Sara Catherine DeWalt, a resident of Arlington, Virginia, passed away peacefully on February 15, 2025, following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was 81 years old.
Born on March 25, 1943, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Sara was the daughter of Ural and Elise Pettigrew and the sixth of seven children. She graduated from Central High School in Cape Girardeau before earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri.
Any discussion of Jack Belcher won’t last long before the subject of girls softball crops up.
Belcher, who died Feb. 1 at age 77, was known to some as a longtime Arlington County government official, but to others as a passionate pioneer of youth sports, particularly softball, in the community.
Joan (Schaffer) Graver, 77, of Arlington, Virginia, passed away in January. Born and raised in Allentown, PA, she was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Schaffer, a graduate of Allen High School, United Wesleyan College and Georgetown University.
Joan was a banker, early hospice care provider and substitute teacher. She loved being outside, traveling and celebrating the holidays along with spending time with her grandchildren and the children of her neighborhood. Joan is survived by her husband Bill of 55 years, son, daughter, grandsons and granddaughter.
Walter Saxman, 95, passed away peacefully in Loudoun County, VA, on January 17, 2025. Born on March 13, 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Harry and Kathryn Saxman, and was last of their fourteen children to pass away. Walter’s life was one of resilience, dedication, and love. A proud graduate of Latrobe High School in 1948, he served his country with honor during the Korean War, a chapter that shaped the man he became. After returning home, he was the first in his family to pursue higher education, earning a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University in California, PA, and a Master’s Degree from American University in Washington, D.C.
Walter’s career as an Industrial Arts teacher at Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA, was nothing short of impactful. He was not only a dedicated educator but a mentor who went above and beyond for his students. Through his many afterschool programs, which included auto mechanics and Drivers Education, Walter shaped the lives of countless young people, always with a patient ear and a heart full of encouragement.
The appointed co-heads of a new “Department of Government Efficiency” are hoping to massively cut the federal workforce.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy announced their intention to help President-elect Donald Trump nullify thousands federal regulations. That would then allow “mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy.”
Tom Flournoy died in his sleep the morning of October 27, 2024. He was 69.
Tom was born in Washington, DC. After graduating from Woodbridge Senior High School and Old Dominion University, he launched a successful career as a Professional Engineer, specializing in transportation projects from planning to final design. Projects he worked on included roadways, highways, bridges, transit facilities, commuter rail, and bike and pedestrian facilities. Many, if not most, were in the Washington, DC area, including Arlington County, which became Tom’s home in 1989. In his last position as VP at STV Inc., Tom was instrumental in starting and growing STV’s DC office, which is still thriving.
Mary Cecelia Lawler (Age 100)
Mary, a devout Catholic, wife, and mother, passed away on October 21, 2024. Born in Akron, OH on Oct 30, 1924, she obtained her Registered Dietetics degree (RD) from the University of Akron and her Master’s from Ohio State University. She met her husband at Ohio State, moved to Wilmington, Delaware, then to Cleveland Heights, OH, where she worked as a dietician at Cleveland Hospital. They eventually relocated to Arlington, VA, where she worked at Jefferson hospital in Alexandria.
Joseph “Joe” Michael Giarrusso passed away on September 28th, 2024, at Fairfax Inova Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia at the age of 84 surrounded by family. Born on January 30, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Joseph Giarrusso and Eileen Lucille Sportolari.
Joe was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He attended St. Justin High School, in Mount Washington, Pittsburgh, graduating in the class of 1957. He spent his childhood playing pickup basketball in Moorefield, a city park in Brookline. He received a basketball scholarship from Duquesne University and was subsequently recruited to play at Kansas State University. At Kansas State, he was an English major. He was also class president his senior year in 1962.
Kevin Curran Foley (Age 71)
Kevin Curran Foley died quietly at home in Arlington, Virginia, on June 1, 2024. He was 71.
Mary Ellen Craig (Age 78)
Mary Ellen Craig, age 78, passed away at her home on May 1, 2024. Born on December 7, 1945, in Cambridge, MA, she was daughter to the late Edward L. Craig, Jr. and the late Flore L. (Piston) Craig of Concord, MA. The oldest of five children, Mary Ellen graduated from the now closed Marian High School in Framingham, MA (’63). Her fellow Marian classmate, former Congressman James P. “Jim” Moran, fondly remembers that exactly 60 years prior to the day of her passing, Mary Ellen was crowned Queen of the May, a title bestowed in honor of the Blessed Mother. “Standing up there in front of the entire crowd, she had never looked happier or more beautiful”, Jim recollected.
Lowell passed away peacefully at his home in Seattle, WA after a short battle with cancer.
Lowell was born and raised on a family farm outside of Stratford, Iowa, the second of 7 siblings.
The long-time former owner of Essy’s Carriage House has died.
Essy Saedi died on Thanksgiving, November 23, at the age of 76. He owned the beloved family-owned Cherrydale restaurant before its closing earlier this year. As he told ARLnow, Saedi was looking forward to traveling in his retirement.
