The Foreign Service Journal, September 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2021 75 The ribbon campaign was soon picked up around the country as the most popular symbol of unity and hope for the safe return of the hostages. It was so successful that the original ribbon is housed in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and the concept is now a common part of numerous other causes. She also cre- ated the Family Liaison Action Group to better direct and organize the families’ response. Following the hostage crisis, Ms. Laingen focused on writing, history and genealogy, authoring “My Favorite Forebearers,” a detailed history of her ancestors, as well as numerous newslet- ters, editorials and articles, up until the time of her passing. Throughout her life, she maintained her passions for music and art, playing the piano and composing many pieces for friends and family. Her artwork hangs prominently in her family’s homes and was auctioned for charity in Malta. One piece, a scene of Afghanistan, “Kabul High Rise,” was selected for the cover of the February 1975 Foreign Service Journal . She remained active in Pi Beta Phi, the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, the Association of American Foreign Service Wives (now Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide) and her high school reunion committee, among others. Ms. Laingen raised and guided a lov- ing family in some of the most inhospita- ble places in the world, while socializing with and advising ambassadors, sena- tors, presidents and first ladies. She will be remembered as setting an amazing example of love, sacrifice, courage and humility to those who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Bruce Laingen, and sister Peggy Davis. She leaves three sons, William, Charles and James; daughters- in-lawMary Kay, Laura and Hope; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and her brother, James. n Robert Bernard Nolan , 69, a retired FSO and former ambassador, passed away peacefully at his home in Reston, Va., on June 9, with his family by his side. He had experienced the sudden onset of an extremely rare form of cancer, chronic neutrophilic leukemia. Mr. Nolan was born in Philadelphia on Jan. 3, 1952, to Bernard Nolan and Mary Connolly Nolan, who had both emigrated from Ireland as young children in the 1920s. He received his education from La Salle College High School and Villanova University, where he graduated summa cum laude and as the top student in his class in 1974. He met his wife, Nancy Wilson Nolan, at Villanova, and celebrated 46 years of marriage to her the day before his passing. Mr. Nolan came from a Foreign Service family and was introduced early on to overseas life accompanying his parents on assignments to Kenya, Sierra Leone, Cyprus and Yemen. His mother also worked at the State Department’s passport agency in Philadelphia for many years. After graduate studies at The George Washington University, Mr. Nolan joined the Foreign Service in 1976, along with his younger brother, Steve. They were the first siblings to enter the Foreign Service in the same A-100 class. Another first came years later when the brothers were posted as ambassadors in Southern Africa at the same time. In total, Mr. Nolan’s family has proudly served the department for more than 100 years. Mr. Nolan was known as a caring and compassionate leader with a calm hand and warm smile. His first overseas assign- ment was as the general services officer in Guinea. Over the course of his career, he was posted to Madagascar, Finland, Cuba, Mexico and Lesotho. In Monterrey, Mexico, he served as U.S. consul general. His last assignment abroad was as U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho. His domestic assignments included ser- vice as executive director of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, director of the Office of Career Development and Assignments, and director of the Office of Performance Evaluation. Even after formally retiring, Amb. Nolan continued to serve on special assignments and projects until mid- 2020. He was well known throughout the department for his wisdom, kindness and generous mentorship of Foreign Service and Civil Service colleagues. Over the course of his distinguished career, Amb. Nolan imparted his love of international affairs to family mem- bers and many friends, hosting them for extended stays abroad, some for the first time in their lives. He was a lifelong member of the American Foreign Service Association. He served his community through volunteer work at Saint Thomas à Becket Catholic Church, volunteer work at the Catholic churches he attended while living abroad and through leadership positions in his neighborhood associa- tion in Reston, Va. Amb. Nolan cherished a broad assortment of family pets over the years, but particularly loved his three collies. Amb. Nolan’s family and faith were the most important aspects of his life. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Meghan Killiany (Steven), Ryan Nolan and Colleen Akpati (Olisa); six grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Emma and Abigail Killiany; and Evelyn, Elise