THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2026 75 being caught, they managed to smuggle some 100 or more Vietnamese through the departure maze and out of the country before the final April collapse. Upon return to Washington, the two FSOs were sent to Secretary Kissinger for an anticipated reprimand. Instead, they were returned to their positions. For Mr. Rosenblatt, that was the Interagency Task Force on Indochinese refugees, where he was the driving force in establishing the resettlement program. The task force organized a transit camp in Guam and reception centers at U.S. military bases in California, Arkansas, and Florida; and stimulated nongovernmental organizations to develop refugee support programs. The group was also instrumental in pushing through Congress the Indochina Refugee and Migration Act of 1975, which permitted the resettlement of the first 130,000 refugees to the United States. Mr. Rosenblatt continued to work on the task force under Julia Vadelia Taft, the new director from the Department of Health and Human Services. In 1976 he learned Thai and was posted to Bangkok as refugee coordinator. He served there until 1981, visiting the many Indochinese camps in the border areas and advocating for the admission of larger numbers of refugees to the U.S. Mr. Rosenblatt served as U.S. consul general in Quebec City before retiring in 1988, after the State Department refused his proposal to create a special category of refugee officers. In 1990 Mr. Rosenblatt became the president of Refugees International, which he headed until health issues forced him to step down in 2001. His practice was to visit areas where conflict was creating refugees and publicize the plight of these individuals not only in Southeast Asia, but around the world, often to the irritation of authorities in the host country and in the United States. More than once, this produced news coverage of events that might otherwise have been overlooked. After stepping down from Refugees International, Mr. Rosenblatt became a supporter, frequent visitor, and advocate for one group of Laotian Refugees in Thailand, the Mlabri. Mr. Rosenblatt received the American Foreign Service Association’s William R. Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent by a Mid-Level Officer for his work rescuing Vietnamese refugees (1975) and the Government of Thailand Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant for his work with refugees in Thailand (1981). He also received the Julia Taft Award for outstanding contributions to the humanitarian and development community (2009) and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Concordia University for his work with indigenous people of Southeast Asia, especially the Hmong (2010). He was the model for the fictional character Larry Rose in the 1990 madefor-television movie “Last Flight Out,” which dramatized Mr. Rosenblatt’s visit to Saigon in 1975. Mr. Rosenblatt is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Ann Grosvenor Rosenblatt of Washington, D.C.; sister Sarah Rosenblatt; and brothers, Josiah and Nathaniel Rosenblatt. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his honor to Refugees International or the UN Refugee Agency (USA for UNHCR). n George Frederick Ruffner, 80, a retired Foreign Commercial Service officer with the rank of Minister Counselor, died on April 1, 2026, in Naples, Fla., after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Ruffner was born on October 9, 1945, in Orange, N.J. In 1967 he earned a BA from Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y., then an MBA in 1969 and an MA in international affairs in 1972, from Columbia University. From 1969 to 1971, he served honorably in the U.S. Army in Germany. Mr. Ruffner joined the Commerce Department in 1973. There and at the State Department and, after 1980, in the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service of the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA), he dedicated his life to international trade promotion. His overseas postings included Mexico City, Santiago, Amsterdam, Singapore (twice), Milan, Manila, and Berlin. In 1993 Mr. Ruffner received the ITA Silver Medal for exceptional performance and notable contributions to trade. He retired in 2010. Colleagues remember Mr. Ruffner as a witty associate and innovative trade promoter. He was known for his sense of humor, a liking of the finer things in life, and for living life to the fullest. In his personal life, Mr. Ruffner was a passionate collector of historical artifacts, knives, and clocks. An animal lover, he volunteered at the Humane Society in Naples. He was an active member of his community, who was often seen working out and riding his bike. Though his life journey spanned the world, family members will forever remember his gentle spirit carried in their hearts. Mr. Ruffner is survived by his wife, Marjon, and sister, Nancy. n Nancy Morgan Serpa, 75, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, died on October 29, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. Born on June 15, 1950, in Hackensack, N.J., Ms. Serpa discovered early passions
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=