathryn Boyle Giddings. In 1962, they moved to Atlanta, Georgia where they raised their three children, Page, Jimmy and Dan. Jim published cartoons regularly in The Saturday Review. After stints at the Tennessee Valley Authority and Yale & Towne, Jim settled in for the rest of his consulting career at Kurt Salmon Associates. There, he played an integral role in advising Hart Schaffner & Marx, L.L. Bean, Orvis, Harrods, Barneys, Paul Stuart, Saks Fifth Avenue, Home Depot, and other organizations during their periods of growth and reorganization.

Bill Reed

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I regret to inform you that Bill Reed passed away peacefully at home early this morning.

The Cobbs, Reeds and Beckemeyers celebrate Bill Reed's 2019 birthday in Hilton Head.

He had been bedridden for most of the past year and under 24x7 care including Hospice support. 

Bill was a Florida native, graduated from Georgia Tech (BS & MS), served the US Army for two years at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, Maryland and then joined Kurt Salmon Associates’ Textile Division working with Freddie Wood and Gerald Turbyfill.  He was the Division’s Senior Partner and leader when he retired.  His extensive knowledge of how to improve the productivity of textile manufacturing operations, his warm demeanor and his quick wit led to his services being in constant demand by the many clients he served.

After Bill retired in 1997, he and Kline traveled extensively domestically and internationally.  Bill enjoyed the camaraderie associated with bridge and organized KSA Alumni Bridge gatherings for many years.  He initiated the annual KSA Alumni dinner gatherings that continue today.  Bill was an avid ham radio operator and until recently was very active in North Fulton Amateur Radio League activities.

I will miss Bill.  He was a good friend, radio operating buddy and traveling companion.  Rest in peace Bill.

Memorial service arrangements are incomplete at this time.  Kline and I will get back to you with information about Bill’s service as soon as they are finalized.

You may contact Kline at klinereed@gmail.com

Tony DeMaria

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Tony's 2013 FBBC portfolio won the "Best Fruit Picker" award.

It is with a heavy heart that I must let you know Tony passed away early on December 23rd at home.  Diane and Michele were with him at the time.

Tony had been ill for some time, including several hospitalizations for cardiac and pulmonary issues.  He had just returned from a 5 day hospital stay when he passed away.

Tony leaves a broad legacy of positively influencing others. His strength was founded in his love of his family: Diane, young Tony, Michele and several grandchildren.  His goal was to make sure they had the love and resources to forge fulfilling lives.  His approach to his family was the springboard and model for developing those of us  in his second family: the KSA community.  All of us, consultants, clients and staff that  worked with Tony are in a better place in our lives because of his love, interest, wisdom and guidance.

Tony, thank you for all you did to provide the resources we needed to forge successful careers and businesses.

Tony with Mohan Komanduri's Son Sesha in 2009

The memorial service  for Tony will be Friday January 7th, 2022 at 1pm at Saint Brendan’s Catholic Church in Cumming.

The family is inviting everyone to the farm, Il Buon Vento, after the service.

You can reach out to Diane at dademaria@bellsouth.net.

Tom Barts

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Chuck Gilreath was contacted by Judy Barts several days ago and learned that Tom passed away in September. Chuck included a link to an obituary with a nice recent photo of Tom.  Click here to see the obituary.

If you would like to send Judy a note, her email address is Judy.barts@gmail.com.

According to Judy, Tom was ill and under her care for over five years prior to passing away last September.

Tom and Chuck shared many adventures.  Here are a few highlighted by Chuck.

Tom joined KSA in the summer of 1976, in the same class as Lynn Spuhler, Mike Baird, Mike Love, Ed Merigan, John Lamb and me. He and I both started in MMD. I think he worked with KRO somewhere in or near Chicago, as he was able to join me in Philadelphia for a long weekend in the summer of 1977. He also worked in western Pennsylvania with Dick Bath. I was also working for Dick in Philadelphia.

Dick asked both of us  to go to Manila. Tom got there before me, early in 1978 sometime after John Caldwell. I reached Manila in April 78. During 78 and 79, the KSA team led a large group of client engineers and improved manufacturing operations for Aris Gloves covering over 10,000 employees.  [The engagement included the largest single rate sale in the history of KSA.]

I remember very well how Tom worked with Fred Hernandez, the manager of about two thousand workers on two shifts in a large leather glove sewing section in the main plant. Tom persuaded Freddie to walk the entire floor on each shift, grabbing the daily individual efficiency record hanging on a clipboard at the end of every 20 operator stitching table, then going down the line to speak briefly to every girl and encourage her.  Productivity tripled and Freddie lost about 40 pounds, but he loved it.  And it worked.

