The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY FEBRUARY 2015 77 n Rosa Maria Cody , 85, wife of the late USAIDDirector Peter M. Cody, died from colon cancer on Sept. 1 at her home inWashington, D.C. Mrs. Cody was born to Francisca and Alfredo Alatorre on Aug. 30, 1929, in the neighborhood of Coyoacán in Mexico City. Mrs. and Mrs. Alatorre worked for Mexico’s Foreign Service. Mrs. Cody and her husband-to-be met while working at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Longing for new horizons and breaking with tradition, in 1957 Mrs. Cody married FSO Peter Cody, a divorced man with three sons. ey went on to live in El Salvador, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Paraguay, Ecuador, the Philippines, Lebanon, Sudan, Kenya and Guatemala, as well as in Washington, D.C., between overseas postings. While overseas, Mrs. Cody learned to speak several languages, play the harp and became adept in various art forms and cuisine. In Lebanon, she studied interior design. In Sudan, she redesigned the guest quarters for visitors to the mis- sion. She was also responsible for the mission’s eet of drivers. Mrs. Cody joined her husband in his numerous adventures, which included exploring the countryside of every coun- try they lived in, climbing mountains, kayaking down rivers and getting to know the countries and their inhabitants. She embraced life as wife of the USAID direc- tor, and was known for her hospitality and generosity to all. Mrs. Cody is predeceased by her husband, Peter, who died in 2012 at the age of 86. She is survived by two daughters, Cor- nelia Cody of McLean, Va., and Cecilia Cody of Silver Spring, Md.; two stepsons, Michael Cody of Madrid, Spain, and Ryan Cody of Kirkland, Wash.; two grandsons, Gregory Hickox of San Diego, Calif., and Robert Cody-Meisner of Silver Spring, Md. n James Herbert De Cou , 85, a retired FSO with the U.S. Information Agency, died after a brief illness on July 31, 2014, in Le Vesinet, France. Mr. De Cou, or “Jazz” as others later knew him, was born on Dec. 1, 1928, and raised in Atascadero, Calif. He attended Stanford University, graduating magna cum laude in 1950. He served in the Air Force from 1952 to 1956, before joining the Foreign Service in 1957. During a 25-year career with USIA, Mr. De Cou served in Afghanistan, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Honduras, Laos, Viet- nam, Martinique, Canada, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Cameroon. He developed uency in six languages and was conversant in numerous others, as well. With an inherent interest in peoples and their languages, he fully immersed himself in the local culture when overseas. Mr. De Cou’s rst assignment was to Kabul in 1957, followed shortly by a trans- fer to Salisbury (nowHarare) as an infor- mation o cer in 1958. A year later he was posted to Tegucigalpa, returning brie y to USIA before being posted to Luang Prabans as branch public a airs o cer in 1961. He served for two years in Laos before being transferred to Martinique as public a airs o cer, which was followed by an assignment to Saigon in 1965. From 1967 to 1970, he held various positions at USIA, including branch public a airs o cer inMontreal, Africa programs o cer and public a airs o cer in Ouaga- dougou and Yaounde. Following divorce from his rst wife, Michelle, and retirement in 1979, he lived in Herndon, Va., until his marriage to Irene Epstein in 1987. He then moved to the suburbs of Paris, France, where he remained until death. Mr. De Cou loved opera, jazz, plays, ethnic cuisine, learning new languages and deep philosophical discussion about politics and world a airs. He sponsored the immigration of many families from Laos, Vietnam, China and other countries to the United States. In doing so, he was heavily engaged in helping all family members develop careers, educational pursuits and success- ful transitions into American society. Friends and family will miss his wry wit, engaging personality, political acu- men and the exceptional reasoning, intel- ligence and insight he brought to every conversation. Mr. De Cou is survived by his beloved wife of 28 years, Irene; three children: Claire De Cou of Centreville, Va., Mike De Cou of Mesa, Ariz., and Jack De Cou of Alpine, Wyo.; a brother, Jerry of Atas- cadero, Calif.; a sister, Susan Bailey of Rino, Calif.; three grandchildren: Alex, Colette and Shea-Mikhail; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. De Cou also leaves a legacy of deep friendships too numerous to mention, but he would want that to be acknowl- edged, as well—not as a testament to his character, but rather as validation of the importance he ascribed to such precious relationships. n Mary Lee Deer eld , 78, wife of retired FSO and U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Eddie Deer eld, died on Oct. 23 in PalmHarbor, Fla. She spent her nal days accompanied by her husband; two stepsons, Jim and Rick Deer eld; and Cantor Deborah Jacobson of Temple Ahavat Shalom. Mrs. Deer eld enjoyed a remarkable life. She accompanied her husband on overseas tours in India, Pakistan, Malawi, Canada, Uganda and Nigeria. She was active in social welfare in each country,