The DACOR Bacon House is built on the Indigenous lands of the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) and later Piscataway people. The House was built in 1825 by enslaved laborers. Enslaved people lived and worked in the DACOR Bacon House until 1862 when the District of Columbia Emancipation Act was signed.
DACOR Programs & Policies
LUNCHEON TALKS
Members, along with guests they accompany, are invited to attend luncheon talks which are held weekly throughout the year. Unless otherwise noted, these talks begin at noon with a cash bar reception in honor of the speaker. Lunch starts at 12:30 pm, followed by the speaker’s remarks which conclude by 2:00 pm; attendees are free to leave at that time.
The charge is $35 per DACOR member and reservations are required. (The charge for attending only the speaker portion of the program from 1 – 2 pm is $15.) Changes and/or cancellations to programs are announced in our e-blasts and on our website.
OTHER EVENTS
All members of DACOR are invited to attend ADST/DACOR book launch receptions, receptions for newly-commissioned FSOs, and DCM/PO receptions for DCMs and Principal Officers. There is no entry charge, but reservations are necessary. Members are also welcome at the Sunday afternoon Huston Musicales; a fee of $30 per DACOR member and $35 for guests is collected at the door. Children under 18 are admitted free.
Disclaimer: DACOR encourages vigorous expression and questioning of points of view, while striving for balance. No endorsement of speakers’ views or of their charitable, professional or commercial bona fides should be inferred.
MEMBERS’ LUNCHEONS
Members and their guests are invited to lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, reservations are required. Members' Luncheons include a biscuit/bread, an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea and cost $35. A cash bar is available from 12 and lunch is served from 12:30 to 1:30.
NO-SHOWS & CANCELLATIONS NOT RECEIVED BY 9 AM THE BUSINESS DAY BEFORE AN EVENT WILL BE BILLED.
— TO MAKE OR CANCEL RESERVATIONS — Register through the Calendar of Events at www.dacorbacon.org Or contact us at programs@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500 x120.
DACOR routinely takes photos at its events. Members and guests should notify the DACOR photographer if they want to restrict the use of their names and images.
DRESS CODE
DACOR maintains a professional business attire dress code in the DACOR Bacon House. While suits, ties and heels are always welcome, they are not required. For individual events, or categories of events, DACOR may apply a formal business attire dress code where men are expected to wear a suit or jacket and tie, and women should wear commensurate attire. Promotional material for these events will specify that formal business attire is required. During summer months, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, business casual may be worn.
From the President
By the time you read this, longtime Executive Director John Bradshaw will have retired, shortly after reaching his 68th birthday. John's retirement announcement coincided with the sixth anniversary of his first day working at 1801 F Street -- February 11, 2019.
John's tenure has overlapped with those of four presidents--Jim Benson, Paul Denig, Jim Dandridge, and mine. All of us acknowledge and are thankful for John's critical role in managing DACOR and the DACOR Bacon House Foundation over this sometimes turbulent and always challenging period. John was instrumental in keeping DACOR in business during the dark days of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. He oversaw the establishment of an emergency fund to which members contributed, thereby ensuring that no DACOR employee lost his or her job during Covid. Just recently, in the summer of 2024, he worked closely with me and a handful of senior DACOR leaders in organizing a public forum cohosted by and at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. This forum was prescient in foretelling the current Project 2025 agenda of the new Administration.
For his leadership across many areas of the organization, I wish to extend the sincere appreciation of the entire DACOR community. I know that many of you will want to reach out to John to thank him in person for all that he has done over the past six years to steward us through COVID and to address a multitude of other challenges.
I have always appreciated and will miss his wise counsel. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
The search for a new executive director has already begun, and I have appointed a search committee to find just the right person to lead the organization going forward. DACOR members can also help in the search by encouraging qualified candidates to apply for the position. The description is available at https://www.dacorbacon. org/docs/DACOR_Executive_Director_Job_Description_2025.pdf, and resumes should be submitted to DACORJOBS@gmail.com.
Please let me know if you have questions or concerns during this transitional period. I appreciate your wishes and offers of support to me, to our other volunteer leaders, and to staff.
Co-hosted by DACOR & ACI, Co-Sponsored by ABAA, BPIA & TLG
Mr. TODD A. COX
Associate Director - Counsel, Legal Defense Fund
Mr. STEVE LUXENBERG
Associate Editor, The Washington Post; Author suPREmE COuRt RACiAl JustiCE CAsEs: PlEssy v. FERgusOn & BROwn v. thE BOARD OF EDuCAtiOn
PROtAgOnists
Join us for a conversation on Supreme Court racial justice cases, specifically Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education. The conversation will focus on addressing two protagonists in the transitions from slavery to segregation to integration: The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan (The Great Dissenter) and Thurgood Marshall Sr, then founder and President-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund and Education (later US Supreme Court Associate Justice).
It is not by chance that the DACOR Bacon House is front and center during the conversation in that the House was owned by or lived in by Supreme Court Chief Justices and officers from the 1830's - 1910. In fact, Chief Justice Melville Fuller, of Plessy v. Ferguson fame, purchased the House on April 28, 1896, the day that Plessy v. Ferguson Oral Arguments began.
Full bios may be found in the online program announcement.
Wednesday • March 19 • 12 - 2:15
DACOR Bacon House Bicentennial MATTHEW COSTELLO
Chief Education Officer and Director, David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History
ROB DEHART
Curator, Tudor Place Historic House & Garden TERENCE WALZ
Historian, DACOR Bacon House
BEhinD thE sCEnEs: hOw A gREAt hOusE
thE 19th CEntuRy
The early great houses in the Washington DC area had large staffs that supported the families living in them, families who often entertained on a lavish scale and who demonstrated their social status through their houses. While these staffs initially were composed primarily of enslaved individuals, in time the families increasingly employed white servants – often Irish – while also hiring Black maids and nurses. We will highlight four of these houses – The White House, Decatur House, Tudor Place, and DACOR Bacon House – and how the staffs ensured the smooth functioning of these houses for their inhabitants.
Matthew Costello will discuss "Household Management at Decatur House and the White House." Rob DeHart will focus on "Creating 'Ancestral Spaces' for Descendants of Enslaved Individuals." And, Terrence Walz will examine "The DACOR Bacon House in its Early Years."
Full bios may be found in the online program announcement.
Wednesday • March 26 • 11 am - 12:30 pm • Cost TBA
Hosted by DACOR & AAFSW
H.E. SHAIKHA AL-ZAIN AL-SABAH
Ambassador of Kuwait to the U.S.
