The Foreign Service Journal - January/February 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 97 was Mimi’s farewell from La Bohème , “Farewell without Rancor,” family mem- bers and friends recall, agreeing that it captures the spirit of his departure from a rich and fulfilling life. Mr. Marsh is survived by two sons, William and Andrew, their spouses and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in his name bemade to humanitarian relief efforts in Puerto Rico. n Edward J. McKeon, 66, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer with the per- sonal rank of Minister Counselor, died on Sept. 3, 2017, at his home in Chevy Chase, Md., after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Born in New Brunswick, N.J., Mr. McKeon grew up with his parents, Edward and Ramona McKeon, and eight siblings in Edison, N.J. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1968 to attend Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. After earning a BSFS there in 1972, he earned a J.D. in 1975 from American University’s Wash- ington College of Law. Mr. McKeon was commissioned as a Foreign Service officer in 1975. During a distinguished 36-year diplomatic career, he was known for his exceptional man- agement skills, intelligence and personal charm. He was dedicated to the people who worked for him, mentoring many. As minister counselor for consular affairs at U.S. Embassy Mexico City (2007-2011), his last posting before retirement, Mr. McKeon supervised overall operations at nine U.S. consul- ates and 13 U.S. agencies across Mexico, focusing on the well-being of personnel in some of the most challenging posts in the Western Hemisphere. As consul general in Tokyo (2003- 2007), he spearheaded efforts to encour- age the Japanese government to recog- nize the rights of American parents in child custody disputes. Tokyo had been Mr. McKeon’s first overseas posting, and he returned to Japan in retirement, immediately follow- ing the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsu- nami, to direct a 23-member crisis team assisting American citizens to evacuate, finding missing relatives on behalf of Americans and providing affected resi- dents with anti-radiation medicine. As consul general in Tel Aviv (2000- 2003), he received a White House Meritorious Honor award in recognition of his exceptional service to American victims of terrorism in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Earlier, as consul general and princi- pal officer at Consulate General Guang- zhou (1994-2000), he created the largest adoption center in the world, helping more than 30,000 Americans navigate the process of adopting Chinese-born children in a secure, safe and support- ive environment. He also worked to defuse tensions with Chinese officials following the U.S. bombing of China’s Belgrade embassy. Mr. McKeon received State’s presti- gious Mary A. Ryan Award for Outstand- ing Public Service in 2009. Following his 2011 retirement from the Foreign Service, Mr. McKeon took short-term State Department assign- ments, fixing management problems at a number of embassies. In 2013, he joined Ambassador Tom Schieffer’s Envoy International consulting firm, where he delighted in working with Major League Baseball on issues involving interna- tional players. Mr. McKeon and his late partner of 34 years (and husband from 2008), Harold J. Ashby Jr., were pioneers in creating a stable, committed and loving same- sex household within the sometimes unwelcoming State Department. Mr. Ashby accompanied Mr. McKeon on his initial 1982 posting to Tokyo and every one thereafter. When gay marriage became legal in California in 2008, the couple rushed to the United States to get married, then returned to Mexico to finish their tour. They were proud that Mr. Ashby was the second person ever to receive a U.S. dip- lomatic passport as a same-sex spouse. The greatest joys of the partners’ lives were their two sons: Max Albert Ashby McKeon, born in 1997; and Benjamin Makoto Ashby McKeon, born in 2003. They were adopted from China and Japan, respectively. Mr. McKeon and Mr. Ashby were devoted fathers whose sons’ well-being was a central focus of their lives, and whose presence could be counted on at every soccer game and parent-teacher night. Mr. McKeon was enormously proud of them both. In addition to raising his boys, Mr. McKeon’s great passions were travel, hosting colleagues and friends at his home, serving and eating good food, and reading. Fascinated by American history, he set out to read a full biog- raphy of every American president, in order. At the time of his death, he was halfway through a biography of the tenth president, John Tyler. Beginning in early 2017, Mr. McKeon volunteered for the DC Center for the LGBT Community, helping to counsel and support LGBT asylum seekers. Mr. McKeon was predeceased by Mr. Ashby in 2014. He is survived by his sons, Max and Ben McKeon; eight siblings, John (and his wife, Liz), Maureen, Joseph, Kevin (and his wife, Christine), Robert (and his wife, Eileen), Thomas (and his wife, Denise), Roman (and his wife, Rose)