Lawrence Pezzullo facts for kids

Lawrence Anthony Pezzullo (born May 3, 1926 – died July 26, 2017) was an important American diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. Mr. Pezzullo worked for the United States government in foreign countries. He was an ambassador, which is the highest-ranking diplomat, in both Uruguay and Nicaragua. He also led a big charity organization called Catholic Relief Services.

Lawrence Pezzullo: A Diplomat's Story

Early Life and Learning

Lawrence Pezzullo was born in New York City. He went to high school in Levittown, New York. After high school, he attended Columbia College. He graduated in 1951 with a degree in history. He was able to go to college thanks to the G.I. Bill, which helps military veterans pay for their education.

Starting His Diplomatic Journey

Before becoming a diplomat, Mr. Pezzullo taught high school for six years in Levittown, New York. In 1957, he joined the United States Foreign Service. This is a group of people who work for the U.S. government in other countries.

He worked in many different places around the world. From 1958 to 1960, he was in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. He then served in Saigon (now in Vietnam) from 1962 to 1965. His other posts included La Paz, Bolivia (1965-1967), Bogotá, Colombia (1967-1969), and Guatemala (1969-1971).

In 1972, he earned a master's degree from the National War College. After that, he worked at the State Department in Washington, D.C. The State Department handles America's relationships with other countries. He became a deputy director there in 1974. From 1975 to 1977, he helped manage relations between the State Department and the U.S. Congress.

Ambassador to Uruguay and Nicaragua

In 1977, Lawrence Pezzullo was chosen to be the United States Ambassador to Uruguay. He served in this role for two years.

Helping Nicaragua Change Leaders

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as the United States Ambassador to Nicaragua. This was a very important time for Nicaragua. During his time there, Ambassador Pezzullo helped with the change of power from President Anastasio Somoza DeBayle. He played a key role in helping the Sandinista group take over the country's leadership.

Nicaragua's foreign minister at the time, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, praised Mr. Pezzullo. He said that Pezzullo was "the best U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua in this century." This was because he tried to help the U.S. government understand the big changes happening in Nicaragua.

Leading a Global Charity

In 1983, Mr. Pezzullo took on a new challenge. He became the first non-religious director of Catholic Relief Services. This is a large international charity that helps people in need around the world. He helped move the main office of the organization from New York City to Baltimore. He led this important charity until 1992.

Special Work in Haiti

After leaving Catholic Relief Services, President Bill Clinton asked Mr. Pezzullo for help. In 1993, he was named a special envoy to Haiti. A special envoy is like a special messenger or representative. His job was to help Haiti move from military rule to a government led by civilians. However, this effort did not succeed, and he left the position a year later.

Later in his career, Mr. Pezzullo shared his knowledge with students. He was a diplomat-in-residence at the University of Georgia. He also gave lectures at Goucher College.

Later Life and Family

Lawrence Pezzullo married Josephine DiMattia in February 1950. They had three children together. He passed away on July 26, 2017, at the age of 91. He was survived by his wife, his three children, and seven grandchildren.