FRIENDS and family in Costa Ricaand abroad are mourning the death of U.S.citizen Temple Wanamaker, who passedaway in Costa Rica on Nov. 17. He was 86.Wanamaker was one of the foundingmembers and benefactors of the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center and theCiudad de Niños, among other institutions.He was born in Seattle, Washington, onJuly 16, 1918. His parents, Dr. AllisonTemple Wanamaker and Helen Allmond,were bastions of Seattle society and membersof the founding families of theNorthwest United States.His sister, Alice Jane Wanamaker ofSeattle, continues the Wanamaker traditionof supporting others, by her founding ofthe Allison T. Wanamaker Professorship,Department of Otolaryngology, Universityof Washington Medical School. The professorshipis a tribute to Temple’s father,Dr. Wanamaker.AFTER graduating from StanfordUniversity, Temple Wanamaker went on tobecome a career foreign service diplomatwith the U.S. State Department. With distinguishedservice in Costa Rica, Spain,Philippines, Bahamas, Israel, Argentina,and other postings, he was awarded theSecretary’s Award. He was “cited forcourage displayed in voluntarily remainingat his post and continuing to perform hisduties despite threats and attempts at bodilyharm.”He is also the author of the book“American Foreign Policy Today,” with anintroduction by Secretary of State DeanRusk in 1964.As written by Rusk “…Mr.Wanamaker… became convinced of theneed for a small book which could explainto the American citizen the main elementsof our foreign policy… he took leave ofabsence without pay in order to write [thisbook] as his response to that conviction.”HE is remembered by friends and familyas possessing an intellect surpassed bynone, a great listener with a dry sense ofhumor… a friend, father, husband, grandfather,patron and benefactor.Temple is survived by his sister Alice,his three children Peter, Natalie, andAllison, and his grandchildren Alexanderand Susan Wanamaker, Jordan and SergeiJavier and Sophia McDonald. He was marriedto Sophia Wolkonsky, who died in1968, and later to Judy Pirie, who passedaway in 2002.
