The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 73 IN MEMORY n Archie M. Bolster , 87, a retired Foreign Service officer, passed away on Feb. 21 in Arlington, Va. Born in Ames, Iowa, in 1933 to Horace and Ella Bolster, Mr. Bolster spent his early years in Bozeman, Mont. In 1945 his father was recruited to serve as the first agricultural attaché in Tehran. The family was later posted to The Hague, where Mr. Bolster attended a local lyceum. He had to quickly learn Dutch as all his courses were in that language. These experiences piqued his interest in international work. After completing high school in Winchester, Mass., Mr. Bolster entered the University of Virginia and joined its Navy ROTC program. During college, he became fluent in French. In 1955 he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bach- elor’s degree in international relations. Mr. Bolster then entered active duty in the Navy, serving for three years on the destroyer USS John R. Pierce . On discharge as a lieutenant (junior grade) in 1958, he was accepted into Foreign Service training. A former shipmate introduced him to Ann Matthews of Arlington, Va. They married in 1959 and soon left for Phnom Penh. By 1961, Mr. Bolster had completed Farsi language training at the For- eign Service Institute and was posted to Tabriz as vice consul. He used his language skills to complete detailed reporting on the shah’s land reforms, a subject he also covered during his next assignment, to Tehran. Subsequent postings to Washington involved reporting on political dynam- ics in Iran, economic training at FSI and analysis of petroleummarkets for the Office of Fuels and Energy. In 1972 he earned a master’s degree in public policy and administration from the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Bolster served as executive assis- tant to Ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan in New Delhi from 1972 to 1974, followed by a two-year posting to Tehran. One of his most satisfying accom- plishments was working with the UNHCR, the U.N. Refugee Agency, to set up an asylum program that allowed hundreds of Iraqi Kurdish refugees to relocate to the United States and other countries. He worked on energy affairs in Washington and then served as consul general in Antwerp from 1978 to 1981. He also held positions in security assistance and sales and aviation negotiations. Although he retired from the Foreign Service in 1984, his association with State continued for many years, with a consult- ing assignment in refugee programs, service on an interagency group inves- tigating the Iran-Contra Affair and part- time work in the Freedom of Information section. He also frequently traveled interna- tionally, and lived inThe Hague again while working as a translator for the Iran– United States Claims Tribunal. A devoted family man, Mr. Bol- ster possessed an intelligence, gentle demeanor, warm smile and generosity that attracted many lifelong friends. Mr. Bolster is survived by his wife, Ann; sons Christopher and Matthew; daughter Amy; and eight grandchildren. n Ronald “Ron” D. Clifton , 84, a retired Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Information Agency, died on Feb. 13 of natural causes at home in South Daytona, Fla. Mr. Clifton was born on June 15, 1936, in Oxford, N.C. After graduating from high school in Richmond, Va., Mr. Clifton entered the United States Marine Corps. He served in Korea and then became a Marine secu- rity guard in Wellington, New Zealand. In the service of his country, he received the National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in 1963 and a master’s degree in 1965, both in American studies, from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. He also taught history and economics at DeLand High School. Mr. Clifton then attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylva- nia, earning a master’s degree in 1967 in American civilization. He completed doctoral studies in American civilization there in 1971. In 1968 Mr. Clifton joined the Foreign Service. He studied Bengali at the Foreign Service Institute before his first overseas assignment, as consul in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, in 1969. He was then posted to New Delhi in 1971, as first secretary and United States Information Service resident economic specialist. He had an active professional involve- ment in American studies, both in the United States and internationally, focus- ing on broadening ties with American studies associations abroad as well as the institutionalization of American studies programs in foreign universities. From 1973 to 1975, he was posted in Washington, D.C., as USIA country director for India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and as economic officer for South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. He became the American studies adviser and founding director of the American Studies Division at USIA in Washington from 1975 to 1976. From 1977 to 1981, he served as director of the American Cultural Center in Tunis. He also served as public affairs officer in Dublin from 1981 to 1983;