2024

Dr. Masakazu (Masa) Matsumoto

Masakazu (“Masa”) Matsumoto (Institute for Student Interchange, 1966), OSU Professor Emeritus, passed away in the home he loved on March 21, 2024 following a long illness.

Dr. Matsumoto grew up in Tokyo during and immediately after World War II. He completed his secondary education in Tokyo, received his B.S. and D.V.M. degrees from University of Hokkaido, his M.S. degree from University of Hawaii, and his Ph.D. in comparative pathology from University of California, Davis. He did an immunology post doc at Purdue University and then worked for the USDA on Plum Island, N.Y. as a microbiologist before moving to Corvallis, Oregon. He was a professor and board-certified microbiologist at OSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine, where he received The Beecham Award for Research Excellence. In 2007 the Western Poultry Disease Conference honored Dr. Matsumoto with a Special Recognition Award.  He was the first to diagnose a case of infectious coryza, a bacterial illness, in Oregon poultry. He especially enjoyed working “at the bench” as a scientist and also “in the field” helping poultry ranchers manage diseases.

He is survived by sisters, Fumiko Matsumoto and Setsuko Shinya as well as nieces and nephews in Japan, his wife of 52 years, Nancy, his children, Paul Matsumoto (Rebecca) and Mari Matsumoto (Taylor “Mac” Black) and his five grandchildren, Nico, Violet, Kai, Naomi, and Juneau. A private memorial gathering will be scheduled for this summer

Dr. Mo-Im Kim

Dr. Mo-Im Kim (ISI, Public Health, 1967) passed away on February 28, 2024, at the age of 88. Her academic background includes Yonsei University, where she received her Bachelor's in nursing, the University of Hawaiʻi Graduate School of Public Health, and Johns Hopkins University Graduate School of Public Health, where she received her doctorate in Health Studies. She served as a professor at Yonsei University's College of Nursing for over 40 years. Professor Emeritus Kim led the development of the school by serving as Dean of the College of Nursing and Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health. Externally, she served as Dean of the Red Cross School of Nursing, President of the Korean Nurses Association, President of the Korean Planned Parenthood Association, and Vice President of the Korean Red Cross. She entered politics in 1981 and served as a member of the 11th National Assembly, Vice President of the Women's Political Alliance, Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Alliance, and the Korean Women's Political Alliance. She also served as Minister of Health and Welfare in 1998-99. Internationally, she raised the reputation of Korean nursing around the world as president of the World Council of Nursing and secretary-general of the World Health Organization Nursing Collaborating Center.

2023

Margaret Valadian

Margaret Valadian passed away on December 23, 2023 at the age of 87. Margaret graduated from the University of Queensland with a bachelor of social studies. She is Australia’s first acknowledged Aboriginal woman to graduate with a degree.

Dr. Kwang-Ho Meng

Dr. Kwang-Ho Meng (Population, 1983), professor emeritus at the Catholic University of Korea, passed away on December 6th due to illness. He is known for his efforts in leading the anti-smoking movement in South Korea, including establishing the Korean Smoking Cessation Society and serving as its first president.

Mr. John W. Corman

Mr. John "Jack" W. Corman (Political Science, 1967) passed away in November of 2023 at his home in Bangkok, Thailand. Jack was an Air Force Academy graduate and received his Masters degree in Political Science while at the East-West Center. He was a brilliant student and accomplished linguist. Jack spoke Lao, Thai, and some Mandarin. After the Vietnam War, he worked with the White Group in Bangkok for many years.

Mr. Panchapakesan Subramaniyam

Mr. Panchapakesan “Mani” Subramaniyam (Population, 1992) passed away in September of 2023. Mr. Subramaniyam was the Secretary, Vice President, and founding member of the East-West Center Association Chennai Chapter. He was also the former Director of the Centre for Development Research and Training in Chennai, India, where he grew up. Mr. Subramaniyam worked as consultant to The World Bank (Public Health, Nutrition and Population Division), New Delhi and former Director of the DANIDA Health Care Project, Government of Tamilnadu. Mr. Subramaniyam became an alumnus of the East-West Center after his completion of the Methods of Multivariate Analysis Workshop in 1992. He co-wrote a translation of "India's Environment" which won the Best Book Award from the Tamil University, Thanjavur in 1986. He is remembered by his wife, Ms. Anusuya Subramaniyam, Mr. Venkat Subramaniyam and other family and the members of the EWCA Chennai Chapter.

Dr. Toufiq Siddiqi

Dr. Toufiq Siddiqi (Environment Program, 1977) passed away on June 8, 2023. He grew up in Hyderabad, undivided India and received his undergraduate degree in Math & Physics at Trinity College at Cambridge. He then received his PhD in Physics from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Germany. He later came to Hawaiʻi where Dr. Siddiqi joined the Environment and Policy Institute as a research scholar in 1977, leading and participating in multiple East-West Center (EWC) environmental and sustainability projects and collaborative activities over the next 18 years. In 2004 he became an EWC Adjunct Senior Fellow, where he mentored many young scholars and students, as he was a strong advocate for enhancing students’ education and understanding of South and Southeast Asia. He was a consultant to the United Nations Development Program, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the US Agency for International Development. In 1989 Toufiq held the first global climate change workshop in the Asia Pacific region and in 1997, founded the organization Global Environment and Energy in the 21^st Century. He was also a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President, Al Gore. Toufiq and his wife have been generous donors to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the East-West Center. He is survived by his loving wife, Ulrike. Toufiq is remembered with deep affection and gratitude by the EWC community. A memorial service will be held on June 13, 2023 at 3:00pm at Hawaiʻi Memorial Park.