Ms. JAN DU PLAIN
President/CEO, Du Plain Global Enterprises
DR. ILARIA MACCONI
Doctor in Political Science wOmEn's
ChAngE
This event celebrates and promotes women’s history and empowerment, acknowledging the significant roles women have played in our society over the centuries and showcasing their exceptional vision and leadership across all domains.
The panel discussion will feature three highly accomplished women who have contributed to advancing women’s causes in important ways: H.E. Shaikha Al-Sabah, Ambassador to Kuwait in the US; Dr. Ilaria Marconi Heckner, spouse of the ambassador of Switzerland in the US; and Ms. Jan Du Plain, CEO/ President of Du Plain Global Enterprises, Inc.
Full bios may be found in the online program announcement.
President Angela Dickey & Ms. Patricia "Kit" Norland Invite Your Patronage of the 2025 sPRing BlACk tiE DinnER CElEBRAting vOluntEERs AnD FOunDAtiOn
Join us for this special Black Tie Dinner that recognizes and celebrates our most dedicated DACORians and Friends of the Historic DACOR Bacon House. Those who are current regular volunteers in any capacity (DACOR or DACOR Bacon House Foundation Committees, working groups, and other volunteer positions); "Major Donors" of $1000+ (or those who pledge to do so before the end of the year); and DACOR Bacon House Foundation Legacy Society members are welcome to patronize the event. All eligible patrons are encouraged to bring a prospective DACOR member/s as their guest/s.
Additional information about patron eligibility and how to become eligible may be found in the online program announcement.
Development Dialogue at DACOR Hosted by DACOR & USAID Alumni Association
Dr. DANNY LEIPZIGER
Managing Director, The Growth Dialogue; Professor of Practice of International Business, The George Washington University is inDustRiAl POliCy still A DiRty wORD?
In a world facing numerous economic challenges there is renewed debate about the role of industrial policy and government support for firms and industries deemed strategically important. In addition to being controversial for developing countries, it has of late been seen as part of the arsenal of policies that advanced economies undertake to deal with their domestic issues of inequality, loss of manufacturing jobs, and the pursuit of national economic interests - including the worry about relying on adversaries for critical resources such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
Prof. Danny Leipziger, Professor at GW's School of Business and former Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank, where he launched the Spence Commission on Growth and Development, will address the topic of industrial policy, asserting that it is no longer a dirty word but now one that requires a fresh examination in light of geo-political developments and the resurgence of economic nationalism.
A full bio may be found in the online program announcement.
Thursday, May 1st
2025 DACOR ANNUAL MEMBERS' MEETING
Thursday, April 24
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Business to be conducted:
■ Committee Reports
■ President Report
■ Board Election Results
All members of DACOR are invited to attend.
The Bicentennial Year was launched by Bicentennial Honorary Chair Ambassador Thomas Shannon and President Angela Dickey on August 6, 2024, with a celebration of “200 Years of French Connections,” featuring H. E. Laurent Bili, the French Ambassador to the U.S.
Upcoming Bicentennial Programs
May 14, 2025, 12-2 PM, Lunch and Talk
Virginia Bacon and DACOR Bacon House as Center Stage for the “Washington 'Salon'”: How Women Exercised Influence in 19th and 20th century Washington.”
June 10, 2025, 6-9 PM, Evening Garden Party
200th anniversary celebration featuring VIP Speakers and a musical performance by The Washington Tattoo.
Fall 2025, TBA, Dinner and Talk
“DACOR Bacon House and the Civil War; or Reveille in Washington Revisited”
The Carroll family, owners of DACOR Bacon House during 60 years of the 19th century, were one among many local families that contributed men, women and morale to the war effort.
December 2025, TBA
Christmas Musicale
Including a performance of the “Esterhazy Ripple”, a waltz dedicated to our own Sally Carroll, the Countess Esterhazy, and other music performed in the house.
Bicentennial Program Co-chairs: Meredith Whiting and Terry Walz
Bicentennial Garden Party Chair: Dana Linnet
DACOR Bacon House Reader Rails Unveiled
On Thursday, February 6, before the Bicentennial Kickoff Celebration began, two outdoor reader rails were unveiled. These reader rails share 200 years of history of the House with the public. One focuses on “A House in the President’s Neighborhood” and the other on “The Owners.” Please be sure to stop and take a look at them the next time you visit DACOR.
We extend a huge thank you to all those who helped draft, edit, design, proof, fabricate, install and fund the reader rails. These reader rails will help spotlight the DACOR Bacon House amongst other historic properties in the President’s Neighborhood and Washington, DC.
Bacon House Bicentennial Pins are now available through our online boutique.
The antique gold pin showcases the DACOR Bacon House bicentennial logo. Celebrate your pride in our historic home by purchasing your pin today. And they make a great gift too!
$10/pin • Shipping (additional charge) or pick-up options available. The pin is also available for sale at the DACOR Bacon House.
Above: The reader rail facing 18th St. focuses on the owners of the Historic DACOR Bacon House.
Left (from left to right): Patricia “Kit” Norland, Angela Dickey, and Amb. Richard Norland, major donors towards the reader rails, who cut the ribbon at the unveiling.
200 yEARs OF DACOR BACOn hOusE histORy
DACOR Bacon House is celebrating its bicentennial year 2024-2025 with a series of programs that highlight important events in the house’s history and the contributions its occupants made to our nation’s capital and to our national history. We have divided the two-hundred-year period into significant eras. For this month, March 2025, we continue with the post-Civil War era of the house when the owner of the house, the much loved and ever-suffering Sally Sprigg Carroll, faced the challenges of widowhood and a much-changed Washington as the capital city grew by leaps and bounds.
Terry Walz, DACOR Historian
Elizabeth Warner, DACOR Archivist
1866-1895
Fast-Changing Times in Post-War Washington
1867
Sally Carroll’s son-in-law, Gen. Charles Griffin, and his four-year-old son Charles Carroll Griffin died in Galveston of yellow fever. He had been recently promoted to military governor of Texas and Louisiana, charged with enforcing new freedoms for Blacks in the conquered states of the South. His body was returned to Washington in December, where he was given a full military funeral attended by Generals Grant, Sherman, Comstock, Badeau and Michler. The caisson carrying the casket with a riderless horse with boots reversed proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue lined with troops to St John’s Church and then to Oak Hill Cemetery, where a private funeral took place attended by the Carroll family before interment in the Carroll Mausoleum.
