The Foreign Service Journal - November 2017

70 NOVEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL IN MEMORY Q Barbara S. “Babs” Aycock , 65, a retired member of the Senior Foreign Ser- vice, passed away on July 24 at her home in Bucksport, Maine, in the company of her family. Born on Dec. 16, 1951, in Statesville, N.C., Ms. Aycock was the daughter of Dr. James and Margaret (Collinge) Aycock. She was imbued with a love of nature and discovery, an appreciation of the fine arts, a sense of humor and a generous spirit. Her love of art is reflected in her choice of art history as a major at Bryn Mawr College, which led to internships at the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum in New York. As an undergraduate at Bryn Mawr, Ms. Aycock embarked on a life-shaping journey to India. Living in New Delhi with relatives, she explored India for nine months. This experience shaped her inter- est in other cultures and would later lead to a service-oriented career in interna- tional affairs. Ms. Aycock received an MBA in finance from the University of Pennsylva- nia’s Wharton School and went to work on Wall Street. While successful there, she quickly realized that finance was not her niche in life and left her job at Dean Wit- ter to join the Peace Corps. Serving as a Volunteer in Mombasa, she helped to develop local small busi- nesses by encouraging sustainability and greater financial independence. She then took up a position in small business development in Washington, D.C. Following her marriage to FSO Charles Raimondi, she accompanied her husband to his assignment in Bucharest and worked at the embassy there. Ms. Aycock subsequently decided to join the U.S. Foreign Service, and went on to overseas postings in Belgrade, Paris, Ankara, Rome, Mexico City and Baghdad, in addition to assignments in Washington, D.C. Rising through the ranks quickly, she retired in 2016 with the rank of minister- counselor. Secretary of State John F. Kerry personally presented her with the Sec- retary’s Career Achievement Award at a ceremony at Embassy Paris in June 2016. Ms. Aycock was known for her exqui- site collection of paintings and antiques, collected at markets throughout the world and eventually displayed with great care at her dream home in Bucksport. Her for- ays to art markets throughout the world are a testament to and celebration of a life fully lived. However, she was perhaps best known for her devotion to her family, friends and colleagues. Ms. Aycock is survived by her daugh- ters Miranda Raimondi of Minden, La., and Charlotte Raimondi of London, Eng- land; her ex-husband, Charles Raimondi; and her sister, Margaret Ann Aycock of Sparta, N.C. Q Douglas McAlpine Berry, 65, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on July 3 in Dunedin, New Zealand, of sepsis. Born in Gary, Ind., on Oct. 11, 1951, he was the son of Clayton Hugh and Armal Jean (Dunckel) Berry. Clayton had fallen in love with Europe during his service in World War II, and Doug Berry grew up in Newport, Wales; The Hague; and London. During the Vietnam War he served in the Air Force on Guam for three years, where he also attended the University of Guam while off-duty. When discharged, he attended Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., graduating with an M.A. in history in 1977, the same year that he married Anne Feryok. After trying several study and work paths, Mr. Berry was encouraged to take the Foreign Service exam by a friend. He received his commission in 1984 and served for 21 years. His first overseas posting was Port-au- Prince, where he did American Citizen Services work and reported on political and military affairs during the turmoil surrounding the departure of President Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier. This was followed by a tour in Dakar, where he was an administrative officer. Mr. Berry switched to consular work, and was assigned to Kraków during the transition from communism, a posting he loved. After several tours in Washington, D.C., he was assigned as head of the con- sular section in Yerevan, a posting Doug regarded as the highlight of his career. His last overseas tour was as principal officer at Consulate General Auckland. Mr. Berry retired in 2007 and moved to Dunedin, where his wife began her career as an academic in applied linguis- tics at the University of Otago. Besides providing domestic sup- port for his wife’s career by developing his talent for barbecuing, Mr. Berry also continued reading history, building wooden model ships from the Age of Sail, collecting and detailing cast-iron miniature ships fromWorld War II Pacific theater operations, enjoying an increas- ingly esoteric high-end stereo system and “fathering” four rescue cats. Family and friends remember Mr. Berry for his wide-ranging knowledge, his kindness, his wry smile and his sense of humor: “Forward, into the past.” Mr. Berry was pre-deceased by his sis- ter, Kathleen Henning, and his father and mother. He is survived by his wife, Anne Feryok, of Dunedin. Q Melville E. Blake Jr., 93, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on Aug. 5 in Bethesda, Md., of complications follow- ing a stroke.