Elvira “Vera” Barone, 85, died March 14, in Windham, N.H. Barone began her career with the Department of State in 1962 working in communications. During her career, Barone served at posts in Paris, Rome, London, Tehran, Grenada, Canada, Costa Rica, China, among others. She retired in 1994 and enjoyed adventures, such as hot air ballooning, traveling, or cruising on her pontoon boat. Barone is survived by her sister, Rose, and many nieces and nephews.
Carmen Pickett Catala, 67, died March 9, in Tucson, Ariz. Catala entered the Foreign Service in 2002 and served as a financial management officer at posts in Zambia, India, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, and Colombia. She retired in 2017 and enjoyed traveling, and decorating. Catala is survived by her husband, Rick; a sister, Jennifer; and three children, Marina, Bettina, and Alexander.
Jerrold Mark Dion, 83, died Jan. 22, in Seattle, Wash. Dion graduated from the University of Minnesota and then received a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Buenos Aires. He then attended Yale University, receiving his masters degree, and entered the Foreign Service in 1961. During his career, Dion served at posts in Lisbon, Kuala Lumpur, Medan, Asuncion, San Salvador, Rangoon, Lima, and Istanbul. He retired as a member of the Senior Foreign Service in 1996, and he taught international relations at Koc University in Istanbul for several years before officially retiring and moving to Seattle. Dion is survived by his brother, Francis; sister-in-law, Margaret; and two nieces and one nephew.
Robert Ray Gibbons,84, died March 19, in Mesa, Ariz. Gibbons began his Foreign Service career in 1966 serving in Baghdad. During his career, he served at posts in Caracas, Lima, Montevideo, Kaduna, Lahore, Guatemala City, Monterrey, Mexico City, and in Washington. He retired in 1994 and was active in serving missions with his church. Gibbons is survived by his wife of 61-years, Yvonne, and five children: Michael, Bryn, Kevin, Christopher, and Caryn.
Jay Kenneth Katzen, 83, died April 9, in Talkeetna, Alaska. After graduating from Princeton University and receiving a master’s degree from Yale University, Katzen entered the Foreign Service. During his career, he served at posts in Australia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Romania, Mali, the United Nations, as well as at the White House. Outside of the Department, Katzen served as vice chairman of the African Development Foundation, acting chief of staff at the Peace Corps, visiting professor at Boston College’s Graduation School of Management, chairman of the Board of the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge, and he served as a national park ranger. Katzen was also elected to four terms in the Virginia House of Delegates. He is survived by his wife of 56-years, Paddy; three sons, Timothy, David, and James; and seven grandchildren.
Paul Wesley Kriebel, 92, died March 2, in Glenview, Ill. Kriebel began his career with the Foreign Service in 1952 as a consul in Birmingham. From 1957-1961, he served in Ottawa followed by a tour in South Korea from 1967-1970. Kriebel served as deputy chief of mission in Nigeria from 1980-1982 and was chargé d’affaires to Gambia from 1982-1983. Kriebel retired from the Department in 1987 and enjoyed reading, nature, southwest Indian culture, and history. He is survived by wife, Marilynn, and four children: Linda, John, Paul, and Jeff.
Richard “Dick” Pond, 95, died Jan. 27, in Brooksville, Fla. Pond served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a cryptographer in London. In 1946, he joined the Foreign Service and served at posts in Washington, Copenhagen, London, Bonn, Frankfurt, Paris, Warsaw, Benghazi, Stockholm, and Salzburg. He retired from the Department in 1962, and he continued his work in foreign affairs at USAID, serving in Blantyre, Karachi, Hawaii, Saigon, Rio de Janeiro, Amman, and Kabul. Pond officially retired in 1974 and enjoyed playing bridge and cruising. Pond is survived by his wife of 44-years, Saundra; three sons, Eric, Peter, Jason; eight grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.
Avraham Rabby, 71, died April 17, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Rabby attended the University of Oxford and received an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. In 1980, Rabby became an American citizen and served as a management consultant for Citibank. In 1989, he began his career with the Foreign Service. During his career, he served at posts in Europe, Africa, South America, and South Asia. He also served in Washington with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Affairs, and at the U.S. Mission to the U.N. Rabby retired after 17-years with the Department and relocated to Israel. He was a lifelong activist on issues of equal rights and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. He enjoyed tandem bike tours and was an enthusiastic coin collector. Rabby is survived by his brother.
Edith Sabetay-Wilcox, 69, died Dec. 19, in Las Vegas, Nev. In her early career, Sabetay-Wilcox worked as a teacher at the University of Colorado and in Boulder public schools. She joined the Foreign Service with her husband George, a Foreign Service specialist, and together they served at posts in Singapore, Tashkent, São Paulo, Pretoria, Bahrain, and Bangkok. In Washington, she also worked at the American Foreign Service Association and worked with the homeless. Sabetay-Wilcox also enjoyed working as a freelance writer. She is survived by her husband, three children, and two granddaughters.
Katherine Marguerite White, 93, died March 12, in Phoenix, Ariz. White attended East Carolina University and began her career as an executive assistant in Continental Life, Gulf Oil, and Valley Bank (now Chase). She joined the Foreign Service in 1962 as a personnel assistant, and she later served as a personnel officer at posts in Tegucigalpa, Tokyo, Montevideo, Quito, Mexico City, Madrid, Kingston, and Brasilia. She also had several tours of duty in Washington, D.C., with the Bureau of Personnel (now the Bureau of Global Talent Management). White retired in 1985 and enjoyed playing golf and bridge, listening to opera, and spending time with family. She is survived by her brother, Irvin; one nephew and two nieces; and many grand nephews and nieces.