Our time in Manila outside the factory was the stuff of legend. Too many experiences and escapades to recount - or even clearly remember! The Elks Lodge, Mabini, the Boat Club, the Hash House Harriers... trips to Hong Kong, China, Australia...

As the project wrapped up, Tom and I left Manila in November, 1978, and traveled with carry-on bags for six weeks across Asia, Africa and Europe, reaching Atlanta just in time for the Christmas party. Highlights of the trip included the canals of Bangkok, Edmund Hillary's old room in Kathmandu, the Taj Mahal, Tut's tomb, the Pyramids, the Acropolis, the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, the casino at Monte Carlo, the Alps, Versailles, Notre Dame, the Tower of London and an unforgettable dinner in our honor at the London Rowing Club.

Tom moved to the Hamilton practice fairly early in the 80's and left KSA prior to 1988 to start a business with his wife Judy training word processing operators. He returned to KSA in the 1990s for a brief stint working in the Logistics group.

The common thread in all the comments I received from those who worked with him was their memories of his joyful personality and cheerful ways.  That is certainly how I remember him.  I will miss Tom.

Judy, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dan Blitch

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Jack and Dan at the 2005 Alumni Dinner

Dan passed away on March 17th.  His obituary was in this morning’s Atlanta Journal Constitution and in the Athens Banner-Herald for the past few days.  Click here to view the Athens Banner-Herald obituary.

A private memorial service will be held at Athens First United Methodist Church on Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 11 a.m.  Due to Covid restrictions it will be livestreamed at vimeo.com/showcase/Sunday-service.

For those who did not know Dan, he joined KSA after graduating from Georgia Tech in 1953 and remained until 1959 when he went to Harvard to study for his MBA.  After finishing his MBA he returned to KSA and stayed until 1963.

Always part of the KSA family, we have included photos of Dan at Alumni Dinners in 2005 and 2006.  We will miss him.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dottie and the family.

Best regards,

Butch

Freddie and Dan at the 2006 Alumni Dinner

Tom Swanston

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A few of our more senior alumnae may remember Tom Swanston who helped KSA in our small furniture practice during the 1980’s. Tom was an experienced furniture executive and independent consultant widely known in the industry. He worked with us to develop projects and to strengthen KSA’s industry position. Tom was very bright, energetic, and inclusive – a KSA kind of guy.

Tom passed away on January 24th, 2021 and his obituary was in the March seventh AJC.

https://legcy.co/3v6rp71

Best regards,
Mac

Jerry Armfield

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Jerry died Thursday morning, November 26th, in Greensboro. He had recently been in the hospital for appendicitis, but had returned home and seemed to be doing better.  He collapsed and died from a heart attack and kidney failure.

Suzanne Anderson, his daughter, is on the way to Greensboro to be with Mary Jane. No services have been planned at this time.

Jerry was one of our most well respected KSA alums and his passing is certainly a shock to all of us.

Suzanne’s email is suzannearmfield at yahoo.com; Mary Jane’s is mjpa at yahoo.com.

Jerry’s obituary is available here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/greensboro-nc/jerry-armfield-9921260

Lamar Pittard

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Lamar and Nell with Josh Taylor

We are sorry to pass along the news that Lamar Pittard passed away this morning at his and Nell’s home in Valley, Alabama.

Lamar was one of the leaders of KSA’s Textile Systems practice in the late 1960s & 1970s. He built a software development practice for the Textile Systems group in the early 1970s and was instrumental in the success of two major software development and implementation projects conducted for West Point-Pepperell, Inc. He was also strong proponent of the Valley branch of the rolling TSy “Oh Hell” card game. Lamar was my first mentor after I joined KSA and I am indebted to him for his patience and guidance. I will miss him.

Cecil Phillips, who worked with Lamar prior to joining KSA and was instrumental in bringing Lamar into the KSA family, had this to say about Lamar in a note received today:

“He was certainly one of a kind, a unique combination of talents and personality traits. As you said, he was a key member of our TSY team. He contributed greatly to our success …”

Nell and the family have scheduled services tomorrow (December 16th) at Fairfax Cemetery in Valley, Alabama. Visitation with the family will be at 1:00PM and the graveside service at 2:00PM central time.

Please remember Lamar, Nell and their family in your prayers.

Lamar’s obituary can be found at https://www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com/notices/Alan-Pittard.

Nigel Richardson

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Clare and Nigel at the 2010 Alumni Dinner.

Nigel Richardson passed away on Saturday, November 17th, 2018. Clare tells us that all the family was around him, he was sleeping and in no pain. Although his death was anticipated, of course, we will all miss him terribly. He was a true gentleman.

Plans are beginning to be made for a celebration of Nigel’s life at the Cathedral of St Philip on Friday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. The Cathedral is located at 2744 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta.

Please remember Nigel, Clare, and their children in your prayers.