THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY-JUNE 2026 97 In 1970 Mr. Milam returned to Washington, D.C., as a desk officer in the Office of Monetary Affairs. He was then sent to London as an economic officer. Returning again to Washington, as deputy director and then director of the Office of Monetary Affairs, Mr. Milam enjoyed his work as the U.S. representative at the Paris Club, charged with official debt rescheduling of developing countries. For this work, he received the James Clement Dunn Award in 1981 and a Superior Honor Award in 1983. Mr. Milam was appointed deputy chief of mission in Yaoundé in 1983, his first experience in running an embassy, before returning to Washington in 1985 as deputy assistant secretary for international finance and development. In 1990 he was appointed U.S. ambassador to Bangladesh, his first experience in South Asia. Amb. Milam was recognized by the State Department with a Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 1990, and he received the Presidential Award for Outstanding Service in 1991. Amb. Milam subsequently served as special negotiator for the environment (1993–1995), chief of mission to Liberia (1995–1998), and U.S. ambassador to Pakistan (1998–2001). In July 2001, Amb. Milam retired but was recalled to service after 9/11, spending nine months establishing an economic reconstruction program for Afghanistan. The State Department again turned to his expertise in 2007, when he agreed to serve as the third chargé d’affaires to Libya as the United States reestablished official diplomatic relations and awaited confirmation of the first ambassador to the country since 1978. Throughout these decades, South Asia continued to occupy Amb. Milam’s thoughts. When he retired, he had accepted a position as a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., which gave him time (and research assistants) to turn to writing. In addition to columns for newspapers in Bangladesh and Pakistan, Amb. Milam wrote a book, Bangladesh & Pakistan: Flirting with Failure in South Asia, published by Oxford University Press in 2010. Colleagues and family members remember him as a career FSO of impeccable integrity, a devoted friend, and a loving father, uncle, great-uncle, and grandfather, who never hesitated to voice his opinions, of which he had many. Amb. Milam is survived by his brother, Carl; two stepchildren from a former marriage, Erika Lorraine Milam, of Princeton, N.J., and Frederick Kenneth Webster (and spouse, Becky) of Salt Lake City, Utah; and stepgranddaughters, Gracie and Lucy. n Susan Rene Nance, 74, spouse of retired Foreign Service information management officer Sidney Nance, died on June 21, 2025, in Virginia Beach, Va., after a long battle with melanoma. Born on January 8, 1951, in High Point, N.C., she met Sidney Nance at a church picnic; they married on June 15, 1969. Together they shared a life of love, adventure, and deep faith. Their Foreign Service journey took them around the world. They raised their family in England, Saudi Arabia, Papua New Guinea, Suriname, Tunisia, Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, the Dominican Republic, and Bahrain. Since 2000, they made their home in Woodbridge, Va. Ms. Nance, affectionately known as “Nene” to her grandchildren and to the many children she cared for over the years, poured her heart into serving others. Whether caring for children in her neighborhood or at military base daycare centers, or supporting church communities, her nurturing spirit and steadfast faith left a lasting impression. Family members and friends remember her as a devoted prayer warrior and an example of Christ’s love, who lived with kindness, grace, and humility and left a legacy of compassion, patience, and unwavering trust in God. Ms. Nance was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Esther Byrd Lowe. She is survived by her devoted husband of 56 years, Sidney; children, Amy Nance Ketterman, Bradley Nance (and spouse, Jennifer), and Kevin Nance (and spouse, Allison); four grandchildren, Braxton (17), Caden (13), Evangeline (7), and Ronan (2); and sister, Janice Tatum. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Compasses Hospice Angels Foundation. n Suzanne Elouise Payne, 84, a retired Foreign Service officer, died in Sarasota, Fla., on January 12, 2026, after a short battle with cancer. Ms. Payne was born on October 23, 1941, in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Washington, D.C. She received her bachelor’s degree at Howard University in psychology, followed by a master’s degree in science and urban studies. Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked for the City of New York. As an FSO, she was among the first Americans to serve in post-revolution Havana. She also served in consular positions in Manila, Thessaloniki, Juarez, Santiago, Athens, and Quito. While serving in the Philippines, Ms. Payne adopted her beloved son, Jay. After retiring, Ms. Payne initially
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