October 28, 2002
Statement by Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm 
on the Life of Laurence Foley

I, and all members of the Embassy community here in Jordan, lost a very dear friend today.  Larry Foley was a loving husband, a father, a proud grandfather, and a man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of others.  Our deepest condolences go out to Larry’s wife Virginia, his daughters Megan and Jeremie and his son Michael. 

Larry had worked in public service for over 37 years.  He began his career with the United States government as a Peace Corps Volunteer in India in 1965.  From that time, whether as a Juvenile Probationary Officer in California in the 1970’s where he counseled and worked to rehabilitate juvenile offenders; or as the Associate Director of our Peace Corps Mission in the Philippines in the early 1980’s; or when carrying out USAID assignments in Bolivia, Peru, Zimbabwe and Jordan; Larry Foley’s life was about helping people.  Only yesterday, I stood in this very same spot to present to him a superior honor award for all of his efforts and support for the programs of humanitarian and developmental assistance here in Jordan. 

Larry was working in Jordan to help deliver clean drinking water to Jordanian families.  He was working in Jordan to help rehabilitate primary health care centers throughout the Kingdom.  He was helping to administer micro-lending programs which have provided loans to many, many Jordanians so they might start new businesses and gain independence in their own lives.  Larry represents the very best in America – a man dedicated to his country and to helping other people.

Larry was beloved in the community here.  He and his wife Virginia loved Jordan.  They found a home here among the Jordanian people.  Virginia told me earlier today that “Larry was proud to serve in Jordan” and she said she was personally comforted knowing that Larry had said to her only last night: “I am where I want to be, doing what I want to do.”

In a moving tribute this morning here in this room, our Jordanian staff described Larry as a “great man and an inspiration.”  We are all simply devastated by his loss and will miss him.

We have received many messages of sympathy and condolence from our Jordanian friends.  I received calls today from His Majesty the King, from the Prime Minister, from the Foreign Minister and many others.  They pledged their total cooperation and support in search for the perpetrator of this horrible crime.  We are all grateful for these messages from our friends in Jordan, and to all our Jordanian friends I say thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support in these difficult moments.

But I would not end without saying to all of you that we are outraged by this incomprehensible act.  There can be no possible explanation for a heinous act of this kind.  We are working closely with the Jordanian authorities to apprehend the person or persons responsible for this crime.  We will not rest until they are found.   The cowardly criminal act that took away Larry’s life today took away something from within all of us; we will not allow the life of such a good and peaceful man to be defined by an act so evil and cowardly.