Obituary
English language teacher, law librarian Marvin Kierstead dies at 84
Long-time D.C. resident volunteered with local HIV support group
Marvin Kierstead, a teacher of English as a second language at three U.S. universities and a university in Saudi Arabia before changing careers to become a law librarian in D.C., died Dec. 31 of complications associated with HIV-related kidney disease. He was 84.
Kierstead’s son, Steve Kierstead, said his father began his teaching career in the middle to late 1960s at Ball State University in Indiana and continued teaching English as a second language in subsequent years at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University in D.C.
Around 1980 or 1981, Steve Kierstead said, his father took a job teaching English as a second language at the then-University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, before returning to the U.S. about five years later shortly before he switched careers to become a law librarian at a D.C. law firm.
Steve Kierstead said his father began his teaching career while married to his then wife, Judith Kierstead, and helping to raise the couple’s four children. It was before his father came out as a gay man and later set up his own household while retaining close ties with his children, his son said.
During his early teaching years, according to Steve Kierstead, his father introduced his students — who came from countries throughout the world — to his family by inviting them to his home for social gatherings.
“He would have these parties and invite his students, and I remember that our house would fill up with people of all complexions, backgrounds, religions,” Steve Kierstead said. “They were eating and drinking, conversing, smiling, laughing, making music — just enjoying one another’s company,” he said. “Dad didn’t have to tell us that people who are different are not a threat. We lived it,” said Steve Kierstead.
“He had students from the Soviet Union, China, parts of Africa, Central and South America, all over,” his son said.
Marvin Kierstead was born in Cadillac, Mich., and raised in Marion, Ind., where his father was a pastor at a Methodist church, according to information provided by Steve Kierstead and other family members.
He graduated from Marion High School in 1955 and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marion College in 1959. He received a Master of Arts degree from Indiana’s Ball State Teacher’s College in 1964 and a second Master of Arts degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan in 1975.
His son Steve said he believes his father worked as a law librarian at the D.C. law firm Wiley Rein from the mid to late 1980s until his retirement at the age of 58 in 1995.
“Outside of work, he invested time and energy in building sets for musical theater, knitting and crocheting for his kids, grandkids and friends, painting and drawing with a natural artist’s eye and hand, and traveling widely,” a write up about Marvin Kierstead provided by Steve Kierstead says.
“By hard experience, Marvin was familiar with death and loss, having endured the departures of many friends over the years, not least of his life partner, LeRoy Proctor, who died in 1998,” the write-up says. “Through a local HIV support group and other outlets, he gave of himself and drew fulfillment from supporting others as they worked through their own pain and recovery,” it says.
“Marvin loved his children, adored his grandchildren and treasured the friends and lunch companions with whom he shared regular meals over the last 25 years,” the write-up says. “Marvin welcomed the vast variety of experience and perspective that the world offers, and taught that the ‘other’ and change are not to be feared or rejected, but encouraged and embraced.”
Steve Kierstead said his father learned he was HIV positive in October 1988. He said that after years of having his HIV kept in check by HIV medication, the medication damaged his father’s kidneys, causing complications that required he undergo kidney dialysis last year. In mid-December of 2021, according to Steve, his father made the decision to stop the dialysis, which led to his passing on Dec. 31.
Marvin Kierstead is predeceased by his life partner LeRoy Proctor, his parents Eugene and Elexis Kierstead, by two sisters, Jewell Yohe and Lois Howell, and by his grandson, Alexander Kierstead.
He is survived by his former wife Judith, their four children and spouses, Steve (Chris) Kierstead; Anne (Sam Bronstein) Kierstead; Jean (David) Muskatel; and Alan (Nancy) Kierstead; grandchildren Ryan, Elexis (Lexi), Deborah, Mitchell and Thalia; his sister, Nancy Heer; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Steve Kierstead said his family honored his father’s wish to be cremated and not to have a formal memorial service for him. The family has said donations may be made in his memory to his favorite local classical music radio station, WETA.
Obituary
Washington lawyer Carolee Byrley dies at age 60
An active member of the local Gay Recovery Community
Carolee Byrley passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 30, 2024, in her home in Washington, D.C. She was 60.
She died from complications of Type One diabetes.