David Sanford

David Sanford (Art, 1965), 86, passed away on May 11, 2023. David began graduate school at UC Berkeley in 1960, but soon learned that the University of Hawaiʻi was opening an East-West Center and that American students accepted into that program would receive fellowships enabling them to undertake a study tour in Asia. David was among the first class of students entering that program in 1961. David has taught at UCLA, California State University Fullerton, UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, The University of Texas at Austin, Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas), and Wheaton College (Norton, Massachusetts). He taught a variety of courses on the arts of India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, as well as art history surveys, introductions to the visual arts, seminars on portraiture, on problems and methods in iconography & iconology, and specialized independent study courses. 

Hildegaard Verploegen

Hildegaard Verploegen (Government, 1963), 87, long-time reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 1, 2023, at the Northern Montana Care Center due to natural causes. Cremation has taken place, and her request was for no services of any kind. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Wali Naibi

A. Wali Naibi (Communication, 1971), 75, passed away on April 21, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Wali was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. Wali attended Kabul University and received a grant to study at the East-West Center. There he met Jackie, a grant recipient from Indiana and earned a Masters Degree in Political Science. Wali is survived by his wife of 54 years Jackie, daughters Nilufar, Mariam (husband Loren and family), granddaughter Hannah, and sister Zohra and family.

Joginder Singh

Joginder Singh (Communication, 1972), 97, passed away on March 19, 2023. In 1951, he joined the United States Information Agency (now the U.S. Department of State’s Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Sections) in New Delhi, India. Joginder Singh worked for the American Library, New Delhi for 32 years – the last 10 years as the Library’s Director. Singh was named a "Library Superhero" by the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA in recognition of his support to the Montgomery County Libraries. He was married for 75 years to his wife, Late Mrs. Surjan Kaur, who passed away in 2021. He is survived by his Children, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, and Great-great Grandchild.

Note: The obituaries posted were sent by family and friends to the East-West Center Office of Alumni Engagement.

2024

Dr. Masakazu (Masa) Matsumoto

Masakazu (“Masa”) Matsumoto (Institute for Student Interchange, 1966), OSU Professor Emeritus, passed away in the home he loved on March 21, 2024 following a long illness.

Dr. Matsumoto grew up in Tokyo during and immediately after World War II. He completed his secondary education in Tokyo, received his B.S. and D.V.M. degrees from University of Hokkaido, his M.S. degree from University of Hawaii, and his Ph.D. in comparative pathology from University of California, Davis. He did an immunology post doc at Purdue University and then worked for the USDA on Plum Island, N.Y. as a microbiologist before moving to Corvallis, Oregon. He was a professor and board-certified microbiologist at OSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine, where he received The Beecham Award for Research Excellence. In 2007 the Western Poultry Disease Conference honored Dr. Matsumoto with a Special Recognition Award.  He was the first to diagnose a case of infectious coryza, a bacterial illness, in Oregon poultry. He especially enjoyed working “at the bench” as a scientist and also “in the field” helping poultry ranchers manage diseases.

He is survived by sisters, Fumiko Matsumoto and Setsuko Shinya as well as nieces and nephews in Japan, his wife of 52 years, Nancy, his children, Paul Matsumoto (Rebecca) and Mari Matsumoto (Taylor “Mac” Black) and his five grandchildren, Nico, Violet, Kai, Naomi, and Juneau. A private memorial gathering will be scheduled for this summer

Dr. Mo-Im Kim

Dr. Mo-Im Kim (ISI, Public Health, 1967) passed away on February 28, 2024, at the age of 88. Her academic background includes Yonsei University, where she received her Bachelor's in nursing, the University of Hawaiʻi Graduate School of Public Health, and Johns Hopkins University Graduate School of Public Health, where she received her doctorate in Health Studies. She served as a professor at Yonsei University's College of Nursing for over 40 years. Professor Emeritus Kim led the development of the school by serving as Dean of the College of Nursing and Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health. Externally, she served as Dean of the Red Cross School of Nursing, President of the Korean Nurses Association, President of the Korean Planned Parenthood Association, and Vice President of the Korean Red Cross. She entered politics in 1981 and served as a member of the 11th National Assembly, Vice President of the Women's Political Alliance, Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Alliance, and the Korean Women's Political Alliance. She also served as Minister of Health and Welfare in 1998-99. Internationally, she raised the reputation of Korean nursing around the world as president of the World Council of Nursing and secretary-general of the World Health Organization Nursing Collaborating Center.

