Joseph Gawlers Sons Funeral Home

James H. Schiff (Jimmy) was born on September 24, 1945, and died on June 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C. A graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas with a master's degree in finance, he was an independent businessman with interests in commercial real estate, insurance, oil and gas production, and the hospitality industry. He retired in 2015 as the Vice President of Provident Communications, Inc., with offices in Washington, D.C., and Dallas. He was also involved in the development, sales, and property management of retail shopping centers and as a principal in the start-up and development of several life and health insurance companies. Mr. Schiff served on the Board of Directors of...

The Honorable Ronald Arthur Sarasin, 88, a native of Beacon Falls, Connecticut, died peacefully at home on March 27, 2023, surrounded by family. Born on December 31, 1934, in Fall River, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Joseph A. and Mary D. (Pereira) Sarasin. Mr. Sarasin is survived by his wife of nearly 35 years, Leslie Garmon Sarasin; two sons, Michael Arthur Sarasin (Renee) of Mystic, Connecticut, and Douglas Wilson Sarasin of Washington, D.C.; a brother, Warren Sarasin (Phyllis) of Rehoboth, Delaware; a sister, Lois Saltzman (Allen) of Lenoir City, Tennessee; two nephews, Mark Sarasin and Jeff Sarasin (Dale), both of Port St. Lucie, Florida; a niece, Kaitlin Saltzman of...

James Gordon Lowenstein's principal residence was in Washington, D.C. but he also maintained an apartment in Paris, France. He was born on August 6, 1927 in Long Branch, N.J. He was the son of the late Melvyn Gordon Lowenstein, senior partner of the New York law firm Lowenstein, Pitcher, Spence, Hotchkiss, Amani and Parr, and of Katherine (Price Goldsmith) Lowenstein. He graduated from the Loomis School in 1945 and received a B.A. degree from Yale in 1949. He entered government service in February 1950 as a Foreign Service Staff Officer at Marshall Plan European Headquarters in Paris. He was detailed to Sarajevo from December 1950 to June 1951 with the U.S. Special Mission to...

Debra Rae Anderson, 73, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 at her home in Washington, DC. Debra was born June 13, 1949 in Bryant, South Dakota to Dean and Marilyn Anderson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Debra graduated from Bryant High School in 1967 and cum laude from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD in 1971. Debra entered the political arena with her election to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1976. She became South Dakota's first woman Speaker of the House in 1987. Debra resigned from the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush appointed her as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of...

Debra Rae Anderson, 73, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 at her home in Washington, DC. Debra was born June 13, 1949 in Bryant, South Dakota to Dean and Marilyn Anderson. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Debra graduated from Bryant High School in 1967 and cum laude from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD in 1971. Debra entered the political arena with her election to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1976. She became South Dakota's first woman Speaker of the House in 1987. Debra resigned from the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush appointed her as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of...

Joyce Alice (Christie) Trebing died on May 26, 2022 in Washington, DC, where she was under hospice care for acute heart disease and prolonged symptoms of dementia. A Michigan resident but a native Washingtonian, Mrs. Trebing was the daughter of Raleigh Wickersham Christie and Alice (Relyea) Christie, who had moved to the District from New York City in on January 1, 1924. Mrs. Trebing lived in Glover Park and graduated from Western High School (Class of 1945) and the University of Maryland (Class of 1949), where she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. It was in College Park that she met the love of her life, Harry Martin Trebing. After graduation, Mrs. Trebing served in the...

John Daniel Hawke, Jr., died at his home in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2022, at the age of 88, surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Marie in 1991, and leaves four children, Daniel (Jessica Blake), Caitlin (John Kada), Anne and Patrick; three grandchildren, Spencer, Camerynn and Clare; and companion Beverly Baker. Educated at Yale University and Columbia Law School, Jerry was an accomplished lawyer at Arnold & Porter, a firm he chaired from 1987-1995. He served in all three branches of the U.S. government, including as Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance and as the 28th Comptroller of the Currency. He had many passions and will be...

Gerard (Jerry) Paul Donahoe, Jr., age 60 of Washington, DC passed away at home on March 14, 2021 after fighting cancer diagnosed 8 months ago. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gerard P. and Virginia A. (Humber) Donahoe. He leaves behind his partner of 23 years, Daniel P. McGlynn, of Washington, DC, his 3 sisters and their husbands, Diana M. Steel & Peter Dini of Poway, CA; Carol A. & Kenneth Page of Hollis, NH, and Ellen V. & Joseph Ferreira of Winchester, MA and 7 nieces and nephews, Conor, Aisling, Justin, Nicholas, Scott, Karina & Thomas. He also leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends in various parts of the U.S. and other countries. A...