1870
The widowed Sally Carroll Griffin remarried. Her new husband is Count Maximilian Esterhazy, a diplomat with the Austro-Hungarian mission in Washington. The private wedding in the Carroll house was attended by President and Mrs. Grant, Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, the French, Austrian, and Spanish ambassadors and other diplomats. The Count and his wife departed for Europe shortly thereafter where they lived in Tata, the Esterhazy estate in western Hungary, until the count’s death in 1883. The countess returned to Washington in 1884 to live with her mother at 1801 F Street, and joined the gildedage society of the city.
Grand Duke Alexei and Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, who visited Washington in 1877 and were entertained at 1801 F Street, the residence of the Russian Imperial Minister.
1875
The house is rented for three years to the Russian Imperial Legation. The Russian minister, Nikolai Shishkin, moved in with wife, three children, and a staff of ten, including a chasseur. A sparkling new carriage replaced the old Carroll one in the carriage house, and samovars replaced tea pots. In 1877, the grand dukes Alexei, son of Tsar Alexander II, and his cousin, Grand Duke Constantine, visit Washington and are royally entertained at the house when the diplomatic community of the capital are invited to meet them. Sally took an apartment nearby on G Street for three years, taking time to visit her daughter Alida Brown in Maine.
Sally Carroll Griffin, now Countess Esterhazy. Artwork from the frontispiece of “Esterhazy Ripple,” a waltz composed in her honor in 1892.
1882
Sally Carroll reached an agreement with Mrs. Cake to have her house rented more regularly. Among the early renters are Thomas B. Van Buren, the American consul-general in Japan, on home leave for several months, and his wife and daughter. During the 1884 and 1885 winter season the house is lent to a fashionable couple from New York, Mr. and Mrs. William Cruger Pell, and her two daughters, the Misses Pell. They are embraced by the gilded age society of Washington. After they leave in 1887, Sally returned to live in the house for the final years of her life, closing up the house in the summer months to enjoy cooler climes in Deer Park, Maryland and other resorts on the east coast.
1895
Sally Carroll died in February, surrounded by her three daughters and faithful servants. Four Supreme Court justices are asked to be honorary pallbearers at her funeral at St. John’s Church. A for sale sign is posted in front of the house for the first time in 60 years. The house was purchased in 1896 by Molly Fuller,
To be continued in the April edition . . .
wife of Chief Justice Melville Fuller. She commissioned the well-known architectural firm of Hornblower and Marshall to make changes to the interior while preserving the exterior federalist-period façade.
The for sale sign outside 1801 F Street in 1895. Courtesy Maine Historical Society, John Marshall Brown Papers.
Celebrating 50 Years of Fellowships!
In 1974, the Board of Trustees of the DACOR Education and Welfare Foundation approved their first education award. The fellowship was given to Georgetown University School of Foreign Service graduate David Welch in 1975 to use towards his graduate school studies. Ambassador Welch, who served for over 30 years in the Foreign Service and reached the rank of Career Ambassador, was the first of many students to receive an educational award. Today, the DACOR Bacon House Foundation (DBHF) runs six distinct education award programs that support those studying foreign affairs and members of Foreign Service families. Over 50 years, we have funded more than 900 education awards totaling approximately $7 million.
The present-day equivalent of that first fellowship in 1975 is our Graduate Fellowships for Study of International Affairs. Each year, DBHF awards up to 11 graduate students for study towards a master’s degree in foreign affairs, broadly defined. These students are each at a different university. The Education Committee identifies schools across the country to participate, rotating among schools each year. Starting with that first fellowship, our Education Committee interviews candidates from each participating school. Today, candidates from local schools are interviewed inperson at the DACOR Bacon House and those from non-local schools are interviewed virtually. This year’s interviews will take place from March - April. DACOR members are invited to join the candidates for lunch after their in-person interviews. The date and school of each in-person interview and a link to register for the corresponding lunch will be announced in our weekly Upcoming Events e-blasts sent on Mondays. We hope you can join us!
Members join fellowship candidates at a lunch after interviews in spring last year.
In addition to the Graduate Fellowship, DBHF awards students at various tertiary education levels and even high school. The Undergraduate Metro Scholarships to Encourage Study of Foreign Affairs is awarded to juniors or seniors committed to a major discipline related to foreign affairs, with special encouragement for those under-represented in foreign affairs. A scholarship for a University of the District of Columbia student, funded through member donations, is run in conjunction with the Metro Scholarships. In addition to the Metro Scholarships, DBHF allocates award money to be administered by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) for scholarships each year. These AFSA-administered scholarships are for Foreign Service Dependents studying at the college level.
Two of our awards are designated for very specific purposes by the fund donors. The Gantenbein Medical Fund Fellowship is the largest single award DBHF gives in an academic year. It goes to a medical student studying Global Health. The Dreyfus Scholarships for Dependents of Foreign Service Officers at Yale and Hotchkiss support the education of children and grandchildren of Foreign Service officers and Foreign Service specialists attending Yale University and The Hotchkiss School, a college-prepratory and boarding school.
Our newest award, the Sherry Barndollar Rock Scholarship for Meeting the Education Needs of Foreign Service Spouses and Partners, was created in honor of the late Sherry Barndollar Rock, an Executive Director of DACOR and DBHF and a Foreign Service spouse. Sherry recognized the challenge that a Foreign Service career presents to spouses/partners who must take a fragmented approach to fulfill their personal educational goals.
More information about our fellowships and scholarships and how you can assist can be found at https://www. dacorbacon.org/scholarships_fellowships.php. Supporting future generations of foreign affairs professionals and foreign affairs families is an important pillar of the DACOR Bacon House Foundation. We are proud to have aided so many students for the last 50 years and look forward to the next 50 years of scholarships and fellowships!
DACOR
Bacon House Foundation
DREYFUS SCHOLARSHIPS
DACOR Member LinkedIn Group
Logging into DACOR's Website QUICK GUIDE
• Go to www.dacorbacon.org, click Members Portal and then select the menu option you want.
• When the login page appears, enter your username and password if you have them and continue to the last bullet point below. If not, or if you need to reset them, go to the Reset Your Password section and enter your email we have on file. Click the Reset my Password button.
• Look for the reset email in your inbox. Don't see it? Check your spam folder.
• Take note of your username in the email (you can change it if you want to) and click on the reset link.
• Follow the prompts to reset your password.
• Enjoy all DACOR's website has to offer!
Need additional help? Contact Seou at spark@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500 x111.
