General News

Concluding far too soon a life of intellectual curiosity, extensive travel and abundant love, Jim Stork, 68, died of the effects of brain cancer on June 28 at his home for the past decade in Ajijic. 

Ajijic resident Deborah Greenfield passed away in her home ON April 16 at the age of 94.  

Born in New York City on September 15, 1920, Greenfield attended New York University where she met her future husband James Greenfield, a manufacturing engineer. They married in 1941. 

After her husband returned from World War II, Greenfield worked with her mother in New York as an interior decorator. In 1961, her husband’s business activities led them to Europe. They lived in several cities, including London and Amsterdam, before settling in Milan, Italy. 

Greenfield’s husband passed away in 1966. With her two children in college, she quickly transformed herself from mother to businesswoman, founding a company called Campoverde or “Greenfield” translated in Italian.

She worked for many years in Italy with prestigious fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan. She was tenacious and indefatigable in her work, always ready to run the extra mile for her clients. She dressed beautifully, more to show off her trade than herself, and was a symbol of modern elegance to her entourage.

At the age of 75, after nearly 20 years running her own company, Greenfield decided to retire. She surprised her family in 1995 with her announcement that she was moving to Ajijic. It was of no matter to Greenfield that she didn’t know anyone living there!

Greenfield was a pioneering and independent woman who found Mexico’s endearing charm, bustle and willingness to grow similar to the life and spirit she discovered when she first moved to Italy. Only a month after settling in Ajijic, she called her grandson in Paris to tell him she was having a housewarming party and had already invited 40 of her new friends! Some years later her youngest son Robert joined her in Mexico following his marriage to Patricia de la Torre, a native of Guadalajara.

During her time in Ajijic, Greenfield served as president of School for the Deaf and was a member of the Duplicate Bridge Club and the Jewish community. She frequented a Wednesday lunch group of ladies, and was an outstanding  hostess.

In Ajijic Greenfield found a large and diverse community of friends and truly considered Mexico to be her loving home and the people in the village to be her family.

She is survived by her children Jay (Hannah) and Robert (Patricia, deceased), grandchildren James, Luke, Molly, Anna and Jaymie Greenfield, and Liz, Helen and Josie Schmidt. Her four great-grandchildren are Louis and Elliot Greenfield, and Maeve and Tula Campman.

A private memorial will be held later in May.

Peter McCleod Braswell, 70, died June 1 in Ajijic, his home since his retirement in 2005. 

Jerry Unger of Riberas del Pilar died February 6 in a New Jersey VA hospital, following a short bout with lung cancer. He was 75.

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1939, Unger graduated from St. Mel’s Academy in 1957, and went on to graduate from Wright Junior College in 1962. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in May 1963, and served two years in Germany as company clerk for the 123D signal battalion. A job transfer sent him to Baltimore, Maryland in 1978.

Unger retired in 2005 and moved to Lakeside. He was a member of the American Legion Post 7 in Chapala. He loved gardening and cooking, and was an avid reader.

Unger is survived by his life partner of 45 years, Marty Davis, as well as brothers, a sister, numerous nieces and nephews, all in Chicago, and in-laws, and adopted nieces and nephews in New Jersey and New York.

A private cremation and celebration of his life was held in New Jersey.

 Alan Vincent Roseman, a seven-year resident of Chapala, died on May 16 following surgery. 

Egon Johannes Beer died March 25, peacefully and suddenly in his Guadalajara home. Although 90 years old, he remained active and alert, attending weekly luncheons at the American Society and entertaining friends in his home in Colonia Jardines de Guadalupe.

Ajijic resident Ruth Knowles Shirley died June 1 after complications from a hip replacement precipitated by a recent fall. 

Albert Wharton passed away April 1 in Riberas del Pilar.

Born August 6, 1935 in Laredo, Texas, Wharton joined the U.S. Army and served with the 32nd Infantry from 1956 to 1962. He was a welder and, before retiring in 2003, helped build a submarine using metal salvaged from the 9/11/2001 attacks in New York.

Wharton married his wife Nancy on March 23, 1993.

Wharton had always wanted to live in Mexico, so after retirement he loaded up his wife and three dogs, and drove to Chapala. His spouse says the following years were happy ones at Lakeside.

Wharton will be greatly missed by his wife, pets, family and friends.