The Foreign Service Journal, May 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2021 71 Mr. Kelly grew up in Kilbourne, Ohio, on their pastoral family farm set close to the banks of his beloved Alum Creek. He graduated from Elm Valley High School in 1952. Mr. Kelly then served a four-year tour in the U.S. Navy, stationed mostly in Yokosuka, Japan. It was in those years that he became known simply as “Kelly.” Through the GI Bill, he attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The unique Antioch co-op work study program introduced Mr. Kelly to the United Nations in New York City, Colonial Williamsburg and the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. These experiences, and a summer of Chinese language study at Yale Univer- sity, sparked an interest in international affairs that led to a 25-year career as a Foreign Service officer. Mr. Kelly and his family served overseas in Seoul, Vientiane, Lima and Okinawa with the balance of assignments at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Following his rewarding career in government service, he moved to the private sector and worked for nine years in association management. He particu- larly enjoyed his leadership role as the executive director for the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics. He later added a third dimension to his professional journey, pursuing his interest in law. He eventually retired after eight years as the legal assistant to the general counsel for Nuclear Fuel Services. Outside work, Mr. Kelly was an adven- turist who loved to travel and try new things. He had a passion for ice skating, commuting into Washington, D.C., on his Vespa, flying ultralight planes and, above all other unique interests, captaining his houseboat on the Potomac River. In later years, he perfected his notori- ous spin serve in table tennis and hiked sections of the Appalachian Trail in Cum- berland County, Pa., with fellow seniors from his Green Ridge Village community. Mr. Kelly loved his family deeply and was a very proud grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife of more than 60 years, Kathryn “Kitty” Barrick Kelly; son Sean Hamilton Kelly (Suzanne); and two grandchildren, Shan- non and Scott Kelly. He was predeceased by his brother, David A. Kelly (Marge) and their son, Charles “Chuck” Kelly, and their grand- son, Ryan Kelly; and his stepbrothers, Henry Sheets and Ed Sheets; stepsister Helen (Sheets) Fleming; and step-neph- ews Michael Sheets and Dick Fleming. “Uncle Pat” is remembered fondly by his family, including niece Ruth Ann Kelly; nephew Gene A. Kelly; grand- nephew and grand-nieces Gabriel Kelly, Stephanie Kelly and Allison Kelly; Jolynn Zawilski; and step-nephews and step- nieces Vickie Sheets, Luke Sheets, Nick Sheets, Col. Amanda Sheets, Bob and Bill Fleming, among many others. Donations may be made in his memory to the Green Ridge Village Fund, 210 Big Spring Road, Newville PA 17241. n Cora Der Koorkanian, 86, spouse of a retired Foreign Service officer, died on Nov. 17, 2020, in Spokane, Wash., surrounded by her family. Mrs. Der Koorkanian was born on Jan. 28, 1934, in Bucharest, Romania, the youngest of nine siblings. She and her family survived the Holocaust and in 1950 left Romania for Israel, where she graduated from the Tel HaShomer Military School of Nursing and worked as a registered nurse in pediatrics. She left Israel for New York City to work at Mount Sinai Hospital and from there moved to Brazil to work in research. In 1976 she married George Der Koorkanian, a member of the U.S. Foreign Service, and they spent 31 wonderful years together. The Koorkanians traveled the world, living overseas inThailand and Germany, settling after Mr. Koorkanian’s retirement inManchester, N.H. In 2016 Mrs. Koorkanian moved to Spokane to be close to family. She quickly made numerous friends in the commu- nity and enjoyed spending much time with her grandchildren, who could walk to her house. Mrs. Koorkanian is survived by daugh- ter Diana Koorkanian-Sauders; son-in-law Robert Sauders; grandchildren Joshua and Naomi; and numerous nieces and cousins in Israel and France. Memorial donations may be made to the Congregation Emanu-El (Spokane) Sustainability Fund, the Temple Beth Sha- lom (Spokane) YomHaShoah Fund or to support the needs of refugees through the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society or World Relief Spokane. n John F. Kordek, 82, a retired Foreign Service officer and former ambassador, died at home on Feb. 16 in Arlington Heights, Ill., with his wife by his side. Mr. Kordek was born on June 9, 1938, in Chicago to John and Harriet (née Rogalski) Kordek. Following graduation fromWeber High School, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served four years on active duty with the Strategic Air Command 818th Air Divi- sion of the Eighth Air Force. After completing his active military service, Mr. Kordek graduated from DePaul University in Chicago in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree. He earned a graduate degree at the School of Advanced Interna- tional Studies of Johns Hopkins Univer- sity, and also studied at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.