The Foreign Service Journal, September 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2016 85 IN MEMORY n Arminta Delle McNeilan Burns, 78, widow of the late FSO John Burns, of Lantana, Fla., died on Feb. 7 from complications arising from chemotherapy treatments for lung cancer. Arminta Delle McNeilan was born on Sept. 26, 1937, in Columbus, Ohio, the younger daughter of SteenMcNeilan and Mary CameronMcNeilan. After a child- hood spent in nearby Groveport, Ohio, her family moved to West PalmBeach, Fla., in 1947. She graduated fromPalmBeach High School in 1954, where she excelled at academics and music, playing first flute in the Florida Schools’ State Orchestra. In 1958 she earned a B.S. degree from Florida State University and went on to complete postgraduate work in cancer research at the University of Cincinnati’s Christ Hospital. She earned a master’s degree in political science at U.C. in 1962, writing her thesis on Sino-Soviet relations. After her marriage, Mrs. Burns studied Thai politics and language at American University. Mrs. Burns accompanied her husband, who was one of the U.S. Information Agency’s most prominent Africanists, to many parts of the world during his 31-year career (1964-1995) in the U.S. Foreign Service. Their postings includedThailand, South Africa (for two tours), Zambia, Zim- babwe and Ethiopia. During the couple’s diplomatic career, she completed two book manucripts, including one on the challenges the Afri- can National Congress faced in transform- ing its guerilla resistance movement into a political party that could negotiate for majority rule with the apartheid-support- ing Nationalist Party then governing South Africa. In addition to devoting time to aca- demic research and administrative work, Arminta Burns raised three children and opened her home to friends, visitors, dig- nitaries and foreign nationals. Mrs. Burns is remembered as a kind and nonjudgmental friend who was culturally astute and cosmopolitan. She maintained deep friendships and intel- lectual interests in U.S. foreign affairs and southern Africa, where she lived and vis- ited regularly over the course of 30 years. In semi-retirement, Mrs. Burns was involved with the Lantana Public Library in Lantana, Fla., supporting its mission financially and through volunteer work. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Burns, and their eldest daughter, Nancy A. Burns. She is survived by a daughter, Catherine Burns; a son, John Cameron Burns (and his wife, Tibitha Miles Burns); a grandson, Jonathan Steen Burns; as well as a sister-in-law, Ann Burns; a nephew, Lt. Col. Brian R. Whalen (U.S. Air Force, retired); Elizabeth Eagan Whalen; and a niece, Anne-Marie Burns. In lieu of flowers, mourners may make donations to the Christ Hospital Foun- dation in Cincinnati, Ohio. To express condolences or make donations, visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries. n Ray Lee Caldwell, 74, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer and former State Department deputy assistant secre- tary (DAS) with the rank of ambassador, died on June 12 of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Caldwell was born on Oct. 6, 1942, and raised in the former Canal Zone, Pan- ama. He served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy from 1964 until 1969, with tours of duty in the Antarctic, Vietnam and with the U.S. military mission to Spain. In 1971, Mr. Caldwell earned a gradu- ate degree in political science from the University of NewMexico. While pursuing his graduate studies, he met Sally MacKin- non Hisamoto, to whomhe was married for 43 years. Following graduation, Mr. Caldwell joined the Foreign Service. Fluent in Spanish, his first postings were to Mexico and Spain. During his tour in Spain (1976-1980), he worked diligently to help stabilize a volatile political environment in the Basque region, where he served as acting principal officer at the U.S. consul- ate in Bilbao. In 1979, Mr. Caldwell received AFSA’s WilliamR. Rivkin Award for Constructive Dissent by a Mid-Level Foreign Service Officer for his work in Spain to accommo- date and incorporate the left into regular political life and deal with regional resis- tance to the central government. While staying engaged in Spanish developments, Mr. Caldwell went on to expand his expertise to the field of Euro- pean security and political affairs during the final decade of the ColdWar. He served as the U.S. representative to NATO’s High- Level Task Force on Conventional Arms Control and also played a leading role in U.S. nuclear policy during the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush adminis- trations. Mr. Caldwell served twice as director of the Office of European Political and Secu- rity Affairs, as deputy assistant secretary of State for European Affairs, as deputy assis- tant secretary of State for political-military affairs, and as State’s deputy associate comptroller for management policy. Mr. Caldwell also served as director of foreign diplomat training at the Foreign Service Institute. Ray Lee Caldwell rose to the level of Career Member of the Senior Foreign Ser- vice, Class of Minister-Counselor, and was confirmed by the Senate in 1995 as DAS for Burdensharing. The unusual title of Mr. Caldwell’s position caught the eye of grammarian William Safire of The New York Times , who wrote a column that year about whether