We are excited to announce a new benefit exclusively for DACOR members: a private LinkedIn group designed to foster networking and camaraderie among our distinguished community. This membersonly platform provides a space to connect with fellow diplomats, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions on topics that matter to you. Whether you’re seeking professional advice, exploring shared interests, or simply looking to strengthen ties within the DACOR family, this group is your gateway to deeper connections. Join us today and start building a stronger network! Join the group at https://www.linkedin.com/ groups/13140159 or scan the QR code.
First Thursdays 5 - 7 pm
Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie in our lovely house. Features a cash & credit card bar. Members are welcome to bring guests.
Joshua DEMOSS and Jessica DEMOSS
Joshua DeMoss is an Agricultural Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where he focuses on grain, food security, biofuels and WTO issues. Previously, he worked at USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service in Washington, D.C., as a Trade Policy Officer and rice economist. His earlier roles include trade enforcement at the International Trade Administration, tariff policy on steel and aluminum, and work in Kazakhstan and Ukraine with an education NGO. He also has experience in anti-corruption law in D.C. and agricultural trade development at the International Trade Centre in Geneva.
Dr. Lucy Lauretta MELBOURNE
Dr. Lucy Lauretta Melbourne grew up in the Foreign Service and has experience in cultural diplomacy as a Professor, Fulbright Scholar and author of articles and books with
A New Way to Support DACOR Bacon House Foundation!
DBHF Partners with eBay for Charity!
Make good on your New Year's Resolution to declutter and pare down. Now you can donate beautiful knickknacks, travel treasures, rare books and artwork you no longer want to the Foundation and we will sell these items on our eBay for Charity platform to benefit the Foundation, https://tinyurl.com/DBHFebay. If we do the work for you 100% of the proceeds come to the Foundation. If you'd like to get a cut, you can post the sale yourself and designate anywhere from 10% to 100% of the proceeds to DACOR Bacon House Foundation! Your auction will receive extra attention as it will clearly state that a portion of the proceeds benefits the Foundation. To get a tutorial on doing it yourself or to inquire about donating items to our "Virtual Rummage Sale" contact Development Director Jared Hughes, jhughes@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500 x123, who would be happy to assist you and even provide valuation services at your home having grown up the son of a well-known Fine Antiques dealer in Los Angeles.
Moroccan students and colleagues. She was a Fulbright Scholar to Morocco (2005-2007), India (2014), Jordan (20152016), a Fulbright Specialist, and a Professor of literature and interdisciplinary studies.
Michael Scott OWEN and Annerieke F. OWEN-HUISMAN
Michael Scott Owen started as an ELO in 1987 in Dublin, Ireland and subsequently served as economic officer, consul general and ambassador in the following 7 other postings: Mauritania, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Tanzania, India and Sierra Leone. His domestic assignments were at the INR watch, desk officer for Rwanda- Burundi during the genocide, and the office director/DAS for the SCA bureau and office Director at INR. He is currently retired.
2025 Membership Dues
Please check your email and/or mailbox for your 2025 membership dues invoice. Can't find an invoice or need help paying? Contact us at dacor@dacorbacon.org or 202.682.0500.
Thank you for being a DACOR member!
COntRiButiOns in hOnOR OF
The officers and trustees of the DACOR Bacon House Foundation acknowledge with gratitude the following donation in honor of living individuals:
R. Clarke COOPER
Tracy Clarke Cooper-Tuckman
Dana LINNET
Tracy Clarke Cooper-Tuckman
Call for Nominations for the Eleanor Dodson Tragen Award 2025
The Eleanor Dodson Tragen Award honors a spouse, family member, domestic partner or member of household, who has effectively advocated and promoted rights, programs, services and benefits for Foreign Service families in the tradition of the AAFSW and its members, as did the late Mrs. Eleanor Tragen.
In the 1960s, Mrs. Tragen and her colleagues were instrumental in calling attention to the lack of rights of spouses (at that time almost exclusively wives); they wrote a brief, entitled, “What If?” that spotlighted the lack of resources wives had should they face a sudden death, illness or divorce. Ele then testified before Congress, using “What If?” as her basis and eventually helped to win important rights for wives such as access to alimony and pension benefits.
While the first recipients of the award (see box) were recognized for this early work in gaining rights for wives, more recent recipients have been honored for their work on issues that face today’s Foreign Service spouses, partners and families.
Criteria:
The recipient, active duty or retired, will be chosen for his/her volunteer efforts to enhance, improve, broaden or make more effective services, rights and benefits provided to FS spouses, families, EFM domestic partners and household members. The initiative to be recognized should benefit more than just a specific mission activity at one post, but offer promise of replication or application throughout the Foreign Service.
2024: Megan Kuhn
Award:
The winner will receive a cash award of $2,000, which will be presented at the AAFSW Annual Awards Program in November or December. If available, the Program will be held at the State Department and the winner will also be honored at a luncheon at the DACOR Bacon House and receive travel costs to and free lodging at DACOR Bacon House if posted outside of DC.
Eligibility:
Nominees must be spouses, family members, EFM domestic partners or members of household of FS employees, active or retired. Previous nominees can be considered if an updated justification sheet is included. Nominees must agree to attend the November/ December awards ceremony if selected.
Nominations:
To make a nomination, please submit the following:
• Nominee’s full name
• Nominee’s relationship to the direct-hire employee or retiree
• Nominee’s email address
• Nominator’s name and relationship to nominee
• Justification for the nomination including specific actions and qualities that fulfill the award criteria
• Name of nominee’s hometown newspaper and U.S. representative in Congress
• Nominations should be submitted as a Word document, not to exceed 3 pages, double-spaced.
Nominations should be sent by e-mail to John Bradshaw at: jbradshaw@dacorbacon.org
Submission deadline: April 25, 2025.
Past Tragen Award Recipients
For her leadership in launching the Parallel Professionals
networking group to help Eligible Family Members and Members of Household navigate career mobility in the Federal Government, establishing the group as an official Employee Organization in the State Department, giving a voice to a cohort of hardworking federal employees who previoulsy had no clear advocate and fostering a supportive professional culture for Foreign Affairs' family members.
2023: Michelle Neyland
2022: Alison Davis
2021: Fabiula Maughan
2020: Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen
2019: Melissa Brayer-Hess
2018: Patricia Linderman
2017: Kelly Bembry Midura
2016: Leah Evans
2015: Sheila Switzer
2014: Ann La Porta
2013: Bob Castro
2012: Thomas Gallagher
2010: Mari O’Connor
2009: Mette Beecroft
2007: Leslie Dorman
2006: Jean Vance
For a full list of recipients' contributions, please visit dacorbacon.org/dacor_awards.php.
