The Foreign Service Journal, September 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2019 79 Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, an organization that sought to develop and promote a systems approach to peace- building around the world. After 25 years as its chairman and CEO, Mr. McDonald retired in 2017 at age 95. Mr. McDonald was nominated in 1994 for the Nobel Peace Prize, obtained several honorary degrees from universi- ties, was a member of the Cosmos Club and was an avid fencer throughout his diplomatic career. Family members and friends recall Mr. McDonald’s lifelong motto: The only way to solve a problem at any level of society is to sit down face-to-face and talk about it. He was preceded in death by his daughter Kathleen in 1988 and his son James in 2002. Mr. McDonald is survived by his wife of 48 years, Christel G. McDonald; two daughters, Dr. Marilyn McDonald (and her husband, Dr. Michael Edwards) of Madison, Wis., and Laura Schneider (and her husband, Bernie Schneider) of Battle Ground, Wash.; four grandchildren and their spouses; and six great-grandchil- dren. Mr. McDonald’s Papers will be depos- ited in a special collection of the Pioneers of Conflict Resolution at George Mason University’s Fenwick Library. His work in bilateral, multilateral and multitrack diplomacy is outlined in his memoir, The Shifting Grounds of Conflict and Peace- building: Stories and Lessons (Lexington Books, 2009). n George A. McFarland Jr., 88, a retired Foreign Service officer, died sud- denly during his 45th wedding anniver- sary celebration on June 1 in Washington, D.C. Born on June 28, 1930, in Dallas, Texas, during the Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal and World War II, Mr. McFarland grew up believing in public service. At age 12 he frightened his mother when U.S. officials showed up at their home inquiring about him: the young Mr. McFarland had written to the military, offering to help the war effort with the (imaginary) weapons he was building. In college, Mr. McFarland studied journalism and wrote for local papers before joining the U.S. Air Force. After enduring brutal pilot training that killed many of his peers and flying 20 combat missions during the Korean War, he walked away from a military career to work for peace as a U.S. Foreign Service officer. Mr. McFarland’s diplomatic career took him to Costa Rica, Cyprus, Turkey, Peru, Brazil and Antigua. Two children from his first marriage, Steve (himself now a retired FSO) and Anne, accompa- nied him in his exploration of the world, including visits to Troy, Machu Picchu and the Amazon rainforest. In 1972, at a friend’s party in Lima, Mr. McFarland struck up a conversation with a confident Peruvian woman, Rosario Sanchez-Moreno Ramos, who loved to sing and play guitar. The two fell in love, and on June 1, 1974, they were married in an intimate garden ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, where Mr. McFarland was serving as political counselor. After taking early retirement from the Foreign Service in 1985, Mr. McFarland moved with Rosario and his two young- est children, Maria and John, to Lima, Peru. The country was embroiled in an internal armed conflict that made travel outside the city risky, but Mr. McFarland took his family hiking and camping in remote parts of the country. He took a stab at writing novels and, with Rosario, turned a rubble-filled vacant lot into a leafy public park. Over time, Mr. McFarland’s wood- working hobby became his art. Self- taught, he eventually created beautifully finished modernist sculptures. After moving to Austin, Texas, he had solo shows at the Davis Gallery, and contin- ued exhibiting in galleries in Washington, D.C., and Maryland when he and Rosario relocated to Annapolis in 2009. Mr. McFarland also served as presi- dent of Texas Partners of the Americas, the Texas Foreign Service Group in Austin and the American Society in Lima. He was an active member of the Texas Society of Sculptors, the Washington Sculptors Group and the Maryland Fed- eration of Art. Family members recall his kindness, wisdom, sense of humor, strong prin- ciples and gentle nature. Mr. McFarland is survived by his wife, Rosario; his children, Stephen, Anne, Maria and John; and many extended family members. Memorial contributions may be made to the Audubon Society or the Sierra Club. n Robert Miller, 87, a retired mem- ber of the Foreign Service, died on June 25 at his home in Indianapolis, Ind., fol- lowing a long struggle with ALS. Mr. Miller was born on Oct. 12, 1931, in Newton, Ill. Following schooling in Newton and in Indianapolis, Ind., he served in the U.S. Army. Curious to explore a wider world, he then made his way to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the State Department and later the U.S. Information Agency. He also studied at the Art Students League in New York City. He was a specialist in international exhibitions, developing and organizing exhibitions