Ambassador Robert O. Blake, a career diplomat and advocate for the environment and sustainable agriculture, died peacefully at his home in Washington DC on December 28, 2015. He was 94.
Bob Blake served in the US Foreign Service for three decades, from 1947 until 1977. He served in Nicaragua, Moscow and Tokyo, before returning to Washington to head up the Soviet Desk at the State Department. A Russian speaker, he was a Soviet expert in the US Mission to the United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis. He also served as Political Officer in Tunis, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kinshasa and Paris, and US Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. After a distinguished thirty-year career in the diplomatic corps, he began a second career in international sustainable development. Concerned that USAID and other US government policies were funding the destruction of natural resources around the world, he joined the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) as Senior Fellow in 1977, heading up their advocacy work in Washington. There he organized the Tropical Forest Action Group that convinced USAID to withdraw its fund- ing for clearing tropical forests in Latin America for cattle ranches.
In 1986, he founded the Committee on Agricultural Sustainability for Developing Countries that worked to influence the agricultural and rural development policies and programs of the World Bank, USAID and the InterAmerican Development Bank. He believed in "the absolute need to make farmers - especially the women farmers who do most of the work in many places - full partners in agricultural development." He also served on the boards of organizations he admired including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wilderness Society, Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust, among many others. In his final years of life, he became increasingly concerned about poverty and hunger in the United States. He volunteered for the Salvation Army where he delivered food to the homeless at night. He also delivered Meals on Wheels.
Born in Los Angeles, California on April 7, 1921, he grew up in Whittier, California. He attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1943. He then joined the Navy and served as an officer on the U.S.S Duluth in the Pacific. After completing a Masters degree at John Hopkins'' School of Advanced International Studies, he joined the Foreign Service in 1947.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sylvia Whitehouse Blake; three children, Robert Blake Jr., currently serving as US Ambassador to Indonesia, Lucy Blake of Palo Alto, CA and George Blake of Newport, RI; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral.
The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army.
Bob Blake served in the US Foreign Service for three decades, from 1947 until 1977. He served in Nicaragua, Moscow and Tokyo, before returning to Washington to head up the Soviet Desk at the State Department. A Russian speaker, he was a Soviet expert in the US Mission to the United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis. He also served as Political Officer in Tunis, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kinshasa and Paris, and US Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. After a distinguished thirty-year career in the diplomatic corps, he began a second career in international sustainable development. Concerned that USAID and other US government policies were funding the destruction of natural resources around the world, he joined the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) as Senior Fellow in 1977, heading up their advocacy work in Washington. There he organized the Tropical Forest Action Group that convinced USAID to withdraw its fund- ing for clearing tropical forests in Latin America for cattle ranches.
In 1986, he founded the Committee on Agricultural Sustainability for Developing Countries that worked to influence the agricultural and rural development policies and programs of the World Bank, USAID and the InterAmerican Development Bank. He believed in "the absolute need to make farmers - especially the women farmers who do most of the work in many places - full partners in agricultural development." He also served on the boards of organizations he admired including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wilderness Society, Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust, among many others. In his final years of life, he became increasingly concerned about poverty and hunger in the United States. He volunteered for the Salvation Army where he delivered food to the homeless at night. He also delivered Meals on Wheels.
Born in Los Angeles, California on April 7, 1921, he grew up in Whittier, California. He attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1943. He then joined the Navy and served as an officer on the U.S.S Duluth in the Pacific. After completing a Masters degree at John Hopkins'' School of Advanced International Studies, he joined the Foreign Service in 1947.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sylvia Whitehouse Blake; three children, Robert Blake Jr., currently serving as US Ambassador to Indonesia, Lucy Blake of Palo Alto, CA and George Blake of Newport, RI; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral.
The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army.
Ambassador Robert O. Blake, a career diplomat and advocate for the environment and sustainable agriculture, died peacefully at his home in Washington DC on December 28, 2015. He was 94.
Bob Blake served in the US Foreign Service for three decades, from 1947 until 1977. He served in Nicaragua, Moscow and Tokyo, before returning to Washington to head up the Soviet Desk at the State Department. A Russian speaker, he was a Soviet expert in the US Mission to the United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis. He also served as Political Officer in Tunis, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kinshasa and Paris, and US Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. After a distinguished thirty-year career in the diplomatic corps, he began a second career in international sustainable development. Concerned that USAID and other US government policies were funding the destruction of natural resources around the world, he joined the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) as Senior Fellow in 1977, heading up their advocacy work in Washington. There he organized the Tropical Forest Action Group that convinced USAID to withdraw its fund- ing for clearing tropical forests in Latin America for cattle ranches.
In 1986, he founded the Committee on Agricultural Sustainability for Developing Countries that worked to influence the agricultural and rural development policies and programs of the World Bank, USAID and the InterAmerican Development Bank. He believed in "the absolute need to make farmers - especially the women farmers who do most of the work in many places - full partners in agricultural development." He also served on the boards of organizations he admired including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wilderness Society, Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust, among many others. In his final years of life, he became increasingly concerned about poverty and hunger in the United States. He volunteered for the Salvation Army where he delivered food to the homeless at night. He also delivered Meals on Wheels.
Born in Los Angeles, California on April 7, 1921, he grew up in Whittier, California. He attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1943. He then joined the Navy and served as an officer on the U.S.S Duluth in the Pacific. After completing a Masters degree at John Hopkins'' School of Advanced International Studies, he joined the Foreign Service in 1947.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sylvia Whitehouse Blake; three children, Robert Blake Jr., currently serving as US Ambassador to Indonesia, Lucy Blake of Palo Alto, CA and George Blake of Newport, RI; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral.
The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army.
Bob Blake served in the US Foreign Service for three decades, from 1947 until 1977. He served in Nicaragua, Moscow and Tokyo, before returning to Washington to head up the Soviet Desk at the State Department. A Russian speaker, he was a Soviet expert in the US Mission to the United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis. He also served as Political Officer in Tunis, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kinshasa and Paris, and US Ambassador to the Republic of Mali. After a distinguished thirty-year career in the diplomatic corps, he began a second career in international sustainable development. Concerned that USAID and other US government policies were funding the destruction of natural resources around the world, he joined the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) as Senior Fellow in 1977, heading up their advocacy work in Washington. There he organized the Tropical Forest Action Group that convinced USAID to withdraw its fund- ing for clearing tropical forests in Latin America for cattle ranches.
In 1986, he founded the Committee on Agricultural Sustainability for Developing Countries that worked to influence the agricultural and rural development policies and programs of the World Bank, USAID and the InterAmerican Development Bank. He believed in "the absolute need to make farmers - especially the women farmers who do most of the work in many places - full partners in agricultural development." He also served on the boards of organizations he admired including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wilderness Society, Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust, among many others. In his final years of life, he became increasingly concerned about poverty and hunger in the United States. He volunteered for the Salvation Army where he delivered food to the homeless at night. He also delivered Meals on Wheels.
Born in Los Angeles, California on April 7, 1921, he grew up in Whittier, California. He attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1943. He then joined the Navy and served as an officer on the U.S.S Duluth in the Pacific. After completing a Masters degree at John Hopkins'' School of Advanced International Studies, he joined the Foreign Service in 1947.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sylvia Whitehouse Blake; three children, Robert Blake Jr., currently serving as US Ambassador to Indonesia, Lucy Blake of Palo Alto, CA and George Blake of Newport, RI; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral.
The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 3 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, a contribution may be given to Bread for the City, 1525 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 or to the Salvation Army.
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