Mirrors, Mirrors on the Walls
By Audrey Straw, Program Intern
When reviewing the many antiques within DACOR’s collection, none reflect the face of diplomacy quite like our mirrors. Of the many mirrors that can be found throughout the house, five reflect the diversity of our collection. As a looking glass into the past, each mirror displays the popular style of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Each frame provides a glimpse into the house’s past. This is most evident with one of the oldest mirrors in our house: an English George III Giltwood Rococo Mirror that features prominently in the North Drawing Room. Alice Copley Thaw, the owner of the house from 1911-1925, purchased the mirror in London in 1906.1 Thaw installed the mirror in 1911 as part of her renovations to the house, and it has remained a fixture ever since.2 When the Bacons bought the house, they also purchased the mirror.3 It is believed the mirror was made by Thomas Johnson, a master London wood carver. Many of his pieces were in a Rococo style, popular during the 19th century.4 The details on the mirror depict Aesop’s fable of the Old Hound. The fable tells the story of a hound that, as he got older, could no longer match the strength and influence he had as a youth. When reflecting upon the mirror, the individual is to be reminded of the mighty deeds of their past and to not judge their current weaknesses.
Two mirrors on the fourth floor reflect a region that is largely missing from the DACOR Bacon House’s collection. Within the Program Director's office a pair of Bolivian silver-framed wall mirrors are displayed. They were donated to DACOR by
Ambassador Philip Bonsal. DACOR’s art collection largely lacks pieces from Latin America, making them unique pieces in our collection. It is believed that these mirrors are hand-hammered repoussé and feature intricate floral designs. We do not have any information about when the mirrors were created and by whom.
One of a pair of Bolivian repoussé mirrors in the Program Director's office.
Many of the mirrors in our collection were created in the 19th century and reflect the many different styles popular during this era. An Italian giltwood mirror can be found in the Ladies’ Lounge that is symbolic of the opulence of this era. Made in 1870, this mirror is decorated with leaflike motifs featured throughout with a large floral crest catching the eye on the top of the mirror. Similar to the mirror in the North Drawing Room, this mirror is reminiscent of the Rococo style, especially in light of its curved ornamentation and natural motifs.5 Due to aging, red can be seen under the gold paint where it has faded and there are some cracks in the boarding leaf-decorated frame. The gold paint was used as part of a technique known as gilding, wherein a base material was covered with a thin layer of gold.6 The mirror was donated to the DACOR Bacon House in 2003 by the estate of Morton A. Bach.
On the fourth floor, reflecting the many friendly faces that come up stairs to be greeted by our Administrative Assistant, Seou, is an overmantel mirror from the 1880s. Going from floor to ceiling, this mirror covers almost the entire length of the wall. The piece has been indefinitely on loan to DACOR from the Office of the Vice President since 1960. The actual mantle has been separated from the mirror
1. Harding, Richard. “Making the 250th Anniversary of the North Drawing Room’s Mirror,” Curator’s Corner, The DACOR Bulletin, September 2010.
and can be found in the Executive Director’s office. The mirror originally decorated the halls of the building housing the Departments of State, Navy, and War (now known as the Eisenhower Executive Building). The mirror appears to be made of two or more types of wood, though the actual creator and year of its creation are unknown.
The last mirror to reflect upon can be found in the small hallway in between the Fuller and the Marshall guest rooms on the fourth floor, which was donated to DACOR in 1985 by Mrs. J. Patterson. It is a New England Chippendale Mirror
7. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chippendale
from the late 19th century. Chippendale-styled furniture is inspired by the English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale.7 The mirror’s frame was made out of mahogany wood. There is an inlaid eagle holding a shield reminiscent of the American flag at the top, a federal flute rosette oval at the bottom and a gilt trim.
Each of the mirrors provides a looking glass into the range of styles present within DACOR’s collection. These mirrors show the present faces of diplomacy. In a historic house, they also reflect the elegance of bygone eras.
Welcome to Our New Events Intern
Shelley is a senior at George Mason University, majoring in Tourism and Events Management, with a deep passion for learning about foreign affairs and international experiences. Currently interning alongside the event coordinators at DACOR Bacon House, Shelley is building her skills in planning and coordinating special occasions. She has previously worked as a Private Event Specialist for a tea and etiquette company located in Northern Virginia, where she curated and managed distinctive gatherings focused on refinement and cultural traditions. Additionally, Shelley has successfully executed plans for local DC festivals and celebrations, overseeing logistics, vendor relations and event execution. With a blend of practical experience and global curiosity, Shelley is excited to apply her knowledge and skills to contribute to the mission and initiatives at DACOR.
Left: Italian giltwood mirror found in the Ladies' Lounge on the ground floor. Center: New England Chippendale Mirror found by the guest rooms on the fourth floor. Right: Overmantel found on the fourth floor.
NAME TAG ORDER FORM
$19.00 each
Available in 3 formats: Pin, Magnet or Pocket Slide
Please note that anyone with a pace maker should not use the magnetic name tag!
Name as you wish it to appear: Type:
Pin ___ Magnet ___ Pocket Slide ___
Pin ___ Magnet ___ Pocket Slide ___
Pin ___ Magnet ___ Pocket Slide ___
NAME TAG ORDER FORM
I am ordering ______ name tags @ $19.00 each and enclose $____________.
$12.00 each
Available in 3 formats: Pin, Magnet or Pocket
Please make checks payable to DACOR.
Please let us know where we should send the tags:
Name: ____________________________________
Address: __________________________________
Please note that anyone with a pace maker should not use the magnetic name tag! Name as you wish it to appear:
Mail to: DACOR
Email in case of questions: ________________ 1801 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20006
Name tags may also be purchased through the online DACOR Bacon House Boutique.
