The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

n Oct. 28, 2002, USAID Supervisory Executive Officer Laurence M. Foley — a loving husband, a father, a proud grandfather, an inspiring manager and good friend, a man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of others — made the ultimate sacrifice: He was gunned down by an unknown assailant in front of his home in Amman, Jordan, as he prepared to leave for work at the mission. “Larry was a highly decorated Foreign Service officer, but will be remembered even more vividly by all those who knew him for his charm, wit and friendship,” said USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios. “No one in USAID embod- ied the spirit of compassion and brotherhood that underpins our efforts more than Larry Foley.” In a memorial ceremony at Embassy Amman, colleagues and friends sought to come to grips with this latest terrorist outrage with a moving celebration of Larry Foley’s life. “Only yesterday, I stood in this very same spot to present to him a superior honor award for all of his efforts and sup- port for the programs of humanitarian and developmental assistance here in Jordan,” said Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm. “Larry was working in Jordan to help deliver clean drinking water to Jordanian families. He was working in Jordan to help rehabilitate primary health care centers throughout the Kingdom. He was helping to administer micro-lending programs which have provided loans to many, many Jordanians so they might start new businesses and gain independence in their own lives. Larry represents the very best in America — a man dedicated to this country and to helping other people.” Laurence Foley was “a larger-than-life type of guy — an Irish Bostonian with a twinkle in his eye,” one colleague recalled. “He had a great sense of humor and was a joy to everyone around him,” an FSN employee at Embassy Amman recalled. “He was a great boss — always positive, always cheerful, giving room for growth. But the most impor- tant thing I remember about Larry is that he was always full of life. I guess that is why it is so hard for us to believe that he is no longer with us.” But, as USAID Administrator Natsios emphasized, terror- ists and criminals cannot destroy the message of public ser- vice embodied in a person like Larry Foley: “Our mission to improve the lives of people in the developing world will con- tinue, and the message of the life of Larry Foley will contin- ue to be heard. This is the ultimate tribute that we can pay.” A Life of Service Born into an Irish Catholic family in Boston in 1942 and raised in Oakland, Calif., Laurence Foley joined the Peace Corps in 1965, following graduation from the University of Massachusetts with an education degree. For two years he worked in India, building and running large model poultry farms in the state of Andhra Pradesh as part of the Indian government’s expanded nutrition program for the rural popu- lation. He returned to the U.S. and entered San Francisco State University, where he graduated in 1969 with a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, and thereafter served as a supervising probation officer for Contra Costa County, work- ing to counsel and rehabilitate juvenile offenders. In 1980 Laurence Foley returned to the Peace Corps as an associate director, responsible for all aspects of Peace Corps involvement in the Southern Region of the Philippines, including the preparation, placement and supervision of more than 200 volunteers. In 1985, he returned again to California to direct administrative services for Rehabilitation Services of Northern California, a large non-profit rehab facility for vic- tims of head injury, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Laurence Foley joined USAID in 1988, and in 1990 was appointed to his first supervisory executive officer position in La Paz, Bolivia. In 1992 he was posted to Lima, Peru, where as chief of the executive office he managed a staff of eighty. From 1996 to 2000, he served as chief of the executive office and chief contract officer assigned to post in Harare, Zimbabwe. Mr. Foley supervised 26 FSNs and coordinated the activities of 20 security officers. In August 2000 he was posted to Amman, where he was responsible for the man- agement of all aspects of USAID Jordan’s administrative sup- port services, including personnel, property management, information resources, communications, transportation, commodity/service procurement and security. Virginia Foley, Larry’s wife of 34 years, took comfort in J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 61 O A PPRECIATION Laurence M. Foley 1942-2002