The Foreign Service Journal, March 2008

Suzanne (Susie) Brainne Carle , 75, widow of the late FSO Bob Carle, mother of FSO Lisa Carle, and moth- er-in-law of FSO Scott McGehee, died on Dec. 27 at Sharp Coronado Hospital in Coronado, Calif., of a massive internal hemorrhage. A 28-year resident of Coronado, Mrs. Carle was born a French citizen in Algeria (Oran) on July 21, 1932. Her family returned to Marseille in 1940 and then settled in Paris in 1945. In 1950 she met Bob Carle, a native of Coronado, then a diplomatic courier based at Embassy Paris. They mar- ried in 1952. Mr. Carle became an FSO in 1955, and together they served in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Colombia, Bangladesh and Libya. During that time Mrs. Carle was a patron of local artists, especially in Colombia and Bangladesh, and an active volunteer for various charitable organizations supporting children. The couple retired to Coronado in 1979. Mr. Carle passed away in 1990. For nearly 15 years Mrs. Carle was a volunteer at the Panamerican Institute, a vocational training school for young women in Tijuana. An avid gardener, she enjoyed participating in the Coronado Floral Association’s annual competitions. She also served as president of the Coronado Lawn Bowling Association. Mrs. Carle is survived by her three children: Lisa, posted to the U.S. Mission in Geneva; Barbara Sirvent of Sacramento, Calif.; and Robert of Chula Vista, Calif.; and five grandchil- dren: Madeline and Michael McGe- hee, Raphael Sirvent and Sabrina and Ariana Carle. Memorial donations may be made to the Panamerican Institute, P.O. Box 433872, San Ysidro CA 92143. For more information about the Institute’s Adopt-A-Student Program, contact the Missionary Society of the NACCC at (800) 262-1620. John Hugh Crimmins , 86, a Foreign Service officer and former ambassador, died on Dec. 12 at the Collington Senior Residence in Mitchellville, Md., of heart failure. Born in 1919 in Worcester, Mass., he attended Boston English High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1941. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army in the Pacific, at- taining the rank of lieutenant colonel. Ambassador Crimmins entered the Foreign Service in 1946 and spent most of his career in Latin America. He was director of Caribbean and Mexican Affairs from 1961 to 1963 and coordinator of Cuban Affairs from 1963 to 1966. He was named ambassador to the Dominican Re- public in 1966 and served there until 1969, when he was appointed senior deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs. In 1973, he was named ambas- sador to Brazil and served in that capacity until 1978, when he retired. While in Brasilia in 1974, Amb. Crimmins was credited with saving the life of a young American who had been arrested by the Brazilian mili- tary on unsubstantiated charges and severely tortured. When the embassy learned of the assault, a sharply word- ed note of protest by Amb. Crimmins resulted in the injured American’s release. In later congressional testi- mony, the victim stated that if the embassy had not come to his rescue, he would surely have died. Amb. Crimmins was called back to the department in 1979 to investigate and write a report on the Jonestown massacre. The report, “Performance of the Department of State and the American Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana, in the People’s Temple Case,” was highly critical of both the department’s and the embassy’s per- formance. Amb. Crimmins is survived by his wife, Marguerite Carlson Crimmins of Mitchellville; a daughter, Deborah Crimmins and her husband, Daniel Baschkopf of South Portland, Maine; a son, John Hugh Crimmins Jr. and his wife, Margarita Hurtado of Columbia, Md.; and a grandson, Gregory Basch- kopf of South Portland, Maine. Ellen C. Cronin , 80, a retired member of the Foreign Service, died on Nov. 17 at Newport Hospital in Portsmouth, R.I., following a brief ill- ness. Ms. Cronin was born in Fall River, Mass., on June 21, 1927. During a 31- year career with the State Depart- ment, she was posted mainly in the Far East, serving in Manila, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. She retired in 1983, settling in Portsmouth two years later. Ms. Cronin was a founding mem- ber of the Foreign Affairs Retirees of New England and remained active in the organization’s programs. She was an avid traveler, enjoyed art and was a member of the Newport Art Mus- eum. Survivors include a sister, Cecilia C. Cronin Whipp of Dartmouth, Mass.; a brother, John F. Cronin of Tucson, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to Harold Hudner Oncology, 795 Middle Street, Fall River MA 02721. Edward M. Featherstone , 72, a retired FSO, died at the Capital Hos- pice in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 2. He had Alzheimer’s disease. Though Mr. Featherstone would spend 21 years in Japan as an FSO, his first visit there was with his parents, 74 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A R C H 2 0 0 8 I N M E M O R Y