Obituary

Giles Macnair Whitcomb

Dear friends,

We are gathered here today to remember Giles Macnair Whitcomb, a very dear friend and a colleague.

Giles was born in Baden Baden, in Germany, on 22 December 1943, of a French mother and an American father. Giles had a sister named Gillian.

Giles spent his childhood and youth in England and France, vacationing occasionally in Lausanne where his uncle was a Reformed clergyman.

He studied law at Harvard University, in the United States, and served in the Marines Corps during the Vietnam War and later in Italy as legal advisor during the negotiations between his Government and Italy on the use of military bases.

Giles joined the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO) in June 1978 as Relief Coordination Officer. Because of his inquisitive and logical mind, Giles liked to deal with difficult issues, issues that were not in the limelight but which, if remained unsolved, would have provided undesired results in crucial moments. His education, upbringing and experience made him focus on theoretical issues as long as they had a practical, cost-effective, application. Giles was concerned with issues that reconciled people, logistical questions, information management issues and tools, coordination techniques and mechanisms, training of staff.

His entire personality was a continuous reflection of his origins, his upbringing, his education, the culture and tradition of his various homelands. Giles was perfectly bilingual, perfectly gentleman, perfectly cultivated, elegant and charming, generous and patient, an accomplished sportsman, healthy in his mind and body.

His soft-spoken manners, professionalism, modesty, stamina, creativity, tolerance, kindness and supportiveness made him not only a precious friend and a rear individual, but also a feared colleague.

To some, Giles was too good to be true. They saw in his qualities hidden agendas that they could not unravel. His qualities attracted envy and jealousy. Contrary to their expectations, Giles paid little attention to such things and considered them sterile vexations to the spirit. Giles pursued the aims that fitted his vision of man in a certain society. He spoke little about himself but highly of others because, in his eyes, each and every one can contribute considerably to the common good.

If we are pleased to count Giles among our friends, we must admit that we were even more pleased when we discovered that the much believed to be a confirmed bachelor, was vulnerable to love. Giles was always very secretive about his private life but we all know that no secret can be kept in Geneva. Giles fell in love with Susan, a charming American, who came to Geneva to spend a year as an intern.

Susan and Giles married in Aspen and later moved to Cambridge. Philip, their first child, was born a few years later followed by their three daughters, Genevieve, Ann and Isabelle.

We are sorry for Susan and the children, we are sorry for the loss of her wonderful husband, for the loss of a beloved father and a precious friend, but we also thank God for the cruel ordeal to be over.

Giles now rests in peace, he is here with us in this very moment accompanied by our other friends, Annie Rebuzzi, his faithful guardian and defender, Patricia Schaeffer and Sabine Metzner-Strack, another jewel in our hearts.

God, accept Giles because he has been a just man and protect his family until we all rejoin one day in your mercy.