RE LOG Fall 2024

90 Ransom Everglades LOG FALL 2024 In Loving Memory Robert “Robbie” D.W. Landon III ’85 By Bill Holly ’86 Ransom Everglades has lost one of its finest. Robert “Robbie” D.W. Landon III ’85 passed away of a brain tumor in Miami on March 29, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was 57. Robbie was a shining example of academic success, professional success, family commitment and a life well lived. He attended St. Thomas Episcopal School, was the student body president at Ransom Everglades, graduated with honors from Amherst College and received his juris doctorate with high honors from Harvard Law School. Robbie was remembered by his peers and teachers as an exceptionally bright and diligent student. As importantly, he was remembered for his easy-going nature, sense of humor and bright smile. Robbie practiced law in Miami for almost 30 years, 27 at Kenny Nachwalter, Pa., as a commercial litigator. Remembered as a level- headed advocate for his clients, he was active in his support of pro bono legal efforts in the Miami community, including St. Michael’s Legal Center for Women and Children and Dade Legal Aid. Robbie was highly regarded and respected by his peers. “Robbie always had the highest standard of professionalism, ethics and compassion in Miami’s legal community,” said Roland Sanchez-Medina, a parent of two RE alumnae and president of the Florida Bar. “I will miss him as will the entire Miami legal community.” For someone who was so accomplished academically and professionally, Robbie was always humble and understated. Robbie became my friend and advocate after pulling me out of a “Critter Stomp” as a compassionate eighth grader saving a scared seventh grader. We spent a lifetime together, as friends with many shared interests including family time, boating on Biscayne Bay, walking our dogs, reading biographies and spending Sunday mornings with our families at the Episcopal Church. He was a true friend to me and many classmates for over 30 years. At Robbie’s funeral, there were many RE classmates and friends including Alfie Hamilton ’85, Peter Gardner ’85, Michael Goldstein ’85, Eric Hermelee ’85, Marc Hoffman ’85, Todd Thompson ’85, Vicki Carbonell Williamson ’88 and former RE trustees and parents-of-alumni Jeff Roberts and Jeff Hicks ’84 . Robbie was married for nearly 33 years to the love of his life, K. Keith Landon and was a loving father to his two daughters, Kirby L. Johnson ’14 and Claire H. Landon ’17 . He loved his wife and his daughters more than anything. Robbie is survived by his adoring wife and daughters as well as his mother, Peggy Landon of Naples, Fla., and his sister, Anne L. Dannacher (Gregor) of New York, N.Y., as well as his in-laws and sister-in-law of New Orleans and his niece and four nephews. I can think of no better example of Honor and Excellence than my good friend, Robbie Landon. Liam Gunn O’Keefe ’21 passed away in a tragic accident on May 31, 2024. He was born and raised in Miami and graduated from Ransom Everglades School in May 2021. He began sailing on Biscayne Bay when he was seven years old. Sailing quickly became his passion, and he led his family on many sailing adventures in numerous countries around the world. During high school, he was an accomplished sailor, honor society member and youth sailing coach. He was a world champion in team racing in the Optimist class, won multiple C420 team racing national championships, and finished on the podium at the Sailing High School National Championships for Ransom Everglades. Liam believed in living life to the fullest. During a gap year between high school and college, he helped establish a varsity sailing team at the Palmer Trinity School as its first head coach. He later spent three months in Asia learning about Buddhism, elephants and meditation, furthering his passion for travel and experiencing new cultures. Liam loved the ocean and had a large group of friends. If he wasn’t sailing or in school, he would likely be found on a boat with friends, wakeboarding, lobstering, exploring or just hanging out at Stiltsville. Liam was a rising junior at Brown University concentrating in design engineering. He enjoyed learning how the world works, striving to make the world a better place. He saw his academic path and personal passions interwoven with a consistent thread of discovery, analysis and creation. His design engineering concentration was a reflection of his lifelong engagement with the principles of physics and design, as they were vividly embodied for him in sailing. As a freshman at Brown, he was named the New England Sailing Conference Rookie of the Year, winner of Brown’s Cub Award as the top freshman male student-athlete at Brown, winner of Brown Sailing’s Brooke Gonzalez Award as the most courageous freshman on the team, and freshman captain. He was a two-time All-New England Open First Team Skipper and a two-time All- American Open Skipper. He led Brown to the program’s first-ever Intercollegiate College Sailing Association Match Racing Thomas O. Otto III ’54 passed away on June 7, 2024. He was a very loving father of Deborah and Caroline Otto and beloved friend of almost 30 years of Bea Garner. He is also survived by Bea’s daughter and son-in-law, Meg and Jeff Wright, and his grandfriend forever, Sydney Wright. He is fondly remembered and survived by his dear friend and former wife, Carol Otto, Mark Stevens, numerous beloved cousins, and countless treasured friends, colleagues and neighbors.