Obituary of Elaine Diana Smith

Elaine D Smith was born in Glencoe, Illinois Sept 15, 1924. She passed peacefully in her sleep at Greenebrook Homes in Potomac, MD on June 6, 2014. She was 89. She had been resident in Washington, DC since her retirement from Department of State. She received a BA from Grinnell College in Iowa (1946) and MA from the School of Advanced International Studies Washington DC 1947, and a PhD in International Relations from American University, Washington, DC 1959. Miss Smith entered the Foreign Service in 1947 at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels. Subsequently she was assigned as Economic Assistant to Tehran (1951-53) and Wellington (1954-56). Returning to the Department of State in 1956, Miss Smith did political reporting on Iran and Turkey in the Bureau of Research and Analysis (1956-1958), followed by two years as a Turkish Area – Language trainee. In 1960 Miss Smith was assigned to Ankara where she served initially as Economic Officer (1960-63) and then as a Political Officer both in Ankara (1961-1969) and Istanbul (1969-1977). After her return to Washington, she became Regional Affairs Officer of the Near East South Asia Division of the Department of Commerce on the State- Commerce exchange program, prior to being selected for the Board of Examiners of the Foreign Service in February 1974. July 1875- August 1978 she was Turkish Desk Officer in the Office of Southern European Affairs of the Department of State. Miss Smith was next appointed U. S. Consul General in Izmir and arrived at post in September 1978. Miss Smith retired from the Foreign Service in 1982. She spoke fluent Turkish and French and some Spanish. Miss Smith is the author of Turkey: Origins of the Kamalist Movement (1919-1923) and has been listed in Who's Who of America. Elaine is survived by 3 first cousins once removed and their children with whom she kept close and many friends whom she made to feel as family. In lieu of flowers please consider donations to one of the following charities: Scholarship fund in Elaine's name at Grinnell College, Iowa; Scholarship fund in Elaine's name at American University; Ataturk Society in Washington, DC; The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, MA; Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, Washington, DC; Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Washington, DC; Lynn House of Potomac Valley, Alexandria, VA.