The Foreign Service Journal, November 2022

74 NOVEMBER 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL IN MEMORY n Mohammad Ali Alnajadah, 37, husband of Foreign Service Officer James B. Fennell, passed away suddenly at Hunterdon County Hospital in Fleming- ton, N.J., on May 8, 2022. Born on March 27, 1985, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Mr. Alnajadah graduated with a B.S. in computer science from Kuwait University in 2009 and then attended the Sterling Business School in Perth, Australia. He was most recently working as a senior software developer for Metas Solutions in Hyattsville, Md. In 2006 in Kuwait, he met the love of his life, James B. Fennell, then on his second overseas tour and serving as press attaché at U.S. Embassy Kuwait City. They were married in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2013, and became parents on March 12, 2022, with the birth of their son, George Fennell-Alnajadah. Mr. Alnajadah was known and cherished for his bright disposition, his genuine warmth, and his sense of adventure. A world traveler, he lived with his husband in Kuwait, Peru, India, and Washington, D.C., and traveled to more than 40 countries on six continents. He also enjoyed time with his family and his many friends, body-building, and Japanese anime. In addition to his husband, infant son, and two cats (Silvestre and Sheharezad), Mr. Alnajadah is survived by his loving family in Kuwait and his extensive Ameri- can family in New Jersey, including his mother-in-law, brothers- and sisters-in- law, and 22 nieces and nephews. n Richard N. Blue, 86, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, died on June 22, 2022, at home in Vero Beach, Fla., with his wife, Susan Holloran, his son, Daniel, and grandsons Finn and Enzo Blue by his side. Richard Blue was born on June 21, 1936, to Harry and Pauline Blue of Port- land, Ore. He served during the Korean conflict as an intercept operator with the Army Signal Corps in Germany. The experience sparked international inter- ests that continued throughout his life, in academia, in the U.S. Agency for Interna- tional Development, and beyond. After earning his Ph.D. in 1968 at Claremont Graduate University in California, he began his career as a profes- sor of political science and South Asian studies at the University of Minnesota. In 1975 he joined USAID and was interviewed for recruitment by former Secretary of State Dean Rusk to lead a team supporting professional develop- ment for officers. Subsequently, he led an agencywide impact evaluation initiative (the Impact Evaluation Series), worked on Capitol Hill drafting content and strategy for revision of the Foreign Assistance Act, directed the Office of Egypt Affairs, and served in other leadership roles. After his retirement fromUSAID in 1994, Dr. Blue joined the Asia Foundation where he served as a representative for Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In recognition of his work inThailand, he was appointed an “Officer of the Noble Order of the Crown ofThailand” by the king of that country, a highly unusual honor. On return to Washington, D.C., he helped grow a global management con- sulting firm and worked with others in the field, traveling extensively in Eastern and Central Europe. He relished recount- ing his adventures from these travels. In 2013 he shifted his focus to preserv- ing the legacy of his brother, James Blue, another storyteller and an innovative, award-winning filmmaker who died at age 49, leaving an impressive body of work now archived at the University of Oregon. With the help of his son, Daniel, Dr. Blue created the James Blue Alliance to preserve, restore, and disseminate his brother’s films, including “The March,” “Les Oliviers de la Justice” (initially released in France; remastered and released in 2022), and “Who Killed Fourth Ward?” At the time of his death, he was working to develop and fund a teaching syllabus for his brother’s films, includ- ing many made for the U.S. Information Agency in the 1960s and 1970s, to be part of the curriculum in schools throughout the country and around the world. A memorial fund in honor of Richard Blue will be set up to promote this work. Friends and family members remem- ber Dr. Blue, above all, as a teacher, an exceptional mentor, colleague, friend, and inspiration to many whose lives he touched professionally and personally. A natural leader, voracious reader, lover of classical music, and student of history, he was always curious and interested in people and their personal histories, and connected easily with everyone through engaging conversation. His kindness, open-heartedness, and respect for others amplified a formidable intellect and shone through all his per- sonal relationships. Dr. Blue is survived by his wife of 41 years, Susan Holloran; daughter Michelle Blue Benedict; son Daniel Blue (and wife Jodi); and grandchildren, Sarah Benedict, Todd Benedict, Finnigan Hawley-Blue, Rio Blue, and Enzo Blue. n Paul Joseph Byrnes, 95, a retired Senior Foreign Service officer, died on Aug. 4, 2022, in Sarasota, Fla. Born in Frostburg, Md., Mr. Byrnes enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1944 and served at the Lowry and Buckley Army Air Corps bases in Colorado. Fol- lowing military discharge, he graduated