Archive | Memoriam

Nimi Wijesooriya

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Nimalka (Nimi) Wijesooriya, a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer, on May 18, 2022, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Nimi was 71.

Nimi worked for USAID for 20 years as a Foreign Service and Senior Foreign Service Officer and was renowned for his dedication to and empathy for USAID colleagues and host country counterparts wherever he was assigned. Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Nimi emigrated to the United States in 1969.

His overseas assignments included the Philippines, Jordan, Egypt, West Bank and Gaza, and Kenya. Nimi worked diligently throughout his career to support transformational change within USAID as a leader on information technology and financial reporting and accounting reforms within the Controller backstop. Nimi was a beloved mentor and colleague who went way beyond the confines of his backstop to improve the broader working environment, program effectiveness, and development impacts in each Mission he served. In the later stages of his career, Nimi was often sought out to provide hands-on support to USAID Missions to help improve overall effectiveness and institutional capacity through Mission Management Assessments.

Nimi was also a beloved and important part of the community in each post where he and his wife, Suchinta, served. Through community theater, tennis, or in pursuit of their diverse interests at each Post, Nimi and Suchinta created and fostered a network of loyal friends that Nimi maintained throughout his life. Nimi leaves behind a legacy of excellence in his work and a legion of devoted friends and colleagues who will dearly miss him.

After Nimi retired, he became an avid golfer, playing daily. He became well known and respected at his nearby course in Santa Fe. Nimi marshaled at the golf course and was adopted by the players and management. During a recent outing a month before his passing, the course refused to allow him to pay for the round, saying, “Nimi is a local legend here. He does not have to pay to play here ever.” In speaking with colleagues and friends, the most frequent thing you hear is “Nimi is the kindest person I have ever met.” Those that had the pleasure to know him would enthusiastically agree with that statement.

Nimi was humble, intrepid, good humored, and dedicated to the core values of the Agency. Known for his signature ponytail and unique and eclectic sense of style Nimi enhanced the lives of literally everyone he met, everywhere he went.

Celebration of Life Virtual Gatherings on June 18

The Wijesooriya Family invites you to celebrate the life and times of Nimi on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at either at 10 a.m. or 9 p.m. Santa Fe (Mountain) Time. Both gatherings will be recorded. Friends and colleagues can join either of the events via Google Meet or dial in by phone at +1 956-410-3009, PIN: 812808753.

Family and friends will come together to share stories, tell tales, to laugh and share tears over a man whose life has had a lasting impact. The family invites anyone to share stories after the planned program has ended. If you would like to share stories, messages, and media about Nimi — mainly for his granddaughter — please send them to ruvan@ruvan.com with “Stories about Nimi” in the subject.

A sociologist and editor whose work advanced understanding of minority groups, international development, and work/family issues, died December 27, 2020 in Vienna, VA. Born in Knoxville, TN in 1940, she moved to the Washington area as a baby. The VA suburbs remained her home even as she traveled, visiting or living in 62 countries, including Papua New Guinea and Timbuktu. A graduate of Washington-Lee High School (now Washington-Liberty High School) in Arlington, VA, Ms. Leo received her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, with study at the University of Aix-en-Provence and the Sorbonne, and her master’s from (Case) Western Reserve University. After a year of sociology doctoral study at the University of Michigan, she joined the U.S. Agency for International Development to work on its new population/family planning foreign aid initiative. There she did a pioneering research overview documenting then unrecognized population issues across Africa. Ms. Leo then worked on USAID population/family planning projects in Turkey and later for the Governmental Affairs Institute in Washington, DC before completing her sociology doctorate at American University. During the civil rights era, Ms. Leo researched a racially changing neighborhood in Cleveland, OH and people’s beliefs to achieve and maintain integration. Her later research focused on the trade-offs women made to balance work and family. She found that married mothers working in traditionally male-dominated professions were happy to work part-time for their families but not their careers, in which they felt they had been relegated to “the mommy track.” At various times, Ms. Leo taught sociology at the Univ. of Michigan, George Mason University, Mount Vernon College (now part of George Washington University), and Georgetown University. She also had an editorial business that specialized in social science and social policy articles, books and dissertations. She was active in numerous professional, civic and cultural activities, and a long-time member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax. Ms. Leo is survived by two daughters, Alison Leo Rana and Adrienne Leo, and their families, including four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that anyone wishing to commemorate Ms. Leo might do so by contributing time and/or funds to an organization of their choice promoting gun control, women’s rights or immigration reform. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 24, at 3 p.m. through live streaming by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax: https://uucf.org/memorial-service/

Harry G. Wilkinson was born in Detroit to Henry and Sybil (nee Cole) Wilkinson. His father owned an 

