Edmund Tompkins DeJarnette Jr.

Edmund Tompkins DeJarnette Jr., of Ashland, Va., died on April 6, 2015. He was born in Richmond, Va. on January 15, 1938. He was a graduate of St. Christopher’s School in Richmond (1955), the University of Virginia (BA 1959, LLB 1963) and George Washington University (MS 1978). He served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 1960 until 1968. He was an American diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service from 1964 until 1995 and specialized in African Affairs. He and his wife, Katia were posted to six African countries, Niger, Gabon, Senegal, The Central African Republic, Tanzania and Angola. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Gabon and Senegal and was appointed Ambassador to The Central African Republic by President Reagan, Ambassador to Tanzania by President George H.W. Bush and as the first U.S. Ambassador to Angola by President Clinton. He took a brief leave of absence from the U.S. Foreign Service and traveled throughout South America. He became Peace Corps Director in Quito, Ecuador from 1970 to 1975. After retiring from the Foreign Service, he returned to his family home in Ashland, Va. He practiced law with Hunton and Williams from 1995 until 2001. While in Virginia, he served on numerous boards, including the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College and after 2008 as Trustee Emeritus. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Christian Children’s Fund (now ChildFund International) and Chairman of the Board of ChildFund Alliance. He headed the U.S.- Angola Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. from 1996 until 2000. He later founded the U.S.-Africa Energy Association, which made possible the Houston Express, a direct charter flight service between the U.S. and Angola created for the oil and gas industry. With the cooperation of Sonangol (the national oil company of Angola) and the partnership of its subsidiary SonAir, he founded SonAir USA in 2009 and served as its CEO and President until 2012. He was elected Chairman of Shore Exploration and Production, a Virginia corporation in 2012. His latest projects in Caroline County were developing shale oil and gas and restoring his family plantation, Spring Grove. He received several honors and distinctions including the Order of the Lion from Senegal, the Order of the Merite Centrafricain from The Central African Republic and the Distinguished Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State. He was a member of the Order of St. John, a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, the Sons of the Revolution and the St. James Society. He is survived by his wife, Katia Escartin DeJarnette; son, Edmund Tompkins DeJarnette III and his wife, Sara; daughter, Alexandra DeJarnette Varner and her husband, Dean; and grandchildren, Austin Daniels Varner, Olivia DeJarnette Varner, Frank Taylor DeJarnette, Colette Henriette DeJarnette and Edmund Evans DeJarnette. He is also survived by his sister, Jane DeJarnette Lowry, and her daughters, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Saint James the Less, 125 Beverly Rd., Ashland, Va. 23005, with burial following in Hollywood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to ChildFund International and Randolph-Macon College. Arrangements by Bliley’s-Central.