Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute notes with deep regrets the passing of Dean James E. Alatis on February 28, 2015, at the age of 88. Dean Alatis provided valuable inspiration and guidance to the Institute, as a member of the Board of Directors and Vice President from 2000 and Emeritus Vice President since 2013.
Doctor Alatis was a brilliant scholar and administrator. He was associated with Georgetown University for nearly a half century. At Georgetown, he most recently served as Dean Emeritus of the School of Languages and Linguistics, Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and Modern Greek and Senior Advisor to the Dean of Georgetown College for International Language Programs and Research. Dean Alatis was also the Founding Father and Executive Director of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) for over 20 years.
The Alatis family will receive friends on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 and Thursday, March 5, 2015 from 4 to 8 p.m. (with a Trisagion Service at 7 p.m. Thursday) at Everly Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 W. Braddock Rd. Alexandria, VA 22302. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, March 6, 2015, at 11:00 AM at St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church, 3149 Glen Carlyn Rd, Falls Church, VA 22041. Interment will follow at Columbia Gardens Cemetery.
Dean Alatis will be sorely missed by countless loved ones, friends and admirers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the TESOL AWARD FUND, with instructions found at www.tesol.org.