Jim Greene died peacefully on November 4, 2020 at the age of 90 after a short battle with Covid-19. A 1951 graduate of Duke University, where he also played Varsity Basketball, he began his career as a journalist with Newhouse Newspapers in New York. He later accepted an appointment to the University of California-Berkeley, where he taught political science while also pursuing a doctorate in Southeast Asian international relations. In 1956 he joined The Asia Foundation in San Francisco and was posted in Sri Lanka through 1960. He subsequently managed the Foundation’s first New Delhi, India office for four years before joining the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development. In 1968 he was assigned to the Agency’s first regional mission in East Africa, with responsibility for the programs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In 1973 he received a sabbatical fellowship to the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, where he taught a course in development economics. In 1976, the World Bank retained Jim to operationalize its emerging interest in lending for nutrition. Over the next 20 years, he worked in over 15 countries, including Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Colombia, Brazil and Lesotho, with oversight of a $2 billion lending portfolio.

After retiring from the World Bank, he consulted internationally on nutrition-related issues and founded Mayfly Enterprises, where he manufactured and marketed unique fishing flies under the brand name of Waterwisp. He was also a Director of Trout Unlimited, where for 12 years he coordinated Trout in the Classroom, an environmental program which started in three Montgomery County schools but that has now blossomed to approximately 100 schools. For that work, he received Trout Unlimited national’s highest volunteer award. Moreover, Jim is best known for his great sense of humor, charm, grace, generosity, love of family, and unwavering passion for fly fishing and folk music. Jim is survived by his wife Rosalyn Bass; sons Adam and Josh Greene; daughters-in-law Carolyn Rooney and Heather Robinson, grandchildren Eric, Sylvia, Amanda and Charlotte Greene; and Michael Hayes. Services are scheduled for a later date.

Rutherford M. Poats– “Rud”– a pioneering designer and director of international development programs, died at his home in New York City on November 10, 2020. Rud was born in Spartanburg, SC in 1922 and graduated from Emory University in 1942 before joining the Army, serving in the Philippines and Japan. He had a distinguished career as a journalist and international development and banking services expert and innovator over his nearly 50-year career spanning posts in Asia, Europe and Washington, DC.  Rud wrote the first published history of the Korean War (“Decision in Korea”) and headed the Far East Bureau of UPI in Tokyo.

He entered civilian government service in 1961, rising through the ranks of the newly created Agency for International Development (AID) to become assistant administrator for the Far East and later Deputy Administrator and Acting Administrator of the agency under Presidents Johnson and Nixon. He took a fellowship at Brookings Institute where he wrote “Technology for Developing Nations” in 1972. He was a key driver in AID’s efforts to promote US private investment, serving as the principal architect of the US Overseas Private Investment Company (OPIC) and as its acting president in 1977.

In 1978 he moved to the National Security Council as an international economic policy advisor to President Carter and remained on the NSC staff during the first year of the Reagan administration.  Rud was elected chairman of the OECD’s Economic Development Assistance Committee from 1982 – 85 in Paris, where he led reforms in aid management by bilateral and multilateral agencies, notably in strengthening program coordination in recipient countries, culminating in his authorship of “Twenty-five Years of Development Cooperation”. In 1986 he returned to Washington as a consultant to the World Bank in the design and launching of its new affiliate, the Multilateral Investment Guaranty Agency (MIGA), of which he was the interim chief at its inauguration in 1988. Rud finished his career as President of International Investment Services, where with other senior partners, he advised governments on creating favorable climates for foreign investment and indigenous private enterprise. Rud was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, the Asia Society, Japan Society, Korea Society and the hereditary Society of the Cincinnati.

Rud took up painting and stone and wood sculpting in his retirement years, assisted wife Lea Sneider, now deceased, with her numerous Korean art exhibits, travelled extensively, and loved gathering with the family. Rud is survived by four children from his first marriage to the late Esther Smith, including Penfield Thompson, Huntley Poats, Rutherford Poats and Grayson Poats, as well as five grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and his faithful, beloved caretakers, Boodnie Pandohie and Rangamah Ramgulan of New York, NY.  Service to be held at National Memorial Park in Falls Church, VA in Q2 2021, pending Covid19 conditions.  Service to be held at National Memorial Park in Falls Church, VA in Q2 2021, pending Covid19 conditions.

Edward J. Perkins, a career diplomat who was born on June 8, 1928, grew up in segregated Louisiana, became the first African American ambassador to apartheid South Africa and opened the ranks of the Foreign Service to minorities as its director general. He was married for 47 years to Lucy Liu Perkins and had two daughters (Katherine and Sarah) and four grandchildren.  He died Nov. 7, 2020 at a hospital in Washington. He was 92.

