SWIFT GLOBAL SOLUTIONS - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• David John Henry Anable - a Journalist

David John Henry Anable-a journalist whose career reached around the globe and touched the lives of many-died in Portland, Maine, on August 13, 2023, while in the loving company of his wife, daughters, and grandchildren. He was 84. David was born on June 7, 1939, in the village of Brampford Speke in England to Arthur Anable and Joan (Bruford) Anable. He loved growing up in the Devon countryside and aspired to be a farmer. At age eight, he went as a boarding student to Fan Court School, and later returned there for two years as a math teacher and sports coach. In 1962, David graduated with a degree in agriculture from Cambridge University. He went directly on to graduate school at Oxford University and received a degree in agricultural economics in 1963. It was during his time working as a research officer for the Conservative Party at Westminster that David met Isobel, his future wife. David always said that when she opened the door at their first meeting, he knew right away that he would marry her! Nine months later, the two were married in Kensington, London. David joined The Christian Science Monitor in London, and subsequently he and Isobel were relocated by the paper to Boston. He spent more than 20 years with the Monitor in a variety of roles, from reporter and New York bureau chief to international news editor and managing editor. In the Monitor newsroom, he was the beloved mentor to several generations of journalists. Both in and outside of work, and during his travels around the world, he held a great curiosity and respect for all people. He and Isobel raised three daughters while living primarily in Hingham, Massachusetts. He was a devoted father, with the ability to shift his focus from deadlines to daughters. He was the household dishwasher, an avid gardener, and an amateur woodworker, who always had time to listen, comfort, and help. David and Isobel took their children and dog on long walks, often to World's End on Hingham's coast. The family frequently visited England to see family members and friends. After leaving the Monitor in 1988, David became a professor of journalism and chairman of the Journalism School at Boston University. He later moved to Washington, D.C., to become president of the International Center for Journalists, a nonprofit that aims to raise the quality of journalism across the globe by training journalists and media managers in more than 170 countries. Following his tenure at ICFJ, he was a fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School. More recently, The Principia, a school and college for Christian Scientists, brought him out of retirement to help it through a period of transition as its chief executive; he remained on its board of trustees in the following years. In 2009, David officially retired, and he and Isobel moved to Maine full-time. Their summers were spent at their cottage on Long Lake, with visits from their children and eventually grandchildren. He and Iso enjoyed gardening, boating, mountain hiking, and entertaining their many visitors who came to the area. David also continued to write articles for various publications, served on several boards, took the occasional writing or painting class, and was a devoted, loving, kind, and funny father, husband, and brother. David is survived by his wife of 57 years, Isobel; their children, Alexandra Anable, Tessa Anable, and Perryn Anable Ferris, son-in-law Scott Ferris; six grandchildren, Conrad, Andrew, Timothy, Cullen, Skye, and Charlie; and his beloved sister, Wizz Andreae.

Judy quietly touched and supported people wherever she landed in the world. At Skidmore College, she trained as a nurse and met her adventurous husband Bruce Baker from Williams College. They were married in 1957 and celebrated at the Toll House Inn, home of the original chocolate chip cookie which Judy baked ‘on the crispy side' for decades. Bruce launched his banking career and their lives overseas in 1961 when they flew Pan Am first class to Singapore with infant Geoffrey in tow. In 1963 they had moved to Malaysia and Pamela arrived. Judy was a volunteer for Planned Parenthood and quickly learned the ways of expat community life. The family lived in Japan, Hong Kong, Montreal, Canada and Pasadena, California weaving a global web of deep and lasting friendships. Led by intrepid Bruce, they traveled the world over and instilled the love of foreign places and adventure in their children. Born in Brockton, MA she was the mischievous leader for her three younger siblings growing up in a home at the end of a cul-de-sac with chickens, homing pigeons, dachshunds, and beagles. Judy had a special relationship with her Nana Fletcher who ensured she had piano lessons and a strand of pearls! They summered in a cottage at Priscilla Beach, MA. When nobody else offered, Judy took the reigns to be ‘Brown Owl' for Pamela's Brownie troop. Knowing nothing about soccer, she was a consistent figure on the sidelines to cheer Geof. She was a founding member of the Huntington Hospital Pet Therapy Program in Pasadena, CA which combined her love of dogs and care for humans. Anyone who knew Judy knew she loved her Labradors and everyone else's dogs too. The game of golf became a favorite past time later in life and Judy kept swinging well into her 80s.