I am ordering ______ name tags @ $12.00 each and enclose
WORLD AFFAIRS
Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea: Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Latvia, Finland, & Estonia
Egypt & the Eternal Nile
South American Odyssey: From the Caribbean to the Amazon River
October 12 - 24, 2025 TRAVEL WITH US
Expert-led tours focused on international affairs
July 20 - 30, 2025
October 7 - 21, 2025
Travel with cultural diplomacy enthusiasts
Exclusive tour access for DACOR members
annual tours
DACOR, Inc is partnering with World Affairs Council of Philadelphia to offer exclusive travel experiences with VIP access to DACOR Members and Friends of the Historic DACOR Bacon House Traveling with World Affairs directly supports the DACOR Bacon House Foundation
LEARN MORE
LEARN MORE
LEARN MORE
COntRiButiOns in mEmORiAm
The officers and trustees of the DACOR Bacon House Foundation acknowledge with gratitude the following memorial contributions:
Hon. Morton Isaac ABRAMOWITZ
Hon. Raymond C. Ewing & Penelope Yungblut
William O. BAXTER
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Hon. Natale Hans BELLOCCHI
Luke P. Bellocchi
Raymond Ellis BENSON
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Donald Clayton BERGUS
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Burton Yost BERRY
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Steven Lee "Steve" BLAKE
Caroline Bailey Hornblow
Hon. Clifford George BOND
Edward Spencer Verona
Ellis Ormsbee BRIGGS
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Lucy T. BRIGGS
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
John Moors CABOT
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Martha P. CALDWELL
Margaret Caldwell-Ott
President Jimmy CARTER
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Hon. Raymond C. Ewing & Penelope Yungblut
First Lady Rosalynn CARTER
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Bertha "Betty" CARP
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Joseph P. CHEEVERS
Christine M. Cheevers-Jones
Hon. Paul CLEVELAND
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Hon. Richard W. Teare & Jeanie W. Teare
Frederick Ragnar COOK
Robert E. Tynes & Elvira Noordam Tynes
Nicholas S. DANILOFF
Hon. William Harrison Courtney
Stephen Martin ECTON
Hon. Richard W. Teare & Jeanie W. Teare
Hon. Samuel R. GAMMON III
Rev. Dr. Lois A. Aroian
Burton Lee GERBER
Hon. Robert A. Bradtke
Hon. Raymond C. Ewing & Penelope Yungblut
Walter A. Lundy
Judyt E. Mandel
Raymond Arthur HARE
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Dr. Roy A. HARRELL, Jr.
Charlotte Purcell Harrell Saslowsky
Parker Thompson "Pete" HART
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Bonnie Jean Smith HURWITZ
Harold Hurwitz
Darrell Allan JENKS
Thelma Jenks
John Durnford JERNEGAN
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Bertel Eric KUNIHOLM
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Berthe Robellet KUNIHOLM
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Edwin Allan LIGHTNER, Jr
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Hon. Alan LUKENS
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
Hon. Richard Norland & Mary Hartnett
Hon. Stephen R. LYNE
Hon. Richard W. Teare & Jeanie W. Teare
William Butts
MACOMBER, Jr.
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Thresia “Terry” MARTINO
Hon. Jacques Paul Klein
Gordon Phelps MERRIAM
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholmt
Hon. Daniel Anthony O'DONOHUE
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
William OWEN
Adelaida Owen
Hon. Ed ROWELL
Tom Boyatt & Maxine Boyatt
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
John Stewart SERVICE
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Hon. Robert E. SERVICE
Hon. James Francis Creagan
John SHUMATE
Paula Jakub
James William SPAIN
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Thomas “Tom” Walsh SWITZER
James Ford Cooper & Magda H. Cooper
Hon. Terence A. TODMAN
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
George WADSWORTH II
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
James Alan WEINER
Aniko Gaal Schott
Donald Newton WILBER
Catherine R. Lincoln
Evan Morris WILSON
Dr. Peter Ian Kuniholm
Hon. Johnny YOUNG
James Dandridge II & Margarete Dandridge
The officers and governors of DACOR note with deep regret the deaths of the following DACOR members and extend sympathy and condolences to members of the families and to colleagues and friends.
Hon. John R. COUNTRYMAN,
prolific Hollywood child actor of the 1930s and 1940s, who worked under the name Johnny Russell and then built a long career as a U.S. diplomat, ultimately serving as ambassador in Oman, died December 14, 2024, in Leesburg, Virginia, at the age of 91.
John Russell Countryman was born January 25, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York. He started modeling when he was 3, and while in Los Angeles with his mother, was picked to play the son of Allan Lane’s boxer in The Duke Comes Back. He appeared in more than a dozen other films including a small role as one of the boys supporting Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. He also appeared with Shirley Temple in the 1940 fantasy film The Blue Bird. Shortly thereafter, he and his family returned to the East Coast. He received a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in 1954. Following graduation, he studied for a year at the University of Berlin on a Fulbright fellowship. He spent 3 years in the Air Force and then earned a master’s degree from the University of Miami in 1961. He joined the Foreign Service in April 1962.
Ambassador Countryman’s path from movies to the State Department in the early 1960s predated that of his onetime child co-star, Shirley Temple, by more than a decade. Her appointment under her married named Shirley Temple Black as U.S. ambassador to Ghana in 1974 brought much fanfare and public reminiscing about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Ambassador Countryman, instead, quietly rose through the Foreign Service as a career diplomat with a
reputation for handling challenging assignments.
Ambassador Countryman’s first diplomatic post was Istanbul from 1963 to 1965. He then studied Arabic in Beirut and served in the U.S. Consulate in Dhahran from 1968 to 1971. In the aftermath of the 1967 war between Israel and a coalition of Arab countries, he was part of delicate diplomacy to aid the Saudi military while preserving U.S. influence in Israel. At his next post in Tripoli, he served as chief economic officer until 1973, and then as deputy chief of mission in Libreville, Gabon, until 1975. He returned to Washington for roles including director of Arabian Peninsula affairs at the State Department.
When protesters in Tehran stormed the U.S. Embassy in 1979 — eventually holding 52 hostages — Ambassador Countryman was a leader of the State Department’s crisis team during the 444-day standoff. In 1981, he was named ambassador to Oman, where he negotiated a key military cooperation pact amid a nearly decade-long war between Iraq and Iran. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1987, two years after leaving the Oman post. In a message to future diplomats, Mr. Countryman said etiquette and cultural sensitivity should remain as much a priority as advocating for U.S. interests.
Ambassador Countryman’s survivors include his second wife, Illona, his daughter, Vanessa Countryman, secretary of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and son-in-law, James. He was predeceased by his sister, Carol.
Lowell FLEISCHER,
retired Foreign Service Officer, died August 8, 2024, in Lewes, Delaware, at the age of 87.
Mr. Fleischer was born March 15, 1937, in Salem, Ohio. He received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1959. He earned a master’s degree and a PhD in international relations from University of Connecticut. He joined the Foreign Service in 1963.
