Shootings at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, Sept. 16, took 12 victims’ lives.
Those victims are Richard Michael Ridgell, 52; Martin Bodrog, 54; Gerald L. Read, 58; Mary Francis Knight, 51; Arthur Daniels, 51; Michael Arnold, 59; Sylvia Frasier, 53; Kathy Gaarde, 62; John Roger Johnson, 72; Frank Kohler, 50; Kenneth Bernard Proctor, 46; Vishnu Pandit, 61.
Here’s a look at the lives and loves of the people who died.
The Epoch Times is updating this post as more information becomes available.
Michael Arnold, 59
Michael Arnold (LinkedIn)
Michael Arnold was the father of two grown sons, and he leaves behind his wife of more than 30 years, Jolanda.
Arnold was a logistician and supply chain executive, and was working as a senior consultant at LMI. He had decades of experience working for the Navy. From 2010 to 2012, he led the planning for the Navy’s five-year budget plan using $170 billion for ship, aircraft, and facility operations. He was a commanding officer at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in Yokosuka, Japan, from 2008 to 2010.
He was a supply corps officer for the Navy Supply Corps from 1983 to 2012.
Arnold graduated with an MBA at the University of Washington in 1997, and completed an executive program in strategy and organization at Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2007.
His uncle, Steve Hunter, said he was working with a team designing amphibious assault ships at the Navy Yard. In his spare time, Arnold was building a light airplane. He had a passion for aviation.
“It would have been the first plane he ever owned,” Hunter said from Rochester, Mich., Arnold’s hometown. “It’s partially assembled in his basement.”
Sylvia Frasier, 53
Sylvia Frasier has been an information assurance manager at Naval Sea Systems Command since 2000. She graduated from Strayer University in Virginia in 2002 with a masters in information systems. She started her bachelor degree at the university in 1998, in her late 30s.
Her siblings and parents had gathered Monday, tensely awaiting any news about Frasier after they heard about the situation at the Navy Yard, reported the Washington Post. Wendy Edmonds, 52, the youngest of the siblings said before the news of Frasier’s death came: “No matter how we feel, no matter what information we get from the FBI, we have got to forgive. We have to forgive. We can’t become bitter.”
The family found out they had lost Frasier at 10 p.m. Edmonds said: “He killed my sister.”
Vishnu Pandit, 61
Vishnu Pandit lived in North Potomac, Md., according to USA Today. A person who answer the telephone at the address listed for him on line asked reporters not to call anymore when USA Today inquired. Pandit’s neighbor, Mike Honig, told the Washington Post that Pandit was “a very nice man with an Irish setter.”
Kathleen Gaarde, 62
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, Kathleen Gaarde’s husband, Douglass Gaarde wrote: “Today my life partner of 42 years (38 of them married) was taken from me, my grown son and daughter, and friends. We were just starting to plan our retirement activities and now none of that matters. It hasn’t fully sunk in yet but I know I already dearly miss her.”
Mr. Gaarde also worked for the Navy until he retired last year. Kathleen was a financial analyst working at the Navy Yard. She had a son, Christopher, and a daughter who was still living at home, Jessica.
Neighbor Patrick Bolton, 31, used to play with her son. He described her as a Washington Capitals fan. He told the Washington Post Gaarde “was just the kindest lady in the world.”
“I’m not even exaggerating,” he said. “I’ve never seen her do anything but nice things for people.”
Kenneth Bernard Proctor, 46
Kenneth Bernard Proctor was a utilities foreman. His ex-wife, Evelyn Proctor, worked in building 197, where the shooting took place. The high school sweethearts were still very close after the divorce; they talked to each other everyday.
Kenneth Proctor working at the Navy Yard as a civilian and would go to building 197 for breakfast. Evelyn Proctor said he was, “a very loving, caring, gentle person.”
They had two sons: Kendull, 15, and Kenneth Jr., 17. Kenneth Jr. recently joined the Army.
Arthur Daniels, 51
Arthur Daniels worked for District Furniture Repair to install furniture in government offices, reports the Post. He was the father of five and grandfather of nine. He was running toward an elevator to escape the gunman when he was shot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