2023

Margaret Valadian

Margaret Valadian passed away on December 23, 2023 at the age of 87. Margaret graduated from the University of Queensland with a bachelor of social studies. She is Australia’s first acknowledged Aboriginal woman to graduate with a degree.

Dr. Kwang-Ho Meng

Dr. Kwang-Ho Meng (Population, 1983), professor emeritus at the Catholic University of Korea, passed away on December 6th due to illness. He is known for his efforts in leading the anti-smoking movement in South Korea, including establishing the Korean Smoking Cessation Society and serving as its first president.

Mr. John W. Corman

Mr. John "Jack" W. Corman (Political Science, 1967) passed away in November of 2023 at his home in Bangkok, Thailand. Jack was an Air Force Academy graduate and received his Masters degree in Political Science while at the East-West Center. He was a brilliant student and accomplished linguist. Jack spoke Lao, Thai, and some Mandarin. After the Vietnam War, he worked with the White Group in Bangkok for many years.

Mr. Panchapakesan Subramaniyam

Mr. Panchapakesan “Mani” Subramaniyam (Population, 1992) passed away in September of 2023. Mr. Subramaniyam was the Secretary, Vice President, and founding member of the East-West Center Association Chennai Chapter. He was also the former Director of the Centre for Development Research and Training in Chennai, India, where he grew up. Mr. Subramaniyam worked as consultant to The World Bank (Public Health, Nutrition and Population Division), New Delhi and former Director of the DANIDA Health Care Project, Government of Tamilnadu. Mr. Subramaniyam became an alumnus of the East-West Center after his completion of the Methods of Multivariate Analysis Workshop in 1992. He co-wrote a translation of "India's Environment" which won the Best Book Award from the Tamil University, Thanjavur in 1986. He is remembered by his wife, Ms. Anusuya Subramaniyam, Mr. Venkat Subramaniyam and other family and the members of the EWCA Chennai Chapter.

Dr. Toufiq Siddiqi

Dr. Toufiq Siddiqi (Environment Program, 1977) passed away on June 8, 2023. He grew up in Hyderabad, undivided India and received his undergraduate degree in Math & Physics at Trinity College at Cambridge. He then received his PhD in Physics from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Germany. He later came to Hawaiʻi where Dr. Siddiqi joined the Environment and Policy Institute as a research scholar in 1977, leading and participating in multiple East-West Center (EWC) environmental and sustainability projects and collaborative activities over the next 18 years. In 2004 he became an EWC Adjunct Senior Fellow, where he mentored many young scholars and students, as he was a strong advocate for enhancing students’ education and understanding of South and Southeast Asia. He was a consultant to the United Nations Development Program, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the US Agency for International Development. In 1989 Toufiq held the first global climate change workshop in the Asia Pacific region and in 1997, founded the organization Global Environment and Energy in the 21^st Century. He was also a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President, Al Gore. Toufiq and his wife have been generous donors to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the East-West Center. He is survived by his loving wife, Ulrike. Toufiq is remembered with deep affection and gratitude by the EWC community. A memorial service will be held on June 13, 2023 at 3:00pm at Hawaiʻi Memorial Park.

David Sanford

David Sanford (Art, 1965), 86, passed away on May 11, 2023. David began graduate school at UC Berkeley in 1960, but soon learned that the University of Hawaiʻi was opening an East-West Center and that American students accepted into that program would receive fellowships enabling them to undertake a study tour in Asia. David was among the first class of students entering that program in 1961. David has taught at UCLA, California State University Fullerton, UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, The University of Texas at Austin, Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas), and Wheaton College (Norton, Massachusetts). He taught a variety of courses on the arts of India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, as well as art history surveys, introductions to the visual arts, seminars on portraiture, on problems and methods in iconography & iconology, and specialized independent study courses. 

Hildegaard Verploegen

Hildegaard Verploegen (Government, 1963), 87, long-time reporter for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 1, 2023, at the Northern Montana Care Center due to natural causes. Cremation has taken place, and her request was for no services of any kind. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Wali Naibi

A. Wali Naibi (Communication, 1971), 75, passed away on April 21, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Wali was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. Wali attended Kabul University and received a grant to study at the East-West Center. There he met Jackie, a grant recipient from Indiana and earned a Masters Degree in Political Science. Wali is survived by his wife of 54 years Jackie, daughters Nilufar, Mariam (husband Loren and family), granddaughter Hannah, and sister Zohra and family.

Joginder Singh

Joginder Singh (Communication, 1972), 97, passed away on March 19, 2023. In 1951, he joined the United States Information Agency (now the U.S. Department of State’s Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Sections) in New Delhi, India. Joginder Singh worked for the American Library, New Delhi for 32 years – the last 10 years as the Library’s Director. Singh was named a "Library Superhero" by the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA in recognition of his support to the Montgomery County Libraries. He was married for 75 years to his wife, Late Mrs. Surjan Kaur, who passed away in 2021. He is survived by his Children, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, and Great-great Grandchild.

Note: The obituaries posted were sent by family and friends to the East-West Center Office of Alumni Engagement.