Ed Perkins served with USAID in multiple overseas roles:  during the Vietnam War period, in Bangkok as an R-5 Assistant GSO (1966), moving to an R-4 status in USAID Bangkok (1969), a management officer (8/70) and followed by an Executive Officer (10/71-01/72).  In early February, he moved from USAID to the State Department, serving as an R-4 Personnel Officer until August 1972.  Dr. Perkins received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland in 1967, and later studied public administration at the University of Southern California, where he received a master’s degree in 1972 and a PhD in 1978.

After serving abroad in the Army and the Marines and working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Dr. Perkins joined the US Foreign Service in 1972 and rose, despite what he described as ingrained prejudice in the organization, to the rank of career minister.  Under President Ronald Reagan, Dr. Perkins served as Ambassador to Liberia before his posting in South Africa from 1986 to 1989. From 1989 to 1992, as director general of the Foreign Service, Dr. Perkins sought to recruit FS officers from underrepresented areas of the country (including Appalachia) as well as more African Americans and other minorities.  In 1992, President George H.W. Bush named him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Bush’s successor, President Bill Clinton, appointed Dr. Perkins ambassador to Australia, a posting he held from 1993 until his retirement in 1996.

On Saturday, October 8, 2016, Dr. Curtis R. Nissly (77) of Dillsburg, PA passed away in his home surrounded by his wife and family.  “Curt,” was born on May 26, 1939 in Upland, CA to the late Levi C. and Lilly “Landis” Nissly. After graduating high school 1956, Curt attended Westmont College and Upland College (each for one year),and served as a missionary helper in Zambia and Zimbabwe. In 1962, Curt returned to Upland College and earned his Bachelors of Science in Biology. Between 1963 and 1981, he completed his Master’s degree at Cal State (Los Angeles), moved his family to Zambia to teach math and science under the Brethren-in-Church Missions; earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agronomy in 1976; and taught at the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC) and the University of Zambia (UNZA). Curt became a commissioned officer with the USAID in 1981 and moved his family to Nairobi, Kenya serving as Regional Economic Development Services Officer (REDSO). In the summer of 1987, Curt and family moved to Islamabad, Pakistan where they were evacuated at the beginning of the Gulf War. They resided in Springfield, Virginia where Curt worked for USAID in Washington, DC until being assigned to Niamey, Niger as the Natural Resources Officer. He later worked in the Food for Peace (FFP) office in Washington, DC until being assigned to Bamako, Mali as Food Aid Officer in 1999. Curt retired in 2004. In retirement, Curt and his wife operated a small business and organized and led 15 different short term mission teams to New Orleans to assist in the clean-up and rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Curt travelled with his wife and enjoyed family and grandchildren. He and his wife became a Cumberland County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) advocating for children in the foster care system. In his free time, Curt enjoyed keeping up with home projects and looking for ways to help others.

He is survived by his wife, Vi Nissly; three sons, Curtis (Terri) of Spring Hill, FL, Wayne (Karen) of Severn, MD, Ryan (Lori) of Lemoyne; two daughters, Cheri Small (Roy) of Waconia MN, and Kimberly Henderson (Timothy) of Harrisburg; five grandchildren and a large, loving family.  He was also preceded in death by a son, Carl W. Nissly.  Curt will be greatly missed but his legacy will continue through his children and grandchildren.

On October 26, 2020,  Tom passed away after a five-year battle with cancer. Tom was born July 15, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York. When he was five, his father–a lawyer– was called to Washington, DC and Bethesda became the home of the Kellermann family since then. Tom attended Bradley Elementary and BCC until his father was assigned to Paris as Minister of the UNESCO. In Paris, Tom attended and graduated from the American HS.  Then he got his degree at Indiana University, followed by serving two years as Tank Commander in Bad Kissingen, Germany. He left the military and joined the Foreign Service as a Career FSO.  He served with USAID in Nigeria during the Biafra war, in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), the Ivory Coast and Mauretania – while on home tours, he served as the desk officer for the Philippines and Burma. His favorite tour was in Guatemala and his last tour in Peru. Tom loved Shrimp and Cheese Fondue and was an obsessed Marathon Runner and Golfer. He served under Msgr. Reddy at St.Bart’s Social Concern board, sang in the choir and organized the first Hunger Drive of the Parish. He loved the Redskins. Tom is survived by his wife Theres A. Kellermann-Hammer; his daughters Alessandra and Debbie; his sons, Thomas and Patrick (wife, Laura Mundy); his beloved grandson, Ed Kellermann, and his best friend, Isabel M. Rodriguez. He has family in Princeton, NJ, and in Switzerland. Due to the Covid, the burial will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held once the Covid is over. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to UNICEF. Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com.

It is with sadness that we inform you of the death of Reimert (“Rei”) Thorolf Ravenholt on Thursday October 1, 2020 at his home in Seattle, WA at age 95.  Rei served as the first Director of USAID’s Office of Population (now Population and Reproductive Health) from 1966-1979.