Mr. Fleischer’s first overseas posts included in Medellin, Colombia (196365), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (1968-71). He and his family next moved to Amherst, where he taught international affairs at University of Massachusetts (197172). Returning to the Washington, D.C. area, he settled in Arlington, Virginia. In 1975, the family moved to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, for nearly three years. In 1978, he was on the front page of the New York Times after negotiating the release of an accused spy in Belgrade. His last international post was in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where he was consul general.
Following his State Department career, Mr. Fleischer continued to work on international issues at the Council of the Americas, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he wrote about trade, energy, and Latin American security issues. His other positions include stints as U.S. representative to the Organization of American States and as part of the U.S. delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty. He ended his diplomatic career in 1987 after serving as an embassy inspector around the globe.
In retirement, Mr. Fleischer moved
to Lewes, Delaware, where he was an active community member, president of the neighborhood civic association, and head of the volunteers at a local voting precinct for years. He was also an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where he was treasurer. He and his wife Arline continued to travel regularly, including trips to Spain, Italy, Canada, and France.
Mr. Fleischer is survived by his wife; daughter, Melissa; son, Michael and his wife Giovanna; his granddaughter, Begoña; as well as sisters, Carolyn (Gene Leiter), Diane Hartzell, and Marsha Fleischer.
Burton L. GERBER,
who as an operations officer for the CIA, pushed for greater risk-taking in spying against the Soviet Union, and who later as the agency’s chief of station in Moscow oversaw an operation for a trove of secret documents on Soviet military research and development, one of the most productive espionage operations undertaken by the United States in the Cold War, died January 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 91.
Burton Lee Gerber was born July 19, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. He received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in 1955. He was recruited into the CIA on campus, he recalled, by a man who “could not tell me what the job would be, he couldn’t tell me anything about it, but would I be interested?” He was hired into the agency, did a six-month stint in the Army as a second lieutenant, then returned to the CIA.
Mr. Gerber’s 39-year career as a CIA operations officer included assignments in West Germany, Bulgaria, Iran, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. In three of those countries, he served as the Chief of Station, the senior most American intelligence officer. Back in Washington, he served as the Chief of the CIA's Soviet and East Europe Division during the height of the Cold War. Under his sometimes-
gruff exterior, he was sensitive to the human costs of spying and lit candles at Roman Catholic churches to honor the memory of agents he had lost.
The CIA awarded Mr. Gerber with the Distinguished Intelligence Medal and the Intelligence Commendation Medal as well as designating him three times as Meritorious Officer. The OSS Society selected him for the Hugh Montgomery Award, commemorating achievements in espionage. The Central Intelligence Retirees Association selected him for the Lloyd Salvetti award. Former Michigan Governor James Blanchard selected Burton in 2018 to receive the Spartan Statesmanship Award for Distinguished Public Service. He wrote a classified memoir, Splendid Day: A Case Officer’s Journey (1994) that is still in use at the CIA.
In 2007, Mr. Gerber became an adjunct professor in the security studies program at Georgetown University, beginning in 2007. With Jennifer Sims, then a professor in the same faculty, he contributed to and coedited Transforming U.S. Intelligence (2005) and Vaults Mirrors and Masks: Rediscovering Counterintelligence (2009), both published by Georgetown University Press.
Mr. Gerber was a Knight of Malta, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Washington Institute for Foreign Affairs, DACOR, the ArmyNavy Club, the Central Intelligence Retirees Association, the Association for Intelligence Officers, the Sierra Club and Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He was a parishioner at St. Matthew's Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
Together with his wife Rosalie, Mr. Gerber endowed scholarships for students at Michigan State University and Assumption College, in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Mr. Gerber was a DACOR Bacon House Foundation Legacy Society member.
Mr. Gerber is survived by his nephew Stephen Gerber and wife Cindy and their sons and grandchildren, Rosalie's brother Thomas Sherwood and wife
Geri and the Sherwood children and grandchildren.
William NEWLIN,
retired Foreign Service Officer and published naturalist, died December 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 91.
Mr. Newlin was born February 9, 1933, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as an officer in the Army and received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business from Harvard and a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
A 25-year veteran of the Foreign Service, Mr. Newlin’s overseas postings included Paris, Guatemala, Brussels, and Nice, where he served as Consul General.
In retirement, Mr. Newlin pivoted to writing and teaching, including at the College of the Atlantic, where he also served more than two decades on the board. His naturalist guidebook The Lakes and Ponds of Mount Desert was published first by Down East Books and in a second edition by College of the Atlantic Press. His memoir, Drunk at the State Department, chronicled his journey from drinking to sobriety. Mr. Newlin loved fishing and sailing, and in his 80th year, he crossed the Atlantic on a Norwegian tall ship.
Mr. Newlin is survived by his wife of 67 years, Louisa; three children and three grandchildren, and by numerous friends and relatives.
The officers and governors of DACOR were saddened to learn of the deaths of the following colleagues and friends.
C
ésar BELTRÁN,
retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), died December 13, 2024, in Chaplin, Connecticut, at the age of 77.
Mr. Beltrán was a Ford Fellow and received a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico, and master’s degree from George Washington University.
Mr. Beltrán served 35 years with the Department of State and U.S. Information Agency as a public affairs and communications manager. He held embassy counselor positions in Budapest, Warsaw, Santo Domingo, and Moscow. He served as director of the public affairs sections in Warsaw and Budapest. He retired in 2006.
In retirement, Mr. Beltrán moved to Chaplin, where he enjoyed a second career for 11 years as an adjunct professor in communication at Eastern Connecticut State University. He also served as a senior advisor to the nongovernmental organization International Center for Development and Democratic Transition and on the board of the Mensch Foundation, both based in Budapest. Beltrán was an avid sportsman and was particularly fond of horseback riding, polo, and downhill skiing.
Mr. Beltrán is survived by his wife of 30 years, Victoria.
Colette “Coco” DONATO,
retired Foreign Service National, died December 11, 2024, in Beaulieu-surMer, France, at the age of 97.
Ms. Donato began her work for the U.S. government in 1949 with the Marshall Plan. In 1960, she joined the then-new U.S. Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (USOECD) in Paris as a Foreign Service National. She was USOECD’s head librarian, where she served under 10
U.S. ambassadors and was recognized as Foreign Service National of the Year in 1991 before retiring the following year.
Ms. Donato finally visited the United States in retirement and loved boating in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Bay, Italian gastronomy, the Normandy beaches, and Paris by night.
Ms. Donato is survived by her husband, Ciro; and her beloved dog, Guapa.
William “Bill” A. DOTSON,
retired Foreign Service diplomatic courier, died September 1, 2024, in Springfield, Virginia, at the age of 92.