Lorraine Barbara (Lessard) Valentine passed peacefully on October 21, 2023, surrounded in the love of her family and the care of the hospice team at Gosnell House in Scarborough, Maine. Lorraine was born in Springfield, Massachusetts where she attended Commerce High School and met and married the love of her life, Joseph Valentine, her husband of 42 years. The couple purchased a small plot of land in the suburb of Wilbraham, Massachusetts where they built the family house, stone by stone, over the course of 5 years. The Wilbraham home is where they raised their six children (Judith, Carolyn, Joel, Carla, Amy and Sara) and where Lorraine enjoyed her many hobbies: rug-braiding, sewing, embroidery, knitting, picture framing, letter writing, and baking, among others. Her "hermit cookies" were the staple of many care packages. She won awards for her apple pies with homemade crusts, and her delicious wild Maine blueberry pies, cheesecakes and breads graced many holiday dinners. After Joseph's unexpected passing in 1994, Lorraine relocated to Maine where she would, over the years, care for two golden retrievers (Chaucer and Leo) and take pleasure in beach-combing for shells and driftwood, attending yard-sales, and treating herself to maple sugar candies and fish dinners at Ken's Seafood Restaurant. Always willing to lend a hand, she took on the job of tending the family's small flock of chickens. Her love of simple pleasures also included collecting and refreshing stuffed bears and dolls, and she loved images and items featuring sheep. Though her primary role throughout her life was Devoted Wife, Mother and Grandma, she also ventured into the world of work outside the home; in Springfield, her first job was with the phone company, then shop assistant at the Junior League Budget Box thrift store; office assistant at a local Maine senior services program and sales clerk at Macy's. She also taught workshops on how-to-braid rugs, donating her own supplies of wool-wheels assembled from repurposed wool skirts and pants found at thrift stores that she would take apart, cut into strips, sew together and patiently wind into wool-wheels, ready to braid. Many nights, she would sit and braid while watching tv; she has left her family a tremendous amount of wool braid which will eventually need to be laced into rugs. She took much joy in the accomplishments of her six grandchildren (Joe, Andrea, Michael, Noble, Autumn and Rockwell) and was especially delighted to more recently welcome three great-grandchildren (Riley, Aurora and Mason). She enjoyed her role as "Grammy Sew-Sew" for her granddaughter's Girl Scout troop, and made annual appearances at Christmas time at the local Arts Alliance, giving out cookies and candies to the young children as "Mrs. Claus's Friend." In her last year, she was the adopted companion of the family cat, Louie, who loved "sitting with Grammy." Truly a New Englander, Lorraine was incredibly resourceful and creative, finding ways to incorporate odds and ends into her many projects and crafts. A life long learner, she loved reading books, especially biographies, and was known to acquire cookbooks, sewing patterns, and how-to manuals of all kinds. She had an incredible eye for color and pattern as exhibited in her home decorating and crafts, an impeccable sense of style that was present in her personal attire, and a nose for finding an exceptional bargain. Somewhat private and reserved, she was content to watch the morning Catholic mass on television, and had a devotion to the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph and St. Francis of Assisi. She was a fan of PBS Masterpiece programming, Lawrence Welk, and movies and musicals from the Golden Age of Hollywood (especially anything starring Gregory Peck). She will be deeply missed.

May Victor rest in eternal peace and may his memory continue to bring comfort and inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to know him.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Victor Charles Otley Jr., our beloved father, husband, and pillar of our community. Victor departed this world on November 14, 2023, leaving behind a legacy of warmth, kindness, and unwavering love. Born on February 9, 1936, in Birmingham, Alabama, Victor was the son of Victor Charles Otley and Roberta May Clothier Otley and grew up in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, excelling in baseball and academics and graduating from Montclair High School in 1953. Victor advanced his education at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1957, followed by a law degree from Rutgers School of Law in 1960. He was a widely viewed as an extremely capable problem solver for his clients as an attorney, with a career that spanned 40 years at Williams, Caliri, Miller, Otley and Horn in Wayne, New Jersey. He represented many clients who trusted him over the length of his career, served as President of several banks and helped many community-based organization with contributions of his time, including Wayne Board of Education, Pines Lake Association, Preakness Pool, and Group Home for Adults. His dedication and hard work earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and friends alike. Victor was not only defined by his professional achievements but also by his devotion and thoughtful attention to his family. He set a strong but quiet example as a loving husband and a father with high expectations and a strong sense of morals. After meeting the love of his life, Gloria Faye Beers, on a trans-Atlantic boat journey, they married on June 20, 1959, and together they built a life filled with love, adventure, and shared dreams. Victor and Gloria were married for 64 years. Victor's role as a father was one he embraced wholeheartedly with Gloria, nurturing their children, Victor Charles Otley III (Elizabeth) of Raymond Maine, Clark Clothier Otley (Jill Leet-Otley) of Rochester, MN, and Brian Beers Otley (Ute) of Charlotte, VT, with boundless love and wisdom. He is survived by 11 grandchildren, Kate Otley (Alex Thompson) of Arlington, MA, Becca Otley (Anthony Albano) of Lakewood, CO, Teal Otley (Connor Russell) of Manly NSW Australia, Kelsey Otley of Denver, CO, Taylor Leet-Otley (Ema Tanovic) of Philadelphia, PA, Kendall Stump (Kevin) of New York, NY, Grant Leet-Otley (Morgan Woods) of Minneapolis, MN, Keller Leet-Otley (Annelise Walsh) of Minneapolis, MN, Sadie Otley of Scottsdale, AZ, Mason Otley of Jersey City, NJ, Cole Otley of Malvern, PA….. and one great granddaughter, Max Thompson (Arlington, MA) and a future great grand-daughter, TBD Thompson (Arlington, MA). A true gentleman, Victor was considered the wisest man in the room in many situations. He had no tolerance for untruth or laziness and set an example of honor, dedication and hard work. Beyond his professional and family life, Victor enjoyed many sports including tackling the ski bumps at Mad River Glen, biking the rural roadways of New Jersey, and playing handball. He greatly enjoyed quietly watching the athletic and academic achievements of his sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, often with a dog in tow. He was particularly proud of the professional impact of his wife Gloria, a teacher of advanced mathematics at Wayne Hills High School. After retirement, Vic and Gloria toured the world, hiking the lofty mountains of Europe, the Himalayas, East Asia and South America. They settled into a life of active retirement in Dataw Island, SC, for 20 years regularly playing golf, tennis, and boating. They spent summers living in Raymond, Maine and were an integral part of Victor and Elizabeth's lives helping to raise their family during summers on Panther Pond. Victor Charles Otley Jr. leaves behind a legacy of love, honorable work and service, and an enduring commitment to family and community. While our hearts are heavy with grief, let us also celebrate the life of a remarkable man who touched the lives of many and left an indelible mark on our hearts. A private memorial service to honor and remember Victor's life will be held by immediate family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Audubon Society, a cause that was close to Victor's heart.