The Foreign Service Journal, October 2010

66 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0 the New England Chapter of the Na- tional Conference of Christians and Jews for her intercultural work. At Mt. Holyoke’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1987, Mrs. Irving was presented with an Outstanding Alum- nae Achievement Award for her “pro- fessionalism, sustained commitment and creativity” in the fields of educa- tion and community relations overseas and in inner city communities in the U.S. The award was presented to 50 alumni selected by a distinguished in- dependent panel from more than 25,000 living graduates of the college from around the world. Mrs. Irving is the author of the book, This Too Is Diplomacy—Stories of a Partnership (AuthorHouse, 2007), which describes her volunteer activi- ties, demonstrating the substantive contributions a spouse can make to ad- vancing U.S. interests overseas. In addition to her husband, Fred- erick of Amherst, Mrs. Irving leaves two daughters, Susan of Washington, D.C., and Barbara of Amherst, Mass.; one son, Richard of Winchester, Mass.; and eight grandchildren. James N. Leaken , 85, a retired FSO, died on Aug. 4 in Santa Fe, N.M., of complications from acute bronchitis. Mr. Leaken was born inMinneapo- lis, Minn., where he lived until age 14 when his family moved to Los Angeles. After attending Los Angeles High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943, at age 18, serving as a signalman on LCI #409 (Landing Craft/ Infantry) during World War II. He participated in D-Day at Normandy, his small craft ferrying troops to Omaha Beach. Mr. Leaken was selected to repre- sent his ship in the U.S. Navy’s V-12 Program at Princeton University. He attended Redlands University in Cali- fornia and graduated from the Univer- sity of California, Los Angeles, after which he pursued postgraduate stud- ies at the American Institute for For- eign Trade (later Thunderbird Univer- sity) in Phoenix. In 1950, Mr. Leaken joined the Foreign Service. His first assignment was to the American embassies in Costa Rica and El Salvador. While posted to Madrid in 1952 he met his future wife, the former Mary Kathryn Roberts, also assigned there. They married in 1954 in Paris and were transferred a year-and-a-half later to Moscow for two years. Subsequent postings included South Africa, where his daughter was born, and Nigeria, where his son was born. He also served in Switzerland, Poland and Mexico, as well as two separate tours in Washington, D.C. His last posting was to the Philippines, where he re- tired in 1976 as counselor for adminis- tration. Mr. Leaken then became a consult- ant to the State Department Security Enhancement Program and the U.S. contingent of the Multinational Forces and Observers in Israel. He also was detailed to embassies in Czechoslova- kia, France and Saudi Arabia. He re- tired from this work to Columbus, Mo., his wife’s place of birth, where the couple were affiliated with the family travel business and organized small groups on trips to exotic places. After his death, a tattered list of the “Won- ders of the World” was found in his wallet. In 2005, the Leakens made a happy move to Santa Fe to be near their chil- dren. Family and friends recall Mr. Leaken as a man of endearing charm, whose presence filled a room and whose family was his greatest love and joy. A friend to many, he always had a twinkle in his eye for those he loved. He also loved dogs, good books, Grand Marnier soufflés, spiffy dressing, trav- eling the world — especially to Paris — and fresh trout for breakfast at his straw bale cabin in the mountains. The last survivor of six children born to Richard M. and Lillian E. Leaken, Mr. Leaken was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Dick, his twin brother Jack, and three sisters —Mary, Lucille and Betty. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Kathryn, daughter Kitty Leaken (Daniel Gibson) and son Richard Leaken (Samantha Silver), all of Santa Fe; nieces Nora Alkadis (Nick) of Venice, Calif., and Gina Erlichman (Robert) of Santa Fe; and brother-in- law Larry Dalen, also of Santa Fe. Sur- vivors from his wife’s side include a brother-in-law, William E. Roberts III (Kate), a nieceMaryMargaret Roberts, and nephew Porter Roberts, all of Columbus, Miss.; nephew William E. (Rob) Roberts IV (Tina) of Fayette, Ala.; and nieces Candace Miller of Ar- lington, Va., and Helen Bertholf of Bethesda, Md. Memorials can be made to the Sen- ior Living Foundation of the American Foreign Service, 1716 N. St. NW, Washington DC 20036. Cornelia Rose Levin , 78, the wife of retired FSOHerbert Levin, died on July 25 in Calais, Vt., of stomach can- cer. Born in New York City on Feb. 7, 1932, Mrs. Levin was the daughter of Sophie K. and Alfred Oscar Rose. A graduate of the Scarborough School, I N M E M O R Y