74 MARCH-APRIL 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL n Paul M. Fermoile, 73, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on October 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. He was the son of the late Marilyn and John D. Fermoile Sr. In 1970 Mr. Fermoile graduated from DeSales Catholic High School and then earned his bachelor’s degree in government, summa cum laude, from Georgetown University. After stints with the U.S. Customs Service and Internal Revenue Service, he became a naval officer and spent 20 years on active duty and in the reserves. He received numerous awards and decorations, rising to the rank of commander. In 1997 Mr. Fermoile joined the U.S. Foreign Service. He held consular posts in South Africa, Mexico, Chile, India, Panama, and Washington, D.C. He retired in 2017. Mr. Fermoile embraced a variety of interests including travel, dining, reading, golf, dance, international affairs, voice acting, and aviation. In later years, he became an avid hiker, leading group hikes in Northern Virginia and even walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago in 2023. Friends and family members recall his curiosity, his sense of humor, and his zest for life. Im Sun Fermoile, his beloved wife of 35 years, died in 2016. He was also predeceased by his brother, John D. Fermoile Jr., and sister, Diane Fermoile-McAvoy. Mr. Fermoile is survived by his stepson, Cory (and spouse Stacy Fischer) Paige, and two grandchildren; brothers Marc (and spouse Colleen) Fermoile and David Fermoile; brother-in-law Jerry McAvoy; and nieces Kelly (and spouse Mike) Helmuth and Megan (and spouse Adam) Huczel. n Marjorie Ruth Harrison, 78, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on December 11, 2025, at her home outside Washington, D.C. A native of Newton, Mass., Ms. Harrison graduated from Brandeis University in 1969, with a degree in American history. After stints teaching English as a second language in the U.S., she joined the Peace Corps in 1974, served in Kuala Lumpur, and helped found the Boston Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. She worked teaching English to foreign students and returned to the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) to pursue a career in higher education, earning her doctorate in education in 1981. She then moved to upstate New York for a position as the assistant dean of students at Colgate University. There she was involved in the local community, serving as the executive director of the Madison County Rape Crisis Service. In 1984 Ms. Harrison relocated to Pittsburgh, Pa., as dean of students at Chatham College (now Chatham University). She was an active member of the Pittsburgh Area Peace Corps Association and served on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Women’s Shelter. In 1992 Ms. Harrison left academia to join the U.S. Information Agency as a public diplomacy officer and served in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Benin, India, Mauritius, and Malaysia. Friends recall how she relished connecting people and learning from her local colleagues, qualities that fit perfectly with her work as a cultural affairs or public affairs officer, connecting artists and scholars across oceans and building kinship among people. Throughout her career, Ms. Harrison collected beautiful arts and crafts, memories of her travels. Each and every puppet and piece of pottery came with a story. A lover of fabric and fiber, she sought assignments in countries with a ministry of textiles and assembled a collection she planned to donate to the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. In 2010 she retired from the State Department after her second bout of cancer. Splitting her time between Washington, D.C., and Cape Cod, Ms. Harrison continued to make art and travel until the pandemic, visiting every continent. In her professional and recreational travels, she met the Dalai Lama, swam with horses, cuddled koalas, and walked with penguins in Antarctica. Friends and family members remember Ms. Harrison as a bon vivant, amused intellect, optimist, and generous and curious soul, who delighted in hosting Friendsgivings and seders for her communities. She contributed to a wide range of charitable causes, particularly animal welfare, foreign aid, and education. She was rarely without a canine companion, including beagles Cassie and Annabel, Jake (an honorary beagle), and her beloved Chloe, who was at her side when she died. Donations may be made in her memory to the Marjorie R. Harrison International Impact Fund, School of Education, at UMass Amherst. n Donald V. Hester, 83, a retired Foreign Service officer, died peacefully in his sleep on August 31, 2025, at Arden Courts Memory Care in Annandale, Va. Mr. Hester was born on June 11, 1942, in Oak Park, Ill., to Vance C. and Lella B. (née Apple) Hester. After completing his bachelor’s degree at American University, he pursued his lifelong passion for international relations, completing a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1969 Mr. Hester married his wife, Ingrid, and in 1970, he began his 25-year career with the U.S. Foreign Service.
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