VIVIENNE KENRICK, AN honorary lifetime member of the FCCJ, passed away of pneumonia in Tokyo on Nov. 1, 2009. She was 89. Kenrick, a long-time columnist of The Japan Times, was born in London and moved to Tokyo in 1948 with her businessman husband and two daughters. She wrote the weekly interview column “Personality Profile” for The Japan Times for 44 years without ever once missing a deadline. She wrote several books, was area editor of Fodor’s Guide to Japan, and did much freelance work for magazines and newspapers. For both the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 and the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968, she covered the equestrian events for the Associated Press. She was a member of the FCCJ for 30 years. She is survived by two daughters, one granddaughter and a great-grandson.

FORMER FCCJ GENERAL Manager Albert Stamp passed away peacefully on Nov. 10. Al, who was 73, was born and raised in upstate New York, which he left after high school to join the U.S. Army. That eventually brought him to Japan, which he fell in love with. After a brief stint at Sophia University, he returned to the U.S. and graduated from Georgetown University. Later, he would earn a master’s degree in hotel management from Cornell University. Finding his way back to Japan, Al taught English at Japan Airlines and Saga University. Then he joined Kikkoman Corp. to help it get into the wine business. Before long he and Kikkoman opened two restaurants in Roppongi – Mr. Stamp’s Wine Garden and Mrs. Stamp’s Wine Garden. Mrs. Stamp was a former student of his at JAL. Mr. Stamp’s still exists, but Al long ago sold his interest in that business. By September 1988, while still working at Kikkoman, Al agreed to become part-time general manager of the Club. Eventually becoming a full-timer at the FCCJ, Al served the Club with distinction until April 1996, when he opted to retire at age 60. His wife died at an untimely age – 59 – about five years ago, so Al had been living alone in a beautiful home in Hakone. He was found unconscious there on Aug. 15 and taken to a hospital in Odawara, where he spent almost three months before returning home in early November. Al is survived by his adorable dog, Magnum. – Bob Neff