Washington Post Obit --

Willard Leon Beaulac, 91, an American career diplomat for more than 40 years who had served as ambassador to five Latin American nations, died Aug. 25 at his home in Washington. He had Alzheimer's disease.

Mr. Beaulac joined the State Department in 1921 and held consular posts in Central America for about the next 10 years. He was counselor and deputy chief of mission in Spain during part of World War II. At the State Department, he had served as head of the Latin American division for a time.

His first ambassadorial assignment was to Paraguay in 1944. Three years later, he was named ambassador to Colombia. From 1951 to 1953, he was ambassador to Cuba. He then spent three years as ambassador to Chile. He was the U.S. ambassador in Argentina from 1956 to 1960. His last assignment, before retiring in the early 1960s, was as deputy commandant for foreign affairs of the National War College.

In his 1951 book, "Career Ambassador," which was published by Macmillan Publishing Co., he wrote about his early years with the State Department. Rather than striped pants, his uniform during these early tours was often khaki pants, an open-necked khaki shirt, and "a holster and automatic pistol."

He wrote of riding a mule into Mexican bandit country to check on American oil company employees being held for ransom. He also told of walking through streets in Honduras while a civil war firefight raged around him to meet an American destroyer he had summoned, and of having an earthquake drop the American Legation building in Nicaragua literally around his head.

Mr. Beaulac, who was a native of Rhode Island, came here in 1918. He attended Brown University before serving in the Navy during World War I. After the war, he enrolled in Georgetown University's new Foreign Service School. In 1921, he graduated in its first class, and because the diplomas were handed out in alphabetical order, he was the first person to receive one from the new school.

He joined State upon graduation and was assigned to a consular post in Tampico, Mexico. He later held consular posts in Haiti, Chile, Honduras and Nicaragua. He also served as consul general in Cuba.

After retiring from State, he served until the late 1960s on the faculties of Southern Illinois and Ball State universities. He taught political science and lectured on Latin American affairs.

In addition to "Career Ambassador," he was the author of "A Diplomat Looks at Aid to Latin America," "A Career Diplomat," "The Fractured Continent" and "Franco: Silent Ally in World War II." He also had contributed articles to publications ranging from The Washington Post to the Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute.

Mr. Beaulac was a member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Washington, the Metropolitan Club of Washington, the Fort McNair Golf Club and DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired).

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Catherine "Caroll" Beaulac of Washington; a son, Willard Jr., of Naples, N.Y.; three daughters, Noel Peters of Bowie, Joan Zachor of Lexington, Mass., and Nancy Beaulac-Bonneau of Fort Worth; and 13 grandchildren.


Ambassador to Paraguay, 1944-1947; Ambassador to Colombia, 1947-1951; Ambassador to Cuba, 1951-1953; Ambassador to Chile, 1953-1956; Ambassador to Argentina, 1956-1960.

Washington Post Obit --

Willard Leon Beaulac, 91, an American career diplomat for more than 40 years who had served as ambassador to five Latin American nations, died Aug. 25 at his home in Washington. He had Alzheimer's disease.

Mr. Beaulac joined the State Department in 1921 and held consular posts in Central America for about the next 10 years. He was counselor and deputy chief of mission in Spain during part of World War II. At the State Department, he had served as head of the Latin American division for a time.

His first ambassadorial assignment was to Paraguay in 1944. Three years later, he was named ambassador to Colombia. From 1951 to 1953, he was ambassador to Cuba. He then spent three years as ambassador to Chile. He was the U.S. ambassador in Argentina from 1956 to 1960. His last assignment, before retiring in the early 1960s, was as deputy commandant for foreign affairs of the National War College.

In his 1951 book, "Career Ambassador," which was published by Macmillan Publishing Co., he wrote about his early years with the State Department. Rather than striped pants, his uniform during these early tours was often khaki pants, an open-necked khaki shirt, and "a holster and automatic pistol."

He wrote of riding a mule into Mexican bandit country to check on American oil company employees being held for ransom. He also told of walking through streets in Honduras while a civil war firefight raged around him to meet an American destroyer he had summoned, and of having an earthquake drop the American Legation building in Nicaragua literally around his head.

Mr. Beaulac, who was a native of Rhode Island, came here in 1918. He attended Brown University before serving in the Navy during World War I. After the war, he enrolled in Georgetown University's new Foreign Service School. In 1921, he graduated in its first class, and because the diplomas were handed out in alphabetical order, he was the first person to receive one from the new school.

He joined State upon graduation and was assigned to a consular post in Tampico, Mexico. He later held consular posts in Haiti, Chile, Honduras and Nicaragua. He also served as consul general in Cuba.

After retiring from State, he served until the late 1960s on the faculties of Southern Illinois and Ball State universities. He taught political science and lectured on Latin American affairs.

In addition to "Career Ambassador," he was the author of "A Diplomat Looks at Aid to Latin America," "A Career Diplomat," "The Fractured Continent" and "Franco: Silent Ally in World War II." He also had contributed articles to publications ranging from The Washington Post to the Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute.

Mr. Beaulac was a member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Washington, the Metropolitan Club of Washington, the Fort McNair Golf Club and DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired).

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Catherine "Caroll" Beaulac of Washington; a son, Willard Jr., of Naples, N.Y.; three daughters, Noel Peters of Bowie, Joan Zachor of Lexington, Mass., and Nancy Beaulac-Bonneau of Fort Worth; and 13 grandchildren.


Ambassador to Paraguay, 1944-1947; Ambassador to Colombia, 1947-1951; Ambassador to Cuba, 1951-1953; Ambassador to Chile, 1953-1956; Ambassador to Argentina, 1956-1960.