Miles Alexander Horsley

Miles Alexander Horsley died December 1, 2011 at his home in Atlanta after a spirited battle with cancer. At his side was his beloved wife, Gillian. A linguist, teacher, headmaster, and international education consultant, Alex was an adventurous, broad-minded visionary whose hard work, persistence, and good humor inspired countless students, teachers, and fellow educators during a 45-year career that spanned six continents. Students remember him as larger than life, often calling him “the Gentle Giant.” He remained endeared to them because he always put them first, taking a genuine interest in each one. His Quaker value of “seeing that of God in everyone” set the tone for all his interactions. He is remembered as a devoted husband, loving brother and father and a charismatic and intellectually challenging colleague and friend. He was an inquisitive and feisty debater who loved nothing more than sitting with Gillian and friends at the large round table in the “tree house” (their sun room) discussing current events. Alex was an accomplished bridge player, AAA tennis player and keen golfer. In all his leisure activities, Alex played to win, but never forgot that it was a game he was playing.

A frequent chair of accreditation teams for the Council of International Schools (CIS) and champion of the 42-year-old International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), Alex was a passionate advocate of multilingualism. He believed that every student deserves to be prepared for life in an increasingly interdependent world. His chapter “Acquiring Languages” for the IBO’s 2011 book, The Changing Face of International Education, was the latest of his many articles and speeches on the subject. He delivered the keynote address at the Global Language Convention (GLC) in Singapore in 2006 and was invited to organize the 2008 GLC in Atlanta as executive director of the Center for the Advancement and Study of International Education (CASIE).

Undoubtedly, Alex was proudest of his role as founding headmaster of Atlanta International School (AIS), which he led during its formational first 10 years. The school’s Early Learning Center, scheduled to open in August 2012, is named the Alex Horsley Building in his honor. Alex’s last public appearance was at the November 15th ground-breaking ceremony, where he was celebrated by the AIS community and Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed for his tireless devotion to the school. AIS began in 1985 with 51 students and today thrives with more than 1,000 students from over 70 countries and faculty from 45 countries.

Born January 24, 1944 in Hull UK, Alex grew up in nearby Hessle. He first traveled abroad at age 13, living with a Swiss family to learn French, returning at age 15 to learn German. These early immersion experiences forged a lifelong love of learning languages, traveling, and exploring new cultures. He studied modern languages at Oxford University’s Worcester College. Politically active, he was a member of the Campaign in Oxford University for Nuclear Disarmament and the Joint Action Committee against Racial Intolerance (Oxford’s anti-apartheid movement). He graduated in 1965 with a joint honors degree in French and German. He holds an MA from Oxford (1975), a postgraduate certificate of education from London University (1974), and a postgraduate degree in education management and curriculum design from University of Hull (1978).

Alex is survived by his wife Gillian Theunissen Horsley; daughters Natasha (Richard) Weston, Anita Horsley (Karen Brack), son Dylan (Elizabeth) Horsley; stepson Steven Maskell (Derrick Brown); stepdaughter Bronni (Niko) Karatassos ; sisters Valerie Gribbin and Gilda (Christopher) Haskins; brother Jefferson (Freny) Horsley; sisters-in-law Alwynne (the late Nicholas) Horsley and Marion (Rob) Hofmeyr and mother-in-law Monica Theunissen; grandchildren Aaron and Jonathan Dye, Chloe Weston; Asherah and Alexander Horsley and Ignatius and Christian Karatassos.

A memorial service will be held at Atlanta International School on January 14, 2012 at 2 pm in the auditorium. Afterward, the family will meet friends for a reception in the exhibition space of the Adair Art Science and Design Center. An amplified obituary is online at www.caringbridge.org/visit/alexhorsley/journal In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alex Horsley Fund for Language Learning at Atlanta International School by e-mailing Mary Denson [email protected] or calling her at 404-841-3895.