Anthony Bishop, 59, died Jan. 20, in Cheverly, Md. Bishop served in the U.S. Navy at posts in Spain and Japan, and he served domestically as a reservist. He began his federal career as a fiscal technician within the Budget and Management Office at the Foreign Service Institute. During his career, Bishop also held the position as the longest-serving vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1534, a position that he was elected to six times. He retired from the Department of State in 2019 and enjoyed bowling, fishing, golfing, and traveling. Bishop is survived by his wife and Department employee, Pamela; four daughters, Chavonne, Corrie, Nakita, and Shelise; and eight grandchildren.
Richard C. Lundberg, 74, died Jan. 9, in Arlington, Va. Lundberg joined the Foreign Service in 1978 after working as a school teacher for nine years. He served in various positions at posts in Warsaw, Helsinki, Bucharest, Reykjavik, and Tallinn. At his last postings in Washington, he served as a program officer for the U.S. Speakers Program in Eastern Europe, an office director of the U.S. Society and Values Office in the Bureau of International Information Programs, a Congressional Pearson Fellow, and a career development officer within the former Bureau of Human Resources. Lundberg enjoyed cooking, music, animals, and photography. He is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Ann.
Alan G. Mencher, 94, died Feb. 12, in Danbury, Conn. Mencher received degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and University of California Los Angeles. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and worked briefly on the U.S. Space Program before joining the Foreign Service. Mencher spent 22 years at the Department of State as a scientific attaché. He was a visiting fellow at the London Business School and served as an independent consultant in the fields of technology, health, energy, and transportation. Mencher is survived by his wife of 55 years, Eve; five children, Paul, Justin, Pamela, Jessica, and Alexandra; and 10 grandchildren.
John G. Peters, 91, died Sept. 30, in Montgomery Village, Md. Peters joined the Foreign Service in 1956 after serving in the U.S. Army in Trieste, Italy. As a Foreign Service officer, Peters served at posts in Munich, Belgrade, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv, and Hamburg. He held several posts in Washington, D.C., and one position in Bloomington, Ind. Peters retired in 1988 and worked briefly for the state of Maryland. In retirement, he enjoyed reading, gardening, performing arts, and classical music. Peters was predeceased by his wife, Anna. He is survived by two children, Michael and Mary; and three grandchildren.
Shackford “Shack” Pitcher, 84, died Jan. 23, in Arlington, Va. Pitcher began his federal career in 1962 at the Department of Agriculture. In 1980, he was commissioned as a Foreign Service officer and served at posts in Brazil, Lebanon, Syria, and Sweden. He retired in 1997 and enjoyed traveling, spending his summers in Aland, Finland. Pitcher is survived by his wife of 59 years, Birgitta; two children, Karen and John; and three grandchildren.
Joseph L. “Joe” Rinella Jr., 66, died Jan. 22, in Burlington, Vt. Rinella served in the U.S. Army as a telephone technician before joining the Foreign Service. He served at posts in Nairobi, Moscow, and Beirut before retiring in 2009. Rinella enjoyed renovating and remodeling homes and was a member of the Peru Lions Club, the Adirondack Mountain Club, and the American Legion. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Evelyn; two daughters, Adrienne and Arlena; and two grandchildren.