Navy Yard Victims From 'Kindest Lady' to Loving Grandfather

The families of 12 victims have been notified.

ByABC News
September 17, 2013, 10:21 AM
John Roger Johnson, seen here with his wife Judy on a caribbean cruise.
John Roger Johnson, seen here with his wife Judy on a caribbean cruise.
Courtesy Judy Johnson

Sept. 17, 2013— -- intro: Families and neighbors are grieving over those who died in a shooting spree at the Navy Yard in Washington carried out by former Navy reservist Aaron Alexis.

The 12 deceased shooting victims range in age from 46 to 73.

Police previously identified the seven victims whose families had been notified as: Michael Arnold, 59; Sylvia Fraiser, 53; Kathy Gaarde, 62; John Roger Johnson, 73; Frank Kohler, 50; Kenneth Bernard Proctor, 46; and Vishnu Pandit, 61.

Police this morning released the names of the five remaining victims as: Arthur Daniels, 51; Mary Francis Knight, 51; Gerald L. Read, 58; Martin Bodrog, 54; and Richard Michael Ridgell, 52.

ABC News will continue to update this page as more information becomes availalble.

quicklist: 1title: Arthur Danielstext: Arthur Daniels, 51, of Southeast Washington D.C., "was a good father and a hard worker," his wife, Priscilla Daniels, told the Washington Post.

A father of five and a grandfather of nine, Daniels installed office furniture in federal government buildings in the Washington D.C. region, according to the Washington Post. On Monday, he was working inside the Navy Yard when shots rang out.

Witnesses told the Washington Post that Daniels tried to flee Building 197 when spotted by a gunman running down a hallway. But as he pushed the elevator button in attempts of escaping, he was shot in the back.

"It was totally surreal," said the witness, who worked with Daniels.

Daniels, who was a subcontractor for the District Furniture Repair Company in Arlington County, "always helping others," Lewis R. Yancey II, the company's owner, told the Washington Post.

Daniels' son, Arthur Jr., said his family was shaken by news.

"All he did was go to work," he said. "That was his only crime."

quicklist: 2title: Michael Arnoldtext: Michael Arnold, 59, of Lorton, Va., was an avid pilot who was building a light airplane in his home, his uncle Steve Hunter, told the Associated Press.

"It would have been the first plane he ever owned," Hunter told the AP. "It's partially assembled in his basement."

Arnold had been married to his wife, Jolanda, for more than 30 years, Hunter said. The couple had two sons, Eric and Christopher.

"He was a loving son of his mother and his wife, and great father to his kids," said Hunter. "It's tragic. How can you get up in the morning and go to work and have that happen? How do bad things like that happen to good people?"

Arnold had recently joined the government consulting firm LMI after serving in the Navy for 29 years, Hunter said.

quicklist: 3title: Kathy Gaardetext: Kathy Gaarde, 62, of Woodbridge, Va., "was just the kindest lady in the world," her neighbor, Patrick Bolton, told the Washington Post.

"I'm not even exaggerating. I've never seen her do anything but nice things for people," he said.

A loving wife and mother, there was "no reason [Gaarde] would be targeted," Bolton said.

Gaarde was a financial analyst who supported the organization responsible for the shipyards, the Associated Press reported.

Her husband, Douglass Gaarde declined to speak to the Associated Press, but wrote an email that he was unable to sleep.

"Today my life partner of 42 years (38 of them married) was taken from me, my grown son and daughter, and friends," he wrote. "We were just starting to plan our retirement activities and now none of that matters," Douglass Gaard wrote.

"It hasn't fully sunk in yet but I know I already dearly miss her," he wrote.

media: 20283956

quicklist: 4title: John Roger Johnson

text: A civilian who worked for the Navy, John Roger Johnson, 73, of Derwood, Md., "always had a smile on his face," his neighbor told the Washington Post.

Johnson, who had lived in his neighborhood for more than 30 years, was a "delightful neighbor" and "a smart man," the neighbor said.

"He loved children. He loved our grandchildren. No one could ask for a better neighbor," the neighbor said.

media: 20283728

quicklist: 5title: Kenneth Bernard Proctortext: Kenneth Bernard Proctor, 46, of Waldorf, Md., was getting breakfast at Building 197 on Monday, just like any other day, when shots rang out, his ex-wife, Evelyn Proctor told the Associatd Press.

"He didn't even work in the building," she said. "It was a routine thing for him to go there in the morning for breakfast, and unfortunately it happened."

Evelyn Proctor, who said she was still "very close" with her ex-husband after 19 years of marriage, described him as "a very loving, caring, gentle person," who rooted for the Washington Redskins.

