Gary Mansavage

World traveler, wine and food connoisseur, and loyal American dedicated to helping people in developing countries make important changes in their lives, Gary Mansavage was born in Coos Bay (then called Marshfield), Oregon, Feb. 15, 1941, the only child of Theodore Mansavage and Leola Winifred Moore Mansavage. He left us on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2016 at age 75, of undetermined natural causes after a lifetime of international experience and leadership roles.

Gary grew up in Portland, and as a youth ascended from enthusiastic Boy Scout to commendable Eagle Scout, an accomplishment of which he was very proud. He went on to attend Roosevelt High School (the Rough Riders) where he was active (and remarkable) in sports, including softball, football, and student leadership. He was elected Student Body President his senior year – and still has the gavel to prove it! He treasured those years and friendships from Roosevelt, and became active in the alumni group which directed fund-raising efforts for improvement in the school, both academically and athletically. He attended Willamette University (becoming a member of Beta Theta Pi) and made lifelong friendships there as he did at Roosevelt. After receiving an undergraduate degree at Willamette, he attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C, where he received the degree of Master of Arts in Government.

Gary was recruited by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to serve in multiple locations throughout the world to help direct programs which would provide aid and economic development strategies for countries needing guidance in those areas. During these years, he served our country in hardship and danger assignments as a Senior Advisor to the US-Asia Environmental Partnership, Director of the USAID Office of Afghanistan Affairs, the USAID Representative in Beirut, Assistant Director at the USAID Mission in Kampala, Uganda, and Foreign Service Officer in Beirut. Other overseas assignments included France, Bangladesh, and Liberia. Desk assignments included operations for Thailand, Burma, Morocco and Zaire. Following his USAID service, Gary founded an independent company devoted to providing business development, management, technical and legal services to help American companies penetrate higher risk international markets.

Gary leaves a multitude of friends across the globe who will miss him deeply. His survivors include daughter, Daniella Latham and son-in-law Orlando Kalossakas; and son, Garth Swanson.

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