Iêda de Barros Siqueira Wiarda

Iêda de Barros Siqueira Wiarda was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil in 1936. Her father taught at the Isabella Hendrix School, a prestigious private school for girls in Belo Horizonte where she graduated magna cum laude. Afterwards, Iêda was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State to attend a year of high school in Houston, Texas. She then received a four-year scholarship to attend the Nebraska Wesleyan University where she earned a Bachelor's degree. During that time she also attended the Washington Semester at American University in Washington. She pursued graduate degrees and earned a Doctorate degree in International Relations from the University of Florida in Gainesville where she met her husband, Howard J. Wiarda. The two married in 1964 and spent time in the Dominican Republic, the country which Howard Wiarda was studying. Iêda then taught at University of Massachusetts-Amherst and at Smith College for many years while raising her three children, Kristy Lynn, Howard Elvindo, and Jonathan Siqueira.

In 1990, Iêda became the Luso-Brazilian Specialist in the Hispanic Division at the Library of Congress. Her research focused on Latin America, Brazil, Portugal, and women's health in Latin America. During 25 years in the Hispanic Division. Wiarda enriched immensely the Library's Luso-Brazilian holdings in all formats. She received the archive and papers of the pioneering Brazilian feminist Romy Medeiros de Fonseca which is now available to readers and assisted in securing Cordel literature from Brazil.

In 1997, Iêda received the prestigious Order of Rio Branco, an award named after the Baron de Rio Branco, the founder of the Brazilian diplomatic service, which is bestowed annually by the Brazilian government to people for contributions to Brazilian studies.

In 2003, Iêda joined the faculty of the University of Georgia when her husband Howard became the founding head of the Department of International Affairs. She was a member of the National Council of Women and served on national and international boards to include the Center for Immigration Studies.

Iêda is survived by her daughter, Kristy Lynn Williams and husband, James Williams, LtCol USMC (Ret); her sons, Dr. Howard Elvindo Wiarda and wife, Dr. Ann B. Wiarda, and Jonathan Siqueira Wiarda and wife, Dr. Karen P. Wiarda; five grandchildren, Kirk Williams, Gabrielle Wiarda, Grant Wiarda, Megan Wiarda, and Jack Wiarda; and two great grandchildren, Lark Iêda Williams, and Logan Williams.

She was dearly loved and will be forever missed by family and friends in the United States and Brazil.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, at First Presbyterian Church of Athens. Interment will follow at Athens Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation in Iêda Wiarda’s name.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.