Patricia Gates Ewell

Patricia Gates Lynch Ewell U.S. Ambassador Ambassador Ewell was a resident of The Fairfax at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and has lived in the Washington area for may years. Patricia Gates Lynch Ewell who was the United States Ambassador to Madagascar and the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros (1986 to 1989) died at her home at the Fairfax of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She was one of the first women to servce as a United States Ambassador. Before her diplomatic appointment, Pat spent twenty-four years with the Voice of America. Known there as Pat Gates, she hosted VOA's worldwide "Breakfast Show" with an estimated audience of 45 million listeners. Her book, "Thanks for Listening, High Adventures in Journalism and Diplomacy" by Patricia Gates Lynch with Foreword by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has been read all over the world. Ambassador Ewell began her radio career in the Washington area on station WFAX. She was president of the Washington Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television and Chairman of the Washington International Committee of the Red Cross. Prior to joining the Voice of America, Pat Gates reported for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and the Armed Forces Network (AFN) from Western Europe, the Soviet Union, Iran, Hungary, Poland and Turkey. She served on the White House staff as press assistant to mrs. Richard Nixon and accompanied the First Lady and the President on their official visits to many world capitals. During the Vietnam War, she flew into Vietnam with President and Mrs. Nixon on Air Force One. After her tour at the White House, Pat returned to VOA to hosting the Breakfast Show at her VOA microphone. She lectured and conducted interviews for her program in the People's Republic of China, where she was aguest of Radio Beijing. She also made lecture tours to Africa, India, Pakistan, St. Lanka, Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Iran and Australia before giving up her microphone for diplomacy. Ambassador Ewell was Chairman of the Board of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, Vice President of the Council of American Ambassadors, and Board Member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. She was a member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs, a member of the American News Women's Club, the Sulgrave Club and Cosmos Club. Patricia Lawrence Gates Lynch Ewell was the daghter of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. Charles Lawrence. She was the widow of Lt. General Julian J. Ewell, U.S. Army (retired) and was married to Colonel William D. Lynch (retired) who died in 1997. She was married for thirty years to the late Brig. General Mahlon Gates. That marriage ended in divorce. She is survived by her children Pamela Townley Gates Belanger of Denver, Colorado; Lawrence Alan Gates (Jamye) of Memphis, Tennessee; her granddaughters Emily Gates Grimm (Dan) and Sally Gates; a granddaughter, Amelia Grimm and two nieces, Jeri Charles and Kay Lawrence Ruma. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, National Library for the Study of George Washington, P.O. Box 110, Mount Vernon, VA 22121