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Draft:Nancy Ostrander

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Nancy Ostrander
US Ambassador to Suriname
In office
May 25, 1978 – July 8, 1980
PresidentJimmy Carter
Preceded byJ. Owen Zurhellen, Jr.
Succeeded byJohn J. Crowley, Jr.

Nancy Ostrander (1925 – February 18, 2024) was an American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Suriname during the Surinamese Coup in 1980.[1]

Early life and career

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Ostrander was born in 1925 and raised on a farm near Indianapolis by a single mother after her father passed away when she was just six months old.[2] She went on to graduate from Butler University in 1947, with a bachelor's degree in Spanish.[3]

The Summer after graduating, Ostrander traveled to Cuba with her friends to visit her uncle who lived there.[2] While in Cuba, Ostrander joined the Foreign Service as a clerk at the consulate at Santiago de Cuba. She held clerical and personnel positions in Havana, The Hague, Antwerp, Mexico City, and Kingston from 1947 to 1972.[4] She attended the National War College in 1973 to 1974 and climbed the ranks of the Foreign Service. Ultimately, Nancy was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the Republic of Suriname in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter.[5]

Suriname

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Further information: 1980 Surinamese coup d'état

After taking over the role from J. Owen Zurhellen, Jr., Ostrander got to work reporting on the complicated political situation in Surinam.[2] By the time she arrived, the country had just gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1975 and was experiencing a period of social unrest, economic depression, and widespread corruption within the Surinamese government.[6] At the time, the country was led by Prime Minister Henck Arron.

The defining moments of Ostrander’s time as ambassador to Suriname occurred in the wake of the 1980 coup against Arron’s government. In January, mere months before an election campaign, sergeants in the Dutch-created Surinamese military organized a strike to force the government into approving their labor union. However, their demands were largely ignored.[2] By February, the sergeants had staged a violent coup against the government that resulted in the deaths of around 6-8 people.[7] During the coup, Ostrander recalled hearing gunshots and ammunition in the streets but did not believe she was in significant danger.[2] However, during this time, three aircrafts (carrying approximately 65 soldiers) from the U.S. Air Force were refueling in Suriname. Despite the chaotic situation, Ostrander was able to successfully negotiate for these soldiers and the 3 aircrafts to safely use the airports and leave Suriname.[2]

In the aftermath of the coup, Nancy perceived that Suriname was beginning to pull away from the Netherlands and could possibly turn their allegiances towards the U.S. To deepen the connection between the two countries, Nancy had hoped to offer Surinamese students scholarships to attend American universities through the United States Information Agency (USIA). Ultimately, Nancy was unable to secure funding from the USIA.[2]

Following the coup, Hendrick Chin A Sen was appointed Prime Minister and quietly sought to restore democracy within Surinam. Chin A Sen reportedly felt pessimistic and ready to resign his position.[7] Ostrander met with him to informed him that he had the backing of the United States Government. This support convinced Chin A Sen not to resign and continue stabilizing the situation until he was removed from office less than two years later.

Post-Suriname and retirement

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Nancy Ostrander left Surinam in July of 1980 and became Diplomat-in-Residence for the Midwest, sitting at Indiana University.[8][9] She then served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Populations Affairs until her retirement in 1989.[3] She was succeeded in Suriname by John J. Crowley Jr. (1928–1995) who investigated the connections between Surinamese leadership and Havana.[2]

As a result of her work in various stations, Nancy was awarded three Superior Honor Awards by the Department of State, the first of which was awarded in 1970.[8] One of these awards was given for her contributions to the Department’s task force investigating the TWA Flight 847 hijacking.[3] Nancy also received Butler University’s Alumni Achievement Award and the Order of the Palm award from the Surinamese government.

Ostrander was a member of the Board of Directors of Family Health International and participated in the Women’s Rotary Club of Indianapolis.[3] She passed away in her Indianapolis home in February of 2024, at the age of 98.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Nancy Ostrander (1925–)". Office of the Historian.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Morin, Ann Miller (May 14, 1986). Interview with Nancy Ostrander. Library of Congress.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Obituaries in Indianapolis, IN | The Indianapolis Star". indystar.com. 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  4. ^ "Nancy Ostrander Tapped as Envoy". State Department Newsletter. 201: 14. May 1978 – via Hathitrust.
  5. ^ "United States Ambassador to Surinam Nomination of Nancy Ostrander". The American Presidency Project | UC Santa Barbara. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  6. ^ Kagie, Rudie (2021-02-25). "Een streep door Operation Guiminish - Sneak Peek". Parbode (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  7. ^ a b Rickert, Jonathan (August 2021). "Diplomatic Intervention Made a Difference in Suriname". American Diplomacy. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  8. ^ a b "New 'N' More". Indiana University Green Sheet. 15 (5): 4. February 3, 1985 – via Indiana University.
  9. ^ "Indiana – Contributions by Hoosiers in the Foreign Service". Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
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