She was born on Sept. 2, 1964, in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., to Paul L. Byrley and Judith I. Byrley.
She graduated in 1982 from Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Fla., and from college at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. She later earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law School in Washington, D.C.
Byrley practiced law in Washington specializing in contracts and mergers.
Byrley was predeceased by her father as well as by Eileen Garner, her loving life partner of 38 years. She is survived by her mother, Judith Ireland, stepfather, Jerrold Nussbaum, brother, John Byrley, sister-in-law, Lena Byrley, brother, Jason Byrley, brother-in-law, Ben Byrley, and nephews, Jack and Alex Byrley.
Byrley was an active member of the Gay Recovery Community in Washington where she sponsored many people over the years. She recently received recognition for 40 years of sobriety and was living proof of the slogan, “Keep what you have by giving it away.” Her generosity and authenticity shown through in all she did. There was not a bone in her body that was fake. And, as one of her friends described her, she was “the kindest person I have ever met.”
Byrley was deeply committed to her dogs through the years and to the care and protection of rescue dogs everywhere.
A celebration of Byrley’s life will be held on Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at Friends of Washington, 2111 Decatur Place, Washington, D.C., where friends encourage those who knew her to share memories of her life. There will be a reception at Friends following the memorial.
In lieu of flowers, please give a donation to your local dog rescue organization, in her name.
Obituary
Longtime media professional Michael Flocker dies at 61
A “Celebration of Life” will be held in Washington, D.C. by his many friends on November 16th.
Michael E. Flocker of Washington, D.C. passed away on Oct. 11, 2024, at the age of 61. He will be remembered with much love and missed by his mother, brother, niece and nephew and many of his U.K. relatives. He was predeceased by his father, Dale Price Flocker.
He was born in North Plainfield, N.J., and moved to Berlin, Germany, with his family for more than seven years, where his father was a pilot with Pan Am. On returning to the U.S. he lived in Wilton, Conn., for high school and New York City for college. He also lived in Los Angeles for many years where he pursued acting and singing. He later was hired by America Online and offered a higher position at AOL in New York City. From there he began writing books, with his first book, “The Metrosexual Guide to Style,” making the New York Times bestseller list. All of his books are available on Amazon.
Following his AOL career, Michael started working at NBC’s online division. This led to an on-camera role as an entertainment reporter in New York City on a local station. Eventually, Michael made his way to D.C. where he worked remotely for an online media company called Stacker.
Obituary
Ted Olson, unlikely marriage equality champion, dies at 84
Conservative attorney led charge to overturn Prop 8 in Calif.
Ted Olson, a Republican lawyer who championed gay rights by leading multiple marriage equality lawsuits, died on Wednesday in Fairfax, Va., after suffering a stroke. He was 84.
As a lifelong conservative, Olson served as assistant attorney general in the Justice Department under President Ronald Reagan and represented President George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election recount case that went before the U.S. Supreme Court. He later served as solicitor general in the Bush administration.
Despite his conservative roots, Olson became a steadfast advocate of marriage equality, leading the legal fight to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage, which voters had approved through Proposition 8 in 2008.
Together with Democratic lawyer David Boies, his former legal adversary in Bush v. Gore, Olson successfully argued before a California district court that Prop 8 was unconstitutional. After a series of legal challenges, the Supreme Court in 2013 upheld the district court ruling, allowing same-sex marriages to resume in California and invalidating part of a federal law that defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
Olson and Boies in 2013 also challenged the constitutionality of Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage. That same year, Olson broke with his party by publicly supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit employers from discriminating against LGBTQ workers.
“I feel very, very strongly that this country ought to stop discriminating against our citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation,” he told the Washington Blade in 2013. “It is unfair, it’s unreasonable, it’s unacceptable. It serves no purpose and it does a great deal of harm.”
In a career that spans almost sixty years, Olson argued 65 cases in front of the Supreme Court, according to his law firm, Gibson Dunn. He was often seen as a potential candidate for Supreme Court justice.
He represented Citizens United in a landmark 2010 Supreme Court case that removed limits on political contributions by corporations and labor unions. In 2020 he successfully argued against then-President Donald Trump’s attempt to deport “Dreamers” — undocumented minors whose parents brought them into the U.S.
Olson is survived by his wife, Lady Booth Olson, and two children.
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