Mr. Dotson was born February 15, 1932, in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. He received a bachelor’s degree from Manchester College, Indiana in 1952. He then joined the U.S. Army, where he was assigned to language school studying Romanian. He spent the next few years in Germany. He was discharged from the Army in 1957 and returned to Indiana, where he taught elementary school. In 1959, he joined the Foreign Service as a diplomatic courier and served as such until his retirement in 1986. He continued working for many years with the couriers in the Washington office.
In 1976, Mr. Dotson relocated to Springfield, Virginia. He spent the last eight years before his death with his longtime friend and companion, Liz. They traveled around the world often with his sister, Pat. He frequented the gym and enjoyed dining at his favorite Thai restaurants. He made an annual trek to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to enjoy all things in “Dutch country.”
Mr. Dotson is survived by Liz; Pat; three nieces, Mona, Laurie, and Lisa; and many grand nieces and nephews.
Rodney Louis HUFF,
retired Foreign Service Officer, died November 9, 2024, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, at the age of 84.
Mr. Huff was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. After serving in the U.S. Air Force for more than six years in the Far East, he earned a doctorate from George Washington University. He then joined the Department of State as a political officer.
Mr. Huff’s overseas assignments included Yokohama, Tokyo, Ouagadougou, and Prague. While in Washington, he worked in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He retired after 35 years with the Foreign Service.
As a child, Mr. Huff had a talent for playing the piano, which he enjoyed long into adulthood. He also enjoyed traveling, playing bridge, taking care of his grandchildren, and gardening.
Mr. Huff is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sarah; three children, Christopher, Songmi, and James; a sister, Anne; seven grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Phebe MARR,
scholar of Iraq’s history and upheavals, died December 26, 2024, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 93.
Dr. Marr was born September 21, 1931, in Mount Vernon, New York. She received a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College in 1953 and a master’s degree in 1956 from Radcliffe College (now the Harvard Radcliffe Institute). That led to a travel grant from Harvard University, and she headed for Lebanon, where she made her research base the American University of Beirut and taught English for extra money. A bus trip to Baghdad in the late 1950s began her path to become one of the leading American experts on Iraq.
After leaving Iraq, Dr. Marr was a political research analyst at the Saudibased oil giant Aramco from 1960 to
1962 and then served for three years as head of the Near East and North Africa program at the Foreign Service Institute. She received her doctorate in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University in 1967.
Dr. Marr taught Middle East history at Stanislaus State College (now California State University, Stanislaus) and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville before joining the Institute for National Strategic Studies in 1985. She spent the rest of her career as a senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, a congressionally chartered think tank dedicated to studies of nonviolent conflict resolution.
Dr. Marr carried an indirect voice in U.S. policymaking through frequent congressional testimony and as a professor at the National Defense University. During the early years of the U.S. war in Iraq, her book The Modern History of Iraq (1985) was on the military’s reading list for intensive predeployment courses among officers and others.
Survivors include Dr. Marr’s husband, Iraqi-born political scientist Louay Bahry, and a sister, Dottie Villers.
Suzanne MASSIE,
an American-born writer whose explorations into the Russian soul helped shape Cold War geopolitics as an adviser to President Ronald Reagan with lessons that included a Russian proverb, “Trust but verify,” which was embraced as White House policy, died January 26, 2025, in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, at the age of 94.
Suzanne Liselotte Rohrbach was born January 8, 1931, in Queens, New York, the daughter of a Swiss consul general in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris before receiving a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College in 1952.
She then spent more than a decade in journalism in roles including researcher at Time and Life magazines and managing editor of Gourmet magazine. She started Russian classes in the early 1960s and assisted her then-husband, historian Robert K. Massie with his best-selling 1967 biography Nicholas and Alexandra (1967) on the last of Russia’s czarist rulers. Ms. Massie and her husband (who later divorced) cowrote a personal saga, Journey (1975), on caring for their son with hemophilia.
The first encounter between Ms. Massie and Reagan in early 1984 began one of the most unexpected Oval Office partnerships of his administration. Her briefings did not directly deal with policymaking, but she was credited with helping expand Reagan’s understanding of Russian culture and history in the years leading to Cold Warera détente and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. She briefed President Ronald Reagan on Russian history and Soviet life.
Ms. Massie was predeceased by her second husband, Seymour Papert, a researcher of artificial intelligence and education theory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Survivors include three children from her first marriage; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister.
Robert “Bob” Joseph PALMERI,
retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), died November 6, 2024, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 85.
Mr. Palmeri was born July 16, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York. After he received a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, he traveled to Nigeria and became a chemistry teacher in Ilaro. Upon his return to the United States, he joined the Foreign Service with USIA.
Mr. Palmeri’s overseas assignments included Nigeria, Congo, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Benin, Senegal, France, and Côte d’Ivoire. In Paris, he served as one of the first directors of African Regional Services. At his post in Abidjan, he served as director of the American Cultural Center.
After retirement, Mr. Palmeri and his wife decided to remain in Abidjan, where he taught English to both children and adults. At the onset of the Ivorian Civil War, he and his family moved back to the United States and settled in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts. He remained active in the community as a member of the Yarmouth Energy Committee and a regular at the Yarmouth Senior Center. He loved gardening and cooking and was an avid reader.
Mr. Palmeri is survived by his wife; four children, Daisy, Giovanni, Marjorie, and Lucie; two siblings, Laura and Larry; and five nephews and nieces.
DACOR Bulletin Obituaries
DACOR welcomes receiving obituaries of foreign affairs professionals, whether DACOR members or otherwise. They are reviewed by Obituaries Editor Frances Burnet, primarily for length; 500 words usually suffices.
The deadline for submissions is the 1st day of the previous month; i.e. for the April issue, please email the obit by March 1st to Christine Skodon at: clskodon@dacorbacon.org
The obituaries that are featured in the DACOR Bulletin are adapted from a variety of sources: information provided by loved ones of the deceased; the Washington Post, New York Times, Foreign Service Journal and other periodicals; ADST's Oral History Collection; historical documents; and others. Please contact DACOR for sources used for a specific obituary.
www.dacorbacon.org
Since 1988, The Senior Living Foundation has provided support to our retired Foreign Service community. The Foundation assists in many ways: Home health care expenses Case management
Prescription & medical expenses
Senior housing
Geriatric care health assessments
Basic living expenses
The Senior Living Foundation (SLF) protects the confidentiality and preserves the dignity of anyone who contacts us.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact SLF at (202) 887-8170. We are here to help!
