JOHN SEWELL

1935 - 2020

John Williamson Sewell  
Of Washington, DC and Southold, NY passed away on February 3, 2020 in Washington. He leaves behind his wife of 62 years, Maryann Strauss Sewell, his sister, Mary Eggleston, his sons, Gregory Johnson Sewell (Amy Wollerton) and Michael Paul Sewell (Erica Perl), grandchildren, Maxwell Alexander Sewell, Francesca Isabel Sewell, and Beatrice Hannah Sewell, and many nieces and nephews.John was born on December 1, 1935 in Cleveland, OH. He grew up in Rochester, NY and attended the University of Rochester, playing offensive line on the University of Rochester football team for four years and pledging the DKE fraternity. After college, John married Maryann Strauss and served with the US 3rd infantry division in Germany. He subsequently joined the US foreign service, working in Washington and the Netherlands.John worked as a research fellow at the Brookings Institution in the early "70s and joined the fledgling Overseas Development Council as vice-president in 1976. He became president of ODC in 1980 and established himself as a leader in the fields of US foreign aid, international finance, and trade architecture. He lectured widely, authored numerous publications on globalization and international development, and led efforts to shape international development policy and U.S. foreign assistance for Asia, Latin America, and Africa.John served for over a decade on the Board of Directors of the International Center for Research on Women. After retiring from ODC in 1998, John joined the Wilson Center as a senior scholar and continued to publish and speak on aid policy and other subjects. He inspired, supported, and mentored his staff and colleagues throughout his career. John was distinguished not only by his professional achievements but by his profound humanity, decency and altruism. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, he devoted his life to helping those who had less than he did. He had a smile and a kind word for everyone he met from all walks of life. John was a sympathetic ear and a source of good advice in difficult situations A lifelong jazz fan always on the lookout for new music among Dad's favorite memories were live performances by jazz greats including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, and the Bad Plus.He passed away peacefully while surrounded by his wife and children. A memorial service for family, friends, and colleagues will be held in early April, 2020.