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Richard David Vine died 14 May 2008 in Chestertown, Maryland, following a short illness. He was 83. Mr Vine served as US President Jimmy Carter’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Switzerland from 1979 to 1981.

A career diplomat, he had previously lived in Bern from 1969 through
the early 1970s when he held the post of deputy head of mission at the
US Embassy there. After his return to Washington D.C. from Switzerland
in 1981,
Ambassador Vine became director of the State Department’s Bureau of
Refugee Programs, but shortly afterwards was nominated director general
of the Paris-based Atlantic Institute for International Affairs.

Mr Vine, who received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown
University and his graduate degree from Yale, was the author of many
articles and editor of several books on foreign affairs. A world
traveler, he was a talented linguist who spoke fluent French and German.

He was also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

His hobbies included gardening, bridge and bird-watching.

During his retirement, he farmed, bred exotic birds and ran a bird
clinic on his property. He sat on several boards and was active in
Chestertown’s Washington College Lifelong Learning and Mentoring
programmes.

Mr Vine was married to Dawn Decies Vine née Vessa, who survives him.
The couple had two children: Gail Mangold-Vine of Geneva, Switzerland,
and Michael David Vine of Washington DC.

Services will be held in Chestertown Maryland 20 May.
Obituary and burial service details