The Foreign Service Journal, March 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2015 67 his wife, Karen) of Wausau, Wis., and Gary S. Hurst (and his wife, Lauren Moll) of San Diego, Calif.; one daughter, Linda C. Hurst of Redmond, Wash.; two stepdaughters: Mrs. Betsey Leonard of Westminster, Md., and Mrs. Shaula Noonan of Old Town, Fla.; three grand- children, all members of the U.S. Navy: Commander Christopher N. Hurst, Com- mander Nicole D. Hurst and Lieutenant Andrew J. Hurst; one step-grandson, Jack D. Leonard III; two great granddaughters; one great grandson; and one sister, Mrs. Lucille Jones of St. Joseph, Mo. Memorial gifts may be made to the Tallahassee Trinity United Methodist Church (120 West Park Avenue, Tallahas- see FL 32301) or to the American Cancer Society. n John Liebig Griffiths, 85, a retired FSO, died on Nov. 29 in Dana Point, Calif., of pulmonary fibrosis. Mr. Griffiths was born on Nov. 10, 1929, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Jane Eliza- beth Liebig and John Francis Griffiths, both educators. His father was a member of the Foreign Service who achieved some national notoriety in 1948 during service as a cultural attaché in Buenos Aires when then-President Juan Peron accused him of plotting his assassination. Mr. Griffiths attended schools in Madrid and Buenos Aires, as well as in California and Indiana, before graduat- ing from Los Angeles High School. He earned a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was pursuing graduate studies at the University of Southern California when he enlisted as an officer in the U.S. Navy and went on to serve in the Philippines. On return to Los Angeles, Mr. Griffiths worked for the Office of Naval Intel- ligence and graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., before joining the Foreign Service. Mr. Griffiths served with the U.S. Information Agency throughout Latin America. He guided political, humanitar- ian and educational missions in Gua- temala, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Argentina and Brazil, concluding his career with several assignments in Washington, D.C. In 1972, Mr. Griffiths was recognized for his work with USIA’s Meritorious Honor Award. In 1975, he was honored with the Order of the Morazin by the gov- ernment of Honduras for his humanitar- ian service, and in 1976 the state of Loui- siana named him an honorary colonel. During retirement in Albuquerque, N.M., and, later, Los Angeles, Calif., he worked as an international programs adviser for the University of Southern California and relished teaching Eng- lish to students from across the globe at Berlitz Beverly Hills. He was also involved with Rotary International, Sister Cit- ies International, the American Foreign Service Association and Sigma Chi Fra- ternity. Before his death, he was thrilled to give his vintage fraternity ring to a student who couldn’t afford his own. Mr. Griffiths and his third wife, Mar- guerite (Peggy), traveled to Latin America and Europe. At home in Los Angeles, the couple joined the Brentwood Presbyte- rian Church, where they remained active until their final move to Dana Point, Calif. Family members and friends remem- ber Mr. Griffiths for his supportiveness, kindness, intelligence, extraordinary work ethic, philanthropic nature, humor (even his puns!) and perseverance, quali- ties that he extended with pride to his grandchildren. Mr. Griffiths is survived by his first wife, Claudette D. Bakewell of Newport Beach, Calif., and their son, John D. Griffiths (and his wife, Mollie) of Los