Proctor "loved his kids," Evelyn Proctor told the AP. "His kids meant a lot to him."

The couple has two sons -- Kenneth Proctor Jr., 17, who enlisted in the Army after graduating high school and Kendull Proctor, 15.

Proctor worked as a civilian utilities foreman at the Navy Yard, according to the AP. He had worked for the federal government for 22 years.

media: 20284756

quicklist: 6title: Vishnu Pandittext: Vishnu Pandit, 61, of North Potomac, Md., "was a kind and gentle man who loved his family, friends, dog and job," according to his obituary obtained by ABC News.

Known as Kisan, he will be remembered as a "loving husband, father of two adult children, father-in-law, grandfather and friend," his obituary said.

Pandit came to the United States in 1974 from India "in search of a better life for his family," his obituary said.

He completed his graduate studies at the University of Michigan. He then was employed by the U.S. Navy, where he worked for over 25 years, his obituary said.

His neighbor, Mike Honig told the Washington Post that Pandit was "a very nice man with an Irish Setter."

Pandit lived with his wife in the neighborhood for at least 20 years, Honig said.

"All of the neighbors are doing all they can," Honig said. "It's a terrible tragedy. ... It's a stain and strain on the nation that we haven't put public safety laws in place to prevent this sort of tragedy."

media: 20284011

quicklist: 7title: Sylvia Frasiertext: Sylvia Frasier, 53, of Waldorf, Md., had worked at Naval Sea Systems Command as an information assurance manager since 2000, according to a LinkedIn profile in her name.

Frasier earned a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems and a masters in information systems from Strayer University, the LinkedIn profile said.

Her duties at NAVSEA included providing policy and guidance on network security, and assuring that all computer systems operated by the headquarters met Department of Navy and Department of Defense requirements, the Associated Press reported.

She also led efforts "to establish and implement procedures to investigate security violations or incidents," according to the profile.

quicklist: 8title: Martin Bodrogtext: Martin Bodrog, 54, of Annandale, Va., was "a humble, loving father and neighbor," who taught Sunday School and was a diehard Boston Bruins fan, according to his obituary obtained by ABCNews.com.

Bodrog was notorious in his neighborhood for wearing "shorts and his trademark Boston Bruins jersey, walking his dog and helping shovel all the driveways of his elderly neighbors," the obituary said.

He had been married to his wife, Melanie, for 25 years. The couple had three daughters, Isabel, 23, Sophie, 17, and Rita, 16.

"Marty was a source of great inspiration to his family and friends – those of us that were lucky enough to know Marty are better people for it," his obituary said.

Bodrog worked as a Surface Warfare Officer for 22 years. Upon retirement, he oversaw the design and procurement of ships for the Navy, according to his obituary.

media: 20284276

quicklist: 9title: Mary Francis Knighttext: Mary Francis Knight, 51, of Reston, Va., taught information technology courses as an adjunct professor at North Virgina Community College, a spokeswoman for the school told ABCNews.com.

She was set to teach two courses this fall -- software design and spreadsheet software -- the spokeswoman said. Knight taught at two of the school's six campuses, in Annadale and Loudon. It was her first semester teaching at the college.

Knight also worked in cyber security at Naval Sea Systems Command, according to a LinkedIn profile in her name.

media: 20284188

quicklist: 10title: Gerald L. Readtext: When he wasn't working as an information specialist with the Navy Sea Systems Command, Gerald Read, 48, of Alexandria, Va., could be found alongside his black lab, Roderick, his wife, Cathy Read, told the Washington Post.

"Rod was always with him – always," Read said.

Read and his wife were animal lovers. Not only did they work to rescue Labrador retrievers for more than a decade, but the couple had four dogs and two cats, according to the Washington Post.

Read was also "a fine family man and a good friend," his neighbor, James R. Miles told the Washington Post.

"I'm just devastated that he's gone," he said.

quicklist: 11title: Richard Michael Ridgelltext: Richard Michael Ridgell, 52, a native of Brooklyn Park, Md., was a devoted Baltimore Ravens fan and would often take his three daughters to games.

Ridgell, a former Maryland State Police trooper, was working for a private security contractor at the Navy Yard. His daughters, Heather, 33, Megan, 19, and Maddi, 17, held a vigil Tuesday in Westminster, Md., to honor their father.

"He was so much more than a shooting victim. He was an amazing person," Megan told The Associated Press.

Ridgell was described as a loving, funny and patriotic man who protected his children and the country he loved as a security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"He was all about protecting us," Megan said.

quicklist: 12title: Frank Kohlertext: Frank Kohler, 50, of Tall Timbers, Md., was married with two daughters, a neighbor told the Washington Post.

media: 20282685