The Foreign Service Journal - November 2017

76 NOVEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL School, she moved toMinneapolis, Minn., where she attended business school and worked as a stenographer. Her passion for music and natural ability to play the piano had begun as a child, and continued throughout her life. In 1966, she joined the U.S. Foreign Ser- vice as an executive secretary for the U.S. Agency for International Development. For the next three decades she served in assignments around the world, including postings in Liberia, Ethiopia, Korea, Thai- land, Pakistan, Syria, Niger and Egypt. She received the distinguishedMerito- rious Honor Award from the Department of State for her devotion to duty under extremely hazardous and difficult circum- stances in Islamabad. In 1982, she married the love of her life, Stanley D. Mitchell. She enjoyed fishing trips with her husband, both overseas and with the West PalmBeach Fishing Club. Mrs. Mitchell loved to garden and grew broccoli, hot peppers, tomatoes and flow- ers. One of her true passions was cooking, and she preparedmany gourmet meals for friends and family. She often spent hours poring over recipes to choose the best ingredients and cooking methods. Throughout her years in the Foreign Service, she loved entertaining and hosting parties, enjoying the company of other expatriates and local community mem- bers. Parties often involved piano playing, singing and delicious meals. Friends and family members remem- ber her graciousness, especially when welcoming people into her home. They recall her spunky, adventurous spirit and wry sense of humor that brought laughter and joy to those around her. Following her retirement from the For- eign Service, Mrs. Mitchell lived in North PalmBeach for nearly 30 years. She was predeceased by both parents and by her brother, Lowell Erickson of Brit- ish Columbia. Mrs. Mitchell is survived by her devoted husband of 35 years, Stanley D. Mitchell, as well as her two sisters, Shir- ley (and her husband, Bernie) Terhaar and Phyllis Gehring of Minnesota; eight nieces and nephews; her stepchildren, John Mitchell of Texas, Kai Mitchell of California and RuthMitchell of Maryland; her step- granddaughter, Eva Halasz of California. Donations may be made in Arlene Mitchell’s name for the study and research of osteoarthritis at The Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF), 5354 E. 2nd Street, Suite 201, Long Beach, CA 90803 or at curearthritis.org . Q Charles Willis Naas, 92, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on Aug. 18 in Silver Spring, Md., from a fall. Mr. Naas was born on Jan. 24, 1925, in Worcester, Mass., to Willis and Mar- ian Naas. In 1943, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during World War II in the Philippines. Following the war, he graduated from Clark University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Mr. Naas joined the Foreign Service in 1951, where he specialized in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. During his career, he was stationed overseas in Pakistan, India, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran, as well as at the United Nations in New York and as diplomat-in-residence at Davidson College in North Carolina. He retired in 1981. In retirement, Mr. Naas lived at Leisure World in Silver Spring, Md., where he enjoyed playing golf and poker, watching his beloved Boston Red Sox, reading and avidly following world events and politics. Friends and family members remem- ber Mr. Naas, above all, as an honorable and kindman who had an unwavering love for his family and his country and will be greatly missed. Mr. Naas was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Jean Bolen Naas. He is survived by his two sons, Stephen and Brian; his daughter-in-law, Sally Naas; two grandchildren, Alex Naas and Tory Gal- lagher; and four great-grandchildren. Q Frank S. Parker, 68, a retired Foreign Service officer, died on July 27 in Wilmington, N.C., due to complications from cancer. Born onMay 8, 1949, Mr. Parker was raised in Birmingham, Ala., and Alex- andria, Va. After receiving his B.A. from the University of Alabama, he obtained anM.A. fromGeorgetown University in economics and undertook work toward a doctorate at the University of Colorado. Mr. Parker began his Foreign Service career at the Department of State in 1975, assigned to the office responsible for inter- national commodity negotiations in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. After a stint as economic officer in Brasilia (1977-1979), he returned to that bureau to work on international debt restructurings, the Canadian andMexican energy sectors and coordination with the board of the Ex-ImBank of the United States. In 1984 he was assigned as financial economist to Madrid. In 1986 he was sent to Pretoria, where he served during the period leading up to South Africa’s transi- tion to majority rule. In 1989 Mr. Parker was seconded as legislative fellow to the office of Senator Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.). The follow- ing year he became economic counselor in Caracas, where he worked to open the oil sector to foreign investment and resolve trade and financial disputes. In 1993 Mr. Parker was transferred as economic counselor to Riyadh. He facili-