Pamela Pam Leah Falls Bigart

PAMELA LEAH BIGART (nee Falls)

On January 6, 2016, at home in Mclean, Virginia. Survived by her loving husband of 45 years Jim, son Andrew, daughter-in-law Amy, and three beautiful grandchildren, Lucy, John, and Henry; her brother Bruce Falls (Susan), and sister Jan Aruscavage (Phillip).

Pam was an “Army brat” who graduated from Mclean High School (1966), and the University of Maryland (1970). From 1970-1973, she accompanied Jim during his Army assignments; in Germany she worked as a clerk in an Army contracting office and as a Project Transition counselor helping soldiers plan their return to the U.S. and civilian life. She received a Master’s degree in Business Administration from George Washington University in 1977. She had a successful and notable career over 35 years as a contracting officer and procurement expert, serving in positions in various organizations, beginning with the U.S. Navy Sea Systems Command in Crystal City, Virginia. Later, while accompanying her husband on overseas Foreign Service assignments, she served as an international development expert in the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Vienna, Austria), the U.S. Agency for International Development (Jakarta, Indonesia), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Paris, France). After returning to the Washington area, she served as a career international employee at the World Bank until she retired in 2010. After her “retirement” she continued to work as a consultant for the Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations. Most recently she was a consultant to the African Development Bank, based in Tunisia. During these assignments she travelled to many countries advising and assisting governments of developing countries on their efforts to enhance and reform their procurement policies and practices. She was well known among the many professional development officials she worked with throughout the world and was highly regarded for her expertise on public procurement policy.

Pam’s interests included travelling with her husband, family and friends, skiing, tennis and golf; she liked to sit with her toes in the sand reading a good book. Her biggest joy was her grandchildren.

The family will receive friends for a celebration of her life at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 W. Broad St. Falls Church on January 23, 2016 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm with celebratory remarks at 4pm. An inurnment service will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Pam’s honor to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund or Capital Caring Hospice (Capitalcaring.org).