Gregory Curtis Kamm

Gregory Curtis Kamm Gregory Curtis Kamm died at 2:30 a.m. on June 3, 2008, (or 7:30 p.m. EST on June 2,) at King Faisal National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, after complications from acute Hepatitis A. The only child of Maxine Sell and John (Jack) Kamm, Gregory was born on October 19, 1950, in Muskegon, Michigan, where he grew up, graduating from Muskegon Catholic Central High School. He went on to attend Western Michigan University and received a Master's Degree at Michigan State University. Greg began teaching English as a second language (ESL) for the Lansing School District, and was instrumental in setting up the ESL program that later became the Haslett/East Lansing ESL program. Always envisioning a kinder world, he took concrete steps to make that a reality. He participated in anti-war efforts, sponsored refugees from Southeast Asia, and remained an active member of Amnesty International throughout his life. After teaching in Lansing from 1972 to 1984, Greg joined the Peace Corps and served in the province of Mahasarakham, Thailand, and then stayed on three years to teach at Srinakirenwirot University and Kanasawat College. From 1989 to 1992, Greg taught, trained teachers, and re-wrote the curriculum in the English department at Dong Duk University in Vientiane, Laos. This was followed by work with the United Nations as an electoral official in the first free elections in the countries of Cambodia, South Africa and Mozambique. The years that followed found Greg teaching ESL at Woo Song University in Taejeon and Daegu National University of Education in Daegu, (South) Korea, and for the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), Dammam Branch, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Greg was a natural as a teacher. As his friend Madeleine describes him, "..a terrific teacher! He took particular interest in his students and individualized materials for them. I frequently had occasion to wait outside his door as he finished class, and could hear the enthusiastic responses of the students inside the room. He wasn't on time coming out, either, because students liked to hang around for just one more word with him. Teaching was his chosen career and he was especially good at it." Greg loved traveling, especially to India, but he called Manistee and East Lansing home. Each summer, we looked forward to hearing his stories and sharing in his humorous approach to life. No words can adequately describe the feelings of loss his friends feel at the passing of such a remarkable, unique, and unassuming man, yet he has left us with so much of himself. We look around and we see Greg in the books, photos, and CDs he so generously presented us. We look inside ourselves and we see the memories of his love, care, and patience. We remember his search "for the important underlying reasons for existence," "his wit (that) was wonderfully biting and sharp, and sometimes sarcastic," and his ability to "put up with a friend's gossip or listen to mundane 'unrequited' sagas no matter how many times he had heard them before." He knew how to nourish deep friendships over time, and we celebrate the man and the spirit of Greg as we meet each other and share across the continents. Greg is preceded in death by his parents. He leaves behind his beloved adopted cats, Hani and Naif; his "adopted sister" and close friend, Donna D. Clark (Khamphou Keomany); niece, Ariel D. Clark; and nephew, Lucas D. Keomany. He also leaves behind numerous devoted students and dear friends spanning the globe including Prayoon Jaritnom in Thailand, Madeleine Lillimur and Demetra Gates Choi in South Korea, Paul McClure, Michael MacKenzie, and Oscar Delatorre in Saudi Arabia, Faye Keys in Manistee, Maureen Broeman in Crystal, Lynn Simons in Santa Clara, CA, Doug Gilzow in Washington, DC, Ruth Meyer in Cambodia, Sister Irene Cruschiel in Grand Rapids, Sister Helen Marie Burns in Pennsylvania, and Ron and Michelle Kozera in Traverse City. Our immense gradtitude goes to the excellent staff at King Faisal National Guard Hospital for their conscientious and expert care of Gregory, to Paul McClure for his constant vigil and communication, to Michael MacKenzie and Oscar Delatorre for their attention to Hani and Naif, to Kerry Brougham and Rita of the US Embassy in Riyadh for their ever kind assistance that exceeded all expectations, and to Tareg Al-Bagshi and the Saudi IPA for their continued diligent support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Amnesty International in memorial to Gregory Curtis Kamm. There will be a Memorial Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church (Manistee) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2008; a memorial gathering will take place at 847 Huntington Road (East Lansing) from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 26. The Herbert Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements.